Team Biographies
(click to view)

Founders:

Additional Company Principals:

Board of Directors

Test Pilots

Richard A. Searfoss
NASA Astronaut (Former) and Colonel, USAF (Ret.)

Rick Searfoss has piloted XCOR’s EZ-Rocket 8 times; most notably at the Countdown to the X-Prize Cup in Las Cruces, NM, October 2005.

He was the number one graduate in his class at the United States Air Force Academy, earning top overall, academic, engineering, and aeronautical engineering honors. He received an advanced degree from the California Institute of Technology as a National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow. In addition, he was named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America, and was named Distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Fighter Weapons (Topgun) School and U.S. Naval Test Pilot School.

Colonel Searfoss became an astronaut in July 1991, and before leaving NASA in 1998 he was the pilot on two Space Shuttle missions, STS-58 (October 18 to November 1, 1993) and STS-76 (March 22-31, 1996), and was the mission commander on STS-90 (April 17 to May 3, 1998). His first space flight, on Columbia, set the record for the longest duration Space Shuttle mission. On his second mission he piloted Atlantis to the Russian space station Mir where the crew conducted the first spacewalk on a combined Space Shuttle-Space Station complex. The STS-90 Neurolab mission was the last and most complex of NASA’s Spacelab missions. The crew performed 26 neuroscience experiments on themselves focusing on the effects of microgravity on the brain and nervous system.

Rick has logged over 5,400 hours flying time in 62 different types of aircraft and over 39 days in space. He also holds FAA Airline Transport Pilot, glider, and flight instructor ratings. His numerous awards including F-111 Instructor Pilot of the Year (1985), Air Force Aero Propulsion Laboratory Excellence in Turbine Engine Design Award, NASA Exceptional Service Medal and Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross.

When he is not flying, Colonel Searfoss applies his experience, charisma, and character to speaking engagements around the world. As a dynamic, motivating speaker he focuses his multimedia presentations on leadership, teamwork, innovation, and personal excellence. To learn more about his mission to share "the achievement, teamwork, and leadership lessons of human space flight while bringing the wonder of Space to Earth for all to enjoy,” please go to www.astronautspeaker.com or www.speaking.com.