Sciences and Exploration Directorate

Iker Liceaga-Indart

(LEAD MECHANICAL ENGINEER)

Iker Liceaga-Indart's Contact Card & Information.
Email: iker.liceagaindart@nasa.gov
Phone: 301.286.7890
Org Code: 672
Address:
NASA/GSFC
 Mail Code 672
 Greenbelt, MD 20771
Employer: CATHOLIC UNIV OF AMERICA

Missions & Projects

Brief Bio

Iker Liceaga-Indart studied at the University of Navarra in San Sebastian (Spain), where he earned a B.S. degree in Industrial Technologies Engineering (2015) and a M.S. degree in Industrial Engineering (2017). For the period comprised between September 2016 and June 2017, he worked on his Master's Thesis at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he conceptualized and developed an interactive robotic environment for the Changing Places Research Group. He joined NASA in October 2017 as a member of the GSFC Heliospheric Physics Lab (Code 672).

Current Projects

INTERSTELLAR MAPPING AND ACCELERATION PROBE (IMAP) | Mar 2019 - Current

IMAP will be a sun-tracking satellite that will study energetic particles streaming from the interstellar space. These particles present a potential hazard for astronauts, satellites, and sensitive electrical equipment on Earth

  • Lead Mechanical Engineer of the High-energy Ion Telescope (HIT) Instrument
  • Leading all the mechanical-related activities in a team of 30+ NASA engineers, scientists, and technicians
  • Project cost and schedule management for the mechanical subsystem
  • Computer Aided Design (CAD) and structural analysis of the instrument assembly, consisting of 1000+ parts
  • Generation of 120+ fabrication drawings, ensuring compliance with NASA and ASME standards
  • Manual instrument integration in an ISO Class 8 contamination-controlled environment
  • Supervision of the test campaigns. Definition of vibration, acoustics, and thermal test procedures
  • Review of the IMAP spacecraft and launch vehicle mechanical requirements (SpaceX Falcon-9)

COMPAIR INSTRUMENT - ALL-SKY MEDIUM ENERGY GAMMA-RAY OBSERVATORY (AMEGO) | Mar 2019 - Current

AMEGO will be a probe-class satellite mission, carrying a novel MeV gamma-ray detector. This type of gamma-rays are produced by some of the most powerful events in the universe, still unexplored

  • Mechanical design lead of the ComPair instrument, to raise the detector Technology Readiness Level (TRL)
  • Computer Aided Design (CAD) and structural analysis of the instrument prototype
  • Interface definition of all the instrument subsystems
  • Mechanical design adaptation for flying the instrument on a stratospheric balloon

PAST PROJECTS

  • The Solar Neutron TRACking (SONTRAC) spectrometer | Lead mechanical engineer | Nov 2018 - Jan 2020
  • Terrestrial Rays Analysis and Detection (TRYAD) CubeSat | Instrument design reviewer | Jun 2018 - May 2019
  • High-energy All-sky Monitor (HAM) | Gamma-ray detector concept, mechanical designer | Dec 2018 - Apr 2019
  • Mesoscale Structures Acceleration & Transport | Mission proposal, subsystem lead | Feb 2018 - Nov 2018
  • BurstCube CubeSat | Silicon Photomultiplier front-end electronics, mechanical designer | Feb 2018 - Sep 2018
  • Ionospheric Neutron Content Analyzer (INCA) CubeSat | Instrument mechanical designer | Oct 2017 - Jun 2018

Education

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | Cambridge, US | 2016 - 2017

M.S. Thesis, Industrial Engineering (visiting student)

Grade: 10/10 | Honor Distinction Degree


University of Navarra (UNAV) | San Sebastian, Spain | 2015 - 2017

M.S. Industrial Engineering

GPA: 9.7/10


University of Navarra (UNAV) | San Sebastian, Spain | 2011 - 2015

B.S. Industrial Technologies Engineering

GPA: 9.07/10

Awards

STAR of Tomorrow Award | Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers | 2023

Luminary Honoree - Career Achievement Award | Great Minds in STEM | 2022

Nova 111 List - Highest potential Spanish professionals under 35 (Engineering & Energy) | Nova Talent | 2021

"laCaixa" Foundation Scholarship - Graduate Studies in North America | $40K | "laCaixa" Foundation | 2017

Global Internship Program Scholarship | $1K | Caja Rural | 2016

Credit to Academic Excellence Scholarship | $6K | University of Navarra | 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

Academic Excellence Scholarship | $3K | Basque Government | 2011, 2012

Extraordinary Baccalaureate Award of the Basque Country (GPA: 10/10) | $1K | Basque Government | 2011

Professional Societies

SHPE - Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers

2023 - Present

AIAA - American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

2020 - Present

NASA GSFC Speakers Bureau

2020 - Present

NASA HACE - Hispanic Advisory Committee for Employees

2019 - Present

ECUSA - Spanish Scientists in the United States of America

2017 - Present

Other Professional Information

Languages: Spanish, English, Basque, German


NASA Laboratory Operations Courses - Goddard Space Flight Center


  • Radiation Safety - Ionizing Radiation Producing Devices | Feb 2021
  • Hazard Communication Training Program | Dec 2020
  • Code 540 Cleanroom Certification Training | Dec 2020
  • Federal Records 101 | Nov 2020
  • Oxygen Deficiency Hazard | Nov 2020
  • Hazardous Waste Management | Sep 2020
  • Electrical Safety Awareness | Sep 2020
  • Machine Guarding for Operators | Nov 2019
  • Lifting Devices and Equipment | Nov 2019
  • Compressed Gas Safety | Jun 2019
  • Cryogenic Safety | Jun 2018
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) | Oct 2017


Licenses & Certifications


  • Media Training - NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) | Sep 2021
  • PADI - Open Water Diver Certification | Jan 2021
  • CPE - Certificate of Proficiency in English (C2) | Cambridge Assessment English | Jan 2014
  • EGA - Certificate of Proficiency in Basque (C1) | Basque Government | Jun 2010


Co-Authored Papers and Presentations



Outreach & STEM Engagement (Volunteering)


  • NASA "Power to Explore" Student Challenge Judge | Future Engineers | Feb 2023
  • Becarios Knowledge Day Talk | "la Caixa" Foundation | May 2022
  • NASA "TechRise" Student Challenge Judge | Future Engineers | Dec 2021, Nov 2022
  • Career Development Session Panelist | Boston Higher Education Resource Center | Jul 2021
  • Loudoun and Montgomery County Science Fairs (AIAA Judge) | Mar 2021
  • Career Day Presentation | Heather Hills Elementary School | Mar 2021
  • Engineering Academy Talk | Northbridge High School | Mar 2021
  • Spanish Class STEM Talk | Powell Elementary School | Feb 2021
  • BoSTEM Bite Size Virtual Talk | United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley | Jan 2021
  • NASA Lunch Webinar (Spanish) | ECUSA - Spanish Scientists in the United States of America | Jun 2020
  • 72nd Annual Prince George's Area Science Fair Judge | Charles Herbert Flowers High School | Mar 2020
  • Gitomer Learning Festival Talk | Krieger Schechter Day School | Feb 2020
  • Guest Speaker (Spanish) | University of Navarra - Ayete Residence Hall | Oct 2017


Media Appearances


Contact Us

Jocelyn Lynch
Project Support Specialist
301-286-6066
jocelyn.m.lynch@nasa.gov
Ellie Jeffries
Project Support Specialist
301-286-6066
ellen.e.jeffries@nasa.gov

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