Speakers for August 2025 Meeting
August 12, 11:30 am
*** Video, slides and photos posted ***
Video and slides from this presentation have now been posted. Photos from the presentation are on the Gallery.
The upcoming August 12th meeting will feature two guest speakers who will brief us on the evolution of the HL20 into the Sierra Space Dream Chaser. Walt Engelund, former Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs, Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and Frank Taylor, former Senior Director of Technology, Sierra Space will be the speakers.
Walt Engelund served as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Programs in the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at NASA Headquarters until his retirement in July 2025. He provided executive leadership and execution for a portfolio of 10 space technology programs with an annual investment value of over $1 billion. Prior to his appointment with STMD in 2019, he spent 30 years at Langley Research Center. Most recently he was the Director of the Space Technology and Exploration Directorate. He also served as the Chief Engineer at NASA Langley and was responsible for technical oversight for Langley’s diverse research and development portfolio, spanning aeronautics, human and robotic space technologies, and Earth science and remote sensing systems. Walt is a recognized expert, reviewer, and consultant for hypersonic flight and planetary entry systems for NASA and other government agencies.
Frank Taylor graduated with a BS in Mechanical Engineer from Cal Poly – San Luis Obispo in 1984. His last job before retirement in June of 2024 was as a Senior Director of Technology at Sierra Space / Sierra Nevada Corporation in Louisville, Colorado. He was the initial PM / Engineering development team of Dream Chaser for NASA’s CRS2 program from the beginning concept in 2004 with a $90K space grant from California and now is continuing today as a $2B+ program. He has more than 40 years of aerospace experience while working at the Lockheed-Martin Skunk Works on YF-22, X-33, JSF and other vehicles. Other activities included Scaled Composites on several aircraft both crewed and RPV and ATK-COI on composite and ceramic structures. A few of his engineering capabilities included: Composite structure, Propulsion systems, Radomes, RF system insulation for Aircraft / Launch Vehicles / Missiles and Small Satellites…… aka Frank “Knows how to spell RCS (2) different ways”.
