Russell Blink

Russell Blink began his career as an Electrical Engineer with Texas Instruments in the Defense Systems Electronics Group after graduating from Michigan Technological University with a BS in engineering specializing in electronics and graduate work completed in electronics and microwave theory.

After four years with TI designing microwave test equipment and advanced signal processing components, radar control systems and communications systems he moved on to Intellicall developing a telephone switching system for hospitality users.

From there, he began working for Wyle Electronics Marketing Group as a regional ASIC and programmable logic sales and support engineer at which time he also co-founded Long Range Systems, Inc.

With LRS, Russell held key positions including Vice President and Director of Engineering, and then President with the responsibility for the development and support of over fifty commercial products spanning ten years covering a wide technology base. He holds numerous design and process patents relating to this technology.

Starting in 2000, he began to work with Armadillo Aerospace with the principal owner John Carmack who is world renowned for his work in first person gaming software. Armadillo began as an enthusiastic hobby to develop computer controlled liquid fueled rockets capable of controlled flight and hovering. Eventually the group became a commercial entity and competed in the X-Prize cup, claiming nearly $1 million in prizes. The company also provided the propulsion systems for the Rocket Racing League along with multiple contracts for NASA. Armadillo developed key technologies needed to produce a vehicle capable of reaching space on sub-orbital flights and has developed and tested over a hundred engines and dozens of flying vehicles. While with this company, Russell held the position of Vice President of Engineering and was responsible for the design, development and manufacture of the vehicles, and the propulsion and electronic systems used in the vehicles.

Building on the experience base of Armadillo and LRS, Russell formed Blink Design and Manufacturing, LLC with capability to design and manufacture both mechanical and electrical systems operating from the vacuum of space to deep under the sea.

In 2014, Russell became a co-founder and Lead Design Engineer for Exos Aerospace Systems & Technologies, INC. and will be key in ensuring that Exos wins the private commercial space race.