Executive Team
Michael V. Paul
Space Systems DirectorMichael Paul is a space systems engineer with experience on a wide range of spacecraft development, from the innermost planet to Earth orbit and out to the farther reaches of our solar system. Michael is i7 Engineering's Space Systems Director and is charged with the management of i7's university partnerships and advanced research programs. Michael is also the Director of Space Systems Initiatives at Penn State’s Applied Research Laboratory and the leader of Penn State’s Google Lunar X Prize team, the Lunar Lion, directing Penn State’s first mission to another body in our solar system.
In 2011 Michael was name a Fellow to NASA’s Innovative Advanced Concepts Program for development of system concepts that relieve NASA’s dependency on nuclear power sources for extreme robotic exploration missions. Michael is leading the PSU Applied Research Laboratory’s efforts in developing a space mission leadership capability.
Michael started his career building commercial communications satellites with the Hughes Space and Communications Company, moved to Orbital Sciences on the east coast and then moved on to the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Much of Michael’s 8 years at APL was spent on the MESSENGER Program, building, launching and flying NASA’s only orbital mission to the innermost planet. A high point in his career was personally sending the last commands to the MESSENGER spacecraft prior to launch. While at APL, Michael also worked on NASA’s twin STEREO spacecraft and achieved his MS in Applied Physics at Johns Hopkins University.
After the 2008 flyby of Mercury, Michael was chosen as APL’s Lead System Engineer for NASA’s Titan Saturn System Mission Study, collaborating with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the European Space Agency on a 3-vehicle mission concept to explore Saturn’s moon Titan from orbit, by hot-air balloon and floating on Titan’s methane sea.
In May 2009 Michael moved to the Penn State Applied Research Laboratory where he can ride a bicycle with his children to their grandparents’ house.
EducationMasters, Applied Physics - Johns Hopkins University
