As Rogue’s co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Michael Pica runs the research, development, and design department, which is the Rogue Space team tasked with bringing Orbot™ technology to life. Under Michael’s direction, his team ensures the design process results in fully-realized robotic solutions for the satellite industry.
“We don’t innovate for innovation-sake; it’s about finding the right solution for the problems we’re facing”, Pica says. “We have some really innovative solutions to some really tough problems facing the space community, and I’d like nothing more than to see our team fully develop those solutions and see them come to fruition so they can start making an impact.”
Dual-Degreed and Highly Skilled
From an early age, Michael was interested in mechanical designs used by people. This led him to earning a dual bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, and science technology and society from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. Through their Product Design and Innovation program, he gained the necessary skills to take on an overarching view of highly complex problems and develop simple, yet robust solutions covering all case-scenarios. Those skills have been called upon regularly throughout his career. He’s now applying them as he helps Rogue Space grow.
Exploring The Final Frontier
A fan of Star Trek, Michael ruminates on the reference to space being called “The Final Frontier.” He never imagined his experience would lead him to working on technology with space exploration capabilities. But, the concept of “developing solutions for humanity’s true modern frontier of space” resonates deeply within him. Digging into technical challenges and leaving his mark on this planet is what Pica strives to accomplish. Rogue Space and all of its potential may be the mark he was born to leave, and that is the force that drives him.
“Sometimes the best solution is finding the right combination of existing technologies and components,” he says. “And sometimes it’s building something from scratch where no solution existed before.”
Solving Technical Problems
Michael says many who know him think he never stops working, and with good reason. In his spare time, he likes to reverse engineer and document old arcade and video game technology, write a blog, and modify cars. He has a business bit-district.com which designs, 3D prints and ships parts. Pica also founded collectorsedition.org to catalog special, limited and collector’s edition releases of console games.
“I’m always interested in solving technical problems and I love every minute of that,” he says. “Whether I’m using those skills to develop the next generation of space technology, or using them to analyze and re-imagine 30 year-old video game or automotive technology.”
To connect with Michael, email: [email protected].