Garrett Katzenstein, Rocket Lab’s new VP of product and mission management. Photo: Rocket Lab

[Via Satellite 02-26-2016] Rocket Lab, manufacturer and operator of the Electron small satellite launch vehicle, has hired Garrett Katzenstein, formerly SpaceX’s senior manager for mission and launch operations, as vice president of product and mission management. Katzenstein will oversee customer experience from point of sale through vehicle integration and mission completion.

Katzenstein has nearly 20 years of work in space propulsion, structures, robotics, launch integration, systems engineering, program management, contracts, and sales. In the past, he successfully managed programs to place robotics on Mars with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and managed multiple successful missions to fly the SpaceX Dragon Capsule to the International Space Station (ISS).

“As our manifest continues to grow, we are confident Garrett’s experience and skills will serve as a great asset to our customers throughout the launch process,” said Peter Beck, Rocket Lab founder and CEO.