Sean Napier
About Sean Napier
Sean Napier is a Mission Design Engineer at Blue Origin, specializing in spacecraft trajectory optimization. He has a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelor's Degree in Astrophysics from Lehigh University.
Current Role at Blue Origin
Sean Napier is a Mission Design Engineer at Blue Origin, where he has been working since 2022. His role is based in Arlington, Virginia, United States. Sean is part of the Advanced Development Programs Group, which focuses on pioneering space exploration technologies. His expertise contributes to the company's mission of making space more accessible and efficient.
Previous Experience at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Before joining Blue Origin, Sean Napier worked at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center as an Astronautical Engineer in the Pathways Program. He served in this capacity from 2017 to 2022. During this 5-year period in the Washington D.C. Metro Area, Sean gained substantial experience in astronautical engineering and mission designs, which he now applies in his current role at Blue Origin.
Educational Background in Aerospace Engineering
Sean Napier holds a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder, where he studied from 2014 to 2021. Prior to this, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Astrophysics with a minor in Computer Science from Lehigh University, completing his studies there from 2010 to 2014. His extensive educational background provided a solid foundation for his career in space exploration and mission design.
Early Career and Internships
Sean's career includes multiple internships and research positions. In 2016, he interned at SpaceX in the Mission Assurance & Astronaut Safety division in Hawthorne, CA. The same year, he was an OSSI Summer Intern at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Additionally, Sean served as a Flight Dynamics Engineer at Omitron Inc. in the Washington D.C. Metro Area for five months in 2016-2017. These early roles equipped him with a diverse set of skills and experiences, paving the way for his current position at Blue Origin.
Research Contributions
From 2014 to 2021, Sean Napier was a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he contributed to various research projects in the field of aerospace engineering. Prior to this, he worked as an Undergraduate Researcher at Lehigh University from 2012 to 2014 and from 2011 to 2012. These research roles enabled Sean to deepen his understanding of astrophysics and aerospace principles, setting the stage for his professional achievements.