Albums: 2008-2009 Chimaera team

Zach is a senior majoring in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Mathematics. He is on the recovery team and the avionics liaison for the Chimaera Rocket Project. Despite owning several firearms, Zach was voted most likely to rob a bank using a bear as a weapon. Zach sometimes finds it difficult to write an entire paragraph about himself.

Yutaka is a senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is an international student from Japan. He is a member of the motor team. His primary responsibility was development of a solid rocket motor simulator.

Stan Rosen is a senior studying Mechanical Engineering at Utah State University. He serves as the Chief Engineer for this year's Chimaera team. As chief engineer, Stan has kept track of the design of all parts of the Pike. He also has been a member of the payload team, working extensively on the attitude control system. In addition, Stan helped to model winds in the Chimaera Flight Simulator. After graduating with his bachelor's degree, Stan intends to obtain a master's degree. In his spare time, Stan enjoys raquetball and reading, and he dreams of buying a motorcycle.

Shaun is a senior undergraduate student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He currently serves as the Aerodynamics team leader for the rocket. Part of his responsibilities included helping write codes that utilized Missile Datcom to predict aerodynamic coefficients, as well as writing fin optimization codes, and helping perform wind tunnel testing. Following graduation Shaun will be working for Edwards AirForce Base in the Performance and Flight Qualities discipline.

Shane Robinson is currently a graduate student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. Shane’s efforts on the Chimaera project are centered on the guidance, navigation, and control (GNC) systems for the rocket. He also is involved in the development of the Chimaera Flight Simulator. Outside the Chimaera project Shane is involved in using linear covariance techniques to perform rapid GNC analysis for NASA’s ALHAT program. Other recent projects that Shane has been involved with include: performing radiometric tracking baseline studies for the Constellation program at JPL in Pasadena CA, and the development of a concept of operations for post TLI and pre-LOI guidance/targeting contingencies for the Orion program. In addition, Shane has a Rocky Mountain Space Grant fellowship that supports his efforts to develop a simple multi-burn transearth injection targeting scheme for on-board applications.

Peter is a senoir in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. He has been the payload tem lead for the 2008-2009 team. He helped to design and analyze the airbrake system. He also helped to analyze the rocket prior to flight using the Chimaera Flight Simulator.

Paul is a Mechanical Engineering senior undergraduate student at Utah State University. Paul has been on the structures team for the 2008-2009 Chimaera project. He has done several finite element analyses and hand calculations on the avionics structure to ensure its strength during the recovery of the rocket launch. He has also helped write and edit portions of the reports required for the competition

Nick McKee is a senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. He loves running, hiking, and organizing stuff as well as eating yogurt. On top of that Rockets are AWESOME and working with the Chimaera team this year has been an adventure he will never regret. Nick is on the Aero team for the rocket and has also been in charge of fund raising and finances for this years team. After graduating in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering this May, Nick is going on to get a masters at Georgia Tech with General Electric Energy division. "Utah State University as been an outstanding institution. A part of me will always be here. As a side note, I love programming and propulsion systems engineering. After growing up on a small farm in the desert, I came to love the machines that make our lives better. " It should also be noted that clutter makes the Nick cry. Sad, sad panda bear.

Mike is a senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at USU. As a member of the aerodynamics team for the rocket he has been very involved in integrating Missile DATCOM into the Chimaera Flight Simulator. He has helped determine the control derivatives for the control surfaces that were added this year. He also helped with windtunnel testing.

Mike is a Graduate student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. He was also a member of the team in 2007-2008. This year he has helped develope the attitude controller and has aided in rocket simulation.

Matt Wilson is a senior in Mechanical/Aerospace engineering with plans for a Master's, and is mainly in charge of the Chimaera Flight Simulator (CFS) and Monte-Carlo analyses, as well as being on the payload team and the navigation liaison. He has also helped in the creation of the avionics hardware for the Pike, including nearly frying the flight computer once. Working on the Chimaera project has given him invaluable experience with many aspects of engineering; everything from genetic algorithms to Kalman filtering to basic circuit design. Matt enjoys reading, origami, pie, and Risk (world domination, anyone?).

Marc is a senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. He is a member of the motor team and has been the motor team leead since January 2009. Significant accomplishments include the successful conducting of three static motor tests. He also has acted as Launch Operations team lead for both full scale test launches conducted by the 2008-2009 team.

Luke is an undergraduate senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at USU. As Controls Liaison for this years team, he has primarily been working with Michael Phillips on the design of the attitude control system that has been added to the rocket this year. Luke plans to continue his studies at USU next year to earn his Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering. Recently he was awarded the SMART Scholarship from the Department of Defense--a highly competitive scholarship for service program.

Kyle is a student in Mechanical and Aerospace engineering. Kyle is the launch support team lead. His responsibilities include oversight of the design and construction of the mobile launch pad as well as transportation of all necessary launch-site equipment.

Justin is an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in Aerospace Engineering. He is currently the structures team lead. As a member of the structures team, he has helped design and analyze the rocket's airframe to be able to withstand the different loadings faced during the rockets flight. Also, he has helped with the manufacturing of the rocket. Justin currently does research with the U.S. Army, and is planning on obtaining his Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Utah State University.

Justin is currently an undergraduate studying Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the propulsion team. As a member of the propulsion team, he has helped test and characterize the solid motor. He is also planning on pursuing a Masters Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Utah State.

Jessica Thornley Anderson is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis in Aerospace. She is a member of the Aerodynamics group on the Chimaera team, and also serves as the documentation lead. Jessica was inspired to study engineering due to a lifelong interest in math and science. Her goals include pursuing a master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, working on launch vehicles for satellites or for human spaceflight, and helping to inspire other women to pursue careers in engineering. When not studying, working, or in class, Jessica enjoys ballet, reading, playing the flute, and spending time with friends and family.

Jed is a senior in Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. He is on the Aerodynamics Team and helped write algorithms for fin optimization, predicting errors from fin misalignment, and calculating coefficients for control surface deflections. All of these algorithms utilized Missile Datcom. Jed also helped calibrate pressure transducers and helped with wind tunnel testing. He also participated in many outreach activities where he gave presentations about the project and engineering. Five days after graduation Jed is expecting his first child, a baby boy. In June he will begin working for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in the Flight Mechanics Group.

Jacob BrownJacob is a graduate student in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. Jake has aided in the design of the hardware components of the avionics package. He is also a full-time electronics technician for the Chemistry depart. During the last few years on the rocket project, Jake has only fryed a few electonic components, almost wearing off his previous nickname, "Smokey".

Heather is a senior in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Utah State University. As a member of the motor team Heather aided in the design and implementation of instrumentation for static motor firings. Heather has helped out with outreach by going to three outreach events. Besides working on the Chimaera rocket, Heather has been the mentoring chair for the University's Engineering Council and is the vice president of the University's section of the Society of Women Engineers.