Thomas Burns

Thomas Burns is an experienced aerospace engineer with a distinguished career in national security and space. Currently serving as a Program Manager at Draper since May 2017, Thomas focuses on national security and space initiatives. Prior to this role, Thomas held key positions at NOAA/NESDIS, including Associate Director for Space & Technology and Deputy Assistant Administrator for Systems, overseeing significant weather satellite programs with a $1.9 billion annual budget. Thomas's earlier experience at National Security Space includes serving as Mission Success Executive and Program Director, where responsibilities ranged from managing mission assurance standards to leading successful national security space systems deployments. Additionally, Thomas's technical background includes roles at TRW, focusing on control systems and missile targeting software development. Educational credentials include a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame, as well as a Doctor of Philosophy in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California.