Making Leaders: Movers in Our Orbit, Season 2 - Satellite Autonomy via AI

In this podcast series, we speak with friends of SSPI who recently made big executive moves. We’ll find out what they’re doing now and what they hope to achieve in their new roles in the industry. In the second episode of season 2, we hear from Dr. Femi Ishola, Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation.

Dr. Femi Ishola is an experienced Innovator, Entrepreneur, Engineer, and Researcher with a strong background in Electro-Optics, Space, and Satellite Systems Engineering. Accredited and licensed engineering practitioner by the Council for the Regulation of Engineering(COREN); Reg. No. R.4218. With over 15 years of professional experience in the global space industry, Dr. Femi brings a super-heavyweight perspective to aerospace engineering projects and gatherings across the continents!

Founder and CEO of Phemotron Systems Corporation, a multinational new space company with operations in Nigeria, Japan, and USA. Served as a Researcher at the Japanese Space Communication Systems Laboratory, National Institute of Information Communications Technology (NICT), Tokyo, Japan. Systems pioneer and Project Manager at the National Space Research and Development Agency, Nigeria. Versatile in optical systems development, antennas, and microwave systems. Actively conducting research on Laser Communication technologies for Small Satellites, Drones, Beyond-5G integration, Beamed Energy Systems, and Unmanned Autonomous Systems.

He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering from the University of Lagos, Nigeria in 2010, Incorporated Phemotron Systems Ltd in 2013, obtained a Master of Science degree from the International Space University, France, in 2014, and a Ph.D. degree from the Laboratory of Lean Satellites Enterprises and In-Orbit Experiments, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan in 2021. His Ph.D. research was focused on free-space optical communication technologies for small satellites. Completed advance satellite design course at the Samara National Research University, Samara, Russia.

Dr. Femi served as the SSPI Nigeria Director of Student Affairs where he galvanized undergraduate student exposure to space education and general STEM activities. Dr. Femi participated and contributed to the Japanese Engineering Test Satellite (ETS-9) HICALI project and the 6U CubeSOTA optical communication terminal and mission development. He also participated in the Southern Australian Universities QB50 Collaboration Satellite project. He was the Pioneer and Project Manager of the Nigerian Space Agency Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion (CSTP) Ground Control Station. Recipient of the Best and Most Innovative Project Award, SEEES National Universities Competition 2009, Kano State Government Award for the Best Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Project, in 2011, the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Emerging Space Leaders Award, 2019 and the grand prize winner of 9th Annual SATShow (SATELLITE). Startup Space Competition, Washington DC, 2025.