Team
Team Meetings
All members of the FASTRAC team meet regularly to enhance the sense of teamwork and to exchange and optimize ideas among team members. We have several different meetings to coordinate our efforts. Each week, the entire team meets for a status meeting directed by the student program manager. Here, team-wide collaboration and scheduling take place as well as progress updates. A core group of systems engineers and satellite technicians meets weekly to discuss integration of the satellites for the week. Each subsystem group also meets weekly under the leadership of the subsystem lead engineer. On a daily basis, individual team members meet for small-group discussions of detailed satellite components.
Current Members
Eric Hagen
Eric Hagen is a graduate student in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin advised by Dr. Lightsey. Eric graduated from UT with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in December 2007. As of October 2008, Eric is the student project manager for the FASTRAC student satellite project and a graduate research assistant at Applied Research Laboratories. Eric's research interests include software design for satellite and ground systems, GPS post-processing design, and multi-system GNSS interoperability.
Sebastian Munoz
Sebastian is currently pursuing a Ph.D Degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin. His main interests are in orbital mechanics and satellite design. Sebastian is originally from Medellin, Colombia, and came to the University of Texas in Fall 2001, where he completed a B.S and M.S in Aerospace Engineering. He was the student project manager for the FASTRAC Satellites until September 2008. He is still a part of FASTRAC team, but now serves in an advisor and support role.
Greg Johnson
Greg is a research associate at the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) and a graduate student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics specializing in orbital mechanics. Greg is the primary developer of the OneStop ground station software which enables networks of ground stations to function collaboratively and autonomously. Greg also assists in the development of the FASTRAC satellite software.
Aaron Smith
Aaron Smith is a Ph.D candidate in the Computer Sciences Department at the University of Texas at Austin carrying out research in advanced computer architecture and compilers. On FASTRAC, Aaron is the primary developer of the software that is used on each of the four micro-processors on both satellites.
Stephen Clark
Stephen Clark is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in marketing and journalism. He serves as the FASTRAC public relations director and Webmaster. Stephen also covers the space industry for Spaceflightnow.com, a leading online source for space news.
Jay Eldridge
Jay Eldridge is a second-year aerospace engineering student, fourth-year college student, and twenty-second year human developing software for the University of Texas Satellite Ground Station and leading ground station testing efforts. In his spare time, Jay is a commercial pilot with about 250 logged hours.
Previous Members
Emily Burrough
Emily Burrough was an undergraduate student studying Aerospace Engineering and Spanish Literature. She was also a part of the Plan II Honors Program unique to the University of Texas at Austin. Her work on FASTRAC included helping on the thruster, communications and GPS subsystems.
Thomas Campbell
Thomas Campbell was a Masters student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering
Mechanics specializing in Orbital Mechanics. He worked primarily with the FASTRAC communication system and the distributed ground station network. He is also an avid sailor and has logged more than 3,000 ocean miles.
John Cook
John graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in the Spring of 2005. On FASTRAC, he worked on the development of the electromagnetic interference containment system, magnetometer board design, and testing of the Inertial Measurement Unit. In addition, John helped Millan with thermal and structural modeling and developed CAD models for each FASTRAC subsystem.
Brittney Cunningham
Brittney Cunningham was an undergraduate student in Aerospace Engineering. She was involved in the design and development of the mechanical ground support equipment for FASTRAC. Her other work included developing CAD models of the satellite carrying case and testing the container to prepare for transport.
Millan Diaz-Aguado
Millan received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He pursued a Masters degree in aerospace structures and planned to continue for a Ph.D in orbital mechanics. He was a member of the FASTRAC structure team, developing the vibration and vacuum tests of the fully operational engineering model. He also worked with developing the FASTRAC clean room in the Satellite Design Lab.
Philip Eckhoff
Philip Eckhoff grew up in Haiti and received his aerospace engineering degree at the University of Texas at Austin. He later attended graduate school at the Princeton Institute for Applied Math. He is interested in studying aerospace controls and/or orbital mechanics. He speaks French, Haitian Kreyol, and a little Russian.
Haytham Elmasri
Andrew Feistel
Andrew Feistel was a Masters student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics specializing in orbital mechanics. He was involved in the development of the FASTRAC battery box and monitored senior design projects working on ground support equipment and electromagnetic interference concerns.
Mark Foster
Mark Foster graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering in the Fall of 2005. He started on the FASTRAC team by heading the senior design project to build the Electrical Ground Station Equipment (EGSE). Mark also worked on the GPS system, wrote the EGSE diagnostic software, and served as the manager of the Satellite Design Lab. Mark is currently working as a Flight Test Engineer for L-3 Communications Integrated Systems.
Mohit Garg
Stewart Geyer
Stewart Geyer received his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics from the University of Texas at Austin. He later pursued a Masters degree in guidance, navigation, and control at Georgia Tech as a Lockheed Martin Graduate Scholar. As a member of the FASTRAC team, Stewart was involved in the design and construction of the external ground support unit as well as the development of diagnostics software for the FASTRAC nanosatellites.
Jamin Greenbaum
Jamin Greenbaum was a Masters student in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics concentrating in orbital mechanics. His thesis research concerned the development of a new method for autonomous spacecraft navigation at Mars. He served as the student project manager for the FASTRAC nanosatellite mission.
John Hatlelid
Greg Holt
Greg Holt was a Ph.D student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Aerospace Engineering. His thesis research was "Benchmark Testing for Spaceborne Global Positioning System Receivers." He was the leader of the GPS subsystem and wrote the official attitude determination software that both FASTRAC nanosatellites will use during flight. Greg was the student project manager for the FASTRAC nanosatellite mission from its beginning in 2003 through 2005, when he led the team to victory at the UNP-3 Flight Competition Review.
Elaine Jimenez
Elaine graduated with a degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She was the team lead for her senior design group involved in the development and design of the FASTRAC mechanical ground support equipment. Her work included the design and testing of the satellite carrying case, as well as the development of procedures for shipping and handling once the satellite is packed safely. In her free time Elaine enjoys singing and writing music, and she was also very involved at the University Catholic Center.
Michael Linford
Michael Linford was a Thermal/Fluid systems major in the Department of
Mechanical Engineering. Michael has experience at TXDoT and ExxonMobil and was also employed at ARL:UT. In his free time, he enjoys playing and listening to music.
Jeffery Mauldin
Jeffery Mauldin was a Ph.D student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Aerospace Engineering. He works with The UT Center for Space Research on the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) Program in Mission Operations. Certified in Satellite Tool Kit and experienced in real time operations programming, he worked on the orbit analysis and ground station software development for the FASTRAC mission.
Alex Menzies
Alex Menzies was an undergraduate student in the computer science department at UT Austin. He has a strong interest in space and space instrumentation and helped with the software for the AVR boards.
Sam Morrison
Sam Morrison is an honorary member of the FASTRAC team. He was a student at Lamar Middle School with plans to pursue a career as an astronaut. He joined the FASTRAC team during the summer of 2004, aiding the team in radio and harnessing construction and Balloonsat development. Able to bench-press 400 lbs while playing with a lighter (just kidding, about the lighter), Sam is a valuable member of the FASTRAC team.
Anna Murphy
Anna Murphy was an Aerospace Engineering graduating senior who also studied Plan II, a unique Liberal Arts honors program at UT. She spent most of her time working on the redesign of the propulsion system, developing the manifold design and ensuring system integration. She also assisted in the propulsion system assembly. When she has free time she enjoys reading, swimming, and playing with her two sugar gliders.
Marcin Pilinski
Marcin Pilinski was an Astronautical Engineering and Physics major at UT. He was involved in the redesign and assembly of the propulsion system as well as the thermal vacuum testing at JSC. Marcin also helped test the micro-discharge plasma thruster. In his free time he enjoys sailing, reading and chess.
Gary Raney
Ahmed Saleh
Ahmed Saleh worked on the structural design and fabrication team. He graduated in August of 2004 with a BS in Mechanical Engineering, specializing in Thermal Fluids Systems. His previous work experience includes internships at GE Power Systems, GE Aircraft Engines, and Proctor & Gamble. In September 2004, Ahmed began work as an R&D Engineer at Schlumberger Co. in Houston, Texas.
Stephanie Sellers
Stephanie Sellers was an undergraduate aerospace engineering student. Her primary work was on the redesign of the propellant tank. She also participated on one of FASTRAC's BalloonSat missions in Colorado and environmental testing at NASA's JSC. She later worked as a general FASTRAC lackey. In her free time she likes to go flying, scuba diving, or take a nice long nap.
Shaun Stewart
Shaun Stewart was a Ph.D student at the University of Texas at Austin studying Aerospace Engineering with specialization in orbital mechanics. He was also student manager of the Cubesat\CanSat project, as well as the command and data handling and micro-controller subsystem specialist for the FASTRAC nanosatellite project.
Tena Wang
Tena Wang received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. She later pursued a Masters degree in orbital mechanics and planned to continue for a Ph.D. Tena was a member of the solar panel assembly team.
David Wiese
David Wiese was an undergraduate student in the Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department at the University of Texas at Austin. He later pursued his Master's degree in aerospace engineering with an emphasis in astrodynamics and Earth sciences beginning in the fall of 2005. He was involved with the design, development and integration of electromagnetic containment devices for necessary subsystems into the pair of FASTRAC nanosatellites.
Cinnamon Wright
Cinnamon Wright was an undergraduate in the Department of Aerospace
Engineering and Engineering Mechanics.
Stephen Yeldell
Stephen Yeldell received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He later pursued a Masters degree in Aerothermodynamics. Stephen was involved in the development of the of the micro-discharge plasma thruster and was the subsystem leader.
Faculty & Advisors
Glenn Lightsey
Dr. E. Glenn Lightsey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at the University of Texas at Austin. He specializes in the dynamics and control of vehicles using avionics sensors such as the Global Positioning System for navigation and attitude determination. He is the director of the GPS Research Lab and the Satellite Design Lab.
Wallace Fowler
Dr. Wallace Fowler has been on the faculty of the University of Texas at Austin since 1965. He teaches and conducts research in the areas of spacecraft and space mission design. He holds the titles of University Distinguished Teaching Professor in Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, Paul D. and Betty Robertson Meek Centennial Professor in Engineering, and Director of the Texas Space Grant Consortium.
Laxminarayan L. Raja
Dr. Laxminarayan Raja is an assistant professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin. His research interests are in low-temperature glow discharge plasmas. He employs both computational modeling and experimental approaches for fundamental studies of plasmas and their applications. Current research topics include: Atmospheric-Pressure Glow Discharges, Microdischarges Semiconductor Process Plasmas, and Spacecraft Plasma Propulsion.
Takuji Ebinuma
Dr. Ebinuma is a research fellow in the Surrey Space Center (SSC) at the University of Surrey, England. Prior to joining the SSC in 2003, he worked at the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Space Research as a research engineer. During the spring and summer of 2002, he supervised teams of undergraduate students designing and building a coke-can size picosatellite called Cansat.