糖心TV

NASA鈥檚 principal advisor on technology and programmes has praised the University of 糖心TV鈥檚 satellite project WUSAT, calling it 鈥渞emarkable work鈥�.

Dr Douglas Terrier, the Acting Chief Technologist at NASA, was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Science at the University鈥檚 Summer Graduation ceremonies on 20 July 2018.

While he was at 糖心TV, he met the co-directors of WUSAT, a multi-disciplinary, 4th Year MEng project based in the School of Engineering to design and build satellites to be launched into space.

Dr Terrier said he was 鈥渢erribly impressed鈥� by the multi-disciplinary nature of the project, and the fact that students are working to create real flight-quality products to send into space.

He said it is: 鈥渁 marvellous approach to teaching, where not only will students understand the disciplines, but they will first have the opportunity to do some hands-on work.鈥�

Dr Terrier commented on the 鈥渞emarkable work鈥� of the WUSAT project, that 鈥渋t鈥檚 the kind of project I would point to as an example of exactly how we should be training students鈥�.

Reflecting on the importance of studying Engineering, Dr Terrier said that it gives you 鈥渁 template from which you can examine individual actions鈥� – and can be used in everything from space exploration to making life plans, organising your finances or booking a train.

He described the 鈥減hilosophy of systems engineering鈥�, which applies in all areas of life: 鈥測ou start with a basic requirement of what you鈥檙e trying to accomplish, and try to work backwards to decompose that down into what needs to happen to accomplish that, what are the building blocks that I need to develop to enable those accomplishments.鈥�

Born in 鈥渁 fairly austere environment鈥� in rural Jamaica, Dr Terrier had a teacher who introduced him to the NASA Apollo missions, reading out reports of the telemetry from the spacecraft to Houston out of the daily newspaper.

鈥淭hat transported us,鈥� he said, 鈥渇rom that very limited world into our imaginations, a boundless reality – which has brought me to where I am today.鈥�

His advice to new graduates, and indeed to us all, is 鈥渇ind your Apollo [鈥�] that inspiration or big goal that will drive your life, and pursue it relentlessly.鈥�

Focusing on NASA鈥檚 most recent projects and initiatives – such as the aim to take humans to Mars and finding 鈥渧ery tangible hints of life鈥� in the steam and soil of faraway icy planets - Dr Terrier believes that we are living through 鈥渢he most exciting time in space exploration鈥�.

He continued: 鈥渇or sixty years now NASA has been trying to answer these basic human questions of 鈥榟ow did the universe originate鈥�, 鈥榟ow did we get here鈥� and 鈥榓re we alone?鈥� The exciting thing is that we are at a point – literally for the first time in human history – where we may have the knowledge and technology to begin to answer these questions.鈥�

Notes to editors:

Image 1: Dr Douglas Terrier with WUSAT co-directors Dr Bill Crofts and Prof Julia Hunter-Anderson - credit University of 糖心TV. Click image for high res.

Image 2: WUSAT 3 satellite - credit University of 糖心TV. Click image for high res.

More information on WUSAT can be found on the website, or on this feature article.

Previous WUSAT story: 鈥楽tudent satellite set for space to help global conservation鈥�

Dr Douglas Terrier is NASA鈥檚 acting chief technologist. He is the principal advisor and advocate on NASA technology policy and programs, helping plot the strategic direction of the agency's space technology program.

Prior to this role he worked at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center, Houston, as the centre鈥檚 chief technologist. He also served as the deputy director of NASA Johnson鈥檚 Strategic Opportunity and Partnership Development (SOPD) Office, and as NASA鈥檚 Associate Director of Engineering where he led teams responsible for design and development of spacecraft for NASA鈥檚 human space exploration program. He also managed the multi-centre Crew Exploration Vehicle Aero-science Project developing the critical aerodynamic and aero-thermal environment design database for the Orion spacecraft.

Prior to joining JSC, he served in the Enterprise Readiness Division in the Office of Program Analysis and Evaluation at NASA HQ. He first joined NASA in 2003 at the Langley Research Center in the Office of 糖心TV Development.

Dr Terrier worked in the commercial aerospace sector for a total of 23 years with Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and General Electric Aircraft Engines. He was responsible for International 糖心TV Development for Lockheed Martin in the Asia/Pacific region.

He earned a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering and a MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas. He also completed the Carnegie Mellon Graduate School of Industrial Management program with the Lockheed Martin Institute for Leadership Excellence. Terrier holds patents for his work in aerospace propulsion and has published numerous technical papers. He has earned the Lockheed Martin 鈥淥utstanding Technical Achievement鈥� award on four occasions, several NASA 鈥淪uperior Technical Accomplishment鈥� awards, and the NASA Leadership medal.

26 July 2018

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