Steve Gaines

Background

About Steve Gaines

Steve is the Vice President of Operations for ATLAS Space Operations, Inc. ATLAS provides affordable cloud based solutions for space access in the rapidly growing global space market. Steve came to ATLAS after a 30 year career in space mission engineering, test and operations organizations. Steve is responsible for conceptualizing, designing and implementing ATLAS' cloud based architecture, providing ready and affordable satellite access to commercial, academic and government customers. He is also responsible for operating ATLAS's global network in providing unmatched communication services to ATLAS customers. As a military dependent, Steve grew up while traveling the world. He lived in Iceland for eight years as a youth. After earning a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder, Steve embarked on a 20+ year career in the Air Force. During his Air Force career, Steve worked for and led a variety of space engineering and operation organizations. His Air Force career brought him experience in operations, requirements generation, developmental engineering and test and evaluation execution. He supported the Defense Meteorological Support Program as a Satellite Systems Engineer and led the Test & Operations Division at the Air Force's space test program mission office. Steve's culminating Air Force assignment was to lead a small, highly responsive team of engineers and technicians to rapidly conceive, build, deploy, and support space systems to meet urgent national security requirements. After his Air Force career, Steve worked in the defense industry supporting the space defense mission area. For nine years, Steve led MITRE's space protection program where he was responsible for program requirements definition, technical implementation and program management of all work supporting the Department of Defense's initiative to heighten national security space resiliency in the face of advancing threats.