Aerospace Engineering

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Aerospace Engineering (A.K.A. Rocket Science)
David Groch Sr Systems Engineer Lockheed Martin
SSC, Sunnyvale, CA
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About Me...
I decided on Aerospace Engineering early Senior
Year of High School. Why Aerospace?
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Graduated SRVHS '97 Why SJSU? - Location,
location, bargain.. The south bay has thousands
of Aerospace jobs nearby and a great
reputation. BS Aerospace Engineering San Jose
State '02 Spartnik Microsatellite Program Power
Lead MS Aerospace Engineering San Jose State
'05 LANIO - Project
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Met a LM guy at SJSU, sent him my resume and the
rest is history... Lockheed Martin Intern '99
'02 IKONOS Ground Imaging Satellite
'99 HST Space Imaging Satellite '00 FBM
Submarine ICBMs - '01 LM FBM program - '02
'05 LM SP program IITY IWHTKY - '05-'07 LM
MKV program Anti- ICBM - '07 present (Geez!
8 years already?) Why Lockheed Martin?
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Aerospace Options Astronautics vs Aeronautics
Astronautics - spacecraft Specialities
Subjects Intro/Extra Space Environment Orbital
Dynamics Mission Design Spacecraft
Design Launchcraft Non airbreathing
engines
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Aerospace Options Astronautics vs Aeronautics
Aeronautics aircraft Specialities
Subjects Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Wing
design Aircraft engines (From Props to Scram)
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The space environment
What drives the design of a spacecraft?
It is tough getting up there... Launch conditions
It is tough once you get up there... Micrometeorit
es Solar Radiation / Flares / SMEs Extra Solar
Radiation Magnetic Variances Atomic
Oxygen Outgasing Garbage
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The Atmospheric Environment
What drives the design of aircraft?
Take offs and Landings Stresses Landing
Gear Weight
Steady State Performance Range Comfortability Weig
ht Altitude
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Preparing for the field
Aerospace has an intensive course unit level
which is 15 higher then other majors. First Two
Years
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Preparing for the field
Junior and Senior Year
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Preparing for the field
Take advantage of college (4 to 5 years for BS, 2
to 3 for MS) Get good grades Just say
no... excessive video games drugs and excessive
alcohol FYI, Most companies require a drug test
Don't burn out, even for a little
while Remember, every class counts towards your
GPA Most companies won't interview you without a
3.5 and up Learn to be resourceful, as well as,
remembering the equations (Open book) Have an
open mind about what you can and can't do. You
never really know until you try. Learn to love
coffee, MythBusters, and Dilbert
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Preparing for the field
Tools MATLAB / Simulink Model Based Software
Development will be BIIIIGGGGG!!! Programming
Languages. Unix Environment / PC
Environment Office Suite CAD - Ideas / Inventor /
ProE (Wildfire), also BIG The more software
experience and computer literacy the
better. Skills Good presentation / communication
skills are a must. Good etiquette goes a long
way. Patience... OMG... lots of patience. Staying
awake in meetings Look for niches and fill them.
'OWN' them Adaptability Learn the language Know
about space...don't just take it up. Scientific
methods
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Types of Aerospace Jobs

• From soup to nuts
• Proposals / Requirements
• Design
• GNC / Dynamics
• Electrical Power
• Propulsion
• Aerodynamics
• Thermal
• Structural
• Mission Design
• Test Design
• Assembly Integration and Test
• Test Conductors
• Acoustics / Vib
• Thermal Vac
• Launch Support
• Mission Operations

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Aerospace Industry
Stable Employers (Defense Contractor) Jobs
aren't going to outsourced Awesome products Great
Location(s)? Great Opportunities Flexible hours
(standard 40 hr week)Many different jobs, same
company Great Benefits, pay, start at gt50K
Other Bay Area Aerospace / Defense
Companies Northrop Grumman, San Jose General
Dynamics, Mountain View Bea Systems, San
Jose Loral, Palo Alto
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When I started Full Time at LM
So what have I done (prior to MSAE)? Logistics Pro
ject management training coordinator test
conductor launch facility experience data
miner data collection lots of documentation and
grunt stuff. What do I do now (post MSAE)? Sr
Systems Engineer in the field of Guidance,
Navigation and Control (GNC) Design, Analysis
and Verification of GNC Software SO WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN???
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The Work Environment
Aerospace Industry Demographics More and more
diverse every year. 50 of LMEmployees are
eligible to retire within 10 years. Cube
Farms PCs with Unix workstations Not much
space Highbays Hardware Labs
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Research Your Careers Online Research Space Online
Check out hotjobs.com and monster.com
Aerospace You can email me with questions
davidgroch_at_yahoo.com There are aerospace
communities such as www.AIAA.org NASA has a
great website, too. Check out http//science.nasa
.gov/SpaceScience.htm 3D View of space
debris http//science.nasa.gov/realtime/jtrack/3d/
JTrack3D.html Any Questions?