Mike Safyan

Mike Safyan is the Vice President of Launch and Global Ground Station Networks at Planet, a prominent company in the aerospace sector. He began his career at NASA Ames, where he contributed to the PhoneSat project, which focused on developing low-cost CubeSat platforms utilizing smartphone technology. In 2011, he joined Planet Labs as one of the eight founding team members and has since played a crucial role in the company's growth from a small startup to a global organization with over 450 employees.1

Throughout his tenure at Planet, Mike has held various positions, including overseeing export regulatory licensing and compliance, managing the company's global ground station network, and leading its launch strategy. Notably, he was instrumental in securing Planet's FCC Operational License—the first ever obtained for commercial CubeSats—and has overseen the launch of over 300 satellites across twenty different launch attempts, contributing to making Planet's satellite fleet the largest in the world.1

Mike is also an advocate for the small satellite community and has actively participated in industry organizations. He helped establish the Commercial Small Satellite Spectrum Management Association (CSSSMA) and has been involved in various charitable activities, including volunteering for Meals on Wheels and Glide Church in San Francisco.1