Christine Thropp
Chris Thompson, former chief engineer of advanced projects at Astra, was named chief technology officer of Phantom Space, where he will lead the development of launch vehicles and satellites and oversee related efforts.
The Tucson, Arizona-based space transportation technology development and manufacturing company said Thursday Thompson brings to his new role decades-long experience in the space industry, including a nearly four-year stint at Astra driving rocket and launch system development.
He also worked at Virgin Galactic for over five years. At the company, he was a senior director of structures development and then vice president of advanced programs.
Majority of Thompson’s career was spent at SpaceX, where he focused on structures production development for a decade, and at Boeing, where he worked for 15 years. His other engagements were with Blue Origin and the U.S. Marine Corps.
At Phantom, Thompson said he will lead its technical team and mission, including efforts for its Daytona rocket.
