Thomas Ainsworth is the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration and the Space Service Acquisition Executive. He is currently performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, the Pentagon, Arlington, Virginia. In this role, he leads the SAF/SQ organization in the acquisition of the nation’s space warfighting capabilities.
Mr. Ainsworth leverages many years of government and commercial industry experience developing systems for critical United States space missions, including intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; space control; missile defense; early warning and satellite communications.
Throughout his career, Mr. Ainsworth has served in several key technical leadership roles. Prior to his current position, he was the Technical Director for the Department of War’s Golden Dome for America program. Before joining Golden Dome for America, Mr. Ainsworth served as the Chief Architect for Task Force-Futures in the United States Space Force. Mr. Ainsworth began his public service at the Strategic Capabilities Office and led the development of joint force space capabilities as the Director of Space and Counterspace Programs.
Prior to joining the U.S. Government, Mr. Ainsworth supported the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in the development of advanced space technologies. He began his career at Northrop Grumman’s Space Park, where he helped design and build payloads and satellite systems, including the Space Based Infrared System early warning system, the Advanced EHF military satellite communications system and the Space Tracking and Surveillance System for the Missile Defense Agency.
EDUCATION
2004 Bachelor of Science, Computer Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Ind.
2006 Master of Science, Computer Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif.
CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. June 2004–August 2009, Senior Member of the Technical Staff, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Redondo Beach, Calif.
2. August 2009–April 2011, Project Engineer supporting the National Reconnaissance Office, The Aerospace Corporation, Chantilly, Va.
3. April 2011–March 2012, Senior Principal Engineer supporting the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Space Systems Integration, LLC, Chantilly, Va.
4. March 2012–March 2015, Senior Principal Engineer supporting the National Reconnaissance Office, Space Systems Integration, LLC, Chantilly, Va.
5. March 2015–March 2018, Senior Principal Engineer supporting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Space Systems Integration, LLC, Chantilly, Va.
6. March 2018–March 2022, Program Manager, Office of the Secretary of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office, Chantilly, Va.
7. March 2022–Oct 2024, Director of Space and Counterspace Programs, Office of the Secretary of Defense Strategic Capabilities Office, Chantilly, Va.
8. October 2024–Jul 2025, Chief Architect, Task Force-Futures, Arlington, Va.
9. July 2025–December 2025, Technical Director, Golden Dome for America, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
10. January 2026–present, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Space Acquisition and Integration and the Space Service Acquisition Executive, currently performing the duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and Integration, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
(Current as of March 2026)