Jesse Miller ’14 currently serves as the Structures Engineering Lead at Karman+, an asteroid mining startup focused on supplying the space economy by delivering asteroid regolith (essentially space dirt) to Earth’s orbit. With the company’s first mission scheduled to launch in February 2027, Jesse plays a pivotal role in designing, analyzing, building, and testing the spacecraft’s primary structure—supporting and protecting critical subsystems including propulsion, solar panels, electronics, communications, and excavation tools.

“Most days, I bounce between three or more projects—some days I’m behind a screen working on 3D models, others I’m on the manufacturing floor building prototypes or conducting vibration tests. I love the variety.”

Jesse’s path to the aerospace industry began with a love of science, math, and hands-on experimentation—and an early interest in space exploration.

After graduating from Wilmington Friends School, he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, where he competed in the Design, Build, Fly RC plane competition. He later completed a Master’s in Additive Manufacturing at the Colorado School of Mines. Reflecting on his time at WFS, Jesse credits the school with giving him the tools to clearly express complex ideas—an essential skill for someone who must write technical documentation for engineers and also explain high-level concepts to non-specialists. He also highlights the long-term impact of WFS’s approach to conflict resolution, a skill that has served him well in both college and the workplace.

Jesse also points to two influential figures during his time at Friends: his father, Gregg Miller, who coached him in wrestling and instilled a strong work ethic; and Teal, the lower school visual arts teacher, whose art classes sparked Jesse’s early interest in 3D design. At Friends, Jesse was a standout wrestler and jazz band member—becoming just the third wrestler in school history to record 100 career wins. He cites wrestling as foundational to his understanding of how to prioritize both individual and team success.

His advice to current WFS students? “Take time to explore where different majors and career paths can actually lead. I chose mechanical engineering without really knowing what that meant—it’s okay to be unsure, but doing a little research can really help.”