GOVERNMENT leans Commercial for future Spaceport Capacity

Chris is the president of Quilty Space, an independent research and consulting firm that provides strategy, competitive benchmarking, financial analysis, and investment diligence on all aspects of the Satellite & Space industry.

Prior to establishing Quilty Spacein 2016, Chris served as a sell-side research analyst with Raymond James for 20 years, publishing hundreds of company-specific, macro, sector, and thematic research reports on the industrial, defense, space, wireless, and communications industries. Chris is widely-acknowledged as the leading Wall Street analyst on the Satellite & Space sector and has participated in 30 capital markets transactions over the past five years valued at over $2.5 billion

Chris received a BS degree in Systems Engineering from the United States Naval Academy in 1989 and an MBA from the University of Chicago in 1994.

Major Nate Gapp leads: several responsive space efforts, including Sinequone; Responsive Launch II; Small, Responsive Launch; and Global Responsive Space; space domain awareness efforts, such as the Global Space Innovation Project (GSIP); a higher-efficiency, domestic solar cell prototype; and he is the Space Portfolio’s lead for collaborating with key allies & partners in these areas . Prior to DIU, Nate, as the Partnership Lead for Space C2 at SSC/IA led a group of seven nations in strategizing collaborative development. Nate has been the Speechwriter for the then-SMC Commander. Nate’s technical background includes the AFRL Space Power & Structures Group, testing novel photovoltaics materials and solar-array structures, including the Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA). Nate earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno and a M.S. in Space Studies from American Military University.

Mark Lester has built a 30+ year career advancing aerospace and defense operations in both public and private sectors, including multiple executive and C-suite roles. He has served as CEO of a private equity-owned defense business with a successful exit, managed space and aviation operations, and led teams winning $4B in government services contract awards. In the space transportation sector, he has been an advocate and pioneer in tailoring spaceport operations to mimic the cadence and efficiency of commercial airports.

Before most recently re-launching his consulting firm Pantigo Lester, Mark was Chief Operations Officer (COO) for Phantom Space, a space transportation start-up. Prior to Phantom, Mark served as the CEO for Alaska Aerospace Corporation where he operated the Kodiak commercial spaceport without state subsidies, modernized launch infrastructure, and conducted several commercial and military launches.

Prior to Alaska Aerospace, Mark held various other executive roles, including serving as CEO for a private equity owned aviation company focused on military flight training, leading business development for a mid-market national security sector engineering services and technology solutions company, and as Principal of Booz Allen Hamilton’s critical strategic initiatives business development team.

Mark began his career as an officer in US Air Force space operations. During his 7-years of military service, he operated military satellites, pioneered tactics to integrate space capabilities into air combat operations, and led intelligence analysis.

Mark holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from Norwich University and a Master of Engineering in Space Operations from the University of Colorado. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Aerospace Business Administration from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.