Lights Out: Preserving Our Night Sky in the Modern Space Age
Summary
The increasing number and brightness of satellite constellations in Earth's orbit are significantly impacting ground-based and optical astronomy. So how do we balance humanity's expansion into space while protecting our study of the stars from Earth? Join the conversation on a sustainable future for space and hear from the experts on the front lines—astronomers, satellite companies, and space industry pioneers—as they discuss collaborative solutions to mitigate satellite brightness and preserve our night sky.
- Format: Panel
- Category: Panel
- Event Type: panel
- Presented By: n/a
Contributors
- Yaswant Devarakonda
- Lindsay DeMarchi
- Ilsa Mroz
Raw Event JSON
Large nested arrays are compacted for page readability. Full payload remains in dataset files.
Open JSON payload
{
"id": "PP1162547",
"track": "Cities & Climate",
"focus_area": null,
"category": "Panel",
"event_id": "PP1162547",
"event_type": "panel",
"format": "Panel",
"genre": null,
"subgenre": null,
"name": "Lights Out: Preserving Our Night Sky in the Modern Space Age",
"presented_by": null,
"publish_at": "2025-11-03T16:30:00.000-06:00",
"reservable": true,
"reservable_id": "PP1162547",
"reserved": false,
"date": "2026-03-15",
"end_time": "2026-03-15T17:00:00.000-05:00",
"start_time": "2026-03-15T16:00:00.000-05:00",
"message": null,
"image": null,
"credentials": [
{
"name": "Platinum Badge",
"type": "platinum"
},
{
"name": "Innovation Badge",
"type": "innovation"
}
],
"contributors": [
{
"id": 77871,
"company": "Space & Spectrum Policy Center at the Computer & Communications Industry Association",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238823,
"name": "Yaswant Devarakonda",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Manager",
"image": null,
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Dr. Yaswant Devarakonda is a Manager for the Space & Spectrum Policy Center at the Computer & Communications Industry Association. Prior to CCIA, he was the American Institute of Physics Fellow at the Department of State’s Office of Space Affairs, where he led on the Department’s commercial space strategy and on MENA space diplomacy. He has also served as the John N. Bahcall Public Policy Fellow and Acting Deputy Director of Public Policy at the American Astronomical Society, where he advocated on space science issues such as federal science funding, workforce development, and dark & quiet skies.\r\rDr. Devarakonda holds a PhD in Astronomy and a M.S. in Astronomy from Texas A&M University, and a B.S. in Astronomy and a B.S. in Physics from The University of Texas at Austin.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 77870,
"company": "Aerospace Corporation Center for Space Policy and Strategy",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238822,
"name": "Lindsay DeMarchi",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Policy Analyst",
"image": null,
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Dr. Lindsay DeMarchi is a stellar mortician and space policy analyst. Her astrophysical research chases dying stars across all wavelengths of light and gravitational waves. She shapes space policy that addresses an increased human presence beyond Earth's surface. Dr. DeMarchi has worked both on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Hickenlooper (D-CO) and is currently a Senior Space Policy Analyst at the Aerospace Corporation. Dr. DeMarchi earned a bachelor's degree in physics and astronomy from Colgate University, a master's degree in physics from Syracuse University, and a doctorate in astronomy from Northwestern University. She is also a former NASA Astronomer in Residence at the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 30151,
"company": "Planet Labs PBC",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2052384,
"name": "Ilsa Mroz",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Regulatory Affairs Manager",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Ilsa Mroz",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/Zqne9JXH7en-uKxDKHg1kFjsMP4=/147x0:5110x4963/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/f309daf9-57a3-45a4-8ff4-b02b7d7ea782/pcid-1098135"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Ilsa Mroz is the Regulatory Affairs Manager at Planet Labs PBC, where she helps to drive Planet's space policy and satellite licensing efforts across U.S. and international regulatory authorities. Here, she supports initiatives in remote sensing policy, orbital debris management, and sustainable space operations - supporting Planet's vast constellations of Earth observation satellites to image the entire Earth, every day. Before Planet, she worked as the Senior Manager of Space Systems at the Aerospace Industries Association, advancing the world’s most pressing space policy issues across civil, commercial, and national security space. She has worked with leaders across various space agencies, military, and governments to enable collaboration between international space partners, promote sustainability efforts, workforce development, and space exploration.\n\nIlsa holds an M.A. in Global Security from Johns Hopkins University, a B.A. in Political Science and Business Management from the University of New Mexico, and a certification in Flight Training from San Diego Miramar College.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
}
],
"venue": {
"accessible": false,
"age_policy": null,
"floor": "2",
"id": "V0406",
"indoor_outdoor": "INDOOR",
"name": "Room 201-202",
"parent_id": "V0403",
"parent_venue_name": "JW Marriott",
"venue_entry_info": null,
"formats": null,
"location": {
"address": "110 E 2nd St.",
"lat_lon": [
30.2645713,
-97.743198
],
"city": "Austin",
"postal_code": "78701",
"state": "TX",
"name": "JW Marriott"
},
"root": {
"accessible": null,
"age_policy": null,
"floor": null,
"id": "V0403",
"indoor_outdoor": null,
"name": "JW Marriott",
"parent_id": null,
"parent_venue_name": null,
"venue_entry_info": null,
"formats": null
},
"events": "[omitted 5 venue events]"
},
"description": "The increasing number and brightness of satellite constellations in Earth's orbit are significantly impacting ground-based and optical astronomy. So how do we balance humanity's expansion into space while protecting our study of the stars from Earth? Join the conversation on a sustainable future for space and hear from the experts on the front lines—astronomers, satellite companies, and space industry pioneers—as they discuss collaborative solutions to mitigate satellite brightness and preserve our night sky.",
"experience_level": "Beginner",
"accessibility": [],
"accessible_venue": false,
"add_bcl_url": false,
"add_slido": false,
"age_policy": null,
"american_sign_language": false,
"apple_url": null,
"audio_description": false,
"caption_url": null,
"closed_captioned": false,
"cpe_credit": false,
"has_subtitles": false,
"hash_tags": [],
"high_sensory_experience": false,
"live": false,
"long_description": "The increasing number and brightness of satellite constellations in Earth's orbit are significantly impacting ground-based and optical astronomy. So how do we balance humanity's expansion into space while protecting our study of the stars from Earth? Join the conversation on a sustainable future for space and hear from the experts on the front lines—astronomers, satellite companies, and space industry pioneers—as they discuss collaborative solutions to mitigate satellite brightness and preserve our night sky.",
"meeting_url": null,
"meeting_url_live": false,
"mentorly_url": null,
"mobile_audio_url": null,
"open_captioned": false,
"playlist_tag": null,
"rebroadcast": false,
"recommended_ids": [],
"search_conversions": null,
"short_program": false,
"slido_url": null,
"sort": "LIGHTS OUT: PRESERVING OUR NIGHT SKY IN THE MODERN SPACE AGE",
"source": "Official",
"squad_up_url": null,
"stream_embed": null,
"stream_id": null,
"stream_url": null,
"strobe_warning": false,
"subdiscipline": null,
"summit": null,
"summit_display_name": null,
"tags": [],
"talent_attending": null,
"title_only": false,
"track_display_name": "Cities & Climate",
"trailer_id": null,
"trailer_url": null,
"video_on_demand": null,
"vimeo_id": null,
"vod": false,
"xr_project_type": null,
"youtube_id": null,
"related_sales_client": null
}