Van Wagner Email & Phone Number

Morrison, Co, Us

Golden, Colorado, United States

As a Project Manager at Lunar Outpost, I hold a crucial position that involves overseeing and driving end-to-end project management processes, from the initial conception stage to delivering spaceflight qualified final products. In this role, I am entrusted with managing sophisticated hardware and software projects for a wide range of clients, including private, civil, and defense entities. This entails navigating complex technical requirements and regulatory frameworks to ensure the successful delivery of cutting-edge technology that meets the rigorous standards of the space industry.By leveraging my multidisciplinary background, I bridge the gap between engineering disciplines and business objectives, enabling Lunar Outpost to deliver groundbreaking technology to clients across various sectors. From conceptualization to realization, I ensure that projects are not only technologically advanced but also aligned with commercial goals and industry standards. With a focus on excellence and attention to detail, I lead teams to achieve successful mission outcomes and drive Lunar Outpost's position as a leader in the space industry.

United States

As a Senior Mechanical Engineer and Mechanical Engineering Team Lead at Lunar Outpost, I played a pivotal role in driving the success and efficiency of the mechanical engineering team. Under my leadership, we successfully developed and delivered MAPP, our first spaceflight qualified rover platform in the fastest rover development timeline in history. I successfully guided the team through the delivery of both of our first two rovers while taking ownership of critical subsystems for our flagship MAPP rover.Throughout the project lifecycle, I oversaw the mechanical development process from initial design and conception to initial fabrication testing, redesign, and eventual flight qualification. These efforts were crucial in preparing Lunar Outpost for its upcoming missions to the moon in 2023 and 2024. I facilitated and executed essential mechanical engineering analyses that were instrumental in ensuring mission success.Innovation was a core focus of my work. I explored, evaluated, and implemented cutting-edge optimization technologies and techniques, achieving an industry-leading chassis-to-mass ratio while maintaining design rigidity and vibrational performance. Additionally, I actively contributed to establishing and implementing company-wide processes, enhancing efficiency and further accelerating Lunar Outpost's already industry-leading development timelines.Collaboration was key to our achievements. I worked closely with various technical teams, including electrical, embedded software, and navigation teams, to ensure programmatic success. Furthermore, I played a crucial role in interfacing with, and onboarding customers engaged in Lunar Outpost's first-ever commercially funded rover mission.My tenure as a Senior Mechanical Engineer and Mechanical Engineering Team Lead at Lunar Outpost demonstrated my ability to lead high-performing teams, drive innovation, and deliver exceptional results in the field of advanced engineering.

Responsible for the conception & development of critical rover fixturing hardware. Extensive use of Solidworks modeling and FEA to simulate launch conditions. Created successive design iterations to meet standardized performance criteria.

Greater Denver Area

While at RMR I helped facilitate business growth by integrating newly acquired businesses into the existing business structure. I was also involved in several short term projects including the purchase and sale of logistics assets while building RMR's logistics branch. Other projects included the creation of an on-site fueling infrastructure as RMR's northern CO trucking hub, assembling project scopes for putting out to bid.

Golden, Colorado

Assisted in the conceptualization and early stage designs for the 2019 School of Mines NASA robotic mining competition team.

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Mechanical Engineering

Project Management Certificate, Business

Currently pursuing a Project Management Certificate