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Brigadier General
Michael L. DeLorenzo
Permanent Professor 1996–2005
B.S., United States Air Force Academy
M.S., New Mexico State University
Ph.D., Purdue University
Mike DeLorenzo, the Academy’s 62nd Permanent Professor, was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, in 1952. He earned Bachelor’s degrees in Astronautical Engineering and Engineering Science from the United States Air Force Academy in 1974 as a Distinguished Graduate. His first assignment was as a Gyroscope Test Engineer, Central Inertial Test Facility, 6585th Test Group, Holloman AFB, NM, from 1974 to 1978. In 1978 he earned a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from New Mexico State University, Las Cruces. Mike then was assigned to the Academy’s Department of Astronautics, leaving in 1980 to become a student at Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN. He earned a PhD in Control Systems in 1983. He returned to the Department of Astronautics as an Associate Professor and taught from 1983 to 1987. Then he attended Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL, where he was recognized as a Distinguished Graduate. In 1988 Mike was assigned as the Deputy Director of Flight Dynamics Test, Arnold Engineering and Development Center, Tullahoma, TN. Mike attended the Defense Systems Management College, Fort Belvoir, VA, during the last half of 1991. He then was assigned as Chief, Advanced Guidance Division and Acting Chief Scientist, Armament Division, Wright Laboratory Armament Directorate, Eglin AFB, FL. In 1995 he returned to the Academy to serve as Head of the Department of Astronautics and was appointed a Permanent Professor in January 1996. In 2001 Mike took a sabbatical assignment as the Vice Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. He returned to his post as Head of the Department of Astronautics in 2003. As Department Head he was responsible for a dynamic research program funded by AF Space Command and other Department of Defense organizations. The program supported cadet construction, test, and operation of small satellites. He served as the Officer Representative for the men’s basketball team, 1995–2000. Mike was promoted to brigadier general and retired in 2005.
After retiring Mike moved back to Tennessee and joined other former Astronautics Department alumni as a consultant with Teaching Science and Technology, Inc. TSTI presents online and onsite courses and workshops in space systems engineering and has grown into a respected name in space systems engineering and workforce development. Mike is also an Adjunct Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ.