Buckner Newberry

Experience

• 

  Texas Rocket Engineering Lab

  Feb 2021 - now

  Led the creation and growth of the Propulsion Systems department, culminating in the first hotfire of our TXE-2 engine, the highest thrust regeneratively-cooled engine tested by a student team. Led 40 students across 5 teams in developing and operating ground systems to enable hardware-first rocket development. Led a team of 8 students in executing development tests of Halcyon's COPV propellant tanks. Learned hands-on hardware engineering skills, including tube fabrication, electrical wiring, and fluid system operation.

  • Program Manager

    May 2024 - now

  • Advisor

    Jun 2023 - May 2024

  • Head of Propulsion Systems

    Mar 2023 - May 2023

  • Head of Test and Launch

    Mar 2022 - Mar 2023

  • COPV Test Lead

    Apr 2021 - Feb 2022

  • COPV Test Team Member

    Feb 2021 - Apr 2021
• 

  Firefly Aerospace

  Jan 2022 - Aug 2022

  Due to sudden employee turnover, I was asked to step up from my role as Test Operator to fill in as the primary Test Conductor for the remainder of my internship.Led 22 engine hotfires across 4 engines from start to finish, restructured our engine test procedures to improve cadence, and developed novel test automation to solve propellant conditioning challenges. Delivered engines for Alpha Flight 3 (first full mission success). Controlled high pressure, cryogenic, pyrophoric, and propellant fluid systems for 28 engine hotfires across 5 engines. Delivered engine for Alpha Flight 2 (first orbital insertion).

  • Interim Test Conductor

    May 2022 - Aug 2022

  • Propulsion Test Operations Intern

    Jan 2022 - Apr 2022
• 

  ABL Space Systems

  May 2023 - Aug 2023

  Stage Propulsion Intern

  Owned the ground-up characterization and analysis of RS1's propellant measurement systems to deliver the flight software configuration for Flight 2.Supported stage test operations by building software tools, assisting in static fire sequence creation, and owning data review for the dP system throughout the campaign.

• 

  Clements Center for National Security

  Aug 2023 - now

  Undergraduate Fellow
• 

  SpaceX

  May 2024 - now

  Raptor Flight Operations Intern