Christopher F. Hoeber, MSEE, Cornell University. Mr. Hoeber’s career in the communications satellite industry has spanned 52 years, since his start at Hughes Aircraft Company as the communications systems engineer on the first generation of commercial domestic satellites. He held a variety of executive positions at the industry leader Space Systems Loral (SSL), where he served as the engineering lead for the development of the long lived 1300 product line, and the program manager for Superbird A&B, the first 1300 spacecraft and led engineering efforts for the first direct broadcast TV services, the first digital radio broadcast services, and the first high throughput communications services. He retired as the SSL CTO in 2015, and has continued his career as an industry consultant through today’s NewSpace revolution, serving as the CTO on several startup programs – LEO, GEO and hybrid. He is the winner of 2016 AIAA Communications Award. He was mentored by the firs winner of the award, Harold Rosen, and inspired by the second winner, Arthur C. Clark, 50 years ago. He is well known in the industry not only for his knowledge of current satellite systems, but for his vision of the future of the industry, both in spacecraft technology and the services provided and his goal is to provide the same education in fundamentals and inspiration to the men and women who will be responsible for the growth of the industry for the next 50 years.
