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Space Boom: The Business and Benefits of Commercial Spaceflight

  • Capital Factory, Captain America room 701 Brazos Street Austin, TX, 78701 United States (map)

Event Summary

In-person only*

Join the Austin Forum on Technology & Society for an exhilarating evening as we dive into the burgeoning commercial spaceflight revolution, featuring Eric Salwan, co-founder of Austin's own Firefly Aerospace!

The private sector is rapidly transforming humanity's access to space, from satellite constellations to lunar missions and beyond. Eric’s presentation will take you behind the scenes of this dynamic industry, exploring the cutting-edge technologies that are making commercial spaceflight a reality. Eric Salwan will share his unique insights into:

  • The Current Landscape: Explaining the present state of commercial spaceflight and its growing impact.

  • Technological Engines: Presenting the key technologies and innovations in propulsion, materials, avionics, and manufacturing that are enabling more affordable and frequent access to orbit.

  • The Future Frontier: Giving insights into what’s next for commercial space industry, including the ambitious goals and potential applications that will shape the next era of space exploration and utilization.

  • Firefly's Role: Sharing Firefly Aerospace's contributions to this exciting field, from small-lift launch vehicles to lunar landers.

Following Eric's illuminating presentation, you will have the opportunity to engage in a live Q&A session and connect with fellow attendees during our networking reception. Whether you're a space enthusiast, a tech professional, or simply curious about the future beyond Earth, this event offers a unique chance to gain firsthand knowledge from a leader at the forefront of the commercial space revolution.

Speaker

Eric Salwan, Co-founder and Director of Commercial BD, Firefly Aerospace

Eric Salwan is a NewSpace advocate and entrepreneur.

As one of the seed investors and first employees of Firefly Space Systems, Eric was a member of the team that worked to create an innovative small satellite launch solution. Eric was the Information Technology Director at Firefly Space Systems, responsible for all aspects of the Firefly IT infrastructure.

Eric is the co-founder of Firefly Aerospace, the industry leader in end-to-end responsive space services. As Director of Commercial Business Development, Eric is responsible for developing the commercial business pipeline for the Firefly Alpha launch vehicle.


Attendance Instructions

In-person

Join us at Capital Factory, Captain America room. In-person attendees, please join us from 5:15 to 6:15 for networking and snacks. We look forward to chatting with you face-to-face!

  • Enter the Omni lobby and make you way to the office elevator bank, which is directly next to the security desk on the 1st floor. Select the 8th floor and take the designated elevator up to that floor. Exit the elevator and walk straight out into Captain America.

  • Parking is not validated for events, so we suggest ride sharing or street parking. Review parking options.

Registration is required but does not guarantee admission. We do our best to project attendance, but no-shows to events require us to over allocate registrations to maximize actual attendance. While we can almost always admit everyone, please arrive early to ensure you get a seat. We will not make exceptions that exceed host or fire marshall capacities. Thank you for understanding.

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