---
title: 'Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Engineer at Fortastra Corporation'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/guidance-navigation-and-control-gn-c-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-29wxs5nz4b4f'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-07'
---

# Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Engineer at Fortastra Corporation

- **Company:** Fortastra Corporation
- **Location:** Torrance, CA
- **Posted:** 2026-06-04
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-07
- **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fortastracorporation/jobs/4273369009

## Job description

Company Overview

Fortastra designs and delivers resilient, high-performance spacecraft that safeguard critical orbital assets and ensure freedom of action in space. We integrate advanced autonomy, sensing, and control into systems engineered for reliability, speed, and scale. Our culture values simplicity, accountability, and disciplined execution — empowering every engineer to think systemically, act decisively, and build with purpose. Aggressive innovation. Disciplined execution. Strength among the stars.

## Team / Department

You will join Fortastra’s Engineering Division, responsible for the design, development, and test of flight systems across our autonomous spacecraft portfolio.

## The Role

Fortastra is seeking a Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) Engineer to architect, implement, and validate flight-critical algorithms supporting autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations (RPO), formation flying, and precision maneuvering. The ideal candidate combines deep technical rigor in control theory, state estimation, and orbital mechanics with hands-on experience integrating algorithms into embedded flight software and hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) environments.

## Key Responsibilities

- Design, implement, and tune GNC algorithms for relative motion, formation flying, and autonomous RPO.
- Develop and validate attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) and orbit determination filters.
- Model and simulate orbital dynamics, spacecraft trajectories, and environmental disturbances.
- Perform state estimation and sensor fusion using IMUs, GPS, star trackers, LiDAR, and optical navigation sensors.
- Integrate GNC algorithms into embedded flight software (C/C++ and Python) and test in HIL and flight-like environments.
- Conduct Monte Carlo analysis and performance verification under uncertainty and failure scenarios.
- Collaborate with systems, avionics, and autonomy teams to deliver mission-ready architectures.

## Qualifications & Skills

- B.S. or M.S. in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, or related discipline.
- 5+ years of experience in spacecraft, launch vehicle, or autonomous system GNC.
- Proficiency in MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and C/C++.
- Demonstrated experience with Kalman filtering, nonlinear control, and state estimation.
- Proven ability to transition algorithms from simulation to flight in operational environments.
- Work is on-site, remote or hybrid arrangements will not be considered
- U.S. Citizenship and ability to obtain or have an active TS/SCI clearance

Why Fortastra?

Join a small, high-impact team developing the next generation of autonomous orbital control systems for national security space. At Fortastra, engineers own the full lifecycle — from concept through flight — shaping the future of trusted, resilient spacecraft autonomy.

## About Fortastra Corporation

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Fortastra is building intelligent, maneuverable spacecraft designed to protect critical on-orbit infrastructure for government, allied, and commercial customers.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Seed/Early Stage)
- **Headquarters**: Torrance, California, USA
- **Founded**: 2025
- **Founders**: Mike Smayda (CEO)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Aerospace & Defense, Space Security
- **Target customers**: U.S. Government (Space Force, DoD), allied and partner nations, commercial satellite operators
- **Mission or purpose statement**: To build the systems that keep space safe by developing spacecraft that maneuver, assess, and take action to protect the space systems the world depends on.

## Products & Services
- **Watchdog Satellite Line**: A planned family of maneuverable, autonomous satellites designed to act as "bodyguards" for high-value space assets. Long-term goal includes in-house satellite bus production.
- **Stuntman Test Rig**: A ground-based robotic arm test system used to practice close-in maneuvering, refine software, and validate autonomy suites before orbital deployment.
- **Satellite-as-a-Service (Saa S) Model**: Planned offering for allied and partner nations for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, similar to company-owned, company-operated ISR platforms in the air domain.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly available (early-stage private company)
- **Key Metric**: 16 employees as of mid-2026; first two spacecraft scheduled for launch on SpaceX Transporter-18 rideshare in late 2026
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Not publicly disclosed; CEO Mike Smayda previously co-founded Hermeus (hypersonic aircraft startup) and spent five years at SpaceX
- **Growth Signals**: Rapidly scaling from founding in 2025 to 16 employees and two spacecraft ready for launch within ~18 months; building out 4,000 sq. ft. workspace; actively hiring across engineering and operations

## Competitive Advantages
- **First-mover in active space defense**: Unlike traditional satellites designed for observation or communication, Fortastra’s architecture is purpose-built for maneuver, threat assessment, and active protection.
- **Founder pedigree**: CEO Mike Smayda brings deep experience from SpaceX (large-scale systems, rapid iteration) and Hermeus (government contracting, scaling nimble operations).
- **Multi-orbit strategy**: Long-term vision to provide zone defense across multiple orbits, not just point defense, addressing a growing gap as space becomes congested and contested.
- **Focus on autonomy**: Developing sophisticated software and GN&C systems to enable autonomous close-in maneuvering and threat response.

## Strategic Focus
- **Near-term**: Execute first orbital test launch on SpaceX Transporter-18 (late 2026); burn down technical risk on Watchdog satellite platform.
- **Mid-term**: Transition from sourced satellite buses to in-house production; expand satellite-as-a-service offerings for allied nations and commercial customers.
- **Long-term**: Become the premier provider of on-orbit security for critical space infrastructure including future fuel depots, pharmaceutical manufacturing hubs, and military assets.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission-driven work**: Directly contribute to protecting the space systems that global society depends on, at a company that values action, rigor, and solving hard problems.
- **Early-stage equity**: Employees receive early-stage equity, sharing in the company’s growth from the ground up.
- **Comprehensive benefits**: 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision for employees and their families; unlimited and flexible PTO.
- **Performance-focused culture**: Described as a performance-focused, people-first culture that invests in well-being so employees can focus on building spacecraft that matter.
- **Hands-on impact**: With only 16 people, employees have significant ownership and the chance to shape both the technology and the company’s trajectory.
- **Location**: Based in Torrance, CA (Southern California), with a dedicated workshop and test facilities.
- **ITAR requirements**: Many roles require U.S. citizenship or U.S. person status as defined by ITAR.

## Sources
1. [fortastra.com](https://www.fortastra.com/)
2. [fortastra.com/careers](https://www.fortastra.com/careers)
3. [Aviation Week](https://aviationweek.com/space/satellites/debrief-startup-preparing-spaces-neighborhood-watch-era)
4. [Greenhouse Jobs](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fortastracorporation/jobs/4052867009)
5. [Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/profile/company/2628142D:US)

## Other roles at Fortastra Corporation

- [Head of Supply Chain](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-supply-chain-fortastra-corporation-torrance-1s2mnd4xjaf4) — Torrance, CA
- [Head of Guidance, Navigation, and Control](https://feeny.ai/job/head-of-guidance-navigation-and-control-fortastra-corporation-torrance-0758r3re7apj) — Torrance, CA
- [Founding Flight Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/founding-flight-software-engineer-fortastra-corporation-torrance-bvmdez8md3yp) — Torrance, CA