Christopher Becek Email & Phone Number

Dulles, Va

Program Manager for ORBCOMM’s first service agreement using CubeSats. Prepared and negotiated contract, oversaw work according to program schedule, coordinated technical feedback, and ensured compliance to Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Contract is valued at $6M over five years.Managed outside contractors performing engineering analysis and developing new software. Scoped work to be performed, generated purchase orders, tracked hours/deliverables, approved invoices, and prepared amendments to baseline contracts. Developed Microsoft Access database to improve tracking and reporting. Contracts have exceeded $1M in value over the last three years.Technical lead for maintenance and upgrades of satellite control center software, providing on-call support for issues as they arise on the floor and generating software products to improve operations. Program manager for support contract with software contractor.Participated in engineering review boards for a variety of on-orbit investigations.Provided support with regulatory affairs, examining license applications for satellites intended for neighboring orbits.

Dulles, Va

Primary contractual and technical interface with launch service provider. Managed technical interchange meetings among launch vehicle, dispenser, and satellite contractors. Oversaw mechanical fit checks and separation tests between launch adapter and dispenser/satellite. On-site representative during campaigns at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. First campaign achieved integration of six satellites within 14 days of arrival. Second campaign commenced within three weeks of manifest change and proved to be a successful return-to-flight on a new variant of the launch vehicle.Technical lead for $230M launch and in-orbit insurance placement for 17 satellites. Coordinated questions and answers with broker/underwriters and satellite/launch vehicle contractors, prepared advisories and status reports.Shift lead during launch and early operations checkout of six satellites. Coordinated testing plans and procedures with satellite manufacturer and directed execution with satellite operators. Checkout completed and satellites successfully placed into service within two months of launch.Managed task orders with satellite contractor, overseeing support of launch vehicle integration activities and software development. These task orders exceeded $10M in value.Responsible for upgrading ORBCOMM's satellite control center from one using antiquated software into one capable of controlling multiple generations of spacecraft. Negotiated $1M contract with software contractor, conducted program status and design reviews, oversaw factory and site acceptance tests, and managed follow-on contractual issues as they arose.Oversaw conversion of legacy products used to command and monitor the first generation spacecraft to the new satellite control center. Administered satellite control center once installation was signed-off. Performed regular maintenance and upgrades as the system matured. Developed new products to command and monitor the second generation spacecraft.

Dulles, Va

Directed engineering team responsible for the health and service availability of the ORBCOMM satellite constellation, overseeing efforts to maintain existing satellites and incorporate new satellites into the fleet. Recruited team members, assigned tasks, approved work product, and performed employee evaluations.Identified and implemented strategies to extend on-orbit satellite life through improved attitude, power and thermal management. 29 of the 35 original satellites achieved a service life of at least nine years; the original design life was five years.Flight director for the "Quick Launch", ORBCOMM's first satellite launch since 1999. Oversaw all initial operations performed at ORBCOMM's Network Control Center and coordinated with contractor operations centers in Germany and Russia.Technical lead for the Concept Demonstration Satellite, ORBCOMM's first new satellite procurement since the predecessor company declared bankruptcy in 2000. Provided customer oversight to a multinational (Russia, Germany, US) integration team subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Established interface allowing software compatibility between the Russian and US platforms. Identified to the US Coast Guard as a key employee when the contract was awarded.Participated in due diligence (oral and written) that resulted in multiple rounds of private and public equity financing. Identified by Futron Corporation as a key employee in their independent assessment of ORBCOMM's technical capability.

Dulles, Va

Provided on-call support for a constellation of 35 low-earth-orbit satellites, diagnosing anomalies and directing recovery efforts to maximize revenue-generating service and hardware life. Exercised swift decision-making due to limited connection time (approximately fifteen minutes each pass).Analyzed daily and trending data to ensure satellite health. Led efforts to place disabled satellites into service, working outside original designs to achieve usable operation. Identified on-orbit factors threatening satellite health and developed solutions to prevent hardware fatalities.Established an interactive system to automatically notify responsible engineers of limit violations.Oversaw integration, test and launch activities at sites across the United States, and performed electrical power system checkout after launch for a plane of seven satellites.Developed a satellite controller in-house training program, with online documents detailing satellite subsystems and two days of engineer-led presentations.

Newtown, Pa

Led payload equipment layout and detailed part design for a series of commercial communications spacecraft. Milestones included design definition, formal review data package and presentations, payload integration & test support, and delivery.Managed critical interfaces with spacecraft design counterparts and vendors with travel within United States and Canada, occurring amid a company merger requiring that these interfaces be defined for the first time.Supervised drafting team responsible for detailed drawings and subsystem installation documentation, while tracking and reporting cost and schedule to upper management.

East Windsor, Nj

Developed solutions to mechanical design and integration concerns raised on a new product line of commercial communications spacecraft. Working with management, engineering, production control, and operations personnel, diagnosed conflicts on the floor, prepared design solutions, won approval, and oversaw the resulting activity. Validated mass properties analysis against test records.Directed structure subcontractor through panel manufacture, providing design changes to fabrication issues to support timely delivery of panels to integration & test. Directed design drafting team through drawing generation and revision incorporation.

Valley Forge, Pa

Evaluated requirement changes while a member of a follow-on proposal team. Performedconstellation warranty analysis of various failure scenarios to determine potential warranty liability.Assignment included work in classified (DoD Secret) areas.Performed thermal analysis on communications subsystem components. Working withcommunications, thermal, and packaging engineers, recommended materials and techniques toimprove thermal performance.

Bs, Mechanical Engineering

Master'S Degree, Mechanical Engineering