Daniel Guerrant
About Daniel Guerrant
Daniel Guerrant is a Principal Engineer at Rocket Lab, specializing in guidance, navigation, and control systems for aerospace applications. He holds a PhD in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and has extensive experience in both military and commercial aerospace sectors.
Work at Rocket Lab
Daniel Guerrant has been serving as a Principal Engineer at Rocket Lab since 2017. In this role, he leads a team focused on trajectory, orbit determination, algorithms, and flight software for NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services landers and orbiters. He has also played a significant role in the GNC team for DARPA’s Pit Boss and Blackjack programs, where he developed software for autonomous payload data collection utilizing Docker containers.
Education and Expertise
Daniel Guerrant earned his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder, completing his studies from 2010 to 2015. Prior to this, he obtained both a Bachelor of Science (BS) and a Master of Science (MS) in the same field from California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, with the BS completed in 2005 and the MS in 2005.
Background
Before joining Rocket Lab, Daniel Guerrant worked at Lockheed Martin as a Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer from 2015 to 2016. His responsibilities included the development of dynamical models and guidance and control algorithms for Rocket Lab's MAX Spacecraft Flight Software. Additionally, he served as a Division Officer in the US Navy from 2005 to 2010 at Bangor Base in Washington.
Achievements
During his tenure at Rocket Lab, Daniel Guerrant has led significant projects, including the development of software for autonomous payload data collection for DARPA’s programs. He heads a team that contributes to NASA's lunar exploration efforts, focusing on trajectory and flight software development for landers and orbiters.