Systems Thinking Across the NASA Project Lifecycle (APPEL-vSTNPL)

Dr. Jerry Jon Sellers, author of Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, and is a contributing author and editor of Applied Space Systems Engineering, and a contributing author of Human Spaceflight Analysis and Design. He has over 30 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.

Dr. Peter Van Wirt is a former Deputy Department Head for Labs and Research of the Department of Astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has been a visiting lecturer for the Technical University of Delft’s Spacetech Masters Degree in Space Systems Engineering and is an Adjunct Professor for the Space Systems Engineering Master’s program at The Stevens Institute of Technology. He also instructs at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, CO. He has served as a systems engineer/program manager for a variety of US Air Force engineering developments. Peter has over 30 years of aerospace engineering experience and over 20 years teaching experience. He earned his doctorate at the Utah State University. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Wiley Larson is managing editor of McGraw-Hill’s Space Technology Series and editor and coauthor of Space Mission Analysis and Design, co-editor of Applied Space Systems Engineering and over 20 other reference books on space systems. He is the Director and Distinguished Service Professor for the Space Systems Engineering Master's program at the Stevens Institute of Technology and was former director of SpaceTech’s Masters Program in Space Systems Engineering at Delft Technical University in The Netherlands. He has also served as Head of Engineering at the International Space University in Strasbourg, France, and has over 40 years of experience in space launch, satellite integration and test, space mission design. He has consulted with numerous government and industry organizations and taught thousands of people around the world. Wiley is an elected member of the International Academy of Astronautics. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Randy Liefer is an Associate Fellow of AIAA with over 35 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 has been a visiting lecturer at Delft Technical University in the Netherlands working in the SpaceTech Masters Program in Space Systems Engineering. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dr. Jim Reilly has extensive multi-disciplinary technical, engineering, and program management experience in hydrocarbon exploration, space systems development, aerospace and marine projects, spaceflight operations, and education. His work experience has been in private, academic, government, and military sectors and consists of more than 25 years of active project management of inter-disciplinary and international partner project teams. Major areas of experience: project team management, requirements and ICD development, DT&E, OT&E for spacecraft systems and projects, human factors assessment, performance and training standards, T&V activities, and three flights aboard the Space Shuttle for a total of 856 hours in space.