* General (Ret.) David D. “DT” Thompson was elected to the Space Foundation board of directors, effective November 11, 2026.
* Bridgit Mendler was elected to the Space Foundation board of directors, serving in the New Generation Space Leader seat.
* Nathan Davis was named general counsel for the Space Foundation.
* General Thompson retired in 2024 after 38 years in the military.
* Thompson served as the first Vice Chief of Space Operations for the U.S. Space Force.
* Thompson held senior positions at the National Reconnaissance Office, Air Force Warfare Center, United States Strategic Command, Air Force Space Command, and Headquarters United States Space Force while in service.
* Thompson currently serves as the General Bernard Schriever Chair of Space Systems Engineering at the United States Air Force Academy.
* Bridgit Mendler is the co-founder and CEO of Northwood, which builds a network connecting satellites to Earth.
* Mendler worked on satellite licensing and regulatory policy at the Federal Communications Commission during her studies at Harvard Law School.
* Mendler conducted communications and connectivity research at the MIT Media Lab as a Director’s Fellow.
* Mendler holds a master’s degree from MIT and a J.D. from Harvard University.
* Davis serves as a corporate partner at Holland & Hart LLP, advising on mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, corporate governance, and strategic growth initiatives.

The Space Foundation announced the election of General (Ret.) David D. “DT” Thompson and Bridgit Mendler to its board of directors, effective November 11, 2026. Nathan Davis was named general counsel for the organization this spring. CEO Heather Pringle stated that these leaders bring proven leadership, innovation, and a belief in space's potential to improve life on Earth. The new board members and counsel offer combined experience across national security, entrepreneurship, technology, and law, intended to strengthen the Foundation’s ability to convene leaders and advance the global space economy.
General Thompson retired in 2024 after a 38-year military career, including service at various high-level positions within the U.S. Space Force and defense agencies. Bridgit Mendler is the co-founder and CEO of Northwood, a company building a satellite network, and possesses experience in satellite licensing policy from the FCC and research from MIT and Harvard Law School. Nathan Davis serves as a corporate partner at Holland & Hart LLP, focusing on mergers and acquisitions, fundraising, and corporate governance.

The composition of the new board—combining military/defense leadership (Thompson), commercial satellite networking expertise (Mendler), and high-level legal/corporate advisory skills (Davis)—signals a deliberate effort to bridge the gap between governmental/defense interests, private innovation, and regulatory frameworks necessary for advancing the space economy. The emphasis on national security experience alongside entrepreneurship suggests a focus where strategic imperatives intersect with technological development.
The pattern here is the construction of a leadership profile designed not just for operational excellence but for convening power across disparate sectors—security, technology, law, and finance. This structure implies that future success in the space sector requires leaders fluent in multiple domains simultaneously. The background of Thompson anchors the group in established governmental frameworks, while Mendler introduces the dynamic, commercial trajectory often driven by disruptive technology and regulatory innovation.
The implication is a systemic push to create integrated leadership capable of navigating complex geopolitical and technological realities within the space domain. This configuration seeks to institutionalize the idea that advancement in space requires a holistic perspective, moving beyond siloed expertise toward integrated strategic thinking necessary for shaping the global space economy. What is being built is an adaptive coalition designed to translate abstract scientific potential into actionable, regulated, and commercially viable outcomes.
Bridge Questions: How will the dynamic tension between defense-focused experience and commercial innovation guide the Foundation's priorities? What mechanisms are in place to ensure that leadership from diverse economic and geographic perspectives remains equally prioritized over established institutional interests? What measurable shifts in collaboration can be expected from this integrated board structure?