Erik Daehler is the Senior Director of Protected Communications Satellite Missions for the Lockheed Martin Corporation. In this capacity, he is responsible for the development, deployment and operations of strategic and tactical communications satellites for the United States Government, allies, coalition partners and commercial customers. He brings 20 years of aerospace and defense experience to the mission.
Mr. Daehler is responsible for the development of next-generation satellite communications (satcom) product offerings, technology solutions, satellite design and system architectures. In this role, Mr. Daehler uses his experience in commercial satcom to innovate and affordably develop solutions for government missions. He directs the team delivering the most-advanced programs including AEHF, MUOS, PTS, ESS, COOLR as well as future programs in Australia, the United Kingdom and across the globe for Lockheed Martin’s government and international customers.
Prior to joining Lockheed Martin, Mr. Daehler was the Director of Product Innovation for Boeing, where he led development of new satellite platforms for Boeing’s Advanced Network and Space Systems, including the first of a kind 702SP all-electric, dual-stacked satellite and the 502 remote sensing satellites.
Mr. Daehler has a background in optical physics with applications in communication and space remote sensing. This mission experience shaped the strategy for new technology development. Mr. Daehler led research and development for Boeing’s unmanned satellite systems, worked as a Chief System Architect and Systems Engineering Manager on large-scale satellite and network systems for commercial and government customers.
Mr. Daehler joined Lockheed Martin at NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center in 2000 where he performed calibrations of space and aircraft-based earth observation systems. In 2002, he transitioned to Boeing to develop next-generation space systems including the X-37B reusable space plane. In 2016, Mr. Daehler returned to Lockheed Martin to grow the commercial communications and remote sensing business.
Mr. Daehler was educated in Europe at the Technical University of Delft in the Netherlands where he received his Master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering. He also received a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from The Colorado College in 1998.