Professor Powell has spent over a decade advising clients across the space industry, including companies, governments, and investors. He currently works as Deputy General Counsel at Vast, a commercial space company developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure. At Vast, his portfolio spans federal licensing and authorization of Vast’s spacecraft and missions, negotiation of commercial agreements and strategic transactions, space insurance, national security matters, and international trade compliance. Prior to joining Vast, he served as Senior Counsel, Regulatory at Relativity Space, supporting the company through launch of the Terran 1 rocket. He previously worked as an Associate at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP, where he represented launch operators, satellite operators, private equity funds, and sovereign wealth funds on their regulatory matters involving the U.S. space industry. He has also worked at the FAA’s Office of Chief Counsel, the State Department’s Office of Legal Adviser, and SpaceX. Professor Powell graduated from Georgetown Law cum laude in 2015 where he was a Dean’s Scholar, member of the Barristers’ Council, and president of the Space Law Society. He is a member of the D.C. and Texas bars.