Lizzie Webb
editor at Chartwell Speakers
View author Lizzie Webb

In the immediate wake of Artemis II, space has shifted subtly but decisively from ambition to infrastructure.

This was not simply another mission. It was a signal: sustained human presence beyond Earth is no longer speculative, but structural. The implications extend far beyond aerospace, touching investment, geopolitics, climate science, advanced manufacturing, and increasingly, the experience economy through the emergence of space tourism.

We are entering a phase in which space is not only explored, but operationalised.

At Chartwell Speakers, we are working with organisations seeking to understand what this transition means in practice: what it means as low-Earth orbit becomes commercialised, as lunar missions move towards routine, and as access to space, once symbolic, becomes scalable.

Astronauts & Human Spaceflight

First-hand perspectives from those who have lived and worked in space bringing insight into performance, risk, and operating beyond Earth:

Sara Sabry

Commercial astronaut and advocate for global access

Tim Peake

ESA astronaut; leadership and life aboard the ISS

Mike Massimino

Shuttle missions; STEM and innovation

Michael López Alegría

Chief Astronaut; private missions and commercial LEO

Kathy Sullivan

Astronaut, explorer, and former NOAA Administrator

Chris Sembroski

Commercial astronaut; democratisation of access

Science, Discovery & the Human Frontier

Exploring the scientific, medical, and societal dimensions of space:

Maggie Aderin

Space science, innovation, and diversity in STEM

Libby Jackson

Former Head of Space Exploration, UK Space Agency

Jim Al-Khalili

Physics and science communication

Kevin Fong

Human spaceflight, risk, and medicine

James Beacham

CERN physicist; fundamental science

Tim Gregory

Nuclear science and exploration

Suzie Imber

Business and leadership journalist offering insider insight into boardroom decision making, corporate governance, and how executives navigate risk, reputation, and global change.

Max Tegmark

Cosmology, AI, and the future of humanity

The Business of Space

The commercialisation of low-Earth orbit and the emergence of space as an economic domain:

Stephen Attenborough

Commercial spaceflight and future demand

Susmita Mohanty

NewSpace ventures and global ecosystems

Karin Nilsdotter

Spaceports and commercial infrastructure

Inga Beale

Leadership, innovation, and transformation in complex industries

Doug Howarth

Aerospace innovation and market strategy

Gregory Robinson

Programme leadership at scale

Geopolitics & the Militarisation of Space

As space becomes a contested domain, strategic and defence perspectives are increasingly critical:

Jack Watling

Future conflict and emerging domains

Ulrike Franke

AI, autonomy, and warfare

Lawrence Freedman

Strategy and global competition

Laurie Bristow

Strategy and global competition

Ian Bremmer

Geopolitical risk and global order

Helen Sharman

Human spaceflight, international collaboration, and the politics of exploration

KT McFarland

US foreign policy, national security strategy, and global affairs

Mark Esper

Global security and military strategy

Klaus Dodds

Geopolitics, polar security, and the strategic role of space

Tim Marshall

Foreign affairs and the strategic geography of space

Pippa Malmgren

Geopolitics, technology, and the future of the global economy

Gideon Rachman

Geopolitical trends, strategic competition, and global affairs


What distinguishes this moment is not technological capability alone, but convergence: public ambition, private capital, and cultural attention aligning in ways not seen since the Apollo era.

The result is a fundamental reframing of space, from distant frontier to near-term domain.

If this is a conversation relevant to your audience, we would be pleased to advise on speakers who can engage it with both depth and perspective.

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