Scott Tibbitts

Mr. Tibbitts is the Founder and Executive Director of eSpace: The Center for Space Entrepreneurship; a not-for-profit organization chartered with supporting the development of entrepreneurial space companies, helping to commercialize their technologies and developing a passionate workforce to fuel their growth. Mr. Tibbitts received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1980. Mr. Tibbitts worked with Rockwell International at the Rocky Flats Plant, Golden, Colorado.

In 1987 he founded Starsys Research Corporation, to bring a promising thermal actuator technology to the spacecraft industry. With Tibbitts as CEO, Starsys developed as a world-class supplier of mechanical systems and actuators for spacecraft, with 150 employees and $18M in revenues. Starsys track record of 2500 mechanisms flown on more than 250 spacecraft with 100% success is unmatched in the aerospace industry.

In 2006, Starsys Research was acquired by SpaceDev Inc, with Mr. Tibbitts assuming the role of Managing Director from the time of the merger until January, 2009. SpaceDev was acquired by Sierra Nevada Corporation in December of 2008.

Mr. Tibbitts was the recipient of the “Esprit Entrepreneur of Distinction” award in 1998, and is the holder of three patents for spacecraft products. He has been active in the Colorado Aerospace community, serving on the boards of SpaceDev, The Space Science Institute, Colorado Space Grant Consortium, Colorado Space Business Roundtable, COLABS, and the Denver Metro WIRED aerospace advisory board.

Mr. Tibbitts lives in Niwot, Colorado with his wife Jackie, son Ryan (15) and daughter Alyssa (11). He is an avid skier, scuba diver, official “storyteller” for Niwot elementary school, and the keyboard player in the garage band “Too Much Fun”.