00 10
AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
STUDENTS SHOOT FOR SUCCESS IN SPACE
A group of 60 engineering undergraduates is preparing for the launch of a student-designed CubeSat small-scale research satellite. The project cuts across disciplines and provides unparalleled opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in all aspects of spaceflight operations. This would be the second Embry-Riddle CubeSat to head for space, following the first successful flight in 2017. The current mission, EagleSat 2, is a 3U CubeSat set to launch in 2025 as part of NASA’s CubeSat Launch Initiative. EagleSat is a student-led project that is getting support from the NASA Space Grant Program and through a substantial gift from the Margaret T. Morris Foundation. The spacecraft will carry a scientific payload designed to test how radiation in space can affect various types of commercially available computer memory.
“EagleSat 2 continues to be one of the student-led projects on our campus with the greatest student involvement, the highest educational return and the most challenging thresholds for success,” said Dr. Daniel White, an associate professor of Mechanical Engineering. The first CubeSat went into orbit as a secondary payload alongside a new weather satellite. The mission was to study the satellite’s orbital decay and demonstrate the use of supercapacitors for power rather than traditional rechargeable batteries. Besides proving that students could succeed in designing and building an orbital payload, the initial project also provided plenty of lessons. For example, a systems engineering approach implemented with EagleSat 2 helped shorten the development timeline, says previous Project Manager Abby Hudson (’22), now an Aerospace Engineering graduate.
For EagleSat 2, the student engineering teams also got some additional support from fellow students who are part of Embry-Riddle’s Project Management program and are PMP certified. The Project Management students, under the direction of Assistant Professor Reginald Parker, helped the engineering teams develop approaches and methods aimed at streamlining their workflows and ensuring the CubeSat is delivered to NASA on time.
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online