All Team Members

Kurt Kuntzelman

Partner

Kurt Kuntzelman is the Chief Defense & Space Office at RS21 and a seasoned executive with an impressive 33-year record of business development, program management, satellite operations, and lifecycle expertise for multi-billion-dollar global space system networks.

Kurt has notable experience implementing large space projects for both the Defense Department and the U.S. Intelligence Community, bringing together teams from different nations, agencies, and companies to work together. Further underscoring his expertise and leadership in space and defense, Kurt also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Professional Aerospace Contractors Association (PACA) of New Mexico and is a Partner with Elara Nova: The Space Consultancy.

Prior to RS21, Kurt served as Vice President of Space Growth at Parsons Corporation, where he oversaw the company’s space-related business strategy and development in the defense and intelligence market, highlighting his commitment to shaping the future of national security and global infrastructure. Kurt also made significant contributions to Braxton Science and Technologies, SAIC, Engility and TASC.

A retired Colonel from the U.S. Air Force, Kurt’s military career is marked by distinguished leadership in space operations, program management and logistics. His last active-duty assignment was as Chair of the Space Industry Study and Associate Professor at National Defense University’s The Eisenhower School.

Kurt is also a National Defense Fellow from MIT and has a bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a Master of Science in Systems Management – Space Systems from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and an MBA from the University of South Dakota.