Space Systems Engineer

PROFILE

Ambitious, hard-working and adaptable Space Exploration Systems MSc graduate of the University of Leicester, and current European Space Agency trainee. I am passionate about a career in the space sector. I have a very broad scientific and technical background, and a strong systems engineering mind-set.  An effective individual worker and team player, I am experienced with multi-disciplinary work alongside multi-national teams working across many sites.

EDUCATION

UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER - Space Exploration Systems

September 2017 – January 2019

Subjects covered include: Systems engineering, orbital dynamics, propulsion systems, nuclear power systems, radiation analysis & shielding design, human spaceflight and physiology, CAD and finite element analysis.

UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL – Physics (Upper Second Class Honours)

September 2014 – June 2017

Subjects covered include: Rigid body mechanics, classical & statistical thermodynamics, analytical mechanics, solid state physics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics & particle physics, astrophysics & cosmology, nanophysics, biophysics.

EXPERIENCE

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY (ESA – ESTEC) – Trainee

October 2018 – May 2019

I am currently working as a trainee on ESA’s HERACLES project (a lunar sample return and technology demonstration as defined by the Global Exploration Roadmap). I work with the architecture definition group, which is responsible for analysing the high-level aspects of the mission, such as the overall architecture and the constituent systems. I have also been involved with the analysis of various options for future crewed lunar mission scenarios.

SPACE EXPLORATION & DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMS (SEEDS) – Team Leader & Systems Engineer

March 2018 – September 2018

6-month project/internship that counted as my Master’s thesis. Collaboration between students from the University of Leicester, Politecnico di Torino, and ISAE Supaero. Supervised by tutors from all three universities, as well as ESA. The aim of the project was to produce a feasibility study for the creation of a lunar outpost for the purpose of producing rocket propellant from in-situ resources.

I worked as a systems engineer on an uncrewed lunar descent & ascent vehicle, specialising in the propulsion system. This involved considering the thrust requirements of the engine and making decisions on the propellant type, engine dimensions and thermodynamics in order to provide said thrust. This design was then passed to the lead systems engineer, who interfaced the subsystems with the needs of the overall mission. In the last phase of the project, I worked as team leader of the team working on the crewed version of the lunar descent & ascent vehicle. My roles included the organisation tasks involved with leadership, in addition to working as the lead systems engineer.

SKILLS

Systems Engineering

CAD

Finite Element Analysis (Structural & Thermal)

Radiation Modelling & Analysis

Programming – C & Matlab

Technical & Scientific Writing

Concurrent Design

PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS

Lunar Outpost Sustaining Human Space Exploration by Utilizing In-Situ Resources With a Focus on Propellant Production, at 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, 2018. (Co-author).

Design and Optimisation of Transfer of Resources from the Lunar Surface to Lunar Orbit, at 69th International Astronautical Congress, Bremen, 2018. (Co-author and presenter).

AWARDS

DEPARTMENT PRIZE for MSc in SPACE EXPLORATION

Awarded by the University of Leicester Department of Physics for achieving grades which placed me as one of the top 3 students of my cohort, the class of 2019.

PROJECTS & OTHER EXPERIENCE

ESTEC CONCURRENT DESIGN FACILITY

I spent two sessions working on the SEEDS project at ESA’s Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) at ESTEC, Netherlands. I familiarised myself with ESA’s concurrent design software, Concorde, before going to ESTEC, and spent the week receiving advise from ESA’s experts on my work.

RADIATION ANALYSIS

I was taught how to model and analyse radiation exposure experienced by spacecraft in a two week workshop taken by an ESA expert. Modelling was done using GRAS (Geant4 Radiation Analysis for Space), and radiation environments were obtained from SPENVIS. Skills gained during this workshop were then applied to analyse the radiation dose experienced by a spacecraft on a 10 year GEO mission, and design appropriate shielding for the spacecraft.

SPACE INSTRUMENT THERMAL CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN

I designed a thermal control system for the (now unfortunately dropped) X-ray diffractometer designed by the University of Leicester for the ExoMars rover. This was done using Siemen’s NX CAD software. The instrument was analysed thermally and structurally, and designed to a set of requirements provided by our tutors, and according to ESA standards.

CLEAN ROOM TRAINING

I have been trained to work effectively in clean room environments, having worked in the University of Leicester’s ISO 5 clean room.

UNDERGRADUATE FINAL YEAR PROJECT

I developed a remote sensor for Bristol Zoo, which was used to help better understand the environment of their African penguin’s nests. The information is used to improve the artificial incubation of their eggs. I designed and assembled the circuitry of the instrument, and assisted my teammates with developing the software, and designing and producing the plastic covering of the device. This covering was designed using CAD software, and then 3D printed.

INTERESTS

• Space & Planetary Exploration

• Travelling, History & Culture

• Systems Engineering

• Human Spaceflight

• Spacecraft Propulsion

• Radiation Modelling & Analysis

• Astronomy & Astrophysics