This summer, we worked on the design of a small, high-powered satellite. This involved developing a system to handle 100 W of power, thermal simulation of the spacecraft, and developing a database of components.
During aircraft design, rough models are required to guide the conceptual design phase. Engine performance is particularly hard to predict due to complexity of engines and lack of available information. Our project aims to develop a tool to approximate engine behavior from easily accessible manufacturer data.
Using NASA’s General Mission Analysis Tool, researchers Shimon Chait and Andrew Granberry analyzed orbital missions in the cislunar space. The research was sponsored by United Launch Alliance (ULA), and they worked closely with the team throughout the entire project. The research was performed with realistic methods and is intended to be applied to real world missions.
