People

Founders

Grant Bonin

Co-Founder and CEO

Grant Bonin is an aerospace executive and engineer specializing in business development, space mission design, spacecraft systems engineering, and program management. His accomplishments include contributing to more than 100 space missions with 100% success rate, direct responsibility for >$100m in space systems and product sales, and initiating several world-first missions.

Grant’s overall passion is to meaningfully contribute to the human development and settlement of space. Read More

Amanda Knez

Co-Founder and COO

Amanda Knez is an aerospace engineer and leader in space operations, mission management, and program management. She is passionate about enabling humans in space and has been a part of programs ranging from the Space Shuttle and lunar spacecraft, to commercial launch companies. She has contributed to the early stages of multiple space startups and built several customer-facing technical teams from the ground up.

Amanda holds a Bachelor’s in Aero/Astronautical Engineering from University of Washington, and a Master’s in Space Management from the International Space University. Read More

Advisers

 

Dr. Steven Collicott

Dr. Stephen Collicott is a Professor in the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics at Purdue University and an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Dr. Collicott received his B.S. from the University of Michigan and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Stanford University; all in Aerospace Engineering. His research interests include low-gravity fluid dynamics, capillary fluid physics, novel spray control, spray formation methods and other space and low gravity related research. Learn More

  • Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Purdue University

  • President, American Society for Gravitational and Space Research 2021-2022

  • National Academies Committee on Biological and Physical Sciences in Space

  • Chair, Sub-orbital Applications Researchers Group of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation 2012-2022

Laura Crabtree

Laura was one of the Crew Operations & Resource Engineers (CORE) who helped put the United States back in the human Space Flight business. Among the initial members of the operations team for SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, she was also on console for the first Dragon mission in 2010, the first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2012, and part of the commercial crew contract over the next decade—including the mission that delivered astronauts to the ISS in 2020. During that mission, Laura was the lead trainer for the crew and one of the CORE operators who communicated to and advocated for the crew during free flight.
Laura began her career at Northrop Grumman working various programs for DARPA and other DoD customers. She has a Bachelor’s in Astronautical Engineering and a Master’s in Systems Architecture, both from the University of Southern California.

  • Epsilon3 Co-Founder and CEO

  • SpaceX Dragon Mission Operations

  • Northrop Grumman Systems Engineer

Dr. Marie Mortreux

Dr. Marie Mortreux is an Assistant Professor in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Rhode Island and member of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research. Dr. Mortreux received her B.S, M.S. and European Magister of Science in life sciences, technologies and genetics at the University of Paris, France. Dr. Mortreux received her PhD in neurophysiopathology in Paris, France before joining the Department of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. At Harvard, Dr. Mortreux designed the first partial gravity analog model for in vivo studies in rats, which she used to more accurately simulate the gravitational shifts that will occur in future space missions to the lunar and Martian surfaces. Dr. Mortreux is a NASA-funded PI who is involved in both preclinical and clinical studies. Her current research focuses on the use of dietary polyphenols and nutraceuticals to improve musculoskeletal health and energy metabolism in partial gravity environments, and to investigate the impact of combined spaceflight stressors on animals’ health. Dr. Mortreux was the 2021 recipient of the CRITTER award by the IACUC of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center: "Conscientious Researcher Involved in Tending to + Treating animals Ethically and Respectfully”

Chris Lewicki

Chris Lewicki is an entrepreneur, engineer and “near-futurist” focused on the economic development of outer space. He is fascinated by exponential technologies, integrating ideas from disparate industries, and creating Space Infrastructure upon which generations of progress can be made.

Chris is an avid amateur astronomer, and enjoys deep space imaging of nebulas. When the skies aren’t clear he works in his wood shop, designs new parts to 3D print, and updates bugs and adds features to open-source software via GIT. He is the recipient of two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals, and has an asteroid named in his honor: 13609 Lewicki. Chris holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona.