Declan McCloskey - 2024 Winning Essay
As a fourth year Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering student at Carleton University, I have had the opportunity to participate in valuable internships, expanding my knowledge in research and spacecraft design. I have pursued extracurricular research opportunities in order to prepare for a MASc with the Carleton Spacecraft Robotics and Control Laboratory (SRCL).
At the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), I worked on a demonstrator of the Interferogram Fourier Transform Spectrometer instrument for the Arctic Observation Mission (AOM), modeling a test flight and identifying causes of the data discrepancies. I completed a competitive training course with the European Space Agency (ESA), learning about satellite subsystems and commissioning processes. These experiences led to a position in spacecraft operation at CSA, analyzing flight data from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission.
At Carleton, I founded the school’s first astronomy club to share my passion for space with other students. I am currently leading a team of six students in the Space Generation Advisory Council’s ACHIEVED Competition, researching debris mitigation methods in cislunar space as the area becomes increasingly relevant (and cluttered) with humanity’s imminent return to the Moon. With SRCL, I plan to continue this interest in space debris analysis through practical spacecraft simulations incorporating guidance, navigation, and control.
With practical and research experience acquired during my undergraduate, I look forward to completing my graduate studies and returning to CSA as an engineer to solve complex problems in the space industry, promoting exploration of our solar system and care of the Earth.