Gregory G. Richardson is a senior project leader in the Human Exploration and Spaceflight Division at The Aerospace Corporation. He has experience in space systems design, systems engineering, and mission execution for innovative space systems. He is currently leading several Aerospace efforts in evolvable structure and ecosystems in space (ESES); in-space servicing, assembly, and manufacturing (ISAM); space access, mobility, and logistics (SAML); and rendezvous and proximity operations (RPO). He provides support to multiple government customers on in-space servicing, RPO, cluster flight, spacecraft autonomy, and design of advanced mission concepts. As a senior project leader, Richardson also leads the COnsortium for Space Mobility and ISAM Capabilities (COSMIC) as the executive director of the consortium and primary interface to NASA.
From 2013 to 2020, Richardson provided onsite customer support for advanced concepts for national security space. He led Aerospace and government efforts to define and mature a novel architecture for resilience, and led Aerospace efforts to define, acquire, and develop a first-of-a-kind demonstration mission.
Richardson has also provided satellite systems engineering and integration support for DARPA’s System F6 program, at various times serving as the subject matter lead for cluster flight operations, chief engineer, on-orbit testbed lead, and mission operations lead. He also provided cradle-to-grave systems engineering, mission assurance, and missions operations support to Orbital Express, a DARPA mission that demonstrated autonomous rendezvous and on-orbit satellite servicing.
Additionally, Richardson has performed or supported past Aerospace studies of both the technologies and business case for on-orbit servicing, including co-leading the Mission Capability team for the Hubble Robotic Servicing Analysis of Alternatives in 2004, co-leading the Hubble Deorbit Study in 2012, and leading Aerospace support to the joint DARPA/NASA Manned Geostationary Servicing Study from 2010 to 2012.
Prior to joining Aerospace, Richardson was a flight control engineer for Boeing Phantom Works.
Richardson has authored numerous works in the fields of small satellite trends, on-orbit servicing, value-centric analysis, and small satellite cost modeling.
Education
Richardson received his bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1997 and his master’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from Stanford University in 1998.