Florida Tech Provost John Z. Kiss, a distinguished plant space biologist, will join experts from NASA Kennedy Space Center and the private sector on a panel at next week’s SpaceCom | Space Congress 2026 that will discuss the Moon and its critical future in our spacefaring ways.
“Building on Artemis: Lunar Exploration and Evolution,” is set for 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 29 in W331A inside West Concourse A at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.
Additional panelists are Barbara Brown, director, exploration research and technology programs at KSC, and Bryan Onate, biological & physical sciences portfolio manager at KSC; and Steve Clarke, chief of mission solutions at Advanced Space and Timothy Mounsey, director of business development at Lunar Outpost.
Panelists will explore how humanity’s return to the Moon through Artemis is only the beginning of a broader vision for sustained lunar presence and examine the next steps in science, technology, and infrastructure that will transform short‑term missions into long‑term exploration. These efforts include universities partnering with private companies to develop science payloads for space.
“I am excited to share insights, discuss emerging technologies and highlight collaborations driving the global space economy forward, including our recent experiments on Blue Origin vehicles,” Kiss said.
