Tim Pickens Explores the Commercial Space Frontier

Tim Pickens

July 16, 2010:

Tim Pickens, chief propulsion engineer and commercial space advisor for Dynetics, has spoken about space and Dynetics at several high profile conferences over the past few months since joining Dynetics as part of the team from Orion Propulsion.  Dynetics purchased Orion in December of 2009. (Pickens founded the company in 2004.)

Under Pickens’ leadership, Orion established itself as an innovative, rapid and low-cost provider of rocket propulsion products.  Recognized as one of the industry’s leaders in advanced propulsion systems, research and development, hardware fabrication and testing, Pickens receives numerous requests to speak at forums both locally and all over the country.

In addition to presenting at conferences that give him an opportunity to highlight Dynetics’ space capabilities and build relationships with key decision makers, he speaks at events designed to motivate young people to pursue careers in technical fields.

At the Space Investment Summit in Chicago in May, Pickens served as an industry panelist on the Government-Industry Synergy Panel, offering insight on how NASA and private companies can work together to create more commercial space opportunities and as partners.

At the National Space Society's International Space Development Conference (ISDC) 2010, held in conjunction with the Space Investment Summit, Pickens spoke about how Orion Propulsion began as a small shop, grew into a successful company and accomplished a larger goal of expanding its aerospace footprint by becoming a part of Dynetics. Orion’s historical products are becoming integrated into Dynetics’ larger systems, such as satellites and launch vehicles. By combining Orion’s staff and capabilities with Dynetics’ resources, Dynetics has significantly expanded its customer offerings.

Also in May, Pickens spoke to Space Tec/Calhoun Community College about the importance of vocational education and aerospace. Later, he, along with Steve Cook and Alan Harmon of Dynetics, participated in “Igniting Young Minds,” an educational workshop at Sci-Quest Hands-On Science Center.

In January, Pickens presented “Changing the Future of Space through Innovation and Diversification” at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Commercial Space Transportation Conference.

Pickens gained national media attention in 2005 when he designed a rocket bike by attaching a custom 200-pound-thrust rocket engine to his bicycle, capable of blasting him from 0 to 60 miles an hour in five seconds – enough to beat a Porsche in a drag race. The rocket bike, just one example of Pickens’ rocketry projects, employed the same hybrid rocket technology as the suborbital spaceplane, SpaceShipOne, whose propulsion systems he helped design. SpaceShipOne was awarded the $10 million X-Prize in 2004.

He and his projects have been featured in CNN Money magazine, Popular Mechanics, Air and Space Magazine, Popular Science, The Los Angeles Times and The New York Times. He and his rocket bike were also featured on the Daily Show.

Pickens has several events scheduled during the upcoming months, including hosting a session and participating in a roundtable at the NewSpace 2010 Conference hosted by The Space Frontier Foundation in July 2010.