Sterling Heights, Michigan, September 12, 2022 – The Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association will welcome more top space leaders to its fifth annual North American Space Summit Oct. 2-4 in Traverse City, Michigan.

Former U.S. Army Lt. Gen Joseph Kellogg Jr., Lockheed Martin Space’s Stacey DeFore and Rhodium Scientific Corporation founder and CEO Olivia G. Holzhaus will speak at this year’s summit. They join U.S. Space Force Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina Armagno as keynote speakers for the event.

“These three individuals offer a wealth of knowledge in research, defense, aerospace and entrepreneurship – key topics many of our attendees will benefit from learning more about,” MAMA Executive Director Gavin Brown said. “The North American Space Summit is aimed to offer a wide range of knowledgeable speakers and key networking opportunities to meet the needs of all who attend. I am pleased to welcome these exceptional leaders and innovators to this year’s summit.”

Kellogg is a decorated veteran of the U.S. Army where he served for more than 30 years before retiring as a lieutenant general in 2003. He spent four years in various national security roles for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, including acting national security advisor, chief of staff and executive secretary of the National Security Council.

Earlier in his career, Kellogg commanded the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and served tours in Vietnam, Panama and Iraq. He was awarded a Silver Star for his service, the third-highest military honor. After retirement, Kellogg served in several leadership roles in the technology and defense industries, including Oracle, CACI International and Cubic Defense Applications.

DeFore leads strategy and business development for the Lunar Exploration Campaigns of Lockheed Martin Space, which produces satellites, space probes, missile defense systems and other related items. In this role, she works to grow current and emerging markets with NASA, U.S. Department of Defense and U.S. Department of Energy, among others. She focuses on cultivating and strengthening relationships with state and federal officials, associations, academia, community, nonprofits and industry partners.

Holzhaus is the founder and CEO of Rhodium Scientific, a biotechnology company based in Houston and focused on facilitating quality-assured biotech and biopharma testing and discovery in space. Charged with advancing the company’s low-Earth-orbit, or LEO, commercialization strategies, Olivia oversees science, engineering and quality assurance to ensure discoveries made in microgravity translate into products recognized by regulated manufacturing, consumer and life science industries. Holzhaus has positioned Rhodium as an official commercial services provider to multiple national laboratories, including the International Space Station.

The two-day summit, also known as the NASS, will feature influential leaders in aerospace, government, national security, automotive, academia and more on initiatives in new technology, capabilities, services and innovation in hypersonic materials and vehicles as well as LEO.

Hypersonic technology refers to commercial and defense applications designed to travel at minimum speeds of Mach 5, or nearly 3,800 miles per hour at sea level. Hypersonic technology has the opportunity to change numerous applications such as commercial travel, supply chain and defense initiatives. This technology has become a trending topic in the U.S. as demand for research and development ramps up to keep pace with Russia and China, which have already made key advancements.

LEO is the area just above Earth’s atmosphere, up to 1,200 miles in altitude, where the majority of satellites are found – and demand for more continues to rise. Many satellites launched into LEO are meant to improve daily life, such as voice and data communication, global Internet access, autonomous vehicle networks and weather monitoring.

For more information and to register, visit TheNASS.org.

ABOUT MAMA 

Michigan Aerospace Manufacturers Association is a member-supported organization that serves the interests of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing firms with a single unified voice, promoting the state of Michigan’s aerospace and defense manufacturing community within the global industry. Visit michman.org for more information.

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