WASHINGTON — The former director of the National Reconnaissance Office’s Office of Space Launch, retired U.S. Space Force Col. Chad Davis, has joined defense and intelligence contractor Stellar Solutions.
The 30-year-old company specializes in systems engineering for ground systems and launch vehicles. It has more than 300 employees working with U.S. and international aerospace companies and government agencies.
Davis earlier this month was named director of sigint programs, or signals Intelligence — a type of intelligence-gathering that involves collecting and analyzing information from electronic signals.
Davis said in a statement that he plans to focus on the modernization of intelligence collection architectures, and “solving the most challenging development and integration issues that our customers are facing.”
Stellar Solutions’ CEO Janet Grondin said Davis was hired for his “experience in national security space and his knowledge of the commercial environment.”
David served in the Air Force and Space Force for 28 years, and led the NRO’s Office of Space Launch for four years before retiring. He directed 12 NRO launch missions on seven different rockets. The agency builds and operates the nation’s spy satellites.
Stellar Ventures
Stellar Solutions works closely with the investment firm Stellar Ventures, although they are separate companies.
Stellar Ventures is an independent VC fund that invests in startups in the space and aerospace industries. The venture fund was launched in 2022 with $23 million for early-stage space-related startups.
A spokesperson said Stellar Solutions “performs due diligence for Stellar Ventures, leveraging employee’s deep technical expertise across the intelligence, defense, civil, commercial and international space sectors.”
