SSPI UK: Why Join Us?

By becoming an individual member of SSPI you become part of the world’s largest membership society of satellite professionals, academic professionals and students dedicated to satellites and space. As an individual and through our chapters and affiliates, you will support SSPI’s mission and portfolio of programmes while creating opportunities for peer learning, career advancement and contributing to the industry's progress. 

Where did it all start?

The Society of Satellite Professionals International was founded in the USA in 1983, with Sir Arthur C. Clarke, creator of the satellite concept, as its honorary chairman. Our founding purpose was to serve as a professional network in a young industry that was on the verge of substantial growth. SSPI offered a way for satellite professionals to keep in touch with each other and with technology change in an industry that rapidly spread across the globe. 

Today, with thousands of members in more than 40 nations, that core mission remains the same. The way we pursue it, however, has expanded far beyond the vision of our founders. 

We want to attract and nurture the best talent that powers innovation

The space industry is one of the most dynamic, exciting and inspiring industries to be involved in.

At the time that SSPI was founded, satellites and space were the hottest technologies in the world. Today, they have to share the stage with information technology, Internet, biotech, nanotech and other industries pushing out the boundaries of what is possible. However, the industry is moving into another exciting and transformative era where the realms of what is possible are being pushed further still and the highest calibre of people to take on this challenge.

Fulfilling our industry’s potential means making it one of the most attractive, exciting and rewarding places that talented people can work. 

It is a job too big for any individual company. It is a job for all of us, working together. This way, we can be a stronger, more innovative and profitable industry. Supporting the programmes of SSPI is a great chance to do good while doing well, for your company, yourself and others. 

Be inspired! Learn more about our programmes, global membership and network of chapters in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa. Attend our events, where the established and emerging leaders of our industry gather. Share your stories and hear others share theirs. Be part of our phenomenal network of space professionals.

Come and share your knowledge, experience and passion for the space industry.

SSPI is on a mission – and we want you to be part of it. Welcome!

Why become a member of SSPI UK?

• Gain career enhancing networking opportunities - today more than ever professional networking is a key part of learning and personal career development. At SSPI meetings, you will have the opportunity to exchange views with a diverse and constantly evolving group of highly motivated and professional individuals, all of whom share the common goal of supporting and advancing the satellite industry.
• Attend an educational programme of events - fundamental to technological advancement is education and an understanding of present and future requirements and how technologies can satisfy them. SSPI’s programme of informational and networking events offer you the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most respected innovators, engineers and business people.
• Access discounts on useful industry tools and services - we have negotiated discounts with several key suppliers of products and services relevant to our market for SSPI members.  
• Demonstrate your industry commitment and leadership on your LinkedIn profile and CV
• Meet and learn from fellow SSPI members located all over the globe
• Attend the annual Better Satellite World Awards Dinner
• Be a Thought Leader and promote your perspective via SSPI’s very own membership magazine, Orbiter, and the SSPI website. Share articles and your company’s news and reach a wider and highly relevant audience.
• Join our Mentoring Programme. Learn about the benefits of becoming a mentor, gain knowledge from a senior industry professional or take advantage of the opportunity to pass on your experiences to tomorrow’s leaders.
• Find international career opportunities – SSPI is a truly global organisation and therefore makes the perfect forum for formal or informal sharing of information about international opportunities, and connecting people, face-to-face.
• Learn about international business opportunities - we are truly a global marketplace, with global buyers and sellers of technologies and services. Learning about market dynamics and trends is a great way to understand where the opportunities reside, both today and tomorrow.
• Stay one step ahead with news of new projects, trends and where the industry is headed.
• Take advantage of opportunities to promote your company’s activities. Why not host the charter event to show your awareness and demonstrate your leadership in your local satellite industry community? Business opportunities are explored and ideas come to life through these information sharing sessions.
• Attend the annual SSPI dinner and awards at the Satellite show in Washington D.C.
• Gain access to our invaluable network. Log in and search our directory of nearly 4,000 satellite professionals around the world.
• We offer free membership to secondary, undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies related to satellites and space. Engineering students are welcome but so are students focusing on business, marketing, law, communications and science. 

Professional Memberships are open to individuals working in satellite research, construction, launch and operations. Professionals working in satellite communications, including both space segment and ground segment, form the single largest sector of our membership. However, the Society also welcomes people pursuing careers in satellite-based imaging, GPS, space sciences, education, and other fields. 

Benefits of Membership

• Access to a 4,000-strong professional network reaching every sector of the business in more than 40 countries.
• Participation in local chapters and affiliates, including regular meetings and social events that connect you face-to-face with colleagues.
• Discounts on registration for conferences and tickets to SSPI social and networking events including the Gala and the Future Leaders Dinner.
• Additional networking opportunities through SSPI's LinkedIn and Facebook groups.
• The right to nominate individuals and companies for the Satellite Hall of Fame and the Industry Innovator and Promise & Mentor Awards.

  Our Members

  By joining SSPI, you are joining a member society of 4,000 professionals in 40+ countries, with a network of local chapters in the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia. Originating in the 1980s, the Society has been proud to welcome to its membership leaders including:

• James Van Allen, for whom the "Van Allen Belt" is named
• Sir Arthur C. Clarke, author and the first person to suggest the concept of geostationary satellites
• Eddy Hartenstein, co-founder and long-time CEO of DIRECTV
• Peter Marshall, former CEO, Keystone Communications
• John Puente, former Chairman & CEO of Orion Satellite Corporation and one of the developers of the demand assignment system
• U.R. Rao, founder of India's space and satellite program and the Indian Space Research Organization
• Guiliano Berretta, former CEO of Eutelsat 
• Robert Briskman, co-founder of Sirius Satellite Radio
• Masnori Akiyama, former CEO, Sky Perfect JSAT Corporation
• Mark Dankberg, co-founder and CEO of ViaSat and its Exede satellite broadband service
• Robert Zitter, former Chief Technology Officer of HBO

Join as an Individual

An individual membership costs just US$100.00 per year. Click here to sign up online. You will be asked to choose a chapter, or provided the opportunity to join as an "At-Large" member without a chapter.

Or

Join if you are an employee of Corporate Sponsors free of charge

What our Members Say…

"SSPI is the professional society that represents the whole satellite industry, from spacecraft manufacturing and launch to fleet operators and service providers, not to mention the end-users of our services. Hughes supports the Society because, by celebrating innovation, honouring professional achievement and helping us learn from each other, SSPI keeps us focused on achieving the excellence that customers depend on.” - Pradman Kaul, Chairman & CEO, Hughes

”Facebook, Google, Amazon – these are companies built on innovation and talent.  SSPI is the only organization in our industry focused on helping satellite businesses win their fair share of the global tech talent pool.” - David Myers, CEO, DataPath

How is SSPI Funded?

SSPI is funded through two main means. The first is through sponsorship of our initiatives and outreach work.  Sponsorship support for SSPI makes the following possible:

• Our Next Generation projects, which open the eyes of university and graduate students to opportunity and encourage them to include satellite in their career plans.
• The Leaders Quest, which honours present and future leaders and shares lessons from their achievements.
• The New Century Workforce project, in partnership with Korn Ferry, which is the industry's only multinational, multi-company study of employment trends, hiring and training practices, employee engagement and compensation.
• The Better Satellite World global campaign that strengthens our competitive position by promoting the enormous contributions of our industry to the modern world.

  Our organisation is also funded through exciting events that bring people together face-to-face:

  Hall of Fame Benefit Dinner

  The biggest social networking event in the business, the Hall of Fame Benefit Dinner brings the global industry together under one roof. The Dinner raises funds for our programs through annual sponsorships that provide free tables and tickets, plus high-value branding opportunities. 

  Future Leaders Dinner

  A dinner and award programme that celebrates young satellite professionals for contributions to their companies, as well as the Mentors who make their progress possible. Sponsors participate in presentations and are warmly acknowledged for their commitment.

  Chairman’s Reception

  This invitation-only reception before the Benefit Dinner welcomes the C-Suite of the industry, including established players, their customers, and innovative new entrants. Sponsorship of the Reception provides unique brand value plus access to this very select audience. 

  Better Satellite World Awards, and Awards Dinner in London

  Award programme honouring established companies and disruptive innovators for making our world a more prosperous, better-educated, and more sustainable home for all humankind. Sponsors receive free tickets and branding acknowledgement. 

  Do you like what you hear?

  If you would like to be part of our inspirational organisation, to strengthen your career, gain knowledge, or to help the next generation of space talent, please click here 

  We look forward to welcoming you!