Former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine has a new gig.
Jim Bridenstine, who ran the space agency from April 2018 through January 2021, was announced today (May 5) as the new CEO of Quantum Space, a company developing maneuverable spacecraft for use by the U.S. military and commercial operators.
Maryland-based Quantum Space, which was founded in 2021, aims to become a major player in the commercial and military space arenas with its forthcoming Ranger spacecraft.
Ranger will be able to operate in a variety of environments, from low Earth orbit to Earth-moon space, according to Quantum Space. Its patented propulsion technology, modularity and in-space endurance will give it a leg up on competitors, the company says.
“The Theory of Competitive Endurance requires avoiding operational surprise, denying first mover advantage, and counterspace campaigning. Quantum’s Ranger spacecraft is uniquely crafted to deliver on each pillar,” Bridenstine said in the same statement.
“As every domain of warfare is dependent on space, the United States must have ubiquitous space domain awareness, unpredictability for resilience and freedom of action in every orbit,” he added. “Quantum’s Ranger spacecraft is designed for sustained maneuver for Dynamic Space Operations. It is also modular and refuelable. Any orbit, anytime.”
Ranger has not yet left Earth. The company, which raised $80 million during its “Series A” fundraising round, aims to launch the spacecraft’s first mission, known as Ranger Prime, in mid-2027.
If all goes well with that test flight, Ranger will move on to operational missions. Those could feature a variety of objectives, from missile defense and space domain awareness to satellite life-extension operations, according to Quantum Space.
Before becoming NASA chief, Bridenstine was a pilot in the U.S. Navy and a member of Congress. He represented Oklahoma’s 1st congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from January 2013 until his confirmation as NASA chief in April 2018, during President Donald Trump‘s first term.
Bridenstine’s time at the agency was quite eventful. For example, he played a key role in the development of the Artemis program of moon exploration, which launched during his tenure. Bridenstine also expanded public-private partnerships in space exploration, via projects such as the Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which puts NASA science gear on commercial robotic moon landers.
Quantum Space Co-founder Kerry Wisnosky had served as the company’s CEO and president. Wisnosky will remain as president, focusing “his leadership and engineering expertise on operations and advancing the company’s spacecraft development,” the company said in the same statement.