Walter Thompson

Walter Thompson

Master Instructor

Mechanical Engineering

Walter is an Aeronautical and Aerospace Engineer with over 38 years of experience working on the tactical and strategic elements of space transportation. 

Walter’s experience spans the gamut from integrating the Centaur onto the Space Shuttle to leading the teams that design the trajectories, guidance, and controls for over 140 Atlas III, Atlas V, Delta II, and Delta IV launches.  Along the way he worked on national aerospace plane designs, Lunar and Mars transportation architecture studies, as the trajectory engineer for the Cassini mission to Saturn and numerous other NASA missions, and the development programs of United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V and Vulcan Centaur, and Blue Origin’s New Glenn.

Contact Information

Resources

Teaching Experience

At CSU, he teaches three aerospace engineering graduate classes: Orbital Mechanics, Trajectory and Performance, and Aerospace GNC.

Education

  • M.S. 1990, San Diego State University – Aerospace Engineering
  • B.S. 1983, Wichita State University – Aeronautical Engineering