Nicholas Cummings

Senior Director, Government Systems Advanced Development
SpaceX

As the Sr Director of Program Development at SpaceX, Mr. Cummings leads development of new launch, in-space, and interplanetary applications for US Government customers such as NASA and the US Space Force. Prior to joining SpaceX in early 2019, he served as Senator Bill Nelson’s Staff Director for the Space and Science Subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee, overseeing policy development for civil space, national security space, commercial space, science, and technology. While in the Senate, Mr. Cummings played a significant role in developing and passing into law the first major reauthorization of NASA in seven years, a comprehensive national science and technology policy overhaul, significant updates in national security launch policies, and a sweeping update of the commercial space regulatory and policy regime.

Prior to his time in the Senate, Mr. Cummings worked for NASA at the Kennedy Space Center in a variety of engineering and leadership roles. He began his career performing processing, testing, and Space Shuttle integration of International Space Station Elements and other Space Shuttle payloads and later led ground operations and launch site architectures for NASA’s exploration programs and emerging commercial space partnerships. Mr. Cummings has a M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida and a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Virginia Tech.

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Related Sessions

Building the Moon Base

Thursday, April 16, 2026

8:45 am - 9:30 am

Track: Symposium Program

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