2027 Emerging Missions Flight Dynamics Graduate Intern

Location: Colorado Springs, CO

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Enterprise Effects Division (EED) drives integration of Aerospace’s strategic capabilities across the national space enterprise. The division leverages a broad array of engineering disciplines against a diverse and dynamic portfolio of programs, customers, and national challenges. EED spans the capability lifecycle from concept and architecture design to performance assessment to application of space and space-enabled capabilities.

As a core component of EED, the Emerging Missions Flight Dynamics (EMFD) Department provides flight mechanics expertise for the cislunar domain, multi-objective “traveling salesman” trajectory sequence generation, facility location optimization, and trans-atmospheric flight design for missiles, hyper-glide vehicles, and reentry vehicles. Relevant skills include orbital mechanics, astrodynamics, trajectory design and optimization, and atmospheric flight modeling and simulation. The selected candidate will provide expertise for a wide range of customer flight mechanics needs; supporting analysis, research, and development requests. The work will require candidates to provide deep technical solutions while also collaborating with engineering partners to facilitate integrated solutions for our customers’ hardest problems. Customers will include defense, intelligence, and civil and commercial organizations.

Work Model

The selected candidate will be required to work full time, on-site in Colorado Springs, CO, El Segundo, CA, Chantilly, VA, or Albuquerque, NM offering an in-person work model that combines 4 or more regular onsite workdays per week and remote flexibility as business needs allow.

What You’ll be Doing

Primary Support for Cislunar Mission Design Section

Simplified and high-fidelity multi-body orbital mechanics

Impulsive and low-thrust trajectory design and optimization

Traveling Salesman Problem and Facility Location Problem analysis

General astrodynamics analysis including orbit and covariance propagation, maneuver design and optimization for orbit transfer, station keeping, disposal, and reentry events

Developing Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), exploring Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), and incorporating operational constraints into the design and maturation of space and near-space systems

Using optimal control theory, flight mechanics, and computer science/algorithm development skills to create new capabilities to service customer requests as stand-alone services and/or ready-to-integrate submodules

Research and development including building new flight dynamics tools and features to cultivate and maintain modern internal tool bases

Use of external tools like ASSET, SNOPT, Copernicus, GMAT, EMTG, CasADi, Heyoka, etc. where appropriate to augment internally developed capabilities

Additional inter-department partnership collaborations opportunities:

Maneuver and orbit design, selection, and optimization for missions that support Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) objectives with complex operational constraints

Trajectory design and optimization for launch vehicles and spacecraft for missions operating in LEO, MEO, HEO, XGEO, as well as interplanetary

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements for Member of Technical Staff – Flight Mechanics:

Currently enrolled full time in a Master’s or PhD program from an accredited college/university program in Aerospace engineering

Availability to work full-time for a minimum of 10 weeks outside of university term and ability to return to a (Master's/Phd) degree program full-time after completion of the internship.

Experience in one or more of the following subjects: space mission analysis and design, advanced astrodynamics, cislunar trajectory design and optimization, algorithm design, software development, multi-objective optimization

Proficiency with one or more of the following programming languages/tools: C, C++, Python, Fortran, MATLAB

Minimum 3.0 GPA

Effective written and verbal communication skills

This position requires the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, which is issued by the US government. U.S citizenship is required to obtain a security clearance

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these

Experience using or building analysis software to combine numerical methods, orbital or flight mechanics, and optimization approaches for launch vehicles, missiles, interceptors, or spacecraft

Experience with nonlinear programming (non-linear programming), direct methods, gradient-based optimization, parameter optimization, genetic algorithms, evolutionary algorithms, heuristic optimization methods, indirect methods, and/or calculus of variations

Advanced algorithm development skills to include parallel processing and scripting experience

Experience with contested space trajectory applications, military exercises, and wargaming events

Ability to build and foster effective working relationships with customers, contractors, Federally Funded Research & Development Center (FFRDC) and other personnel

Experience directly interfacing with senior government customers

Current SSBI with an active TS/SCI clearance

Current SAP access

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for t