Project Description

Kevin M. O’Connell 
Director
Office of Space Commerce
U.S. Department of Commerce

Session:
Signature Session: Out Of This World
Monday, Oct. 15, 2018
2:15 PM

Kevin M. O’Connell is the Director of the Office of Space Commerce at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Within this position, Mr. O’Connell leads an office with responsibility as a space industry advocate within the Executive Branch of the U.S. government.

Mr. O’Connell brings over 35 years of experience in the U.S. government, in research organizations, and as an entrepreneur and business leader to this position. Mr. O’Connell has researched and written extensively on the policy, security, and global market issues related to commercialization of remote sensing.

Aside from numerous articles and op-eds, he was co-author of Commercial Observation Satellites: at the Leading Edge of Global Transparency (2000). He served as the Executive Secretary and Staff Director of the NIMA Commission (1999-2000).

He was a member, and later Chair, of NOAA’s federal advisory committee on remote sensing from 2002-2016.