Q&A with Alvin Garcia, Director of GNC and Mission Ops

Meet Alvin Garcia, Director of GNC and Mission Ops!

Alvin brings nearly two decades of spacecraft GNC and mission operations leadership to Apex, including roles at SpaceX, Millennium Space Systems, Northrop Grumman, and ABL Space Systems.

As Apex’s Director of GNC and Mission Operations, Alvin oversees the development of the algorithms that control the spacecraft, the creation of hardware-in-the-loop platforms used to rigorously test those algorithms, and the team that conducts all on-orbit mission operations. He holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering and an M.S. in Astronautical Engineering from USC.

Learn more about Alvin below:

Q: What excites you the most about working at a company like Apex?

I’ve worked in aerospace for some time, and what excites me most about what we’re doing at Apex is redefining how business is traditionally done in this industry. Beyond building an exceptional product, I’m passionate about using my experience to help build a lasting team and company. One that continues to challenge the status quo and shape the future of aerospace.

Q: Why are you excited about space?

Where to start. Space has always been a place where we turn the impossible into possible, make science fiction into reality, and imagine explorations beyond what we know.

Since childhood, I have been fascinated by what lies beyond and inspired by achievements during the Shuttle and Apollo eras.

Now, as a professional working in a dynamic and exciting era akin to Apollo's, I am fulfilling a childhood dream to help shape what comes next.

Q: What’s something you learned in your most recent role that you’re bringing to Apex?

One of the most important lessons I learned in my previous role is the true value of ownership. It’s not just about completing your assigned tasks; it’s about ensuring that, wherever your work connects with others, you remain committed to the overall outcome. Even when challenges arise outside your direct responsibilities, having the drive to step up and help solve them is essential.

Q: How do you see the role of GNC & Mission Ops here at Apex, and how is it supporting the mass-manufacturing of Apex’s satellite platforms?

What our team does lies at the core of enabling satellite platform manufacturing at scale. It starts with vehicle design, ensuring we build simple, robust systems. This extends into how we design our algorithms, embedding the right level of autonomy so each vehicle can operate reliably. We support this with comprehensive regression and automation tooling, allowing tests and validations to run continuously while engineers focus on higher-value work. And we ensure the onboard automation is equally strong, so if issues arise on orbit, the spacecraft can transition to a safe state and return to normal operation as quickly as possible.

Q: You are somewhat new here at Apex. What has surprised you the most so far?

The biggest surprise about working at Apex is how focused and mission-driven the company is.

In its short existence, Apex has produced and sold real products, not just slides and PowerPoint charts.

Apex gets things done.

Q: Tell us a bit about what you do in your free time.

In my free time, I enjoy being a husband and father. I aim to instill in my kids a sense of wonder and a quest for knowledge essential for the next generation of professionals in our industry.