Zero-Gravity, Zero Barriers: Future of Inclusive Spaceflight
Summary
Discover what true Space accessibility means at this groundbreaking SXSW panel. Experts—including the first deaf Asian female pilot and aspiring astronaut, the founder of the Blind Institute of Technology, and a Space leader championing disability inclusion—reveal what it will take to make Space open to all. Explore innovations in pilot training, zero-gravity research, AI-assisted interfaces, and adaptive prosthetics. Learn how inclusive Space design inspires broader accessibility on Earth, reshaping our vision of who belongs in the final frontier.
- Format: Panel
- Category: Panel
- Event Type: panel
- Presented By: n/a
Contributors
- Sheila Xu
- Russ Gautier
- Michael Hess
- Eric Ingram
Raw Event JSON
Large nested arrays are compacted for page readability. Full payload remains in dataset files.
Open JSON payload
{
"id": "PP1162561",
"track": "Tech & AI",
"focus_area": null,
"category": "Panel",
"event_id": "PP1162561",
"event_type": "panel",
"format": "Panel",
"genre": null,
"subgenre": null,
"name": "Zero-Gravity, Zero Barriers: Future of Inclusive Spaceflight",
"presented_by": null,
"publish_at": "2025-11-03T16:30:00.000-06:00",
"reservable": true,
"reservable_id": "PP1162561",
"reserved": false,
"date": "2026-03-16",
"end_time": "2026-03-16T12:30:00.000-05:00",
"start_time": "2026-03-16T11:30:00.000-05:00",
"message": null,
"image": {
"alt_text": "Zero-Gravity, Zero Barriers: Future of Inclusive Spaceflight",
"credit": "GeekWire via Blue Origin",
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/yyrBNc91zgdgr5hWrYKfbongMoA=/950x633/images.sxsw.com/187/6fcf0f0b-9071-337d-ff84-c7747e310298/pp1162561"
},
"credentials": [
{
"name": "Platinum Badge",
"type": "platinum"
},
{
"name": "Innovation Badge",
"type": "innovation"
}
],
"contributors": [
{
"id": 77914,
"company": "AstroAccess",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238866,
"name": "Sheila Xu",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "First Female Deaf Astronaut",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Sheila Xu",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/wLYPcTKzszGCknpzffmEYCFPdAs=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/2aaa2bf1-a21f-e97b-2f87-d8b8aa26b76e/pcid-1622823"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "With dual US and EU citizenship, Sheila specializes in accessible human space exploration, pioneering multimodal communication tools and advocating for missions open to all. Her journey includes analog astronaut training, zero-gravity flights with AstroAccess, a Fulbright in deaf entrepreneurship, and earning distinction as the first deaf Asian female pilot. A Harvard, Wharton, and MIT alumna, she blends lived experience with business and policy insight to break barriers in STEM, science, and space for people with disabilities.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 77913,
"company": "Territory Studio",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238865,
"name": "Russ Gautier",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Creative Director",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Russ Gautier",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/ksfs9ZTNFyEpEoDzcVqL6Vscl-w=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/0eef0de6-ce2b-b8de-0e89-9cdf6ca80312/pcid-1622822"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Russ Gautier is an Emmy-nominated creative director, designer, animator, and VFX specialist known for his expertise in motion graphics and visual storytelling. He is currently Creative Director at Territory Studio in San Francisco, where he leads major motion graphics projects for film, TV, and games. Russ’s film credits include work on titles such as Black Panther, Thor: Ragnarok, Avengers: Endgame, Doctor Strange, and Spider-Man: Far from Home. He previously served as Associate Creative Director at Perception and has taught motion graphics and design at VCU and SVA. Russ holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Virginia Commonwealth University and is recognized for pushing the boundaries of design and technology in the entertainment industry.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 77912,
"company": "The Blind Institute of Technology",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238864,
"name": "Michael Hess",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Founder & Executive Director",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Michael Hess",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/h4rb_ulyDfiAfX-MIEekJ_Sh8W8=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/f34fa706-12ed-8a1f-908c-eb0543ec44e3/pcid-1622821"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Michael Hess is the founder and executive director of the Blind Institute of Technology (BIT), a Denver-based nonprofit dedicated to reducing unemployment among the blind and visually impaired (BVI) community. Legally blind himself, Mike launched BIT in 2013 after a 20-year tech career managing large projects for Fortune 500 companies, determined to break down corporate stigmas and barriers for disabled professionals. Under his leadership, BIT has placed hundreds in rewarding roles, built partnerships with leading firms, and established innovative programs—including the BIT Academy—that train BVIs in tech skills and advocate for equity and accessibility nationwide. Mike is nationally recognized for his visionary leadership, resilience, and relentless pursuit of workforce inclusion.",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
},
{
"id": 77875,
"company": "Ingram Insights",
"credential_types": [
"innovation"
],
"entity_id": 2238827,
"name": "Eric Ingram",
"speaker_types": [],
"title": "Founder",
"image": {
"alt_text": "Eric Ingram",
"credit": null,
"url": "https://images.sxsw.com/IrWrHqXjn_k5xFmkNC5_QGUKC3E=/600x600/images.sxsw.com/48/82dedfb7-2717-ee0b-e8d9-9e4f08f471c0/pcid-1565553"
},
"speaker_type": "Speaker",
"details": "Eric Ingram is an entrepreneur and systems strategist focused on how humanity navigates its next frontiers. Through his advisory platform, Ingram Insights, he works with founders, investors, and institutions operating at the edge of technology, where capital, regulation, risk, and human capability intersect. His work centers on building resilient systems, reducing hidden failure points, and helping leaders make clearer decisions before consequences force clarity. He is a frequent speaker and has appeared on national television and major media platforms to discuss space, leadership, and accessibility.\n\nHe is the founder of Scout Space, where he led the company through its formative years at the intersection of orbital safety, commercial space, and national security. He is also a leader in inclusive spaceflight through his work with AstroAccess, advancing microgravity research and expanding who can participate in space exploration. Outside the boardroom, Eric is a pilot and a competitive wheelchair rugby athlete. Both reinforce his belief that performance and accessibility strengthen each other. Across companies, research, and public forums, his work asks a central question: how do we expand who gets to shape the future while maintaining rigor, safety, and ambition?",
"links": {},
"type": "person"
}
],
"venue": {
"accessible": false,
"age_policy": null,
"floor": "2",
"id": "V0407",
"indoor_outdoor": "INDOOR",
"name": "Room 203-204",
"parent_id": "V0403",
"parent_venue_name": "JW Marriott",
"venue_entry_info": null,
"formats": null,
"location": {
"address": "110 E 2nd St.",
"lat_lon": [
30.2645713,
-97.743198
],
"city": "Austin",
"postal_code": "78701",
"state": "TX",
"name": "JW Marriott"
},
"root": {
"accessible": null,
"age_policy": null,
"floor": null,
"id": "V0403",
"indoor_outdoor": null,
"name": "JW Marriott",
"parent_id": null,
"parent_venue_name": null,
"venue_entry_info": null,
"formats": null
},
"events": "[omitted 5 venue events]"
},
"description": "Discover what true Space accessibility means at this groundbreaking SXSW panel. Experts—including the first deaf Asian female pilot and aspiring astronaut, the founder of the Blind Institute of Technology, and a Space leader championing disability inclusion—reveal what it will take to make Space open to all. Explore innovations in pilot training, zero-gravity research, AI-assisted interfaces, and adaptive prosthetics. Learn how inclusive Space design inspires broader accessibility on Earth, reshaping our vision of who belongs in the final frontier.",
"experience_level": "Beginner",
"accessibility": [
"American Sign Language",
"Closed captioned"
],
"accessible_venue": false,
"add_bcl_url": false,
"add_slido": false,
"age_policy": null,
"american_sign_language": true,
"apple_url": null,
"audio_description": false,
"caption_url": null,
"closed_captioned": true,
"cpe_credit": false,
"has_subtitles": false,
"hash_tags": [],
"high_sensory_experience": false,
"live": false,
"long_description": "Discover what true Space accessibility means at this groundbreaking SXSW panel. Experts—including the first deaf Asian female pilot and aspiring astronaut, the founder of the Blind Institute of Technology, and a Space leader championing disability inclusion—reveal what it will take to make Space open to all. Explore innovations in pilot training, zero-gravity research, AI-assisted interfaces, and adaptive prosthetics. Learn how inclusive Space design inspires broader accessibility on Earth, reshaping our vision of who belongs in the final frontier.",
"meeting_url": null,
"meeting_url_live": false,
"mentorly_url": null,
"mobile_audio_url": null,
"open_captioned": false,
"playlist_tag": null,
"rebroadcast": false,
"recommended_ids": [],
"search_conversions": null,
"short_program": false,
"slido_url": null,
"sort": "ZERO-GRAVITY, ZERO BARRIERS: FUTURE OF INCLUSIVE SPACEFLIGHT",
"source": "Official",
"squad_up_url": null,
"stream_embed": null,
"stream_id": null,
"stream_url": null,
"strobe_warning": false,
"subdiscipline": null,
"summit": null,
"summit_display_name": null,
"tags": [
{
"id": 1636,
"name": "Social Impact",
"created_at": "2017-10-16T21:03:39.709-05:00",
"updated_at": "2025-01-21T12:09:19.138-06:00",
"sort": "SOCIAL IMPACT",
"alpha": "S"
},
{
"id": 946,
"name": "Accessibility",
"created_at": "2016-11-04T10:07:15.483-05:00",
"updated_at": "2024-02-20T13:18:40.080-06:00",
"sort": "ACCESSIBILITY",
"alpha": "A"
},
{
"id": 1791,
"name": "Space",
"created_at": "2017-10-31T19:07:59.758-05:00",
"updated_at": "2024-09-13T06:56:22.909-05:00",
"sort": "SPACE",
"alpha": "S"
}
],
"talent_attending": null,
"title_only": false,
"track_display_name": "Tech & AI track sponsored by IBM",
"trailer_id": null,
"trailer_url": null,
"video_on_demand": null,
"vimeo_id": null,
"vod": false,
"xr_project_type": null,
"youtube_id": null,
"related_sales_client": null
}