Lon Rains
Director, Strategic Communications
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems

Lon L. Rains is the director of Communications for Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, a premier provider of manned and unmanned aircraft, space systems, missile systems and advanced technologies critical to our nation’s security.

In this position, he is responsible for the overall strategic leadership of the Communications process organization, including employee communications, executive communications, marketing communications, media relations, and the sector’s IMAGE center, which develops animation, simulation and integrated media products.

Previously, Rains was the editor of Space News since 1993 and was responsible for all the news and editorial coverage in the weekly newspaper, the spacenews.com Web site and the Washington Aerospace Briefing newsletter. He joined the original staff of Space News in October 1989 as the Advanced Technology and Soviet Space Program reporter and was promoted to Senior Editor in 1991.

Prior to Space News, Rains wrote for the Journal newspapers, a chain of dailies serving the Washington, D.C. suburbs. He has written for The Washington Post, The Baltimore Evening Sun and Discover magazine. He has also appeared on a number of national television programs, including CNN Prime News, ABC World News Tonight, NBC Nightly News and C-Span’s Washington Journal as an expert on various space topics.

Rains has worked as a journalist since 1982 and has won reporting awards for editorial writing, spot news and public service journalism. He is the 2003 recipient of the National Space Club-Huntsville’s Media Award. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of International Space University. He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in government and politics.

Northrop Grumman Corporation is a global defense and technology company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in information and services, electronics, aerospace and shipbuilding to government and commercial customers worldwide.