Jim Connelly
Electrical Engineer, Strategic Systems Group
Technical Director, Trident Life Extension System Integration
 Jim Connelly started on the original Trident MK6 guidance system project at Draper in 1978 working hands-on with the
equipment. More than 25 years later as technical director for LE system integration, his role is to manage engineers in
his old position. “Back then I was actually doing the work in the lab. Now my job is to make sure that work is going well,”
says Connelly.
That previous experience is a big help in his current role: “it gives me a lot of insight,” he says. Given technology advances
over the last 25 years, LE integration isn’t the same project. Connelly cites the increased role of simulation as the most
significant change. With Draper’s software simulation capabilities, a set of electronics can be run in a simulated full mission
flight as soon as it is designed and built. “This is something that would have been unheard of with the original system, and
it gives us confidence in the design much earlier in the development process,” he says.
Even with these advances, he credits his team’s abilities as largely responsible for the success of LE integration to date:
“We have an excellent mix of experience levels, and I’m continually astonished at how smart and well-equipped the new
engineers are. We’re getting the cream of the crop, and it shows.”
With system development wrapping up, the team is beginning to develop the procedures for conversion of the guidance
systems to MK6LE. “That’s going to be exciting,” he says. “The beauty of working on a project like Trident is that you get
to see the whole life cycle from beginning to end, which is an engineer’s dream.” |
