Our Team
We are a team of media and science professionals and enthusiasts who operate this news site to bring our readers up to date on developments within the relatively new UK space industry with occasional commentary and opinion pieces.
Orbital Today Team: Who Are We?
The UK has been involved in the space business for a long time, and Scotland, in particular, is currently at the forefront of the global satellite business. However, more recently, moves have been made also to have rockets launched from UK soil, which has taken us into some pretty exciting times.
We are drawing upon the pool of media, technical and space-related expertise to bring you real news and analysis of the space industry. We welcome fresh ideas and views from market participants who are willing to join us and help us bring our readers through the fascinating developments of the space industry in the UK and Europe.
James Hydzik
technology and business writer and editor
James Hydzik is a technology geek focused on the junction of engineering, writing, and coffee. He joined Orbital Today in 2020 to help make sense of the Johnson government’s decision to buy OneWeb. Since then, he has taken on interviewing and editing roles. James learned the ropes of editing and writing with Financial Times magazines, The World Bank, PwC, and Ericsson. Thus far, interviewing New Space movers has put the biggest smile on his workaday face.
The son of an Electrical Engineer, James understands the value of putting complex topics into simple language for people with a lay person’s understanding of the subject. James is a European transplant from the United States, and as ex-KA3LLL, he now holds European amateur radio licenses. His next radio project is a portable 10GHz EME (moonbounce) station, as it combines his childhood interests in antennas and space.
Ben Jacklin
technology and business writer
Ben is a writer from the UK with an interest in all things technology. He joined Orbital Today in 2022. His love of science and all things interstellar originated in a passion for science fiction. These days, he writes in a more journalistic way, you might call science fact.
This ties nicely with a willingness to promote and celebrate progress in British enterprise. Along with the British space industry, Ben has a fascination with emerging technologies in spaceflight and aerospace, as well as speculative technologies in the field of astrobiology.
Bella Richards
expert writer
Bella Richards has been writing for Orbital Today since July 2022, and is passionate about the space industry, especially within Europe. Bella graduated with a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) in 2020 from the University of Technology Sydney in Australia. Since finishing her degree, she has written for several publications within space and aviation.
Between 2021 and 2022, Bella was the senior journalist at the leading Australian publication, Space Connect. She also wrote for Australian Aviation and World of Aviation. After moving to the UK, Bella became a freelance journalist in mid-2022 and now writes for several new sites including NASASpaceflight.com, the Royal Aeronautical Society (AEROSPACE magazine and Aerosociety blog), and Orbital Today.
Curtis Baines
freelance writer
Curtis Baines joined the Orbital Today team in March, 2023. Although he is relatively new to the industry, Curtis brings over 3 years of experience in journalism and copywriting to the team. He has worked as a website SEO copywriter for a leading US-based SAAS platform, and has written stories for a range of publications across the UK and Australia.
Spending much of his adult life in Australia, Curtis has recently moved back to the UK – creating a home in London – to pursue a career in journalism. Curtis graduated with a Bachelor of Communication (Journalism) from Melbourne’s Deakin University, achieving a distinction for his overall grade.
Curtis has an avid passion for space and the unanswered questions scientists are trying to solve. And in his spare time, Curtis is a music lover, space enthusiast, and movie guru; he also loves exploring and seeking new adventures whether that’s in the UK or journeying overseas.
Hannah Dowling
expert writer, reporter
Hannah is an experienced aerospace journalist with a particular interest in sustainability and female participation in industry. She joined Orbital Today’s team in 2024 as an events reporter.
Since graduating from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia, in 2019, she has lived and worked across three continents (so far), reporting on the latest advancements in aviation and space.
Matthew Gover
freelance writer
Matthew is a versatile writer with a passion for both literature and the cosmos. Matthew joined Orbital Today in 2022.
After graduating with a degree in English Literature from the University of the West of England, he embarked on a journey that combined his love for language and discovery, working in numerous international schools throughout Southeast Asia.
Matthew has honed their writing prowess for the past five years as a freelance copywriter, crafting engaging content across various niches. Their dedication to precision and creativity has earned them a reputation as a trusted voice in the industry.
Beyond the world of words, Matthew possesses an insatiable curiosity for space-related news and discoveries. This cosmic fascination fuels his creativity and adds a unique dimension to his work.
Nicholas Fearn
expert writer, journalist
Nicholas Fearn is a highly experienced freelance journalist and copywriter interested in technology, digital culture and business. Nicholas joined Orbital Today’s team in 2024.
His work has appeared on the likes of The Guardian, Business Insider, Engadget, Fast Company, Metro, Lifehacker UK, HuffPost, Gizmodo US, Gizmodo UK, TechRadar, Live Science, The Next Web, FT, The Independent, Euronews, iNews, TrustedReviews, Wareable, T3, Tom’s Guide, Reviewed.com (USA Today), Laptop Magazine, Android Central, Windows Central, iMore, Alphr, Tech City News, BBC Tech, Mirror Online, Mail Online, The Telegraph, The Evening Standard, Banking Risk & Regulation, The Times, Computer Weekly, Computer Shopper, What Hi-Fi, PC Pro, IT Pro, IDG Connect, Dark Reading, Gadget magazine, Tech Week Europe, Macworld, Tech Digest, Computing, V3, The Inquirer, Today’s iPhone, London Tech Week, BuzzFeed, Wales Online and The South Wales Evening Post and multiple Insider Media business magazines.
He’ve covered a range of topics, including AI, healthtech, cyber security, telecoms, IoT, cloud, startups, enterprise IT and consumer tech. Nicholas have a particular interest in the entrepreneurs and companies using technology to drive positive change in the world, whether it be social or environmental causes.
Nicholas Fearn founded and edited TechDragons.Wales, an information hub about all things tech and enterprise in Wales, backed by the likes of Welsh Government and UKTN. In August 2015, he was shortlisted for Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the Entrepreneur Wales Awards for his work on the site.
Nic is also a keen advocate of tech-for-good, and he uses his writing to raise awareness of mental health. Over the years, he’ve supported a number of charitable causes in fundraising and pro-bono capacities – notably the National Autistic Society.
Ivan Yatskov
freelance writer
Ivan Yatskov is a freelance journalist based in Kyiv, who joined Orbital Today’s team in 2024.
Holding a bachelor’s degree in philology and a music education background, Ivan have worked with various online media. Growing up in a family deeply rooted in the aerospace industry, Ivan has always been close to the topic of space. He actively supports a volunteer educational project focused on aerospace and engineering for young people. In free time, he enjoys playing the piano, reading, and learning languages. Ivan’s biggest dream is to write a report on the first human landing on Mars.
Alyx Tzamantanis
freelance writer
Alyx is an experienced writer and editor whose love of space and technology has led her to become a regular contributor to Orbital Today.
Joining the team in August 2022, Alyx has delved into various subjects within the space industry, with a particular focus on news, international launches and funding for space exploration programs. Her other work includes articles and blog posts, as well as printed pieces for independent publications such as Disgraceful Magazine.
As an animal lover, when she is not pondering the universe beyond our own blue planet, Alyx raises five dogs in the mountains of Andalucia, Spain. She also volunteers frequently and helped to set up the UK charity, The BB Sanctuary, with her partner.