- SDA announces the appointment of GP Sandhoo as director and Space Force PAE
- Michael Eppolito assumes the SDA deputy director role
- Sandhoo is a confirmed speaker at the 2026 Air and Space Summit, which will cover commercial space relay, AI and interoperable optical networks
Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo, acting director of the Space Development Agency, has been appointed as director of SDA and the U.S. Space Force’s portfolio acquisition executive for missile warning and tracking.
Don’t miss GP Sandhoo speaking alongside leadership from AFRL, Space Force and Nightwing on the Win or Lose – The Speed of Military Technology Advancement panel at the 2026 Air and Space Summit on July 30. The event will bring together defense and aerospace leaders to explore commercial space relay, AI and machine learning, interoperable optical networks and more. Sign up now!
SDA said Tuesday Sandhoo will continue to oversee acquisition and delivery efforts for Tranches 1 and 2 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture, or PWSA, a constellation of satellites in proliferated low Earth orbit designed to support tactical communications and missile warning and tracking capabilities in support of joint warfighters.
Thomas Ainsworth, performing the duties of assistant secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration, said Sandhoo brings extensive experience to the role and will also take on new acquisition executive responsibilities.
“Our guiding principle is to provide every PAE with the things they need to succeed including the authority, the resources, and the talent to execute their mission. This effort reflects a renewed focus on aligning authorities with accountability, and a strategic commitment to accomplish the global missile warning and tracking mission,” Ainsworth said.
Who Will Serve as SDA Deputy Director?
Michael Eppolito, currently acting deputy director and chief program officer, will serve as SDA deputy director. He has been with SDA since 2020.
He previously served as Battle Management Cell chief and Tranche 0 program director at SDA.
Eppolito held program management positions at several companies, including Exelis, Harris and L3Harris Technologies.
Who Is GP Sandhoo?
Sandhoo most recently served as interim SDA director, a role he assumed in September.
In July 2025, he joined SDA as deputy director, succeeding Ryan Frigm, the agency’s first deputy chief.
Prior to SDA, he held executive leadership roles as vice president and chief architect at Quantum Space and director for emerging technologies at Northrop Grumman.
His government experience includes serving as deputy director at the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Agency; leading the Spacecraft Engineering Division at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory; and serving as director of the Naval Center of Space Technology. He also served as the National Reconnaissance Office liaison to the Security Assistance Group-Ukraine and senior scientist for the space portfolio at the Defense Innovation Unit.
Earlier in his career, Sandhoo worked as a flight controller at NASA’s Johnson Space Center and as a research and development engineer at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland and a doctorate in aeronautics, astronautics and propulsion from George Washington University.
