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Ex-Ursa Major CEO Dan Jablonsky will lead Sierra Space beginning March 2, 2026.
Credit: Ursa Major
AURORA, Colo.—Sierra Space has named former Ursa Major leader Dan Jablonsky as its first permanent CEO in more than one year, the company announced Feb. 26.
Jablonsky most recently served as chair and CEO of Ursa Major beginning in August 2024, and previously was CEO, president and board member of Maxar Technologies as well as president of Digital Globe. He takes over leadership of Sierra Space effective March 2, per a company release.
Ursa Major unexpectedly announced a leadership change on Feb. 19, naming Chris Spagnoletti, formerly president of liquid systems, as company CEO effective immediately.
Tom Vice most recently served as Sierra Space CEO but retired from the company at the end of 2024. Fatih Ozmen, founder and CEO of Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC), has served as the company's interim CEO since Vice’s departure and will continue to serve as chairman of the board. SNC spun off its space division into an independent company under the name Sierra Space in 2021.
Jablonsky “brings tremendous experience leading complex aerospace and defense organizations at scale,” Ozmen said in the company statement.
“As Sierra Space expands production, advances key programs across civil and defense business, and supports growing customer demand, this is an exciting time to bring in a CEO with a track record of operational execution and disciplined growth,” he said.
In addition to his industry leadership experience, Jablonsky began his career as a surface warfare officer and nuclear engineer in the U.S. Navy and holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and a law degree from the University of Washington.
He joins Sierra Space as the company prepares for a free-flyer demonstration of its Dream Chaser spaceplane later this year; builds 18 missile warning/missile tracking satellites for the Space Development Agency; and produces a number of subsystems, including solar power systems and docking mechanisms for various partners.
In the company statement, Jablonsky credited Sierra Space’s “meaningful technical depth and strong customer partnerships across national security and civil space."
“I appreciate the board’s confidence and look forward to working with the team to scale execution, strengthen operational performance and deliver critical capabilities to our customers,” he said.
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