Greg Heckler is participating as a panelist at the 2024 Space Summit on March 5, 2024. Drawing on two decades of experience in the federal space sector, he is one of the most reputable executives to take on the podium for Panel A: Optical Space Data Relay Supporting Human Spaceflight Communications.
Register for the 2024 Space Summit to discover the United States’ position in the global space race. Learn more about the expert oversights from government and commercial industry leaders shaping the future of space in the fast-evolving domain.
Get to know more about Greg Heckler, who currently serves as the Director of the Commercial Communications Services Division at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Meet Greg Heckler
Greg Heckler has made important contributions to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for nearly 20 years. Among his accomplishments are Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) projects, which include the Space Network Ground System Sustainment Project, McMurdo TDRS Relay System, and the SCaN Testbed.
As a prominent leader in the space sector, Mr. Heckler has also earned recognition for various publications and patents. He patented “Methods for Improving Computational Efficiency in a Global Positioning Satellite Receiver,” outlining the method to decrease the consumption of computational resources in a satellite signal receiver.
Some of the most recent publications Mr. Heckler has authored include the following:
- TDRSS Augmentation System for Satellites
- Enabling Communication and Navigation Technologies for Future Near Earth Science Missions
- Navigation Architecture for a Space Mobile Network
- The Use of the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System for Near Lunar Navigation
- A GPS Receiver for High-Altitude Navigation
- A GPS Receiver for Lunar Missions
- Architecture of a Reconfigurable Software Receiver
Mr. Heckler holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Purdue University.
Read more: 10 Companies Pioneering Space Missions of the Government
Hear insights from Greg Heckler, Panelist at the 2024 Space Summit
Greg Heckler is speaking at the 2024 Space Summit. He is participating as one of the panelists for “Optical Space Data Relay Supporting Human Spaceflight Communications,” along with Greg Heckler and Peter Schemmel. Rober Conrad also joins the roster of panelists as a moderator.
Sign up for the 2024 Space Summit to learn more about the space exploration efforts of the U.S. federal government. Sign up to become a member of the Potomac Officers Club to get updated on the latest developments in the space sector.
About the 2024 Space Summit
- Organizer: Potomac Officers Club
- Date: March 5, 2024
- Time: 7:00 a.m.–1:45 p.m. (Eastern time)
- Location: Hilton-McLean, 7920 Jones Branch Drive, McLean, VA
- Sponsors: Kepler, Royce Geo, Amazon Web Services, Arka, BWX Technologies
The 2024 Space Summit is a discussion of space experts, government leaders, and industry decision-makers on the government’s initiatives to ensure dominance in the global space race. It explores new technologies, commercial investments, and adverse threats facing the future of the United States space industry.
Greg Heckler as NASA’s Director of the Commercial Communications Services Division
In April 2021, Greg Heckler was named the Director of the Commercial Communications Services Division at NASA. He was also appointed as a Program Executive for the agency’s SCaN Program, overseeing the transition of near-Earth missions to commercially provided communications and navigation solutions.
Within his current position at NASA, Mr. Heckler is responsible for the coordination, development, and integration of lunar infrastructure to ensure the safety and success of Artemis astronauts in exploring the moon and beyond. He actively contributes to multifaceted efforts to boost the federal government’s space exploration capabilities.
Discover the management roles of Greg Heckler at NASA over the years
Greg Heckler began his career at NASA in 2006. He was instrumental in testing the Navigator Spaceflight GPS receiver before its operational use on the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) and Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) missions. Ultimately, Mr. Heckler helped achieve its initial flight on STS-125 in 2009.
Previously, Mr. Heckler was a Telecommunications Systems Engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. He assumed increasing roles in the center, such as Deputy Telecommunication Systems Manager and Payload Manager, to manage the construction, launch, and operational deployment of the Tracking Data Relay Satellite Project.
Related executive: LMI CEO Doug Wagoner Bags Fourth Wash100 Award for Space Market Innovation
