At Sierra Space, I was the responsible engineer tasked with ensuring structural health of avionnics, communications, and environmental control systems of the Dream Chaser spaceplane during the Sine-Vibration test campaign. These batteries of evaluation function as the final checkoffs before final vehicle intergration before launch. As a fluids manufacturing engineer, I also worked closely with the integration of the propulsion feed system, owning several pieces of documentation regarding the installation of the forward and aft thruster isolation assemblies.

My most recent personal project has been the design and drafting of a RC Plane inspired by the Anvil Arrow from the Star Citizen IP. Employing NX and Inventor Sheet Metal, I created a foamboard body and drawing to enable flow modeling of the plane in Ansys Fluent CFD to obtain a lift:drag ratio of 13.1:1, sufficient for protoflight. We are also writing a fully autonomous flight algorithm with waypoint and GPS tracking capability. Paired with LQR control theory for flight stability and odometry for position referencing between GPS updates, the plane can accurately fly pre-programmed routes.

Pictured above are several of the projects I worked on at NASA Langley Research Center. My primary goal was to design and 3D-Print crushable geometries to improve occupant safety during VTOL aircraft crashes. 30-ft drop tower testing is pictured on the left. I also dealt with a variety of photogrammetry applications, depicted in the speckle-painted lift-cruise frame. Later on, I was heavily involved with the folding and flexural testing of ACS3 composite booms and its solar sails.

Langley is home to the Landing and Impact Research Facility, a testing gantry responsible for the evaluation of craft like the Apollo Lunar Lander and the SpaceX Dragon 2 Capsule. It continues to be a keystone within spaceflight, specifically through its role in testing of Mars Sample Return components. Pictured above is our team validating IMU data from a heatshield demonstration unit designed to protect Martian samples during atmospheric reentry. We designed and constructed the collapsable drop tower shield on the right for smaller scale hanger-based testing of elements not suitable for gantry use.

A few moments captured after at several tournaments including Worlds and the US Signature Event.

The objectives of the 2020 season, Tower Takeover, was to capture cubes, stack them in zones, and deposit them in towers located around the field. After multiple iterations of refining our robot over the year, we were effectively able to score more points at a faster pace than most if not all of the other teams in the world. We secured 1st place in our division during the 2020 World Championships, ended as divisional finalists, and won the national signature event (the second largest competition in the world).

The 2019 game, Turning Point, entailed picking up and launching balls at acrylic flags, flipping and placing caps onto raised poles, and a platform climb at the end of the match. Our choices regarding mechanical design and autonomous programming allowed our team to remain undefeated and secure 1st place in our division during the 2019 World Championships.

Here are some additional details regarding my work at the Zdeněk Bažant Material Science lab as an undergraduate researcher in 2021.