EP 2 — ATLAS Space’s John Williams on the Space Community’s Evolving Place in the DIB

On this week's episode of the DIB Innovators podcast, David talks with John Williams, Chief Executive Officer at ATLAS Space Operations, the leading provider of ground software as a service in the space communications industry. They discuss John's extensive career both in the Air Force and various defense companies, how innovation and business models in the DIB are evolving, and how the space community is becoming its own entity. They also talk about the importance of cybersecurity, what tech investments ATLAS is making to better manage terabytes of data, and advice for entrepreneurs.

Topics discussed:

• How John's background in the Air Force and various defense companies has allowed him to lead change in the DIB.
• The differences between "old space" and "new space" in terms of speed of innovation and different business models.
• How the space community is "coming into its own" in the DIB, how it's updating old business models, and the challenges it still faces. 
• What ATLAS Space is doing to improve satellite communications and moving content from space to ground.
• Where tech investments like machine learning, data management, and better hardware are supporting innovation.
• How ATLAS approaches cybersecurity, including a talented team and third-party support.
• Advice to entrepreneurs to learn more about the commercial world, especially if they're coming from a military background.