Dr Lars Blackmore studied Engineering at the University of Cambridge before going on to study a PhD in Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

Lars joined NASAs Jet Propulsion Lab where he worked on precision landing systems and a climate probe called SMAP. He moved to Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) in 2011. He is Principal Mars Landing Engineer and has been responsible for Entry, Descent, and Landing of the Falcon 9 rocket, as part of a reusable launch vehicle programme. His team have developed the precision technology for the Grasshopper rocket, the F9R-Dev rocket and the F9R reusable booster stage. In 2017 the F9R completed the world's first landing and recovery of an orbital-class booster stage. 

Lars was named as one of MIT's innovators under 35.