John Insprucker
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John L. Insprucker (born October 7, 1956) is an American aerospace engineer and retired Air Force colonel currently working at SpaceX as a Principal Integration Engineer. He is honored on the National Air and Space Museum's Wall of Honor.<ref name=":1">Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref>
In 1978, at age 22, Insprucker joined the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program at the University of Michigan. He spent his entire career dedicated to space launch operations, space rocket development and spacecraft development and deployment, even doing a five-year service between 2000 and 2005 at Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex-4, which is currently being leased out to SpaceX.<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref>
Career at Vandenberg Air Force Base[edit | edit source]
Insprucker began serving at Vandenberg in 1980 as a pad, payload and rocket technician. During his first five years he helped with the success of 17 Titan NIB and IIID/34D launches and 9 Agena upper stages. He then went to join the Secretary of the Air Force's Special Project Office as head of the Spacecraft Attitude control division. During this time he participated in developing the software used for reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), where he was commended for saving a damaged satellite from an Attitude Control System (ACS) failure. Whilst working with the NRO, Insprucker led a 60-person department to manufacture a $2.5 billion NRO Space system. He also served as a program manager for a $700M follow-on satellite.<ref name=":1" /> Between 2000 and 2005, he was stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base where he successfully launched 11 Titan II and Titan IVB rockets first as the deputy program manager from 2000 to 2002, and then as commander of the Titan program from 2003 to 2004. On August 13, 2003, a Titan IVB at Cape Canaveral Launch Complex 40 suffered a nitrogen tetroxide leak caused by faulty fuel pump. Insprucker announced on October 3, 2003, that leak was result of a malfunction with the propellant pump and not an issue related to the Lockheed Martin propellant team.<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref> From December 13, 2003, through to November 30, 2005, he led the operation of the Delta IV and Atlas V rockets.<ref name=":0">Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref> During this time, he was the director for the inaugural flight of the Delta IV Heavy, which at the time was the most powerful, active rocket.<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref>
Work at SpaceX[edit | edit source]
On 27 November 2006, Insprucker extended his part-time contract at SpaceX to a full-time contract where Elon Musk entrusted him to oversee the development of the Falcon 9.<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2019-09-12|}}</ref> He currently holds the position as a Principal Integration Engineer at SpaceX.
Insprucker is a frequent host of SpaceX launch webcasts,<ref name=":0" /> including the COTS-2 demo flight (first private spacecraft to dock to the ISS), first re-flight of a rocket (SES-10),<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2020-07-27|}}</ref> Falcon Heavy Demo Flight,<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2020-07-27|}}</ref> the Dragon in-flight abort test,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Demo-2<ref>Template:Citation core{{#if:2020-07-27|}}</ref> (first crewed SpaceX launch), as well as Starship test flights.