Lockheed Martin VP Lisa Callahan at TechCrunch Sessions: Space

On December 16th and 17th, we are pleased to announce our inaugural TC Sessions: Space event. This will be a two-day, live-streamed virtual conference featuring discussions with leading figures in the space sector. We are delighted to welcome Lisa Callahan, the vice president and general manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin. She will be joining us to share insights into her company’s groundbreaking contributions to robotic space exploration – notably, the successful asteroid sample collection at asteroid Bennu which occurred today – and to discuss the prospects for future human space exploration.

Callahan’s role at Lockheed Martin encompasses all of the company’s endeavors in support of NASA and other civil space exploration initiatives, covering both robotic and crewed transportation, as well as scientific investigations. This includes the OSIRIS-REx mission, an asteroid research and sample return project that earlier today completed a momentous descent to the surface of Bennu, a rocky asteroid located over 200,000 miles from Earth.

The OSIRIS-REx mission has already achieved significant milestones, including establishing the closest orbital proximity to an asteroid ever attained by a spacecraft. However, today’s event surpassed all previous accomplishments with a precise “touch-and-go” landing on the asteroid’s surface, successfully collecting samples that will be returned to Earth for detailed analysis by researchers. This type of ambitious, robotic research beyond Earth is directly enabled by the work of Callahan and her team at Lockheed Martin in the areas of advanced spacecraft and robotics engineering.

Callahan is also playing a key role in NASA’s initiatives to resume human missions to the Moon – including the historic goal of landing the first woman on lunar soil. Lockheed Martin serves as the prime manufacturing partner for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, which is designed to carry the first woman and the next man to the Moon for their landmark mission planned for 2024.

During our December conversation, we will explore with Callahan the significance of these achievements for the space industry and the trajectory of space exploration – and crewed spaceflight in particular.

Early-bird tickets are available now, offering a $100 discount before prices increase on November 13th – and you can receive a complimentary fifth ticket when you register a group of four colleagues from your organization. Exclusive discounts are also offered for current government/military/nonprofit personnel and students, directly through the event website. Furthermore, early-stage space startups can secure a one-day exhibition opportunity for only $360 to gain visibility with key decision-makers.

If your organization is interested in showcasing your company at TC Sessions: Space 2020, please click here to discuss available sponsorship opportunities.