Dr. Lee Spitler

Lee Spitler, PhD, is Head of Space Projects at the Australian Astronomical Optics (AAO), a market-facing business unit within Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia. Lee has been instrumental in transforming AAO's focus from ground-based astronomy to commercial space applications. He led the delivery of AAO's first space-bound optical payload to Gilmour Space Technologies. He also collaborated with space tech startup, HEO, to achieve the world-first simultaneous observation of a satellite from ground and space. Additionally, Lee's team designed a critical component for Advanced Navigation's LUNA sensor, enhancing autonomous lunar landings. Lee is Principal Investigator of the Huntsman Telescope, which is being adapted to daytime tracking of satellites in Low Earth Orbit. Lee won the 2025 Australian Space Award for Scientist of the Year.