Hitchhiker Orbital Appoints Robert Call as Chief Executive Officer
Orbital infrastructure company is preparing its Pod platform and Common Client Connector for the post-ISS era
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Hitchhiker Orbital Inc. (HHO), a space technology firm designing scalable, multi-purpose and modular enclosures for microgravity environments, today announced that its Board of Directors appointed Robert Call as Chief Executive Officer on September 19, 2026. Founder David R. Palmer, who architected the company’s core technology, continues as Chief Technology Officer, focused on engineering and intellectual property.
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Robert Call (photo credit: R. Call)
“We founded Hitchhiker Orbital on a clear conviction: Space is hard but accessing an orbital lab should not be,” said David R. Palmer, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of HHO. “We have done our design work from first principles. The next step is putting it in front of mission operators and payload scientists and letting their requirements shape what we build. Rob brings the customer relationships and commercial discipline to open those doors, so our engineers can focus on the design.”
“HHO is building infrastructure for one of the most important deadlines in space commerce,” said Robert Call, Chief Executive Officer of HHO. “NASA plans to retire the International Space Station after 2030, and researchers and manufacturers will need a new platform on orbit. My job is execution: Turning early interest into committed customers and funding the path to flight.”
Mr. Call brings nearly two decades in NewSpace. As Chief Commercial Officer of Pumpkin Inc., he helped grow the satellite maker from 4 to 20 people and closed its sale of 12 satellite buses to the National Reconnaissance Office. He later led NewSpace business development at Swedish Space Corporation. Most recently, he served as Program Manager, Space Vehicles at NovaWurks, responsible for spacecraft delivery and a launch campaign for a joint NASA, NOAA and U.S. Space Force mission. He began his career at Bain & Company and holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Stanford University.
Meet HHO at Silicon Valley Space Week, October 27-29 (https://svspaceweek.com/sponsor/hitchhiker-orbital-inc/).
About Hitchhiker Orbital Inc.
Hitchhiker Orbital Inc. (HHO) is a space technology firm dedicated to improving access to orbital infrastructure. By designing multi-purpose, modular enclosures, HHO lowers the cost and complexity of bringing advanced manufacturing, life science research and materials development into microgravity environments. Organizations interested in operating in microgravity may contact dpalmer@hitchhikerorbital.com.
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