National Space Society

NSS Town Hall Sept 9: NSS Policy Committee

NSS Town Hall

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You are Invited to the National Space Society Town Hall

Thursday, September 9, 2021, 9:00 pm to 10:15 pm EDT

REGISTER FOR THIS ONLINE EVENT

Subject: The NSS Policy Committee

with Special Guests

Randy Gigante & Charles Ellzey

As a grass-roots advocacy and educational organization, the National Space Society takes positions on space activities from NASA to industry to commercial and entrepreneurial spaceflight. Did you ever wonder how the decision is made to take a position on a particular issue? The National Space Society’s Policy Committee discusses, debates, and formulates the positions that the NSS takes to advance the cause of human beings living and working in communities beyond the Earth.

These positions are reflected in formal position papers, letters to elected officials, press releases, web site content, and messages presented during one of grassroots visit to Congress that NSS supports, which include the February SEA Blitz, the March Storm, and the August Home District Blitz. Committee Chair Randy Gigante and Vice Chair Charles Ellzey will provide an “insider’s perspective” to how the committee operates and what the deliberations entail. They will also answer questions on current NSS positions and on the future of space exploration and settlement. Don’t miss this exciting and informative opportunity to see how this key NSS committee operates.

Randy Gigante joined the National Space Society over 35 years ago and until recently has worked in the Commercial Space industry. He built the first three-axis stabilized spacecraft bus at Hughes Space and Communications and served as Program Manager for the first generation global Orbcomm LEO Constellation including both the satellites and ground systems in the 1990’s. After 2000, Randy worked as a Senior Program Manager at both SES and Intelsat, selling services on GEO communication satellites to major commercial and government customers.

Randy is currently the Chair of the NSS Policy Committee and has served on the NSS Board of Directors as well. Randy is one of two NSS representatives to the Alliance for Space Development and sits on the ASD Board of Directors. One of his major work areas is supporting the March Storm, and Fall Fury legislative blitzes.

Charles Ellzey is a young attorney, with considerable experience in both Aerospace Law and estate planning. His specialties include ITAR, international law, commercial transactions, commercial launch licensing and insurance, probate law and COVID-19 compliance. Charles began his legal career prior to law school as a small firm paralegal in Oxford, MS. Charles has worked for both the Mississippi Supreme Court and United Launch Alliance in addition to volunteering through the Elder Law Clinic and pro-bono initiative. These experiences provided him with a strong background in client relations, appellate practice and commercial space. He designed an internal ITAR audit mechanism for ULA, and also dictated company COVID-19 policy during the height of the pandemic, ensuring compliance across all states of operation with local, state, federal and OSHA laws.

At the height of his law school tenure, Charles served as both the Managing Editor of the Journal of Space Law and Associate Article Editor for the Mississippi Law Journal concurrently. He has published pieces in both the Journal of Space Law and SpaceReview. Charles is a proud father to his young son Flint.

Register today to reserve your seat.

Register no later than September 9 at 8 pm EDT

Past NSS Space Forums and Town Halls may be viewed here.

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