Michael Mealling
Encyclopedia
Michael Mealling is currently the Chief Financial Officer
(CFO) and Vice President
of Business Development of Masten Space Systems
, CEO of Refactored Networks, long time participant within the IETF, a Space Frontier Foundation Advocate, and a former Director of the Moon Society
. He operates a blog site called Rocketforge and has been interviewed twice on The Space Show
and twice on SpaceVidcast
.
Many of his industry efforts and activism have been driven by a desire maximize individual freedom. Over the past decade he has developed the idea that the only way to do this is by opening up new frontiers. Therefore he spent several years with the Artemis Society
, where he served for a time as president, and the Moon Society where he served on the board of directors. He is presently with Masten Space Systems
where he hopes to be most effective in paving the way for settlement in space. He has maintained his space industry blog, Rocketforge, since 2003.
Prior to his activism within the space industry, Michael Mealling was recruited into the Libertarian Party
by the late Ron Crickenburger in 1989. He served for one election cycle on the Libertarian Party of Georgia
state executive committee, but became discouraged after realizing the amounts of money required to make an impact and especially discouraged about the idea of repairing the United States
. He currently embraces the philosophy of neolibertarianism and is presently not actively participating in the Libertarian Party over differences on the war issue.
From 1990 through 1996, Michael Mealling worked at Georgia Tech
in Atlanta, Georgia
. While at Georgia Tech he created and ran much of what became Georgia Tech's web presence. He left Georgia Tech in 1996 to join Network Solutions
as a developer and researcher. In 2000 VeriSign purchased Network Solutions and Michael Mealling became on of several R&D engineers within VeriSign. From 1991 through 2002 he was actively involved with the IETF where he published 22 RFC
s.
Michael is currently enrolled in the Executive MBA program at the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a focus in Management of Technology. He will graduate with his MBA in December, 2011.
Chief financial officer
The chief financial officer or Chief financial and operating officer is a corporate officer primarily responsible for managing the financial risks of the corporation. This officer is also responsible for financial planning and record-keeping, as well as financial reporting to higher management...
(CFO) and Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
of Business Development of Masten Space Systems
Masten Space Systems
Masten Space Systems is an aerospace startup company in Mojave, California that is developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing spacecraft, initially for unmanned suborbital research flights and eventually intended to support unmanned orbital launches.- Overview :Masten Space Systems...
, CEO of Refactored Networks, long time participant within the IETF, a Space Frontier Foundation Advocate, and a former Director of the Moon Society
Moon Society
The Moon Society is a space advocacy organization, founded in 2000, and dedicated to promoting large-scale human exploration, research, and settlement of the Moon.The objectives of the Society are:...
. He operates a blog site called Rocketforge and has been interviewed twice on The Space Show
The Space Show
The Space Show is a biweekly radio talk show, presented by Dr. David Livingston, about space commerce and exploration that is also available archived online as a podcast....
and twice on SpaceVidcast
SpaceVidcast
Spacevidcast, often abbreviated as SVC, is a live weekly HD video podcast hosted by husband and wife team, Cariann Higginbotham and Benjamin Higginbotham...
.
Many of his industry efforts and activism have been driven by a desire maximize individual freedom. Over the past decade he has developed the idea that the only way to do this is by opening up new frontiers. Therefore he spent several years with the Artemis Society
Artemis Project
The Artemis Project was a private venture to establish a permanent, self-supporting base on the Moon by 2002. It was named after Artemis, the goddess of the Moon and twin sister of Apollo . The project's creators, The Lunar Resources Company, formed the Artemis Society as a non-profit NGO in 1994...
, where he served for a time as president, and the Moon Society where he served on the board of directors. He is presently with Masten Space Systems
Masten Space Systems
Masten Space Systems is an aerospace startup company in Mojave, California that is developing a line of vertical takeoff, vertical landing spacecraft, initially for unmanned suborbital research flights and eventually intended to support unmanned orbital launches.- Overview :Masten Space Systems...
where he hopes to be most effective in paving the way for settlement in space. He has maintained his space industry blog, Rocketforge, since 2003.
Prior to his activism within the space industry, Michael Mealling was recruited into the Libertarian Party
Libertarian Party (United States)
The Libertarian Party is the third largest and fastest growing political party in the United States. The political platform of the Libertarian Party reflects its brand of libertarianism, favoring minimally regulated, laissez-faire markets, strong civil liberties, minimally regulated migration...
by the late Ron Crickenburger in 1989. He served for one election cycle on the Libertarian Party of Georgia
Libertarian Party of Georgia
The Libertarian Party of Georgia is a state affiliate of the United States Libertarian Party.-Executive committee:-2008 candidates:In 2008 Allen Buckley ran for US Senator receiving 128,002 votes for 3.4% of the vote.-2007 candidates:...
state executive committee, but became discouraged after realizing the amounts of money required to make an impact and especially discouraged about the idea of repairing the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He currently embraces the philosophy of neolibertarianism and is presently not actively participating in the Libertarian Party over differences on the war issue.
From 1990 through 1996, Michael Mealling worked at Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. While at Georgia Tech he created and ran much of what became Georgia Tech's web presence. He left Georgia Tech in 1996 to join Network Solutions
Network Solutions
Network Solutions, LLC is a technology company founded in 1979. The domain name registration business has become the most important division of the company. As of January 2009, Network Solutions managed more than 6.6 million domain names.-History:...
as a developer and researcher. In 2000 VeriSign purchased Network Solutions and Michael Mealling became on of several R&D engineers within VeriSign. From 1991 through 2002 he was actively involved with the IETF where he published 22 RFC
Request for Comments
In computer network engineering, a Request for Comments is a memorandum published by the Internet Engineering Task Force describing methods, behaviors, research, or innovations applicable to the working of the Internet and Internet-connected systems.Through the Internet Society, engineers and...
s.
Michael is currently enrolled in the Executive MBA program at the Georgia Institute of Technology, with a focus in Management of Technology. He will graduate with his MBA in December, 2011.