Zayne Thawer (EngSci 2T0+ PEY) never imagined the career path his Professional Experience Year Co-op Program (PEY Co-op) at Safran Landing Systems would open up.
“My internship was incredibly enlightening. It introduced me to the world of industry beyond academia,” he says.
“As a systems engineering and architecture intern, I worked with a team of engineers in Canada and France on the development and implementation of a Model-based Systems Engineering (MBSE) framework using the Systems Modeling Language (SysML). This modeling was derived from the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook and was done for the landing gear architecture and operation of a supersonic jet program.”
Today he is driven by a passion for creating a positive impact on society. As a spacecraft systems engineer at Planet Labs — a satellite imagery and earth data analytics company based in San Francisco — he is dedicated to advancing space sustainability. His work ensures that space remains a viable resource for future generations.
“One area of innovation that I’ve been able to work on is the art of maneuver automation. As space becomes an increasingly dense environment with lots of satellites, debris and objects of all kinds, we are making sure that we are operating in a safe and sustainable manner,” he says.