altitude scientific research balloon skin and other thin film materials. Most
recently, he served as President of Winzen Engineering from 1988 to 2011. He
currently serves on the Aerospace Advisory Board.
I. Steve Smith
He has a B.S. from Texas A&M University in Aerospace Engineering. He was a
Senior Program Manager for R&D as well as the HiSentinel Program Manager at
the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX. He has 40 years of
expertise in lighter-than-air technologies, operations and management including
free balloons, tethered aerostats and low altitude and stratospheric airships. Prior
to joining SwRI, he was Chief, Balloon Program Office of Goddard Space Flight
Center’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). He has published numerous papers and
received numerous awards during his professional career.
A.2.4 Scientists and Engineers
W. Robert Binns
Appendix 2: Scientists and Engineers in Ballooning 281
recently, he served as President of Winzen Engineering from 1988 to 2011. He
currently serves on the Aerospace Advisory Board.
I. Steve Smith
He has a B.S. from Texas A&M University in Aerospace Engineering. He was a
Senior Program Manager for R&D as well as the HiSentinel Program Manager at
the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio, TX. He has 40 years of
expertise in lighter-than-air technologies, operations and management including
free balloons, tethered aerostats and low altitude and stratospheric airships. Prior
to joining SwRI, he was Chief, Balloon Program Office of Goddard Space Flight
Center’s Wallops Flight Facility (WFF). He has published numerous papers and
received numerous awards during his professional career.
A.2.4 Scientists and Engineers
W. Robert Binns
Appendix 2: Scientists and Engineers in Ballooning 281