Robert W. Sproles, Ph.D. is CTO at Exolaunch, focusing on Exolaunch’s market-defining products and services at scale. With over 350 satellites launched across a global variety of launch vehicles, Exolaunch has the separation systems, mission management experience, and deep industry relationships to serve even the most complex of launch service needs.
With over two decades of experience, Dr. Sproles is a people-centric technical leader with a passion for developing new technical capabilities and leading teams to deliver. Sproles spent nearly a decade at Spire Global, where he installed a global ground station network, managed early satellite builds and test facility development and led the satellite design team. He ended his tenure serving as VP of Constellation Planning and Operations, overseeing satellite operations, launch, ground stations, and satellite communications to enable tomorrow’s constellation needs. At the time of his departure, he had overseen the launch of more than 150 satellites on over 30 missions; installation, maintenance, and operations of over 30 ground stations around the globe; and operation of the world’s largest constellation of multipurpose Earth Observation satellites.
Prior to Spire, Sproles spent a decade in large-scale emergency response, where he developed a UAV program to aid in assessing chemical disasters and pioneered remote field data collection using mobile devices. He holds a Ph.D. in applied physics from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a specialization in rocket engine health and performance.