Carleton co-op program launched engineer's career in space robotics

OTTAWA · Elias Solorzano credits a university co-op program with launching his career in Canada's space industry, where he now works on robotic systems for the International Space Station and future moon missions. The 2013 aerospace engineering graduate from Carleton University said a 16-month internship at the National Research Council's Flight Research Laboratory in Ottawa was foundational. That experience led him to pursue graduate studies, represent Canada at international engineering conferences and co-found a national student microgravity challenge. He now works as an engineer at MDA Space, supporting the Canadarm2 and developing next-generation lunar robotics. "I enrolled in Carleton University's Aerospace Engineering Co-op program to gain practical engineering experience and explore where a career in aerospace could take me," Solorzano said. "The Co-op office was instrumental in preparing me for the job search and interview process, which ultimately led to a 16-month internship at the National Research Council of Canada's Flight Research Laboratory in Ottawa."

At the NRC lab, Solorzano worked on flight data analysis for civilian, military and experimental aircraft, including planes that perform reduced-gravity flights to simulate weightlessness. He said working alongside established engineers, researchers and test pilots reinforced his passion for aerospace. "Those experiences reinforced my passion for aerospace, reconciled theory with practice, and challenged me to think beyond what I thought was possible," Solorzano said. "Ultimately, this set me on a path toward a career in Canada's space industry."

"The co-op experience became the foundation for several opportunities that followed," Solorzano said. It led him to co-found the Canadian Reduced Gravity Experiment Design Challenge, a nationwide program sponsored by the NRC and the Canadian Space Agency. The program, known as CAN-RGX, gives university students the opportunity to design and fly experiments in microgravity aboard NRC's Falcon 20 aircraft, effectively recreating the science conducted by astronauts aboard the International Space Station. "None of this would have been possible without that co-op opportunity years ago," he said. Today, Solorzano works at MDA Space, where he has supported robotic missions on the space station with the Canadarm2. He has also contributed to the development of next-generation robotic systems for future lunar exploration in support of NASA's return of humans to the moon. As an aspiring astronaut, he often looks back on his time as a co-op student at NRC as a key milestone that helped steer his career toward a future in space exploration.

"My advice to students is simple: be curious, embrace challenges, and be bold," Solorzano said. "Say yes to career opportunities that push you beyond your comfort zone. Co-op is more than a work term. It can introduce you to inspiring mentors, open unexpected doors, and shape the course of your future. And that future may very well be among the stars."

With files from Carleton University