Science Mission & Systems: Design & Operations Lab (APPEL-SMSDO-LAB)

Dr. Randy Liefer is a Associate Fellow of AIAA with over 30 years of aerospace engineering experience. He has earned advanced degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Kansas. He has served as Division Chief and Deputy Head of the Department of Astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and has been a member of the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee. He is currently a lecturer at European SpaceTech Masters Program in Space Systems Engineering; an instructor at the Air Force’s National Security Space Institute; and is an adjunct professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Jerry Jon Sellers, is author of Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, and is a contributing author and editor of Applied Space Systems Engineering. He was the director of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Space Systems Research Center. He has over 25 years of space systems experience including Guidance & On-board Navigation Officer in Space Shuttle Mission Control; Assistant Professor of Astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy; and Chief of Astronautics for the Air Force European Office of Aerospace Research & Development. He is an Associate Fellow at AIAA and the former Chairman of the Space Systems Technical Committee. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Peter Van Wirt develops/instructs courses in space systems engineering and consults to help improve SE capabilities. He is an Adjunct Professor with The Stevens Institute of Technology and instructs at the National Security Space Institute. He has served as a PM&SE for a variety of Air Force engineering developments and has over 29 years of aerospace engineering experience. He earned his doctorate at the Utah State in Control Theory.