Stoke Space Adds Kevin Weil to Board of Directors

Stoke Space has appointed technology executive Kevin Weil to its board of directors as the company advances development of Nova, its fully reusable medium lift launch vehicle. The addition reflects Stoke’s continued effort to bring experienced leadership into the commercial launch sector as it moves toward operational readiness.

Leadership Experience Across Global Technology Platforms

Weil has spent more than twenty years helping scale some of the world’s most widely used technology products. His leadership roles at OpenAI, Planet Labs, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter placed him at the center of product development for platforms that reach billions of users. He contributed to the teams that took Twitter and Planet public and helped guide products including Instagram and ChatGPT into global adoption. Most recently, he served as vice president of science at OpenAI, where he focused on applying artificial intelligence to accelerate scientific discovery.

Strategic Insight for Reusable Launch Development

Stoke Space co founder and CEO Andy Lapsa said Weil’s experience building organizations through periods of rapid innovation will support the company as it transitions from development to commercial operations. Lapsa noted that Weil’s background in scaling breakthrough technologies into durable businesses aligns with Stoke’s long term vision for fully and rapidly reusable space transportation.

Weil said the next era of space access will depend on both technical advances and the ability to deliver reliable, affordable, and routine launch services. He highlighted Stoke’s engineering team and its commitment to full reusability as key factors in joining the board.

Background in Science and Industry Leadership

Weil earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and mathematics from Harvard University and a master’s degree in physics from Stanford University. He also serves on the boards of Cisco and The Nature Conservancy and is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

Stoke Space’s Mission in the Evolving Launch Market

Stoke Space is developing the fully and rapidly reusable Nova rocket along with other space vehicles designed for aircraft like operational cadence. The company aims to provide low cost, on demand transportation to, through, and from space as the broader space economy expands. Its technology development has been supported by the United States Space Force, DIU, NASA, the National Science Foundation, and other government and private partners.