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Online Journal of Space Communication

Women in Space (Spring 2009)

General Editor Introduction

The fifteenth issue of the Online Journal of Space Communication examines the roles women play in development of space and its related institutions and industries.

Our Journal has the broad mandate to advance space communication as a profession and as an academic discipline. The Journal also seeks to highlight and examine those matters of unique importance to our profession. Having reviewed the contents of this issue, how can one not agree that we have given too little credit to the unique contributions of women?

Yes, we have the purpose to inform and educate, but from my perspective as General Editor, to celebrate and inspire is what this issue does best. By featuring the extraordinary accomplishments of women who have been innovative and who have taken the lead, the Journal can do something that has been greatly lacking on our watch; our Journal can help to motivate a new generation of youth to take a look at our profession. Here, our youth will find the role models that will help them to believe that they too can accomplish the impossible.

One of these remarkable role models is Ellen Hoff, President, W.L. Prichard & Co., who believed in the concept and assembled "the satellite ladies" who became the Editorial Advisory Board for Issue No.15. Beginning in the 1980s, Ellen Hoff was Vice president and General Manager of International Satellite Services responsible for engineering and operations for COMSAT developing new digital services and international agreements. Twenty years later she was President and later Chairman of the Board for the Society of Satellite International (www.sspi.org).

Another remarkable role model is Guest Editor Mary Frost, who led the Editorial Committee that framed Issue No.15, issued invitations to participate and produced the product we see here. Mary Frost was Vice President of Network Broadcast Operations and Engineering for Disney/ABC and Cap Cities/ABC, managing news and broadcast technology operations. Later she became Chief Commercial Officer, GlobeCast America, managing North American and Latin American sales for broadcast, cable, contribution, enterprise and government clients. Volunteering to take editorial responsibility for the Women in Space issue of this journal is illustrative of the women profiled here.

Contact:

Don M. Flournoy, Professor of Telecommunications
General Editor, Online Journal of Space Communication
School of Media Arts and Studies
Scripps College of Communication
Ohio University, Athens, Ohio 45701
Tel: +1 740 593 4866
Fax: +1 740 593 9184
Email: don.flournoy@ohio.edu