# Melanie Stricklan: founder, Slingshot Aerospace

Canonical ID: `53ae5f46-f597-4979-a455-efb310d6fe0f`

Co-founder and former CEO of [Slingshot Aerospace](/companies/slingshot-aerospace), an El Segundo-based space intelligence and simulation company building the world's first Digital Space Twin of the orbital environment. A 21-year U.S. Air Force veteran, she co-founded Slingshot in 2017 with Air Force colleague Thomas Ashman and entrepreneur David Godwin. Named CEO of the Year for 2023 by the ASCEND event. Scaled Slingshot into a global leader in AI-native orbital intelligence, securing major U.S. Space Force contracts including a $25M STRATFI and $69.2M SBIR III. Departed Slingshot to join Vast as Head of Special Programs in 2025, building next-generation space infrastructure.

- **Nationality:** American
- **Verification posture:** verified

## Current roles (1)

- [Slingshot Aerospace](https://registry.deploy.report/companies/slingshot-aerospace.md) Co-founder & CEO (_reported, not verified_)

## Sources (4)

1. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mstricklan
2. https://www.vastspace.com/updates/vast-names-former-ceo-of-slingshot-aerospace-and-u-s-air-force-veteran-melanie-stricklan-to-lead-new-special-programs-division
3. https://www.nasa.gov/people/melanie-stricklan/
4. https://dot.la/slingshot-aerospace-melanie-stricklan-2650451585.html


_API: GET /v1/people/melanie-stricklan · canonical URL: /people/melanie-stricklan_