Spotlight On: John Palmé (Cont.)


His job as program director now entails leading the integration of various spacecraft with the Proton M/Breeze M rocket; providing technical, programmatic and licensing interface with all the teams from proposal to launch; and coordinating with everyone from the customer to the spacecraft manufacturers to our partners at Khrunichev. When asked how things have changed since his last tour at ILS, Palmé cites the "can-do" spirit among all the team members and says, "The management, from Frank McKenna on down, all seem to be pulling together to make ILS a special place – one that provides both exceptional value and performance to our customer as well as a great company to work for. The results speak for themselves when you look at the last eight months."

Maybe his affinity for family is part of what makes ILS such a special place for him. When he’s not hard at work, Palmé spends most of his time with his family and says that his relationship with God, his wife and children are the most important things in his life. Last year, the family hiked, camped and drove across the United States. It was a special trip because it allowed him to see so many parts of the country with the people that matter to him most. He also enjoys skiing, fishing and hanging out at the beach.

It’s not just "all work and no play" at Baikonur, either. Palmé and Bonner founded the Kazakhstan chapter of the Villanova Alumni back on the Intelsat 10-02 launch campaign in 2004. A picture of the historical moment, complete with a banner on the launch pad can be found on the Internet. They still don’t have a third member but Palmé says, "We’re always looking."
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