Engineering Commons^™

Interim Access To The International Space Station, Tyson Karl Smith

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This thesis evaluates mission scenarios using the existing Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles for delivering the Crew Exploration Vehicle to the International Space Station. The Space Shuttle is scheduled to retire in the year 2011 and the Ares I is being developed to replace it. With its current schedule, the earliest that the Ares I will become fully operational is 2016. The configurations in this thesis are presented to narrow the gap in which the USA does not have direct access to the International Space Station. They also present "buy down" options for the USA human space operations, if the current …

A Domain-Specific Design Tool For Verifying Spacecraft System Behavior, Sravanthi Venigalla

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

In this report we present a graphical tool, Behavioral Analysis of Spacecraft Systems (BASS), that can be used by spacecraft designers to perform system-level behavioral analysis of small satellites. The domain-specific spacecraft meta-model is created in the visual modeling tool Generic Modeling Environment (GME) such that spacecraft designs created using the meta-model appear familiar to the spacecraft designers. Users can model scenarios that are to be verified for the design in BASS. The graphical models are assigned formal semantics facilitating the creation of formally verifiable spacecraft models. The C++ application that translates the modeling objects to equivalent mathematical representation of …

Embedded Spacecraft Thermal Control Using Ultrasonic Consolidation, Jared W. Clements

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Research has been completed in order to rapidly manufacture spacecraft thermal control technologies embedded in spacecraft structural panels using ultrasonic consolidation. This rapid manufacturing process enables custom thermal control designs in the time frame necessary for responsive space. Successfully embedded components include temperature sensors, heaters, wire harnessing, pre-manufactured heat pipes, and custom integral heat pipes. High conductivity inserts and custom integral pulsating heat pipes were unsuccessfully attempted. This research shows the viability of rapid manufacturing of spacecraft structures with embedded thermal control using ultrasonic consolidation.

An Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle-Based Imagery System Development And Remote Sensing Images Classification For Agricultural Applications, Yiding Han

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This work concentrates on the topic of remote sensing using a multispectral imag-ing system for water management and agriculture applications. The platform, which is alight-weight inexpensive runway-free unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), namely, AggieAir, ispresented initially. A major portion of this work focuses on the development of a light-weight multispectral imager payload for the AggieAir platform, called GhostFoto. Theimager is band-recongurable, covering both visual red, green, and blue (RGB) and nearinfrared (NIR) spectrum, and interfaced with UAV on-board computer. The developmentof the image processing techniques, which are based on the collected multispectral aerialimages, is also presented in this work. One application …

Project: F.U.N.B.O.E. (Follow-Up Nucleate Boiling On-Flight Experiment), Getaway Special Team 2009

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Sixth Grade Lesson Plan: Heat Moves, Getaway Special Team 2009

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Third Grade Lesson Plan: Where Does Heat Come From?, Getaway Special Team 2009

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

Fifth Grade Lesson Plan: Solid, Liquid, And Gas, Getaway Special Team 2009

Education and Outreach

No abstract provided.

A Pipeline Analog-To-Digital Converter For A Plasma Impedance Probe, Mohamad A. El Hamoui

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Space instrumentation technology is an essential tool for rocket and satellite research, and is expected to become popular in commercial and military operations in fields such as radar, imaging, and communications. These instruments are traditionally implemented on printed circuit boards using discrete general-purpose Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) devices and other components. A large circuit board is not convenient for use in micro-satellite deployments, where the total payload volume is limited to roughly one cubic foot. Because micro-satellites represent a fast growing trend in satellite research and development, there is motivation to explore miniaturized custom application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) designs to reduce …

Terrain-Relative And Beacon-Relative Navigation For Lunar Powered Descent And Landing, Daniel Porter Christensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

As NASA prepares to return humans to the moon and establish a long-term presence on the surface, technologies must be developed to access previously unvisited terrain regardless of the condition. Among these technologies is a guidance, navigation and control (GNC) system capable of safely and precisely delivering a spacecraft, whether manned or robotic, to a predetermined landing area. This thesis presents detailed research of both terrain-relative navigation using a terrain-scanning instrument and beacon-relative radiometric navigation using beacons in lunar orbit or on the surface of the moon. The models for these sensors are developed along with a baseline sensor suite …

Microgravity Experiments For The Iss, Justin Koeln, Jan Sojka

Posters

The Get Away Special (GAS) team is a microgravity research team known for leading Utah State University to the impressive distinction of flying more experiments in space than any other university in the world. The following experiments were designed by the GAS team after receiving the opportunity to develop and experiment to be performed by a Space Flight Participant aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Rembrant: Research On The Effects Of Microgravity On The Brazil Nut Problem, Getaway Special Team 2009

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Gathering Leadership Momentum Across Great Distances: Creating An Online Community Of Practice, Erin L. Davis, Danielle Theiss-White

Erin Davis

At the 2007 Mountain Plains Library Association Leadership (MPLA) Institute, held in New Mexico, USA, eight academic librarians formed an online multi-state, multigenerational community of practice. MPLA is a twelve-state library association within the United States. Using Google Groups™, the members formed an online environment called the MPLA Community of Practice for continuing development of the leadership skills presented at the Institute. These early-career librarians represent diverse educational backgrounds and work in libraries serving varied populations with differing disciplinary emphases.

The group meets monthly with each member preparing and facilitating online discussions, complete with personal assessments, topical readings, and questions. …

Funboe Factsheet, Getaway Special Team 2009

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Ipas: International Paper Airplanes In Space, Getaway Special Team 2009

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Sides: Space Italian Dressing Experimental Setup, Getaway Special Team 2009

Reports and Proposals

No abstract provided.

Gathering Leadership Momentum Across Great Distances: Creating An Online Community Of Practice, Erin Dini-Davis, Danielle Theiss-White

Library Faculty & Staff Publications

At the 2007 Mountain Plains Library Association Leadership (MPLA) Institute, held in New Mexico, USA, eight academic librarians formed an online multi-state, multigenerational community of practice. MPLA is a twelve-state library association within the United States. Using Google Groups™, the members formed an online environment called the MPLA Community of Practice for continuing development of the leadership skills presented at the Institute. These early-career librarians represent diverse educational backgrounds and work in libraries serving varied populations with differing disciplinary emphases. The group meets monthly with each member preparing and facilitating online discussions, complete with personal assessments, topical readings, and questions. …