EnduroSat, a prominent builder of satellite infrastructure, has announced the appointment of Paul “Rusty” Thomas as the Chief Executive Officer of EnduroSat USA. This strategic move aims to strengthen EnduroSat’s presence in the American market and forge key customer partnerships, according to a recent press release from the company.
Paul “Rusty” Thomas brings over 35 years of extensive experience in the space industry to his new role. His distinguished career includes leadership positions at major aerospace and technology companies, where he spearheaded the development of significant projects. As EnduroSat highlighted, Thomas was involved in the creation of Motorola’s Iridium satellite network, led production for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and the reusable Falcon 9’s landing legs, founded Amazon Kuiper’s government solutions team, and most recently served as Chief Technology Officer at Sierra Space, overseeing technology for the company’s Dream Chaser spaceplane.
Raycho Raychev, Founder and CEO of EnduroSat, expressed his enthusiasm for the appointment, stating that Thomas is an ideal fit to lead the company’s U.S. business efforts due to his track record of delivering innovative space solutions to both commercial and government clients. Raychev added that Thomas’s leadership will be instrumental as EnduroSat expands its U.S. footprint, from satellite integration and testing to mission operations, helping customers usher in the next wave of orbital innovations.
For his part, Thomas commented that EnduroSat is uniquely positioned to transform the space industry with its new generation of modular satellite buses, designed for high-throughput manufacturing. He further noted that the technology EnduroSat is bringing to market will enable a massive expansion of possible applications, allowing customers to accelerate their pace of innovation in space programs. This approach, he mentioned, will ensure that a wide range of payload and mission developers can realize their visions more quickly and affordably, making space more accessible than ever.
By the close of this year, EnduroSat expects to have the capability to produce 60 ESPA-class satellites per month, utilizing a standardized, fully modular design that supports various mission types, including Earth observation, communications, and defense applications. The company’s U.S. team, based in Denver, provides comprehensive space services, encompassing mission design through satellite assembly, integration, and testing, complete with an on-site clean room and mission operations center. EnduroSat also plans to establish a dedicated team in Washington, D.C., to specifically support government and commercial clients.
