= Gary Barnhard =

|| {{attachment:barnhard.jpg}} || is a robotic, space, and computer systems engineer -- a self described synergistic technological philanthropist, entrepreneur, and serial venture capitalist.<<BR>><<BR>><<BR>>Gary Barnhard is the President & CEO of [[ http://www.xisp-inc.com | Xtraordinary Innovative Space Partnerships]], Inc., a start-up company focused on International Space Station technology development work, and [[ http://www.xisp.net | Barnhard Associates ]], LLC, a systems engineering consulting firm and Internet Service Provider (Xisp.net) based in Cabin John, Maryland. He is a robotic space systems engineer whose professional work includes a wide range of robotic, space, and computer systems engineering projects. ||

Mr. Barnhard received a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Maryland College Park (UMCP)
in 1982 combining Aerospace Engineering, Materials Science, with graduate work in science policy, solar
physics, and artificial intelligence/knowledge based systems.

He was awarded a grant to participate in NASA's Graduate Student Researchers Program under the auspices of NASA
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) and the UMCP Aerospace Engineering Department. His work with the GSFC
Advanced Missions Analysis Office included serving on the NASA Headquarters Space Station Mission Requirements
Working Group Technology Development Missions Working Group. His work with the GSFC Mission and Data Operations
Director included supporting the development of the Space Station User Information System Requirements. His
thesis work on "the application of knowledge based systems to the domain of spacecraft systems engineering" was
published by the UMCP Aerospace Engineering Department and was subsequently implemented as a research and
development project at the NASA GSFC.

Mr. Barnhard served as a Space Systems Engineer and Information Systems Architect for EER Systems, and as a
Senior Space Systems Engineer on the Grumman Space Station Systems Engineering and Integration Contract (SSEIC)
responsible for advanced automation and robotic systems support. He was the Executive Secretary of the Space
Station Freedom Program Robotics Working Group and received a NASA Group Achievement Award for the Robotic
Systems Integration Standards Interface Design Review Team, as well as an Outstanding Support Award from the
Canadian Space Agency Space Station Freedom Program Liaison Office. Mr. Barnhard is an Associate Fellow of the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).

Over the last 37 years he has been extensively involved in the space advocacy community: as the co-founder and
Executive Director of the Maryland Alliance for Space Colonization (MASC) one of the most successful
chapters/affiliates of the L5 Society, as founder and Executive Director of the Space Development Foundation,
as a frequent public speaker on space advocacy issues, as an organizer of space related educational programs
and conferences, and as participant in many other space advocacy organization activities.

He is a Life Member of the [[ http://nss.org | National Space Society]] 
and has served as an At-Large member of the NSS Board of Directors from 2004-2008, 
and as the Chairman of the NSS Executive Committee/Chief Executive Officer from 2004-2010, 
Executive Director of the Society from 2010-2012, and Vice President At Large in 2012. 
He received the National Space Society's Space Pioneer Award in 2004 and the NSS Award for Excellence in 2005 and 2008 for
his efforts to further the goals of the Society.

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