Christopher Echols Email & Phone Number

Ypsilanti, Mi, Us

Ypsilanti, Mi, Us

Mechanical design and analysis, operations planning and systems engineering for the Giant Magellan Telescope:+ Developed operational plans for the facility, including M1 primary mirror segment re-coating exchanges, instrument installation and service, and telescope balancing+ Supported systems engineering by developing and managing requirements, developing and maintaining interface documents and drawings+ Designed and analyzed mechanical structures and mechanisms+ Updated the design of the telescope's instrument rotator to include new adaptive optics and instrument exchange mechanisms

Pasadena, Ca, Us

Conceptual and mechanical design and analysis for structural subsystems of the Thirty Meter Telescope:+ As a contract employee through Triad Project Management Services (now BCF Solutions), performed mechanical design and analysis for structural subsystems of the Thirty Meter Telescope, planned to be the world’s largest ground-based telescope when completed+ Conceptualized and developed the telescope’s segment handling system+ Supported the design and analysis of segment support assemblies, hydrostatic bearing brackets, azimuth track segments, and other telescope structure elements+ Performed layout studies for instruments, laser guide star facilities, and cranes+ Managed the telescope structure CAD model in SolidWorks, contributed to requirements documents, provided design documentation and drawings, and participated in design reviews.

Pasadena, Ca, Us

Mechanical design of vibration-isolating suspensions and opto-mechanical elements for the Laser Interferometry Gravity-wave Observatory:+ As a contract employee through Triad Project Management Services (now BCF Solutions), worked for the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravity-wave Observatory) Laboratory at Caltech+ Designed and implemented vibration-isolating suspension structures and mechanisms for Enhanced and Advanced LIGO+ Lead mechanical engineer for the Output Mode Cleaner suspension, to be installed as part of Enhanced LIGO+ Created SolidWorks models of the LIGO vacuum system from legacy CAD drawings, and created numerous conceptual models for optical suspensions, mounts, beam dumps and baffles.

As a contract employee through Ad-Tek Engineering Services, Inc., supported mechanical engineering activities for robotics prototypes:+ Served as principal mechanical engineer for the Superbot modular robotic arm prototype being developed by the USC Polymorphic Robotics Laboratory, which has been featured on the television show Sci Fi Science on the Science Channel+ Assisted in the design of a demonstration robotic system for the last Hubble Space Telescope repair mission (which was canceled in lieu of a manned mission, documented in the Hubble 3D IMAX film)

Pasadena, Ca, Us

Beginning as a contract employee with Triad Project Management Services, worked with the Caltech Optical Observatories’ Optical and Infrared Instrumentation Group on the design and testing of the Keck Infra-Red Multi-Object Spectrometer (KIRMOS), an ambitious cryogenic instrument concept for the Keck Observatory in Hawaii. Project tasks involved a combination of design, analysis, laboratory testing, project planning, and report writing skills:+ Design, analysis, simulation and laboratory testing of a fluid-warmed instrument Dewar window+ Design, analysis and testing of adhesive joints and flexures for large (approximately 30 inch diameter) lens mounting+ Mechanical design of test fixtures+ Radiation load analysis+ Instrument-level thermal system design

Us

Performed mechanical and system design for space-flight and test hardware on numerous JPL/NASA programs:+ Lead designer and project manager for the design and fabrication of a laboratory breadboard of an Offner spectrometer+Part of a team on the design, construction and testing of a robotic Mars drill prototype—specific tasks included concept creation, mechanical system design, mechanism design, drawing creation, part sourcing, assembly and testing+ Designed and analyzed motion-control components for an airborne scientific instrument, the Cloud Ice Radiometer+ Designed an ultra-lightweight electronics chassis for the Microwave Limb Sounder satellite, as well as performed thermal testing and assisted in acceptance testing of flight motors+ Assisted in the design of the rover egress aid mechanism for the Spirit/Opportunity Rover mission. + Other experiences include cabling design, opto-mechanical design, thermal systems design, and graphic design.