Kiko Dontchev

Kiko Dontchev is the Vice President of Launch at SpaceX, a position he has held since May 2022. In this role, he oversees operations and infrastructure at SpaceX's launch and recovery sites in California and Florida, aiming to make space travel as accessible as air travel.14

Career Background

Dontchev joined SpaceX in May 2010, initially working on the development of lithium-ion batteries for the Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket. Over the years, he has taken on various leadership roles, including Senior Director of Launch and Recovery Operations, where he managed all aspects of Dragon launch and refurbishment operations leading up to significant crewed flights in 2020.34 His contributions have been pivotal in advancing SpaceX's capabilities in human spaceflight and launch operations.

Achievements

Kiko Dontchev has played a crucial role in many key projects, such as the design and build of the first engineering test vehicle for Dragon 2 and overseeing successful pad abort tests. He has received recognition for his efforts, including a NAS Award for early career achievement.34 His work has been instrumental in SpaceX's rapid growth, which saw the company increase its launch cadence dramatically from 13 launches in 2019 to a projected 100 in 2023.12

Personal Life

In addition to his professional achievements, Kiko is married and has a son. He balances his demanding career with family life in Cocoa Beach, Florida.35