General Electric Co., Houston, TX

Last updated February 22, 2006

Project Engineer
June 1973 - April 1975

During this period I was responsible for planning, scheduling and coordinating hardware and software development for a prototype automated RF avionics test system being developed for NASA's Johnson Space Center. These duties included coordinating activities with NASA and support contractor personnel as well as coordinating with GE engineering, drafting, and manufacturing organizations.

Concurrently, I was responsible for developing a special purpose data acquisition and control system to be used in facility management of the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (an early laboratory facility for testing and evaluating Space Shuttle avionics concepts). The equipment included capability for analog and digital measurement, analog and digital stimulus, and was controlled by a special purpose remote processor which the group designed and developed. Communication within the system was based on a local area network concept. I also made major contributions to the system engineering and design for this system. The team of engineers and software developers working on these projects varied between 5 and 15.

Programming Analyst/Senior Programming Analyst
October 1969 - June 1993

As a Senior Programming Analyst I was responsible for the development of all diagnostic software for the prototype Unified Test Equipment, an advanced ground-based spacecraft checkout system. In this project I supervised four other programmers. Later I was responsible for the design and development of the realtime executive and application software for a prototype automated RF navigation aids test set being developed for NASA. The computing environment was composed of several collaborating processors communicating over a local area network. Color displays and advanced graphical representation of information were investigated in this project.

As a Programming Analyist I held several positions of increasing responsibility within the computer programming organization. The majority of my work was performed in assembly language on CDC 160G, IBM 360/44, IBM 4Pi-EP, IBM 1130, and other special purpose processors. Initial assignments included implementing data compression algorithms, developing demonstration programs for a prototype remote data acquisition system, and developing an interactive compiler capability for a prototype multiprocessor spacecraft data management system. The compiler was designed to allow an astronaut to create system monitoring tasks in a high-level, test-oriented language.

Design Engineer
June 1968 - October 1969

I participated in requirements definition, design and development of prototype quipment for onboard checkout systems at NASA's Johnson Space Center. I was assigned responsibility for the control and display equipment portion of the system which I designe d and integrated with the computer system. I also participated in the study of data compression techniques for potential application in manned spacecraft data communication and storage.