REDMOND, Wash., September 18, 2026–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Fermi Explorer Mission announced today that Peter Reinhardt, an MIT-trained aerospace engineer and serial entrepreneur, is joining as an advisor. Reinhardt and his wife Erika are committing $1 million to the project. The non-profit initiative aims to launch humanity's first spacecraft to Alpha Centauri, the nearest star system, by the end of 2029.
Reinhardt brings a combination of deep engineering knowledge and startup execution expertise to the team. While studying aerospace engineering at MIT, he co-founded Segment, a customer data platform. As CEO, he grew the company to hundreds of employees before it was acquired by Twilio in 2020 for $3.2 billion, then the largest Y Combinator acquisition in history. Most recently, Reinhardt founded and serves as CEO of Charm Industrial, a climate technology enterprise focused on carbon removal and deep underground sequestration. He also serves as CEO of Revoy, which is building America's electric autonomous freight network.
Although he has spent the last decade building successes in enterprise software and climate tech, Reinhardt's educational roots lie in aerospace engineering. His $1 million commitment marks a return to that original academic passion. His track record of solving complex, world-scale engineering challenges and deploying sustainable, large-scale solutions positions him as an advisor for executing an unprecedented interstellar mission.
"It's time for us to reach for the stars," said Reinhardt. "The Fermi Explorer has a credible, near-term roadmap to achieve interstellar flight, and I'm thrilled to help this team make history."
"We are incredibly excited to welcome Peter to the team," commented Fermi Explorer CEO, Philip Johnston. "Peter's aerospace engineering and entrepreneurial execution experience will be invaluable in helping us make sure the spacecraft launches by the end of 2029."
By utilizing near-term and existing technologies, the Fermi Explorer Mission aims to cross the vast distance of interstellar space, paving the way for unprecedented scientific discoveries. The mission is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and launching humanity's first spacecraft to another star system.
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