Terran Orbital Elevates Margherita Cardi to European Leadership Role
Margherita Cardi has been promoted to VP of European Operations at Terran Orbital, where she will lead the company’s strategic expansion and operations from its Torino-based subsidiary, Tyvak International.
Executive Shift in Torino
Terran Orbital, a Lockheed Martin subsidiary, has confirmed the promotion of Margherita Cardi to Vice President of European Operations and Head of Strategic Programs. According to SpaceNews, Cardi will now serve as the primary operational authority for the company’s European wing, reporting directly to Peter Krauss, President and CEO of Terran Orbital and Managing Director of Tyvak International.
A Legacy of Deep-Space Operations
Cardi joined Tyvak International in 2016 as its third employee, rising through the ranks of systems engineering and program management. Her recent portfolio includes serving as VP of Programs and Business Development. Most notably, she led the development of Milani, the CubeSat integrated into the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Hera planetary defense mission. Milani is slated for release in early 2027 to investigate the Didymos binary asteroid system.
Strengthening Institutional Ties
In her new capacity, Cardi is tasked with overseeing all Italian functions and departments. Her objective is to solidify the firm’s standing with institutional heavyweights, including the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and ESA. Her background is rooted in high-stakes aerospace; prior to her tenure at Tyvak, she supported the Vega launch program at Vitrociset S.p.A., operating out of Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.
Krauss cited Cardi’s proven ability to manage complex missions and multi-stakeholder space initiatives as the catalyst for the promotion. While Cardi takes the operational lead, Krauss remains the legal corporate representative of Tyvak International.