Dr Space Junk presents 5 questions. with Lloyd Jacob Lopez CEO of Hex20

Dr Alice Gorman Space Archaeologist at Flinders University

Alice Gorman is a space archaeologist at Flinders University, Adelaide, and a member of the Advisory Council of the Space Industry Association of Australia. Every issue she will showcase up-and-coming talent, thought leaders, and companies in the Australian space sector.

In this issue, her guest is Lloyd Jacob Lopez. Lloyd is the CEO of Hex20, an innovative Australian Small Sat company providing cost-effective platforms, customized hardware, and advanced sensor technologies for the CubeSat and Small Sat markets. Hex20 is currently working on a proposal with the University of Adelaide for ASA’s Moon to Mars demonstrator mission.

1. What do you consider to be your greatest achievement so far?

I think my greatest achievement so far is building a community around Hex20. My family supported me in all the adventures, starting with the first company with my classmate, from a small four-member team to 200 people strong. Without the support of my family and my friends, it would have been impossible to achieve something like this. With Hex20 the journey is exciting, with many things to learn and do. We have grabbed a few good projects and negotiating a few more.

2. What was the most useful subject you studied at school or university for your current career?

Continuous Learning is crucial for staying updated in this fast-changing world. The “Leading Digital Transformation” course at the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore(IIMB) helped immensely with what I am doing now with Hex20. This program enabled me to understand various business models and how technology is transforming changes, and the different possibilities this creates.

Managing a start-up is not easy; you need a lot of planning and coordination for managing changes, defining roles/structure, spotting the right talents, managing cash flow, managing clients, etc., and you need to keep learning new tricks.

3. What are you currently reading and how does it relate to your space work? [This could be a book, article, audio book or podcast, website]

I do most of my daily reading on Flipboard app, and it suggests articles based on my interest and reading habits.

An influential book for me was Wings of Fire – the autobiography of the Missile Man and President of India, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. It’s one of the most inspiring books to read when you are a space tech start-up. The most interesting part is where he explains how to recover from failures, battle hardships, and emerge successful. This is one of my favourite quotes from the book:

“To succeed in life and achieve results, you must understand and master three mighty forces— desire, belief, and expectation.”

4. If you went on a one-way trip to Mars tomorrow, what is the one item you couldn’t leave without and why?

This is a difficult question. I have never imagined a one-way trip to Mars. I will carry a device that will help me keep all the beautiful memories I have on Earth for when I age; it was awesome making them. Not sure what new memories Mars would hold for me!

5. What is your vision for the future of Australian space industry?

The future of the Australian space industry looks exciting, and the last few years have seen enormous opportunities for the space sector to develop local capabilities and attract global space tech companies. With the kind of effort and resources the Government is putting in, Australia is setting a clear path to success by growing a competitive space industry to address growing global needs.