Drawing from personal experiences—from attending shuttle camp at New Mexico Museum of Space History as a child to earning dual degrees at New Mexico State University—Crichton’s presentation explores the engineering behind Virgin Galactic and its systems. Crichton is a Propulsion Operations Engineer at Virgin Galactic, the pioneering commercial spaceflight company operating from Spaceport America in New Mexico. A Las Cruces native, Crichton’s passion for space began at shuttle camp as a child at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month on the second floor of the museum and is free to attend. Museum staff, as well as special guest speakers, discuss topics ranging from space history to space future.