Stanley O. Kennedy Jr. brings over three decades of visionary leadership and engineering excellence to the 2026 SmallSat Education Conference. A lifelong aerospace innovator, Kennedy has contributed to the development of heavy-lift launch vehicles, upper stages, spacecraft, and ground systems for both government and commercial customers worldwide. As President and Co-Founder of Oakman Aerospace, Inc. (OAI), he led the charge in creating modular, reconfigurable space systems and advanced modeling solutions that continue to shape the industry.

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Today, Mr. Kennedy serves as a part-time Aerospace Consultant with OTMV Texas and embraces a new title: Chief BBQ Master at the O&K Ranch in Llano, Texas. His passion for education and outreach remains unwavering. He is a dedicated advocate for STEM and youth engagement in aerospace, focusing much of his current energy on inspiring and mentoring the next generation of space leaders.

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An Associate Fellow and Lifetime Member of AIAA, Kennedy serves at both the national and regional levels, including as Technical Chair of the AIAA/SmallSat Frank J. Redd Student Competition, held annually in Logan, Utah. He has also contributed to U.S. space policy as a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Council on Aerospace (ITAC-1) and serves on the Technical Committee for the ESA/CNES co-sponsored 4S Symposium.

Kennedy holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona and an M.S. in Engineering Management from the University of Colorado Boulder. His career includes leadership roles at Redwire Space, Oakman Aerospace, Comtech AeroAstro, General Dynamics-AIS, and Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

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With humor, wisdom, and hands-on experience from both the launch pad and the pit smoker, Stanley Kennedy brings a grounded, inspiring perspective to this year’s conference—reminding us that the best innovations are often fueled by passion, perseverance, and community.