Space Simulation Tutorials
Monday, November 16, 2026
8:00 a.m. Introduction
8:05 - 10 a.m.
Modal Testing - Acquisition Through FE Correlation
Presenter: Chris Sensor, Siemens
Structures exhibit patterns of vibration when excited at certain frequencies. These patterns are called "mode shapes." Many fields employ Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) to extract mode shapes from physical structures. This tutorial focuses on EMA acquisition, data validation, and curve fitting using the PolyMax algorithm. Then the EMA dataset will be correlated with the CAE generated data to assess if all mode shapes have been excited.
Chris Sensor holds a BE degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology. Chris has been involved in environmental testing since 2011, focusing on single and multi-shaker vibration testing and modal analysis. He is currently an Application Engineer with Siemens PLM Software.
10:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Principles and Applications of Outgassing Data in Spacecraft Contamination Control
Presenter: Sarah Foyer, NASA Langley
Contamination control is a critical aspect of spacecraft development, as molecular contamination can degrade the performance, reliability, and lifetime of space-based systems. Attendees will leave with a practical understanding of how outgassing measurements support spacecraft contamination control and mission success. The session covers the fundamentals of Thermoelectric Quartz Crystal Microbalances (TQCM) and Residual Gas Analyzers (RGA), including what they measure and how the data are collected. Participants will learn how to interpret TQCM and RGA data in operational environments, correlate results with NASA-STD-6016, ASTM E595, and ECSS contamination requirements, recognize common pitfalls in contamination assessment, and apply proven techniques to improve contamination control practices within their own fabrication, integration, and test facilities.
Sarah Foyer is the Contamination Control and Planetary Protection Lead at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Michigan Technological University and has nearly six years of experience with NASA Langley's contamination control and planetary protection team. Her technical expertise includes outgassing mitigation and evaluation, contamination analysis and classification, and materials qualification. She has supported spaceflight missions ranging from low Earth orbit small satellites to lunar landers, contributing throughout the design, assembly, integration, and testing phases. She is committed to advancing contamination control and planetary protection practices to protect mission-critical hardware and support mission success.
1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Mission Success: An Overview of the Test Like You Fly Process
Presenter: Julie White, Aerospace Corporation
The “Test Like You Fly” (TLYF) Process is a prelaunch/pre-operational systems engineering approach that translates mission operations concepts into operationally realistic tests designed to uncover latent mission-critical flaws that traditional verification testing may miss. This tutorial explains the TLYF process, its implementation steps, expected products, and how it differs from conventional testing methods. Participants will learn how to apply the process to space, launch, and ground system development, understand its role in systems engineering and mission assurance, and use its results to inform programmatic decisions.
Julie White has been with The Aerospace Corporation for over 50 years. She is currently a Senior Project Leader in the System Integration and Test Office (SITO). She has vast experience with requirements analysis, systems integration, systems test and operations. She has helped architect “like you fly” “days in the life” tests for four R&D missions. She has analyzed trends and engineering implications of on-orbit anomalies. The large number of serious anomalies whose escapes could have been prevented by consistent implementation of Test Like You Fly (TLYF) techniques formed the motivator for creating a TLYF assessment process. She was a contributor to the 1st edition of the Space Vehicle Test and Evaluation Handbook (The Aerospace Corporation, 2006) and senior editor and contributor for the 2nd edition of this book (The Aerospace Corporation, 2011). She updated the TLYF chapter and other related topics. She has written and presented several papers on TLYF, as well as others on risk management, mission development, satellite End-of-Life trends, and other on-orbit assessment results. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Physics / Astronomy from the University of Maryland, College Park, MD and a Master’s degree in Astronomy from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.
3:15 - 5:00 p.m.
Mass Properties in Aerospace and Beyond
Presenter: James Blair, Raptor Scientific
Mass properties affects many components in the aerospace and defense field. Proper knowledge and understanding of vehicles mass properties including weight, center of gravity, moments of inertia, and products of inertia help optimize performance across multiple industries and vehicle platforms. This presentation focuses on the different methods of understanding and collecting data, as well as how different industries utilize known information to correct and ensure mission success.
James Blair is the Chief Engineer at Space Electronics in Berlin, Connecticut. James graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and has worked on new product development, prototype instruments, and fixtures for mass properties measurement systems. Space Electronics has worked to measure mass properties for JPL's Mars Rover, Boeing's Starliner capsule, aircraft control surfaces and turbine blades, and various missiles and armaments in the Aerospace and Defense sector. Raptor Scientific works with the Society of Allied Weight Engineers (SAWE), an international organization for Mass Properties Engineering, for which James has authored two papers for the organization - including measuring center of gravity and center of buoyancy of a submersible vehicle and in the design of a horizontal axis measurement of inertia using a gravity pendulum system.