While Valdez studied mechanical engineering at California State University, Sacramento, professor Jose Granda encouraged him to apply for a NASA internship. Valdez said seeing someone with a similar background succeed gave him confidence to take that step. [S1]
At NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Valdez worked on software for computer simulations of a space capsule’s dynamics, actuators and controllers. A second internship at Armstrong Flight Research Center in California involved flight computer development for an experimental flying wing. He later joined NASA’s Pathways work-study program, which offers the possibility of full-time employment after graduation. [S1]
Valdez was the first in his family to pursue higher education. NASA reported that school had become unaffordable while he was growing up in Mexico; he returned to the United States to continue his education and had to learn English and adapt to a new environment. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Sacramento State and a master’s in mechanical and aerospace engineering from the University of California, Davis. [S1]
At Armstrong, much of Valdez’s work has centered on flight simulations and control design for aircraft using distributed electric propulsion. He told NASA that his algorithms directly control multiple motors, with the aim of improving safety, controllability and stability while enabling cleaner, quieter operations. [S1]
Source documents
- NASA Spotlight: Felipe Valdez, an Inspiring Engineerhttps://www.nasa.gov/aeronautics/felipe-valdez-an-inspiring-engineer/