Rob Meyerson
Rob Meyerson testifies at a Congressional hearing on U.S. Space Technology and Security.
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of Michigan
TitleFormer President of Blue Origin

Robert E. "Rob" Meyerson is an American aerospace engineer and executive known for his role in the development of reusable rocket launch systems.

Meyerson is the founder of Delalune Space, a consulting firm providing advisory services to the aerospace, mobility, technology, and financial sectors.[1] He is currently a board director or advisor to numerous organizations.[2][3][4][5]

He is the former president of Blue Origin.[6][7]

Career

Delalune Space

Meyerson is the founder and CEO of Delalune Space, a management consulting firm providing advisory services to the aerospace, mobility, technology, and financial sectors.[1] He is a board director or advisor to numerous organizations.[5][4][3][2]

Axiom Space

In 2021, it was announced that Meyerson, former Blue Origin president, would be joining Axiom's board of directors and that Axiom Space had raised $130m in a new round of funding.[8]

Meyerson stated that Axiom Space is a force in the space sector, and it would enhance the vision for a secure global future.[8]

Blue Origin

Meyerson joined Blue Origin[9] in 2003 as program manager later becoming the first company president. Working with company founder Jeff Bezos, Meyerson grew the company from 10 to 1500 people.[7][6] Under Meyerson's leadership, Blue Origin developed the New Shepard[10] system for suborbital human and research flights, and the New Glenn[11] system for orbital human and research flights, as well as the manufacturing and test capabilities that enable these programs.[12] He also developed Blue Origin into a liquid rocket engine supplier, creating and selling the BE-3 LOX/LH2 rocket engine and the BE-4 LOX/LNG rocket engine to other companies.[13]

From January to November 2018, Meyerson was the senior vice-president in charge of the Advanced Development Programs business unit.[6]

Kistler Aerospace and NASA

Before joining Blue Origin Meyerson was a senior manager at Kistler Aerospace Corporation responsible for the development of the K-1 reusable launch vehicle, the landing, and thermal protection systems of a two-stage reusable launch vehicle, as well as all technical activities related to Kistler's Space Launch Initiative contract with NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.[14]

Meyerson launched his career as an aerospace engineer at NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) from 1985 to 1997 working [15] on human spaceflight systems, including the aerodynamic design of the Space Shuttle orbiter drag parachute,[16] as well as the overall design, integration, and flight test of a gliding parachute for the X-38 Crew Rescue Vehicle,[17] a crew return vehicle designed to return astronauts to earth from the International Space Station. Meyerson began with NASA in 1985 as a cooperative education student at JSC.[13]

Personal, education, and awards

Originally from Southfield, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit,[18] Meyerson earned a B.S. in aerospace engineering from the University of Michigan and a master's degree in engineering management from the University of Houston.

Meyerson has been a long-time advocate for outreach programs that provide work experience and sponsors Blue's internship program, which has inspired and encouraged many university-level students to pursue careers in the aerospace industry. In December 2016, Meyerson gave the commencement speech at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.[19]

He is a trustee at the Museum of Flight in Seattle,[20] a former member of the board of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation,[21] and is a member of the Leadership Advisory Board for the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan[22] and a member of the Visiting Committee for the Aeronautics & Astronautics Department at the University of Washington.[23]

He is an AIAA Fellow,[24] and a former member of the Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technical Committee.[25] He was awarded the Space Flight Award by the American Astronautical Society in 2016. This award is given annually and is the highest award bestowed by the AAS.[26]

Meyerson was inspired by the Apollo program and also by launching model rockets as a child. For his 5th birthday, he received a cardboard mock-up of the Apollo Lunar Module and remembers playing inside of it. He later found the ingredients for rocket fuel in a cigar box that had been placed in the rafters of his childhood home by his two older brothers.[27][28]

Quotations

"Competition is a good thing (…) It keeps you sharp and it keeps you focused."[29]

“Having the opportunity to grow a team from 10 people to more than 1,200 has been a very proud accomplishment for me. Hiring them, motivating and challenging them, developing them into engineers and leaders, and then watching them accomplish historic achievements has been uniquely satisfying and very special.”[18]

“Start with passion for mission. Has the candidate demonstrated his or her passion for working in the space field? This is foundational, so no amount of judgment, intelligence, or experience can overcome a lack of passion for our mission.”[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert Meyerson – Leadership Advisory Board". lab.engin.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-11.
  2. ^ a b "Rob Meyerson, Former President of Blue Origin, Is Appointed as Operating Partner by C5 Capital". Orbital Today. 2020-11-26. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  3. ^ a b "Program that's fine-tuned to accelerate your work - ASCEND Space Event". ASCEND. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  4. ^ a b "Axiom raises $130M for its space station — and adds Blue Origin alum to its board". finance.yahoo.com. 16 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  5. ^ a b "C5 Capital Appoints Rob Meyerson, former President of Blue Origin, as Operating Partner". IFA Magazine. 2020-11-12. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  6. ^ a b c "Blue Origin plans to start selling tickets in 2019 for suborbital spaceflights - SpaceNews.com". SpaceNews.com. 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  7. ^ a b "Robert Meyerson – Leadership Advisory Board". lab.engin.umich.edu. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  8. ^ a b Sheetz, Michael (2021-02-16). "Private spaceflight specialist Axiom Space raises $130 million to become the latest space unicorn". CNBC. Retrieved 2021-02-17.
  9. ^ "Blue Origin". Blue Origin. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  10. ^ "New Shepard". Blue Origin. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  11. ^ "New Glenn". Blue Origin. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  12. ^ "Engines". Blue Origin. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  13. ^ a b "Blue Origin Opens Up | SpaceNews Magazine". www.spacenewsmag.com. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  14. ^ "Rob Meyerson's LinkedIn".
  15. ^ Campbell, C.H.; Joosten, B. K.; Meyerson, R.E. (1996). "Johnson Space Center Crew Return Vehicle Activities". In Engineering, Construction, and Operations in Space V: 392–398.[verification needed]
  16. ^ "SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITER DRAG PARACHUTE DESIGN" (PDF). Ntrs.nasa.gov. 24 May 2001. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  17. ^ Gibbs, Yvonne (12 August 2015). "NASA Armstrong Fact Sheet: X-38 Prototype Crew Return Vehicle". Nasa.gov. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
  18. ^ a b c "Former Detroiter leads Blue Origin's privately funded quest for space flight". Detroit Jewish News. 2017-11-21. Retrieved 2018-02-19.
  19. ^ "Blue Origin President to Speak at Embry-Riddle Daytona Beach Fall Commencement Ceremony". Embry-Riddle Newsroom. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  20. ^ "Trustees & Leadership | Museum of Flight". www.museumofflight.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  21. ^ "About - Commercial Spaceflight Federation". www.commercialspaceflight.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  22. ^ "University of Michigan Engineering". www.commercialspaceflight.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  23. ^ "Visiting Committee". Aeronautics and Astronautics. 2016-04-06. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  24. ^ "AIAA Announces Its Class of 2018 Fellows and Honorary Fellows: The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics". www.aiaa.org. Retrieved 2018-07-10.
  25. ^ 15th Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Technology Conference. Reston, Virginia: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. 1999-06-08. doi:10.2514/mads99.
  26. ^ "Space Flight Award | American Astronautical Society". American Astronautical Society. Retrieved 2018-07-17.
  27. ^ Rob Meyerson on SiriusXM with Rob Coneybeer, retrieved 2021-03-08
  28. ^ "#01 Building Blue Origin with Rob Meyerson by SEDScast • A podcast on Anchor". Anchor. Retrieved 2021-03-08.
  29. ^ "Blue Origin Opens Up. An Exclusive Interview with Blue Origin President Rob Meyerson". SpaceNews Magazine. 2016.
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