Brig. Gen. Martin Whelan is Director of Requirements, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. He is responsible for defining the future of space and cyberspace systems through requirements definition, mission area architecting and science and technology in support of the joint warfighter, Department of Defense, civil and national users. Mission areas include missile warning/defense, military satellite communications, responsive space, cyber warfare network operations, global positioning system, space control, space protection, launch and range operations and requirements generation.

General Whelan was commissioned in 1983 through the ROTC program at Parks College of Saint Louis University. His career includes an initial assignment as an engineer on the space shuttle program. He became a space operations officer in 1987 and has held numerous positions, including field commander with the 4th Space Communications Squadron, detachment commander for the ground-based electro-optical deep space surveillance system, and activation of the operational contingent of the Air Force's first theater early warning system, Talon Shield. General Whelan served on the Air Staff and later commanded the 18th Space Surveillance Squadron, Edwards AFB, Calif. He was assigned to the Joint Staff in the Nuclear Arms Control Treaty Branch and was Chief, Space and Missile Defense Policy Division. He was Vice Commander at the 460th Space Wing, Buckley AFB, Colo., and Commander of the 91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D. He served as the Deputy Director of Operations, Global Operations Directorate, U.S. Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, Neb.; and prior to his current assignment, General Whelan served as the Director of Operations and Nuclear Support Directorate, Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Va.

General Whelan deployed in 2006 as the Director of Space Forces to the Combined Air Operations Center in Southwest Asia, supporting operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.