Eddie Zhou

When Eddie Zhou began exploring colleges, he had a clear goal in mind: find a program that focused on space. And not just space in general, but astronautical engineering.

“I chose Capitol Tech as an astronautical engineering major,” he said. “I was looking for something very specific—space flight operations—and Capitol was one of the only schools I found offering a true astronautical engineering degree. While the two degrees may be similar, there’s an important nuance, where I wanted to focus on space and spacecrafts.”

That focus, combined with Capitol’s smaller class sizes and strong support from faculty, made the university a good fit. Now well into the program as a junior, Eddie is building a foundation of real-world experience, both in the Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC) lab and through industry internships, that are preparing him for a future in the space field.

“I've learned skills and knowledge applicable to working in the space industry,” Eddie said. “I've learned how to troubleshoot spacecraft anomalies, design spacecraft suitable for a given mission, and how projects move through their lifecycle.”

Beyond the lab, Eddie is gaining even more hands-on experience as an intern with ASRC Federal, working on the Engineering and Mission Operations Support Services (EMOSS) VI contract.  Eddie and a team of five fellow Capitol students support environmental monitoring satellites operated by the NOAA Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO). Their responsibilities include writing, testing, maintaining mission procedures, and supporting products.

Capitol’s small size and focused curriculum have played a major role in preparing him for these opportunities. “Through Capitol and the astronautical engineering department, I’ve received valuable financial aid, networking opportunities, and mentorship,” he says. “Many of my professors have given me invaluable knowledge about the aerospace industry, about careers in aerospace, and just life in general.”

Eddie is also involved with Capitol’s RockSat-X team, a NASA-supported program that allows students to design, build, and fly scientific payloads aboard sounding rockets launched from the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia Beach, VA. The mission offers real-world exposure to the entire process of launching and recovering suborbital payloads.

While Eddie was previously involved in the Astronomy and Adventure Clubs, his focus this year has shifted primarily to lab management and RockSat-X development.

“The astronautical engineering community might not be the largest one on campus, but I've found my people here,” Eddie said. “Even if I'm not knowledgeable in a subject, other people are.”

Eddie’s passion for space is backed by strong technical knowledge, real-world experience, and a clear sense of direction. From his first interest in spacecraft to his current role supporting live satellite missions, he’s steadily building a future in aerospace—and Capitol Tech is proud to be part of the journey.