PROGRAMS:

COMPANIES:

• Jacobs Technology
• United Space Alliance

LOCATIONS:

Kennedy Space Center, FL

POSITIONS:

Payload Test Engineer

COMMENTS:

Space Shuttle Program

I started working on the Space Shuttle Program for United Space Alliance in December of 2000 as a Payload Test Engineer and remained in that position until I was laid off on July 22, 2011.  Our function in Payload Test was to test all of the electrical and data interfaces that the Orbiter was providing to the payload.  This typically occurred during the Payload Premate Test, a major milestone prior to the vehicle rolling out of the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF).

Our function also included closing the Payload Retention Latches during payload installation and supporting launch.  Payload Installation typically happened at the launch pad when the shuttle was in the vertical position and latches were operated from the Firing Room.  We would monitor the Payload Retention Latch indications during launch.

STS-105 (Space Shuttle Discovery) was the first mission that I was assigned as lead.  For the last mission of the Space Shuttle Program (STS-135), I was given an option to watch the launch as a spectator from outside or support launch from the firing room.  I chose to support from the firing room.

Space Launch System (SLS)

I was employed by Jacobs Technology to work as Test Project Engineer (TPE) on the SLS program in February, 2016 and currently remain in that role as of today (8/12/2018).  TPE’s primary function is technical backup to the Test Conductor.