Richard Ward
Richard Ward is the Chief Technology Officer and Founder of OrbitsEdge, a pioneering space technology company headquartered in Cocoa Beach, Florida, with over six years of experience developing advanced computing solutions for Low Earth Orbit (LEO).
He is a creative problem solver, entrepreneur, and US Marine veteran known for his innovative approach to bringing commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) computing hardware to space through proprietary radiation hardening technology.
Rick is recognized as a key figure in the emerging space computing industry, developing infrastructure that enables organizations to economically access and rapidly analyze vast amounts of data in orbit. Read Cutting-Edge Computing Goes Spaceborne and OrbitsEdge’s First Mission to Space is a Shoe In.
As Chief Technology Officer at OrbitsEdge since 2019, Rick provides technical leadership in developing the company’s proprietary SatFrame technology, which safely encloses off-the-shelf hardware and software designed on Earth for use in Low Earth Orbit. The SatFrame is engineered to host and provide environmental controls, power, communications, and radiation hardening that permit the use of terrestrial technology in space.
OrbitsEdge’s design compensates for environmental stressors in orbit, particularly radiation, on the hardware itself. The initial mission for the SatFrame hosts the HPE Edgeline Converged Edge System to provide a micro-datacenter in orbit to process vast amounts of space-based data and minimize the cost of backhaul to Earth. Rick’s vision is to create an in-orbit virtualized data infrastructure at the edge of space that is agile and adapts to new demands, turning data into actionable insights. Read Tech Billionaires Are In Space, And Data Centers Are Following Close Behind.
In December 2019, Rick led OrbitsEdge in securing an Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) to host HPE Edgeline Converged Edge Systems with the company’s hardening solution.
This partnership followed HPE’s successful deployment of the Spaceborne Computer on the International Space Station, which demonstrated that unmodified high-performance computers could operate successfully in space using software-based error correction rather than traditional radiation hardening. Rick recognized the significance of this achievement and positioned OrbitsEdge to leverage HPE’s proven technology for commercial space applications. Read OrbitsEdge Announces OEM Agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise to Deliver Datacenter-Grade Computing Power in Orbit.
Rick has been actively developing OrbitsEdge’s product line, including the Edge1, Edge10, and Edge100 computing platforms. In May 2025, Rick announced a partnership with ABOVE: Orbital to deploy the Edge1 radiation-shielded computational platform on the upcoming Prometheus Spark mission, scheduled for launch in Q1 2026. This mission will enable real-time sensor data processing in orbit, supporting faster decision-making and reducing reliance on ground-based systems. Read OrbitsEdge Partners with Above Space to Revolutionize Space Computing.
In June 2025, Rick announced OrbitsEdge’s first commercial mission, featuring the Edge1 computing module that will host a range of AI agents, including the first AI shoe designer in space. The mission, developed in partnership with Syntilay, a shoe company backed by Reebok cofounder Joe Foster, and Copernic Space, will demonstrate in-space AI capabilities and blockchain-based marketplace technology.
Rick envisions OrbitsEdge creating a constellation of satellites that form a distributed data center infrastructure in orbit. Individual satellites would communicate via optical links and serve as edge computing nodes for Earth observation, satellite operations, and autonomous space systems. Listen to Rick Ward — Has The Time Come For Edge Computing In Space?
Rick’s career in the space industry began at Deep Space Industries (DSI), where he served as Chief Laboratory Researcher from 2016 to 2017 and was promoted to Production Manager from 2017 to 2018. At DSI, Rick played a major role in developing and manufacturing asteroid regolith simulant materials for NASA and private corporations. He conducted innovative research into the utilization of asteroid materials, including methods to 3D print structures on Mars and techniques for In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) for both construction and water extraction.
From his first day at Deep Space Industries, Rick assumed a leadership role in accomplishing the team’s goals, from the setup of lab equipment to the modification, fabrication, or repair of any system needed. He worked closely with planetary scientist Dr. Philip Metzger of the University of Central Florida, who was cofounder of NASA’s KSC Swamp Works. Read Simulated Space Dirt Supports Future Asteroid Mining.
Rick has established himself as a thought leader and frequent speaker at space computing conferences, podcasts, and publications. He has presented at events including the HPE CTO Summit, DevOps Experience, the Mobile Satellite Users Association (MSUA) panel discussions, and the “Make Space Boring” virtual event.
Notable appearances also include interviews with Raymond Hawkins discussing the accessibility of space for laypeople, Philip Day of Giant-Leap.Space on the impacts of space tourism and the militarization of space, and Jake Bentwood on the Adtech Design and Development Leaders podcast discussing his career trajectory and goals for OrbitsEdge.
He has also been featured on The Cold Star Project discussing the necessity for edge computing in the aerospace industry. Watch Computing Power in Space: Extending our Complex Data Infrastructure Beyond Earth, and Rick Ward, CTO of OrbitsEdge on The Space Economy.
Between 2011 and June 2017, Rick owned and operated Heat it and Beat it Artistic Metalworking in Alabama, where he learned hands-on knowledge about heat flows, plasticity of metals, metallurgy and alloys, and heating effects. He taught himself bronze casting and other metalworking skills.
Rick served as an Infantryman in the United States Marine Corps from April 1995 to August 2001. During his six years and five months of service, he trained for a variety of military missions and learned about teamwork, thinking on his feet, and accomplishing tasks he did not know were possible. Rick is proud to be a US Marine and credits this experience with providing him with the discipline and determination that have been essential to his entrepreneurial ventures.
Rick earned his Associate of Arts degree in Mechanical Engineering from Seminole State College of Florida in 2018. Prior to his formal education in engineering, Rick’s hands-on experience in metalworking, his military service, and his work at Deep Space Industries provided him with practical skills and knowledge that complement his technical education.
In 2023, he participated in the In-Space Computing Alliance alongside Vaya Space and C8Secure to develop standards and best practices for computing in the space environment. The alliance focuses on testing and partnering to understand how computing in space might differ from terrestrial operations, as well as establishing the foundational infrastructure for a space information ecosystem.
Visit his LinkedIn profile and MarketScale profile.