Dr. Jason Held is the Chief Executive Officer and founder of Saber Astronautics, a global space technology company that operates satellites and develops mission-critical software for spacecraft operations, mission planning, and risk management. Saber works with government and commercial customers to fly large satellite constellations, lead efforts in emerging space traffic management, and deliver software that enables reliable decision-making in complex, high-consequence environments. 

Dr. Held has more than 26 years of experience across civil, military, and commercial space programs. Early in his career he served in U.S. government space organisations and operational research roles supporting military space operations. As a civilian engineer, he contributed flight software for the Hubble Space Telescope and testing for the International Space Station, working on systems where reliability, safety, and long-term performance were critical. 

Alongside his industry work, Dr. Held has been deeply involved in connecting academic research and innovation to economic and industrial development. He has lectured for the International Space University, the University of New South Wales, and the IRS Space Station Design Workshop; led a research expedition in the high Canadian Arctic; and founded multiple technology and entrepreneurship initiatives, including innovation hubs, startup accelerators, and the University of Sydney Space Engineering laboratory. 

In 2016, Dr. Held was appointed to the Expert Reference Group that designed the Australian Space Agency, contributing to its establishment in 2019. His work is driven by a commitment to lowering barriers to entry in the space industry, building sustainable industrial capability, and enabling international collaboration and trade.