Marcel Mabson

Marcel Mabson is an Adjunct Professor of Astronautical Engineering at Capitol Technology University and has been with the university for over a decade. Born in Hawaii while his mother was stationed at a Naval base, Mabson developed an interest in science at a young age. His uncle first introduced him to space while they watched an Apollo documentary, and from that point forward, Mabson knew he wanted to pursue a career in the space industry.

As an elementary school student, Mabson read every book he could find about space. He could name all of the Space Shuttles, including the year each was built and its first launch, while also developing a growing interest in astronomy. On his fifth birthday, his godparents gave him his first telescope. That same night, he used it to observe Saturn. Although the telescope was small, the experience allowed him to take what he had learned from books and see it firsthand, further deepening his fascination with astronomy.

During his junior year of high school, Mabson began researching colleges and universities. He knew astronomy and space were the fields he wanted to pursue, but many of the larger universities he visited during open houses seemed too large, and he worried he would not receive the hands-on exposure he was seeking. After attending an open house at Capitol Technology University, then known as Capitol College, he decided that its Astronautical Engineering program would provide the best path toward his goal of working on a NASA mission.

In fall 2006, Mabson was selected as a flight operator for NASA's TOMS-EP mission, providing a stepping-stone to future opportunities. Since graduating, he has worked on more than 12 NASA and commercial missions, attended numerous conferences, and helped operate Capitol Tech's Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC), where he trains the next generation of spacecraft operators. He earned his bachelor's in Astronautical Engineering from Capitol Technology University.

Areas of Expertise

• Astronautical Engineering
• Systems Engineering
• Commercial and agency space missions
• Spacecraft ground software test engineer
• Onsite support to Spacecraft flight operations team members during all operational phases of a mission

Education

• B.S., Astronautical Engineering, Capitol Technology University

Professional Achievements

• Installing and upgrading the Space Flight Operations Training Center at Capitol
• Spearheaded the ALPHA Observatory project on campus

Honors and Awards

• NASA'S LDCM group achievement award
• 2010 Capitol College student achievement award
• 2017 Capitol Technology University Faculty service award 

Volunteer/Service experience

• Board member Science and Engineering Partnership
• Provide neighborhood children views of the planets and deep sky objects
• Provide open house tours for the AE program at Capitol