Agile Accelerates Growth with New Director of Engineering and Project Management
Driving Innovation, Expanding Leadership
At Agile Space Industries, we’re not just building propulsion systems — we’re propelling our team and community forward. In the past 12 months we have passed some remarkable milestones, and as our operations and impact continue to expand, we are thrilled to welcome two accomplished leaders to our team: Chris Oesch, our new Director of Engineering, and Mike Schnettler, our new Director of Project Management.
STRENGTHENING OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM
CHRIS OESCH
DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING
Chris Oesch brings extensive engineering experience and a passion for innovative problem-solving. With a background in leading high-performance engineering teams, Chris will be instrumental in driving our technical advancements and ensuring Agile’s propulsion systems remain at the forefront of the industry.
Chris joins the Agile team with nearly two decades of experience at Moog, Apple, and Redwire Space. His experience in leading the development of highly specialized systems to meet demanding needs is a great fit for leadership within the Agile team. Chris’s organization leadership started at Roccor prior to the acquisition into Redwire and he was instrumental in leading teams through integration of the newly formed Redwire organizations. “I’m excited to bring my experience across many platforms and companies to meet the expectations of flight success for our hardware,” Chris says. “Agile is primed for growth and I look forward to being a part of such a talented team.”
MIKE SCHNETTLER
DIRECTOR OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT
Mike Schnettler joins Agile with over 30 years of experience in program management, product development, and operations, including more than 20 years in the aerospace industry. He brings a strong track record of leading complex projects across civil, commercial, and defense sectors, with a focus on transitioning products from development into production.
Prior to Agile, Mike spent 12 years supporting the Dream Chaser spaceplane at Sierra Nevada Corporation and Sierra Space. His expertise spans commercial electronics and aerospace systems, including gimbals, electric motors, actuators, control electronics, and thermal mechanisms.
A proud University of Colorado Boulder alum, Mike’s leadership will help drive Agile’s expanding project portfolio and continued delivery excellence.
We strongly feel that these additions to our leadership team will tremendously help grow and scale in a very intentional and strategic way.
SURPASSING GROWTH EXPECTATIONS
In the past year, we have exceeded our projected timelines and growth rates. While we anticipated significant growth, our achievements have gone above and beyond expectations.
Our test operations saw major milestones, including the announcement of Animas 2.0, which expanded our capabilities. We also launched the Tulsa Space Test Center in Tulsa, OK. Over the past year, we conducted 508 hot fires, achieving a total engine run time of 9,859.4 seconds. Additionally, we successfully tested 7 different engine models, including two brand-new thruster designs that showcased our engineering excellence.
In additive manufacturing, our commitment to innovation was evident. Our printers operated for a total of 2,899 hours, with laser run time reaching 800 hours. During this period, we covered 1,012.58 kilometers of recoater distance. Notably, we achieved a first-time milestone by printing Ti64 using our TruPrint 1000. While consuming 615 kg of IN718 powder, further demonstrating our increasing production capacity.
The growth of our team has been just as impressive. This year, we welcomed nearly 50 new team members, contributing to our dynamic and expanding workforce. Our Agile family grew in other ways, too, with the arrival of 2 new babies and the adoption of 6 pets. Our team now spans 5 states — Colorado, Washington, Pennsylvania, Florida, and Utah.
This past year we also doubled down on our dedication to our local community. This year, we proudly supported and volunteered at more local events than ever before. Our team participated in talks at local middle schools, high schools, and colleges, inspiring the next generation of innovators. We also volunteered and sponsored regional initiatives such as the Science Fair, the FIRST LEGO Robotics Competition, and numerous other community events and STEM-related programs.
With our expanded leadership team, record-breaking growth, and continued innovation, Agile Space Industries is well-positioned for even greater success in the years to come. Chris and Mike’s leadership will undoubtedly play a vital role in our next chapter as we continue to push the boundaries of space propulsion.
