HELLO!
My name is Adam King. I am currently an Electrical & Computer Engineering doctoral student as well as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Georgia Institute of Technology. I work with Dr. Meliopoulos in the Power System Control and Automation Laboratory (PSCAL). Here, I am working with the Resilient, Cyber-Secure, Centralized Substation Protection (rCSP) technology (itself funded by ARPA-e) for application to the domain of DC microgrids. rCSP is an autonomous protection and control system scheme that integrates setting-less protective relays and that relies on existing high-redundancy data in substations to enable data validation, hidden failure detection, cyber attack detection, and optimal full-state feedback control. The application of this technology to DC microgrids will enable these same possibilities both when grid-connected and when islanded. Additionally, the high prevalence of energy storage devices within DC microgrids will enable not only instantaneous optimal power flow control but also will enable optimal power flow control over time.
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Most recently, I was a Software Engineer at Generation Orbit, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceWorks Enterprises, Inc. Here, I worked as the primary embedded software engineer on various projects, including hypersonic rockets (X-60A), atmospheric reentry devices (STV/RED-25), on-orbit servicing satellites (FuseBlox), and Personnel Recovery Kit (PRK) delivery devices (AD3/RED-Rescue). More information about these project can be found below, or on SpaceWorks' website. During my time at Generation Orbit, I was also pursuing a Master of Science degree in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, which I completed in Spring 2022.
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Previously, I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a joint Bachelor/Master of Science degree in Computer Science with a Music Minor from the University of Georgia (UGA) in Fall 2018. During my time at UGA, I was a founding member of the the Small Satellite Research Laboratory, which received full funding for two separate missions from both NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory. It was during my time with the SSRL that I developed, integrated, and tested flight software for Undergraduate Student Instrument Project-funded Spectral Ocean Color (SPOC) nanosatetlite, which has since launched to space aboard the Northrup Grumman Cygnus NG-14 resupply mission to the International Space Station on 03 October 2020 at 01:16:14 UTC. Additionally during summer 2018, I interned at the NASA Ames Research Center under the Small Spacecraft Technology Program, where I developed a mock laser communication demonstration (showcased at the Small Satellite Conference in Logan, Utah) as well as on a full-stack web interface database application for mission design and budget data.
EXPERIENCE
SPACEWORKS - STV/RED-25
December 2020 - August 2022
The Sub-orbital Test Vehicle (STV) is an instance of the Re-entry Device (RED)Â line of products from SpaceWorks. This line of products is a re-entry capsule that enable sample and on-demand cargo return from space. When coupled with a propulsive stage, the RED-25 will be capable of performing a diverse set of missions, including orbital free-flying, deep space, and interplanetary missions.
SPACEWORKS - FUSEBLOX
December 2020 - October 2021
FuseBloxâ„¢ are all-in-one spacecraft docking and connection devices for use on nano-, micro-, and small satellites. FuseBloxâ„¢ facilitate both soft and hard capture with near-zero momentum transfer and provide high-reliability electrical power and data connectivity. Individual FuseBloxâ„¢ are not gendered and are designed to fit a variety of applications. The self-aligning grapple technique accommodates small spacecraft rendezvous misalignments while device symmetry enables four secure mated configurations.
GENERATION ORBIT - X-60A
January 2019Â - January 2021
X-60A is a small high-speed flight testbed for conducting research and development of future hypersonic systems. X-60A is an affordable air-dropped single-stage rocket powered test platform. The X-60A’s LOX/kerosene liquid propulsion system maximizes performance and mission flexibility compared to traditional solid booster solutions. A small delta wing increases the overall maneuverability of the platform. The X-60A is an expendable research platform with an onboard flight telemetry system for research data capture. The X-60A vehicle will be capable of flying several flight profiles of interest to the high-speed flight test community. In dash mode, the X-60A will be capable of reaching speeds up to Mach 5 – 8 with a test payload attached. The vehicle will also be capable of flying alternate test profiles depending on research requirements. The program’s goal is to develop and operate a low-cost platform that provides regular access to hypersonic flight conditions. The X-60A is not a space launch platform and cannot deliver payloads to orbit.
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY - SPECTRAL OCEAN COLOR (SPOC) SATELLITE
May 2016 - December 2018
The Spectral Ocean Color (SPOC) satellite recently received full flight funding from NASA for the Undergraduate Student Instrument Project.
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SPOC is an adjustable multispectral 3U cube satellite that has a payload desinged to gather spectral data between 433nm and 866nm with a spectral resolution of 1nm and a spatial resolution of 130m. The objective of SPOC is to provide moderate resolution multispectral images to monitor wetland status, estuarine water quality, and near-coastal water quality. SPOC will produce multispectral data cubes that are comparable to existing NASA and ESA solutions. Additionally, it will deliver data that supplements and augments environmental data from teh Georgia Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Program.
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For this mission, I programmed, integrated, and tested flight software to interface the Clyde Space OBC and the Cloudland SPOCeye Payload using Bright Ascension's Flight Software Development Kit using low-level C on a FreeRTOS-like system and enables RS-485 and QSPI communication.
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY - MULTI-VIEW ONBOARD COMPUTATIONAL IMAGER (MOCI) SATELLITE
January 2016 - July 2017
The Multi-View Onboard Computation Imager (MOCI) satellite recently received full flight funding from the Air Force Research Laboratory, being selected over other universities including MIT and the US Naval Academy.
MOCI will acquire imagery of the Earth’s surface from Low-Earth Obit and perform real-time Structure from Motion (SfM) and surface reconstruction at a landscape -scale using custom algorithms using Consumer Off-The-Shelf (COTS) parts. Efficient onboard data compression, onboard feature extraction, onboard SfM, and onboard surface reconstruction processing techniques are the main goals of this mission.
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I served as an Electronics Team member from January 2016 - July 2016, and as Electronics Team Lead from August 2016 through July 2017, heading up payload software development and electronics hardware design.
COMPUTER SKILLS
CONCEPTS
Embedded Software
Control Theory
Optimization
LIBRARIES & TOOLS
GitHub
Keil µVision IDE
STM32 Cube IDE
PROGRAMMING
C
Matlab
Python
OPERATING SYSTEMS
Linux
Windows
FreeRTOS
POSITIONS
Graduate Research Assistant
GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
August 2022 - Present
SENIOR SOFTWARE ENGINEER
GENERATION ORBIT
January 2019 - August 2022
EMBEDDED FLIGHT SOFTWARE ENGINEER
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY
January 2018 - December 2018
SUMMER ASSOCIATE
NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER
June 2018 - August 2018
ELECTRONICS TEAM LEAD
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY
August 2016 - July 2017
FOUNDING MEMBER
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY
September 2015 - July 2016
EDUCATION
(In Progress) Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
August 2022 - Present
GPA: TBD
M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Georgia Institute of Technology
August 2019 - May 2022
GPA: 3.90 of 4.00
M.S. in Computer Science
University of Georgia
August 2017 - December 2018
GPA: 3.94 of 4.00
Dual BS/MS (Honors Program)
B.S. in Computer Science
University of Georgia
August 2014 - December 2018
GPA: 3.95 of 4.00
Dual BS/MS (Honors Program)
Summa Cum Laude
Music Minor
NEWS
LAUNCH SENDS UGA’S FIRST RESEARCH SATELLITE INTO SPACE
02 October 2020
A student-led effort to get the University of Georgia’s first research satellite into space is finally a success. It took a few delays, but the small satellite SPOC, short for Spectral Ocean Color, had liftoff aboard an Antares rocket from the Wallops Facility in Virginia on Friday night, Oct. 2.
GENERATION ORBIT COMPLETES X-60A INTEGRATED VEHICLE PROPULSION SYSTEM GROUND TEST CAMPAIGN
31 January 2020
ATLANTA, Georgia – A team of Generation Orbit (GO) engineers and technicians has returned from Cecil Spaceport in Jacksonville, Florida, following successful completion of an integrated vehicle propulsion system verification ground test campaign for the X-60A program.
X-60A HYPERSONIC FLIGHT RESEARCH VEHICLE PROGRAM COMPLETES CRITICAL DESIGN REVIEW
06 March 2019
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), Aerospace Systems Directorate, High Speed Systems Division, in partnership with Generation Orbit Launch Services, Inc., is developing the X-60A vehicle. It is an air-dropped liquid rocket specifically designed for...
BULLDOGS GO TO SPACE: UGA SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LAB TO LAUNCH FIRST SATELLITE
03 December 2018
Just two years since an eclectic group met established the Small Satellite Research Laboratory at the University of Georgia, the SSRL will finally launch its first satellite into space after applying and getting accepted for missions from NASA and the U.S. Air force.
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA IS GOING TO OUTER SPACE
29 November 2018
Athens, GA (CBS46) For the first time in history, the University of Georgia is going into outer space. Inside the University of Georgia’s small satellite research laboratory is where 30 students are building small satellites to send into space.
CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE US AIR FORCE
09 February 2018
"Congrats to the most recent winners of the University #Nanosatellite Program! These @universityofga & @CUBoulder students' satellite designs were selected for integration & flight testing-another way we're leveraging strengths in the civilian sector to maintain space superiority!"
UGA STUDENTS SET TO LAUNCH AÂ SATELLITE TO SPACE
30 January 2018
Due to a decision made by the United States Air Force, a group of University of Georgia students are closer to space than ever before. The UGA Small Satellite Research Laboratory has been chosen among 10 other universities to build and launch a satellite into space.
AIR FORCE RESEARCH LAB - AFRL
27 January 2018
"Keep up the awesome work, guys! Student satellite team a step closer to #space. https://bitly.im/lg4Nr @universityofga @CUBoulder"
STUDENT SATELLITE TEAM A STEP CLOSER TO SPACE
25 January 2018
A University of Georgia research laboratory led by a group of undergraduate students is one of only two university research programs chosen by the United States Air Force to build and launch satellites into space.
SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LABORATORY SEEKS STUDENTS PASSIONATE ABOUT SPACE
09 January 2017
By 2019 at the latest, the University of Georgia will have its very own satellite in orbit. A group of 28 UGA undergraduates working at the Small Satellite Research Laboratory plan to launch two satellites into low-earth orbit over the course of the next few years, and they’re taking applications.
UGA SMALL SATELLITE RESEARCH LAB PLANS LAUNCH FOR 2018
12 May 2016
All systems are go, and the University of Georgia is ready for lift off. The UGA Small Satellite Research Lab has not only received funding from National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Air Force to build two space-bound satellites, but they also have a launch date planned for 2018 from the International Space Station.
GITHUB
Head over to my GitHub to see some of my code!