Dave Di Pietro

Dave Di Pietro is a systems engineer with over 30 years in aerospace development with NASA, Navy, and Air Force systems, both human and robotic. Most recently as Senior Engineer for Advanced Concepts and Architectures at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), he led, or served as mission systems engineer on, over 20 advanced space mission designs from low Earth-orbiting to interplanetary. While at GSFC, he also served as Launch Service Manager and Systems Manager for Medium Delta II launch services and as a member of the NASA Headquarters (HQ) Office of Chief Engineer Systems Engineering Working Group that developed NASA’s system engineering policy requirements and the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook. Prior to going to GSFC, he was the Thermal Control System Manager for Space Station Freedom at the NASA HQ Space Station Freedom Program and Operations Office during preliminary and detailed design. Before joining NASA, he was an advanced design engineer for aircraft, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, and propulsion systems at the Naval Air Systems Command.

Mr. Di Pietro has served in multiple interagency assignments including as lead for the NOAA Satellite Observing System Architecture study at NOAA NESDIS, as NASA Representative to the National Security Space Architect within OSD, and as Foreign Affairs Officer and Science Advisor in Defense Trade Controls at the State Department. He also served as the NASA member of the Risk Assessment and Management Advisory Group for the Department of Homeland Security to assess the Secure Border Initiative architecture.

Mr. Di Pietro is a retired Air Force Reserve Colonel, serving most recently at the National Security Space Office (NSSO), where he authored the NSSO architecture development process. He had prior assignments in space launch operations and in air vehicle technology and space launch acquisition at Air Force HQ. He currently serves as a Senior Staff Engineer for Alcyon Technical Services JV, LLC and works with design teams at NASA/GSFC to develop new space mission concepts.

He holds M.S. and B.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering, with focus in propulsion, high speed aerodynamics, and high temperature gas dynamics, and is a private pilot. He is a recipient of the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Defense Exceptional Civilian Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit.