David Baker worked with NASA and the US Air Force before turning to consultancy with a company based in London and an office in the US. He has received several national and international awards for his writing and for participation in the early US space programme. He has been editor of two Jane's yearbooks, as well as Aviation News and SpaceFlight magazines. He has written more than 120 books on aviation and space history and regularly consults for governments and corporations on space analytics and strategy. During the 1980s, he was elected to membership of the International Academy of Astronautics and has made numerous media appearances in the UK and overseas. He is also a lecturer and tutor for extra-mural studies at residential colleges.