Former SpaceX Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel joins PLD Space team as Senior Vice President, Sales & Customers
Pablo Gallego Sanmiguel joins the PLD Space team as Senior Vice President, Sales &
Customers. Pablo brings extensive knowledge and experience in the aerospace market, specifically in the
sector of Commercial Launch Services. Since September, the former SpaceX employee has been working
in the commercial and customer management of the Spanish company, representing PLD Space right now
at the Smallsat Symposium 2020 in Silicon Valley.
Before joining PLD Space, Pablo developed his professional career from California (United States) working
as Mission Manager of Launching Services with SpaceX as well as providing aerospace consulting services.
Previously, Pablo had participated actively in several other rocket launch operations, such as Ariane 4,
Ariane 5, Soyuz, Dnepr, Vega, Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy.
Passionate about the great challenges of the space industry, specifically in the commercial launcher
sector, Pablo has participated in more than forty launch campaigns with different clients and launch bases
such as Kourou (French Guiana), Yasny (Russia), Vandenberg (California) and Cape Canaveral (Florida).
Facing this new stage in his career, Pablo has expressed: “It is a privilege to work for PLD Space providing
my knowledge and experience in the space launcher sector. The great team of professionals who make
up PLD Space are quickly growing the company in a global direction.”
Pablo has worked as a Launcher and Satellite Design Engineer at Airbus Defense and Space (CASA Espacio).
Also, as Launch Mission Manager and Launcher Integration Engineer at Arianespace. Next, Pablo
transition his career to the United States as a customer representative with Hisdesat (in Palo Alto), for the
launching of the SPAINSAT and XTAR satellites with Ariane 5. After that, worked as Business Development
Manager at INSA (ISDEFE), and also participated in the development and execution of the first mission of
the Vega launcher with the European Space Agency. He was responsible for Business Development and
Integration, putting into service the Earth observation satellite DEIMOS-2 with Elecnor-Deimos.
Currently, Pablo coordinates his activities between the United States and Europe where he directly
addresses the needs of customers. “One of my main objectives is to keep up with the needs of our launch services to customers and validate the integration process. The preparation of the PLD Space’s first launch
is one of my priorities as well as following market trends.”, expresses.
In addition, Pablo is registered with the U.S Department of State Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
(DDTC), to be able to interact with different types of customers and suppliers, both in the commercial
field and in other more restrictive areas, such as defense whose activities may be subject to ITAR
regulation.
About PLD Space
PLD Space, founded in 2011, and based in Elche, is a Spanish company developing reusable rockets.
Currently, PLD Space is working on two projects, the suborbital launcher MIURA 1 and the orbital launcher
MIURA 5.
The company, which had its beginnings in the Parque Científico of the Miguel Hernández University in
Elche (UMH), now has a headquarters in the Parque Empresarial de Elche and has more than 50
employees. In addition, PLD Space has a state-of-the-art test facility at the Airport of Teruel since 2014.
In 2019 the company successfully performed the drop test of the demonstrator of the first stage of MIURA
5.
