Aerospace Mechanical Engineer at TRL11
Aug 2023 - Present
Statements expressed here are solely my own and do not represent the views or opinions of TRL11.
At TRL11, we create space-rated imaging systems that specialize in full-motion, low latency video. While at TRL11, I've owned and led the mechanical design of 4 different product lines, from conception to successful orbital operation. While I can't get too deep into specifics, I can give a summary of what is already publicly available and my involvement in it.
Results
If you'd like to see the results of my work at TRL11, I've attached some footage from our products. Each clip is from a product that I either owned and designed, or contributed to the design of.
Product Design Ownership
I've been the lead mechanical designer for the following TRL11 product lines. Click the product names for more information.
SAVER
Our flagship video recording and processing computer.
Fovea-M2
Our most miniaturized single-camera system, delivering 1080p video across several lens configurations.
HANS
Hardened Network Switch, for handling video streams from several different camera systems.
Quadclops Pro
An intelligent sensor suite designed to capture objects from centimeters to over 20km away. It achieves this with a compact, state-of-the-art monolithic telescope.
Mechanical Design
The design process of space hardware, especially sensitive optical assemblies, is rigorous. There are countless design requirements and restrictions to consider, and the timeline is always a few weeks shorter than you need it to be. Here's a condensed list of design considerations I had to keep in mind:
- Size, Weight, Power, and Cost (SWaP-C)
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM)
- Design for Assembly (DFA)
- Outgassing
- Thermal Performance, especially in a vacuum environment
- Structural Integrity, withstanding applied loads
- Vibrational Modes
- Humidity (in the launch environment)
- Flammability
- Optical Alignment and Performance
- Creation of FOD (Foreign Object Debris)
- Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)
- Static Buildup
- Electrical Harnessing
- Ground Separation
- Radiation Tolerance
Rendering & Marketing
When I first joined TRL11, our rendering process was nothing more than the renderer built into the CAD software. These, generally, do not cut it if your goal is to produce photorealistic images of your products. It also eliminates any possibility of more advanced marketing materials, such as animations. One of my early contributions to TRL11 was suggesting to move our rendering process to a software more suited for the job. I hadn't had any experience with it at the time, but neither did anyone else. After years of tuning our rendering process, I can confidently produce high quality renders of new products on short notice.
Due to my experience in this area, I'm currently responsible for the creation of all digital renderings for TRL11. These include all product renderings on the TRL11 website.
Other Responsibilities
Mechanical design is just the start of the process of developing, testing, launching, and supporting a space-ready video system. In short, additional responsibilities included:
- Writing documentation, including customer-facing ICDs, engineering drawings for manufacturers, and precise assembly instructions for our technicians.
- Writing procedures for, conducting, and evaluating the results of, various types of validation testing. These include thermal vacuum (TVAC), thermal cycling (TC), electromagnetic interference (EMI), vibration, and shock testing.
- As mentioned previously, developing photorealistic renderings of our products for business development and marketing initiatives.
- Creating and maintaining BOMs
- Researching and sourcing specialized hardware, manufacturing processes, and services.
Relevant Skills
- Mechanical Design
- Optical Design
- PCBA Design
- Thermal Optimization
- Design for Manufacturability
- Design for Assembly
- Electrical Harnessing
- 3D Printing
- Rendering
- Stress Analysis
- Thermal Analysis
- Modal Analysis
- Technical Documentation
- Project Management