Nathan O’Brien, a master’s student in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering, has won a $5,000 National Security Space Association (NSSA) scholarship for his space research, which includes a tool he built to find the best locations to position defensive satellites.

NSSA scholarships recognize the innovators and leaders who will shape the future of space security and exploration. O’Brien received one of two scholarships sponsored by Reinventing Geospatial, Inc.

“This award opens doors for mentorship in space security topics and allows me the freedom I need to prepare for a career at the intersection of commercial space, national security, and engineering,” he said.

O’Brien is developing a computer model that helps answer the question: If we want satellites in space to defend against a certain number of missiles coming from a certain part of the world, where would we need to put those satellites?

The model works backwards: given the number of incoming missiles and where they could originate, it estimates how a network of defensive satellites should be arranged in orbit. Because satellites are constantly moving around the globe, O’Brien’s optimization model determines an approximate number of spacecraft and the orbital arrangement that can effectively cover a threat region when activated by military officials.

O’Brien got his first taste of space-related national security research at the University of Florida. Through his work in Georgia Tech’s Engineering Space Policy Lab under Assistant Professor Thomas González Roberts, he has been able to expand how he applies his technical skills as an engineer to the kinds of space security projects policymakers are thinking about.

“Nathan is a talented aerospace engineer who is also deeply interested in the strategic questions surrounding the technologies he studies” Roberts said. “He has taken real ownership of the technical side of a new project in our lab, developing models of space-based interceptor architectures and helping us understand what these systems could actually look like in orbit. I’m thrilled to see his work and potential recognized by NSSA.”

O’Brien said one of the biggest challenges building his highly technical model has been learning to effectively communicate the tool’s capabilities to both technical and nontechnical audiences. While his model involves complicated knowledge of orbital mechanics and optimization, it also needs to be pitched to people with no engineering background. 

“Not only do I need to be able to defend my work to the technical crowd, but I must be able to cut through the jargon to ensure that policymakers, journalists, and other relevant parties can benefit from the tools I develop,” he said. “This skill is hard to practice early in an engineering career, so I'm thankful to have the opportunity to iterate and learn now.”

O’Brien is drawn to space because it offers opportunities to solve “challenging interdisciplinary problems in the presence of uncertainty.” He said he is particularly interested in how technologies developed for national security can extend beyond defense.

“Early in my life, I loved learning all about the trickle-down engineering products that stemmed from the Space Race,” he said. “I think a similar pattern will repeat itself if the national security space community continues to embrace commercial markets.”