NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct 21, 2026--
Hitchhiker Orbital Inc. (HHO), a space technology firm designing scalable, multi-purpose and modular enclosures for microgravity environments, today announced that its Board of Directors appointed Robert Call as Chief Executive Officer on September 19, 2026. Founder David R. Palmer, who architected the company’s core technology, continues as Chief Technology Officer, focused on engineering and intellectual property.
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“We founded Hitchhiker Orbital on a clear conviction: Space is hard but accessing an orbital lab should not be,” said David R. Palmer, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of HHO. “We have done our design work from first principles. The next step is putting it in front of mission operators and payload scientists and letting their requirements shape what we build. Rob brings the customer relationships and commercial discipline to open those doors, so our engineers can focus on the design.”
“HHO is building infrastructure for one of the most important deadlines in space commerce,” said Robert Call, Chief Executive Officer of HHO. “NASA plans to retire the International Space Station after 2030, and researchers and manufacturers will need a new platform on orbit. My job is execution: Turning early interest into committed customers and funding the path to flight.”
Mr. Call brings nearly two decades in NewSpace. As Chief Commercial Officer of Pumpkin Inc., he helped grow the satellite maker from 4 to 20 people and closed its sale of 12 satellite buses to the National Reconnaissance Office. He later led NewSpace business development at Swedish Space Corporation. Most recently, he served as Program Manager, Space Vehicles at NovaWurks, responsible for spacecraft delivery and a launch campaign for a joint NASA, NOAA and U.S. Space Force mission. He began his career at Bain & Company and holds an MBA from the Wharton School and a BA from Stanford University.
Meet HHO at Silicon Valley Space Week, October 27-29 ( https://svspaceweek.com/sponsor/hitchhiker-orbital-inc/ ).
About Hitchhiker Orbital Inc.
Hitchhiker Orbital Inc. (HHO) is a space technology firm dedicated to improving access to orbital infrastructure. By designing multi-purpose, modular enclosures, HHO lowers the cost and complexity of bringing advanced manufacturing, life science research and materials development into microgravity environments. Organizations interested in operating in microgravity may contact dpalmer@hitchhikerorbital.com.
Robert Call (photo credit: R. Call)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The frustration over the lingering eligibility question of Arizona forward RJ Godfrey was evident in the voice of Wildcats coach Tommy Lloyd, who pleaded Wednesday for someone — anyone — “to explain to me how this all makes sense.”
It would be helpful if a Georgia court answered that question.
That is where Godfrey's basketball future lies, even as the No. 5 Wildcats ramp up for another run at the Final Four this season. The 6-foot-8 forward is among a multitude of players who have joined lawsuits across the country after the NCAA instituted sweeping changes to its eligibility rules, allowing five years of competition over a five-year period.
The new rules did not grandfather in student-athletes from the high school class of 2022, which is why Godfrey and others have been in front of judges, seeking another season of eligibility for themselves. In his case, Godfrey played two seasons at Clemson, helping the Tigers reach the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament, before spending a year at Georgia and returning to Clemson last season.
He wound up as the plaintiff in a lawsuit in Georgia and appeared in court on his own behalf in July. And while a Georgia judge initially granted an injunction clearing him to play, the Georgia Court of Appeals granted the NCAA a stay, leaving his future in limbo.
“It's hard for me to sit here and not be able to defend somebody just because they entered college in the class of 2022, and everybody before them got five years and everyone after them is going to get five,” Lloyd said during the final day of the Big 12's media summit.
“We have a guy that is a true five-for-five — that's where I draw the line, that's where I think you should be eligible,” Lloyd said. "If there are extenuating circumstances for years six, seven, eight, I don't think your case is as strong.”
That is part of what makes the wait so frustrating for Godfrey and the Wildcats. Many injunctions remain in place in cases that were filed in other states, allowing players under similar circumstances who were involved in them the opportunity to play.
On Monday, for example, Kansas announced that former Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn would suit up for the Jayhawks after an injunction rendered in an Indiana court granted the 2026 second-round NBA draft pick a sixth season of eligibility.
“We have a court system in the U.S. and that's going to impact our game this year, and you just wish cooler heads would prevail, and give these kids the opportunity they deserve,” Lloyd said. “These kids did nothing wrong. They're missing out on a life-changing opportunity, not only experience-wise but financially, just because of the year they graduated from high school. Somebody has to explain to me why that's OK.”
The Wildcats are coming off their first Final Four appearance in 24 years, and Lloyd has largely reloaded his roster, filling the myriad holes left by departures. But one of those holes, created by the graduation of physical forward Tobe Awaka, would be ideally filled by Godfrey — should the Georgia court system decide he is eligible.
“In my heart, I know that I’ll be in a Wildcat uniform this season,” Godfrey said last month. “I’m confident in that.”
Arizona opens the season with a high-profile matchup against No. 22 UCLA on Nov. 2 in Las Vegas.
“We're going to move forward no matter what. We're a no-excuses program,” Lloyd said. “But (Godfrey) puts the pieces in the right place for our roster to have the depth it needs to have, and the impact we would love to have off the bench. RJ will help put all the pieces in the right place, and I just hope and pray we get to see it.”
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FILE - Clemson forward RJ Godfrey (0) shoots against Louisville forward Sananda Fru (13) during the second half of an NCAA basketball game, Feb. 28, 2026, in Clemson, S.C. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart, File)
