Henrique Daitx

Rocket Scientist. Programmer. Science & Technology fanatic.

© 2020. Released under the MIT license.

Curriculum vitæ

Education

2014—2015
MSc in Astronautics and Space Engineering Cranfield University — Cranfield, UK
2008—2012
BSc in Aerospace Engineering ITA — São José dos Campos, Brazil
2012
Student Exchange Purdue University — West Lafayette, USA Visiting student at the High Pressure Laboratory — Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories complex.
2000—2005
BSc in Computer Engineering UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil

Work Experience

2018—now
Software Engineer Google — London, UK Making Android Games go faster!
2016—2018
Embedded Software Engineer Racelogic — Buckingham, UK I am responsible for developing firmware and related software for a pioneering automotive test system. It allows a huge level of customization by running tests written in a popular scripting language.
This system brings together the best of two worlds: all aspects of the test (test logic, user interface, data capture and processing, logging, comms) are fully scriptable, but it keeps the soft real-time capabilities of a 'normal' bare metal system.
2015
GNC Intern DLR — Institute of Space Systems — Bremen, Germany Internship in a satellite formation flying simulation lab. The vehicles used compressed air thrusters to move around the experiment area in 5 DoF (3 rotational, 2 translational).
  • Devised automated procedures for identifying key parameters in the platforms;
  • Developed a combined attitude and position real-time control system, giving the vehicles trajectory-following capability;
  • Built a simulation program which greatly sped up the control algorithm design process.
Design, implementation and testing both of the simulation and of the actual control system were performed using MATLAB (Simulink and Simulink Coder).
2013—2014
Researcher IAE — São José dos Campos, Brazil R&D in attitude control systems for orbital launchers. Main responsibilities:
  • Embedded software development for inertial systems (C/C++);
  • Spacecraft dynamics studies;
  • Control algorithm design;
  • Simulation software design and implementation.
2006—2007
Hardware Analyst Datacom — Porto Alegre, Brazil Telecom hardware development. Main activities:
  • Hardware design — selection of key components, evaluation of engineering samples, schematic capture and layout design supervision, design for UL/CE regulatory compliance;
  • Maintaining contact with suppliers of key components;
  • Development of testing scripts for production line automated verification.
2004—2005
Research Intern UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil Junior research position. I used metaheuristics to perform optimization on bus driver schedules (C++).
2003—2004
Algorithms & Programming teaching assistant UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil Assistance to students in programming tasks (C and PASCAL).
2001—2002
Research Intern UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil Junior research position. I worked on artificial intelligence in multiagent systems, with the objective of creating a workable team for the RoboCup football competition (C language).

Selected Academic Projects

2015
Development of a combined attitude and position control for a satellite simulator DLR — Institute of Space Systems — Bremen, Germany Master's thesis (see details in Work Experience section).
2015
Laplace Orbit GeoSAR Feasibility Study Cranfield University — Cranfield, UK Phase 0 study for an Earth Observation mission. Responsible for the Operations and Power Subsystem WPs.
2012
Development of a Control Algorithm for the Micro-satellite Launcher Vehicle — VLM ITA — São José dos Campos, Brazil Bachelor's thesis. Developed both the rocket's dynamic model and a suitable attitude controller; Designed a digital simulation for validation of the closed-loop system.
2005
Project and Implementation of an Electronically Stabilized Aerial Robotic Platform UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil Bachelor's thesis. Designed and built a quadcopter and related 4DOF control system, including completely self-built hardware and software (TI TMS320 DSP programmed in C); Simulation and validation done in MATLAB/Simulink.

Papers and Publications

Sep 2014
Development of a Control Algorithm for the Micro-satellite Launcher Vehicle — VLM CBA 2014 — Belo Horizonte, Brazil Published in congress proceedings.
Apr 2013
Control Systems and Strategies Onboard of VLM-1 IAC 2013 — Beijing, China Abstract

Extracurricular Projects

2011—2012
Experimental and competitive rocketry ITA Rocket Design — São José dos Campos, Brazil Team effort for designing rockets to be entered in student rocketry competitions. Designed, built, tested and operated the embedded electronic subsystems and ground equipment subsystem (communications, TM/TC, data logging).
2008—2010
Engineering for academic competitions ITA Rocket Design — São José dos Campos, Brazil Team effort for designing an off-road car for student competitions. Designed, built and tested the embedded electronic subsystems (instrumentation, driver interface, data logging).

Honors and Awards Received

Dec 2012
Physics department graduation honors ITA — São José dos Campos, Brazil
Dec 2012
Humanities department graduation honors ITA — São José dos Campos, Brazil
Jun 2012
Best project in category Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition — Green River, USA Team award for best project in the basic category; responsible for electronic systems which represented substantial innovation over other teams' efforts.
Jan 2000
Top 0.5% score, federal university admission exam UFRGS — Porto Alegre, Brazil