Xona Space Systems Names Jonathan Wakenshaw as Chief Operating Officer

The new role sets the stage for Xona's rapid growth, bringing the Xona PULSAR™ satellite navigation constellation from prototype to mass production.

BURLINGAME, Calif., Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Xona Space Systems (Xona), a leading provider of advanced satellite navigation services, is proud to announce the appointment of Jonathan "Jay" Wakenshaw as the Company's Chief Operating Officer.

Jay brings over 25 years of global leadership experience across aerospace, aviation, and advanced manufacturing industries. Jay will spearhead Xona's operational scale-up efforts and optimization of supply chains to expand the company from the prototype phase to full operational capacity of their PULSAR™ low Earth orbit satellite navigation system, and support operations to deliver state-of-the-art navigation services to a broad set of industries.

With extensive experience driving growth in organizations of all sizes, Jay brings expertise in managing complex, high-precision manufacturing and operations with the agility to respond and adapt to dynamic demands. Jay will focus on optimizing Xona's internal teams to enhance efficiency and execution, ensuring the successful deployment of the first phase of PULSAR. Concurrently, Jay will lay the groundwork for scaling to the full constellation and operations network. Jay's deep expertise in cultivating high-performing teams will be instrumental as Xona advances their mission to redefine satellite navigation.

"We are thrilled to welcome Jay Wakenshaw to the executive team to guide Xona into this next stage of growth," said Brian Manning, co-founder and CEO, Xona Space Systems. "Many companies underestimate the challenges of scaling up such complex processes. It means new protocols, new partners, and new systems, all while maintaining the simplicity needed to adjust and move quickly. Jay's leadership will ensure our operational readiness and scalability to meet the increasing demand for resilient and precise navigation services for our partners."

Throughout his career, Jay has demonstrated an exceptional ability to lead organizations through transformative growth. At Ascent Aerospace, he led a multi-site high-growth division, delivering profitability improvements while managing international teams across Europe and the United States. Jay's early career with GKN Aerospace provided him with a foundation in operational excellence, ERP implementation, and lean manufacturing practices—skills that have driven his track record of success.

As COO of Elroy Air, Jay prepared the company for scaled growth of its Chaparral autonomous drone system, building production and supply chain teams from the ground up while implementing critical enterprise systems. Additionally, his tenure at Toray Advanced Composites saw him develop an operational roadmap that positioned the company for strategic growth, implementing a digital factory, substantially cutting production losses and dramatically improving workforce engagement.

"This could not be a more exciting time to be working in the Aerospace industry, especially to be joining a company like Xona at such a pivotal moment in their journey," said Jay Wakenshaw, COO, Xona Space Systems. "Xona's PULSAR commercial satellite navigation service has the potential to transform global industries, and I look forward to contributing my expertise to help bring it to the mainstream market."

Jay holds an MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough University in the UK.

About Xona Space Systems
Xona Space Systems is a commercial aerospace company focused on delivering high-performance satellite navigation and timing solutions. Its Xona PULSAR™ system, powered by a cutting-edge constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites, provides unparalleled precision and reliability to enable next-generation applications across autonomous systems, transportation, telecommunications, and more. Learn more at Xonaspace.com and connect with us via LinkedIn, or X @XonaSpace.

Contact:
Janel Steinberg
[email protected]
310-994-9818

SOURCE Xona Space Systems