ABOUT
Dumitru Popescu is an entrepreneur and designer of aerospace technologies, the founder of ArcaSpace
Dumitru was born on 2 January 1977, in Râmnicu Vâlcea, Romania.
He was passioned about aviation and spaceflight since early age.
He graduated Theology and attended Aerospace Engineering for three years. He quit aerospace engineering in 2001 to focus exclusively on ArcaSpace, where he activated as President and Chief Designer for the aerospace programs.
He was also in charge with the testing program's concept and execution.
In 2004 ArcaSpace launched their first rocket from Cape Midia Air Force Base.​​
FOUNDER
ArcaSpace
Together with a group of colleagues from the Aerospace Engineering and Theology they founded ArcaSpace. The NGO roots date back to 1998, and it was officially registered in 1999.
Cosmobaza
Cosmobaza (en. The Cosmobase) has its roots in 2013 when ArcaSpace built at the location a rocket engine test stand. Since then the facility grew with a Dynamic Test Stand and other test-related equipment. In 2022 the facility become a flight test and development centre and received the name Cosmobaza.
More about the Cosmobaza facility
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General Astronautics
General Astronautics was incorporated in 2013 and is currently offering defense products like target rockets, target reentry vehicles and anti ballistic interceptors.
HOBBIES
Photography & Videography
Dumitru biggest hobby is photography and videography.
His first camera from the end of the 80's was a Smena 8m. He still prefers analog, black and white photography, instead of digital.
He always carry a camera with him as he believes smartphones don't match yet the performance and the feel of a dedicated camera for both photography and videography.
Cinematography
Dumitru appeared in Space Tourists, a feature-length documentary directed by Christian Frei.
The film won the "World Cinema Directing Award" at the Sundance Film Festival in 2010.
Dumitru also produced and directed the Dream Engineers movie which features the ArcaSpace first years from its incorporation up to the Helen suborbital rocket launch. The movie is still in production.
POLITICAL VIEWS
In 2017 he welcomed the US Republican Congressman Steven Pierce for an ArcaSpace tour.
In 2019 he attended the National Liberal Party Awards Gala.
Excepting these limited political interactions, Dumitru chose to keep his political views private.​​​
POSITION ON WEAPONS MANUFACTURING
Although he is also a weapons designer, his military application products are used exclusively for defensive purposes and limited to target rockets, target reentry vehicles and anti ballistic and hypersonic missile interceptors. Although he received proposals for ballistic missile manufacturing, his position is firmly against the production of offensive weapons.
"My weapons will always save lives, never take." - Dumitru Popescu
RELIGION
​​Dumitru graduated the Orthodox Theology Faculty from Sibiu, Romania. He is Christian-Orthodox.
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE
​​Dumitru quit social media in 2024. Although his social media accounts are still visible online, he announced at the middle of 2024 that he quits his social media presence completely and he isn't posting or even accessing those accounts.
The reason given for this decision was related to the fact that he wants to keep his focus at the highest level for the civilian and military programs under development at ArcaSpace.
The best way to get in contact with Dumitru is through email: dumitru@arcaspace.com