Engineering Commons^™

Defense In Depth Exercise (Didex) 25: Technology Quad Chart, Kori Moore, Troy Johnson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL poster for DiDEX 25

Assembly, Integration And Test, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

What is “AI&T”

• A continuous, iterative process of turning low level components into the system of hardware, software and ground tools that meet YOUR mission

• Teaching the engineering team to UNDERSTAND the system they’ve built

• It does exactly what it was designed to do, now figure out what that was…

• Verifying mechanical, electrical, data and software interfaces

• Does it fit?
• Does it talk?
• Is it on?

Advanced Doppler Wind And Temperature Sounder, Trent Newswander, Scott Bailey, Mark Hervig, Phillip Scott, Zack Hatfield

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Introduction

• An advanced Doppler Wind and Temperature Sounder (DWTS) is being developed for flight on NASA’s Dynamical Neutral Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling (DYNAMIC) satellite

– Will provide the first comprehensive global dataset of winds and temperature in the mesosphere and thermosphere (40–250 km altitude)

– Designed and built by Space Dynamics Lab (SDL)

• The DYNAMIC mission aims to characterize the energy transfer between the ionosphere, thermosphere, and mesosphere

– Led by Scott Bailey from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and Sate University

– See his HELIOTECH DYNAMIC poster for more details

• DWTS observes the Doppler shift of atmospheric NO and ^{13 …}

Electrical Power System (Eps) Overview, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

UNP Presentation on Electrical Power Systems

F-Layer Parameters Derived By Airglow Emissions At Pituffik Sb, Greenland, Jessica Norrell, Ivana Molina, Michael Negale, Jeffrey Holmes

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Atomic oxygen airglow has long been used as tracer for the peak height and electron density of the F-layer (e.g. Sahai et al., 1981). Tinsley and Bittencourt (1975) described a method by which OI airglow is used to determine F-layer parameters. They found that the square root of the column emission rate of an optically thin layer created by radiative recombination emission was proportional to the peak electron density of the F-layer.

An all-sky imager (ASI) was recently installed at Pituffik, Greenland (76.51˚N, 68.74˚W), with four filters relevant to this study: 5725, 6300, 7715 and 7774 Å. We have used …

Autonomy For Dark Swarms In Degraded Environments, Thomas J. Walls, Brad Petersen, Matt Didericksen

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

A system that manages electromagnetic emissions and signature by design to avoid detection

Ai Simulation Creation, John P. Wilson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Introduction - AI Simulation Creation

• Exploring the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the form of a Large Language Model (LLM) to produce a simulation of a factory production facility with given parameters and calculated performance.
• Use Grok (Grok 4 Expert) and Claude (Sonnet 4.5) LLMs 
• Ask the LLMs to solve the problem analytically and then create a Python simulation to calculate the results.
• Answer the questions: 
• Can an AI do this?
• How do the results compare?

Delivering Mission Success, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on Delivering Mission Success

100 Days, Phil Hale

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Organizational Overview

Total Employees: 1367

Command & Data Handling, Firmware & Software, Utah State University Space Dynamics Laboratory

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

UNP Presentation on Command & Data Handling, Firmware & Software

Work Experience At Space Dynamics Laboratory Summer 2025, North Logan, Erik Johnson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is owned by Utah State University and is a non-profit organization. Their headquarters are in North Logan and have over 1,200 employees. SDL is a University Affiliated Research Center (UARC), that delivers custom engineering solutions in the military, space, and science industries.

Qualification Of Titanium 3d-Printed Volume-Optimized Propulsion Tanks For Small Satellites, Robert M. Fowler

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL presentation on Titanium 3D-Printed Volume-Optimized Propulsion Tanks for Small Satellites

Time-To-Digital Conversion In The Lattice Certuspro Fpga For The Cape Instrument, Zakk B. Rhodes, James Cook, Cameron Weston, Daniel J. Gershman

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

A time-to-digital conversion (TDC) algorithm is implemented in a Lattice CertusPro FPGA to measure time differences between two incident pulses for science data acquisition in the CAPE instrument on NASA’s GDC mission. CertusPro provides sub-100 picosecond resolution with nearly linear results which is discussed with its other unique characteristics. Performance measurements and variation in timing due to parameters such as core voltage and temperature are presented.

Celis: Compact Eyesafe Lidar System, A Portable 1.5 Μm Elastic Lidar System For Rapid Aerosol Concentration Measurement: Part 2, Retrieval Of Particulate Matter Concentration, Kori D. Moore, Alan W. Bird, Michael D. Wojcik, Robert Lemon, Jerry L. Hatfield

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Poster on the CELiS Compact Eyesafe Lidar System

Using Distributive Networks Of Single-Frequency Hf Transmitters And Receivers To Measure Spatial And Temporal Ionospheric Perturbations, Riley Troyer, Kenneth Obenberger, Ivana Molina, Eugene Dao, Zsolt Balint, Eric Burnside, Kris Robinson, Jeffrey Holmes, Pavel Inchin, Jonathan Snively

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

We can track ionospheric disturbances using networks of single-frequency HF receivers. How can we best utilize these systems and networks?

High-Performance Small Satellites For Demanding Missions, Lance Fife

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on High Performance Small Satellites

Principles Of Modular Open Architectures For Enabling Future Capabilities, Jacob Christensen

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

What is Modular Open Architecture?

Vision

• Modular Open Architectures enable affordable and evolutionary capabilities

Principles

• Employ Modular Design
• Designate Key Interfaces
• Select Open Standards

Benefits

• Reduce schedule
• Reduce cost
• Faster upgrades
• Enhanced interoperability
• Increased competition
• Increased innovation

Thermal Infrared Earth Resource Monitoring Instrument (Thermi) Swap Reduction, Trent Newswander, Scott Hansen, Jed Hancock, Darrel Williams

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on THERMI SWaP reduction

Arctic Over-The-Horizon-Radar Ontic (Arothron): A Model Definition For The Support Of Radio Frequency Radars, J. Vincent Eccles, John Retterer, Jeffrey M. Holmes

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

The high-latitude and subauroral ionosphere regions are organized and disorganized by a number of competing processes of ionization, convective transport, and plasma instabilities. The complexity makes it difficult for physics-based models or data-assimilation methodologies to specify the ionosphere with sufficient resolution and accuracy to adequately support radio signal technologies during space weather disturbance events. External drivers of ionospheric ionization include solar EUV and X-ray irradiance, medium and energetic particle precipitation, and solar proton events. External drivers of plasma transport include convective electric fields for high density plasma at mid-latitudes (e.g., storm enhanced densities or SEDs) and parallel plasma motion driven …

Demonstration Of Coherent Optical Phase-Shift Keying With A Tapered-Diode Laser Amplifier For Free-Space Optical Communication, Charlotte K. Duda, Aaron Cross, Chadwick Lindstrom, Julie Smith

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL presentation on Coherent Optical Phase-Shift Keying

Optical Coating Characterization System (Occs), Scott Hansen, Kendall Johnson, Dean Wada, Alan Thurgood

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

SDL Presentation on OCCS

Acoustic-Gravity Wave Evolutions And Layered Observables In The Mlt, Jonathan B. Snively

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

ERAU Presentation on the Model for Acoustic & Gravity Wave Interactions and Coupling (MAGIC)

Calibration And Systems Engineering Collaboration, John Wilson

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Introduction – Why Am I Here?

• I am a systems engineer with nearly 40 years experience in the DoD world.

• Opinions offered during tabletop discussions at CalCon 2024 showed a lack of coordination between calibration engineering and system engineering.

•Sorry, where this happens systems engineers are to blame.

• Calibration: “Calibration is configuring and verifying a measuring instrument's accuracy to ensure its readings match a known standard.” (What Is Calibration?, n.d.)

•Is this really what y’all do? I am here to learn!

• Systems Engineering: “SE is an integrative approach to help teams collaborate to understand and manage …

Preventing Mission-Ending Failure: Lessons From And Changes To The Iris Radio, Tom Russell, Dana Sorensen, Tim Nielsen

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Iris Radio (v2)

– Full-duplex, X-band deep space radio

– Build for the harsh environments of deep space

• High radiation tolerance
• Cislunar/solar/Martian orbits
• Planetary surface assets

– Highly configurable

• Communications
• Ranging
• Timing
• Encryption
• Upgradeable

– Almost every delivered radio has included custom features

Space 101 (Eps Electrical Power System), Shane Topham

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Introduction

• Power Storage (Battery)
• Power Generation (Solar Arrays)
• Power Regulation & Distribution
• Other EPS functions

Improving Torque Distribution Of The Baja Car's Drive Shaft, Natalie E. Falerios

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This honors thesis analyzes torque variation in the drive shaft system of the Baja SAE vehicle, with a focus on the effects of universal joint (U-joint) geometry and phasing in an inherited and new drive shaft design. The original drivetrain was inherited from a previous team and affected the seat placement that did not comply with the Baja SAE rules. This resulted in a redesign of the drive shaft and evaluation of both the inherited and redesigned configurations’ performance. An initial experiment was created and attempted to analyze the torque variation in the drive shaft, however, there were time constraints …

Integrating Satellite-Based Precipitation Analysis: A Case Study In Norfolk, Virginia, Imiya M. Chathuranika, Dalya Ismael

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

In many developing cities, the scarcity of adequate observed precipitation stations, due to constraints such as limited space, urban growth, and maintenance challenges, compromises data reliability. This study explores the use of satellite-based precipitation products (SbPPs) as a solution to supplement missing data over the long term, thereby enabling more accurate environmental analysis and decision-making. Specifically, the effectiveness of SbPPs in Norfolk, Virginia, is assessed by comparing them with observed precipitation data from Norfolk International Airport (NIA) using common bias adjustment methods. The study applies three different methods to correct biases caused by sensor limitations and calibration discrepancies and then …

A Review Of Infrared Thermography Applications For Civil Infrastructure, Prabal Shrestha, Onur Avci, Sahabeddin Rifai, Feras Abla, Michael Seek, Karl Barth, Udaya Halabe

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Civil infrastructure is continuously subject to aging and deterioration due to multiple factors, which lead to a decline in performance and impact structural health. Accumulated damage on structures increases operational costs and poses significant risks to public safety. Effective maintenance, repair, and rehabilitation strategies are needed to ensure civil infrastructure’s overall safety and reliability. Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) methods are utilized to assess latent damage and provide decision-makers with real-time information for mitigating hazards. Within the last decade, there has been a significant increase in the research and development of innovative NDE techniques to improve data processing and promote efficient and …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Stay-In-Place Forms To Improve The Tosional Stability Of Box Beam Bridges During Erection, Karl E. Barth, Michael W. Seek, Gregory K. Michaelson, Dimitra Pyrialakou, Brook T. Woldegabriel

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

Cold-formed tub girders provide an effective steel solution for short-span bridges. The girders are often delivered with an open top with stay-in-place forms installed on site. Walkways may be installed to the side of the girder that can induce significant torsion rotations in the open cross section. Full scale tests on girder specimens have shown that installing one or two panels of stay in place forms at the ends of the girder can significantly reduce the torsion rotation of the girder by providing warping resistance. Cantilever tests on the stay in place forms are performed to investigate the influence of …

A Comprehensive Academic And Industrial Survey Of Blockchain Technology For The Energy Sector Using Fuzzy Einstein Decision-Making, Umit Cali, Annabelle Lee, Barry Hayes, Claudio Lima, D. Jonathan Sebastian-Cardenas, David Flynn, Emre Kantar, Farrokh Rahimi, Kaung Si Thu, Marco Pasetti, Marthe Fogstad Dynge, Merlinda Andoni, Muhammet Deveci, Murat Kuzlu, Raquel Alanso, Kim-Kwang Raymond Choo, Sambeet Mishra, Shammya Shananda Saha, Sonam Norbu, Srinikhil Gourisetti, Ugur Halden, Vahid Hosseinezhad, Valentin Robu

Engineering Technology Faculty Publications

The global energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation driven by decarbonization and digitalization, leading to the emergence of Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) — particularly blockchain — as a promising tool for enhancing transparency, security, and efficiency in modern power systems. This study aims to provide a comprehensive academic and industrial survey of blockchain applications in the energy sector and develop a robust decision-making framework to identify and prioritize the most promising real-world use cases based on multidisciplinary criteria. A three-stage methodology was adopted: (i) a literature and market review encompassing over 300 academic publications and commercial blockchain initiatives in …