Colonel Michael Christensen

 Colonel Michael Christensen is Director of the United States Space Force’s Test and Evaluation (USSF/TE) at The Pentagon, Washington DC. TE reports to the Vice Chief of Space Operations and is responsible for developing and implementing test & evaluation policy for future and current space programs, range infrastructure, development and oversight of all USSF testing. 

Col. Christensen was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and commissioned in 2001, through Officer Training School at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. He began his career as an Acquisitions Manager developing advanced Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance satellites then sensor pods for the F-16 and U-2. 

He deployed to Iraq 2006, with the Defense Contracts Management Agency and with the JTF Paladin in 2011, to Afghanistan as a Forensic Chemist countering IEDs. Col. Christensen’s acquisition experience has run the entire life cycle, from concept development and demonstration with the ARTIMUS Hyperspectral Satellite, to system upgrades such as managing the F-16 TARS sensor suite. Additionally, as the Operations Flightcommander and Lead Flight Test Engineer at Edwards AFB,California, he planned and executed the first ballistic missile shootdown with the Airborne Laser program. He spent six yearsdeveloping cyber warfare technology as a DO and Commander standing up the 47th CTS, followed with time as anInstructor for the Profession of Arms Center of Excellence where he taught Squadron Commanders skills to motivate theirforce and then before joining the USSF as Deputy Group Commander of the 704th Test Group.

Col. Christensen is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School class 08B, with crew experience in 28 types of rotary and fixed wing aircraft.