Larry Fineberg has worked in the aerospace industry for over 35 years, primarily at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). During his 20-year tenure at Boeing, he served on a team of engineering center representatives for the design, development, qualification, manufacturing, processing, and post-flight data analysis of the space shuttle orbiter main propulsion system. In 2004, Mr. Fineberg transitioned to a NASA civil servant position in the Launch Services Program (LSP) and served in an oversight role for the Atlas V and Delta II launch complex mechanical systems. A few years later, and until retirement, he served as an LSP Senior Integration Engineer for expendable launch vehicle missions, such as: InSight Mars Lander, Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission, NuSTAR, STSS Demo (Missile Defense Agency) and Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa) in coordination with the CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI).
Research and development effort includes a patented method for orbital debris remediation using a passive propellant-less device attached to a spacecraft capable of a controlled deorbit for masses up to 180 kg. See US Patent 11,267,589 B2, Drag-Based Propellant-Less Small Satellite Attitude Orbit and Deorbit Control System.
He currently teaching the capstone class, Spacecraft Design, to undergraduate aerospace engineering students. Student are organized into design teams and associated with different subsystems to develop a solution to a problem of practical interest through “Mission Assignment” that bridges across the two semesters.
The Mission Assignment incorporates the entire spacecraft lifecycle: Project/Product requirement development, implementation, verification; Preliminary & Critical Design Reviews. Coursework also includes generating engineering drawings followed by spacecraft build/installation procedures. Students finish the course with a professional level project proposal that follows industry standards.
Mr. Fineberg has recently begun a new effort to create a Small Satellite Design-Build-Test-Fly student curriculum.
Past and current capstone mission assignments include:
Embry Riddle
Observing Behavior of Tardigrade Micro-organisms in orbit (2021-2022); Measuring Drag in Low Earth Orbit (2022-2023); Lunar Occultation Spectroscopic Telescope Array (2023-2024); Rendezvous in 2029 with Asteroid Apophis for scientific study (2024-2026); Lunar Prospecting mission (2026-2027).
University of Florida
Atlas V launch vehicle cryo-slosh rideshare experiment (2019); Co-created mission and design requirements for Gamma Ray Observatory CubeSat (2018); Co-created mission and design requirements for Orbiting Aerosol Observatory CubeSat, similar to the NASA Glory Observatory developed by NASA (2016).
M.S. - Master of Science in Industrial Engineering: Engineering Management, University of Central Florida
Senior Systems and Integration Engineer (NASA Retired)
NASA Launch Services Program
Served as technical project manager in the NASA Launch Services Program for expendable launch vehicle missions, including: InSight Mars Lander, Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission, NuSTAR, STSS Demo (Missile Defense Agency) and Educational Launch of Nanosatellites (ELaNa).
• Utilized a disciplined system engineering approach to formulating NASA mission goals into a series of inter-related requirements. Developed, implemented, and verified requirements in each engineering discipline.
• Developed integration requirements for NASA mission’s Launch Service Statements of Work and participated in the evaluation of contract proposals from commercial providers. Developed Statements Of Work to Launch Service Contractors to ensure spacecraft and mission requirements were met. Performed Contractor evaluations at the completion of the contract effort.
• Actively managed mission specific analyses within the following engineering disciplines: navigation, guidance, and control of launch vehicle elements and spacecraft; launch vehicle loads and dynamic environments; thermal and aerodynamic environments, electromagnetic environments, mechanical and electrical systems of launch vehicle to spacecraft interfaces and separation systems; communications between ground and flight systems, contamination control and planetary protection; launch vehicle fairing air environment.
• Coordinated with NASA Launch Site Integration Managers to ensure spacecraft customer needs were met at the launch site, including insight/oversight of sub-contractors and vendors to ensure contract requirements were adequately satisfied.
• Lead project manager for several LSP Special Studies designed to infuse new technology through collaboration between NASA centers, academia, and industry. Relevant research includes De-Orbit Drag Device (D3) for demise of small spacecraft. US Patent 11,267,589 B2.
• Provided technical leadership for crafting LSP policy and systems engineering approach to implement ELaNa CubeSats on variety of rockets.
Lead Ground Support Equipment Engineer
NASA Launch Services Program
Nov 2004 - Jun 2007Responsible for oversight of Atlas V and Delta II launch complex mechanical systems in the NASA Launch Services Program. Responsibilities included:
• Assessed ground operations and maintenance during launch vehicle system processing for flight, requiring in-depth, diversified expertise of launch vehicle design and operation.
• Launch support activities included vehicle roll-out to launch pad, GO/NOGO decisions for flight readiness of Mechanical GSE systems to the NASA Chief Engineer.
• Managed NASA Launch Complex certification activities for the Atlas V launch vehicle.
• Areas of insight and oversight activities included: rocket liquid propulsion systems (cryogenic and gaseous hydrogen, oxygen, RP1, hypergolic), pressurization systems (helium, nitrogen), water deluge sound suppression systems, umbilical and boom connections, launch vehicle and spacecraft environmental control systems.
Space Shuttle Orbiter Main Propulsion Systems Engineer
Design, development, qualification, manufacturing, processing, and post-flight data analysis of orbiter main propulsion system hardware.
• Design and Operations Engineer for all space shuttle orbiter Main Propulsion System cryogenic liquid propulsion systems (ground and flight hardware).
• Actively participated in space shuttle orbiter checkout, propellant loading, and launch/landing of 90 space shuttle missions.
• Served as technical leader for the development and implementation of several research and technology development projects: Smart Valve Technology (University of Florida, Dr. Norman Fitz-Coy); knowledge based expert systems to diagnose complex flow systems; flight demonstration of a device to measure propellant line vacuum insulation.
• Duties included propellant loading test operations and readiness-for-flight decisions.