Gary Barnhard is currently serving as the President & CEO of Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships, Inc. (XISP-Inc), a start-up company focusing on International Space Station technology development. He is also the owner and president of Barnhard Associates, LLC (BALLC), a systems engineering consulting firm and Internet Service Provider (Xisp.net) located in Cabin John, Maryland. His extensive career spans over four decades as a robotic, computer, and space systems engineer involved in a broad range of projects in these fields.
In the space advocacy community, Barnhard has been a dynamic presence. He co-founded and served as the Executive Director of the Maryland Alliance for Space Colonization (MASC), an influential chapter of the L5 Society. He also established the Space Development Foundation and has been a proactive public speaker on space advocacy issues, organizing educational programs and conferences, and participating actively in various space advocacy organizations.
Gary Barnhard completed his Bachelor of Science in Engineering at the University of Maryland College Park in 1982, combining Aerospace Engineering and Materials Science with graduate studies in science policy, solar physics, and artificial intelligence/knowledge-based systems. His professional journey includes roles such as Space Systems Engineer and Information Systems Architect for EER Systems, and Senior Space Systems Engineer on the Grumman Space Station Systems Engineering and Integration Contract (SSEIC). He has received recognition for his contributions, including awards from NASA and the Canadian Space Agency.
As a life member of the National Space Society, Barnhard has contributed significantly to the organization, having held positions such as Executive Director, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Vice President, and currently, Director of Strategic Relationships on the NSS Board of Directors. His passion for space exploration and advocacy is evident in his belief that the National Space Society plays a crucial role in shaping a spacefaring society and future.
