Casey Harr
About Casey Harr
Casey Harr is the Director of Engineering for Space Systems Software at Rocket Lab, where he manages multiple cross-functional development teams. With extensive experience in aerospace engineering, he has held key positions at companies such as Bigelow Aerospace, Blue Origin, and Virgin Orbit.
Current Role at Rocket Lab
Casey Harr serves as the Director of Engineering for Space Systems Software at Rocket Lab, a position held since 2023. In this role, Harr manages six cross-functional development teams, including Spacecraft Flight Software, GNC Software, Mission Control Software, Hardware-in-the-Loop Test Group, DevOps, and Spacecraft Mission Operations. The work is based in Long Beach, California, where Harr coordinates efforts to advance Rocket Lab's software capabilities for space systems.
Previous Experience in Aerospace
Before joining Rocket Lab, Casey Harr accumulated extensive experience in the aerospace industry. Harr worked at Bigelow Aerospace as the Avionics Manager for the Sundancer Program from 2007 to 2009. Following that, Harr spent nine years at Blue Origin as an Avionics Technical Project Manager from 2009 to 2018, and four years at Virgin Orbit as the Senior Avionics Hardware Manager from 2018 to 2022. Harr also held the position of Director of Software Engineering at Virgin Orbit for eight months in 2022-2023.
Education and Expertise
Casey Harr holds a Master of Science (MS) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Kentucky, earned between 2003 and 2006. Harr also completed a Bachelor of Science (BS) in the same field from the same institution, from 1999 to 2003. This educational background provides a strong foundation in aerospace, electrical and computer engineering, software, and operations.
Global Leadership in Mission Control Software
In addition to current responsibilities at Rocket Lab, Casey Harr serves as the Global Director of next-generation mission control software for the Globalstar constellation. This role involves coordinating teams across three locations: Denver, Colorado; Long Beach, California; and Auckland, New Zealand. Harr's leadership in this capacity emphasizes collaboration and innovation in mission control systems.
Professional Skills and Team Management
Casey Harr is recognized for a strong background in building and managing diverse teams. Known for decisiveness, Harr has demonstrated the ability to lead high-impact technology ventures effectively. With a holistic systems view, Harr communicates effectively with both engineers and executives, facilitating collaboration across various functions within organizations.