Michele Connerton

Michele Connerton serves as a primary contracting professional at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, where she plays a critical role in advancing the agency’s mission of space science and Earth observation through strategic procurement of high-technology systems and services. She manages complex acquisitions for engineering, research and development, and space vehicle manufacturing contracts, ensuring alignment with NASA’s technical priorities in spacecraft integration, remote sensing instrumentation, and deep-space communications. Her work directly supports the design, testing, and deployment of mission-critical platforms that monitor climate systems and explore the solar system, requiring rigorous compliance with federal acquisition regulations and technical performance standards. Connerton maintains enduring partnerships with leading technical institutions and specialized contractors, including Aerospace & Commercial Technologies, LLC, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory. These relationships are characterized by long-term collaboration on advanced R&D and systems integration, often involving proprietary technologies and classified or sensitive space applications. Her procurement approach emphasizes technical excellence, innovation, and mission readiness, frequently engaging prime contractors with proven expertise in aerospace systems and scientific instrumentation. Her contracting portfolio reflects a strong preference for open competition, with 100% of awards issued under no set-aside categories, indicating a focus on technical capability over socioeconomic preferences. While small business participation is not formally prioritized in her acquisitions, she ensures fair and transparent competition among all qualified vendors, maintaining compliance with federal procurement equity requirements. Connerton’s primary NAICS focus areas include Engineering Services (541330) and Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (541712 and 541715), alongside specialized manufacturing categories for guided missile and space vehicle systems (336414 and 336419). She procures advanced scientific sensors, satellite subsystems, telemetry systems, and mission-critical software, demonstrating deep expertise in space systems engineering and mission operations support.