From Earth for Space: Lisa Vitaris and the Future We Choose to Build

In conversation with the Director, and the conscience behind the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025’s global mission. 

Space is entering its most decisive decade, and Lisa Vitaris is helping ensure we get it right. As former Interim CEO of the Space Industry Association of Australia (SIAA), Director of the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) 2025 Sydney, IAC 2029 Bid Director, and Founder & CEO of Indo-Pacific Space, she operates at the intersection of global collaboration, regional leadership and responsible innovation. Her mission reaches far beyond orbit: Sustainable Space: Resilient Earth.

In an industry racing toward constellations, lunar logistics and trillion-dollar opportunities, Lisa brings something rarer, leadership rooted in humanity, responsibility and courage. She believes space is not a distant frontier, but an essential extension of Earth’s future, and that progress in orbit must actively protect life below.

In this exclusive interview, Lisa opens up about the personal experiences that shaped her leadership, the values she refuses to compromise, and the future she is determined to build, one where space exploration advances not just technology, but our collective responsibility to the planet we call home.

When did space stop being “out there” and start becoming part of your identity? 

Lisa: Visiting Baikonur in Kazakhstan was a genuine turning point; the entire town lives and breathes space. From the local school dedicated to rocketry to the extraordinary amount of “space heritage” everywhere. I even found myself sitting inside a real capsule. Seeing that level of commitment up close planted the seed. 

But it really crystallised months after I became Director of IAC 2025 Sydney. The learning curve felt like drinking from a firehose. One day, my boss had to drop out of a significant meeting with a large space agency due to internet issues, and I suddenly found myself leading it, with my cat enthusiastically trying to contribute. That was the moment I realised: I could hold my own. I belonged. 

On a lighter note: when you start collecting space pins, wearing space-themed jewellery or proudly sporting “remove before flight” tags, you’re fully converted! 

You describe yourself as a leader with a conscience. What is a decision that defined that? 

Lisa: Coming from a marketing background, it can sometimes feel like you’re encouraging people to buy things they don’t genuinely need. I made a deliberate decision to only work with organisations whose missions I believe in and whose values align with “doing the right thing.” 

Travel also shaped this. After spending significant time in developing countries, particularly Cambodia, I began volunteering and have since taken on several pro bono roles. It’s become fundamental to how I choose to lead. 

You’ve seen 130+ countries. Which moment on Earth changed your mindset about protecting space? 

Lisa: Trekking through a remote region of Kyrgyzstan and encountering mountains of litter was heartbreaking. That experience led me to create 10 Pieces, a sustainable environmental initiative still operating today, largely thanks to World Expeditions integrating it into their tours in 2013. The premise is simple: many hands collecting 10 pieces of litter each day can transform an ecosystem. 

I’ve long believed that mindset applies to space debris. Everyone has a role to play — and the cumulative impact can be enormous. I’m encouraged by how many organisations are now tackling this critical issue. 

Space can be political, commercial, and competitive, yet you centre humanity. Why? 

Lisa: Space improves life on Earth every single day, enhancing healthcare, education, natural disaster prediction, agricultural productivity, climate monitoring, and more. Yet, in Australia, according to the Australasian Centre for Space Governance’s latest survey, only 42% of the population agrees or strongly agrees that space has an impact on everyday life in essential ways. Until public understanding increases, here and globally, it’s difficult for governments to prioritise or invest at the necessary scale. 

If we do not invest in space, we miss out on the extraordinary benefits it creates for humanity. 

What value must never be traded, even when the stakes are high and the mission is global? 

Collaboration. 

Every nation has its own priorities, but shared guidelines and norms, such as those championed by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), are essential to keeping space safe, equitable and sustainable. Without collaboration, no global space mission can succeed. 

Which lived experience prepared you most for leading the world’s biggest space congress? 

Lisa: My 20 years of experience across marketing, sales, and product certainly mattered, but my global life experience mattered more. I’ve travelled to over 130 countries and lived in four, and much of my directing experience with IAC 2025 involved diplomacy and international relations. With 99 countries attending, being able to engage authentically, even with one phrase of a local language, helps enormously. 

Attending school in Gauteng (Johannesburg) for three years also came in handy; surprising a South African delegation with an unexpected Zulu phrase instantly broke the ice and had them laughing! 

What’s a misconception about “space sustainability” that you’re determined to crush? 

Lisa: That space sustainability is a “wicked problem” that only a few major actors can solve. I firmly believe that sustainability should be embedded in every organisation’s practice, regardless of its size. Everyone can, and must, contribute. Collective action is the only path forward. 

You’ve unlocked international partnerships and investment. What’s your formula for turning trust into action? 

Lisa: Trust is built through consistency over time. 

In the two years leading up to IAC 2025, I spoke globally at conferences on space and other space-enabled industries, including mining and health. Those engagements built my profile, but more importantly, they allowed me to understand each organisation’s goals and align them with IAC 2025 or the broader Australian space ecosystem. 

My marketing background helps enormously; understanding customer needs is second nature to me, and when you truly understand people’s needs, you can turn trust into meaningful action. 

If you could wave a wand and shift one government mindset tomorrow to accelerate sustainable space, what would change? 

Lisa: Recognising that space is rapidly becoming a new frontier for Defence. 

We must work hand in hand with our allies to protect the space environment for all nations, now and for future generations. As a leading space-sustainability company once told me: if we don’t have a safe and secure space environment, we cannot have a sustainable one. 

Paint us two pictures. 

A future where we fix sustainability in orbit, what does Earth gain? 

Lisa: A healthier, safer, more connected world. Microgravity-enabled medical breakthroughs, better prediction and response to natural disasters, protection of biodiversity and oceans, and digital access for remote communities. As the Director of UNOOSA recently said, space contributes to every single UN Sustainable Development Goal. 

A future where we ignore it, what does Earth lose? 

Lisa: Damaged satellites, risks to human life, and ultimately the possibility that space becomes unusable — the very scenario described by the Kessler effect. Losing access to space would mean losing the many benefits it provides to life on Earth. 

What would a distinctly Australian approach to responsible space look like on the world stage? 

Lisa: Australia has long been a responsible space actor, a founding member of UN COPUOS and a founding signatory to the Artemis Accords. We actively support norms and guidelines for safety, stability, and sustainability, including the LTS Guidelines and the UN Space2030 Agenda. 

The Australian Space Agency furthers this through technology adoption. Supporting First Nations cultural and scientific knowledge, industry capability grants and international advocacy. Australia is also highly innovative. Companies like Space Machines Company, working with India to extend satellite lifetimes, are a great example of how we contribute new solutions to global sustainability challenges. 

When a young girl watches IAC 2025 highlights and sees you on stage, what do you hope she believes about herself? 

Lisa: I hope she sees that space is not far away, it’s accessible, essential and full of possibility. A career in space is more achievable than ever, and it’s not just for astronauts, scientists and engineers. We need marketers, lawyers, accountants, tradies, communicators, and every skill set. 

And importantly, she doesn’t need to go overseas to contribute to space. She can build an extraordinary career right here in Australia.