Bio

Hailu Daniel is an aerospace engineering student at the University of Maryland, College Park, who will graduate in the Spring of 2024. He is actively involved with the Terrapin Rocket Team, a high-power rocketry group that competes in the annual Spaceport America Cup Competition. He now serves as the President. He previously supported the SEDS Chapter at UMD, where he led the Ground Support Equipment Subteam in developing UMD’s first liquid bipropellant rocket engine. In 2021, Hailu was selected to join the inaugural class of the Patti Grace Smith Fellowship program. He interned with ABL Space Systems as a Launch and Test intern. In 2022 Hailu interned with Boeing as a test engineering intern in Huntsville, Alabama. In 2023, Hailu will intern with Blue Origin as a test engineering intern in Kent, Washington. His career objective is to work as a test engineer within the space industry. In addition, he wants to continue supporting the next generation of engineers as a mentor. He wishes to inspire the next generation to follow their passion and become the first Ethiopian Astronaut. His passions include Track and Field, hiking, weight lifting, reading, and 3D printing.