"Encourage, Facilitate, and Promote" Program Lead at the FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST)
Washington D.C. Metro Area
- Current
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- "Encourage, Facilitate, and Promote" Program Lead at Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Commercial Space Transportation
- Past
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- ESMD Commercial Development Policy Lead at NASA Headquarters
- Program Manager, Centennial Challenges at NASA Headquarters
- Senior Systems Engineer at DMG Associates / Whitney, Bradley & Brown
- Principal at KD Consulting (Self-employed)
- Director of Programs at Paragon Space Development Corporation
- Director of Operations at X PRIZE Foundation
- Project Manager/Deputy Manager of Operations at Paragon Space Development Corporation
- Aerospace Engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center
- Assistant Director of Operations at International Space University
- Aerospace Engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center
- Education
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- International Space University
- Case Western Reserve University
- The Ohio State University
- Kenston High School
- Recommended
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3 people have recommended Ken - Connections
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286
connections
- Industry
- Aviation & Aerospace
Ken Davidian’s Summary
Ken Davidian currently works as the Program Lead for the "Encourage, Facilitate, and Promote" mission element in the Federal Aviation Administration's Office of Commercial Space Transportation (AST) in Washington, D.C..
Starting in 1983, Mr. Davidian spent the first years of his career at the NASA Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, working for the Space Propulsion Technology Division in the area of analytical and experimental research on the performance of liquid rocket engines.
Between 1997 and 1999, Mr. Davidian was assigned by NASA to work as the Assistant Director of Operations for the Summer Session Program at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France. Upon his return to the center (which had been since renamed to the NASA Glenn Research Center), Mr. Davidian worked in the Plans and Programs Office.
In 2001, Mr. Davidian left government service and entered the private sector in many positions. He has worked for Paragon Space Development Corp. as a consultant in the role of Director of Operations for Cargo Lifter Development GmbH near Berlin, Germany, as Director of Operations for the X PRIZE Foundation in St. Louis, Missouri, and then again for Paragon, as corporate Program Manager in Tucson, Arizona.
In 2004, a move to Washington, D.C. provided Mr. Davidian the opportunity to work on Centennial Challenges, NASA's prize program. He started as a contractor, working for WBB/DMG, and then reentered civil service when he was hired by NASA Headquarters in 2007, becoming both the Program Manager for Centennial Challenges and the ESMD Commercial Development Policy leader.
Mr. Davidian received his B.S. degree in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the Ohio State University in 1983, and an M.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University in 1987. He attended the International Space University as a Summer Session Program participant in 1989.
Ken Davidian’s Experience
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"Encourage, Facilitate, and Promote" Program Lead
Federal Aviation Administration, Office of Commercial Space Transportation
(Aviation & Aerospace industry)
October 2008 — Present (10 months)
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ESMD Commercial Development Policy Lead
NASA Headquarters
(Aviation & Aerospace industry)
May 2007 — October 2008 (1 year 6 months)
Built an agency-wide, ad hoc team of approximately 30 people within ESMD and other mission directorates, and lead them in weekly tag-up meetings/teleconferences to status all the commercial development work being conducted across the agency.
Coordinated the development, review, and concurrence of a directorate policy that is now being elevated to an agency level.
Communicated NASA's positions and processes to the emerging commercial space sector at various conferences and meetings. -
Program Manager, Centennial Challenges
NASA Headquarters
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
May 2007 — January 2008 (9 months)
Effectively took over this position starting in August 2006.
Managed all aspects of NASA's prize program with a total budget of $12M, including "replan" of competitions and budget when anticipated funding was lost due to continuing resolutions in FY06 and beyond.
Built and maintained relationships with the Allied Organizations (AOs), and acted as the interface between the AOs and all NASA HQ administrative offices and functions.
Developed, reviewed, and finalized competition rule sets for seven competitions. -
Senior Systems Engineer
DMG Associates / Whitney, Bradley & Brown
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Defense & Space industry)
July 2005 — May 2007 (1 year 11 months)
Provide customer site support for Centennial Challenges (CC) program management, competition development, and overall execution support.
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Principal
KD Consulting (Self-employed)
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Management Consulting industry)
May 2004 — July 2005 (1 year 3 months)
Provide customer site support for Centennial Challenges (CC) program management, competition development, and overall execution support.
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Director of Programs
Paragon Space Development Corporation
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
October 2003 — February 2004 (5 months)
Served as Program Manager over contract with Lockheed Martin for design of NASA's Orbital Space Plane Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) and Active Thermal Control System (ATCS).
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Director of Operations
X PRIZE Foundation
(Non-Profit; 11-50 employees; Non-Profit Organization Management industry)
July 2002 — October 2003 (1 year 4 months)
Primary interface to each X PRIZE team's principal point of contact. Discussed engineering design process, procurement, manufacture and construction activities, administrative requirements and processes, and operational procedures and issues related to each team.
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Project Manager/Deputy Manager of Operations
Paragon Space Development Corporation
(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
May 2001 — June 2002 (1 year 2 months)
Deputy Manager of Operations for the Cargolifter (CL) in Berlin, Germany. Represented and managed the CL Development Operations group. Wrote Concept of Operations (ConOps) for the prototype transport airship.
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Aerospace Engineer
NASA Glenn Research Center
(Government Agency; 1001-5000 employees; Defense & Space industry)
September 1999 — April 2001 (1 year 8 months)
Solicited and reported Center-wide information for the Strategic Implementation Plan quarterly milestone reports and the NASA Technology Inventory Database using self authored database applications for collection, tracking, analysis and reporting of technical program status.
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Assistant Director of Operations
International Space University
(Educational Institution; 11-50 employees; Higher Education industry)
January 1997 — September 1999 (2 years 9 months)
On loan from Glenn Research Center, helped organize and conduct three Summer Session Programs for the International Space University.
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Aerospace Engineer
NASA Glenn Research Center
(Government Agency; 1001-5000 employees; Defense & Space industry)
April 1983 — December 1996 (13 years 9 months)
Conducted analytic and operational research in the areas of liquid rocket engine (nozzle, combustion chamber, injector) design and performance.
Ken Davidian’s Education
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International Space University
SSP , 1989 — 1989
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Case Western Reserve University
MS , Mechanical Engineering, Fluid & Thermal Sciences , 1983 — 1987
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The Ohio State University
BS , Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering , 1978 — 1983
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Kenston High School
