CAROL CRAIG
FOUNDER & CEO, SIDUS SPACE, MERRITT ISLAND
Sidus Space, one of the few female-led public space companies, serves government and commercial clients across the commercial space, traditional space and defense sectors. Its capabilities include AI products and services, satellite manufacturing and technology integration, and space-based data solutions. Craig has led Sidus since its inception in 2012 as a wholly owned subsidiary of her first company, Craig Technologies. Sidus has 132 employees, and Craig Technologies employs 257. Through advocacy, mentoring, and service on industry and community boards, Craig actively promotes space innovation, workforce development and leadership diversity — especially for women and veterans pursuing STEM careers.
EDUCATION: Knox College (BA), University of Illinois (BS), University of Massachusetts Amherst (MS). She is currently pursuing an MBA with a specialization in finance and is also a Ph.D. student in systems engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology.
FIRST JOB: My first job was at Kmart announcing blue light specials. After college, I worked as a COBOL programmer, but my most formative early role was designing cockpit systems for the U.S. Navy — an experience that inspired me to become a P-3 Orion Naval Flight Officer.
MENTEE IMPACT: I brought my doctor’s daughter on as an intern for the last two years of her high school career. He recently told me I changed her life — she chose to pursue aerospace in college instead of following a path into medicine. Seeing her passion ignite and knowing I played a role in shaping her future was incredibly rewarding.
SOMETHING SURPRISING: I’m a classically trained pianist and find peace in playing to decompress — though these days I prefer Billy Joel and Toby Keith over Bach. I also play for several churches, blending faith, music and community. I grew up playing violin and still perform in handbell choirs.
INDUSTRY TREND: One of the most notable trends in the space industry is the rapid shift toward commercial space democratization — driven by lower launch costs, miniaturized satellite technology and AI integration. This has opened the door for more private companies to enter the market, enabling faster innovation and more accessible space-based services. At the same time, national security concerns and global competition are accelerating demand for resilient, dual-use technologies. The convergence of commercial agility with government needs is reshaping how we design, deploy and scale space assets.
