Speakers

Paul Lockhart is the Director of Engineering for PEMDAS Technologies and Innovations, a Service Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business founded by his wife, Mary Lockhart. He oversees the development lines for PEMDAS to include aircraft mounted atmospheric sensors, drone satellite antennas and data analytics for real-time weather predictions for the commercial and government aviation community.

Lockhart received his B.A. in mathematics from Texas Tech University and his M.S. in aerospace engineering from The University of Texas at Austin. He is also a graduate of the United States Air Force Test Pilot School and the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, England.

Commissioned in the Air Force in 1981, Lockhart served 26 years on active duty. During his service, he served as a fighter pilot in Europe and as a F-16 test pilot in the US. He was selected by NASA to become an astronaut in 1996. After the Shuttle Columbia disaster, Lockhart returned to the Air Force by attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, the United Kingdom’s military’s premier institution for grooming senior leadership. After graduation, he was assigned to the Air Staff, Headquarters USAF, Pentagon.

Retiring from the Air Force in 2006, Lockhart then spent two years at NASA headquarters as special assistant to the Associate Administrator and as NASA’s liaison to the Department of Defense and the National Reconnaissance Office. As an Air Force test pilot in the 1990s, Paul performed testing for the Air Force’s most current weapons technology. He was the first pilot to test a GPS weapon from a F-16 fighter aircraft, laying the foundation for much of America’s current precision weapons. As a NASA Astronaut, Lockhart twice piloted the Space Shuttle Endeavour to the International Space Station, directing six space walks in repair and construction of the ISS. He accumulated over 26 days in space in support of these missions.

Later, in private industry as a senior executive for a NASA and DoD contractor, Lockhart directed the capture and execution of the $1.9 Billion Kennedy Space Center Engineering Services Contract. Since 2015, he has directed the design, development and testing for PEMDAS of a new class of atmospheric sensors for unmanned aerial systems for use by the Army Special Operations Command.

Lockhart currently serves on the Board of the Military Bowl, benefiting the USO and members of the Armed Forces, the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA, and the Aero-Club of Washington, DC. He is also past chair and member of the ASE/EM External Advisory Committee at UT Austin. With over 5,000 hours in more than 30 different aircraft and the Space Shuttle, Lockhart is the recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Aerial Achievement Medal, Commendation Medal, Outstanding Unit Award with Valor, National Defense Service Medal, Achievement Medal and numerous other service recognitions and ribbons. He is also the recipient of two NASA Space Flight Medals and one NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He is a distinguished graduate of both ROTC and the Air Force Squadron Officer School.

Lockhart lives outside Washington DC, with his wife, Mary. They have two daughters, Jenna and Mary. He and Mary are new grandparents. He is still seeking a good name for his new role and is accepting recommendations. Lockhart is an avid hunter and horseman.

Lt Col Michael H. Stobie is Commander, 10th Space Warning Squadron, Cavalier Space Force Station, North Dakota. The 10th Space Warning Squadron is responsible for detecting sea-launched and intercontinental ballistic missiles, and reporting that information to the Nation’s command and control centers for tactical warning and assessment of attacks against the North American continent. The 10 SWS also detects and tracks satellites providing space domain awareness to USSPACECOM and other organizations throughout the world.

Lieutenant Colonel Stobie graduated from Texas A&M University where he was commissioned through the ROTC program. He is a career space and missile professional beginning his career as a missileer at Malmstrom AFB, MT where he was responsible for safety, security, and employment of our nation’s most powerful weapons. Board-selected by TOPHAND, Lieutenant Colonel Stobie then served in the 17th Test Squadron as Test Director and Assistant Operations Officer where he led Operational Tests & Evaluations for worldwide Air Force, Joint & Allied space programs.

During this assignment, he was deployed to Headquarters, International Security Assistance Force, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM where he published the strategic basing plan for the 2014 drawdown and culmination of the Campaign Plan. Following this assignment, Lieutenant Colonel Stobie was the lead exercise planner for Joint Functional
Component Command for Space where he created and executed Space related events for USSTRATCOM’s Tier 1 global exercises.

Lieutenant Colonel Stobie’s following assignments included Chief of Standardization and Evaluations for the 460th
Operations Group, and the Executive Officer to the Commander of the 460th Space Wing, Buckley Air Force Base, Colorado where he was responsible for providing guidance to over 300 operators across 5 units encompassing space-based infrared missile warning, battlespace assessment, technical intelligence, and missile defense. Later he was selected as an Exchange Officer within the Royal Australian Air Force where he was responsible for coordinating space power across the Australian Defence Force and supporting the development of space-related policy, doctrine, requirements, and operations concept documents ensuring future space cooperation and interoperability. Next, he assumed the duties of Inspector General of Space Base Delta 2, Buckley Space Force Base, Colorado, responsible for executing inspections, exercises, and complaints resolution for the installation and tenant units ensuring readiness of over 5,500 personnel. 

Steven Smith is a visionary executive leader in innovation with extensive experience in aerospace, R&D, high-tech, and product development. Currently, Steve is serving as Director of Flight Systems at BLUE ORIGIN where he is leading an organization of scientists, engineers, and R&D labs building a road to space. Steve’s team advances the state-of-the-art in autonomous spacecraft by developing space Navigation technologies, creating high-fidelity models and simulations, and driving R&D of new mission critical technologies.

Prior to Blue Origin, Steve served as Director of Innovation & Product Development at FlightSafety International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, and a leading provider of virtual flight simulators. In this role, Steve led multi-disciplinary teams innovating a wide range of new, industry-leading flight simulator and pilot training technologies and products. Steve is a patent holder, a recipient of numerous corporate and industry awards, and a frequent public speaker.

Believing a rising tide of innovation raises all boats, Steve also advocates and promotes innovation in the community by serving on the Advisory Board of Advanced Air Mobility for Tulsa Innovation Labs, on the Board of Directors for the Tulsa Air & Space Museum, and as a mentor, judge, and advisor with MassChallenge, a zero-equity startup accelerator.

Steve holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and Bachelor & Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas.

Kevin Sproge was born in New York City and joined Zero-G in 2021 as a zero gravity coach. He grew up in New York and New Jersey and was commissioned as a U.S. Navy Officer in 1998.

After a successful tour as an operational FA-18C pilot, he was selected to the United States Naval Test Pilot School, graduating in 2005 with a follow on tour as a Navy Test Pilot conducting developmental test and evaluation on FA-18, EA-18G, and T-45 aircraft. He returned to the Fleet for another operational tour flying the FA-18E. He transitioned to the Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer Corps and spent the remainder of his career both as a Test Pilot and Acquisition Officer working at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the F-35 Lightning II Program.

He was selected as a Secretary of Defense Corporate Fellow in 2018 and spent a year embedded with Alaska Airlines in Seattle, WA where he was the Director of Fleet Projects. He retired from Active Duty in 2018.

After retiring from the Navy, Kevin joined Blue Origin as a Systems Engineer on the New Shepard Program. He was rapidly promoted to Director, Systems Architecture and took on the additional responsibility of developing the New Shepard astronaut training program. He was ultimately selected as one of the first two Blue Origin "CrewMember 7", and was the trainer for the historic Blue Origin First Human Flight of Jeff Bezos, Mark Bezos, Wally Funk, and Oliver Daemon. He both trained and functioned operationally as either CrewMember 7 or CapCom for all of Blue's astronaut missions in 2021 and 2022. He joined Sierra Space in 2022 as the Director of Safety and Mission Assurance for the Space Destinations sector and worked to design and build the world's first purely commercial space station.

Kevin holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering form the U.S. Naval Academy, an MS in Aviation Systems Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and an MA in National Security and Strategy from the U.S. Naval War College. He has flown over 80 combat missions, 3,000 hrs, and has over 500 carrier arrested landings.

He resides in Seattle, WA with his family. He is an active U.S. Soccer Referee in his free time.

LTC Michael A. Woodhouse is a native of the City of Corning, NY, graduated from Niagara University with a Baccalaureate in Marketing and was commissioned in the Air Defense Artillery Branch through the Niagara University U.S. Army ROTC program. He currently serves at the Space Development Agency, as the Deputy Cell Chief for Warfighter Integration.

From June 2018 to February 2019, he served as the “Top Notch” Air Defense Artillery Brigade Operations Officer at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar as the Brigade deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield and Operation Inherent Resolve providing Integrated Air and Missile Defense of USCENTCOM critical assets. From August 2014 to May 2016, he commanded the 3-6 ADA Patriot Test Detachment in White Sands Missile Range, NM. LTC Woodhouse led the “Diamondback” detachment for 21 months as the unit trained for and executed the first Soldier led flight test of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense Battle Command System (IBCS). The test resulted in the first successful engagement and intercept utilizing the IBCS hardware and software.

LTC Woodhouse served in several leadership and staff positions to include: Space and Missile Defense Planner, HQs Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (NATO) (2019 2022),Brigade S3 Operations Officer 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade (2018-2019), Battalion S3 Operations Officer 3rd Battalion (Patriot), 2nd Air Defense Artillery (2017-2018), Commander Patriot Test Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery (2014-2016), Air and Missile Defense Planner, Headquarters 3rd Army (USARCENT) (2012-2014) and Commander of Charlie Battery, 6th Battalion, 52nd Air Defense Artillery (2010-2011). As a Lieutenant he served as the Patriot Fire Direction Section Officer in Charge and Patriot Battery Executive Officer/ Platoon Leader in the 6th Battalion (Patriot), 52nd Air Defense Artillery (2010-2011).