W David Thompson

MS, Electrical Engineering - Stanford University, 1981 BS, Electrical Engineering - USAF Academy, 1978 (Distinguished Graduate)

Mr. Thompson is Founder and President/CEO of Spectrum Astro, Inc., America's fastest-growing, full-service aerospace company which concentrates on the research, development and manufacture of high performance space systems for sophisticated defense and scientific missions and selected commercial opportunities. The company has received and successfully completed or is currently performing on over 200 contracts in these areas over the past fifteen years valued at over $800 Million in executed contracts and work underway. The company builds satellites and advanced technology components and subsystems for such diverse space applications as ballistic missile defense, planetary exploration, space science, technology demonstration and communications.
Spectrum Astro has received firm hardware contracts for ten satellites since 1991 and has successfully flown seven out of seven launched. Completed missions include three Miniature Sensor Technology Integration (MSTI) Satellites for ballistic missile defense research (precursors for SBIRS Low) and NASA's Deep Space 1, which employed a revolutionary new electric ion engine to rendezvous and take pictures of the comet Borrelly in September 2001, over 130 million miles from earth. On July 19, 2000 Spectrum Astro and the USAF Research Laboratory successfully launched MightySat II. 1, the first satellite to collect hyperspectral images from space. On February 5, 2002, Spectrum Astro successfully launched NASA's High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI). On January 6, 2003 the company successfully launched the US Navy/Space Test Program's Coriolis mission for ocean surface winds measurement. Other vehicles delivered or currently in development include additional MightySat vehicles and NASA's SWIFT spacecraft, a deep space gamma ray burst observatory. In February 2001, Spectrum Astro was awarded the Communication/Navigation Outage Forecasting System (C/NOFS), a DOD/USAF Space Test Program vehicle. In August 2002, the company was competitively awarded the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST), a 9,000-lb. class next-generation gamma ray space observatory, for NASA. Spectrum built major elements of the power and command and data handling systems for NASA's Mars '98 and '01 Orbiters and Landers, the Lunar Prospector, Gravity Probe B, and the Stardust mission to obtain comet dust samples and return them to Earth. In August 1999, Spectrum Astro also received a competitive study contract for the USAF's Space Based Infrared System Low (SBIRS Low) missile defense constellation and is presently a member of the Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) team as a subcontractor to TRW.
The primary company facilities are located in Gilbert, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. The company also operates facilities in Los Angeles and Pasadena, CA, Denver and Colorado Springs, CO, Washington, DC, and Dulles, VA. Spectrum Astro is presently building in Gilbert, AZ, a world-class satellite and missile defense production factory-the first all-new greenfield development of a complete satellite factory in America since 1958. This $37 million "Factory of the Future" incorporates dozens of high efficiency and worker health and safety improvements and the latest state-of-the-art in space and defense vehicle test equipment.
In 2001, Spectrum Astro was listed for the second time on the INC. Magazine list of the 500 fastest growing private firms in the United States, posting a five-year compounded revenue growth rate in excess of 670%. Also in 2001, the company was named the 2n fastest growing high-technology company in Arizona in the Phoenix Business Journal's FasTech 50 list. Spectrum Astro was the 1997 Small Business Administration Region DC (California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii) "Prime Contractor of the Year." Spectrum was Arizona's 1998 Mid-Sized Manufacturer of the Year and was selected by Ernst & Young as the Arizona Entrepreneurial Company of 1999 for Manufacturing and Distribution. In November 2001, Mr. Thompson was named one of three National Finalists for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year award in the Manufacturing Division.
Prior to starting Spectrum Astro, Dave was assigned to HQ USAF Space and Missile Systems Center (SMC) and the USAF Office of Special Projects (SAFSP) in a wide range of space system development capacities over a 10-year period, including positions in launch, six different spacecraft development programs, technology and advanced system design and development, Space Shuttle payload integration and training as a DOD Manned Spaceflight Engineer/Payload Specialist Astronaut. His last position was as Chief of the Advanced Plans Branch in the SAF Office of Special Projects where he was responsible for the conceptualization and development of a number of small and low-cost but sophisticated quick-reaction space payloads. He became a strong advocate for more sophisticated small space vehicles produced at lower cost and on shorter schedules, and was a pioneer in the "faster, better, cheaper" space movement.
He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Astronautical Society, a Senior Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He is a member of the National Association of Rocketry and the Tripoli Association for high-powered sport rocketry.
Dave is originally from Harrisville, West Virginia. He is married to Martha S. Martin, Chairman of the Board of Spectrum Astro, Inc. and former Founder, Vice President and General Manager of Tecolote Research's Los Angeles Division, a company specializing in space system cost analyses. They reside in Gilbert, Arizona and have one child.
Spectrum Astro's website is: www.spectrumastro.com.