{"id":149642,"date":"2025-11-04T09:24:18","date_gmt":"2025-11-04T14:24:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=149642"},"modified":"2025-11-05T14:49:04","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T19:49:04","slug":"this-ucf-engineering-alums-name-is-written-in-outer-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/this-ucf-engineering-alums-name-is-written-in-outer-space\/","title":{"rendered":"This UCF Engineering Alum\u2019s Name Is Written in Outer Space"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Born from the challenge of the Space Race, UCF was created to transform imagination into innovation and prepare people to launch humanity beyond its limits. Today, we are still are a place where our people\u2019s curiosity drives discovery, bold questions shape the future and exploration advances life on Earth.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Founded to reach the moon, we\u2019re already on our way to the next frontier. Built for liftoff, America\u2019s Space University celebrates UCF Space Week Nov. 3-7.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\t\t<section class=\"ucf-section ucf-section-space-week \" style>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"bg-inverse text-inverse\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row no-gutters\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\" col-md-5 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"media-background-container h-100\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/10\/telescope-575x296-1.jpg\" alt=\"Two UCF researchers working on a telescope \" class=\"w-100\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"Two UCF researchers working on a telescope \" class=\"w-100 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/10\/telescope-575x296-1.jpg\"><br>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\" col-md-7 col-lg-6\">\n\t\t\t\t\n<div class=\"w-75 mx-auto pt-3\">\n<noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/10\/UCF-SpaceWeek-2025-WCB-WEB-72dpi.png\" alt=\"UCF Space Week | Nov 3-7, 2025\" class=\"w-100\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"UCF Space Week | Nov 3-7, 2025\" class=\"w-100 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/10\/UCF-SpaceWeek-2025-WCB-WEB-72dpi.png\">\n<p class=\"text-center pt-4 line-height-1 font-size-sm\">Where Global Leaders Unite to Boldly Forge the Future of Space\n<\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\n<hr>\n<p>Every 90 minutes or so, an Acadia satellite designed by Capella Space completes another orbit of our planet. From 400 miles up, it could theoretically locate a frying pan lost at a campsite. If you had the same visual capability as the satellite\u2019s synthetic aperture radar (SAR), you\u2019d be able look up and see all of these complex components strategically connected into a technological marvel.<\/p>\n<p>You\u2019d also see a name etched onto the satellite:&nbsp;<em>Cassie Todd<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt tends to be a conversation piece at parties,\u201d says Todd, who graduated with a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/degree\/electrical-engineering-bsee\/\">bachelor&#8217;s degree in electrical engineering<\/a>&nbsp;from UCF in 2014. \u201cIf you told me in high school I\u2019d be working in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/space\/\">space industry<\/a>&nbsp;and have my name on hardware&#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Todd&#8217;s story captures what happens when curiosity meets opportunity \u2014 the kind of opportunity UCF was built to create. From classrooms and labs to launchpads and orbit, Knights like her are turning knowledge into real-world impact, helping Florida and the nation lead the next era of space exploration.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149647\" style=\"max-width: 794px;\" class=\"figure mx-auto d-block\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"794\" height=\"794\" class=\"figure-img img-fluid w-100 wp-image-149647 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022.jpg\" alt=\"aerial satellite image of the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus and surrounding area. The image shows a dense cluster of campus buildings arranged in a circular layout at the center, with a large stadium visible near the top. Roads intersect diagonally and horizontally, connecting residential neighborhoods and commercial areas. Several lakes and green spaces are scattered throughout the scene, captured in high-resolution black-and-white radar imagery.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022.jpg 794w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-512x512.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-360x360.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-767x767.jpg 767w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\"><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"794\" height=\"794\" class=\"figure-img img-fluid w-100 wp-image-149647 size-full lazyload\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20794%20794%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" alt=\"aerial satellite image of the University of Central Florida (UCF) campus and surrounding area. The image shows a dense cluster of campus buildings arranged in a circular layout at the center, with a large stadium visible near the top. Roads intersect diagonally and horizontally, connecting residential neighborhoods and commercial areas. Several lakes and green spaces are scattered throughout the scene, captured in high-resolution black-and-white radar imagery.\" srcset=\"data:image\/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20794%20794%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E 794w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 794px) 100vw, 794px\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022.jpg 794w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-512x512.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-400x400.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-360x360.jpg 360w, https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022-767x767.jpg 767w\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/wp-content\/blogs.dir\/20\/files\/2025\/11\/UCF_Capella-Space_2022.jpg\"><figcaption class=\"figure-caption\">A view of UCF&#8217;s main campus from a Capella Space satellite. (Photo courtesy of Cassie Todd &#8217;14 \/ Capella Space)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Acadia satellite Todd helped design can do better than spot a stray cooking utensil. It\u2019s helped&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/research\/\">researchers<\/a>&nbsp;find walruses resting on remote shores without disturbing them. Vulcanologists use satellite data to monitor active volcanoes. Urban planners can monitor the integrity of infrastructure. Cloud cover, darkness, and weather do not obstruct Capella\u2019s SAR, which means users of the technology can identify oil spills in the oceans, illegal logging in the Amazon, and conduct precise flood mapping to potentially avert natural disasters. The imagery, used in conjunction with Google Maps data, tipped off the world that Russia was about to invade Ukraine in February 2022.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cWhenever I hear how the data from our satellites is being used, it gives me this great feeling that my work is being used as a positive force in the world.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Todd has been an important figure at Capella &nbsp;since she joined what was still considered a Bay-area startup in 2017 as \u201cemployee number 20\u201d (the company now employs more than 200 people). It had been her goal to work for a young tech enterprise where she could have her hands on every stage of a project. That\u2019s exactly what she\u2019s experienced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe adrenaline is always going because we\u2019re at the leading edge of this exciting field \u2014 the commercial space industry,\u201d Todd says. \u201cEarly on, when we were working toward our first launch, our best concepts would come up when we were running out of steam late in the day. The ideas give us the energy to work into the night and on weekends. This is what I wanted, to work on projects end to end instead of being silo\u2019d. I always know exactly where each piece of the pie fits.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As assembly integration and test lead (AI&amp;T) for Capella\u2019s very first satellite, known as Denali, Todd helped with the design, secured the individual components, made sure they all worked when connected to each other, and kept everything on schedule for the initial demo launch. She even drove the satellite nearly 300 miles from company headquarters in San Francisco to the launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base.<\/p>\n<p>The successful launch of Denali positioned Capella as the first U.S. company to develop a radar satellite for commercial markets and send it into space. Yes, Todd\u2019s name was on it. Her name is on all of them: Denali, Acadia, Sequoia, Whitney. Todd has a little story about that, too.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen we were designing what would become Denali, a few co-workers and I started saying, \u2018We should name it after a national park, and then we can have a retreat at that park.\u2019 That\u2019s how it started.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The biggest hardly-believe-it for Todd is the very fact she\u2019s at the innermost hub of satellite advancement. This is the same engineer who wasn\u2019t sure if she\u2019d ever fit in.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy grandfather worked on the space shuttle programs, but growing up I never considered STEM for my own career,\u201d Todd says.<\/p>\n<p>She remembers a biology teacher saying she wished could have gone into engineering, and that stuck with Todd.<\/p>\n<p>Little by little, her perspective began to change. During her first week at UCF, she saw flyers for student engineering organization. She went to a kickoff meeting for the free pizza and, to her surprise, was assigned tasks. Instead of having time to reconsider, she found herself helping with workshops and spending time with mentors.<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>\u201cBeing with [people at UCF] who\u2019d been successful in STEM professions helped me see through the imposter syndrome.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>At the start of her junior year, her path had become more certain.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBy then, I\u2019d worked in labs and been given some autonomy to fabricate structures during an internship. That\u2019s when I realized I\u2019m in the tech realm not because it\u2019s easy but because it\u2019s where I want to be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Three years and several steppingstone jobs after graduation, Todd landed with Capella where she\u2019s able to combine her interests in art and science to build things.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cReally cool things,\u201d she says. \u201cAnd then I watch them go into space on rockets.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Those are the words she uses when she opens her most meaningful conversations these days \u2014 during career fairs at middle schools and high schools, and as a mentor these students.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s an easy sell,\u201d Todd says, \u201cespecially when they imagine putting their own names on those cool things someday.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Cassie Todd \u201914<\/strong>\u00a0has her signature all over some of the most advanced satellite technology that\u2019s making a positive impact on our world from far, far away.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":149643,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"lazy_load_responsive_images_disabled":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[15992,24],"tags":[973,4361,202],"tu_author":[],"class_list":["post-149642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-alumni","category-science-technology","tag-college-of-engineering-and-computer-science","tag-space","tag-alumni"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>This UCF Engineering Alum\u2019s Name Is Written in Outer Space | University of Central Florida News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cassie Todd \u201914\u00a0has her signature all over some of the 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