Bio

Thanks to the Delaware Valley Science Fair, where he won the opportunity to view a shuttle launch, Joe Bussenger learned about Florida Tech. He went on to choose Florida Tech to earn his bachelor of science in aerospace engineering in 2013.  Joe received the 2024 Jerome P. Keuper Distinguished Alumni Award at Florida Tech.

As a standout student, Joe won several awards, including the Northrop Grumman Best in Engineering Award and the United Technologies Award for Top Student in Engineering.   With such promising, young talent, Joe secured a position with SpaceX before he completed his degree.

He started as the lead engineer for recovery and landing operations, and he is now manager of offshore and landing operations engineering. Recovery, refurbishment, and reuse of orbital rocket boosters are critical to SpaceX’s goal of reducing the cost of access to space and ultimately enabling humans to live on other planets. He recently left SpaceX for a new role with Relativity Space.