NM LEEP program helps propel space technology startup to new heights

A little push is often all it takes to rocket big dreams into reality. However, Scott Ziegler didn't start out dreaming of designing novel solutions for space operations. As a child, he grew up around his father’s machine shop, where he saw firsthand the kind of curiosity that engineering could bring out in others. As a teenager, Ziegler started channeling that curiosity into early entrepreneurial efforts by designing and selling drone parts and electronic vehicle battery cooling systems.

“From a young age, I loved building, experimenting and learning how mechanical systems worked,” said Ziegler. “That early exposure sparked a deep passion for design and problem-solving.”

With Ziegler’s early experiences, it was a no-brainer to pursue engineering, and to set his sights on developing big ideas and solving complex technical problems. Choosing a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) career was “a natural calling,” explained Ziegler. He graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering and earned a Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering with a concentration in control of autonomous and robotic systems from the University of California (UC), Berkeley.

While at UC Berkeley, Ziegler co-founded Space Kinetic, a technology startup aimed at revolutionizing space operations for national security. Ziegler notes that at the time, as a student-founded startup with a high-risk set of technical challenges, the fledgling company had limited resources. So, Ziegler applied to the New Mexico Lab Embedded Entrepreneur Program (NM LEEP) fellowship program through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). Through his fellowship at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), NM LEEP gave Space Kinetic the boost it needed.

It’s a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, collaborate alongside some of the brightest minds in science and engineering and contribute to projects with real national impact. The program offers a level of exposure, responsibility and support that is hard to find elsewhere, especially for early-stage innovators looking to make a mark.”  —Scott Ziegler

As an NM LEEP participant and Space Kinetic founder, Ziegler exemplified the program’s impact by wearing many hats. He remained the technical development lead for the company and oversaw the machine shop under the guidance of expert mentors. Through partnerships with the National Nuclear Security Administration, the state of New Mexico and the Department of Defense, and with access to the unparalleled expertise and facilities of Los Alamos, Ziegler drove Space Kinetic’s evolution from a “back of the napkin" sketch to a brass-board system prototype and gained firsthand experience in federal program management. Additionally, the NM LEEP program offered access to an extensive network of experts and investors in the space environment, which played a pivotal role in shaping prototype development and product strategy. This support enabled Ziegler to raise funding, author compelling proposals, develop sophisticated simulations and create effective marketing materials.

Space Kinetic’s core technology, an electromechanical system which deploys low-cost payloads from a host spacecraft without firing a thruster, is uniquely positioned to support urgent missile defense and space superiority priorities. “As the threats in the space domain become more numerous and more lethal, we believe that we need completely new paradigms for addressing them — and we're working on the cutting edge of space operations to deliver exactly this kind of solution,” explained Ziegler.

Ziegler credits NM LEEP for helping get Space Kinetic off the ground, assisting with gaining credibility in the sector and accelerating the startup’s growth. He’s thankful for the connections he’s made and the mentors from LANL that guided him as a scientist and as an entrepreneur. He greatly recommends the program to other eager minds.

“It’s a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technology, collaborate alongside some of the brightest minds in science and engineering and contribute to projects with real national impact,” said Ziegler. “The program offers a level of exposure, responsibility and support that is hard to find elsewhere, especially for early-stage innovators looking to make a mark.”

Ziegler’s big dreams have continued to evolve from those early experiences tinkering in his father’s machine shop. With the skills he’s learned, perseverance and the help of other passionate STEM collaborators, Ziegler hopes to continue making his mark on engineering, technology and national security through Space Kinetic.

The New Mexico LEEP program is sponsored by the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), the state of New Mexico, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE). ORISE is managed for DOE by ORAU.