The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder is honoring the legacy of longtime engineer Rick Kohnert with the official dedication of its newly expanded CubeSat development space as the Kohnert CubeSat Lab.
Since 2012, LASP has flown CubeSat missions that push the boundaries of atmospheric and space science. Now, the expansion of lab capabilities in the Astrophysical Research Lab (ARL) building marks a new chapter for the lab’s CubeSat development efforts.
Kohnert, who led the small satellite department until his sudden passing on February 8, 2023, was the founding project manager for LASP’s CubeSat projects and designed the CubeSat lab space in ARL.
“In recognition of his visionary leadership for our many successful CubeSat missions, LASP is proudly dedicating this lab space as the Kohnert CubeSat Lab,” said Tom Woods, LASP senior research scientist and longtime colleague of Kohnert’s.
Over a career spanning four decades, Kohnert contributed to 49 rocket experiments, 14 satellite instruments, and 15 CubeSat missions, shaping nearly every corner of LASP’s spaceflight legacy.
“Those numbers seem impossible for any one person to be able to accomplish in a lifetime, but Rick did it, and he did it extremely well,” Woods said.
Kohnert began his journey at LASP as a student assistant on rocket experiments and rose through the ranks as an instrument scientist, system engineer, and program manager. “Rick was an amazing engineer who wore many different hats over his career,” Woods said. His passing has left “a big hole in our lab, and in our hearts.”
Kohnert’s quiet steadiness and methodical expertise are remembered with admiration. Woods described a moment in 1990 when a rocket payload malfunctioned during testing: “While Rick and I watched a part of the rocket control electronics literally exploding in front of us, Rick didn’t say a single curse word. I can’t say that for myself.”
“Rick’s characteristic responses to anomalies—saying ‘That’s why we test to find these problems’ or ‘Well, aren’t we fortunate that this happened before launch’—typified his calming presence,” Woods added. “He swiftly moved to analysis and planning, embodying a leadership style that helped teams navigate uncertainty and deliver success. We are indebted to Rick…for being that sturdy rudder that has guided so many of our projects.”
Kohnert was also a mentor and leader for generations of LASP students. James Mason, now a principal investigator leading CubeSat missions at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Lab, worked with Kohnert as a LASP graduate student, and later as a LASP colleague, after obtaining his doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from CU Boulder in 2016.
“I got to spend 12 years with Rick. That’s a lot less than a lot of others, but his impact on me was massive. I learned more from Rick than can be put into words,” Mason said. “He didn’t just teach me, he really shaped who I am and the way I think. His influence on me will keep on manifesting itself in every single thing I do in my career.”
Kohnert was also a mentor to almost all the principal investigators of LASP’s CubeSat missions.
“Rick was instrumental in developing a CubeSat program at LASP with his unique but effective engineering philosophy,” said Amal Chandran who leads LASP’s CubeSat program. “Whenever we run into problems, one of the first things we ask ourselves is, ‘What would Rick have done?’ This has kept us in good stead and helped to build on Rick’s success.”
The LASP CubeSat teams and Kohnert’s many other colleagues, family and friends gathered for the lab dedication on July 23 in the ARL building, where attendees enjoyed refreshments and took quick tours of the newly dedicated Kohnert CubeSat Lab.
“This lab celebrates the pioneering spirit, unmatched career, and enduring imprint Rick Kohnert leaves on Colorado’s space science community,” said Woods.
By Sara Pratt, LASP Senior Communications Specialist
Founded a decade before NASA, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder is revolutionizing human understanding of the cosmos. LASP is deeply committed to inspiring and educating the next generation of space explorers. From the first exploratory rocket measurements of Earth’s upper atmosphere to trailblazing observations of every planet in the solar system, LASP continues to build on its remarkable history with a nearly $1 billion portfolio of new research and engineering programs.
