Aerospace Engineer · Developer · Builder

Luke R.
Horton

Aerospace engineering student at San Diego State University with a passion for design, analysis, and building things that fly — from carrier-based strike fighters to ground-effect vehicles.

Engineer by training,
builder by nature.

I'm an aerospace engineering senior at SDSU graduating May 2026. My work spans performance analysis for next-generation fighter concepts, hands-on prototype development of ground-effect vehicles, and structural engineering for sounding rockets.

Beyond the classroom, I bring real-world experience as a sales engineering intern, leadership as a fraternity chapter president managing a $200K+ budget and 170+ members, and a deep love for fabrication — from welding 800-pound steel stages to building modular structures from scratch.

I'm driven by problems that sit at the intersection of analysis and physical design, where CAD models meet test data and theory meets the shop floor.

2026
B.S. Aerospace Eng.
170+
Members Led
3+
Engineering Orgs
$200K
Budget Managed

Featured work.

✈️
Senior Design

Wing in Ground Effect Vehicle

Designed, built, and tested a GEV prototype through rapid design–build–test–iterate cycles. Integrated sensors for data capture, executed controlled near-surface tests, and refined the design based on results.

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Personal Project

Aleborne

A web-based project showcasing development skills outside the engineering domain — demonstrating versatility in design, frontend development, and creative problem solving.

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Where I've contributed.

Fall 2025 — Spring 2026

Performance Lead & Systems Engineer

Next-Gen Carrier Based Strike Fighter · SDSU Senior Capstone

Led performance and test-planning analysis for a conceptual Navy strike fighter. Built physics-based sizing and performance models, ran parametric sweeps, and drove configuration trade decisions through structured analysis.

Spring 2026

Project Manager

Wing in Ground Effect Vehicle · SDSU Senior Design

Led requirements, schedule, and anomaly troubleshooting for a GEV prototype. Converted performance goals into airfoil/planform/CG trades, diagnosed test issues, and validated improvements through re-test and documentation.

Sept 2025 — Present

Inside Sales Engineer Intern

DMG Corporation · San Diego, CA

Providing operational support to outside sales engineers — generating quotes, securing vendor pricing, processing orders and POs, coordinating with manufacturers, and managing customer communications.

Fall 2023 — Fall 2024

External Structures Engineer

SDSU Rocket Project

Performed structural analysis and iterative testing on rocket launch lugs. Refined SolidWorks CAD and drawings for manufacturability while collaborating in cross-team design reviews.

Fall 2025 — Present

President

San Diego Sales Engineers (National Society of Sales Engineers) · SDSU

Planned and organized networking sessions and technical workshops. Participated in panels and a conference competition to strengthen skills and industry connections.

What I work with.

CAD & Design

SolidWorks GD&T DFM Rapid Prototyping

Simulation & Analysis

ANSYS NX Nastran (FEA) MATLAB Simulink

Programming

Python VBA Git / GitHub HTML / CSS / JS

Documentation

LaTeX Bluebeam Revu MS Office Google Suite

Fabrication

MIG / TIG Welding Machining Woodworking Prototype Assembly

Coursework Highlights

Flight Controls Propulsion Aerodynamics Structural Dynamics Astrodynamics

Beyond engineering.

Chapter President — Kappa Alpha Order

2024 · Earned IFC Most Improved Chapter

Directed a 170+ member chapter with an executive board and 20+ chairs, managing a $200K+ annual budget. Drove measurable gains in membership, engagement, and overall performance, earning institutional recognition.

🔧

Fabrication & Personal Projects

Welding · Modular Stage Design

Co-led fabrication of a custom 800-lb steel stage for charity events using advanced welding techniques. Separately designed and built a 700 ft² modular stage system emphasizing repeatable assembly and interchangeable modules.

Let's connect.

Open to opportunities in aerospace, defense, and engineering roles.