About

What is the Challenge?

Health, safety, and well-being of astronauts during spaceflight

What is our Strategy?

Focus on the passengers and their habitat

What is our Solution?

Suppress human metabolic activity and thermogenesis during spaceflight

Team

The Human Torpor Fund is lead by a team of aerospace experts, asset managers, and technology innovators.

John Bradford, Ph.D.

Executive Director

Dr. Bradford is a NIAC Fellow, was the Principal Investigator and lead innovator for research and design of the Torpor Inducing Transfer Habitat for Human Stasis to Mars.

As Executive Director of the Human Torpor Fund, he is responsible for all strategic direction, management oversight, governance, communication and board relations. Prior to founding the HTF, he spent his 21 year career in systems integration, multidisciplinary optimization, and power/propulsion system design and performance assessment for future space concepts. As Chief Technical Officer and President of SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc., Dr. Bradford oversee the engineering teams, leads new business efforts, and is the primary interface for all business with the Department of Defense.

Dr. Bradford has a Doctorate and Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Minor in Computer Programming from North Carolina State University. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and children.

Jacob Vallo

Managing Director

Mr. Vallo provides oversight to the fund management processes and fund raising for the HTF. He previously served in asset management roles 19 years, notably as the Managing Director of the WFF Real Estate Investment Fund, a $110 million social impact fund focused on affordable housing and community redevelopment efforts on behalf of several of the largest corporations and high net worth individuals in Atlanta, GA; and as Managing Director of Reynolds Capital Group’s SELAF vehicle, a $175 million high yield equity fund focused on acquiring land for high net worth individuals and a university endowment. Mr. Vallo also has invested capital and asset managed projects for institutional capital in roles with the Rockefeller Group, Hines and German investment group Jamestown.

He received a BS from Texas A&M University and an MPS RE from Cornell University. Mr. Vallo was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and raised in Houston, Texas. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and three children.

Patrick Maroney

Board Member

Patrick Maroney has over 27 years of experience building and executing plans that drive strong software product and services revenue to fortune 500 companies. Since 1992, Patrick has been working with the management teams of leading companies on improving their manufacturing, supply chain, after-market, human capital management and go to market processes in support of driving high value business transformations.

Patrick is currently serving as an Executive Advisor on SAP’s High Tech Industry Team. In addition to working with the management teams of leading High Tech organizations, Patrick is also responsible for developing SAP’s North American Industry Business Plan for the High Tech Industry.

Patrick received bachelors degrees in Industrial Engineering and Business Administration from University of Southern California. Mr. Maroney was born in New England. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife and daughter.