Seattle, WA – September 19, 2024 – Portal Space Systems is proud to announce two key additions to its growing leadership team. This week, Brandon Sexton joins as Head of Mission Operations, and Diego Arias steps in as an Engineering Director.
Brandon Sexton brings an extensive background in space operations. His previous roles include Director of Space Operations at True Anomaly and Orbital Warfare Mission Integration Lead at Science Applications International Corporation, Inc. (SAIC). He has also held key positions such as Orbital Analysis and Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) Mission Lead at Northrop Grumman and RPO Mission Planning Lead for the United States Air Force.
Diego Arias, a seasoned engineer, joins from Amazon’s Project Kuiper, where he led the thermal design of their satellites and customer terminals. Prior to Kuiper, Diego was instrumental in the thermal design of the first generation of SpaceX Starlink satellites. Diego holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and brings unparalleled expertise in satellite thermal systems.
“Adding Brandon and Diego to our leadership team marks a significant milestone in Portal’s growth,” said Jeff Thornburg, CEO of Portal Space Systems. “Their expertise in mission operations and engineering design will be pivotal as we continue to push boundaries in space maneuverability and satellite technology.”
Portal Space Systems has seen tremendous growth this year. These additions follow the recent hiring of Lieutenant General Thomas J. Sharpy and Mark Bitterman, further showcasing Portal's impressive ability to attract top-tier talent and grow their team to progress and meet customer demands.
Portal Space Systems is a Seattle-based space start-up founded in 2021. It is led by space technology leader Jeff Thornburg and supported by COO Ian Vorbach and Vice President of Engineering Prashaanth Ravindran. Portal Space Systems is a full-service space maneuverability solution that offers tactical responsiveness and dynamic space operations via its flagship product, the Supernova satellite bus. Supernova is payload-agnostic with 500 kg of payload capacity and is powered by a novel solar-thermal propulsion system providing industry-leading 6 km/s delta-v. Portal Space Systems is launching the first Supernova in late 2025.