22/01/2020. Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel joins the PLD Space team as 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, the former SpaceX employee has been working in the commercial and customer management of the Spanish company, representing PLD Space right now at the Smallsat Symposium 2020 in Silicon Valley.
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.
Passionate about the great challenges of the space industry, specifically in the commercial launcher sector, 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). Facing this new stage in his career, Pablo has expressed: “It is a privilege to work for PLD Space providing my knowledge and experience in the space launcher sector. The great team of professionals who make up PLD Space are quickly growing the company in a global direction.”
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.
About PLD Space
PLD Space, founded in 2011, and based in Elche, is a Spanish company developing reusable rockets. Currently, PLD Space is working on two projects, the suborbital launcher MIURA 1 and the orbital launcher MIURA 5.
The company, which had its beginnings in the Parque Científico of the Miguel Hernández University in Elche (UMH), now has a headquarters in the Parque Empresarial de Elche and has more than 50 employees. In addition, PLD Space has a state-of-the-art test facility at the Airport of Teruel since 2014. In 2019 the company successfully performed the drop test of the demonstrator of the first stage of MIURA 5.
About Smallsat Symposium
Smallsat Symposium 2020 is the the world’s largest smallsat business conference. For more info: https://2020.smallsatshow.com/
