- Mike Clark
From a professional perspective, I was a manager for several diverse teams at Kennedy Space Center (20+ years) including Simulations, Math Modeling, and AI software development. In 2001, I became the first Shuttle Data Center System Architect. My experience is in designing and producing aerospace measurements systems and was a practicing marine systems engineer. In my youth, I performed 50 Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster at-sea retrievals and did salvage operations using remotely operated robots for Space Shuttle Challenger. I have designed several rocket assembly and disassembly devices that make it possible to safely stack solid rocket motors. My career started as the electrical design lead for a NASA underwater robot and progressed to marine operations where I participated in the design and later operation of three ocean research vessels (Liberty, Freedom, and Independence). I left Kennedy Space Center as a Launch Processing manager of 42 highly technical professionals.
In 2003, I joined CMU’s “Red Team”, a collection of students, research scientists, and sponsors to develop an autonomous robot racing machine capable of driving itself 250 miles in the desert.
I led the Mapping and Planning teams that enabled the robot racer to win pole race position and travel further and faster than the competition. I contributed as a senior system engineer for both the DARPA Desert and Urban Challenges.
Past employers have been SEEGRID Corporation, Harris Corporation, United Space Alliance, Lockheed-Martin, Morton-Thiokol, United Technologies, and Planning Research Corporation. Yup, I am that old.
I am an alumnus of CMU’s MSE program and have been an adjunct instructor since 2004. I am the long-time instructor for David Wettergreen’s distance course, Real Time Systems. I also mentor students through the Architectures course when asked. I also hold degrees from Florida Institute of Technology and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
From a personal perspective, I discovered Dr. Bickel’s Friday 6:30 Bible studies through Nancy Lee Cochran. She recommended the group because she attends Bruce’s Thursday lunch study in downtown Pittsburgh. I went to Taylor Alderdice H.S. and was Mr. Rodgers’s Post Gazette paper boy in the early seventies. I returned to Pittsburgh after helping America’s Space program at Kennedy Space Center. Thank you Bruce and God Bless the Brave Men of Friday Mornings.