Student Highlights
Abby Fearneyhough, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
Hi, my name is Abby Fearneyhough and I am from Cheyenne, Wyoming. I am currently a junior in the Mechanical Engineering Program at the University of Wyoming. This summer I have worked on a variety of projects including designing a new SPOT tracker gyroscope and helping to develop a solar balloon. In my free time, I love to explore the great outdoors.
Adam Wolfing,MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
Hello, my name is Adam Wulfing. I am a Computer Engineering Major here at Montana State University and from Ravensdale, Washington where I have lived most of my life and began my love for engineering and robotics with joining and becoming the president of my High School FIRST Robotics Competition team. Since then I began going to MSU fall of 2017 and decided to commit to computer engineering. During this internship I will be in charge of managing the hardware for the new ground station as well as the Arduino interfacing. I’m very excited and this should be a great summer!
Amanda Kotila,UM Geosciences 2020 summer intern
Amanda Kotila is a recent UM graduate of the Geosciences program. This fall, she will be beginning a Master’s in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Alberta, modelling glacier melt under various climate scenarios and the impact of meltwater on regional water quantity and quality. She has spent the summer working for MSCG, using seismic data and receiver functions to model crustal thickness across Montana. Amanda has also enjoyed the Montana summer by reading, hiking, and kayaking. Her goals are to continue to study surface-atmosphere interactions, contribute to the understanding of earth’s climate systems, and promote student excellence and well-being.
Andrew Owen,UM Geosciences 2020 summer intern
My name is Andrew Owen, I am a Computer Science Major at the University of Montana. I have two minors, one in Mathematics, the other in Media Arts. 2020-2021 is my senior year and I am excited that I have made it this far. I think the future is starting to look bright and this internship/research I have done with Dr. Martens this summer is no exception. My goal is to become a Visual effects artist. However, as time drew out through my college career, I started to realize that working with the data and creating equations to make complex concepts and events is really cool. Dr. Martens research only emphasized this passion, the shear amount of complexity behind earthquake calculations was super fun to explore. I am hoping that I can apply some of the knowledge and tricks I learned through this project to my career passions. One such application towards Visual Effects is R&D of the visual effects Software. Creating and modifying the software so that the software can best create the effects needed for a certain project, or even developing new ways of creating visual effects! This is what the Movie Director James Cameron did. I am forever grateful for this opportunity I was given and hope to hold it close forever.
Ashley Hilferty, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Ashley Hilferty. I am a nontraditional student (physics major), and a mother of 3. I didn’t start in physics, but after the intro course I knew there was nothing else for me. I am spending my summer internship with the Borealis project building a climate chamber to test accuracy of our radiosondes, and determine the uncertainties in our measurements taken during a sounding. I hope to go into business operations in a tech based field and possibly get a masters in engineering. My name is Beau Goldberg and I’m am going into my senior year of studying physics at the University of Montana. This summer I’ve been working under a MSGC Internship doing system identification and wind estimation research. Our research is testing and developing methods of using quadrotor motion to obtain accurate wind data. Gathering results with low margin of error would give more evidence toward UAS becoming a viable option for atmospheric research and data collection. After my senior year I’m currently planning on continuing my education in either pursuing another bachelors or attending grad school.
Beau Goldberg, UM Autonomous Aerial Systems Office2020 summer intern
My name is Beau Goldberg and I’m am going into my senior year of studying physics at the University of Montana. This summer I’ve been working under a MSGC Internship doing system identification and wind estimation research. Our research is testing and developing methods of using quadrotor motion to obtain accurate wind data. Gathering results with low margin of error would give more evidence toward UAS becoming a viable option for atmospheric research and data collection. After my senior year I’m currently planning on continuing my education in either pursuing another bachelors or attending grad school.
Bryce Kim, MSU BOREALIS 2020 high school summer intern
My name is Bryce Kim, and I am entering the 10th grade at Bozeman High School. This summer, I have been working on a flight predictor to map out an expected path for the balloon before it is launched, accounting for wind. I am also hoping to set up a live video stream with a Raspberry Pi Camera. For the future, I am probably most interested in mechanical engineering or aerospace engineering.
Chad Dunbar, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
I’m Chad Dunbar, a junior in mechanical engineering here at Montana State University. I have a variety of experience with machining and welding and I have tried my best to leverage that experience. My interest in aerospace systems led me to BOREALIS, where I am working on flight systems to include balloon station keeping systems and an improved antenna tracking station. I spend most of my spare time hiking and fishing.
Dalton Lund, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Dalton Lund, and I am a senior Electrical Engineering major at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Sent by the South Dakota Space Grant Consortium, I am interning with the Montana Space Grant Consortium at Montana State University in Bozeman as part of their BOREALIS Program. While South Dakota does not currently have a high-altitude ballooning program, I am hoping to take my experience and knowledge back in order to help start a program in my home state. In addition to trying to gain as much overall experience as possible, I have been working with the RFD900x Modem that allows for still images to be transmitted from a Raspberry Pi onboard the payload down to the ground station from about 100,000ft away as well as looking into using a GPS-RTK2 board for ground station orientation. Outside of the BOREALIS program this summer, I am using my free time to cook, bake, mountain bike, exercise, read, and hangout with other interns!
Evam Matos, Rocky Mountain College Ecology 2020 summer intern
My name is Evan Matos and I’m a senior studying Environmental Science at Rocky Mountain College. My research involves tracking the phenophases of five alpine plant species on four summits on the Beartooth Plateau. I’m also using remote sensing techniques to research last snow day and green-up dates for the Beartooth mountains using MODIS data. I’m interested in ecology and fisheries and would like to enter a career in either field.
Graham Moss, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
Hello, my name is Graham Moss. I’m attending the University of Montana where I am studying for a bachelor’s degree in Physics with a minor in Mathematics. This Summer I am working with UM BOREALIS to create predictions of atmospheric conditions using the Weather Research and Forecasting Model (WRF). Using data that is obtained by sending a radiosonde that is attached to a balloon up in the atmosphere, I am able to fine tune the physics in the WRF program to create more accurate models of the atmosphere. Afterwards I am able to take the outputs from the atmospheric model and create visualizations that may be able to show where atmospheric gravity waves are located. Also, using the model outputs I am able to create flight prediction for future radiosonde balloon flights. After I graduate from the University of Montana I am planning on attending graduate school for a degree in Data Science. With a background in Physics and Data Science I plan on eventually working with the scientific community to create better computer models of natural phenomena.
Hannah Reickers, MSU Microbiology 2020 summer intern
My name is Hannah Rieckers, and I am a fourth year Microbiology and Immunology major at Montana State University. This summer, with support from the MSGC, I am continuing my undergraduate student research focused on the microbial biogeochemistry of Yellowstone National Park hot springs. Specifically, my work in our lab focuses on how microbial life interacts with its natural environment. With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting laboratory work, I am currently working on a bioinformatics project that focuses on sulfur metabolism in Bacteria and Archaea. Application of phylogenetic and other informatic approaches to existing metagenomic databases is allowing me to determine whether two proteins of interest in the sulfur reduction pathway have co-evolved. The skills I am learning through this project will benefit me as I continue to pursue career interests as I apply to graduate programs in astrobiology and microbial ecology.
Hannah Woody, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Hannah Woody. I am a senior at the University of Montana studying Genetics and Evolution with a minor in Astronomy. This summer, with MSGC, I am working on background characterization in preparation for our field campaign where we are hoping to see eclipse driven gravity waves. During the campaign I will be looking for alternative sources of gravity waves so that when there is a wave detected that might be eclipse driven we can definitively say it was not caused by other sources (i.e. airflow over mountains, wind shear, and convection). The skills I am learning this summer with MSGC I will be taking with me as I pursue a career in Astrobiology and the search for life outside of our home planet.
Hunter Gray, Aaniiih Nakoda College 2020 summer intern
My name is Hunter Gray and I am going to Aaniiih Nakoda College at the Fort Belknap Agency and I am majoring in Computer Information Systems. This summer, I am working for the Montana Space Grant Consortium building and operating a 3D printer. My career interest is working in the tech field. Preferably installing and maintaining hardware.
Ian Scott, Space Science and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
Hello my name is Iain Scott and I am a Sophomore at the Space Science Engineering Lab with MSGC. Over the summer I wrote a file transfer program for the lab's slideshow monitor, set up a wireless camera, and basic server to stream video of the lab's radio telescope. When I am outside the lab I like to explore the unknown.Hello my name is Iain Scott and I am a Sophomore at the Space Science Engineering Lab with MSGC. Over the summer I wrote a file transfer program for the lab's slideshow monitor, set up a wireless camera, and basic server to stream video of the lab's radio telescope. When I am outside the lab I like to explore the unknown.
Issac Schmidt, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Isaac Schmidt and I am studying electrical engineering with a minor in computer science at Montana State University. My current projects with the BOREALIS internship include programming and configuring the 3rd generation of cutdown boards for the purpose of cutting payloads away from the balloon in settings requiring waterproofing, as well as configuring a radio transmission system to be used for live video transfer in the future. Outside of academia, I compete for the Bobcat Track and Field and Cross Country teams.
Jackson Burt, Montana Learning Center 2020 summer intern
My name is Jackson Burt. I am originally from Missoula, Montana. This year I am a Senior in Mechanical Engineering at Montana Tech. This is my second summer working for the Montana Space Grant Consortium. With the guidance of my mentor, Ryan Hannahoe, we are tackling some exciting projects. Being located at the Montana Learning Center has some advantages. Firstly, spending the summer on Canyon Ferry Lake, having the opportunity for hands-on experience with the latest and greatest technologies (such as drones, 3D printers, and oculus gear), but most importantly, the observatories right here on site. It is an exciting experience to be working with local and nationally renowned experts regarding variable-star research. During the day, I do a variety of tasks including familiarization with an online program called Skynet. This program allows me to submit an observation request to a telescope located on half a million acres of forest in New Mexico. Then the data collected by the telescope is sent back to us for processing. At night, contingent upon the weather, I have the opportunity of going out and working with my mentor to photograph the night sky. We photograph everything from breathtaking nebulas and globular clusters to incredibly rare comets. Montana Space Grant has opened doors for me that I never thought were possible. Since my junior year of high school, my dream has been to work for NASA. I would highly recommend reaching out to any of the MSGC staff regarding opportunities. Because of MSGC, I have completed a semester-long co-op at the Marshall Space Flight Center (one of the ten NASA centers). Marshall is home to the main communications hub between the International Space Station (ISS) and Earth. Being able to network with staff at Marshall, along with other centers (such as Kennedy Space Center), as well as individuals from NASA headquarters located in Washington DC has already been an experience of a lifetime.
Jake Davis, Space Space and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
Hello! My name is Jake Davis and I am from Billings Montana. I am a senior studying Mechanical Engineering and pursuing a minor in Aerospace Engineering at Montana State University. This summer I am interning at the Space Science and Engineering Lab (SSEL) working on mechanical design for the RadPC-Lunar, which is striving to put cube satellites on the moon. This requires complex mechanical design and thermal simulation using a variety of different software including SOLIDWORKS and MATLAB. Current tasks have involved reverse engineering existing mechanical designs for different aerospace-related projects to an industrial mil spec tolerance and advancing those designs to fulfill SSEL needs. Future tasks will involve fabrications of custom-designed parts with assembly and integration in RadPC-Lunar and REAL.
Keaton Blair, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Keaton Blair, and I'm a senior at Carroll College with majors in Engineering Science and Computer Science, and minors in Physics, Data Science, and Math. I was excited to come work for MSGC so that I could have a chance to apply the interdisciplinary skills I'm learning in my classes to a relevant and challenging research topic. I'm currently working on the BOREALIS program attempting to detect atmospheric gravity waves from data that we gather via weather balloon launches. When I'm not doing math or programming, I can usually be found testing real-world physics by Rock Climbing, Mountain Biking, or Hiking.
Lance Nichols, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Lance Nichols and I am a junior in mechanical engineering from Missoula MT. Over the summer, I worked on several projects including a new balloon cut down system design, the manufacturing of a new laser cutter and programming for those components. You can find me writing code, debugging circuits and designing parts in CAD. My diverse skill set allows me to detect and solve problems coming from a wide range of aspects and give our team more confidence in the product of our work.
Landon Fagan, UM Autonomous Aerial Systems Office 2020 summer intern
My name is Landan Fagan and I am a Physics student at the University of Montana. I have been working on repairing and maintaining drones for UM AASO. Everything from complete rebuild of a drone to autopilot software turning. In my free time I hike and fly single-engine fixed wing planes out of the Missoula Airport. I would love to either end up flying professionally or in aeronautical engineering.
Larson Brandstetter, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Larson Dean Brandstetter and I am a Senior studying Computer Engineering at Montana State University. I am working with MSGC this summer for my first internship developing software and firmware for a new balloon tracking ground station. I am also developing an environmentally resistant data logging device for recording metrics from the payload of the balloon. These devices will help increase both our ability to monitor the balloon in real time and provide more accurate data for post flight analysis. When I am not working or at school, I spend my time fly fishing and playing hockey.
Lauren Kaiser-Jackson, MSU 2020 summer intern
My name is Lauren Kaiser-Jackson. I go to school at Montana State University, where I major in mathematics and am minoring in physics and astrobiology. This summer I have been studying electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and the microfabricated impedance spectroscopy sensors we utilize in the lab. I have been performing experiments utilizing these sensors in sub-zero temperatures to test their ability to detect microorganisms under extreme cold conditions. I have also been experimenting with sub-zero temperature dependence of the impedance spectra. I would like to eventually pursue a PhD in Astrobiology and conduct research for NASA. I would love to focus on the origins of life on earth, as well as the possible origins of life other places in our solar system such as Saturn’s moon Titan.
Lena Fitzsimmons, Artemis Student Challenge section leader
My name is Lena Fitzsimmons. I’m originally from West Palm Beach, FL and came to Montana State University to pursue a different degree. I had always been interested in robotics and engineering but was told by my family that engineering was not appropriate for girls. After getting mostly through a degree I was not invested in I decided to walk away from those values and pursue my dream of becoming a Mechanical Engineer. I’m now entering my junior year of Mechanical Engineering at Montana State University. This summer I am working through the Montana Space Grant Consortium and the Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium on the Artemis Student Challenge. I’m the only Mechanical Engineering student working on the challenge. The goal of the challenge is to have a rover access, explore, and seal lava tubes on the moon for future habitation. I’m in charge of designing the rover, manufacturing and designing 3D parts for the rover, designing and building a sealant system for the tunnel, and designing and building a lowering and release mechanism for the rover to access the tube. Growing up so close to the Kennedy Space Center I’ve always been interested in space and robotics in space and I’m very excited and grateful to be given the opportunity to pursue those interested with the Artemis Challenge. In my free time I love playing video games and reading a good book.
Madalynne LaLanne, Space Science and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
Hi! My name is Maddy LaLanne and I am from Wenatchee, Washington. I am a senior majoring in Physics at Montana State University. During my summer internship with SSEL I have been trained to run the Thermal Vacuum System for environmental satellite testing and have become the lead programmer for the advanced orbital analysis software called STK. I am also designing and creating testing hardware for IT-SPINS and other satellites within the vacuum chamber.
Makayla Grossman, Flathead Valley Community College Ecology 2020 summer intern
My name is Makayla Grossman. I am an undergraduate student at Montana State University. This summer I received an apprenticeship from the Montana Space Grant Consortium, providing the opportunity to work in Flathead Valley Community College’s Ocean Chemistry Lab. In this lab, students study carbon chemistry of natural waters and its effects on calcifying marine organisms. My work consisted of developing standardized procedures of measuring alkalinity using colorimetric spectrophotometry and titration methods. Simultaneous alkalinity and pH measurements are used to estimate net calcification (balance between calcium carbonate production and dissolution) in a model marine ecosystem. My summer research experience has increased my interest in biochemistry and provided invaluable skills in analytical laboratory methods.
Micah Hickethier, Flathead Valley Community College Ecology 2020 summer intern
My name is Micah Hickethier. I will be a freshman at Montana State University and plan to double major in biological and chemical engineering. This summer I interned at Flathead Valley Community College, doing research in their model marine ecosystem. My research focused on the pH fluctuations caused by the complex biodiverse ecosystem. First I tested pHyters (pH measuring devices developed by prior FVCC students for citizen science) for their accuracy and precision, then collected two weeks’ worth of data. After collecting data that showed a consistent fluctuation in pH over a 12 hour time frame, I introduced a foam fractionator. The amplitude of the pH in the 12 hour time frame decreased, providing the coral with an environment closer to that of its natural habitat. In addition to this research, me and another intern developed protocols for future students to use in the lab. This experience provided me with a better understanding of a lab environment and made me excited for my career path!
Nathan Williams, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
Hello my name is Nathan Williams. As a child I spent a lot of time pretending that I was a giant looking down on the Earth; ants were like people and the little rain drainages in dirt roads were like our rivers. This fascination with our home eventually encouraged me to obtain my B.S. Geography with a GIS Cert. and a Water Science & Society Cert. while at UM. Here at the AASO I get to fly drones that collect high-resolution imagery useful for agricultural mapping and resource conservation. My summer project aims to automate some of the AASO’s image processing workflow while also updating its procedures from ArcMap to ArcGIS Pro. In my free time I enjoy gardening, playing disc golf and cooking for friends.
Nick Butterworth, Artemis Student Challenge section leader
My name is Nick Butterworth and I will be a senior in Computer Engineering at Montana State University. I am originally from Park City, Utah looking for adventures here in Montana. I am working for the Artemis Project this summer, which entails collaborating with multiple other universities to build a self-driving rover that will roam the lava tubes of the moon. While honing my skillsets this summer, I look forward to graduating and working in the industry of embedded systems and hardware for electronics.
Nicholas Dzomba, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Nicholas Dzomba, and I am from Missoula, MT. I am entering my third year studying computer science and mathematics at MSU. This summer, I am working on several projects including a landing predictor to allow us to better gauge the balloon’s trajectory and decide when to cut down, as well as an autonomously steering parachute to aid in getting the payload to land in areas that are easier to retrieve from.
Peter Mitzel, Artemis Student Challenge section leader
Hello, my name is Peter Mitzel. I am a senior at Montana State University. I am working to complete my major in Computer Engineering. When I'm not in school you will find me on the various trails or fishing at the lakes and rivers. This summer I am working on the Artemis Challenge. My work consists of choosing the electronics and constructing the rover. I also implement our code into the project. My plans after school are to work for a tech company in the Northwest.
Quintin McCoy, Sustainable Bioproducts 2020 summer intern
My name is Quintin McCoy and I am a senior at Montana State University-Bozeman majoring in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Astrobiology. As a summer intern working with Dr. Rich Macur at the MSU spinoff Sustainable Bioproducts, now Nature’s Fynd, my research focuses on design, fabrication and testing of bioreactors to grow fungal biofilms on the International Space Station. The internship at Sustainable Bioproducts has been a perfect fit for me since I have a desire to merge my skills in Chemical Engineering with applications in astrobiology. My daily work involves utilizing my skills in CAD, materials fabrication, and microbiology to adapt the company’s proprietary fermentation technology for application in reduced and micro-gravity environments. The long-term project goal is to develop a methodology to produce nutritious, delicious, high-protein foods using available feedstocks to support deep space missions. In the future, I would like to enter a career in renewable energy or alternative, sustainable, materials with possible space applications.
Reece Robinett, Rocky Mountain College 2020 summer intern
My name is Reece Robinett and I'm a senior studying Environmental Science at Rocky Mountain College. My research involves spiny softshell and snapping turtles, and the effects a dam has on their movements and population demographics. I'm interested in ecology and herpetofauna, and would like to become a wildlife biologist.
Ryan Barna, Flathead Lake Biological Station 2020 summer intern
My name is Ryan Barna. I'm a senior at Montana State University with majors in chemical and biological engineering and a minor in mathematics. I intern at the Flathead Lake Biological Station in the Sensor Space laboratory where I work mostly with embedded systems and design. I am currently creating a buoy-mounted system to measure the height of waves in Flathead Lake. The project revolves around a C algorithm to convert accelerometer, gyroscope and compass data to measurable buoy displacement. This summer has opened my eyes to the engineering design process and I seek a career where I'm involved in all aspects of problem solving, surrounded by the type of supportive and intelligent people found in the Sensor Space lab.
Sean Harris, Montana Technological University 2020 summer intern
My name is Sean Harris and I go to school at Montana Technological University. This summer I am conducting research under a Montana Space Grant Consortium Grant. The research involves drone photogrammetry and photogrammetric modeling software. The lengthy explanation to what I do is take detailed imagery with a specified overlap using flight programming software and a drone; then using said imagery to generate models in various software packages designed to use meta data stored in the imagery to assign points within the images coordinates in three-dimensional space. The simplified version of what I do is collet imagery via drone and then import that imagery into software in order to develop a three-dimensional model. The career interests that I have include geotechnical engineering and rock mechanics. I would like to work for a consulting firm doing rock mechanics engineering for mines and other large companies such as transportation departments.
Sam Schonsberg, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Sam Schonsberg, and I am a senior in physics at the University of Montana. This summer, I am helping to design and construct a conditioning table for radiosondes and a vacuum chamber to determine radiosonde sensor uncertainties. I love to come into a project blind and work my way through brainstorming, modeling, and eventual construction of a solution.
Shannel Sinclair, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Shanell Sinclair. I love cats and spending time with my family. I am a Native American transfer student from Blackfeet Community College. I am majoring in mechanical engineering with a minor in aerospace engineering at Montana State University. I hope to one day work in the aerospace industry. Currently I am doing my first internship with Montana Space Grant Consortium. I am working with the BOREALIS program which is a high-altitude ballooning program. My project is building and programming an accelerometer to track orientation during flights. I came here to be part of my state’s space program and get real hands-on engineering experience.
Shirley Davidson, UM BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Shirley Davidson and I attend Carroll College. At Carroll I am a triple major in mathematics, computer science, and data science. For the summer I am working on rise rates and lapse rates. In moving forward with my career I would like to become a data scientist.
Taylor Miranda, Flathead Lake Biological Station 2020 summer intern
My name is Taylor Miranda and I am a Geoscience Undergraduate at the University of Montana. I came to Missoula from Spokane, Washington to join the University’s Geoscience program. I have found great passion in my studies throughout the past three years by exploring subjects within my degree such as Hydrology, Climate Science, Geology, and Geophysics. This summer I have had the pleasure of working in the SensorSpace engineering lab at the beautiful Flathead Lake Biostation. I am enjoying expanding my horizons into the engineering world and learning numerous skills that I hope to carry with me into a future career.
Terrell Young, Aaniiih Nakoda College 2020 summer intern
Bio coming soon.
Thomas Jergenson, Space Science and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
Hello, I’m Thomas Jergeson and I was born and raised in Helena. Currently, I am a junior majoring in Computer Engineering at Montana State University. I started interning at the Space Science and Engineering Lab (SSEL) in May of this year and since then I have been working on the REAL project to aid in development of software that will be used in the flight configuration, as well as researching ground station software to help determine the best method for communicating with REAL once it is in orbit. I have also aided in updating and upgrading the tech used in the lab to assist other students working with SSEL.
Tim Uhlenbruck, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
My name is Tim Uhlenbruck and I am from Missoula, MT. I am a junior in mechanical engineering and aerospace engineering here at MSU. This summer, I am working on several projects including waterproof balloon cut down system, CNC laser cutter design and build, new payload boxes and I am sure many other projects to come.
Will Burrows, Space Science and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
Hello! My name is Will Burrows and I am a junior at Montana State University studying computer engineering. This summer, through the MSGC internship program, I have been working for the Space Science and Engineering Laboratory on the REAL CubeSat project here at MSU. My specific research has been focused on the software interaction between the s-band radio downlink and the Reed-Solomon encoding components. To accomplish this, I am working within the BrightAscension flight software development kit. This allows me to design software components and then test their interaction with a simulated ground station. While the process has been challenging it is immensely rewarding and an incredible learning opportunity. I have always had a deep passion for all things space and engineering related and MSGC has only helped to increase this! It is not often that I have free time but when I do, I enjoy running, reading science/mathematical focused biographies and getting outside! Go MSU! Go MSGC!
Wilson Vogt, MSU BOREALIS 2020 summer intern
Hi, I’m Wilson Vogt and I’m from Bigfork, MT. I am a fourth-year student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Montana State University. I am majoring in Mechanical Engineering and minoring in Aerospace Engineering. This summer at BOREALIS I am working on the design and construction of a high-altitude solar balloon.
Zachary Hull, Space Science and Engineering Laboratory 2020 summer intern
My name is Zachary Hull. I am a senior electrical engineering student at MSU. I worked on a variety of projects for the Space Science and Engineering Lab this summer. At the beginning of the summer, I characterized rotary solenoids for the FURST project. After completion of the solenoid characterization, I designed the GSE and S-Band circuit boards as well as the S-Band antenna for the REAL project. I then updated the existing power and shutter control boards for FURST. Currently, I am experimenting with using external FLASH storage for a PIC32 processor as part of Brock LaMeres’ LunarSat project.