This summer, two outstanding undergraduate students from Capitol Technology University’s Astronautical and Space Engineering (ASE) program—Daniel Geer and Philip Alsop—were selected for a prestigious internship through the MD Space Grant Consortium (MDSGC) Summer Campus Exchange Internship Program with the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) and Eastern Shore (UMES). Capitol Tech was honored to host two talented UMD aerospace engineering students in exchange who contributed to a major systems upgrade of our Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC).
The MDSGC summer program offers select students an aerospace-focused internship with another Maryland college. Students contribute to space research, develop hands-on technical skills, and connect with peers and faculty for a comprehensive learning experience. Upon completion of the internships, the MDSGC held its annual Student Research Symposium on August 4, showcasing the impressive work and skills gained by student interns from across the state. Both our Capitol Tech and UMD students presented their projects during this year’s event at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for university mentors and program directors.
Capitol Tech Students Intern with University of Maryland
Daniel Geer (senior) interned at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD), where he contributed to the Nearspace Balloon Payload Program. His work focused on refining a high-altitude balloon payload designed to measure high-energy radiation in the upper atmosphere. Daniel’s project aimed to optimize the scientific return of the payload while minimizing development costs. His latest design iteration is slated for flight testing soon.
Philip Alsop (junior) completed his internship at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) where he explored sustainable crop growth systems for future Mars missions. Philip compared an aeroponic tower design with an automated plant growth robot that provided water to plants growing in a medium that combined Mars soil simulant and organic matter. This project offered insights into how astronauts might grow food in extraterrestrial environments.
Capitol Tech Hosts University of Maryland Interns
Capitol Tech welcomed two UMD aerospace engineering students—Kieran Cooke (junior) and Ismail Shah (sophomore). These talented students spent the summer performing technical upgrades along with Capitol Tech faculty through the MDSGC-funded SFOTC Modernization Program: upgrading infrastructure, software, and training scenarios, as well as doubling the size of the virtual spacecraft constellation.
Capitol Tech’s SFOTC continues to be a one-of-a-kind facility in the state of Maryland. It plays a vital role in our ASE curriculum by offering students practical training in spacecraft ground systems architecture, mission operations, and anomaly resolution. Instructors also challenge students to diagnose problems and restore systems to nominal operations by simulating spacecraft or ground antenna failures. Training in the SFOTC prepares students for careers in the civilian, military, and commercial space sectors.
Key updates this summer include the ability for students to simultaneously operate up to ten virtual spacecraft flying in diverse orbits, as well as enhancing virtual ground station capabilities. These improvements—along with a new-and-improved configuration and layout of the lab and equipment—provide a more complex and realistic training environment, better preparing students to manage complex real-world mission operations.
“The SFOTC modernization project is by far the most complex upgrade the lab has undergone since its inception,” says Prof. Marcel Mabson. “The interns, in the span of 8 weeks, have revamped the lab, adding over 200 feet of new network cables, installing and configuring spacecraft control software, updating databases and completing over 60 unique interface tests. With these updates, the SFOTC is poised to continue as the leading training center for the next generation of spacecraft engineers.”
Special Thanks
The ASE department would like to thank UMD student interns Kierian Cooke and Ismail Shah for their dedication and commitment to their challenging internship and wish them the best as they enter a new semester. Their work significantly expanded our center’s capabilities.
Capitol Technology University would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the Maryland Space Grant Consortium for supporting these invaluable internships. These real-world experiences enhance our academic programs and prepare our students for impactful careers in the space industry, making them highly sought-after in the competitive job market.