Colonel Eric Zarybnisky is Program Executive Officer, Assured Access to Space, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. He is responsible for the acquisition, integration, development, production, operation, and sustainment of the $13.5B National Security Space Launch, Rocket System Launch, Launch and Test Range System, and Space Access and Servicing, Mobility, and Logistics programs. Col. Zarybnisky is also responsible for the safe and secure payload processing and launching of U.S. government and commercial satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. He leads government and contractor personnel at Patrick SFB and Cape Canaveral SFS in Fla., as well as at Los Angeles AFB, Calif. and Kirtland AFB, N.M. to execute these programs.
Col. Zarybnisky earned his commission from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2001 where he spent a semester on exchange to the U.S. Naval Academy. His previous assignments include Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training, launch vehicle engineering and analysis, satellite architecture analysis, command of a launch squadron, and graduate studies in Operations Research focusing on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle tasking, maintenance scheduling, and combinatorial optimization. He also deployed to Southwest Asia supporting OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM for the U.S. Air Forces Central, U.S. Central Command. Prior to assuming his current position, Col. Zarybnisky was the Director, Office of Space Launch, National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Va.
EDUCATION
2001 Bachelor of Science, Operations Research and Economics, United States Air Force Academy, Colo.
2003 Master of Science, Operations Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
2006 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.
2011 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
2011 Doctor of Philosophy, Operations Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
2018 Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, Newport, R.I.
2022 Senior Executive Fellowship, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. May 2001–May 2003, Master’s Student, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
2. May 2003–May 2004, Executive Officer, 80th Operations Support Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
3. May 2004–July 2005, Student Pilot, 80th Operations Support Squadron, Sheppard AFB, Texas
4. July 2005–May 2007, Chief, Launch Vehicle Analysis, National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), Los Angeles, Calif.
5. May 2007–August 2008, Chief Engineer, Launch Systems, NRO, Los Angeles, Calif.
6. August 2008–October 2011, Doctoral Candidate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge
7. October 2011–August 2012, Performance Modeling Analyst, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
8. August 2012–December 2013, Deputy Chief, Enterprise Analysis Division, NRO, Chantilly, Va. (May 2013–December 2013, Deputy Chief, Operational Assessment Team, 609th Air Operations Center, Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar)
9. December 2013–July 2015, Deputy Chief, Advanced Plans Branch, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
10. July 2015–July 2017, Commander, 4th Space Launch Squadron, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.
11. July 2017–July 2018, Student, Naval War College, Naval Station Newport, Newport, R.I.
12. July 2018–September 2020, Materiel Leader, Signals Intelligence Satellites Program Manager, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
13. September 2020–June 2021, Chief, Space System Acquisitions and Launch Division, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
14. July 2021–June 2023, Senior Materiel Leader Low Earth Orbit System Program Manager, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
15. June 2023–June 2025, Senior Materiel Leader, Office of Space Launch, NRO, Chantilly, Va.
16. June 2025–Present, Program Executive Officer, Assured Access to Space, Patrick SFB, Fla.
MAJOR AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Defense Superior Service Medal
Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters
Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster
Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster
Air Force Achievement Medal
OTHER ACHIEVEMENTS
2001 United States Air Force Academy, Top Economics Graduate
2006 Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Commander’s Trophy, Top Graduate, Space 100
2006 National Reconnaissance Office Company Grade Officer of the Year
2012 National Reconnaissance Office Director’s Circle
2015 National Reconnaissance Office Medal of Superior Performance
2021 Intelligence Community Acquisition Award for Outstanding Leadership
2025 National Reconnaissance Office Gold Medal
EFFECTIVE DATES OF PROMOTION
Second Lieutenant 30 May 2001
First Lieutenant 30 May 2003
Captain 30 May 2005
Major 1 January 2011
Lieutenant Colonel 1 February 2015
Colonel 1 February 2021
(Current as of July 2025)