Industry Advisory Board

The Center of Excellence for Commercial Space Transportation Industry Advisory Council (CESTAC) is an independent
consultative group created by the leadership of the COE CST to provide a forum for the broader commercial space industry community outside the formal Federal Advisory Committee (FACA) structure.

The goal in establishing the CESTAC is to ensure broad CST industry input to the future development of COE CST R&D
program. Based on this input and other considerations, the FAA AST will determine the COE CST research program's implementation architecture as part of the Federal budget cycle.

To achieve this goal, the CESTAC:

  • Provides guidance and comments on current COE CST research topics, issues, relevance and impact.
  • Examines and comments on future COE CST research program strategies, rationale and content.
  • Evaluates and comments on the research directions and investment portfolio from the COE CST perspective.
  • Voices opinions and, where possible, consensus suggestions.
  • Provides oral and written reports to the COE CST Coordinating Committee that are then provided to the FAA AST.

CESTAC Members:

Role Name Company
Past Chair Joe Rothenberg JHR Consulting
Vice-Chair Carissa Christensen The Tauri Group
University Liaison Tristan Fiedler Florida Institute of Technology
Member Frank DiBello Space Florida
Member Carl Ehrlich Affiliate, Spaceworks Enterprises
Member Brienna Henwood National Aerospace Training and Research Center (NASTAR)
Member Mark Leifeste Jacobs Technology, Inc.
Member James (Russ) McMurry      Boeing space Exploration
Member Jody Merritt Scitor
Member Dot McMahon Scitor
Member Carol Lane Ball Aerospace
Member Scott Norris Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company
Member Larry Richardson United Launch Alliance (ULA)
Member Alex Saltman Commercial Spaceflight Federation
Member Christine Smith Wyle
Member Jerry Haber ACTA
Member Gerritt van Ommering Space Systems Loral
Member M. Brian Barnett SATWEST, LLC


for more information including membership opportunities.....please contact

Dr. Tristan J. Fiedler, FAA COE CST CESTAC Liaison