BERLIN, Germany — Robert W. Sproles has been named chief executive officer of Exolaunch, a global leader in launch mission management, integration and satellite deployment services.
Sproles is a 1999 graduate of Ouachita Baptist University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in physics.
After attaining a doctorate in applied physics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, Sproles entered the space exploration industry. Prior to his work at Exolaunch, Sproles spent eight years at Spire Global, where he was key in establishing a global ground station network, managing early satellite builds and leading the satellite operations team. It was there that he oversaw the successful launch of more than 150 satellites, the daily operation of more than 30 ground stations and the management of the world’s larges multipurpose Earth Observation satellite constellation.
Sproles began his Exolaunch tenure in November 2023 as the company’s chief technology officer. He succeeds the company’s founder as CEO.
“Exolaunch has consistently demonstrated excellence in launching and managing satellite missions, and I am energized to continue this legacy and lead us into the future as I step into the role of CEO during this pivotal time,” Sproles said. “With a decade of successful missions, Exolaunch is well-positioned for growth, and I look forward to leading our talented team in advancing our mission to provide exceptional access to space to our global customers.”
Exolaunch, with offices in Germany and the U.S., has launched nearly 400 satellites across 29 missions in its 10-year flight heritage. The company develops and manufactures its own flight-proven and industry-leading small satellite separation systems.