Flynn Cruse | Mechanical Engineering

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Projects

My aerospace engineering career features the extraordinary achievement of leading critical pressure control systems for the world's largest stratospheric balloon-launched spaceship—a vessel that successfully reached the edge of space and returned safely. Throughout my journey, I've developed expertise in systems design, structural analysis, and flight testing while pioneering space tourism technology and delivering innovations that reduced orbital payload component weight by 60%.

In December 2023, I transitioned to go full-time at Right Path AI, a company I co-founded, co-chaired, and served as CTO at. In this role I applied aerospace precision to cutting-edge technology development. Read more on the Software & AI Portfolio page.

Lead Pressure Control Systems Engineer at Space Perspective

As the lead engineer for Space Perspective's spaceship pressure control system, I took full ownership of the PCS from inception to successful flight testing. I designed, analyzed, prototyped, built, and tested the complete system that successfully maintained cabin pressure during flight to the edge of space.

Developed and successfully tested pressure control algorithms through self-created Amesim modeling and real flight hardware testing
Created hardware integration designs in CAD (OnShape) for seamless PCS integration into the space capsule
Led numerous design reviews with senior engineers, team leads, and company executives
Applied aerospace industry standards to perform critical flowrate and flow-coefficient calculations
Collaborated across departments to define cabin-pressure requirements and ultimately delivered a system that passed all tests during edge-of-space flight

Time Period: October 2022 – Present

Aerospace Structures Engineer at Collier Aerospace

At Collier Aerospace, I conducted comprehensive structural trade studies that compared composite laminate with metallic structure designs for multiple aerospace contracts. My engineering work resulted in a significant 60% weight reduction on structural components while meeting all critical engineering criteria.

Ensured designs met frequency, buckling, stress, strain, and compression after impact requirements
Utilized Nastran Knowledge Network to understand software solving methods in depth
Verified complex analysis results with detailed hand calculations for additional validation

Time Period: May 2022 – July 2022

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