Senior Mechanical Design Engineer
BLAINE
WILSON
I design the machines that look at stars, sequence DNA, and point satellites at the Earth. Over a decade building opto-mechanical systems for NASA, observatories, and defense programs.
Tucson, AZ · SolidWorks Certified Expert · GD&T · ISO 10110
Portfolio
Projects
From space telescopes to surgical cameras — a decade of designing precision systems that push boundaries.
eLISA Testbed Telescope
Evolved Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
Designed structural and opto-mechanical components for the testbed telescope of NASA's eLISA mission — a space-based gravitational wave observatory. Performed FEA on critical flexure mounts and developed full manufacturing data packages to ASME Y14.5 and ISO 10110 standards.
LSST — World's Largest Lens
Large Synoptic Survey Telescope
Contributed mechanical design and metrology tooling for the LSST (now Vera C. Rubin Observatory), which houses the world's largest digital camera lens. Developed precision measurement hardware critical for fabricating and aligning the 1.55-meter L1/L2 lens assembly.
DKIST Solar Observatory
Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope
Designed M7 and M9 mirror mounts for the DKIST — the world's largest solar telescope. Incorporates fine tip/tilt adjustment mechanisms and active cooling features to mitigate the extreme thermal loads from concentrated solar exposure. Performed FEA modal analysis on flexure adjusters.
NASA PACE Satellite Lens System
UVNIR Spectrograph for Ocean Ecosystem Research
Designed the complete UVNIR Spectrograph Lens Assembly for NASA's PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) space mission. Modeled the full lens assembly in SolidWorks, drafted all mechanical and optical components to ASME Y14.5-2009 (GD&T) and ISO 10110, and developed optical alignment tooling with technician feedback.
Aerospace Telescope Redesign
11-Element Optical System Optimization
Redesigned an 11-element telescope system, creating alignment and assembly tooling while minimizing unique part instances and reducing mass. Consolidated and reused lens cells, retaining rings, spacers, and hardware across the assembly.
TMT — Thirty Meter Telescope
Next-Generation Extremely Large Telescope
Provided mechanical design and drafting contributions for the Thirty Meter Telescope — a next-generation ELT that will be among the world's most advanced ground-based observatories.
OSAM-1 / Restore-L Satellite
In-Orbit Servicing & Refueling Mission
Designed opto-mechanical components for NASA's Restore-L satellite (now OSAM-1), a mission to demonstrate autonomous satellite servicing and refueling in orbit. Developed precision mechanisms and optical subsystem packaging.
CLARO Spectral Polarimeter
Solar Telescope Instrument for ISS
Led mechanical design of the CLARO spectral polarimeter — a solar observation instrument proposed for research aboard the ISS. Collaborated with NASA on design reviews, managed mass budgets, and performed thermal analysis for the space environment.
DDVS — Dextre Deployable Vision System
Vision System for Canadarm2 on the ISS
Contributed to the Dextre Deployable Vision System, a critical optical inspection system mounted on the Canadarm2 robotic arm aboard the International Space Station. Designed and drafted optical subsystem components.
SGT/NOAA Weather Satellite
Weather Observation Satellite Program
Designed mechanical components for NOAA weather satellite instrumentation. Developed manufacturing data packages for precision aerospace hardware.
Lightweighted Space Mirror
SCHOTT Lightweight Mirror Substrate
Designed and drafted manufacturing data for a lightweighted mirror substrate from SCHOTT glass. The Invar 36 mounting structure required precise GD&T for metrology and alignment operations at the world's highest standards.
DNA Gene Sequencer
Nanopore Method Sequencing Machine
Redesigned mechanical systems for DNA sequencing machines using nanopore technology, contributing to cancer research advancements. Conducted detailed tolerance analyses and led client technical reviews.
Surgical Visualization System
Remote Surgical Camera System
Designed mechanical and optical subsystems for a remote surgical camera system, enabling minimally invasive procedures with high-precision optical alignment.
Disney Headset Periscope System
Navigational System for Theme Park Characters
Collaborated on a navigational periscope system for Disney theme park characters, designing mechanical components that enable performers to see while in costume.
Lightweight AR-15 Handguard
Innovative Integral Barrel Nut Design
Designed an innovative rifle handguard with an integral barrel nut, minimizing threaded fasteners and ensuring compatibility with common configurations. Performed design verification via FDM 3D printing and calculated the production version to be lighter than 80% of available full-rail handguards.
Glock Magazine AR-15 Receiver
First-Ever Glock Mag AR Platform
Led design efforts for the first-ever Glock magazine AR-15 receiver at Double Diamond LE Supply, a rapidly-growing startup arms manufacturer specializing in 9mm AR15 subguns.
Weapon Sight MRD Mount
Miniature Red Dot Optic Mount
Created a lightweight optics mount for a Mini Red Dot (MRD) weapon sight. Developed several design iterations within SolidWorks for client approval, with final design drafted to ASME Y14.5-2009 (GD&T) standard.
Reverse Engineered Pump & Impeller
Out-of-Production Parts Brought Back to Life
Reverse engineered out-of-production pump parts using 7-axis Romer Arm 3D scanning. Sourced, evaluated, and implemented software to convert scan data to usable CAD models. Successfully cast and machined replacement parts now in operation across mining and heavy industrial sectors.
Boeing Laser System Flexures
Extensive Flexure Designs for High-Precision Alignment
Designed extensive flexure mounting systems with differential adjusters for high-precision alignment in a Boeing laser system. Flexures required sub-micron adjustment capability while maintaining structural stability under operational loads.
Capabilities
Skills
Design & Engineering
Manufacturing & Quality
Project Management
Certified SolidWorks Expert
15+ years in advanced mechanical design, drafting, and CAD. Fluent in ASME Y14.5-2009 GD&T and ISO 10110 optical drafting standards.
Career
Experience
Opto-Mechanical Engineer II
UCAR
Led mechanical design of NASA spectral polarimeter for ISS research
Mechanical Engineer
Baymar Solutions
Redesigned DNA sequencing machines for cancer research
Manufacturing Engineer
Arizona Pump & Machine
Integrated 3D scanning and modernized CNC programming
Founder & Principal Engineer
Mako Mfg. Services
Founded engineering services firm, managed multidisciplinary teams
Opto-Mechanical Designer
Ruda-Cardinal Inc.
ISO 10110 implementation, NASA PACE, Disney, ISS projects
Lead Mechanical Design Engineer
NP Photonics
20–40% cost reductions across product lines
Opto-Mechanical Designer
Arizona Optical Systems
TMT, LSST, DKIST, eLISA, world's largest lens
Owner
87 Industries
Founded AR-15 parts e-commerce business
Available
Let's Work Together
Whether you need precision opto-mechanical design, manufacturing data packages, or a senior engineer who can own a project from concept through delivery — I'm ready.