Sam Thurman

About Sam Thurman

Thirty year Aerospace Engineering veteran with extensive background and experience in spacecraft and missile development, systems engineering, and program/project management.

Experience

1. Manager, Project Support Office

   NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory

   Jan 2021 — Present · Pasadena, CA, US

   Manager of Project Support Office within JPL\'s Office of the Director. Reporting to JPL\'s Associate Director for Flight Projects, this office provides institutional guidance, oversight and support for all space flight projects conducted at JPL, and also serves as liaison to elements of NASA Headquarters and other NASA Centers, especially the launch services organization at Kennedy Space Center.

Education

• University of Southern California

  Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering

  1989 — 1995

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  Master of Science (M.S.), Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

  1983 — 1985

• Purdue University

  Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

  1979 — 1983

Skills

• Guidance Navigation & Control
• Program Management
• System Architecture
• Systems Engineering
• Systems Design
• Propulsion
• Requirements Analysis
• Aerospace Engineering
• Radar
• Engineering Management
• Testing
• Navigation Systems
• Satellite
• Earned Value Management
• Inertial Navigation
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Robotics
• Space Systems
• Management
• Spacecraft
• Team Leadership
• Project Management
• Requirements Management
• Avionics
• Satellite Systems Engineering
• Leadership
• Integration
• Aircraft
• Engineering
• Aerospace
• Simulations
• Configuration Management
• Defense