Mars Pathfinder Team Members

Sami Asmar Supervisor of the Radio Science Group Sami Asmar (class of 1985) is a physicist and the supervisor of the Radio Science Group at NASA's Jet propulsion Laboratory. His interests include studies of planetary and solar atmospheres and gravity fields, as well as the theory of general relativity using radio signals propagating from distant spacecraft. For the Mars Pathfinder project, he was responsible for communication during the landing phase and the communications between the lander and rover. Personal Journal I see a weak signal… The Day Pathfinder Landed on Mars

Steve Bolin I supported the Quality Assurance requirements of the Pathfinder Project. Most of my work was connected with the rover where I supported the design and assembly of the cameras and laser strippers and assembly of the supporting electronics. I also worked with manufacturers of the solar cells, flight computer and other electronic components used on the project to resolve manufacturing quality concerns. When Pathfinder completed its flight and the rover rolled off of the lander it was one of the most exciting moments of my life. To think that I had been a part of producing something that was now working on the surface of Mars literally brought tears to my eyes. I grew up during the beginning of the Space Age. I remember when our first attempts to put something into orbit failed on the launch pad and the pride when we finally put our first satellite in orbit. It seemed like an impossibility bake then that we had put up our own small moon. Today, launches of commercial satellites are an everyday occurence and we enjoy the benefits of that hard won technology every day.

Gary S. Bolotin Gary.S.Bolotin@jpl.nasa.gov Summary A digital design engineer with demonstrated strengths in the development of electronic systems ranging from ASIC, to board level design and technical management. Technical Skills Design: • ASIC / FPGA • System • Digital / Analog Languages: • C / C++ • VisualBasic • LabView Design Tools: • Mentor Version 8 • QuickSim • Verilog Management: • Scheduling • Budgeting • Project Management Relative Work Experience 1/86 - Pres. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA. Avionics Engineer Lead avionics hardware engineer for Mars Pathfinder Microrover · Task: Design a robotic vehicle that will launch in 12/96 to explore the surface of Mars. · Defined, specified and designed all digital and analog electronics for the prototype and flight hardware of Microrover. Directed the engineers and technicians assigned to hardware development. Lead avionics engineer for Next Generation Microspacecraft · Task: Design avionics for a 5 kg microspacecraft. · Planned, designed, developed, and demonstrated the required technology for the microspacecraft testbed. · Developed a flexible computer architecture, Space-Cube, based on the 3-D stacking of MCMs, which enables a small set of modules to be easily configured to satisfy the needs of a wide variety of missions. Cognizant Engineer for the Hardware Command Decoder ASIC. · Task: Design a gate array to interpret the spacecraft communication protocol in hardware. · Designed and developed ASIC · ASIC currently used in the CASSINI and Mars Pathfinder flight hardware and is in the Mission to Pluto design. 9/82-8/84 Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne IL. Research Assistant · Task: Develop supercomputer architecture for high energy physics research applications. · Designed and developed and 8 processor computer utilizing the National Semiconductor 32000. 1/81-9/82 GTE Automatic Electric Laboratory, Northlake, IL. Co-Op · Task: Develop instrument to measuring semiconductor components SPICE model parameters. · Wrote software that allowed LabView to interact with test equipment and automatically obtain component’s SPICE model parameters. · Designed analog board to perform measurements on components. Education University of Illinois, Urbana, IL. M.S. Electrical Engineering, 12/85 Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL. B.S. Electrical Engineering, 5/84 Selected Publications/Patents Space-Cube: A Flexible Computer Architecture Based on Stacked Modules, Proceedings MCMC 1996, Santa Cruz, CA. Patent pending on design. An Alternative Method For Performing Board Level Simulation Involving Microprocessors, Proceedings 1993 ASIC Conference. Distributed Computing System With Dual Independent Communications Paths Between Computers, U.S. Patent 4,933,936.

Robert D. Braun As an aerospace engineer at the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), Robert D. Braun has been performing design and analysis of atmospheric flight systems for robotic and human planetary exploration since 1987. Dr. Braun was a member of the Mars Pathfinder design team from 1992 to 1997 and was the only non-JPL member of the Pathfinder entry, descent, and landing (EDL) operations team. His Pathfinder contributions, which focused on prediction of the atmospheric entry flight environment, spanned the design, test, operations, and post-flight data reconstruction phases of this mission. His atmospheric flight dynamics simulation was used to statistically assess the expected flight environment and qualify numerous EDL subsystems, including the parachute deployment flight software and heatshield. During Pathfinder operations, as a member of the navigation team, he was responsible for landing site prediction and determination of EDL flight software parameters that controlled the parachute deployment event. Dr. Braun has also contributed to the design of the Mars Microprobe aeroshells for the New Millennium DS-2 mission (scheduled for launch in January 1999). He is currently leading the Mars Surveyor 2001 Atmospheric Flight Team, in which capacity he is responsible for development of precision landing guidance strategies for the Mars Surveyor 2001 Lander and hopes to be involved in the Mars Sample Return mission. Dr. Braun received his B.S. in aerospace engineering from Penn State University in 1987, a M.S. in Astronautics from the George Washington University in 1989, and a Ph.D. in Aeronautics & Astronautics from Stanford University in 1996.

Brian K. Cooper Mars Pathfinder Rover Driver Born Sept. 2 1959, Ankara, Turkey to Rosilda D'Andria Cooper and the late Mervin B. Cooper. As an Air Force "brat" he lived in Turkey, Italy, and throughout the United States. Attended West Torrance High School, Torrance, CA Graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a BS in Electrical Engineering in 1981. Earned an MS in Computer Engineering from the University of Southern California in 1985. He served as an officer in the United States Air Force from 1981-1985, stationed at Los Angeles Air Force Station (now LA Air Force Base), El Segundo, CA where he worked on military satellite systems. He joined JPL on July 5, 1985 as an engineer working on robotic vehicle research, in the area of computer-aided remote driving. He has served as the "rover driver" and developed the user interface and control station for numerous robotic vehicles, leading up to his assignment on Mars Pathfinder. He is married to Lynne Pucilowski Cooper, originally from Moosic, PA, who also works at JPL as an engineer, is currently assigned to the Develop New Products Reengineering Team. They live in Altadena, CA, have a baby girl and two large dogs. Brian's major hobbies include flying, scuba diving, magic (he's been a member of the Magic Castle in Hollywood, CA for over 20 years), and (most important) building his own full size airplane.

Ron Dupitas Pathfinder System Administrator Sole UNIX System Administrator for both the development and operations networks. Made substantial changes under the "Cheaper, Better, Faster" mandate of NASA. Active in the design and implementation of the network to support the entire mission from start to finish. Support for 90+ computer systems on 5 different UNIX platforms and 400+ users. Support for both the Lab in Pasadena and at Cape Canaveral, Florida. Provide all software and hardware support for computers that included Sun ,HP, Silicon Graphics and IBM workstations and also Macintoshes and PCs. EDUCATION May, 1997 University of Southern California, MS in Computer Science. May, 1989 California State University, Northridge, BS in Computer Science. DETAILED HIGHLIGHTS DURING PATHFINDER MISSION Heavy UNIX experience allowed a staff of one System Administrator to support the entire mission from start to finish ("womb-to-tomb"). Retained same System Administration support during Development, Operational and Post-Mission phases of a mission. In traditional missions, several teams are needed. Network design promoted file sharing, reduced single point failure and reduced downtime. Integrated ten Silicon Graphics workstations two weeks before Mars Pathfinder landing due to a late management request. Setup "quick fix" email system within 48 hours for 50 users at Cape Canaveral after the existing email system failed. Setup a network connection between Pasadena, California and Cape Canaveral, Florida three days before scheduled installation. Instructed existing Florida personnel to type commands into the Cisco Routers. One of the first projects at JPL to set up WWW site in 1994. PERSONAL I was born in Los Angeles, California and currently live in Moorpark, California with my wife Glenda and son Brandon. Although it is hard to see a bigger challenge than the Pathfinder mission, I am now facing a bigger challenge after Pathfinder - FATHERHOOD! Where do I go to school for that?

Thanasis Economou Nuclear Physicist and Planetary Scientist Lab. for Astrophysics and Space Research, Enrico Fermi Institute University of Chicago Co-Investigator on the Pathfinder Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) team. I am also a Senior Scientist at the Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research of the Enrico Fermi Institute at the University of Chicago. I worked on a variety of projects during the past 34 years, but right now I am involved in the exploration of the planet Mars. My background is in experimental nuclear physics and that helped me to design and develop, together with Professor Anthony Turkevich of the University of Chicago, the technique of the Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer that it was used to obtain the chemical composition first of the lunar surface some 30 years ago and in 1997 of the Martian soil and rock samples at the Pathfinder landing site. My Career Journey I am originally a proud Greek, and I started work in planetary science immidiatelly after ariving in this country in 1964, when I joined a group at the Laboratory for Astrophysics and Space Research of the Univerity of Chicago, just starting to design space instrumentation. I was part of the lunar Surveyor mission team that obtained the first chemical analysis of the Moon in 1967. I also was involved with similar projects on the Soviet Phobos 1 & 2 and the Russian Mars-96 mission to Mars, but both these missions failed prematurely to our big disapointment. In between these missions, I also participated on, and performed, again, together with A. Turkevich, many exotic nuclear physics experiments involving high energy accelerators in Los Alamos, Argonne and Fermilab National Laboratories. One such experiment was the Double Beta Decay of U-238 and determining its half life time. Pathinder successfull landing on 4th of July 1997 and the excellent performance of the APXS in analyzing Martian soil and rocks was the culmination of my career. The Future In the near future I will be busy doing the detail analyses of the data that have been returned by the APXS Mars Pathfinder instrument. At the same time I will will also be very busy getting ready for the Mars '01, Mars '03 and MUSES-C missions providing new APXS instruments for these missions. The ultimate goal of the future Martian missions is to bring back to Earth Martian samples for more detailed analyses in terrestrial laboratories and prepare for sending humans to planet Mars. This probably will not happen during my active carier but I have two young grandsons who are very eager to follow the steps of their grandfather, and who knows-- they might be the ones to get there.

William M. Folkner Jet Propulsion Laboratory 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 238-600 Pasadena CA 91109 818-354-0443 EXPERIENCE July 1997 to present: Pre-Project manager for Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) This is a mission within the Structure and Evolution of the Universe roadmap, for the purpose of observing low-frequency gravitational radiation from galactic binaries and black holes found in the centers of galaxies. Duties include budget proposals and preparation, reporting to the NASA SEU director, management of mission studies, technology development, and organization of the science working group. August 1988 to present: Member of Technical Staff at Jet Propulsion Laboratory Was Participating Scientist for Mars Pathfinder mission, leading efforts to learn about the Martian interior and climate from analysis of the Pathfinder radio signals. Performed experiments with the Galileo Probe radio signal to determine the wind speed and ammonia content of Jupiter’s atmosphere. Performed research on reference frames and improved tracking measurements and modeling for interplanetary spacecraft navigation. Determined offset between reference frame of planetary ephemerides and extragalactic radio sources. Demonstrated improved orbit determination using differential tracking of Magellan and Pioneer 12 at Venus. August 1987 to July 1988: Research Associate at University of Maryland Performed initial design and acquisition of laser interferometers for investigations into their suitability for gravity gradiometry and for motion detection of Weber-bar gravitational radiation detectors. Continued efforts to operate Weber-bar gravitational radiation detector with superconducting motion detector. June 1981 to August 1987: Research Assistant at University of Maryland Member of research group developing cryogenic Weber-bar gravitational radiation detectors. Tested niobium assemblies for audio-frequency electrical losses at cryogenic temperatures. Constructed two-mode niobium motion transducer for 1500 kg aluminum detector. Measured Brownian motion noise of the detector instrumented with the niobium transducer and a DC SQUID magnetometer at 4 Kelvin. Assisted in design of cryostat for 2400 kg detector to be cooled to millikelvin temperatures. August 1980 to May 1981: Teaching Assistant at University of Maryland. June 1979 to July 1980: Research Assistant at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Involved in Proton Storage Ring project for the LAMPF linear accelerator. Developed instrumentation to measure the energy of the proton beam using time-of-flight technique. Took part in experiment to measure the ionization rate of hydrogen ions in a magnetic field for neutral beam injection. Performed beam-line design calculations for the storage ring extraction line. EDUCATION Ph.D. in Physics, August, 1987, University of Maryland, 4.0 GPA. Thesis title: "Analysis and Development of a Three-Mode Gravitational Radiation Detector" M.S. in Physics, December, 1983, University of Maryland, 4.0 GPA. Ralph D. Myers award for outstanding first year graduate student in physics. B.S. in Physics and Mathematics, May 1978, University of New Mexico, 3.9 GPA. Summa cum laude in Physics. National Science Foundation honorable mention.

Kirk B. Goodall Jet Propulsion Laboratory 4800 Oak Grove Drive, MS 264-217 Pasadena CA 91109   JET PROPULSION LABORATORY Mars Pathfinder - Responsible for the design, implementation, and operation of the software used to mirror the Mars Pathfinder web site to over 20 locations around the world. The mirroring software recursively searched the directory system of the main site to determine which files were new or had changed since the last update of the mirror sites. The files were logged off to a database and then sent via FTP to a directory system under UNIX. The updated files were then wrapped into a tar file and sent to the remote mirror sites. The Mars Pathfinder network of mirror sites was the biggest internet event in history, receiving over 430 million hits in the first 20 days after landing. Other responsibilities included: * Analyzing the bandwidth requirements needed to handle the traffic * Selecting and recruiting the mirror sites * Writing the MOU that enabled JPL to partner with SGI, SUN, DEC, CompuServe, AT&T EDUCATION MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY M.S. Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering HARVARD UNIVERSITY A.B. Physics and Engineering Sciences

Kim Peter Gostelow Born:  Pasadena, California Education: UCLA Engineering and Computer Scienc BS, MS, and PhD. Employment: 1972-1980 Assistant/Associate Professor of Computer Science at University of California, Irvine Did research and published several papers on Dataflow computer systems -- a unique view on how to coordinate large numbers of small computers in solving a single problem 1980-1990 Researcher at General Electric Corporate Research and Development Center, Schenectady, NY Did further work on languages for multiple cpu machines 1990-present JPL Projects   Cassini: A lead software engineer for the Attitude Control System Mars Pathfinder: Lead software engineer for the Attitude Control System, and responsible for the Spacecraft Control Module MDS: Participant in the engineering group responsible for the "next generation" of spacecraft software Personal: I have always been interested in space exploration, but my interest in computers and computer science research led me to be a researcher and professor for some time. Eventually, however, I decided that it was possible to do both, so I came back to Pasadena, where I grew up, and managed to find my way into JPL. I live in San Marino, CA, a small city just south of Pasadena, where JPL is located, with my wife Lynn, and our three children Roli, Daniel, and Alexis.

Ken E. Herkenhoff Jet Propulsion Laboratory 4800 Oak Grove Drive Pasadena, CA 91109 (818) 354-3539 EDUCATION: Ph.D., Planetary Science (geology minor) June 1989 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Thesis: Quantitative Studies of the Martian South Polar Region Using Television Images Advisor: Professor Bruce C. Murray M.S., Geology June 1985 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena A.B., Geology June 1981 University of California, Berkeley EXPERIENCE: Research Scientist July 1991 to present Jet Propulsion Laboratory Mars Surveyor 2001 Descent Imaging team member. Mars Observer/Mars Global Surveyor Participating Scientist with L. A. Soderblom, Interdisciplinary Scientist (geomorphology and surface processes). Principal Investigator, NASA Planetary Geology and Planetary Mapping programs (geologic studies of the Martian polar regions), NASA Mars Surveyor Program Landing Site Studies program (Mars Surveyor 1998 landing site studies), JPL DRD Fund (Miniature Age-Dating Lab). Co-Investigator, NASA Neptune Data Analysis program (Triton photometry), NASA Planetary Geology program (Upheaval Dome impact structure), Mars Surveyor 2001 Integrated Payload (Athena microscopic imager). Analysis of Voyager color mosaics of Io and absolute radiometric calibration of Voyager imaging data. Reduction and analysis of 1990 photometry of Martian satellites. Member, Rover Technology Science Advisory Team, Microinstrument Technology Development Team and In-Situ Surface Science Instrument Working Group. Cassini VIMS Assistant Investigation Scientist. Imager for Mars Pathfinder Investigation Scientist. NRC Research Associate July 1989 to July 1991 Geologic mapping of two 1:500,000 scale quadrangles in the south polar region of Mars. Comparison of Earth-based and spacecraft observations of the Martian satellites for use in absolute calibration of spacecraft imaging data. Photometric observations of Phobos and Deimos during the 1990 opposition. Research Assistant October 1982 to June 1989 California Institute of Technology, Pasadena Investigated mechanisms of formation and evolution of Saturn's E-ring. Studied evidence for impact origin of Upheaval Dome, Utah. Calibrated Mariner 9 television cameras and developed image processing software for use on DEC MicroVAX II. Reviewed absolute photometric measurements of Mars and Phobos and quantified the color and albedo of several units within the south polar layered terrains. Modeled Viking Orbiter observations of atmospheric dust scattering and removed atmospheric component of brightness from Viking and Mariner 9 images. Investigated topography of south polar layered deposits using photoclinometry and stereogrammetry. Research supported in part by a NASA Graduate Student Researchers grant. Assistant Geologist April 1982 to September 1982 Fluor Mining and Metals, Inc., Redwood City, California FORTRAN programming in geostatistics group. Laboratory Technician November 1981 to March 1982 University of California, Berkeley BASIC and FORTRAN programming in theoretical geochemistry laboratory. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group, 1997 to present Mars Science Working Group, 1994-97 Mars Pathfinder Project Science Group Executive Secretary, 1994-95 Lunar and Planetary Geology Review Panel, 1993-96 MESUR Pathfinder Imaging Investigation Science Review Panel, 1993 Mars '94 Oxidant Experiment Design Review Board, 1993 MESUR Science Definition Team Executive Secretary, 1992-93 American Astronomical Society, Division for Planetary Sciences member, 1989 to present American Geophysical Union member, 1984 to present AWARDS: University of California Geology and Geophysics Departmental Citation, 1981 JPL Nova Award, 1996 NASA Group Achievement Award, Imager for Mars Pathfinder Development Team, 1997 NASA Group Achievement Award, Science and Instruments Development Team, 1997

David B. Lavery Program Executive, Telerobotics and Solar System Exploration Technology Mr. Lavery is responsible for the Telerobotics Research and Solar System Exploration Technology programs within the NASA Office of Space Science, which include the development of the Sojourner Mars rover and supporting technologies. These programs conduct research and development of advanced robotic and Mars surface exploration technologies for eventual deployment in space environments. The research topics include areas such as advanced teleoperations systems for augmentation of EVA astronaut capabilities on-orbit, ground processing robotics for check-out and testing of space vehicles, advanced telepresence / telescience systems with a focus on anthropomorphic exoskeleton systems integrated with virtual reality environments, planetary rover research for the development of advanced robotic vehicles for deployment on the moon and Mars, and technologies for in-situ resource utilization (such as propellant production) on the surface of Mars. Mr. Lavery is responsible for directing the content and direction of the NASA robotics and Mars exploration research efforts, establishing national space robotics technology policy and procedures, developing inter- and intra-agency efforts in space robotics and Mars exploration technology, and integrating and directing national efforts for the development of the space robotics industry. While in this position, Mr. Lavery has been a participant in the field party for the Mt. Erebus Explorer project, which deployed a robotic rover inside an active volcano in the Antarctic during the winter of 1992-93, and a field party participant in the Dante II/Mt. Spurr project which deployed a robotic rover inside an active volcano in the Alaska ranges during 1994. He has also served at the Lecture Series Director for the NATO/AGARD Lecture Series on Advanced Guidance and Control Aspects in Robotics. During this period, he was the NASA program manager for the Sojourner planetary rover, which was launched to Mars on December 4, 1996 as part of the Mars Pathfinder mission. He also serves as the program manager for the Ranger TFX and AERcam flight experiments.

Sharon Laubach Education: 1990, B.A. in Physics from University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 1990, M.A. in Mathematics from University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 1994, M.S. in Electrical Engineering from California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 1999 (expected), Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, specialising in Robotics, from California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California Employment: Graduate student at Caltech in Robotics, pursuing research developing practical autonomous path planners for Mars Microrovers in planetary terrain. Currently working with the Long Range Science Rover Task, developing and implementing a practical autonomous path planner on the Rocky7 Microrover. MPF Role: Sequence Reviewer (later Sequence Planner) on the Mars Pathfinder Microrover Flight Team--i.e. one of Sojourner's "Rover Drivers". As part of my role, worked 13-14 hour shifts daily for the first two & 1/2 weeks after landing. Wrote templates for rover sequences to enable faster sequence turnaround. Provided continuity between team shifts. Reviewed all rover sequences produced during my tenure, excepting those I produced. (A sequence is similar to a computer program, in that it contains an ordered list of commands to be executed by the rover. A typical sequence contained 300-400 commands, covering areas including thermal control to driving instructions, instrument commands, and communications.)

Andrew H. Mishkin Education: 1982 Masters of Science in Systems Engineering from UCLA, Los Angeles, California 1980 Bachelors of Science in Engineering from UCLA, Los Angeles, California   Employment: JPL, 1985 to present Current Assignment: System Engineer, Mars Surveyor Program Sample Return Rover, 1997 - present Responsible for mission design, software and operations aspects of the 2003/05 rover system. Responsibilities include: Establishing rover mission and derived requirements; defining software requirements in concert with hardware requirements; defining mission operations scenarios; coordinating vehicle software and control station software development; defining the mission operations architecture; co-chairing of Science Operations Working Group. Participation in Mars Pathfinder: Rover Mission Operations Team Lead/Mission Sequence Planner, Mars Pathfinder Rover, 1997 Coordinated the Pathfinder Rover operations team before and during operations on the surface of Mars. Served as the lead rover Mission Sequence Planner, designing and delivering rover command sequences, as well as interfacing with the experiment team to formulate feasible rover scenarios. Responsible for telemetry display design, rover flight rule definition, rover operations scenarios and command sequence development. Rover System Engineer, Mars Pathfinder Rover, 1996 - 1997 Responsible for interfaces to Pathfinder Ground Data System (GDS) and Mission Operations Team, coordinating uplink and downlink processes. Ensured successful integration of rover software/operations into Pathfinder Mission Operations system. Control and Navigation Subsystem Engineer, Mars Pathfinder Rover, 1992 - 1996 Oversaw development of rover control software and integration into Pathfinder Ground Data System. Ensured and validated compatibility between rover vehicle software and Rover Control Workstation.

Jacob R. Matijevic Manager of the Mars Pathfinder Microrover Jake Matijevic was the manager of the Mars Pathfinder Microrover Flight Experiment (MFEX) ('Sojourner'), responsible for the implementation, integration, delivery and eventual operation of 'Sojourner' on Mars. He served as a system engineer of the MFEX task prior to being named manager of MFEX. He has served as a task manager and design engineer on several robotics system design activities including the development of the telerobot testbed at JPL. He currently is leading the system design of the rovers planned for sample return missions which are part of the Mars Surveyor Project at JPL. Prior to joining JPL in 1981, he was an assistant professor in mathematics at the University of Southern California and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Kentucky. Jake received a BS in mathematics from Illinois Institute of Technology in 1969 and an MS (in 1970) and PhD (in 1973) in mathematics from the University of Chicago.

Jack Morrison Jack Morrison designed the software on-board the Sojourner rover, and was one of the primary "rover drivers" during Pathfinder surface operations. He also developed Sojourner's cameras and laser-based hazard avoidance system, and helped implement the 3D rover control station and parts of the ground data system. Jack is a native of Southern California, with a 1978 BS in Math from UCLA. His career has taken him on adventures in aerospace and commercial development, from air defense systems to video effects boxes; from 8-bit microcontrollers to gigabyte supercomputers; from air force bases to investment firms, and from Venus to Mars. His articles have been published in computer graphics books and his photo with a Cabbage Patch doll published on the Web. His hobbies include virtual air combat and literal equestrian jumping.

Alejandro Miguel San Martin Born:  Rio Negro, Argentina Education: 1982, B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 1985, M.S. in Aeronautics & Astronautics Engineering from MIT, Cambridge, Massachusetts Employment: 1985 to Present, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Currently working on the Champollion/DS4 mission to land a probe on a comet, as Chief Engineer for Precision Guidance & Landing Projects   Mars Pathfinder: Was the Technical Lead for the Attitude Control System (ACS). As such, was responsible for the design, testing, and operation of the ACS software. (The Attitude Control System performs the following functions: determines and controls the orientation of the spacecraft, applies corrections to its trajectory, points the lander communication antenna, and points the lander camera). In addition, he tested and modified part of the Entry Descent and Landing software. Cassini: Was the Technical Lead for the design of the Attitude Determination System Topex: Design and implemented the Radar pointing calibration software