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WENDY M. MORGENSTERN | Senior Systems Engineer | Space Systems | TS/SCI
Silver Spring, MD | 240.506.1489 | This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | LinkedIn: Wendy Morgenstern

EXECUTIVE PROFILE

Distinguished leader with 35+ years at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC, retired), specializing in Mission Systems Engineering (MSE), Chief Engineer, and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC). Directed full life cycles for Solar, Earth, Astrophysics, and Technology Development missions from concept to on-orbit operations. Senior technical authority | Chair | subject matter expert for anomaly investigations, independent assessments, and Agency-level Standing Review Boards (SRBs).

Key Recognitions:
• 3× NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal | 1x NASA Exceptional Service Medal
• Robert H. Goddard Awards: Mentoring, Leadership, Engineering Excellence

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Multi-Discipline Team Leadership
• Conflict Resolution & Communication
• Mission Systems Engineering
• Guidance, Navigation & Control
• Senior Technical Authority | Chief Engineer
• Programmatic and Risk Leadership
• Independent Review & Anomaly Resolution
• Mentorship & Workforce Development
• Spacecraft Concept, Design, Integration, Launch & Operations

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Morgenstern Engineering LLC | Founder | Systems Engineer. March 2025 - present

• Senior Systems Engineer & Space Systems Subject Matter Expert (SME), offering consulting services in all areas of expertise.

NASA GSFC | Mission Systems Engineer | GNC Systems Engineer. 1990 – March 2025

• Systems Engineering Technical Discipline Deputy, NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC) (2024-2025).  Working directly for the Agency’s Systems Engineering Technical Fellow, collaborate with Leadership to optimize systems engineering across NASA and commercial partners. Conduct technical deep-dives on complex engineering challenges.
• Division Chief Engineer, Instrument Systems and Technology Division (2023 – 2024)
  Oversaw a $300M+ portfolio spanning optics, cryogenics, detectors, electro-optical systems, radar, lasers, microwave, and quantum technologies.
• Lead Systems Engineer & Technical Authority, OSAM-1 (On-Orbit Servicing Assembly and Manufacturing ) Mission (2019 – 2023)
  Directed 40+ SEs and over 400 engineers for NASA’s flagship ($2B) servicing and assembly mission. Oversaw development through assembly, integration, launch, and operations for robotic servicing and in-space manufacturing demonstration.
• Deputy Lead MSE, OSAM-1 (formerly Restore-L) Mission (2017 – 2019)
  Led mission systems products, architecture trades, and systems verification for the landmark robotic mission to refuel Landsat-7.
• Mission Systems Engineer, HELIX (Heliospheric and Interstellar Explorer) Proposal (2016 – 2017)
  Architected mission design for GSFC's proposed Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) Medium Explorer (MIDEX) class mission.
• Lead Systems Engineer, PRAXyS (Polarimetry of Relativistic Astrophysical X-ray Sources ) Proposal (2015 – 2016)
  Delivered PDR-level design for a cost-effective Small Explorer (SMEX) class X-ray polarimetry mission using deployable booms and commercial spacecraft bus.
• Mission Systems Engineering | GNC Systems Engineer, MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission) (2010 – 2015)
  Led GNC systems (Attitude Control, Propulsion, Flight Dynamics, Navigation) during spacecraft build, test, launch, and commissioning. Served as MMS Test Director, Launch Director, Commissioning Lead, and On-Orbit Maneuver Lead for NASA's first four-observatory constellation mission.
• GNC Systems Engineer, SDO (Solar Dynamics Observatory) (2008 – 2010)
  Spearheaded orbital maneuver strategy, jitter mitigation, and system-wide GNC verification for SDO, delivering sub-arcsec science pointing.  
• Attitude Control Subsystem (ACS) Lead & Deputy GNC Systems Engineer, SDO (2002 – 2008)
  Directed multi-discipline engineering teams through architecture trades, hardware development, and launch for NASA’s flagship solar observatory.
• Early career roles include: dual lead for Triana ACS Analysis & ACS Flight Software;  GNC development roles for TRMM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission), XTE (X-ray Timing Explorer), and James Webb Space Telescope; Systems Engineer for GSFC’s first in-house CubeSat, Dellingr

REVIEW BOARD & AGENCY SERVICE

• Standing Review Board (SRB) Chair, HelioSwarm (2024 – Present)
• Deputy SRB Chair, PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) (2018 – 2023)
• SRB Member, ICESat-2 (Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation) (2011 – 2018)
• Anomaly Investigation Lead, Roman Space Telescope (RST), Canada’s RadarSat
• NASA-wide Systems Engineering Workforce Development & Cross-Agency Mentor
• Independent Review Team Member for mission, element, subsystem or peer reviews.  Recent examples: RST, GOES-U (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite), LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter), GPM (Global Precipitation Mission), DaVINCI (Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging), Lucy, and CCRS (Capture Containment and Return System)

SELECT AWARDS & HONORS

• 3× NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals (2022, 2016, 2009)
• NASA Exceptional Service Medal (2013)
• NASA Honor Group Achievement (SDO, MMS, OSAM-1, ICESat-2, Dellingr)
• Robert H. Goddard Awards: Mentoring (2021), Leadership (2014), Engineering Excellence (2015)
• NASA Silver Achievement Medal (ICESat-2)

EDUCATION

MS, Aerospace Engineering (Controls Focus), University of Maryland | Magna Cum Laude

BS, Aerospace Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | Summa Cum Laude