David Goldstein is a SpaceX Principal Engineer. In this role he’s an ambassador to government agencies and satellite owner/operators on SpaceX satellite collision avoidance and space safety, he leads SpaceX integration with the Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron and NASA/CARA and he develops, codes and fields satellite GNC algorithms.

Goldstein graduated from the United States Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s of science in 1988. His career covers a wide variety of Air Force technical leadership assignments including satellite science and technology, research and development, test and evaluation, payload integration, system engineering, acquisition, and launch operations. After serving 27 years in the US Air Force, Goldstein retired as a Colonel in January 2016. In his last assignment, he was director of the Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate and Commander of the Phillips Research Site, at Kirtland Air Force Base. Goldstein earned a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado at Boulder and three Master’s Degrees.

He has been married for over 33 years and has three children.