Dan Finigan

Dan Finigan is a highly experienced aerospace professional with a strong background in space operations and engineering. Currently serving as a Dragon Operator at SpaceX since June 2018, Dan is responsible for overseeing Dragon's life support, propulsion, and thermal control systems during free flight operations. Previously held roles at Pratt & Whitney include Senior Space Operations Engineer and Senior Build Reliability Engineer, where Dan contributed to mission planning for human space flight and conducted thermal analysis to ensure jet engine durability. Dan's academic credentials include an M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering and a B.S. in Aeronautical & Mechanical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where notable research focused on deflagration-to-detonation transition in pulse detonation engines. Leadership experience includes serving as President of the Design/Build/Fly team, achieving RPI’s first successful flight in 2008.