WASHINGTON — The SmallSat Alliance on July 23 announced the appointment of retired U.S. Marine Angel Smith as its new executive director. Smith, a former combat pilot and staffer for the House Intelligence Committee, most recently served as an executive at Microsoft Corp.
The SmallSat Alliance — a coalition of over 50 companies in the small satellite ecosystem — represents satellite manufacturers, operators, payload providers, launch service providers, ground services and data analytics providers. It advocates for investments in space technology and U.S. leadership in the global space economy.
“Under Smith’s leadership, the SmallSat Alliance will continue to champion the commercial and small satellite economy, focusing on leveraging advancements in the tech sector to maximize the potential of low-cost constellations for government use,” the group said in a news release. “This includes exploiting the benefits of cloud computing, edge processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and autonomous surface systems to support missions from low Earth orbit to cislunar orbits.”
Smith commented: “With the Space Development Agency having successfully tested and validated the concept that small satellites can offer significant support to the warfighter, I am eager to collaborate with government entities alongside our member companies to leverage the power of commercial technology.”
Charles Beames, executive chairman and founder of the SmallSat Alliance, praised Smith’s appointment, highlighting her experience as a “military leader, Washington insider, and a leading industry executive.”
