For Phillip Greenberg, the sky is not the limit

Phillip Greenberg

Year: Junior

Major: Aerospace Engineering

Hometown: Albuquerque

Hobbies: Woodworking, drafting, inventing, camping, Tae Kwon Do competitions (Aside: He’s almost a black belt).

So, it’s not like you’re an aspiring rocket scientist or anything. Oh wait—you are. How did your dream of working in the space industry begin?

I saw a documentary as a kid about the mission control at NASA landing on the moon and from then on I was just hooked. I knew I wanted to work with rockets and work in the space industry since I was nine. Mission control specifically.

What have you done so far in the world of aerospace? Personal projects, clubs?

I used to build rockets in high school and right now I’m working on a super lightweight aircraft as a personal project. I’m also a member of the Aerial Robotics Club (at the University of Arizona).

Do you carry an extinguisher around for that fiery red hair? 

I feel like I should have some witty response for that. Since the ladies desire on fire. You gotta keep it hot to like rockets. Please just don’t make me sound dumb on that one.

Who inspires you?

A lot of people. Both my grandpas were pretty influential in my life. They inspired me to do a lot of different things. I love Elon Musk and everything he’s been doing. He runs SpaceX and Tesla Motors. I like the way he runs his projects. SpaceX is arguably the first real successful private space company. They send up rockets into orbit, which very few private companies have done. And Tesla Motors engineers electric cars.

I get inspiration from a lot of different places too, I think. It kind of depends on what I’m trying to do.

Favorite quote?

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.” -Henry David Thoreau.

I love quotes and I have so many that float through my head.

What are your plans for the future?

I want to start my own business—hopefully in the next year or so—working on the different inventions I have. And beyond that, hopefully being able to create a business that works on advanced technologies such as scram engines and fusion. A scram engine is to a jet engine as a jet engine is to a propeller. They’re the future of transportation (scram engines). I believe they’re the only economical way to get to space. 

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