Curt Blake
Curt is an attorney and senior executive with more than 25 years of experience leading organizations in high-growth industries—and over 10 years as CEO of Spaceflight, Inc.—at the forefront of the NewSpace revolution. He has extensive expertise in strategic planning, financial analysis, legal strategy, M&A, and space commercialization, with deep knowledge about the unique challenges of NewSpace growth and the roadmap to success in the that ecosystem. He has forged relationships with key commercial, civilian, and defense-related customers. Milestones include opening the Indian PSLV to U.S. commercial customers, the first dedicated rideshare Falcon 9 launch vehicle mission deploying a then-record 64 satellites, and launching the first non-governmental mission to the moon (SpaceIL), as well as developing, launching, and orbiting several flavors of Sherpa, the Spaceflight OTV.
Dr. Marino Fragnito
Dr. Marino Fragnito joined AVIO in September 2024 as Chief Commercial Officer, he also manages the new Launch Service division of the company, taking over responsibility from Arianespace for the exploitation of the Vega family launchers.
Between March 2016 and September 2024, he was Senior Vice President at Arianespace and member of the Executive Committee. As head of Vega Business Unit he managed the overall Vega activities and controlled its associated Profit & Loss.
From January 2009 until March 2016 he served at the European Organization for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) as Launch Services Manager. He previously covered different positions in industry, he began his career in Cannes, at Alcatel Space Industries, as mechanical engineer on telecom satellite projects and then joined ELV (European Launch Vehicle, an AVIO and Italian Space Agency company) in 2003 where he was later appointed Head of Mechanical Systems Development in the frame of the Vega development program. Before joining EUMETSAT he was also Head of the launcher design department at AVIO.
Marino Fragnito is an Aeronautical Engineer and holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Science and Technology.
Pablo Gallego
Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel is PLD Space Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers. Pablo brings extensive knowledge and experience in the aerospace market, specifically in the sector of Commercial Launch Services. Since September 2019, the former SpaceX employee has been working in the commercial and customer management of the Spanish company, representing PLD Space.
Before joining PLD Space, Pablo developed his professional career from California (United States) working as Mission Manager of Launching Services with SpaceX as well as providing aerospace consulting services.
Previously, Pablo had participated actively in several other rocket launch operations, such as Ariane 4, Ariane 5, Soyuz, Dnepr, Vega, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Pablo has participated in more than forty launch campaigns with different clients and launch bases such as Kourou (French Guiana), Yasny (Russia), Vandenberg (California) and Cape Canaveral (Florida).
Pablo has worked as a Launcher and Satellite Design Engineer at Airbus Defense and Space (CASA Espacio). Also, as Launch Mission Manager and Launcher Integration Engineer at Arianespace. Next, Pablo transition his career to the United States as a customer representative with Hisdesat (in Palo Alto), for the launching of the SPAINSAT and XTAR satellites with Ariane 5. After that, worked as Business Development Manager at INSA (ISDEFE), and also participated in the development and execution of the first mission of the Vega launcher with the European Space Agency. He was responsible for Business Development and Integration, putting into service the Earth observation satellite DEIMOS-2 with Elecnor-Deimos.
Currently, Pablo coordinates his activities between the United States and Europe where he directly addresses the needs of customers. “One of my main objectives is to keep up with the needs of our launch services to customers and validate the integration process. The preparation of the PLD Space’s first launch is one of my priorities as well as following market trends.”, expresses.
In addition, Pablo is registered with the U.S Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), to be able to interact with different types of customers and suppliers, both in the commercial field and in other more restrictive areas, such as defense whose activities may be subject to ITAR regulation.
Stella Guillen
As the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Isar Aerospace, Stella Guillen is responsible for all Strategy, Business Development, Sales, and Marketing activities. Stella’s background spans the satellite industry, from telecommunications to launch services.
From 2010 to 2016, Stella built up and oversaw sales efforts and client relationships for SpaceX. She joined the company at an early stage of the Falcon 9 / Falcon Heavy program, signing SpaceX’s first European customers such as SES, Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Hispasat, and others, winning more than $1B in sales. Stella worked in different Business Development and Sales positions: for Arianespace, Inc. and Spaceflight Industries, she managed all aspects of the launch services sales and marketing activities for customers and some of the largest satellite fleet operators such as SES, Intelsat, and satellite service providers such as Spacenet and Verestar, she opened new markets worldwide extending their customer base and raising company valuation.
She holds an MBA from Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Loyola University.
Brian Rogers
As Vice President of Global Launch Services, Brian is responsible for Rocket Lab’s global commercial, national security, and civil launch portfolios. With a career spanning space and launch segments, Brian brings a transformative perspective to U.S. Government and Allies’ developmental and operational systems.
Before joining Rocket Lab, Brian was Advanced Systems Manager at Ball Aerospace, leading technology development programs for national security customers across spacecraft and remote sensing payloads. Brian’s aerospace career includes leadership roles in launch vehicle design, manufacturing, and launch support of the Atlas V, Delta IV, and Vulcan-Centaur launch vehicles with United Launch Alliance, and systems engineering of the Ares launch vehicles at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Brian holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Colorado, a Master of Science in Mechatronics Engineering from the University of Denver, and a Master of Business Administration from Colorado State University..
Dr. Robert Sproles
Robert W. Sproles is CEO at Exolaunch, a global leader in launch services and deployment solutions for small satellites. Originally joining the company as CTO, Sproles has brought deep technical insight and scaling experience to the company and played a critical role in transforming Exolaunch’s operational foundation.
Through his leadership, Exolaunch has implemented streamlined processes to support significant market growth and facilitate international expansion. To date, the company has successfully launched over 430 satellites across a global variety of launch vehicles, earning a reputation for its industry-leading separation systems, adaptable dispenser structures, and expert mission management. Serving satellite customers in more than 40 countries, Exolaunch delivers tailored solutions that provide unprecedented access to space and reliably meet the complex demands of today’s mission requirements.
With over 20 years of industry experience, Sproles’s know-how spans developing global ground station networks, leading satellite build teams, and overseeing constellation operations at scale. Prior to entering the space sector, Sproles spent a decade in large-scale emergency response, where he developed a UAV program for chemical disaster assessment and pioneered remote field data collection using mobile devices.
Sproles holds a Ph.D. in applied physics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a specialization in rocket engine health and performance.