Pioneering Commercial Space Industry Architect & Entrepreneur; Founder of SpaceFund; Co-Founder of MirCorp & Space Frontier Foundation; Author
Rick Tumlinson Biography
Rick Tumlinson is recognized as one of the founding architects of the commercial space industry. Tumlinson helped coin the term "NewSpace" and contributed to the creation of the commercial space sector, which includes companies led by Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. Early in his career, Tumlinson worked with Dr. Gerard K. O'Neill and Dr. Freeman Dyson at the Space Studies Institute at Princeton, both influential figures in the human space settlement movement. He was also involved in initiating the Lunar Prospector project, which discovered indications of water on the Moon.
Tumlinson's career features a series of commercial space milestones. He led the team that transformed the Mir Space Station into the first commercial space facility and co-founded the space firm MirCorp, which was profiled in the documentary film "Orphans of Apollo." Tumlinson personally signed Dennis Tito as the first paying space traveler, arranging for his flight to the International Space Station. His achievements include helping launch the first mission to detect water on the Moon, starting one of the first asteroid mining companies, and founding the first private spacesuit company. Tumlinson also signed the first commercial space data purchase agreement and contributed to the establishment of NASA's Lunar Exploration Analysis Group. He is a co-founder of the Space Frontier Foundation, which coined the term "NewSpace," and served on the founding board of the XPrize.
Throughout his career spanning more than three decades, Tumlinson has held leadership roles in numerous space organizations. He founded SpaceFund, a venture capital firm investing in space startups, and co-founded entities such as Deep Space Industries, Orbital Outfitters, and the New Worlds Institute. Tumlinson also created the New Worlds Conference and the Space Cowboy Ball, produced by his nonprofit EarthLight Foundation. He hosts "The Space Revolution" on iRoc Space Radio/iHeartMedia and serves as a member of the U.S. Space Force Doctrine Organization Group.
Tumlinson's influence extends into space policy and public discourse. He has testified in six congressional hearings on the future of NASA, the U.S. space program, and space tourism. Tumlinson was among a select group invited by the White House to hear a presidential announcement regarding lunar and Mars exploration. He received the World Technology Award and the Future of Humanity Lifetime Achievement Award. Tumlinson's writings and commentary have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Houston Chronicle, Washington Post, and other global publications.
In addition to his entrepreneurial and policy work, Tumlinson is an author and educator. He is the editor of "Return to the Moon," a collection of papers by space industry professionals on the future of space exploration and privatization. His book, "Why Space? The Purpose of People," explores how space can help humanity find meaning both beyond Earth and on it. Tumlinson's educational outreach includes the Permission to Dream project, which distributed telescopes and lesson plans to schools and educational groups worldwide, fostering interest in space exploration in countries such as Chile, Iran, Zimbabwe, Russia, and India. Tumlinson is a frequent speaker on commercial space, space policy, and the future of human space exploration.
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Rick Tumlinson for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Rick Tumlinson, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Rick Tumlinson or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Rick Tumlinson
Speaking fees for Rick Tumlinson, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Rick Tumlinson are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Rick Tumlinson, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Rick Tumlinson speak about?
Rick Tumlinson is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business Authors, Change Management, Comedian, Disruptive Thinking, Economy, Education, Educational Motivational, Empowerment, Energy, Entrepreneurship, Environment, Faith & Religion, Faith & Religion, Finance, Futurism, Host & Emcee, Innovation, Inspirational, Leadership, Motivational, Overcoming Adversity, Peak Performance, Personal Growth, Poetry, Political, Research & Exploration, Space, Technology, Thought Leadership, Venture Capital -
Where does Rick Tumlinson travel from?
Rick Tumlinson generally travels from Austin, TX, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
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Rick Tumlinson is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book Rick Tumlinson for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Rick Tumlinson generally travels from Austin, TX, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Eric Gnezda, Caspar Berry, Sherri Henley, Candace Reese Walters and David Hyner. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Rick Tumlinson for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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