Robert P. Mueller
Mechanical Systems Design Engineer
Kennedy Space Center, Florida
Who I Am:
My name is Rob Mueller, and I work for NASA(link=http://www.nasa.gov/) as a Mechanical Systems Design Engineer at Kennedy Space Center(link = http://www.ksc.nasa.gov/ ) in Florida in the Mechanical Ground Support Equipment Division of the Development Engineering Directorate (link=http://www-de.ksc.nasa.gov/de/de-home.html). My job involves designing new equipment for anything that is required to get the payloads ready, preparing the Space Vehicle or launching off the launch pad. We also make sure that any changes to existing designs will work.
What I do
Ground Support Equipment (GSE) involves any kind of gear that is used to get a Space Vehicle off the ground on its journey into Space. This equipment is diverse and can be anything from a work stand that simulates the Space Shuttle for payload checkout, to a platform that provides access to a hard to reach area at the launch pad, to a laser instrument that helps align parts on the ground with parts on the vehicle, or an umbilical system which provides a way to get all of the fuel on board the rocket - similar to putting gasoline in your car but a lot more complex!
I am a part of a group that designs this GSE for the Space Shuttle (Link= http://shuttle.nasa.gov/), the International Space Station (link= http://station.nasa.gov/) and the X-33 experimental Single Stage to Orbit vehicle (link=http://rlv.msfc.nasa.gov/). There are several future projects like Liquid Flyback Boosters for the Space Shuttle and several smaller un-manned vehicles that we are also assessing.
Specifically, I work in the Umbilicals, Access and Handling group. This involves a variety of mechanical design work. On more complex systems, we build the equipment at our prototype machine shop and test them at the Launch Equipment Test Facility (LETF) to ensure that our designs will work. Before a critical system such as an umbilical is installed at a launch pad, it is thoroughly tested. Everything that it would see at the pad is simulated, so that by the time it is installed at the pad the risk of something not working well is minimized. I am the lead NASA engineer at the test facility and I get involved in all aspects of testing as well as the design of the Ground Support Equipment.
My Career Journey:
I graduated from the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering in June of 1988. Three days later I was working for Bertram Yacht, Inc. off the Miami River, designing mechanical parts for Sport Fishing yachts of fiberglass construction. That was fun, but when I heard that NASA was hiring at the Cape - it was an easy choice. I left the boating industry and went to work on the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) as a Mechanical Systems Engineer. This was during the "return to flight" days after the Challenger accident, and it was an exciting area to work in as we worked hard to implement the "fix" on the Redesigned SRB’s. Four years later I transferred to my present job, still at Kennedy Space Center. During that time I also earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. I have been involved in several test and design programs on complex equipment involving people and companies all over the United States and the world and am looking forward to the continuing challenges (including the virtual science mentor program with you)!
Influences:
Every smart person I have ever met has been an influence and source of inspiration.
Personal Information:
I grew up in Portugal in Europe in a very international community. My middle school had 32 nationalities in it. My father’s work as a Suspension Bridge Engineer had brought him to Portugal in the early 1960’s, and subsequently he remained there, founding a construction company which contributed much to Portugal’s developing infrastructure. I enjoyed growing up there, spending a lot of time surfing at the beach and traveling to many interesting places such as Morrocco and Spain. I also earned the Eagle Scout award with the Trans-Atlantic council of the Boy Scouts. I speak Portuguese and German fluently and have some knowledge of Spanish, French and Russian. Eventually the local English Schools could not provide a high school level education, so I went to a boarding school in the north of England. Afterwards I attended the University of Miami, bringing me back to the United States.
Today:
Now I live in Cocoa Beach, Florida on a narrow spit of land separating the Banana River from the Atlantic Ocean. To the north lies Kennedy Space Center ( 26 miles) and directly to the south is Patrick Air Force Base. I have seen over 50 Space Shuttle launches and sometimes jet fighters land next door that seem to rival the Space Shuttle in noise! Across the road is the beach and I try to surf whenever I can. On windy days I windsurf locally in the Banana or Indian Rivers. I scuba dive in south florida and enjoy fishing. My huge passion in life is snow skiing but Florida isn’t too good for that so I am lobbying congress for an additional launch site in the Rockies so that I can spend half my time working and skiing there!
Advice:
Have a vision of what you want in your future - work hard - persevere - you will achieve it.