Joseph Lyon
Joseph Lyon began his career in the space and satellite industry while completing his Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC), where he conducted innovative research in spacecraft propulsion. His work in USC’s Combustion Physics Lab explored a novel method of spacecraft propulsion, focusing on heat-recirculating combustor performance under varying pressures. This research was particularly significant for the development of small spacecraft, and his contributions were honored with the “Outstanding Master’s Thesis” award at the 2021 USC Viterbi Master’s Awards Ceremony. Joseph also represented USC in the 2020 NASA Revolutionary Aerospace Systems Concepts Academic Linkage (RASC-AL) competition as the mechanical engineering lead of the team. He oversaw the work of both graduate and undergraduate students for a design proposal of a multi-purpose lunar rover vehicle for NASA’s Artemis program. After graduation, Joseph joined Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks, where he served as a Technical Support Engineer resolving complex engineering design, software deployment, installation, networking and licensing issues. He earned the “Technical Support Outstanding Service” award in 2022 for his excellent client satisfaction ratings and efficient issue resolution.
Joseph joined Planet in 2022 as a Spacecraft NPI Applications Engineer. In this role, he provides engineering support for the development, manufacturing and scaling of Planet’s current and next-generation spacecraft. Joseph serves as the point of contact for over 80 personnel, resolving key issues related to spacecraft hardware lifecycle and engineering applications, and interfaces seamlessly across various teams, including engineering, manufacturing, program management, quality and supply chain. He has made major contributions to the hardware development of Planet’s Tanager and Pelican next-generation Earth observation satellites. The Pelican constellation is designed to provide high-resolution imagery intended to supplement and improve upon Planet’s existing SkySat constellation. Tanager’s design includes a hyperspectral instrument to expand Planet’s imaging capabilities in the spectral domain. Joseph managed the engineering design applications and workflows, engineering change orders, systems and processes to produce the complete bill of materials for both satellites.
Both during and outside of working hours, Joseph dedicates his time to engineering education and STEM outreach. He has contributed more than 15 technical articles to the Javelin Technologies blog, which highlights tips, best practices and tutorials in computer-aided design. Joseph regularly hosts training sessions on spacecraft engineering processes, systems and software for managers, engineers, buyers and technicians at Planet. Joseph has also conducted numerous presentations to elementary and middle school students in his hometown of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, where he shares stories about his career path and what it means to be an engineer.
