Kam Ghaffarian

Kam Ghaffarian
At a WEF special meeting in 2024
Born
Iran
NationalityIranian-American
OccupationBusinessman
Known forAxiom Space, X-energy, Intuitive Machines, Quantum Space
Notable workFounder of IBX Inc.

Chairman of Axiom Space

Founder of Quantum Space
TitleFounder, CEO

Kamal "Kam" Ghaffarian (Persian: کمال غفاریان) is an Iranian-born American businessman who focuses on the space industry and new energies and is known as the co-founder of IBX, Axiom Space, Intuitive Machines, X-energy and Quantum Space.

Life and education

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Ghaffarian was born in Iran and his passion in space increased when he watched the historic event of the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing on television. He came to the United States at the age of 17 and began attending college at 18.[1]

He holds dual B.S. degrees in Computer Science and Electronics Engineering, an M.Sc. in Information Management, and a PhD in Management Information Systems.

Beside his work in industry, Kam is an active philanthropist focused on education, STEM initiatives, scientific research, and promotion of projects towards achieving interstellar travel.[2][3][4]

In 2019, he established Limitless Space Institute, a non-profit organization focused on scientific research, engaging students, and enabling future interstellar human space exploration.[5]

Career

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During his college, Kam began working for Lockheed Martin when he was doing contract for NASA. He also previously held numerous technical and management positions at companies like Ford Aerospace, and Loral. After that he launched his own space company, Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies (SGT), co-founded with Harold Stinger in 1994.

The company operated as a contractor to government agencies focusing on IT, engineering, science applications, and mission operations. It became NASA’s second-largest engineering services contractor and generated over half a billion dollars in annual revenues. The company was acquired by KBR for $355 million in February 2018.[6]

Ghaffarian founded X-energy LLC in 2009. The company designs high-temperature gas-cooled nuclear reactors.[7] He also co-founded a space exploration company Intuitive Machines in 2013.[8][9][10][11] The company holds multiple contracts with NASA.[12]

In 2016, he co-founded another company, Houston-based Axiom Space, with Michael Suffredini.[6][13] The company is focusing on private space missions and facilities and planned to build the first private space station.[14]

As of October 2019, Ghaffarian was appointed to the Nuclear Energy Institute’s Board of Directors.[15][non-primary source needed]

In 2020, he co-founded Quantum Space, whose mission is to build satellites that provide communications, navigation and space domain awareness in the cislunar space, the area between the Earth and the Moon.[8]

He became a billionaire several times over in first quarter of 2023 after his company, Intuitive Machines, wrapped up a SPAC merger and shares skyrocketed as much as 1,200% in one week.[16]

On February 22, 2024, a robotic lander from Intuitive Machines landed semi-autonomously on the moon.[17] The original plan was for the lander to be autonomous, but "a problem surfaced with the spacecraft’s autonomous navigation system that required engineers on the ground to employ an untested work-around at the 11th hour."[18]

References

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  1. ^ "The New Age of Space Exploration with Pioneer & Entrepreneur Kam Ghaffarian". Cresset Capital.
  2. ^ "The New Age of Space Exploration with Pioneer & Entrepreneur Kam Ghaffarian". Cresset Capital.
  3. ^ "First Reaction: Kam Ghaffarian, CEO of X-Energy". Third Way.
  4. ^ "DR. KAM GHAFFARIAN". Aerodyne Industries.
  5. ^ Oberhaus, Daniel. "NASA's EmDrive Leader Has a New Interstellar Project". Wired.
  6. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (February 26, 2018). "KBR to acquire NASA contractor SGT". Space News.
  7. ^ Fehrenbacher, Katie (February 4, 2016). "Meet a Startup Making a New Kind of Safer, Smaller Nuclear Reactor". Fortune.
  8. ^ a b "Kamal Ghaffarian". Forbes.
  9. ^ "Houston-based Intuitive Machines to be among first private U.S. Companies to land on the moon". Chron. June 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Sheetz, Michael (September 18, 2024). "Lunar company Intuitive Machines' stock jumps more than 40% after NASA moon satellite contract". CNBC. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Fernholz, Tim. "NASA taps Intuitive Machines to build a lunar communications network". Fast Company. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Hart, Connor. "Intuitive Machines Receives NASA Contract Worth Nearly $5 Billion". WSJ. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  13. ^ Wray, Dianna (October 28, 2019). "Who Will Build the First Commercial Space Station?". Houstonia.
  14. ^ "Axiom Space targeting May 8 for launch of 2nd private crewed mission to space station". Space.com. April 6, 2023.
  15. ^ "Board of Directors and Executive Committee" (PDF). www.nei.org.
  16. ^ "Space Mogul Becomes Multibillionaire With De-SPAC on Wild Ride". Bloomberg. February 23, 2023.
  17. ^ Chang, Kenneth (February 22, 2024). "Highlights From the Successful Lunar Landing of the Spacecraft Odysseus". The New York Times.
  18. ^ Gorman, Steve; Roulette, Joey (February 23, 2024). "Moon landing: US clinches first touchdown in 50 years".
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