Humna Khan currently serves as the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of ASTRO Mechanical Testing Laboratory, where she collaborates closely with industry leaders to ascertain the properties of 3D printed metal alloys and composites. In addition, she holds the position of Chief Operating Officer and Partner at MIMO Technik, where her responsibilities encompass the development of production flight hardware for prominent original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and emerging space enterprises. Humna’s overarching mission is to push the boundaries within the additive manufacturing (AM) sector, encompassing aspects such as industry specifications, post-processing advancements, material characterization, and the consolidation of intricate geometric structures.
With an impressive two-decade tenure in the Aerospace & Defense industry, Humna has played pivotal roles in the space sector, spanning payload development, vehicle engineering, and launch operations, with a specialized focus on failure analysis. Her prior role involved leading the qualification of flight-critical hardware for rockets facilitating National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) missions within the U.S. Civilian Air Force Services. She provided guidance to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) in this capacity. Subsequently, Humna contributed her expertise at SpaceX, serving as the Director of Quality Engineering, where she expanded Supply Chain efforts in developing technologies for Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy, encompassing landing legs, stage returns, Dragon capsules, and other programs. Prior to her tenure at SpaceX, she served as the Program Manager for the NASA Process Control Program within the Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Additionally, Humna achieved distinction as the youngest Associate Professor at the School of Engineering at California State University, Los Angeles.
Humna’s academic background is notable, comprising five degrees in Engineering and Business disciplines. She also possesses post-graduate qualifications in Strategic Business Development and holds the esteemed designation of Six Sigma Black Belt for Lean Production. In her leisure time, Humna actively participates in the NASA CubeQuest Team, where she played a pivotal role in the development of a MiniSat capable of achieving lunar orbit, which subsequently launched aboard the NASA Artemis I mission.
Her strategic vision for additive manufacturing revolves around streamlining the Qualification, Validation, and Certification processes, with the ultimate goal of automating manufacturing, enhancing design flexibility, and democratizing production capabilities, thereby positioning additive manufacturing as a transformative force within the Aerospace industry.
