Michael Nicolls

Advisory Committee on Excellence in Space (ACES) Representative
Member – SpaceX

Mr. Michael Nicolls is Vice President for Starlink Engineering at SpaceX. He leads the team developing and operating the Starlink broadband and Direct-to-Cell systems including satellite, user terminal, and ground technologies, the software to operate the network, and constellation operations. Prior to joining SpaceX, he was the Chief Technical Officer and cofounder of LeoLabs and led the development of the radar systems, tracking technologies, and data platform for providing space safety services. He also worked at SRI International’s Center for Geospace Studies as a Research Engineer leading the development of remote sensing technologies for studies of the Earth’s upper atmosphere and ionosphere, including the development of advanced radars for understanding the space environment, cubesats and sounding rockets for space weather research, and satellite technologies for mapping the Earth’s magnetic field.

Nicolls has worked in the space industry for over 20 years and received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University. Nicolls is passionate about developing solutions to enable commercial activities in space in a responsible and sustainable fashion and is committed to bringing broadband connectivity to all Earthlings via transformational satellite technologies.