US Army Missile Defense agency, Huntsville, Alabama
Missile Defense Agency 2020 Industry Innovation Summit .
The 2020 Innovation Summit is a two-part event in a CLASSIFIED, US ONLY environment.
Part 1 included a series of presentations to communicate MDA’s strategic vision and the Agency’s science and technology efforts, gaps and needs.
Ironstar Engineering, Founder John F. (Ian) Dargin was invited to participate in the Part 2 One on One session with a focus on the work being done with PRRISM.
PRRISM method and apparatus for removing orbital space debris from near Earth orbit using the Solar Wind: Platform for Redirecting and Removing Inert Space Material. (US Patent 10,501,212 B2)
John F. (Ian) Dargin III, Founder and Visionary
Inspired at an early age by the Apollo space program. During one duty assignment in his 22 years of military service, he served as an Air Force officer in the Space Test Program Office at Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station. While working on the Combined Release and Radiation Effects Satellite (CRRES) program - a joint DOD and NASA space science satellite mission - as Payload Project manager and Co-Chair of the Experimenters Working Group, he developed an interest in the science of the solar wind and its interaction with the Earth's geomagnetic field. Over time he devised a method to remove small space debris from near earth orbit and received a US patent in December 2019. He has over 50 years of experience in R&D, including systems engineering, space science research and project management working on large high tech programs with aerospace companies, the Department of Defense and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He has a broad experience base in product design, development and ground/ flight testing. His previous work experience has been with: Aerospace Corporation, Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, Boeing, Northrop-Grumman, Federal Aviation Administration, General Electric, Rockwell International, Ball Aerospace, Hughes, TRW, NASA Marshall, NASA Kennedy, Jet Propulsion Lab, ONR, NRL, AFWAL, AFPL, AF Geophysics Lab, US Navy and US Air Force. Ian holds a Masters degree in Administration from Central Michigan University; a Bachelors of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Parks College of Saint Louis University; and an Associate degree in Engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology. He has attended the National Test Pilot school for Flight Test and holds an FAA pilots license with an instrument rating. He is a Past Chairman (1999-2000) of the New England Council of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
His strong organizational skills, persistence and steadfastness in overcoming challenges has carried over from his personal life where he has completed 5 Ironman races, including a trip to the World Ironman Championships in Kona, HI in 2010.