Aidan Orchard

Aidan Orchard is a seasoned aerospace engineer with extensive experience in aerodynamics and engineering management, currently serving as Senior Manager of Aerodynamics Engineering at Virgin Galactic since January 2015. Notable contributions include leading a team of engineers in the development of the SS Delta Spaceship's performance and flying qualities, managing a larger aerodynamics team, and overseeing critical projects related to astronaut-facing systems for the SS Unity. Aidan has also held roles at Space Exploration Technologies and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, where expertise in aerodynamic testing and trajectory simulation was demonstrated. Aidan holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from UCLA and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics from the University of Minnesota.