Robert S. Katz

CEO & Executive Director

NASA Kennedy Space Center (Feb.25.2024) - Robert S. Katz, CEO & Executive Director of World Innovation Network (WIN) invited and hosted hundreds of college students at the NASA Kennedy Space Center to witness the historic U.S. return to the Moon Launch. WIN's partners included the National Space Society (NSS), 4Space, and Media.com.

Bio

01.

Section 01

Identity & Mission Frame

Robert S. Katz’s career began not with titles or linear progression, but with a persistent, defining pattern: he repeatedly found himself placed in front of the hardest, most mission‑critical problems—and asked to solve them. For nearly four decades, his professional trajectory has been defined by a rare combination of scientific curiosity, operational urgency, and a systems‑thinking instinct (which emerged long before the term became fashionable). He is a proud technologist, strategic advisor, and serial innovator whose work has significantly reshaped the intersection of national security, telecommunications, and space exploration.

A rare synthesis of scientist, strategist, and first responder, Robert is distinguished by a verified track record of technological "Firsts" that have altered modern connectivity, defense architecture, and disaster response. Operating often behind the scenes within the Defense and Intelligence Communities, he has successfully transitioned from the classified corridors of the Cold War—where he helped architect the early Phase 1 theatre-based versions of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)—to the forefront of the New Space Economy, where he now leads the World Innovation Network (WIN).

Robert is recognized as probably the first to formally recommend and implore Congress and the White House to elevate Space, Cyber, and AI into a new Cabinet‑level "Department of Technology." His visionary advocacy for this "DTech" consolidation predated current government restructuring efforts, identifying the critical need to align these disparate domains under a single unified command structure to ensure American preeminence. His professional ethos is defined by the duality of his service: wearing the "business suit by day" to architect billion‑dollar defense programs for country-critical “clients” like the CIA, NSA, NGA, and DoD, and the "jump suit by night" to lead rescue teams into the world’s most chaotic disaster zones.

This is the foundation upon which the rest of his career is built—not on titles, nor on theory, nor on linear progression. It is built on a single, defining doctrine: identify the mission‑critical problem, integrate the right systems, accelerate the solution, and deliver under pressure. This mindset would later shape his cyber‑space frameworks, his UN space diplomacy, his dual‑use innovation ecosystems, his humanitarian leadership, and ultimately his role as one of the nation’s most forward‑leaning strategic architects of America’s space future.

Section 02

Key Impact (BLUF)

Robert’s operational impact is best reflected in the words of the leaders, partners, and clients he has served across the defense, commercial, and government sectors:

"Invaluable Strategic Partner" Leadership at IQPC describes Robert as an "invaluable strategic partner" whose "thought leadership is compelling" and who "perfectly engages renewed focus on the importance of holistic security."

"The Big Brain" Executives at OST Global Solutions refer to him as "the big brain we call on when we need to think outside the proverbial box," calling him an "energetic leader and a true hero."

"Uncanny Ability" A Senior Director at Time Warner and Comcast noted his "uncanny ability to outperform 'industry experts' by looking at a problem with a new perspective," labeling him the "ultimate problem solver."

"Invaluable Knowledge" A Manager at Lockheed Martin stated that "his knowledge and experience is invaluable to the successful product," praising his "expertise, attention to detail, and willingness to be flexible."

"Brilliant Visionary" Leadership at Inmarsat and SingTel called him a "brilliant visionary with an uncanny ability to recognize business trends," noting he is "particularly adept at designing and implementing Global Satellite Asset Tracking solutions."

"Most Knowledgeable Technical Mind" A Business Development Executive at COMSAT stated Robert has "one of the most knowledgeable technical minds I have ever met," crediting his "aggressive approach to global marketing" for their shared success.

"Insightful & Intelligent" A Director at BAE Systems describes him as "insightful, intelligent, and an excellent moderator," noting his "acumen was on full display."

"Understanding Threats" A Senior Director of DoD Programs at Schneider Electric emphasized that Robert "really understands the cyber security threats...and articulates them succinctly and lucidly."

"Fascinating Presentation" A Senior Planner at NASA described his presentation style as "fascinating," noting he "kept the audience thoroughly engaged."

"Pushes the Envelope" Directors at Thales and Globavista highlight that his "very agile mind constantly pushes the technological envelope," driving consortiums to "explore the broadest of opportunities."

"Beacon of Inspiration" Management at Marriott described his leadership as a "beacon of inspiration," citing his ability to "motivate, share his knowledge, and create an overall positive energy."

"Consummate Professional" The Director of Public Safety Programs at ARA calls him the "consummate emergency services professional" who "takes great pleasure in passing on his expertise to others."

Section 03

Origins & Early Acceleration

In 1985, very early in his career, Robert was working for NASA Goddard and Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, operating out of the National Bureau of Standards (now NIST). His assignment was deceptively simple: help determine the age of the universe. This work placed him inside the Hubble Space Telescope program at a pivotal moment—calibrating instruments, modeling astrophysical data, and contributing to the cosmological baselines that would later redefine humanity’s understanding of the cosmos.

What most never realize is that Hubble is essentially an Earth‑observing satellite turned outward. Its optics, sensors, and stabilization systems are cousins of the systems used for reconnaissance and Earth observation—just pointed in the opposite direction. This insight would become foundational for Robert: Space systems are dual‑use by nature. Flip the telescope, flip the mission.

In 1986, Robert didn’t "move" from cosmology to national security—he simply turned the telescope back around. At the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), he was tasked with building physics‑based acoustic propagation models to help the United States track adversarial submarines using the small, early GPS constellation. This was the real‑world "Hunt for Red October" problem set—except it wasn’t fiction. His work included modeling underwater sound propagation, integrating early GPS signals for maritime detection, supporting anti‑submarine warfare, and investigating space‑based sub‑hunting using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), LIDAR, and Trident missile launch tracking for calibration. This was cutting‑edge work decades ahead of its time, reinforcing the pattern that would define his career: Space, cyber, physics, and operations are not separate domains. They are one integrated system.

Robert’s academic journey reflects this same pattern of early acceleration and multidisciplinary fluency. From the outset, he demonstrated an unusual capacity to absorb, synthesize, and operationalize complex scientific concepts. By his mid‑teens, he was already working in medical and emergency response environments, studying advanced physics and systems modeling, and developing the analytical discipline that would define his career. His academic training provided the backbone for his contributions to astrophysics, space systems, cyber‑physical integration, modeling and simulation, national security, and humanitarian logistics.

He left high school in his Junior year to enter college early, returning only for his commencement ceremony as a fully matriculated college Junior. He soon after graduated from his university, with three separate undergraduate degrees: Physics, Mathematics, and Computer Science, along with two Minors: Chemistry and Spanish. He pursued post‑graduate doctoral studies in Systems Engineering and Artificial Intelligence at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), where his research focused on the very first autonomous vehicle in the…galaxy. Of course, this was before Google was even founded or self-driving cars were even a glimmer in Silicon Valley’s eyes. This “self-driving” car was instead destined for Mars.

Section 04

First Wave of Innovation: Telecom & Global Connectivity

Robert had already delivered a series of technological firsts that would quietly shape the future of space operations, cyber‑physical integration, and dual‑use innovation. His career is marked not by incremental improvements, but by category‑defining breakthroughs, even if he failed to realize this fully contemporaneously. Many of these breakthroughs occurred before the technologies involved even had formal terminology. Robert not only built new capabilities, but he built them in the field, under pressure, and in direct response to mission‑critical operational needs. His innovations were never theoretical; they were always tied to real people, real missions, and real consequences.

Among these breakthroughs was the world’s first truly global wireless internet email messaging platform. Long before the smartphone, Robert conceived, engineered, and fielded the world’s first truly global wireless internet email messaging platform. At a time when industry experts scoffed that "executives would never type when they could speak," Robert proved that data could be untethered from the wall, laying the technical foundation for the mobile workforce.

Simultaneously, he defined the "Dot on the Map" by developing the world’s first truly global tracking systems for vehicles, aircraft, and ships. By successfully integrating GPS telemetry with digital mapping, he created the foundational technology for modern logistics and supply chain visibility. He also pioneered the architecture and deployment of the first seamless global network, integrating space technology into aviation for the first voice/data communications and GPS landing systems on platforms ranging from commercial airliners to Air Force One and AWACS.

From his early work in Machine‑to‑Machine (M2M) communication, Robert served as an early pioneer of Machine-to-Machine (M2M) protocols, the precursor to IoT. He deployed the first global IoT application, laying the groundwork for Smart Cities, while simultaneously being the first to be known to publicly warn of their critical vulnerabilities to cyber‑jacking. These early breakthroughs form the backbone of his later work—and explain why he would eventually become one of the nation’s most forward‑leaning strategic architects of America’s space future.

Section 05

Defense, Intel, & National Security

By the time the 2000s arrived, Robert had already built a portfolio of work that spanned astrophysics, anti‑submarine warfare, missile defense, satellite communications, humanitarian logistics, and rapid‑reaction operational deployments. What emerged from this seemingly eclectic foundation was a solution to a critical capability gap that had not yet been formally defined. He realized these problems all united around the solution of connectivity – or as he called it, “hyper-connectivity.” He could integrate cyber, space, intelligence, and operations into a single, coherent connectivity system.

Robert became that integrator—years before the Department of Defense formally recognized cyber as a domain, years before the creation of U.S. Cyber Command, and decades before the establishment of the U.S. Space Force. His early work demonstrated a rare ability to move fluidly between domains: Space science to national security, Physics to operations, Cyber to logistics, Humanitarian response to intelligence support, and Satellite communications to real‑time command and control.

This cross‑domain fluency positioned him as a trusted advisor to leaders across the U.S. Intelligence Community, the Department of Defense, Combatant Commands, Federal agencies, and international coalitions. He became known for a specific capability: translating complex technical problems into operationally relevant, mission‑ready solutions—quickly. He supported secure satellite communications, early encryption and data‑integrity protocols, cyber‑physical system protection, space‑enabled operational networks, and early threat‑modeling for adversarial interference.

He bridged eras—from Cold War systems to post‑9/11 operational demands, from digital transformation to cyber‑space convergence, and from the rise of commercial space to the creation of the Space Force. He understood legacy systems because he had worked on them. He understood emerging systems because he had built them. He understood future systems because he had already prototyped them decades earlier. This made him one of the few leaders capable of architecting the transition from industrial‑era defense to digital‑era defense, and finally to space‑era defense.

Section 06

Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) & Cyber Origins

In 1988, Robert was contributing to the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI)—the "Star Wars" program that helped accelerate the collapse of Soviet communism. His work supported early missile‑defense architectures, space‑based sensor concepts, strategic deterrence modeling, and cross‑domain integration. This was his first exposure to the geopolitical stakes of space—and the realization that space superiority is national survival.

During the SDI era, Robert helped engineer early missile‑defense architectures that required cross‑domain sensor fusion, space‑based detection, real‑time data integration, and cyber‑resilient command‑and‑control. This work foreshadowed the cyber‑space convergence that defines modern national security—decades before the term "cyber‑physical system" existed.

As a lead MIT Pentagon detailee, Robert spearheaded the command‑and‑control frameworks and "link protection" for SDI. His work on information assurance, counter‑jamming, and anti‑spoofing for satellite sensors effectively sowed the seeds for the modern discipline of Cyber Security. He helped architect the early Phase 1 theatre-based versions of the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) which contributed to forcing the Soviet Union into an economic checkmate, helping to crush Communism without firing a shot. Furthermore, the kinetic interceptor protocols he developed for SDI planted the precursor technological roots for what became today’s Iron Dome missile defense system.

Section 07

The Strategic Earthshot Imperative (SEI)

To overcome the "innovation stagnation" and workforce challenges facing the U.S., Robert launched, in 2022, the Strategic Earthshot Imperative. This quad‑collective of interconnected programs serves as a "Whole‑of‑Society" approach to securing space.

Engine 1: BRIDGE

DTech

Advocating for the establishment of a U.S. Department of Technology (DTech), a Cabinet‑level department to orchestrate and align the disparate "science fair" projects across government into coordinated Programs of Record.

Engine 2: BOLSTER

Space Corps

Proposing a national service program modeled after the Peace Corps. The Space Corps would recruit young Americans to dedicate 1‑2 years to space‑related national service in exchange for college/trade school funding, bolstering the talent pipeline.

Engine 3: BUILD

Space Critical Infrastructure

Campaigning for the DHS to designate Space as the 17th sector of Critical Infrastructure, ensuring it receives the resiliency resources required to support the other 16 sectors that rely upon it.

Engine 4: BOOST

Silicon Space

Establishing Silicon Space, a physical and virtual ecosystem to nurture ASTROpreneurship, connecting dual‑use commercial endeavors with National Labs and FFRDCs.

Section 08

Space Innovation & The New Space Economy

LaunchWERX emerged from the planning of Silicon Space and his other Earthshot components. It is the operational engine that powers Robert’s entire vision—a tactical tech tank built to solve the hardest problems in space, cyber, defense, and dual‑use innovation. It is the culmination of everything Robert has done across four decades. LaunchWERX is the operational manifestation of Robert’s lifelong doctrine, borrowed with gratitude from Stephen Covey, Begin with the End in Mind. Start with the mission problem. Integrate the right systems. Accelerate the solution. Deliver under pressure.

LaunchWERX is built on a simple but profound strategic thesis: Space superiority is the foundation of national security, economic stability, and global peace. The mission is expressed through Robert’s signature framework: PEACE thru SPACE™, a doctrine that integrates space security, cyber resilience, dual‑use innovation, international collaboration, rapid‑reaction capability, and humanitarian readiness.

LaunchWERX accelerates innovators through Robert’s proprietary 20‑step Cradle‑to‑Commercialization Catapult™ framework. It employs the SOLUTIONneering™ protocol: Find, Forge, Fuse, and Fuel. Find the nation's top ASTROpreneurs; Forge fresh solutions through rapid‑reaction innovation; Fuse them with government, industry, academia, and allies; and Fuel their growth through contracts, capital, and collaboration. This is how LaunchWERX turns ideas into impact.

Section 09

United Nations & International Space Diplomacy

By the time Robert entered the arena of international space governance, he had already spent decades integrating cyber, space, intelligence, and operational systems across the U.S. national security enterprise. He especially excelled at effectively translating complex, multi‑domain challenges into frameworks that diplomats, scientists, military leaders, and industry innovators could all understand. He became, in effect, a bridge—between nations, between sectors, between cultures, and between competing visions of humanity’s future in space.

As space became increasingly congested, contested, and competitive, the United Nations began to recognize the need for new norms, new frameworks, and new forms of cooperation. Robert entered this environment with a clear message: Space is no longer a scientific playground or a commercial frontier. It is a strategic domain that underpins global security, global commerce, and global stability. His work emphasized that space governance must be inclusive, safety must be collaborative, sustainability must be global, security must be collective, and innovation must be dual‑use and interoperable.

Robert became an active UN space figure. He convened and led conferences, workshops, and multi‑nation dialogues focused on space safety and sustainability, space traffic management, space‑cyber integration, and dual‑use technology governance. He helped convene, moderate, and architect discussions involving the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Italy, India, Israel, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and dozens of emerging space nations. One of his most significant contributions was helping build and coordinate a coalition of over 150 NGOs, transforming a loose network into a coherent, mission‑aligned community.

Section 10

National Spaceport & Infrastructure Expansion

Robert’s Spaceport Expansion Initiatives represent plans for one of the most ambitious and comprehensive efforts in the modern history of U.S. space operations—a blueprint for a resilient, redundant, responsive, and cyber‑secure national and international launch network. He recognized early that America faces a launch capacity crisis: saturated ranges, aging infrastructure, escalating cyber threats, exploding commercial demand, and increasing national‑security missions. The solution is not just more launch sites—it is a new architecture.

SPACE‑SIM is the centerpiece of Robert’s strategy—a first‑of‑its‑kind national testbed designed to transform how America designs, tests, validates, and integrates launch operations. At the heart of SPACE‑SIM is the Spaceport Development & Training Testbed, an immersive, high‑fidelity environment that enables digital twins of launch ranges, VR/AR‑enabled operational rehearsal, multi‑stakeholder integration, and cyber‑secure experimentation. Located at the geographic center of Florida’s space region, SPACE‑SIM is building a full digital twin of the Eastern Range and integrating with the Western Range to enable coast‑to‑coast interoperability.

Robert identified Puerto Rico as a strategic U.S. launch node—offering equatorial advantages, over‑water trajectories, U.S. jurisdiction, and hemispheric collaboration. He emphasizes that Puerto Rico must be cyber‑secure, resilient, redundant, and integrated into SPACE‑SIM. His long‑term vision is a global mesh network of interoperable spaceports, connected through digital twins, shared simulation environments, cyber‑secure data fabrics, and standardized operational frameworks.

Section 11

Humanitarian Leadership & Disaster Response

By the early 1990s, Robert had already built a reputation for solving urgent problems under extreme conditions. This led to a series of rapid‑reaction deployments where he was called upon—often overnight—to stand up new space‑enabled operational capabilities in active conflict and humanitarian zones. What made these deployments groundbreaking was not just the missions—but the technology stack he pioneered: Inmarsat, Intelsat, GPS, and pre‑Internet terrestrial networks.

In Somalia (1993), he delivered space‑enabled SITREP filing and real‑time coordination under fire in Mogadishu. In Rwanda (1994), he deployed space‑enabled logistics tracking during one of the worst humanitarian crises of the century. In Yugoslavia (1999), he delivered the first pallet‑level RFID tracking of humanitarian aid, fusing space, cyber, and logistics technologies in a way that foreshadowed modern supply‑chain tracking.

Robert’s humanitarian deployments reveal the human core of his leadership. In 2014, he deployed to a major Middle East terrorist conflict—"fighting fires under fire"—in a mission covered by dozens of international outlets. He served alongside firefighters during rocket attacks, urban fires, and civilian emergencies. He also led the first U.S. rescue mission to Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, pioneering the use of real‑time NGA satellite imagery for civilian ground rescue.

Even before the space assignments and deployments, Robert had already internalized a service‑first mindset. At 14, he became a medic—learning calm under pressure, human‑centered decision‑making, and the weight of responsibility. This grounding would later distinguish him from purely technical leaders: He never forgot that behind every system, every launch, every signal, every model—there are people.

Section 12

Crisis Innovation & Dual-Use Tech

Across all his early breakthroughs, a consistent pattern emerges: Robert never started with technology. He started with the mission‑critical problem—and built the technology required to solve it. This problem‑centric approach became the foundation for his cyber‑space frameworks, his dual‑use innovation ecosystems, his UN space diplomacy, his humanitarian leadership, his LaunchWERX architecture, and his SPACE‑SIM and Spaceport Expansion Initiatives.

Across all his humanitarian deployments, Robert applied the same doctrine that defines his national‑security and space work: Technology must serve the mission. The mission must serve the people. He used Inmarsat, Intelsat, early GPS, pre‑Internet terrestrial networks, improvised hardware, and field‑built software to enable faster response, better coordination, more accurate logistics, greater situational awareness, and ultimately, lives saved. This is dual‑use innovation at its most authentic.

Section 13

Publications & Thought Leadership

Robert’s career is not only defined by the systems he built, the missions he supported, and the innovations he accelerated—it is also documented across a wide array of publications, media outlets, conference proceedings, and thought‑leadership platforms. His work has been covered, cited, profiled, and amplified by journalists, researchers, NGOs, government agencies, and international organizations.

His humanitarian deployments, national‑security contributions, and space‑innovation leadership have been covered by dozens of media outlets across multiple countries, including The Gazette, Washington Jewish Week, Yedioth Ahronoth, The Washington Times, Firefighter Nation, Times of Israel, CBN News, Israel21c, Jewish Standard, and Spanish TV Colombia.

Robert is a frequent speaker, moderator, and thought leader at United Nations space conferences, global NGO coalition summits, spaceport modernization forums, and defense innovation conferences. His YouTube presence adds a modern dimension to his thought leadership, reflecting strategic clarity, narrative strength, and a commitment to public understanding. He is frequently invited to speak because he brings something rare: the ability to connect policy, technology, operations, and humanity in one coherent narrative.

Section 14

Legacy, Impact, and National Imperative

Robert’s biography is not the story of a career—it is the story of a mission. A mission that began with Hubble, evolved through national‑security innovation, was tested in humanitarian deployments, expanded through UN diplomacy, and now manifests in the Spaceport Expansion Initiatives and LaunchWERX.

His doctrine has never changed: start with the mission problem, integrate the right systems, accelerate the solution, deliver under pressure. Across every chapter of his life, Robert has applied this same philosophy. It guided him from Hubble to NRL, to SDI, to Somalia, Rwanda, and Yugoslavia, to the Middle East, to the UN, to SPACE‑SIM, to LaunchWERX, and to the Spaceport Expansion Initiatives. It is the unifying principle behind his entire career.

Section 15

Closing Summary

Today, Robert stands as a respected forward‑leaning strategic architect of America’s space future—a leader whose work spans science, national security, cyber, space, diplomacy, humanitarian service, innovation ecosystems, spaceport modernization, workforce development, and international collaboration.

His biography is not the story of a career. It is the story of a mission. A mission to protect. A mission to innovate. A mission to serve. A mission to build. A mission to accelerate. A mission to unite. A mission to lead. And ultimately: A mission to ensure that America—and humanity—thrive in the space age.