Professional Experience

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Suborbital Research Payloads at Payload Applied Technology and Operations Lab

ERAU/Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC)/University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio (UTHSCSA) collaboration:
- PLD Space MIURA-1 rocket Suborbital payload in preparation
- Blue Origin’s New Shepard M11 (May 2 2019): In-vivo experiment Zebrafish embryos (McXIMUS ) and in-vitro experiment Spirulina algae (MESSI)
- Blue Origin’s New Shepard M7 (Dec 12 2017): Early Flights: In-vitro model of T Cells to analyze cell response to microgravity during suborbital flight
NASA's Airborne Science Program on WB-57 Aircraft (Dec 1 2017)

Suborbital Space Flight Simulator (SSFS) at ERAU

Space Operations Supervisor/Mission Specialist for the SSFS at ERAU (summer 2015-present).
- Earth’s atmosphere imaging and remote sensing instrumentation
- Suborbital Payloads to be integrated in prospective suborbital vehicles: Blue Origin’s New Shepard PLD Space MIURA-1 space vehicles.
Astronaut-Scientist Training for the PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) 1502 class (October 4th-8th, 2015).
- Hypobaric Chamber training at the Southeast Aero Medical Institute (SAMI)
- Suborbital Space Flight Simulator training using the PoSSUMcam instrumentation; other instruments: Mesospheric Aerosol Sampling Spectrometer (MASS) and the Mesosphere Clear Air Turbulence (MCAT)
- Aerobatic Flight training (October 7th, 2015)
Researcher for the integration of Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) system in the SSFS into the National Air System (NAS).
- Collaboration with the Next Generation ERAU Applied Research (NEAR) laboratory at Daytona Beach campus
- ADS-B v1.1 certification

GMV Aerospace and Defence, S.A. (Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya – IEEC)

Marie Curie Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Flight Mechanics Group

GNC for proximity operations in missions to small bodies in support to the ESA Marco Polo R mission and to the Martian moons.
- Astronet-II Workshop on Advanced Aspects of Spacecraft Control and Mission Design, University of Strathclyde, June 3-7, 2013. Lectures by Prof. Gerard Gómez, Prof. Josep Masdemont, Prof. Ozan Tekinalp, Prof. Victor Becerra, Prof. Colin McInnes and Prof. Max Vasile.
- Astronet-II Workshop on Astrodynamics of Natural and Artificial Satellites: from Regular and Chaotic Motions, University of Tor Vergata, January 14-17, 2013. Lectures by Dr. James Biggs, Dr. Ugo Locatelli, Prof. Daniel Scheeres, Prof. Phil Palmer and Dr. F. Biscani.

California Institute of Technology: Keck Institute for Space Studies (KISS)

Investigated and study the feasibility of returning an entire Near Earth Asteroid to the vicinity of the Earth using technology available.
Analyzed trajectory using invariant manifolds with dynamical systems theory.

Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Visiting Student Researcher Program (JVSRP)

Developed trajectory design, navigation and orbit determination to the triangular points in the Sun-Earth system.
Analyzed nonlinear dynamical systems, periodic solutions and stability using high fidelity models and N-body problem applying simple and multiple step integrators, multiple shooting and symplectic integrators.
Designed low energy transfers using dynamical systems theory.
Software development.

Strategic University Research Program (SURP)

Designed a mission to the Sun-Earth L5 Lagrange point in the Circular Restricted Three Body Problem (CTRBP) for early warning of solar storms and scientific observations of the Sun.
Studied the dynamics of galaxies using a direct planar N-body simulation.

University of Southern California

Information Sciences Institute, Lunar Lander Project Team

Designed, built and tested a LEAPFROG Lunar Lander Prototype Vehicle. Hands on experience in different subsystems, such as structures and propulsion, machinery and systems integration.

Physics and Astronomy Department, Oklahoma University

Research Assistant

Investigated the spectra of gamma ray burst afterglows analyzing the relativistic fireball shock and the cannonball models.

Physics Department, University of Texas at Austin

Main Injector Neutrino Oscillation Search (MINOS) Lab Assistant

Tested the multi-anode phototubes (PMTs) by carrying out daily tasks accurately followed by strict methodologies to carry pertinent analyses to support scientific investigations.
Maintained and operated standard laboratory equipment (eg. High Voltage Testing Capability, Oscilloscope, Voltmeter and Vacuum Drying Oven). I ensured that the lab was well-stocked and resourced, and recorded statistics and results.