Michelle Christensen, PhD
About Michelle Christensen, PhD
Michelle Christensen, PhD, is a Senior Technical Project Manager at Blue Origin, specializing in New Shepard Mission and Flight Operations. She has extensive experience in propulsion engineering and has held various roles at Blue Origin since 2012.
Current Title and Role at Blue Origin
Michelle Christensen is the Senior Technical Project Manager for New Shepard Mission and Flight Operations at Blue Origin. Since 2021, she has been leading the coordination and resolution of anomalies during flight operations, ensuring the safety of passengers and employees. She was also responsible for owning and improving the Required Equipment List to streamline decision-making processes for mission success. Her work focuses on enhancing flight operations while reducing engineering efforts.
Previous Roles at Blue Origin
Before her current role, Michelle served in several key positions at Blue Origin. From 2018 to 2021, she was the Senior Manager for Engines Test Engineering. Prior to that, she was the Engines Test Lead BE-4 from 2016 to 2018. Michelle's early career at Blue Origin included roles such as Propulsion Engineer for Design and Test from 2013 to 2016, and she started her tenure as a New Graduate Rotation Engineer from 2012 to 2013 in Kent, WA.
Other Professional Experience
Michelle Christensen was the owner and designer at Engineered Artistries in Seattle, Washington, from 2015 to 2018. Her early career included roles such as Graduate Research Assistant at Penn State University's Propulsion Engineering Research Center from 2006 to 2012 and Undergraduate Research Assistant at The University of Alabama in Huntsville's Propulsion Research Center from 2004 to 2006. Additionally, she worked as a Team Leader and Briefings Counselor at Space Camp from 2001 to 2004 in Huntsville, Alabama.
Educational Background
Michelle Christensen holds a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Penn State University, where she studied from 2006 to 2012. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from The University of Alabama in Huntsville between 2003 and 2006. Her academic background lays a strong foundation for her expertise in propulsion and flight operations.