Will Pomerantz
@pomerantz.bsky.social
Head of Space at AeroVironment - my team makes Mars helicopters. Co-Founder, Brooke Owens Fellowship and Patti Grace Fellowship. Former planetary scientist. Husband, Dad, and Den Leader
Godspeed, ESCAPADE!
Congratulations to NASA and its partners, especially Rocket Lab and UC Berkeley.
And double congratulations to Blue Origin on and incredible day. That was a heck of a lot of fun. So great to see New Glenn GS1 stick the landing. That is very impressive!!
Congratulations to NASA and its partners, especially Rocket Lab and UC Berkeley.
And double congratulations to Blue Origin on and incredible day. That was a heck of a lot of fun. So great to see New Glenn GS1 stick the landing. That is very impressive!!
November 13, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Godspeed, ESCAPADE!
Congratulations to NASA and its partners, especially Rocket Lab and UC Berkeley.
And double congratulations to Blue Origin on and incredible day. That was a heck of a lot of fun. So great to see New Glenn GS1 stick the landing. That is very impressive!!
Congratulations to NASA and its partners, especially Rocket Lab and UC Berkeley.
And double congratulations to Blue Origin on and incredible day. That was a heck of a lot of fun. So great to see New Glenn GS1 stick the landing. That is very impressive!!
Aerospace work is fun, important, and really, really challenging. We need ideas from every perspective if we are going to accomplish the ambitious things that we all dream of doing. To succeed, we need you.
October 9, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Aerospace work is fun, important, and really, really challenging. We need ideas from every perspective if we are going to accomplish the ambitious things that we all dream of doing. To succeed, we need you.
So, undergrads, if you feel like you need more aerospace in your life, please know this: the aerospace community needs you just as much as you need it.
October 9, 2025 at 8:53 PM
So, undergrads, if you feel like you need more aerospace in your life, please know this: the aerospace community needs you just as much as you need it.
We named the Fellowship after Patti Grace Smith, a vital pillar in the aerospace community and key player the origin story of our modern commercial space industry -- as well as an incredible civil rights pioneer and a true role model of mine.
October 9, 2025 at 8:49 PM
We named the Fellowship after Patti Grace Smith, a vital pillar in the aerospace community and key player the origin story of our modern commercial space industry -- as well as an incredible civil rights pioneer and a true role model of mine.
Please spread the word to all of the US undergraduates in your network: you have just over a week to complete and submit your application to the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship!
pgsfellowship.org
pgsfellowship.org
October 9, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Please spread the word to all of the US undergraduates in your network: you have just over a week to complete and submit your application to the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship!
pgsfellowship.org
pgsfellowship.org
As he completed the first ever US spacewalk on June 3rd, 1965, Ed White said: “I'm coming back in... and it's the saddest moment of my life.”
It’s a relatable sentiment for far too many in the US space community right now!
It’s a relatable sentiment for far too many in the US space community right now!
June 3, 2025 at 2:31 PM
As he completed the first ever US spacewalk on June 3rd, 1965, Ed White said: “I'm coming back in... and it's the saddest moment of my life.”
It’s a relatable sentiment for far too many in the US space community right now!
It’s a relatable sentiment for far too many in the US space community right now!
At the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference for the first time in 22 years! What fun that my career has circled back around to Mars. If you want to talk Mars helicopters, stop by Row 19b #LPSC2025
March 11, 2025 at 10:46 PM
At the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference for the first time in 22 years! What fun that my career has circled back around to Mars. If you want to talk Mars helicopters, stop by Row 19b #LPSC2025
Left: The title slide from the Aug-2006 final presentation of a NASA-commissioned study that I led, which found that a Lunar X PRIZE would spur an industry from which NASA could buy lunar missions and data.
Right: A photo taken by Firefly's lander from the surface of the Moon on March 2, 2025.
Right: A photo taken by Firefly's lander from the surface of the Moon on March 2, 2025.
March 3, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Left: The title slide from the Aug-2006 final presentation of a NASA-commissioned study that I led, which found that a Lunar X PRIZE would spur an industry from which NASA could buy lunar missions and data.
Right: A photo taken by Firefly's lander from the surface of the Moon on March 2, 2025.
Right: A photo taken by Firefly's lander from the surface of the Moon on March 2, 2025.
Please join me in giving a warm welcome to the 35 incredible undergraduate students who have earned a Patti Grace Smith Fellowship!
February 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Please join me in giving a warm welcome to the 35 incredible undergraduate students who have earned a Patti Grace Smith Fellowship!
I'm getting to my annual traditional a little late, given the chaos of the world right now. Still, I always enjoy doing this.
Here's my year in books! Here's what I read, in the order I read it. Thanks to all of the authors for their work -- creating a book is a labor of love!
Here's my year in books! Here's what I read, in the order I read it. Thanks to all of the authors for their work -- creating a book is a labor of love!
January 25, 2025 at 11:34 PM
I'm getting to my annual traditional a little late, given the chaos of the world right now. Still, I always enjoy doing this.
Here's my year in books! Here's what I read, in the order I read it. Thanks to all of the authors for their work -- creating a book is a labor of love!
Here's my year in books! Here's what I read, in the order I read it. Thanks to all of the authors for their work -- creating a book is a labor of love!
In next few hours (if schedules hold), two different Google Lunar XPRIZE heritage teams will launch their latest robotic lunar landers aboard the same rocket.
January 14, 2025 at 11:57 PM
In next few hours (if schedules hold), two different Google Lunar XPRIZE heritage teams will launch their latest robotic lunar landers aboard the same rocket.
I am proud of my AeroVironment Mars helicopter team! Along with our friends from NASA JPL and La Cañada Flintridge, we won the Innovation Award for the 2025 Rose Parade with the first flying drone as part of the float (among many other firsts!).
January 1, 2025 at 5:08 PM
I am proud of my AeroVironment Mars helicopter team! Along with our friends from NASA JPL and La Cañada Flintridge, we won the Innovation Award for the 2025 Rose Parade with the first flying drone as part of the float (among many other firsts!).
I joined the board of Open Lunar earlier this year, and I have been extremely impressed by the vision of the organization, the caliber of the people in its orbit, and the tangible, impactful steps that Open Lunar is already taking towards such a futuristic-seeming goal.
December 31, 2024 at 9:31 PM
I joined the board of Open Lunar earlier this year, and I have been extremely impressed by the vision of the organization, the caliber of the people in its orbit, and the tangible, impactful steps that Open Lunar is already taking towards such a futuristic-seeming goal.
Very cool, very uncommon job opportunity: apply now to be the (co-) Executive Director or the Director of Operations for the Open Lunar Foundation.
If you are an aerospace professional seeking a new opportunity as we roll into a new year, these are excellent jobs
www.openlunar.org/blog/hiring-...
If you are an aerospace professional seeking a new opportunity as we roll into a new year, these are excellent jobs
www.openlunar.org/blog/hiring-...
December 31, 2024 at 9:31 PM
Very cool, very uncommon job opportunity: apply now to be the (co-) Executive Director or the Director of Operations for the Open Lunar Foundation.
If you are an aerospace professional seeking a new opportunity as we roll into a new year, these are excellent jobs
www.openlunar.org/blog/hiring-...
If you are an aerospace professional seeking a new opportunity as we roll into a new year, these are excellent jobs
www.openlunar.org/blog/hiring-...
It's not hard at all to imagine future drones catching a ride with the cool systems that several different companies are planning (or to imagine dozens of them emerging as a flock of Martian helicopters from a vehicle as large as Starship!).
December 17, 2024 at 4:49 PM
It's not hard at all to imagine future drones catching a ride with the cool systems that several different companies are planning (or to imagine dozens of them emerging as a flock of Martian helicopters from a vehicle as large as Starship!).
While our friends at JPL focus primarily on a much larger system (the very cool "Chopper" concept pictured here), our AeroVironment team has kept most of our attention on vehicles only slightly larger than Ingenuity and the twin Sample Recovery Helicopters.
December 17, 2024 at 4:49 PM
While our friends at JPL focus primarily on a much larger system (the very cool "Chopper" concept pictured here), our AeroVironment team has kept most of our attention on vehicles only slightly larger than Ingenuity and the twin Sample Recovery Helicopters.
Last week, several teammates and I presented an e-poster at the #AGU24 conference highlighting a few of the science capabilities of future Mars helicopters.
📜: agu24.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx...
🧵👇
📜: agu24.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx...
🧵👇
December 17, 2024 at 4:49 PM
Last week, several teammates and I presented an e-poster at the #AGU24 conference highlighting a few of the science capabilities of future Mars helicopters.
📜: agu24.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx...
🧵👇
📜: agu24.ipostersessions.com/Default.aspx...
🧵👇
Today, our colleagues at @NASA gave an update on the joint @NASAJPL + @aerovironment investigation into Ingenuity's final flight.
A thread 🧵
A thread 🧵
December 11, 2024 at 9:43 PM
Today, our colleagues at @NASA gave an update on the joint @NASAJPL + @aerovironment investigation into Ingenuity's final flight.
A thread 🧵
A thread 🧵
At this point, 20% of Brooke Owen + Patti Grace Smith Fellowship (volunteer) executives have been to space. I’m starting to like my odds! 😂
November 22, 2024 at 9:26 PM
At this point, 20% of Brooke Owen + Patti Grace Smith Fellowship (volunteer) executives have been to space. I’m starting to like my odds! 😂
Calmly narrating key flight milestones while pulling three g’s, then likening her astronaut Overview Effect to seeing her children right seconds after giving birth. Name a more iconic Emily Calandrelli moment. So happy for my friend and Brooke Owens Fellowship colleague!
👩🚀👸🏻
👩🚀👸🏻
November 22, 2024 at 4:12 PM
Calmly narrating key flight milestones while pulling three g’s, then likening her astronaut Overview Effect to seeing her children right seconds after giving birth. Name a more iconic Emily Calandrelli moment. So happy for my friend and Brooke Owens Fellowship colleague!
👩🚀👸🏻
👩🚀👸🏻
When you are given a chance to shape the future, always always always take it.
November 5, 2024 at 5:02 PM
When you are given a chance to shape the future, always always always take it.
Clicking "submit" on your application to become a Patti Grace Smith Fellow may well be the first step on your way to being "transcendent trailblazers" like Patti herself.
Life is busy, but we all need to find moments to invest in ourselves. This is one of those moments.
Good luck!
Life is busy, but we all need to find moments to invest in ourselves. This is one of those moments.
Good luck!
October 4, 2024 at 4:30 PM
Clicking "submit" on your application to become a Patti Grace Smith Fellow may well be the first step on your way to being "transcendent trailblazers" like Patti herself.
Life is busy, but we all need to find moments to invest in ourselves. This is one of those moments.
Good luck!
Life is busy, but we all need to find moments to invest in ourselves. This is one of those moments.
Good luck!
Students, I encourage you: crack your knuckles, click that Apply link, and tell us all about yourself and your aerospace ambitions.
Professors and advisors, today is a great day to reach out to your students to give them a supportive nudge.
Professors and advisors, today is a great day to reach out to your students to give them a supportive nudge.
October 4, 2024 at 4:28 PM
Students, I encourage you: crack your knuckles, click that Apply link, and tell us all about yourself and your aerospace ambitions.
Professors and advisors, today is a great day to reach out to your students to give them a supportive nudge.
Professors and advisors, today is a great day to reach out to your students to give them a supportive nudge.
Coming up this evening: a free workshop with tips on writing effective resumes, open to all Patti Grace Smith Fellowship applicants.
This is the first time we are offering this to all of our applicants, and it will not (cannot) be recorded. So please tune in!
us06web.zoom.us/j/84796443676
This is the first time we are offering this to all of our applicants, and it will not (cannot) be recorded. So please tune in!
us06web.zoom.us/j/84796443676
September 25, 2024 at 4:48 PM
Coming up this evening: a free workshop with tips on writing effective resumes, open to all Patti Grace Smith Fellowship applicants.
This is the first time we are offering this to all of our applicants, and it will not (cannot) be recorded. So please tune in!
us06web.zoom.us/j/84796443676
This is the first time we are offering this to all of our applicants, and it will not (cannot) be recorded. So please tune in!
us06web.zoom.us/j/84796443676
For students interested in the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship (helps Black undergraduates get started towards aerospace careers w/ internships, mentorship, scholarships, & more), check out these upcoming info sessions!
Link to tonight’s session: us06web.zoom.us/j/8686698485...
Link to tonight’s session: us06web.zoom.us/j/8686698485...
September 17, 2024 at 9:17 PM
For students interested in the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship (helps Black undergraduates get started towards aerospace careers w/ internships, mentorship, scholarships, & more), check out these upcoming info sessions!
Link to tonight’s session: us06web.zoom.us/j/8686698485...
Link to tonight’s session: us06web.zoom.us/j/8686698485...