Dr Andrew Barton is an Aerospace Engineer who has worked in diverse roles in the space industry spanning the government, private and non-profit sectors. His professional experience includes a variety of technical specialist and management responsibilities. His most recent roles were in senior management at two of Australia’s space start-ups, namely Head of Engineering at Southern Launch, where he oversaw aerospace engineering work in support of the company’s Australian launch facilities and rocketry projects; and Chief Technology Officer at Fleet Space Technologies, Australia’s first VC-funded space start-up, where he oversaw the procurements of satellites and launch services, coordinated the company’s technology planning, led the technical staff and managed strategic technical partnerships.
Dr Barton has previously worked as the Director of Technical Operations for the Google Lunar XPRIZE, where he was responsible for the implementation of all technical aspects of the prize including development of the format and award criteria of the $5.25 million Milestone Prizes, selecting and managing the panel of independent judges and communicating technical aspects of the prize to the space industry and the general public. He was a Space Structures specialist at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands where he supported the development of scientific satellites, future planetary landing missions and the VEGA launch vehicle. Dr Barton is actively engaged in the space start-up community as an advisor, mentor and facilitator. He is also a board member of the Aurora Space Cluster and also a Venture Partner at Syndicate 708, a United States group syndicating investments in deep tech startups around the world.
Dr Barton holds a PhD and Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Sydney, as well as a Master’s Degree in Space Studies from the International Space University in France.