Kaito Durkee

Kaito Durkee is a skilled aerospace engineer currently serving as a Graduate Research Assistant at the UAH Propulsion Research Center since August 2023. Previous experience includes working as an Aerospace Engineer at HyperSciences, Inc. from November 2020 to June 2023, and serving various roles in academic settings, including a course grader at the University of Washington College of Engineering and lead propulsion engineer for the Society for Advanced Rocket Propulsion (SARP). Kaito's contributions to SARP involved leading the technical propulsion subsystem for a 30,000 ft apogee liquid bipropellant sounding rocket and designing a nitrous oxide injector for a hybrid rocket. Additional experience includes involvement with the SPACE Outreach Committee, undergraduate research at the Advanced Propulsion Laboratory, and a summer internship at NASA Glenn Research Center. Kaito holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Aerospace Systems Engineering at The University of Alabama in Huntsville.