A Tribute to Legacy, Leadership, and the Spirit of Innovation

Dr. Antonio L. Elias and Dave Thompson visit the 3,800sq-ft Optimum Technologies Clean Room

Last week, Optimum Technologies LLC (OpTech) had the honor of hosting two legendary figures in the aerospace community—Dave Thompson, co-founder and CEO of Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Dr. Antonio L. Elias, the pioneering engineer behind the Pegasus launch vehicle and a key architect of Orbital’s early success.

Dave and his fellow co-founders launched Orbital Sciences in 1982 with a bold vision: to revolutionize access to space through smaller, more agile vehicles and satellite systems. Long before “space startups” were cool, Orbital was quietly—and successfully—defining what commercial space could be. They didn’t just build spacecraft. They built a culture of innovation and execution that shaped an entire generation of aerospace engineers.

That legacy lives on at OpTech. In fact, the majority of our team today are proud Orbital alumni—engineers, managers, and technicians who spent decades at Orbital contributing to launch systems, spacecraft programs, and advanced payloads. Many of us moved to Northern Virginia in the 1990s to join what was then a high-risk, high-reward startup. It was more than a career move—it became a way of life. We raised families here, grew professionally, and helped turn Orbital into one of the most respected names in the industry.

Today at OpTech, we strive to carry forward that same spirit. The systems-level thinking, disciplined execution, and passion for meaningful missions that Orbital instilled in us remain at the core of everything we do.

Thank you, Dave and Antonio, for visiting—and more importantly, for lighting the path that so many of us have followed. Your vision laid the foundation for companies like OpTech to stand tall and aim higher.

Contact: media@optechspace.com