The Institute for Space Science and Development is a non-profit dedicated to connecting science, engineering, economics, and policy to accelerate the pace of progress for a space faring society. By catalyzing investments today in space science and technology, we can create a more capable and prosperous society that understands and can use in a sustainable manner the incredible worlds available to us beyond our own planet.

Leadership

Timothy I. Reuter is co-founder and Executive Director of the Institute for Space Science and Development (ISSD). Prior to ISSD, he led an AI for aerospace initiative at Microsoft’s Business Incubation Group and was one of the first team members for Project Wing at Google[x]. He was also Head of Aerospace at the World Economic Forum where he managed all of the Forum’s space programming. Before joining the private sector, he worked at a variety of U.S. government agencies including the State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development where he focused on political–military affairs and economic development in conflict zones. He holds a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkin University.

Dr. Roger Myers is co-founder and Chief Engineer of the ISSD. He is an aerospace consultant with over 35 years of experience in space propulsion and power system development, flight production, and spacecraft integration, and he currently supports several government and commercial clients. In 1996–2016 he held executive positions at Aerojet Rocketdyne’s Redmond Operations, the world’s leading supplier of spacecraft propulsion systems, leading development and production for NASA, DoD, and commercial missions to Earth orbit, cis-lunar and interplanetary space. Previously he worked at NASA’s Glenn Research Center leading advanced propulsion R&D. He has published over 100 papers on electric, chemical, and nuclear propulsion technology, spacecraft integration, and in-space transportation architectures. He was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022, has served on several NASEM committees, and is chair of the NASEM Space Technology, Industry, Government, University Roundtable. He is an AIAA Fellow and won both the AIAA Wyld Propulsion Award and the Electric Rocket Propulsion Society (ERPS) Stuhlinger Medal. He served as ERPS president in 2012–2020, was elected to the Washington State Academy of Sciences in 2012 and was its president from 2020 to 2022. He holds a B.S.A.E. from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in mechanical and aerospace from Princeton University.

Dr. Bhavya Lal is an expert in space policy and economic analysis, known for her data-driven approach to addressing complex challenges in the space sector. As NASA's Associate Administrator for Technology, Policy, and Strategy, she pioneered the integration of economic assessments into strategic decision-making, shaping transformative initiatives in areas such as space sustainability, planetary defense, and space nuclear power.

At the direction of the NASA Administrator, she created and provided executive leadership to the NASA Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS) while simultaneously making history as the first woman to serve as NASA's acting Chief Technologist. Before her role as Associate Administrator, Dr. Lal served as NASA's acting Chief of Staff during the first 100 days of the Biden Administration, overseeing the agency’s transition and ensuring the continuation of the Artemis program across administrations. For 15 years prior to joining NASA, she led strategy, technology assessment, and policy analyses at the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI). Her work at STPI provided strategic advice to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and federal agencies on key issues, including developing performance based regulations for space nuclear power and national policy on orbital debris mitigation. Prior to STPI, she was the Director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Studies at Abt Associates, a global policy research and consulting firm.

Her groundbreaking contributions have earned her numerous accolades, including the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, induction as an Academician of the International Academy of Astronautics, recognition as an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and receipt of the AIAA Public Service Award. Dr. Lal holds a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration from George Washington University, as well as bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.