Directors/Advisers

SDA Directors


  • Ronald C. Busch

    SDA Chairman and Executive Director

    Ronald Busch is the Vice President of Network Engineering for Intelsat. He is responsible for the design and implementation of Intelsat’s satellite-based data networks, video distribution systems and transmit/receive facilities. He also is responsible for Intelsat’s global terrestrial network/fiber backbone, which is used for interconnecting Intelsat operations, business facilities and customer sites to Intelsat teleport gateways.


  • Stewart Sanders

    SDA Executive Director

    Stewart Sanders is the senior vice president of Customer Service for SES. He has more than 28 years’ experience in the satellite communication industry, having fulfilled various satellite and payload operations roles for British Telecom International, Intelsat, ICO, SES NEW SKIES and currently SES Engineering.


  • John Mackey

    SDA Executive Director

    John Mackey is Senior Vice President of Satellite & Network Operations for Inmarsat. In this role, he is responsible for satellite operations, flight dynamics, and the global Inmarsat ground station network. Involved in the satellite industry for over 20 years, he has held a variety of engineering and operations leadership positions. Mr Mackey has a degree in Electrical Engineering from Memorial University in Canada, and is currently based in the Washington DC area.

SDA Technical Advisers


  • T.S. KELSO, Ph.D.

    SDC Operations Manager

    Dr. T.S. Kelso serves as technical program manager for AGI’s Center for Space Standards & Innovation (CSSI). He brings nearly 30 years’ experience in space education, research, analysis, acquisition, development, operations and consulting with organizations such as: Air Force Space Command Space Analysis Center (ASAC); NASA’s Near-Earth Object Science Definition Team; Air Force Chief of Staff’s SPACECAST 2020 and Air Force 2025 future studies; and the Air Force Satellite Control Network.


  • Dan Oltrogge

    SDC Program Manager

    Dan Oltrogge serves as senior research astrodynamist for AGI’s CSSI. Before joining CSSI, Oltrogge worked as a lead systems engineer for SkySentry and as senior analyst and CEO of 1Earth Research, LLC, which he co-founded in 2003. Oltrogge has 25 years of experience in satellite collision avoidance, radio frequency interference and small satellite operations.