Career

Hello,

My name is Dallas Kasaboski, and this page is all about my career path so far.

Should you want the short version, you can find, and connect with me via, my LinkedIn profile page here. 

Currently, I am a satellite market research analyst for the company, Northern Sky Research. Here, I study different satellite markets and applications in order to better understand how the business and industry will develop. So far, I've made reports, and performed consulting work, regarding maritime and land-mobile telecommunications, the Earth Observation industry, Government/Military market, Big Data via satellite, and flat panel antenna technology. My work covers qualitative trends, quantitative analysis, due diligence, and forecasting revenues and equipment deliveries over the next 10 years.

Prior to this, I obtained a Master of Sciences from the International Space University, in Strasbourg, France. Embracing the interdisciplinary nature of the space industry, I studied the engineering, science, physical effects on human crews, as well as the policy, economics, and legal aspects. 

The three largest projects from this program included a team project, an individual project, and an internship at NASA's Johnson Space Center. 

I was one of the project managers for the team project, investigating the challenges and opportunities involved in one-way human missions to Mars. The team consisted of 18 Masters-level students, from a variety of backgrounds, and the role of manager gave me greater experience with delegation, project scoping, and time management, and conflict resolution. In the end, we produced a 150-page report detailing the necessary and likely steps involved in such a mission, and presented the work at the International Astronautical Congress in Toronto, Canada, in 2014.

My individual project involved researching the radiation levels in different space environments, providing an updated review as well as recommendations for deep-space travel. My final work included a report which was presented at the aforementioned Congress, as well as a spot in NASA Johnson's internship program.

For the internship, I worked for three months on the design of a conceptual deep-space human-rated spacecraft meant to use superconducting coils to generate an actively protecting field against harmful radiation. For the project, I performed a thermal analysis of the spacecraft, and designed a sunshield, chose the material coating of the craft, and designed the launch/deployment of the craft. The internship was an excellent opportunity, but I ultimately decided to seek other options as my non-US citizenship would have posed quite a barrier to continue to work with NASA.

After my internship and Masters degree, but before joining NSR, I took part in a Microsoft design challenge called Hacking Mars. My three-person team was tasked with designing something which could help Mark Watley, the fictional character stranded on Mars in the novel, The Martian. Our submission was a set of modular sensors, aimed to help Watley maintain his environment, grow crops, and better his understanding and control of his surroundings. 

My team won this global contest, and our prizes were truly spectacular. We got to meet Andy Weir, author of The Martian, take a tour of Microsoft Studios, and try out the HoloLens! Along with this, we also won various other Microsoft gear including a Microsoft Band 2, Surface 3, and an Xbox! It was a very exciting experience, and I learned a lot about the upcoming design projects from Microsoft!

Prior to all of this, I earned a Bachelor of Applied Sciences, with a Specialized Honours in Space Engineering, from York University, Canada. The program fully familiarized me with the technical and professional skills involved with designing spacecraft and space missions. 

I've been interested in the space industry my whole life. Without knowing it exactly, I've exhibited the traits of a good engineer for years. I love to solve problems, and I love to determine all the various routes that could be taken to solve said problems. I enjoy math and how it can be used to model the world around us. Taking a big project, breaking it down into various sub-tasks, and finishing them effectively and efficiently, well, that's what I do, every day.

Goals

My main goal, my main reason for studying to be an engineer, is to make the exploration of space easier. I have finished my postgraduate degree, Master of Sciences at the International Space University, and here are my goals for the next little while:

• Find work in the space sector, specifically with the CSA, ESA, or NASA
• Work toward a PhD. - After gaining valuable insight and experience, I want to focus my time and attention on a specific research interest, radiation shielding. I want to earn the PhD degree and make a significant contribution to my selected field of interest, 
• Last, but certainly not least, I want to share my enthusiasm, knowledge, and ideas with you!

Strengths

Through my studies, I have learned more about myself and my capabilities. While mcu hof my experience is outlined on my C.V., above, I have further detailed my strengths below:

• Software experience
• Satellite Took Kit - used for modeling and controlling space and electronic systems
• Matlab - used to analyze data, run simulations, compute the results of engineering scenarios, additionally, I have used Matlab to create GUIs and for control systems.
• Pro/Engineer - a 3D solid modeling program used to design, develop, and analyze products. I have used it to model and analyze existing designs and to develop and analyze possible designs.
• Siemens Unigraphics NX - similar to Pro/Engineer - provides considerable analysis of materials within diverse working environments.
• Eclipse, Crimson Editor, etc. - years of experience problem solving via different computer languages including:
• Java
• C, C++, C#
• Fortran
• I am proficient in programming in a Unix-based environment
• Altium - Electronics design program, useful for making and providing analysis of electronic circuits
• LabView - used to develop, test, and control electrical/electronic systems.

• Project management
• Most recently - Project Manager of the Mars NOW project
• Coordinating the efforts of 17 Masters-level professionals exploring the concept of one-way human missions to Mars. Final work will be presented at the International Astronautical Conference, IAC, of 2014.
• Most of my engineering projects have involved working in teams. Additionally, my volunteer work has concerned working in large groups. As such, I am very good at the professional skills that accompany project management, including:
• Assessment of skill and responsibility - I am very good at assessing the skill-set of those with whom I work, and assigning the right task to the right person.
• No stranger to responsibility - A good leader leads by example, and to do so, I never hesitate from the work that needs to be done.
• Time management - I have an extraordinary ability to fit and accomplish much into what may seem to be a short amount of time.
• Oral and written communication - Whether it be presentations, technical reports, literature reviews, or listing my strengths and goals, I work hard to have excellent oral and written communication.

• Work ethic - I am a very determined person and once I have set myself to a project, I will work night and day to get it done. 
• Developing and adhering to a work-flow process - I pride myself on my ability to create a layout of the work that will need to be done, breaking it down into manageable tasks, assigning and meeting deadlines, while constantly reiterating to make sure that I have not missed anything and that I'm on track. This is the engineering process at its finest and after 4 years of working within it constantly, I am very proficient at it.
  

Interests

Here is a list of some points of interest for me, as it pertains to my career:

• Designing for the Space Environment
• Spacecraft shielding
• Satellite communications
• Rovers/Landers
• Adaption to environments (making things easier for manned crews on other planets)
• Alternative power generation
• Automated mapping

And that concludes a short reflection on my vocational interests. For more information on some of my previous work, please look into this: Engineering, it's a series of entries concerning my experience and work in Engineering.

Should you desire to contact me, please do so at dallas@embracespace.ca.