Michael Johnston is a senior leader in ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓAPP’s space business. He delivers transformational solutions for U.S. Space Force, NASA, U.S. Air Force, and classified clients. Michael has more than 35 years of experience in systems engineering and business management of aircraft, space, and telecommunications systems for the federal government and commercial clients. Michael is also the lead for our Colorado Springs, Colorado, office.
Michael’s systems engineering expertise includes rapid prototyping, requirements management, architecture analysis, modeling and simulation, and Agile development, among others. He has been a key liaison between the development and operational communities in the fielding of large-scale systems and is an acknowledged subject matter expert in aircraft performance, satellite systems, and terrestrial wireless communication protocols.
Prior to ÓÐÁϺÐ×ÓAPP, Michael supported the Iridium development and fielding program and led the team that tested the first Iridium constellation at Motorola. Earlier in his career, he performed flight testing on both commercial and military aircraft for McDonnell Douglas, where he directed takeoff and landing performance testing on the first C-17 aircraft. Before that, he focused on space exploration, supporting both the Space Shuttle and Space Station programs as a mechanical engineer at Lockheed Martin.
Michael is certified as a systems engineering professional and project management professional. He holds a master’s certificate in project management from the George Washington University School of Business and a B.S. in aerospace engineering from West Virginia University.