From space tourism to ethical prosthetics, Stephen Attenborough and Tilly Lockey outline the future of innovation

Rajalakshmi Engineering College in association with The Times of India had a conversation with Stephen Attenborough, Board Member and Trustee, Virgin Unite US, and former CCO, Virgin Galactic and Tilly Lockey, a bionic woman, Investor in Bionic research and British Social Media personality during Titanium, National level tech fest 2026.With its focus on cost-efficient satellite launches and space exploration, India is a key player in space, Attenborough said, while predicting that more people will have the opportunity to travel as part of space tourism.Speaking during an engaging discussion at Times Conversations, Attenborough added that India is a country to watch, along with China. “But particularly India. Yes, do watch out for India,” he remarked, adding that “enormously exciting things are happening here as far as space is concerned”.

“I always love coming to India, and I think this country stands to benefit hugely from the new space economy and seems to be doing some very exciting things and doing them well. And that was why it was lovely to talk to students yesterday, because I think many of them, if they want to, will have opportunities to work for startups or maybe even with a government agency. So obviously, there have been some very high-profile missions from the Indian space organisations. The Moon, lunar landing, of course, was probably the most high-profile,” Attenborough said.

“It was good to be presenting to students who are on the edge of exciting careers and soaking up knowledge, so it was a great opportunity for me to share a little about the excitement of what’s happening in space right now. It is a beautiful campus,” he remarked while speaking at Rajalakshmi Engineering College, where he delivered a special address on the opening day of Titanium 2026, the inaugural edition of the three-day national-level inter-college festival.

“Initially, the Lunar Gateway, which is a bit like a space station orbiting the Moon and then potentially helped by the Chandrayan lander, and moon bases built, which will allow for deep space exploration and missions to Mars. We are going to see a proliferation of satellite launches, which I think will affect all of us, whether in our business or personal lives. Yes, I think we will be vacationing on the Moon rather than other cities across, we would love to see all of that,” Attenborough quipped.Technology is of no use if people cannot access or afford itDuring Times Conversations on ‘redefining what the human body can do’, Tilly Lockey, a British bionics advocate, investor in bionics research, and British social media personality, shared her thoughts on a wide range of issues around prosthetics, including access, technology, ethics, and cost.Explaining what the theme meant to her, Lockey said its interpretation varied from person to person, particularly at a time when cutting-edge technology is widely accessible. “I think it is really cool to see how inventive we are getting. I feel like the system used to be very regimented, but now we are always pushing the boundaries of what is possible. That is what I do with bionics now. Yes, that is the future of it as well,” she said.

On the ethical aspects of prosthetic technology, she said it was essential to place ethics first and foremost. “AI is a big buzzword, where people love it or hate it,” she said, reiterating the importance of people with disabilities getting access first and ensuring that the system works with such people, including co-design with them too. “We are still focusing on making technology that will genuinely help people. I feel that is how we keep it ethical,” Ms. Lockey added.“And on my social media, people are asking where the gloves are from because they don’t think about where we are in technology right now. I love to show people where we are actually at right now. But I also celebrate differences because before I wore these,” she said.

Regarding the cost of prosthetics, she said there is no point in technology if people cannot access it, as with any other high-tech, expensive gadgets. “In England, I did a lot of campaigning where we have the NHS, and we have these prosthetics so people can get them for free. In France, children can get them for free as well. So, it is about approaching these medical systems in each country and doing our best to make them more accessible. We also have a charity called the Open Bionics Foundation, where people can donate, and we are always actively helping people through it. People who never imagined they could use this technology can get support, and it is important to get it to all countries as well,” Lockey explained.Disclaimer: The above content is non-editorial, and TIL hereby disclaims any and all warranties, expressed or implied, relating to it, and does not guarantee, vouch for or necessarily endorse any of the content.