Dan Hart is President of HarTechnologies, advising technology companies and investment organizations in the areas of commercial and government markets, strategy, technology, and operations. Over the course of his career, Dan has served in senior leadership roles across a wide range of aerospace programs, spanning human spaceflight, satellite development, space launch, and missile defense, leading organizations through all phases of the aerospace product life cycle, from R&D, through design, production, and space operations. Dan is currently advisor to executive teams and investors in the space, energy, and technology sectors, and is active in the field of wildfire intelligence and battle management. Dan served as CEO for Virgin Orbit, Richard Branson’s pioneering commercial space firm, leading the development and operation of a new space launch method, launching small satellites into space from a rocket carried under the wing of a modified Boeing 747. Company proved technical feasibility in mid 2020, at the height of the COVID Pandemic, and delivered 4 flawless missions and 33 satellites into precise orbits. The team then attempted the first orbital space launch from Western Europe. Prior to Virgin Orbit Dan served as Vice President of Government Satellite Systems at the Boeing Company. In this position, he oversaw Boeing's government satellite programs, developing and managing missions for the U.S. Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA, and other national programs. Dan’s portfolio included marquee programs such as Global Positioning System (GPS), Wideband Global SATCOM, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS) system, and the X-37 spaceplane and Boeing’s National Space Systems portfolio. Dan was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2022 and accepted a Senior Fellowship with The Atlantic Council in 2024. He served on the U.S. Investment Advisory Council for the Secretary of Commerce. In early 2020, California Gov. Gavin Newsom selected Dan to join the Governor's Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery, to develop actions government and businesses can take to help Californians recover from the COVID-19 induced recession. He is a passionate and committed advocate for STEM education, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the California Science Center, as well as the Dean’s Advisory Council for California State University, Long Beach’s College of Engineering