The space industry is entering a new era, driven by advances in satellite technology, commercial launch services, and the infrastructure needed to operate beyond Earth. As private companies take on missions once dominated by government agencies, a new generation of executives is working to make space more accessible, commercially viable, and useful here on Earth.
From Earth observation and orbital infrastructure to satellite deployment and in-space transportation, these five leaders are building companies focused on some of the most consequential opportunities in the space economy.
Will Marshall — Co-founder and CEO, Planet Labs
Will Marshall co-founded Planet Labs with a mission to make global change visible through frequent satellite imaging. Under his leadership, the company has developed a large constellation of Earth-observation satellites, providing imagery and data that help businesses, governments, and research institutions monitor changes across the planet. Marshall’s background in physics and experience at NASA helped shape Planet’s approach to making space-based data more accessible and actionable.
Planet’s work extends beyond collecting images from orbit. Its satellite data and analytics platform supports applications ranging from environmental monitoring and agriculture to national security and disaster response. By building a system capable of observing Earth’s landmass at high frequency, Marshall has helped establish satellite imagery as an increasingly valuable resource for decision-makers across industries.
Max Haot — CEO, Vast
Max Haot leads Vast as the company works to develop the next generation of commercial space stations. An entrepreneur with experience across aerospace, consumer electronics, and internet businesses, Haot brings a track record of building and scaling technology companies. Before joining Vast, he founded Launcher, an aerospace company acquired by Vast, adding launch vehicle and propulsion experience to the organization’s broader ambitions.
Vast is pursuing commercial space infrastructure, including its Haven-1 station, with the goal of expanding opportunities for human activity in orbit. The company’s efforts reflect a broader shift toward privately developed destinations in space, where research, manufacturing, and other commercial activities could take place beyond traditional government-operated facilities. Under Haot’s leadership, Vast is working to turn commercial space stations into a practical part of the future orbital economy.
Jonny Dyer — Co-founder and CEO, Muon Space
Jonny Dyer is the co-founder and CEO of Muon Space, a company developing satellite systems designed to deliver actionable information about Earth. Muon operates at the intersection of spacecraft engineering, sensing technology, and data services, aiming to help customers turn observations from space into useful intelligence. Its approach reflects the growing demand for satellite capabilities tailored to specific applications rather than relying solely on conventional, general-purpose spacecraft.
The company’s work is part of a wider transformation in Earth observation, as advances in satellite design and data processing create new ways to monitor environmental conditions and changes on the ground. By developing integrated satellite systems for customers with specialized needs, Muon Space is positioning itself within an expanding market for space-based intelligence. Dyer’s role places him at the center of efforts to scale these capabilities and bring more sophisticated observation tools into practical use.
Chris Kemp — Founder, Chairman and CEO, Astra
Chris Kemp founded Astra with the ambition of making access to space more responsive and affordable. Before establishing the company, Kemp served as chief technology officer at NASA IT, where he worked on technology initiatives for the U.S. government. He also co-founded OpenStack, bringing experience in building technology platforms to an industry where launch capabilities and spacecraft infrastructure remain critical challenges.
Astra focuses on launch services and satellite propulsion, two areas central to expanding access to orbit. Its work reflects the demand for flexible launch options and propulsion systems that can support a growing range of satellite missions. Kemp’s combination of experience in government technology, entrepreneurship, and aerospace has informed Astra’s strategy as it develops products and services for the global space industry.
Tom Mueller — Founder and CEO, Impulse Space
Tom Mueller founded Impulse Space to address a challenge that begins after a rocket reaches orbit: moving spacecraft where they need to go. A propulsion expert and founding member of SpaceX, Mueller helped lead the development of propulsion systems for the Falcon 1, Falcon 9, and Falcon Heavy rockets, as well as the Dragon spacecraft. His experience in launch vehicle engineering provided the foundation for a company focused on the next stage of space transportation.
Impulse Space is developing in-space mobility solutions designed to transport payloads across different orbits and, ultimately, support missions farther into the solar system. The company’s work addresses an important gap in the space economy, where reaching orbit is only one part of completing a mission. By focusing on transportation after launch, Mueller is helping build infrastructure that could give satellite operators and other space customers greater flexibility in how they deploy and use spacecraft.
Building the Infrastructure for a New Space Economy
The next phase of space exploration and commercialization will depend on more than rockets and satellites. It will require an interconnected ecosystem of observation systems, orbital destinations, propulsion technologies, and transportation services that make space more useful to a wider range of industries.
These leaders are approaching that opportunity from different directions, but their companies share a common ambition: turning space from a frontier accessible to a limited number of organizations into an increasingly practical environment for business, research, and technological innovation. The infrastructure they build today could help define how humanity operates beyond Earth in the decades ahead.
