Prospero's industry-leading team of experts
Our Team
The Prospero Space Fellowship was founded by a group of people from within the industry, each passionate about space and the people within it – and growing the UK skills base.
Joanne Wheeler
Joanne is a leading expert in the field of satellite and space law, policy, regulation and spectrum issues and commercial contracts, having worked at Ofcom, the European Space Agency and for over 20 years in private legal practice in this area. She was awarded an MBE for services to the UK space industry in 2017. She is ranked Tier 1 in legal directories.
Joanne won the Financial Times European Legal Innovator of the Year award in 2014. She is the co-founder and Chair of the Satellite Finance Network and writes a column for international journal Via Satellite. She is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Aeronautical Society, trustee of the National Space Centre and chair of the National Space Academy steering board. Joanne lectures at various universities, provides executive training to industry and governments and presentations to junior and senior school pupils regularly.
Joanne won the Financial Times European Legal Innovator of the Year award in 2014. She is the co-founder and Chair of the Satellite Finance Network and writes a column for international journal Via Satellite. She is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Aeronautical Society, trustee of the National Space Centre and chair of the National Space Academy steering board. Joanne lectures at various universities, provides executive training to industry and governments and presentations to junior and senior school pupils regularly.
Dan Hirst
Dan Hirst is a data scientist currently working at Ordnance Survey. Since graduating from the University of North Carolina, he has followed a passion for maps and Earth observation. He has worked with a number of non-profits, serving as chair of space charity SEDS USA from 2018 to 2019, and founding Chapel Thrill Escapes in 2019. Outside of work, Dan loves escape rooms, blue plaques, and cooking over-elaborate meals that end in disaster.
Greg Duffy
Greg is a passionate advocate for the UK space sector. He has worked as a secondary school teacher for 25 years and is currently an Assistant Headteacher at Allestree Woodlands School in Derby. He is a STEM Ambassador with ESERO-UK and specialises in space education and promotion. Greg has mentored ESA CanSat teams since 2005 and has twice taken UK Champion teams to the European ESA Competition in 2018 and 2019. He has developed and run space-themed Key Stage 2 education transition projects and a summer school for 155 students in 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, Greg launched the Woodlands Rocketry Club which fosters links between the space industry, school and Woodlands alumni in STEM fields to inspire the next generation of space professionals.
In 2021, Greg launched the Woodlands Rocketry Club which fosters links between the space industry, school and Woodlands alumni in STEM fields to inspire the next generation of space professionals.
Matthew Child
Matt Child has over 35 years spent in the satcom’s sector during which time he has held the posts of CEO of Solaris Mobile, Head of Global Government at Eutelsat where he was responsible for the commercialisation of Eutelsat’s Quantum satellite, and Director of Strategy & Business Development at Avanti Communications. Matt also led the team that delivered the world’s first IPTV service, Kingston Interactive TV. Matt currently heads consultancy firm, Mach Space which provides general strategic advice on space business. Matt is passionate about space innovation and sustainability and its use to solve the problems on earth.
We also wish to thank Christina MacLeod and Sonali Mohapatra for their contributions and brilliant support of the Prospero Space Fellowship.
Christina MacLeod
