Unique Experiences Lead - Orbital Reef
Blue Origin
Dr. Vanessa Aponte Williams is the Unique Experiences Lead for Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef commercial space station. In this role, Vanessa is a liaison between the needs of commercial customers, such as private astronauts, and the design teams that enable their missions.
Prior to Blue Origin, Vanessa led Human Landing System Ascent Element Mission Operations, ensuring end-to-end mission operations integration between design and crew, as well as leading the development of systems utilized to train the astronauts and flight controllers to fly those missions to the Moon.
She has over 20 years of experience in the aerospace industry as systems engineer and program manager, leading human space advanced programs research and shaping technology strategies to support the vision for a thriving lunar and deep space economy. Vanessa worked in the areas of Advanced Life Support, Controls, Dynamics and Propulsion at NASA Kennedy, Armstrong, and Johnson Space Centers. She had the distinction of being a finalist and undergoing the Astronaut Selection Interview process at NASA Johnson Space Center twice (2009 & 2012).
Throughout her career, Vanessa has been intimately involved with leadership development, STEM and volunteerism. She is also a former member of Rocky Mountain Rescue Group. Vanessa was born and raised in Puerto Rico. She received a BS and MS in Chemical Engineering from UPR at Mayagüez and a PhD in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from CU Boulder.