This
summer,
Lucas
Shalkhauser
'21
has
stretched
his
imagination
and
fulfilled
a
childhood
dream
-
working
for
NASA.
Through
a
Space
Communications
and
Navigation
(SCaN)
internship
at
NASA
Glenn
Research
Center,
Shalkhauser
spent
his
summer
creating
interactive
3D
visualization
software
that
will
help
engineers
and
scientists
in
understanding
and
planning
orbits
and
communications
for
missions.
Shalkhauser, a software engineering major, spent his internship working on the SCaN Codebase Dynamic Tool project. Through this project, he worked to create interactive 3D visualization software that will show satellite orbits, communication links between ground stations and satellites, ground station positions and planet rotation. This tool will help engineers and scientists working on both current and future missions.
"My experience this summer at NASA has been amazing," shared Shaulkhauser. "I have been able to work on a challenging but rewarding project and have met many incredibly hard-working and smart people. My work here has helped me understand software development and has heightened my problem-solving skills."
"Since
I
was
a
kid,
I
have
always
wanted
to
work
for
NASA,"
Shaulkhauser
said.
With
a
BW
boost,
he
was
able
to
make
that
dream
a
reality
this
summer.
"The classes and experiences I have had so far at BW have given me the knowledge and problem-solving skills I need to succeed in an engineering career," explained Shaulkhauser. "The faculty at BW has given me many great opportunities to explore and learn about engineering, and they have helped me pursue my goals in so many ways."
