Julie Anne Huffman, Ph.D., is a senior fellow with 28 years of experience at Lockheed Martin. Her expertise in antennas and computational electromagnetics focuses on the design and development of antenna products for deep space exploration, performance analysis of antennas integrated on large payload platforms, and integration and test of electronically steerable arrays (ESAs).

Dr. Huffman grew up in rural Northeast Ohio, where shimmering stars dominated the night skies and filled her with wonder. She enjoyed learning about space sciences and the first space shuttle flights sparked her enthusiasm for a career in aerospace. She followed her stars and pursued electrical engineering, earning a B.S. at Michigan Technological University, an M.S. at the University of Michigan, and a Ph.D. at The Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Huffman’s career aspirations fit perfectly with Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado, where she applied her knowledge in challenging programs, including NASA’s Orion program, a spacecraft designed to take humans beyond the moon. She is now recognized as a preeminent technical contributor within Lockheed Martin, delivering mission success, vision, and profitability by undertaking the most difficult technical challenges.

Dr. Huffman established an innovative antenna portfolio of ruggedized, wideband, wide field-of-view antennas that withstand harsh launch, deep space, reentry, and marine environments. She also developed, independently and in collaboration, unique large structure modeling techniques used to predict communications coverage during missions. The antennas successfully flew on NASA’s Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1), the Ascent Abort 2 launch, and the groundbreaking 25-day Artemis I mission. It is ready to fly on Artemis II, the first Orion crewed mission, which will mark a new era for deep space human exploration.

Dr. Huffman twice received the NASA Orion Program Manager’s Commendation, a NASA certificate for antenna contributions to EFT-1, and a NASA certificate with an Artemis I Medallion. She also received six company awards for her contributions to deep space exploration programs.

Dr. Huffman guided the engineering teams through the successful testing and calibration demos of electronically steerable arrays, and she received an Extraordinary Engineering & Technology Award for “successfully ushering this first-of-kind payload hardware through assembly, integration, and test.” She was also selected as a 2023 Lockheed Martin Space Awards honoree for the successful assembly, integration, and test of the Lockheed Martin 400 Tech Demo, achieving a significant milestone for ESA payload maturity.

Dr. Huffman enthusiastically mentors early- and mid-career engineers. She serves on the board of the Lockheed Martin Space RF Engineering Alliance and the company’s Space Intellectual Property Review Board, which recognized her with an award for excellence in fostering technical talent.

Dr. Huffman enjoys traveling with her husband, visiting her family in Ohio, walking her dogs, and volunteering at her church.