Tejpaul Bhatia Appointed CEO of Axiom Space, Leading the Future of Human Spaceflight
Axiom Space, a trailblazing American space firm, has appointed Tejpaul Bhatia as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Bhatia, who has been serving as the company’s Chief Revenue Officer, succeeds Dr. Kam Ghaffarian, the previous CEO, executive chairman, and co-founder. While Dr. Ghaffarian will remain as executive chairman, Bhatia is now tasked with steering Axiom Space through an exciting period of growth and technological advancement in the field of human space exploration.
Having been captivated by space exploration from a young age, Bhatia expressed his excitement at the opportunity, stating, “Leading Axiom Space at this critical inflection point in human spaceflight is the realization of a lifelong ambition.” As a three-time startup founder, Bhatia brings a wealth of entrepreneurial experience to the company, including his pivotal role in spearheading landmark commercial spaceflight missions, such as Axiom Mission-1 (Ax-1) through Axiom Mission-4 (Ax-4), the first-ever sovereign government purchases of commercial human spaceflight missions to the International Space Station (ISS).
Bhatia’s appointment comes as Axiom Space accelerates its investments in next-generation technologies. The company is making significant strides in spacesuit development, orbital infrastructure, and microgravity research and manufacturing. This focus is crucial as Axiom Space works toward building Axiom Station, the world’s first commercial space station, which will play a pivotal role in expanding the human presence in space. Axiom is also building cross-industry collaborations, such as its partnership with Prada to design next-generation spacesuits for NASA’s Artemis III lunar mission and working with Nokia to integrate high-speed cellular connectivity into lunar exploration spacesuits.
Before joining Axiom in 2021, Bhatia held leadership roles at Google, where he led strategic initiatives in Google Cloud, managing relationships with Fortune 100 executives and venture capital firms. He was also the founder of several successful startups, including Explain Everything, Chatwala, and Kaptur. In addition, Bhatia made his mark in digital media, leading ESPN’s international digital expansion across the United States, Mexico, Brazil, and Europe.
Axiom Space’s mission goes beyond the confines of traditional space exploration. The company is dedicated to expanding humanity’s future in space by helping nations and organizations build human spaceflight programs, astronaut selection programs, and fostering a more diverse international community of space explorers. With Bhatia at the helm, Axiom Space is poised to continue its growth as a leader in the commercial space market, combining innovation with a deep commitment to transforming the possibilities of space exploration.
With an entrepreneurial drive, global perspective, and a steadfast commitment to Axiom’s mission, Tejpaul Bhatia’s leadership is set to ensure Axiom Space’s position at the forefront of human spaceflight’s next great frontier.
