Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo named Richard DalBello as the new director of NOAA’s Office of Space Commerce (OSC) on Wednesday. DalBello will officially begin his duties on May 9. 

OSC works to foster economic growth in the U.S. commercial space industry. The office issues operating licenses for private remote sensing space systems and is also responsible for modernizing the U.S. systems for space situational awareness. As part of modernizing space situational awareness, the office recently sought information commercial satellite tracking capabilities to support an Open Architecture Data Repository (OADR) for commercial space situational awareness

“This is an exciting opportunity and I appreciate the support and encouragement OSC is receiving from NOAA, the Department of Commerce, the White House and Congress,” DalBello said. “Space safety and sustainability are two of the most critical issues facing the international community today and I am pleased the Biden Administration has made these issues a priority.” 

DalBello has more than 30 years of experience in the space industry and was most recently vice president of Government Affairs at GXO, Inc., a space consulting firm. He was previously vice president of Business Development and Government Affairs for Virgin Galactic and served as the director of Space and Aeronautics, in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from 2013 to 2015. He has also worked as vice president of Government Affairs for Intelsat General and served as president of the Satellite Industry Association (SIA).

SIA applauded the appointment. “His wealth of experience as both a commercial satellite industry executive and advisor to the White House OSTP on commercial space matters makes him an ideal new director of the OSC,” said Tom Stroup, president of SIA.