Leva McIntire

School: Seattle Pacific University

Major: Physics

About Me: My interests include baking, camping, and teaching. I would like to pursue a doctorate in either Optics or Physics Education. Out of all of Physics, my favorite subject so far has been Optics. I am currently deciding whether or not I would like to teach at a secondary or collegiate level. This is why I applied to Lunar and Planetary science Academy this year. I feel that the work experience and resources provided will allow me to increase my understanding of science as well as aid me in my choice of doctorate and teaching level.
This is my first year with any of the NASA academies. I am currently on the team working on LOLA, the Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter on LRO. Specifically, I am working with the optics systems here at Goddard for LASER Ranging to LRO. In addition, I am writing a program to catalog the LASER Ranging data collected from earth stations.

Kynan Rilee

School: Princeton University

Major(s): Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

About Me: I'm a rising sophomore, and I'm in the LRO/LOLA group in the LPSA. My job is to process altimetry and telemetry data from the LRO. I am currently working on a graphical editor for the altimetry data from LOLA (Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter) that automatically flags outliers in the data and provides tools for manual editing as well. I'm also working on a tool that extracts spacecraft orientation data from telemetry so it can estimate the forces exerted on the spacecraft by direct sunlight, sunlight reflected off the lunar surface, and thermal radiation from the moon. We have to know these forces in order to maintain a precise orbit, which the LRO needs for accurate measurements.

Ken Moses

School: Case Western Reserve University

Major(s): Mechanical Engineering

About me: Hello world! I thought I would share with everyone a little bit about myself and my engineering experiences on this blog. First off, this is the first blog I have EVER written so go easy on me. I grew up in the heart of MD and lived in the same house for 18 years. I was lucky enough to have a large family that nurtured all of my interests. Of course I was an avid lego-er, played with anything Radio Controlled, and developed an interest in any and all types of models (planes, trains, cars). A lot of my enthusiasm and hobbies came from my father and older brother. At the ripe age of 12 I rebuilt my first motorcycle engine, and from there continued to learn about automobiles. Throughout high school I was a member of JETS (Junior Engineering Technical Society), which was a total blast. We traveled for competitions and had to solve all sorts of engineering problems. In college I pursued my love of engineering and was extremely fortunate to be able to work in a Biologically Inspired Robotics laboratory where we built cockroach robots and micro air vehicles. Not too long ago, my father (who works at NASA on the Earth Observation Systems) informed me of a fantastic opportunity for the summer. And so, I find myself here at NASA in the Lunar and Planetary Science Academy about to embark on an exciting journey to Sudbury, Canada!

P.S. Below you’ll find a picture of me after caving with what we like to call a little “belly mud.”

Brady Doepke

School: University of Kentucky

Major(s): Mechanical Engineering

About me: I am currently a senior in Mechanical Engineering at The University of Kentucky. This summer I will be working with the recently launched LRO Spacecraft. My group is working on the LOLA instrument which uses LASERs to determine the distance between the spacecraft and the Lunar surface and the distance between earth and the spacecraft.
During the school year I am a researcher in the Dynamics Structures and Controls lab the UK. I study inflatable aircraft structures for deployable UAV systems. I am also part of the UK Design-Build-Fly team (a UAV construction competition) and I am the team pilot.