Richard Pepe
About Richard Pepe
Richard Pepe serves as the Principal Mission and Autonomy Engineer and Team Lead at Millennium Space Systems, where he oversees engineering teams and program execution. He has a strong background in aerospace engineering and business management, with previous roles at The Boeing Company and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Work at Millennium Space Systems
Richard Pepe currently serves as Principal Mission and Autonomy Engineer and Team Lead within the Mission and Systems Engineering Directorate at Millennium Space Systems, a Boeing Company. He has held this position since 2021. In this role, he leads a team of engineers across various flight programs and advanced concepts portfolios. His responsibilities include overseeing program execution, setting schedules and budgets, and managing customer relationships for special studies. Pepe engages in mission analysis, fault and autonomy design, and guidance, navigation, and control (GNC), utilizing his extensive experience in flight engineering and mission operations.
Previous Experience at The Boeing Company
Before joining Millennium Space Systems, Richard Pepe worked at The Boeing Company in various capacities. He served as Business Development Lead from 2013 to 2015, where he focused on business strategies in Los Angeles, California. Prior to that, he was a Flight and Control Systems Engineer from 2007 to 2013, contributing to the development of flight systems. After his role as Business Development Lead, he took on the position of 702MP Mission and Flight Operations Product Line Lead from 2015 to 2017, further enhancing his expertise in mission operations.
Educational Background
Richard Pepe has a robust educational background in engineering and business. He earned a Master of Science (M.S.) in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Princeton University, completing his studies from 2005 to 2007. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from UCLA Anderson School of Management, focusing on Business Administration and Management, Technology Management, from 2011 to 2014. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Syracuse University, which he completed from 2002 to 2005.
Experience at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Richard Pepe gained early experience in aerospace through his role as a NASA/Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in 2003. This position lasted for two months and provided him with valuable insights into research and development in the field of aerospace engineering.
Leadership and Advocacy
In his current and previous roles, Richard Pepe advocates for empowering engineers to make technical decisions through effective communication and collaboration. He coordinates contracting and subcontracting activities as part of his program management responsibilities, ensuring that teams work efficiently and effectively toward project goals.