Bryan Hires

Background

About Bryan Hires

I have a habit of immersing myself in the most challenging environments I can find. Whether it was going to Caltech to study Aeronautical Engineering, busting a decades-long NCAA basketball losing streak, taking on business school at night while working as a full-time engineer, or jumping at a chance to build re-usable rockets at SpaceX, I've always gravitated towards the more difficult path. The opportunities that push yourself the greatest are always the most rewarding.Currently, I've dedicated myself at SpaceX to the idea that space travel will someday resemble, in the not-too-distant future, our current day airlines. Passenger carrying rockets will be re-usable, safe, and affordable to fly for the average human. Flights to and from Mars will become commonplace and attractive for people looking to start a new life. I fully believe SpaceX has what it takes to lead this revolution and I feel privileged to be a contributing member of it.I am the Lead Process Planner for Propulsion systems so I have an up close and personal view of the innovative technologies being developed to make this future a reality. Key components of the Falcon 9 rocket I help plan include the Merlin engines, Draco & Superdraco thrusters, advanced turbopumps, and the "Grasshopper" landing legs. A huge challenge we currently face is refining these designs while ramping up production to a 40 rocket a year rate to meet growing industry demand. Every day is about continuous improvement and what I can do to make our team and our planning more organized, accurate, and efficient.