Veteran Space Company Finance Expert, Ken Sunshine, Joins Stofiel Aerospace

ST. LOUIS, August 28, 2018 (Newswire.com) - Orbital launch company start-up Stofiel Aerospace announced today that Ken Sunshine, a veteran space company finance executive, has joined its board of directors.

"Ken Sunshine brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to Stofiel Aerospace," Chief Operating Officer Alexander Smith said. "Even with the unique technology that we are bringing to the marketplace, the challenges of going from a start-up to a successful orbital launch company are legion. With his long experience in space company finances and strategic planning, Mr. Sunshine's perspective will prove invaluable in navigating those challenges."  

Our ambition is nothing short of creating an 'on-demand' orbital launch company.

Alexander Smith, Chief Operating Officer

Sunshine has extensive capital markets experience, having co-founded Vector Aerospace as well as serving as the chief financial officer for leading space companies Virgin Galactic and Moon Express. He also currently acts as a mentor to space company start-ups through the Starburst Aerospace Incubator and works with "angel investors" at Star Century Partners, a venture capital fund.

"It's a great group of people at Stofiel with big ideas for orbital commerce," Sunshine said. "I'm excited to help them achieve their goals." 

"Our ambition is nothing short of creating an 'on-demand' orbital launch company," Smith said. "Because we have developed a patented heat treatment that allows us to 3D-print a rocket engine in two days and because we are pairing this new technology with balloon-assisted launches and solid fuel rockets, we believe that we can solve the constraints that now require small payload customers to wait long periods of time for 'ride-along' space on huge and expensive vehicles," Smith said. 

"We also see that it is almost impossible today to recover a payload from low-earth-orbit so we are developing a drone re-entry vehicle that can land at local airports with less than 1g stress," he said. 

Stofiel Aerospace, a St. Louis-based company, said it is now building toward its first launch to the edge of space later this year. "Our goal is to create a system where a customer can see their payload reach orbit in a matter of weeks instead of waiting for months or even years," said company founder Brian Stofiel. 

Contact: Ken Hoagland, (703) 533-0306, or Alex@stofielaerospace.com

Source: Stofiel Aerospace