What Does a GNC Engineer Do?

Considering a career in Guidance, Navigation, and Control? The below is a non-exhaustive list of the types of activities you might do as a GNC Engineer.

  • Develop GNC algorithms, typically in MATLAB/Simulink or Python.
  • Model vehicles such as rockets and spacecraft, including everything from engines to fluid systems, aerodynamics to flexible structures, as well as the environment the vehicles operate in. This could be in Simulink, Python, C/C++ or any one of a number of modelling languages.
  • Design rockets and spacecraft; including sensor and actuator selection and placement, overall sizing of propellant tanks, deriving propulsion performance requirements, deriving aerodynamic control surface requirements, deriving flight computer performance requirements and lots, lots more!
  • Optimize rocket trajectories, typically using software such as POST or ASTOS, based on vehicle constraints and customer orbit requirements.
  • Optimize spacecraft maneuvers, typically using software such as Copernicus or STK, based on vehicle constraints and spacecraft orbit requirements.
  • Write flight code; whether in C/C++ or autogenerated from a higher level model (such as Simulink).
  • Run lots and lots and lots of Monte Carlo simulations to cover the uncertainty present in your vehicle parameters and ensure mission success!
  • Participate in launch and on-orbit operations within mission control, ensuring vehicle and operation safety.
  • Perform post-flight/post-mission data analysis based on the data received and provide feedback to the engineering teams on vehicle performance.


Things you will enjoy doing and be within your skillset:

Mathematics
This includes multi-variate calculus and statistics, and you should love solving ODEs numerically (but know how to solve them analytically too).
Statics & Dynamics
Forces and Torques are like salt and pepper for you - you have them on every meal, and every problem you solve. You like to think the world is rigid, but can tolerate some flexibility now and then too.
MATLAB or NumPy/SciPy
If the extent of your mathematical software knowledge is Excel then GNC is not for you (or time to upskill!).
Control Systems
Can you explain why 1/s is an integrator? Does deadtime keep you up at night?
Signal Processing
Know your FIRs from your IIRs? Can you design a LPF? Do you panic when someone says "single precision"?
Data Analysis
Visualizing data is an art form you mastered. Parameter regression, piece of cake. FFTs are like ice cream on a summers day.
C/C++
You may not be an expert, but you have a light scattering of knowledge of some flight code languages.
Kerbal Space Program
You've made orbit and at least crashed into Mun once...