Session
Ram is shaping the future of space access as Founder of Australia’s first private–public venture developing strategic spaceports in Eucla and Christmas Island. With 20 years of experience across technology, aerospace, defence, and infrastructure, he is leading the creation of the world’s first dual-corridor spaceports. This will enable polar and equatorial launches, safe re-entries, and long-term access to orbit.
As Deputy Director of the International Space Centre, Larissa Wiese helps steer the Centre’s vision to advance space research, education, industry collaboration and public engagement. She plays a central role in connecting the ISC’s academic and technical work with its strategic, institutional and community goals — ensuring that research excellence translates into meaningful partnerships and impact. Her portfolio spans operational oversight, communications, stakeholder engagement and the delivery of flagship initiatives, making her a key link between UWA leadership, government agencies, industry partners and the broader public who share in Australia’s growing space story.
Ariane is the Chief Operating Officer of QL Space, an innovative space startup, operating across Australia and the Middle East, building vertical AI agents that turn Earth Observation satellite data into conversational, decision-ready insight. Named one of Via Satellite's Rising Stars globally in 2024, she is passionate about disrupting the traditional use of satellite data to promote efficiency, resource management, risk management, data-driven decision-making, and environmental responsibility.
Ariane contributes actively to global space governance and policy. She is a founding member of the United Nation's Space and Global Health Network, leading its subgroup on ecosystem health, demonstrating how Earth observation and satellite data can drive climate resilience and health outcomes.
A graduate of the University of London and the International Space University, Ariane was named a Rising Star finalist in the 2023 Australian Space Awards and was the winner of Saudi Arabia's inaugural SpaceTech Innovation Award in 2024. Her research on developing space-innovation ecosystems has been presented at the International Astronautical Congress and published in the New Space Journal.
