NASA Spotlight: Felipe Valdez, an inspiring engineer

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Felipe Valdez is a person who took advantage of every possible opportunity at NASA, working from when he started as a university intern to his current job as a flight controls engineer.

Born in the United States but raised in Mexico, Valdez faced great challenges growing up.

“My mother worked long hours, my father battled addiction, and eventually school became inaccessible,” Valdez said.

Determined to continue his education, Valdez made the difficult decision to leave his family and return to the U.S. But as a teenager, learning English and adapting to a new environment was a culture shock for him. Despite these changes, his curiosity about subjects such as mathematics and science never waned.

“As a child, I always found it easy to work with numbers and was fascinated by how things worked. Engineering combined both,” Valdez said. “That piqued my interest.”

While studying mechanical engineering at California State University, Sacramento, the guidance of his professor, José Granda, was essential.

“He encouraged me to apply for an internship at NASA,” Valdez said. “He had been a spokesperson in Spanish for a shuttle mission [espacial]so hearing that someone with my background was successful gave me the confidence I needed to take that step.”

Valdez’s effort paid off – he was selected as an intern in NASA’s STEM Office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. There, he worked on developing software for vehicle dynamics, actuators, and controller models for a space capsule in computer simulations.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Valdez said. “Getting that opportunity changed everything.”

This internship opened the door to a second opportunity with NASA, this time at the agency’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in California. He had the opportunity to work on the development of flight computers for the Preliminary Research Aerodynamic Design for Drag Decreasing, an experimental flying wing design.

After these experiences, he was accepted as an intern in NASA’s Pathways Program, a work-study program that offers the possibility of working full-time at NASA after graduation.

“That was the beginning of my career at NASA, where my passion for aeronautics really took off,” Valdez said.

Valdez was the first in his family to pursue higher education, earning his bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State University and his master’s degree in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of California, Davis.

Today, he works as a NASA flight controls engineer in the Dynamics and Controls branch of the Armstrong center. Most of his experience has focused on the development of flight simulations and control systems design, particularly for distributed electric propulsion aircraft.

“It is rewarding to be part of a group that is focused on making aviation faster, quieter, and more sustainable,” said Valdez. “As a controls engineer, working on advanced aircraft concepts such as distributed electric propulsion allows me to design algorithms to directly control multiple engines, improving safety, controllability and stability, while enabling cleaner, quieter operations that push the boundaries. of sustainable aviation.”

Throughout his career, Valdez has been proud of his heritage. “I take great pride in knowing that inclusion is one of our core values ​​here at NASA and that opportunities are open to all.”

Credit: NASA / Charles Genaro Vavuris

Interviewer: NASA/ Lupita L Alcala