WASZYN // Mission Control

01 // About

Mission Brief

I'm a junior in Engineering Science at Penn State with a minor in Engineering Mechanics and a Certificate in Space Systems Engineering. I build systems that bridge hardware and software — from custom RF receive chains and analog circuits to ML pipelines and 3D mission control interfaces.

My work lives at the intersection of formal systems engineering and hands-on hardware. I co-lead systems engineering on a NASA LunaRecycle team competing in Phase III (prize ceiling $1.2M), operate an autonomous satellite ground station I built from scratch, and run verification campaigns on RF hardware I solder myself. I care about traceability, measured performance, and shipping things that actually work.

This summer I'll be joining Millennium Space Systems (Boeing) as a Spacecraft Systems Engineering intern.

Education

B.S. Engineering Science · May 2027

Penn State University · GPA 3.74/4.00

Minor: Engineering Mechanics

Certificate: Space Systems Engineering

Technical Skills

C++ Python MATLAB JavaScript Linux/Unix LabVIEW Simulink SolidWorks Multisim LTspice Three.js scikit-learn SGP4 SDR Antenna Design VNA 3D Printing Soldering

Coursework

Systems Design (grad-level) · Quantum Mechanics · Signals & Systems · Electromagnetics · System Vibrations · Circuits & Devices · Computational Methods · Materials Engineering · Thermodynamics
UPCOMING: Software-Defined Radio · RF & Microwave Engineering · Satellite Communication Systems · Analysis in Engineering

02 // Projects

Mission Log

End-to-end systems from concept through verification, built with real hardware and measured performance.

★ Featured · NASA Phase III · $1.2M Ceiling

RECLAIM — NASA LunaRecycle Challenge

🌙 Lunar ISRU Recycling 👤 Joined post-Phase II as Co-Lead SE 📅 Jan 2026 – Present 🏆 Phase II Winner · Phase III Competing

RECLAIM team concept sketches — pre-processing, metal casting, and gas collection

Team Concept Sketches // Pre-Processing · Metal Casting · Gas Collection

RECLAIM is a microwave-based in-situ recycling system designed for lunar surface operations. Under Penn State's Student Space Programs Lab (SSPL), the team is developing a closed-loop platform that converts inhabitant waste — aluminum, Nomex, textiles, foam, and plastics — into usable feedstock through a three-stage thermal cycle: a 2.45 GHz solid-state microwave generator, dual-path thermal processing (SiC susceptor-coupled smelting for metals, inert-atmosphere pyrolysis for plastics), and automated material handling. The team won $50,000 in NASA's LunaRecycle Phase II; I joined after that win and stepped into the co-lead systems engineering seat for Phase III, which carries a prize ceiling of $1.2M. I own the architecture, requirements flowdown, concept of operations, and cross-subsystem integration driving toward the April 23 PDR.

PP

Preprocess

MT

Metals

PL

Plastics

MW

Microwave

EL

Electrical

CD

CD&H

ST

Structures

Systems Engineering Requirements (FR/PR/IR/SR) ConOps ICDs Trade Studies 2.45 GHz SSMG Pyrolysis SiC Susceptor ISS Express Rack Heritage

SCR

Mar 26
ConOps + L0

REQ

Apr 2
FR/PR/IR

TRADE

Apr 9
Studies

L1

Apr 16
Subsystem arch

PDR

Apr 23
Design pkg

SHOW

Apr 28
LF Showcase

7
Subsystems (L0–L1)

7
Operational Modes

500g
Min Batch / Cycle

$1.2M
Phase III Ceiling

      SE DELIVERABLES

      Authored & presented SCR covering stakeholder analysis, L0 architecture, operational modes, and schedule · Drove requirements flowdown from NASA Phase 2 Rules through system-level FR/PR/IR/SR with full traceability · Defined Concept of Operations across 7 modes with transport and life-cycle phases · Coordinating cross-subsystem interface control documents across all 7 subsystems · Running trade studies on SSMG vs. magnetron, sorting mechanisms, and thermal management

★ Featured · Solo Build

Autonomous Satellite Ground Station

📡 8,570+ lines 🚀 11 satellites tracked 📅 Jan 2026 – Present 🌐 V3+ Verified

3D mission operations HMI — SATCOM orbital pass visualizer

SATCOM // 3D Mission Operations HMI

Solo-built autonomous ground station for NOAA APT and METEOR LRPT weather-satellite image reception. Custom VHF antenna, SAWbird LNA, RTL-SDR v4, and a full software pipeline spanning orbital prediction (SGP4), real-time RF capture (C++), APT/LRPT signal decoding (FM/AM and OQPSK → Viterbi → CCSDS → Reed-Solomon), and ML-driven mission planning. A browser-based 3D mission-operations interface built with Three.js tracks 11 spacecraft across 5 constellations — NOAA, METEOR, ISS, Terra/Aqua, and Landsat — with live AOS/TCA/LOS prediction, elevation profiles, and Doppler shift.

RTL-SDR Blog V4 software-defined radio — receiver hardware for the ground station

Python C++ JavaScript Three.js / WebGL MATLAB scikit-learn Skyfield / SGP4 RTL-SDR REST API CCSDS / Reed-Solomon

V0

Orbital
±15s

V0.5

SDR env
verified

V1

RF link
first capture

V2

SAWbird
20 dB gain

V3

831 syncs
decoded

V3.1

USB fix
287 syncs

V3+

Clean img
QFH ant.

V4

Auto
Doppler

V5

25+ imgs
auto

V6

ML mission
planning

7
Subsystems (L0–L2)

831
APT Sync Pulses (Best)

11
Spacecraft Tracked

REST
API + 3D HMI

      DECODERS

      NOAA APT: FM demod → lowpass → AM envelope → sync correlation → line extraction ·
      METEOR LRPT: AGC → RRC matched filter → Gardner timing → Costas PLL → Viterbi (k=7, r=1/2) → CCSDS → Reed-Solomon → multi-channel AVHRR reassembly
    

Completed

RTL-SDR Signal Processing & Antenna Systems

MATLAB · L0–L2 Architecture · V0–V4 Verified

End-to-end FM-band RF receive system: custom-fabricated dipole antenna (coax feed, SMA interface, empirically tuned length), MATLAB DSP pipeline using comm.SDRRTLReceiver, and a structured five-stage verification campaign (V0 SDR sanity → V1 end-to-end RF → V2 orientation/placement sensitivity → V3 FM demodulation with intelligible audio recovery → V4 quantitative gain-sweep characterization). Receiver behavior quantified via PSD peak, noise floor, and SNR-like metrics. All results from physical hardware, not simulation.

MATLAB RTL-SDR v4 DSP / FFT FM Demodulation Antenna Fabrication PSD Analysis

Tone control / karaoke PCB with LF412CP op-amps

Completed

Tone Control / Karaoke Circuit

EE 210 · Fall 2025

Five-block analog audio system: stereo mixer with karaoke vocal cancellation, Baxandall tone control (bass/treble shelving), variable volume stage, 4-level LED VU display, and headphone output buffer. Designed in Multisim, prototyped on breadboard, fabricated onto PCB with LF412CP op-amps, verified through bench testing with function generator and oscilloscope.

Multisim LTspice Op-Amp Circuits PCB Design Analog Signal Processing

03 // Research

Research Operations

🌡️

HEATER Laboratory

Thermal Systems & Heat Transfer

Designed and procured an experimental setup for non-invasive frost imaging using thermal and optical sensing. Developed LabVIEW data acquisition systems for supercritical CO₂ loop instrumentation. Staged integration of new accumulators, thermocouples, and sensors into a two-phase heat transfer loop. Performed system-level modeling of Navy chiller systems, collaborating across cross-domain subsystems.

📡

Systems Design Lab · Senior Thesis Track

Space Systems & SDR Research

Planning undergraduate senior thesis research in space communication systems and software-defined radio, building on the autonomous ground-station work and the SSPL QFH antenna effort. Targeting completion in the 2026–27 academic year.

04 // Experience

Mission History

Summer 2026 (Incoming)

Spacecraft Systems Engineering Intern

Millennium Space Systems, A Boeing Company · Chantilly, VA

Supporting systems testing and integration for national security spacecraft payloads

March 2026 - Present

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Systems Design Lab · Penn State

Planning undergraduate thesis research in space communication systems and software-defined radio

January 2026 - Present

Co-Lead Systems Engineer · NASA LunaRecycle Challenge

Student Space Programs Lab (SSPL) · Penn State

Joined the team after its $50K Phase II win and stepped into co-lead systems engineering for Phase III (prize ceiling $1.2M)
Co-leading systems engineering on a lunar microwave-based recycling system through PDR and prototype build
Defined 7-subsystem architecture (L0–L1) with traced functional, performance, interface, and safety requirements
Developed full Concept of Operations including 7 operational modes with transport and life-cycle phases
Authored and presented SCR covering stakeholder analysis, architecture, requirements, and schedule
Coordinating cross-subsystem interface definitions and requirements flowdown to PDR (April 23, 2026)

August 2025 - Present

Undergraduate Research Assistant

HEATER Laboratory · Penn State

Designed and procured experimental setup for non-invasive frost imaging using thermal and optical sensing
Developed LabVIEW data acquisition systems for supercritical CO₂ loop instrumentation and analysis
Staged integration of new accumulators, thermocouples, and sensors into a two-phase heat transfer loop
Performed system-level modeling of Navy chiller systems, collaborating across cross-domain subsystems

June 2025 - August 2025

Mechanical Engineering Intern

ATI Specialty Rolled Products · Monaca, PA

Project managed the full system overhaul of a planar mill belt grinder under a 3.5-week timeline
Oversaw installation of new Siemens drives and PLC/HMI controls, ensuring proper system integration
Directed contractors for mechanical restoration while running plate trials and final system validation
Coordinated oil level sensor installation including wiring, mounting, and commissioning
Diagnosed and resolved air compressor faults, performing troubleshooting, setup, and return-to-service
Performed trade studies and analysis on competing industrial ultrasonic defect testing systems

05 // Involvement & Awards

Ground Support

Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity

Risk Manager · Philanthropy Chair
Asst. New Member Educator
Internal J-Board
Professional Development Chair

Feb 2024 - Present · 115 members

Society of Engineering Science

Student Relations

Aug 2025 - Present

Radio Club of America

Member

Mar 2026 - Present

Aviation Society

Member

Aug 2025 - Present

Honors & Awards

🏆

NASA LunaRecycle Phase II Winner — Team

$50,000 · 2026 · now co-lead SE for Phase III

🎓

Dean's List

5 of 5 semesters

🏆

Thermo Fisher Scientific Scholarship

2025

🏆

Alpha Phi Delta Fraternity Scholarship

2024, 2025

🏆

Anthony S. Pane & Carl D. Ross Memorial Scholarship

2024-25

🏆

PSU College of Engineering Vierck Scholarship