Peter Pachowicz

Dr. Peter Pachowicz is an Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at George Mason University (GMU). He leads research initiatives in CubeSats, satellite communications (SatCom), and space systems engineering within the College of Engineering and Computing (CEC). His work focuses on ultra-small satellite bus architectures, resilient systems, and rad-hard embedded software. He oversees the development of CEC's SatCom ground stations, including a 9.1-meter satellite dish and the ECE CubeSat Engineering Lab, supporting lunar missions and student projects. Dr. Pachowicz also manages a SmallSat Engineering certificate program and Space-Based Systems specialization for graduate students.

Dr. Pachowicz holds a PhD, MS, and BS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the AGH University of Science and Technology. His research has been funded by DARPA, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR), and industry partners. His early work explored intelligent systems, machine vision, and data fusion, with applications in defense and aerospace. Over a decade of industrial consulting experience includes roles at SAIC and U.S. Army NVL, focusing on transitioning theoretical frameworks to practical engineering solutions.

His current projects include the NASA/GMU Landolt mission payload development (launching in 2028) and advancing antenna design for CubeSats. His research spans signal processing, embedded systems, and AI integration into aerospace systems. His team collaborates on student competitions and lunar relay systems, emphasizing hands-on learning and mission readiness.

Publications highlight contributions to satellite subsystems, machine learning applications in defense, and adaptive algorithms for dynamic environments. His work bridges academia and industry, emphasizing real-world implementation of innovative engineering solutions.