Parkes arrives as Mantis Space attempts to build a persistent orbital power grid. His technical background includes serving as Chief Engineer for the Missile Defense Agency’s Low Power Laser Demonstrator and the Airborne Laser Program. CEO Eric Truitt described the hiring as a validation of the company's mission to establish what he calls an 'Edison Moment' for space infrastructure.

In his new role, Parkes will manage a multidisciplinary engineering team recruited from organizations including Apple, Meta, the U.S. Space Force, and the James Webb Space Telescope project. The company aims to move beyond traditional satellite design by creating a constellation that transmits energy directly to other spacecraft and habitats. Parkes will report directly to Truitt, focusing on scaling the firm's laser-based delivery systems from development to deployment.