Lt Col Heather H. Greatting-Dufaud is an Instructor of astronautical engineering at the United States Air Force Academy.

Lt Col Greatting-Dufaud was raised in Springfield, Illinois and graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in June 2005. She completed a Master’s Degree from AFIT in March 2007, and since has held a variety of scientific, engineering, and program management positions, developing and acquiring technologies for the Air and Space Forces. Her experience includes space intelligence analysis at NASIC, section chief supervising a team of PhDs at AFRL, deployed Shift Director with the 82nd Airborne for Eastern Afghanistan, and executive officer at AFNWC. More recently, she was the program manager and for an advanced satellite payload at the National Reconnaissance Office and managed a payload from SRR to CDR. Prior to her current position, the Lieutenant Colonel was the Chief Engineer, NextGen OPIR Polar Satellite, Development Corps, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles AFB.

Effective Dates of Promotion

Second Lieutenant – June 1, 2005
First Lieutenant – June 1, 2007
Captain – June 1, 2005
Major – August 1, 2015
Lieutenant Colonel – September 1, 2021

Masters of Engineering in Astronautical Engineering, AFIT (2007)

Bachelor of Science in Astronautical Engineering, USAFA

July 2022 – present, Instructor of Astronautical Engineering, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado

July 2019 – July2022, Chief Engineer for Next Generation Polar OPIR Satellite Program, Development Corps Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, California

August 2017 – July 2019, Deputy Program Manager for Protected Tactical Enterprise Service Program, MILSATCOM Directorate Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles, California

July 2013 – August 2017, Deputy Program Manager for Advanced Payloads, SIGINT Directorate National Reconnaissance Office, Chantilly, Virginia

August 2012 – July 2013, Executive Officer, Nuclear capabilities Directorate, Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Kirtland AFB

June 2010 – August 2012, Chief Solid State Laser Section, Air Force Research Lab, Kirtland AFB

November 2009 – May 2010, Deputy Chief of Current Operations, CJTF-82, Bagram AF, Afghanistan

August 2009 – November 2009, Space Awareness Program Manager, AFRL Satellite Assessment Center, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico

March 2007- July 2009, ISR Space Systems Employment Analyst, National Air & Space Intelligence Center/Space & Missiles Group, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio

August 2005 – March 2007, Air Force Institute of Technology Student, Master’s Degree  Astronautical Engineering

Defense Meritorious Service Medal

Meritorious Service Medal (1 oak leaf cluster)

Joint Service Commendation Medal

Air Force Commendation Medal

Joint Service Achievement Medal (2 oak leaf clusters)