SpinLaunch Appoints Aerospace Pioneer Dómhnal Slattery and Defense & Satcom Veteran Peter Hadinger to Advisory Board

Appointments strengthen SpinLaunch’s leadership in defense and sovereign partnerships as the Meridian constellation transitions from development to operational deployment.

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SpinLaunch, a pioneer of disruptive space solutions, today announced the appointment of aerospace pioneer and investor Dómhnal Slattery and Peter Hadinger, who previously served as Chief Technology Officer and as President, US Government at Inmarsat, to the SpinLaunch Advisory Board.

The appointments mark an important milestone in the company’s mission to scale the Meridian constellation - a highly differentiated, low-CAPEX LEO broadband system purpose-built to support defense, government, and sovereign communications. Slattery and Hadinger bring a proven track record across aerospace finance, secure satellite platforms, and national-level communications networks, reinforcing SpinLaunch’s growing role as a trusted partner in resilient, interoperable global satcom infrastructure.

“Dómhnal and Peter each bring a remarkable combination of expertise and perspective that will be invaluable as we expand Meridian’s reach across commercial and sovereign markets,” said Massimiliano Ladovaz, CEO of SpinLaunch. “Their experience across aerospace and defense systems, corporate finance, capital raising, and large-scale commercialization will help position Meridian as a cornerstone for secure global connectivity.”

Dómhnal Slattery is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading aviation-finance pioneers. As founding CEO of Avolon, he built one of the largest aircraft leasing companies globally with a balance sheet approaching $30 billion. Slattery currently serves as CEO and Chairman of Clahane Capital, as well as Chairman of Vertical Aerospace (NYSE: EVTL), a company electrifying air travel through zero-emissions aircraft. Over the past three decades, the businesses Slattery has built have raised and deployed more than $75 billion to finance aircraft for airlines and aircraft investors around the world. Slattery previously served as Chairman of the SpinLaunch Board of Directors, providing early strategic guidance as the company expanded into satellite communications systems.

“I’ve had the privilege of seeing the vision for Meridian from its earliest stages,” said Slattery. “What the team has achieved in such a short time - technically, commercially, and strategically - is a testament to their discipline and credibility. I’m delighted to continue supporting SpinLaunch as it turns that vision into reality.”

Peter Hadinger brings more than four decades of technical and executive leadership in satellite communications, defense systems, and advanced space technologies. At Inmarsat, he served as President, US Government and later as corporate CTO, overseeing the company’s global satellite and ground-network development. Earlier in his career, he spent three decades at TRW/Northrop Grumman developing major spacecraft and secure-communications programs. Hadinger has also held key industry leadership roles, helping craft the global Telecom Services Agreement at the WTO and serving as Vice-Chair of both the FCC’s WRC Advisory Committee and the Satellite Task Force for the President’s National Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee.

“SpinLaunch represents the kind of innovation that can redefine how resilient and sovereign space infrastructure is built,” said Hadinger. “As defense and government users increasingly depend on assured, adaptable connectivity, the Meridian constellation offers a capable and cost-effective foundation for secure global communications.”

Following recent funding and reflectarray antenna validation milestones, SpinLaunch continues to expand its partnerships and capabilities to meet growing global demand for sovereign and defense-grade satellite communications infrastructure.

About SpinLaunch

SpinLaunch is a space technology company revolutionizing how we access and operate in space. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company has demonstrated a fundamentally new approach to launch and satellite communications. In 2025, SpinLaunch introduced Meridian Space, a next-generation technology platform designed to dramatically lower the cost and complexity of deploying satellite infrastructure. SpinLaunch is building the foundational technologies for a new era of scalable, affordable space access and connectivity. Learn more at www.spinlaunch.com.