Rishabh Maharaja
Adjunct Professor
Astronautical EngineeringMr. Rishabh Maharaja is an adjunct professor at Capitol Technology University in the Astronautical Engineering Department. He has been teaching at Capitol since 2010 and is the concept developer and a founding member of Capitol Tech’s Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC). From 2014–2018, Mr. Maharaja was the Principal Investigator of three sounding rocket flights from Capitol, where he led the development and launch of three payloads from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility as a part of the ROCKSAT-X program. In addition, from 2014–2021, he advised and mentored Capitol students on a CUBESAT project, called CACTUS-1, which launched in 2021. He owns a Patent in IP-Based Satellite Command, Control and Data Transfer. He is the founder of VectorizedIQ. In addition, Mr. Maharaja currently serves as a Management and Program Analyst at the Federal Aviation Administration’s Commercial Space Transportation Office, where he leads and supports leadership in the development of space policies, space laws (regulations), and advisory circulars.
At NASA, Mr. Maharaja has served as a Systems Review Manager (SRM) in the Systems Review Office (SRO) for Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC). He has over 15 years of experience at GSFC in Flight Operations, Ground Systems Development, Systems Engineering, Mission Operations Assurance Engineering (MOAE), and Software Assurance Engineering (SAE). From 2018-2023, he was the lead MOAE for NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Space Science Mission Operations (SSMO), and Capture Control Return Sample (CCRS). From 2010-2018, working for Honeywell/KBRwyle, he served as the Deputy Flight Operations Team Lead on the Earth Observing 1 (EO-1), and Fermi Gamma Ray Telescope (FGST) Missions.
Mr. Maharaja earned his Associate in Applied Sciences Engineering in Electronics Engineering Technology in 2010, a Bachelor's in Astronautical Engineering, and a Master's of Science in Astronautical Engineering, in 2013 - all from Capitol Tech. He also earned a Master's of International Policy and Practice from the George Washington University in 2021, with a focus on Space Policy, Space Law, Human Health in Space, Space Economics, and Conflict Resolution.
Areas of Expertise
- Astronautical Engineering
- Space Policies, Regulations, and Law
- Systems Review
- Ground Systems Development
- Flight and Mission Operations
- Payload Development and Launch
- Project Management
- Leadership
Education
- MS, Astronautical Engineering, 2013, Capitol Technology University
- Master's of International Policy and Practice, 2021, George Washington University (focus on Space Policy, Space Law, Human Health in Space, Space Economics, and Conflict Resolution)
- BS, Astronautical Engineering, 2013, Capitol Technology University
- Associate in Applied Sciences Engineering, Electronics Engineering Technology, 2010, Capitol Technology University