PAT PATTERSON

DIRECTOR, ADVANCED CONCEPTS

Space Dynamics Laboratory/Utah State University

With nearly 30 years of experience in the space industry, Dr. Patterson has a distinctive and broad history in space systems engineering for upper atmospheric research as well as small satellites, and mission operations planning and directing.  Dr. Patterson is currently the Director of Advanced Concepts at Utah State University’s (USU) Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL). He is also the Chairman of the annual AIAA/USU Conference on Small Satellites. Other roles include membership on the AIAA Small Satellite Technical Committee, the Technical Committee for the European Space Agency 4S Symposium, and the Scientific Program Committee for the IAA Symposium on Small Satellites for Earth Observation.  Dr. Patterson also serves as an Industrial Advisory Committee member for USU’s Electrical and Computer Engineering department.  

His doctoral research was based on the rocket flights of the Coupling of Dynamics and Aurora (CODA) I and II science missions launched from Poker Flat Alaska, where he investigated the effects of disturbances caused by sounding rockets on the measurement of atomic oxygen using the resonant fluorescence technique in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. 

Dr. Patterson has supported multiple space sensor, sounding rocket and spacecraft programs through systems engineering and program management. Dr. Patterson has also supported development of test plans and training documentation, trained on-site operators, and operations lead for spacecraft, laser, and radar systems for multiple Air Force programs.

EDUCATION

2005: PhD Electrical Engineering (Space Systems Engineering): Utah State University, Logan, Utah

1990: M.S. Electrical Engineering (Spacecraft Controls Systems): Utah State University, Logan, Utah

1989: B.S. Electrical Engineering: Utah State University, Logan, Utah

PROFESSIONAL EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

2015 – Present            Director, Advanced Concepts, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

2010 – 2015    Director, Military Space Division, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

2009 – 2010    Deputy Director, Military Space Division, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

2007 – 2009    Technology Innovation Branch Manager, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

2005 – 2007    SDL Program Manager, Autonomous Nanosatellite Guardian Evaluating Local Space (ANGELS) satellite program, phases 1-3, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah

2003 – 2005    Technology Development Branch Manager, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

2002 – 2003    Business Development Director, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

1998 – 2002    Director of Innovative Science and Engineering, Space Dynamics Laboratory, North Logan, Utah.

1993 – 1997    Experiment Planner, TAOS Program Office, U.S.A.F. Phillips Laboratory; Data Center Administrator, Space Experiments Directorate, U.S.A.F. Phillips Laboratory, Albuquerque, New Mexico

1992 – 1993   Chief of Staff, Rocky Mountain NASA Space Grant Consortium, North Logan, Utah.

1990 – 1992    Systems Engineer, Flight Systems, Honeywell Inc., Phoenix, AZ

1987 – 1990    Electrical Engineering Masters Student, Space Dynamics Laboratory

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

Hauser, T., Allen, J.B., Perl, M., and Patterson, P.DSMC Simulation of Flow in the Sensor Volume of a Sounding Rocket Experiment. Computational Fluid Dynamics Journal, 15(2), April 2006.

Patterson, P.L., Swenson, C.M., Baker, D.M., Allen, J.B. & Hauser, T. Atomic Oxygen Observations during the CODA II Mission. Geophysical Research Letters. 0094-8276/05, 2005

Fullmer, Rees; Patterson, Pat; and Pack, Robert, The Conceptual Design of the Guidance, Navigation and Control System for a Maintenance and Repair Spacecraft, AAS 03-616

Patterson, P. L., Time Off Element Set Investigation: Effects on the Space Surveillance Network, USAF, 1996

Patterson, P. L., Controlling Interferometric Fiber Optic Gyroscopes, Honeywell Inc., 1991