Unique 3D printed sensor technology may be a real gamechanger in NASA’s future efforts to send humans to the moon and possibly Mars. Recent funding is fueling a much-anticipated program that could potentially make great strides in advancing the way NASA can detect life-sustaining elements in space and even monitor the health and safety of its astronauts.
The world of 3D printing really hits home for Vaughn students and alumni. Vaughn College is at the forefront of 3D printing technology, thanks to a 3D prototyping innovation center that was launched just a few years ago. It is equipped with 15 3D printers and two 3D scanners to provide students with hands-on opportunities to transform their concepts into physical objects.
What is 3D printed sensory technology?
Think of the way a printer uses ink to print things such as newspapers, for example. Now, take that principle and add amazing innovations where the ink is replaced with nanomaterials―such as carbon nanotubes and graphene―and applying them, layer-by-layer, onto a substrate to create miniature sensors.
The result is a set of highly sensitive tiny powerhouses that are lightweight, can withstand radiation and require less power, thus keeping them stable in extreme conditions. This 3D printer could produce these tiny platforms that may someday be sent on planetary rovers for further exploration in search of life throughout the solar system.
Vaughn Alumni, Jade Kukula ’07, who earned her bachelor of science in mechanical engineering, is no stranger to 3D printers. She studied “swarm robotics” for her bachelor’s degree project. The term “swarm robots” refers to a coordination of multiple robots that can communicate with one another. Right out of college, she took her learnings from Vaughn and applied them to the Hubble Space Telescope team, where she became responsible for maintaining the health and safety of the telescopes, as well as related science and engineering data.
Making it happen
NASA engineer Mahmooda Sultana won a $2 million technology development award funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate’s (STMD) Early Career Initiative (ECI) to further develop the nanomaterial-based detector platform. As reported by Lori Keesey of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, this potentially revolutionary sensor technology stems from a self-contained platform, measuring only two-by-three inches, that is capable of sensing minute concentrations of gases, vapor, atmospheric pressure and temperature. Additionally, this platform would then transmit the data via a wireless antenna. Pretty cool, right?
For the next two years, Sultana and her team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, will be working on this amazing program. They will design the sensor platform to determine the best combination of materials to achieve parts-per-billion concentrations of water, ammonia, methane and hydrogen. Northeastern University will then take Sultana’s design and use the 3D printing system to complete the process, simplifying the integration and packaging process.
Up until now, sensors were built one at a time and then integrated into other components. The advent of 3D printing will change that by allowing technicians to print a suite of sensors on one platform.
Interested in pursuing an engineering and technology career?
Vaughn offers a wide range of associate and bachelor’s degrees to prepare you for an exciting career in engineering, technology, management or aviation, that will set you apart from the competition. Here are a few of the majors offered at Vaughn which provide students with a rigorous and comprehensive course of study to enable them to become successful in their chosen fields.
Have you ever dreamed of turning your hobby of flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones, into a full-blown career? Well, we at Vaughn College are here to say that dream is possible. The UAV industry is soaring to new heights as enthusiasts are turning their aviation hobby into one of today’s most unique and sought-after careers.
Wondering what kind of UAV careers are out there? We’re here to help you figure that out. Vaughn College is one of the select colleges in the country that offers classes in UAV technology, usage, and drone law―all of which will help fully prepare you in every aspect of the field. We also have communities for like-minded UAV hobbyists, such as the UAV club, where students and faculty put their heads together to build, program and compete in top contests around the nation.
Below, we have listed various industries that are seeking UAV pilots to give them a bird’s-eye view to enhance their specific niche or field.
Real estate
The booming real estate industry is capitalizing on the talents of UAV pilots to provide aerial stills, videos and 3D maps of properties for sale. This technology is taking virtual tours up a notch with their capability to showcase aerial and ground footage.
Filmmaking
Have you ever watched a movie or television show and wondered how they shoot those amazing aerial shots? These sequences can be filmed quickly and efficiently using a UAV.
Public Safety
Last year, over 900 public safety agencies used drones. That’s more than double the number that was only two years earlier. Our country’s fire and police departments are using them to create specific maps of local schools and buildings, determine exit points in the case of a fire or police emergency, and to locate victims after a natural disaster.
Insurance
In the past, insurance inspectors or adjusters would physically evaluate the damage done to a home by severe weather. Today, drone insurance inspections are being done by drone pilots who can fly a set pattern over a damaged roof or other area and retrieve the necessary images to evaluate the claim.
Journalism
Drones capture the drama of breaking news stories that range from flooded disaster areas to raging wild fires, using documentary-type footage, as well as stills for an artistically written piece.
Agriculture
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) maps help farmers assess the condition and location of their crops, eliminating the need for farmers to walk their fields. New software can process the raw data collected by drone pilots, which in turn can help increase crop yields.
Transportation
UAV pilots can assist cities in reducing the time and money it takes for inspections of critical infrastructure in transportation, while increasing the accuracy of the collected data. Thirty-five states are already using UAVs for their regular transportation activities.
Energy
Inspections are a big part of the energy industry, so it comes as no surprise that UAVs are providing faster, less expensive ways to inspect power lines and solar panels, among other tasks.
Telecommunications
UAV pilots are playing a key role in this industry and they’ve changed the landscape of necessary operations, such as tower surveys and inspections, making the process safer and more cost-effective for telecommunications giants like AT&T and Verizon, as examples. In fact, Verizon was so impressed with this potential, they purchased the drone company Skyward in 2017.
Education
From elementary schools to colleges and universities, educators are weaving this powerful technology into their classroom activities, sparking interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), geography, and collaborative work.
Have questions about a UAV career? Our drone law professor, Loretta Alkalay, brings years of experience as an aviation attorney and former regional counsel for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA.)
Vaughn’s UAV Club has been instrumental in getting the word out in the past by hosting the highly anticipated festivities surrounding International Drone Day (IDD). This year, IDD will be celebrated on Saturday, May 4, marking this aviation phenomenon’s fifth anniversary. Stay tuned for this year’s event!
As part of the ongoing celebration of Women’s History Month, the Women in Aviation International Conference (WAI) celebrated its 30th Anniversary last week in Long Beach, California. This milestone celebration hosted attendees from around the globe, representing all aspects of the aviation community and recognizing powerful women who have not only paved the way to help change the landscape of women in aviation but empowered other women to do the same.
In recognition of their groundbreaking achievements, we are spotlighting five influential women in aviation who have been inducted into the WAI Pioneer Hall of Fame.
Bessie Coleman
First African-American to Earn International Pilot’s License
Bessie Coleman broke the racial barrier and became the first African-American to earn an international pilot’s license. Born in Atlanta, Texas in 1892, Coleman moved to Chicago after briefly attending Langston University in Oklahoma. She was an avid reader and worked as a laundress, but it was during her time in Chicago, where she was inspired by World War I pilots, that she decided to pursue a pilot’s license.
Knowing Europe had a more liberal attitude toward women and people of color, Coleman learned to speak French and worked hard to earn enough money to move to Paris. On June 15, 1921 she earned her pilot’s license from the Federation Aeronautique Internationale. She moved back to the United States, where she flew at air shows and taught aviation to African-Americans.
Sadly, she didn’t live long enough to make her dream of establishing a flying school for African-Americans a reality, but her legacy inspired the Bessie Coleman Aero groups in the early 1930s, which held the first all-black air show in America and attracted 15,000 spectators. Almost 90 years later, the event has become an annual aviation celebration.
Harriet Quimby
First Licensed Female Pilot in the United States
On August 11, 1911, Harriet Quimby became the first licensed female pilot in the United States, ten years before Amelia Earhart. Her daring and adventurous side put her name in the books on April 16, 1912 as the first woman to fly across the English Channel. This incredible feat catapulted her name in the industry, but the sinking of the Titanic two days earlier overshadowed her accomplishment in the news. She is also credited with being the first woman to fly over Mexico City.
Prior to earning her pilot’s license, Quimby was an accomplished writer. In 1911, she managed to write seven screenplays which were made into silent movies. At that time in history, she was the only woman who wrote about and encouraged other women to enter the field of aviation.
“In my opinion, there is no reason why the aeroplane should not open a fruitful occupation for women. I see no reason why they cannot realize handsome incomes by carrying passengers between adjacent towns, why they cannot derive incomes from parcel deliveries, from taking photographs from above or from conducting schools for flying.”
Katherine Cheung
“China’s Amelia Earhart”
Listed in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum as the nation’s first Asian aviatrix, Katherine Cheung switched gears from studying music at the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music and the University of Southern California to obtaining an international commercial airline pilot’s license.
Born in China in 1904, Cheung moved to the United States to live with her father and attend college. She married in 1924 and fell in love with flying a few years later while taking an airplane ride with a relative who was a pilot. Soon after, she enrolled for flying lessons, and in 1932 received her pilot certification, the first Asian-American female pilot in the United States to do so. Aerobatics soon became one of her passions. She entered competitive air races and became a member of the Women’s International Association of Aeronautics that same year, launching her aerobatics/air show career. Three years later, Cheung was invited to become a member of the International Association of Women Pilots – the Ninety-Nines – where she befriended Amelia Earhart.
Aside from being honored in the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, the Beijing Air Force Aviation Museum calls Cheung “China’s Amelia Earhart.”
Jeana Yeager
Member of the Groundbreaking Voyager Team and Winner of the Collier Trophy
Jeana Yeager was born in Fort Worth, Texas on May 18, 1952. She moved to Santa Rosa, California in 1977, where she worked as a draftsman and surveyor for a company specializing in geothermal energy. Her fascination with helicopters prompted her to earn her private pilot’s license at the age of 26. In 1980, Yeager met fellow pilot Dick Rutan and his brother Burt, an aircraft designer, at an airshow in Chino, California. The rest, they say, is history. The three innovators brainstormed their dream of flying around the world without stopping and without refueling. After six years of design, construction and development, the Voyager team constructed the unique aircraft made almost entirely of lightweight graphite-honeycomb composite materials. Expected to take 18 months, the milestone flight― which took place between December 14 and December 23, 1986―set the record, taking only nine days, three minutes and forty-four seconds.
In recognition of this revolutionary aviation accomplishment, President Reagan presented the Voyager crew with the Presidential Citizenship Medal, which had been awarded only 16 times before in history. In addition, Jeana Yeager earned the Collier Trophy―aviation’s most prestigious award.
Bernice “Bee” Haydu
Former WASP President Who is Among the First Women to Fly Military Planes for the Army
Bernice “Bee” Haydu was born on December 15, 1920 in Montclair, New Jersey. After graduating high school, she enrolled in aviation classes on the weekends while working as a secretary. She attended the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) in Sweetwater, Texas and completed her training in March 1944. Haydu is among the first women to fly military airplanes for the Army Air Force. Her dedication to WASP placed her front and center as president of the organization from 1975-1978, where she led the fight in Congress to recognize the WASP as veterans. In 1977, President Carter signed the bill into law, allowing the WASP access to Veterans Administration benefits.
Are you a woman interested in a career in aviation? Register for our Open House on April 13 at 10 a.m. to learn how you can take your future to the skies.
The Mars exploration exhibition has a new robot and its name matches the mission as NASA’s InSight spacecraft is gearing up to give scientist’s “insight” into the Red Planet’s interior as it studies the Martian underworld.
Sticking the landing
Excitement filled the control room at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory last November when the InSight spacecraft sent back confirmation of its safe arrival on Mars’ surface. After launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California six months earlier, InSight travelled 300 million miles and landed flawlessly on the Red Planet in what NASA engineers and scientists are calling “a nail-biting descent.”
Traditionally, Florida’s Space Coast is the launching pad for such voyages; however, this was the first interplanetary mission lift-off from the West Coast of the United States. InSight, which stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport, is the ninth lander in history to be sent for Mars exploration by the United States.
Robotics in motion
InSight is equipped with a robotic arm that will lift a dome-shaped package containing seismometers and a heat probe up from the main deck of the spacecraft and on to the surface of Mars. These instruments will burrow about 16 feet down into the planet’s interior structure, where the seismometers will measure surface movements and produce sonograms of its interior.
Vaughn College has a keen interest in mechatronic engineering and the development of robotic equipment, having set the stage for excellence in robotics. Its robotics team earned the world championship title in the 2016 VEX Worlds Robotics Competition and placed among the top three in the world in the 2017 and 2018 competitions.
Unlike temblors caused by plate tectonics found on Earth, Martian temblors are generated when crust cracks due to the cooling and shrinking of the planet’s interior. This groundbreaking mission, no pun intended, is extraordinary since the interior of Mars has been basically frozen in place since it formed almost 4.5 billion years ago. That’s billion with a ‘b’! Scientists are hopeful to record anywhere between 10-to-12 marsquakes over the next two years.
Hitching a ride
The InSight spacecraft wasn’t alone on its rocket ride last year. Two CubeSats―or miniature satellites―named MarCo-A and MarCo-B, hitched a ride for their own Mars exploration mission to show how tiny spacecraft can explore deep space. This new technology tested flawlessly as NASA scientists stated the MarCo duo was instrumental in the landing, having been able to relay data from the InSight spacecraft to mission control.
Fun fact: CubeSats are no strangers to orbiting the Earth. In fact, hundreds have been launched in recent years, although the InSight spacecraft mission marks the first interplanetary voyage for the identical satellite spacecrafts.
Mission possible
Over the next two years, the InSight spacecraft will have an unprecedented look at the interior structure and composition of Mars as it listens for marsquakes and tremors while collecting data. These findings will help scientists understand how Mars and other rocky planets like Earth formed, and could also serve as a time machine to give scientists a glimpse at what Earth may have looked like tens of millions of years after it formed.
Robotics at Vaughn College
Are you interested in learning more about robotics? Vaughn’s mechatronic engineering degree program can prepare you for an exciting future in robotics and may even set you on a trajectory to discovering possibilities that are out of this world.
The world’s first hydrogen fuel cell-powered train rode the rails in Lower Saxony, Germany last month when European railway manufacturer Alstom launched two models of their new commercial trains, Coradia iLint. This latest innovation is a collaboration of cross-border teamwork between France and Germany to provide a climate-friendly alternative to diesel-fueled trains.
Fueled by the elements
The Coradia iLint uses fuel cells that turn hydrogen and oxygen into electricity releasing steam and water instead of large plumes of smoke and carbon dioxide like diesel trains. Fueled at a mobile hydrogen filling station, gaseous hydrogen stored in a 40-foot high steel container is pumped into the train. Alstom reports one tank of hydrogen will provide enough fuel for the train to travel approximately 621 miles. Plans for a stationary filling station is scheduled for operation in 2021 when Alstom plans to deliver an additional 14 Coradia iLint trains with a price tag of just over $93 million.
Going to distance
The two electric trains can travel up to 87 miles per hour and will operate on a 62-mile line carrying passengers between the cities of Cuxhaven, Bremerhaven, Bremervorde and Buxtehude. Previously, this line was served by diesel trains operated by Eisenbahnen und Verkehrsbetriebe Elbe-Weser (EVB.) The Coradia iLint trains replace diesel engines eliminating the need to electrify the entire track with a charged third rail or overhead powerlines, as would be needed for more traditional electric trains to function.
Clean travel
In an ongoing effort to reduce air pollution, Coradia iLint just may be a trailblazer in revolutionizing the rail system with its zero-emissions and low-noise output—making hydrogen a rock star element as an efficient alternative to diesel. As for the passenger experience, it’s one quiet ride.
Electric airplanes may become a reality sooner than we think as Norway launched its inaugural flight of an electric two-seater plane last June. With some of the busiest flight routes in Europe, Norway is striving to be a pioneer in the electric airplane industry with hopes of launching its first commercial electric-powered aircraft within the next 10 years.
Tesla-inspired
When we hear today’s buzz about electric engines our minds turn to Tesla, the American multinational corporation that specializes in electric vehicles. Norway is no stranger to Tesla, as the country boasts one of the largest Tesla markets selling around 8,500 cars last year. This comes on the wings of western Europe’s largest oil and gas exporter pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030. This dedication to clean living has prompted Norway to use the tourism sales pitch “Powered by Nature” to further their efforts to be a pioneer in the electric plane market.
Electric flight
The two-seater electric plane made by Slovenian manufacturer Pipistrel took off from Oslo Airport with none other than the transport minister in the passenger seat. With a flight time of up to one hour, this groundbreaking test-flight may just be the beginning of pollution-free aviation, according to Avinor, a state-owned company that operates Norway’s airports.
Cleaner, quieter skies
Since jet engines run on fuel they not only produce fossil-fuel emissions but noisy skies. Electric engines can be the answer to both of these environmental issues but not without limitations. With cleaner, quieter skies comes the question, “Where does the pilot recharge the plane?” The reality is planes need to land somewhere to refuel, but in the case of electric planes it’s a matter of recharging.
Vaughn’s take
Capt. Pete Russo, PhD, department chair and assistant professor of aviation at Vaughn College weighed in on the future of electric airplanes. “I’m in favor of electric airplanes,” said Russo. “The electronics in today’s planes is already advancing beyond our expectations. The work being done in Norway is demonstrating the capability of what we need to create pollution-free aviation.” Russo said the manufacturing of electric engines weighs heavily on the industry and making the switch to electric would have a major impact on how we approach the future of aviation. “Tesla has revolutionized the electric car industry,” said Russo. “It’s just a matter of time before we see electric planes in our skies.”
Airports getting on board
Airports servicing electric planes will need to get on board with a new flight planning process to accommodate this new wave of aviation. Here are a few ways airports and aviation personnel will need to adapt:
Airports will need to install charging stations
Flight times will need to be adjusted since electric planes fly at a slower rate of speed than jet-propelled engines and will need time to recharge
Pilots will need to track their charge the same way they monitor their fuel supply.
Charging ahead
Some say it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” that we see electric airplanes in our skies. The possibility of electric-flight covering short distances may be in our future, but skeptics say there’s no indication we may be replacing today’s long-haul flights with electric propulsion.
Every year, the Vaughn Robotics Team participates in the VEX Worlds Robotics Competition. Here, this team competes against other student teams from schools all over the world, where they design and create robots with the goal of completing a themed task. The ultimate purpose of this competition is for all students to exercise their creative, analytical and technical skills to the limit. And with the great advances made in robotic technology on a near-daily basis, there is next to no limit of what can be accomplished.
Giving credit where it is due, Boston Dynamics introduces dog robot “Spot”
Take one nearly futuristic example of combined creativity and technology that was recently unveiled by Boston Dynamics, a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Essentially, “man’s best friend” is taking on a new role here, as its latest robot (named Spot) embarks on literally covering new ground.
The team at Boston Dynamics designed the untethered dog-like robot to assist in search and rescue operations and for being able to access disaster zones. Its sturdy and sure-footed design allows Spot to carry supplies over uneven terrain, while its super-human stability allows it to keep its balance, even when kicked over on its side. Designed as the baby brother to BigDog, the company’s quadrupedal robot, Spot is smaller and lighter and comes equipped with onboard sensors that allow it to recover quickly if it encounters hostile territory or a situation where it might “trip” or tip over. Weighing in at 160 pounds, Spot is about 80 pounds lighter than his big brother and has BigDog beat when climbing up hills.
Although Spot has a dog’s name, its gait is more like a prancing horse. This electronically-powered robot may not have the same ability to carry the same weight as its big brother, but Spot’s unique dexterity allows it to navigate difficult areas, both indoors and outdoors. And when it comes to “seeing” the environment, Spot was designed with a rotating sensor on its back, rather than on a head-like structure.
This project was made possible with funding by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), whose mission is to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security.
Other “species” of robots
Spot is the newest arrival among the family of incredible animal-like robots from Boston Dynamics. Other cool creations include the WildCat, the world’s fastest free-running quadruped robot on Earth, which can run almost 20 mph while maneuvering and maintaining its balance, and the SandFlea, which drives like a remote-controlled car and can leap almost 33 feet into the air to avoid obstacles.
What does Dr. Rahemi, Vaughn’s chair of engineering and technology, have to say?
In preparation for the VEX Worlds Robotics Competition, the Vaughn Robotics team is aided and guided by Hossein Rahemi, PhD, chair of the Vaughn’s engineering and technology department. Dr. Rahemi has no doubt seen many impressive technological advancements in his day, and he is most enthusiastic about the latest developments from Boston Dynamics. “Today, robotics technology is advancing at a lightning pace, making our lives easier, better and safer than ever before,” he states. “We’re seeing robots going places that are too difficult or dangerous for humans to go, such as war zones deep within the sea and bomb threat areas, just to name a few.”
Vaughn students learn not just technology, but purpose
To keep up with the pace of robotics technology, and its purpose, Rahemi stresses Vaughn College’s commitment to educating its students on the importance of a sense of service to mankind. A top priority is the improvement of our environment to be a better and safer place. “We motivate, engage and provide our students with all the necessary knowledge and skills to be successful in their career path,” Rahemi said. “Together, we can all be responsible individuals in the society we serve.”
If you are studying aviation or engineering in an institution such as Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, you may be hearing the acronym “TFR” around campus, or even in the news. But what does “TFR” stand for? Very simply: “temporary flight restriction.” And recently, these seemingly temporary situations are occurring more frequently.
What is the purpose of a TFR?
A TFR is issued to clear and restrict an area of airspace for security or safety and it is a necessary part of aviation protocol. In fact, there are typically several TFRs in place every day across the National Airspace System (NAS). Some examples of why TFRs might be issued include:
The movement of government VIPs such as the president or vice president
Special events, including the Super Bowl, political conventions, and other occasions such as the United Nations General Assembly
Natural disasters such as wildfires
The trouble resulting from TFRs is how they can wreak havoc on the aviation industry, ultimately making the friendly skies not so friendly.
Vaughn’s perspective
Dr. Maxine Lubner, professor and chair of the management department at Vaughn College, weighs in on the subject of TFRs and their impact. “Now more than ever, airport managers of our country’s smaller airports are facing more frequently occurring challenges due to TFRs,” she states. “We hope to see an improvement in TFR issuance by implementing a combination of revised procedures, technology applications and communication systems. I believe it’s time to revisit how TFRs are issued and used in light of the current impacts they are having on general aviation and the surrounding communities in a way that would both preserve security and business activity.”
Who’s feeling the greatest impact?
Smaller municipal and privately-owned airports are experiencing the greatest impacts―both on their runways and in their wallets―when it comes to VIP TFRs. Recent presidential movement in both New Jersey and Florida have crippled smaller airports surrounding President Trump’s visits, locking down runways and restricting flying within the duration of his stay.
New Jersey-based airports that include Morristown, Solberg and Somerset, and Lantana Airport in Florida, have seen recent significant financial impacts, not to mention restrictions on flights to and from LaGuardia Airport in New York and Palm Beach International Airport in Florida. Temporary flight restrictions create a no-fly zone within a 10-mile radius during the president’s entire stay, while looser regulations restrict air traffic within a 30-mile radius, thus impacting related-aviation businesses. Some of these affected businesses include:
Flight training schools
Aircraft parking and rentals
Sky diving charters
Balloon flights
Fuel sales
Maintenance
The loss of revenue is staggering. While some airports are reporting financial losses in the tens of thousands, some have stated their losses are upward of $800,000.
Relieving the financial strain
Although TFRs are here to stay, the question remains: What steps can be taken to relieve the financial strain of TFRs on smaller airports? The answer may not be an easy one, but state representatives and the Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) are working on a solution.
To stay up-to-date on this and other related topics, visit the Industry News section on the Vaughn College website.
The “friendly skies” may become eco-friendlier. Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio are working toward reducing the nation’s total use of fossil fuels. Your likely question: “How?” The answer: By developing alternative aircraft designs with the use of electric-powered low-carbon propulsion technology.
A new frontier
More than 42,000 flights and 2.5 million airline passengers are in the air every day, with 5,000 aircraft in the sky at any given time. And with air traffic passenger demand projected to surge even higher in 2018, the skies will be busier than ever. From the beginning of flight travel, carbon-based fuels have been powering commercial airlines, leaving a trail of fossil fuel emissions behind them. But this heavy carbon footprint situation may be changing.
Researchers from Glenn are setting the stage for planes that will require using less fossil fuels in the future. Aeronautical engineers are taking a closer look at how airplanes can be revamped to use electric power that would provide the plane’s thrust and power for flight, while simultaneously reducing the plane’s energy consumption, emissions and noise level. Like hybrid or turboelectric power that is used in cars, boats and trains, NASA hopes to guide the aircraft industry into using hybrid electric and turboelectric propulsion, as opposed to relying solely on gas turbines.
However, these alternative aircraft designs wouldn’t be “flying solo” on electricity just yet. The alternative system would combine electric motors and generators with turbine engines.
A cleaner future
Low-carbon propulsion technology can make each flight up to 30 percent more fuel efficient and require lower operational costs, which is good news for airlines that have been hit hard with high jet fuel prices. Although the day that we see an electric-powered airplane may be years away, the idea of it is literally fueling excitement for a cleaner future.
Interesting in learning more about Vaughn’s programs? Take a look here to see everything we have to offer.
Scientists and robotics experts at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California are developing an origami-inspired robot named PUFFER to explore areas in space that are too risky for full-fledged rovers. Its design is described as a lightweight, pop-up folding explorer that can flatten itself and tuck in its wheels, allowing maneuverability into places that rovers can’t go. Just like the origami art of paper folding, PUFFER’s design allows these microbots to be flattened like cards and stacked one on top of the other.
Incredible Features
PUFFER was put to the test during the past year-and-a-half in areas that ranged from the rugged terrain of the Mojave Desert in California to the snowy hills in Antarctica in the hopes that it will someday make it to the sands of the planet Mars. It’s designed to move up 45-degree slopes and investigate overhangs as a companion to larger robots. It can even drop into pits or craters, go behind sand dunes, and explore steep slopes―taking exploration to hard-to-reach locations.
“They can do parallel science with a rover, so you can increase the amount you’re doing in a day,” said Jaakko Karras, the project manager at JPL. It was Karras who was experimenting with origami designs while he was in grad school at UC Berkeley’s Biomimetic Millisystems Lab. He came up with the robot’s body design as he worked on developing robotics that were based on natural forms ch as the movements of animals and insects.
How PUFFER Was Made
It took a collaborative effort to get the robot to where it is today. Robotics experts and scientists at JPL worked together to create the microbot, and partnered with outside experts to fine-tune specific movements and abilities. The four wheels were created on a 3D printer, and gained treads that allow the robot to climb inclines. The origami design allows the wheels to fold over the main body, giving PUFFER the ability to crawl. Biomimetic Millisystems Lab developed a “skittering walk” that ensures the bot inches forward, one wheel at a time, without slipping. Distant Focus Corporation lent sight to the project, providing a high-resolution micro-imager which can see objects that are a fraction of the diameter of human hair.
Onboard Instruments
Solar panels on PUFFER’s belly keep the microbot on the move and allow it to flip over to recharge in the sun. It can move about 2,050 feet (625 meters) on one battery charge driving on a level dirt path. Depending on the number of onboard instruments, that distance may fluctuate. Currently, it operates via Bluetooth and can be controlled remotely. Advances in robotics and engineering have enabled it to act as a scientist in its own right with the addition of an instrument that allows it to sample water for organic material. The team says a spectrometer could also be added to give it the ability to study the chemical makeup of its environment.
The Future
PUFFER’s future is looking bigger and brighter as the JPL team envisions future designs to be as large as a breadbox and possibly autonomic―allowing more than one microbot to conduct science as a mobile team.
What may have once been thought of as science fiction may soon become science fact. The JPL team is hopeful their robot may someday be partnering on future planetary missions, as its composition includes several Mars-compatible materials, including heritage technology from the Viking, Pathfinder and Phoenix missions. “Small robotic explorers like PUFFER could change the way we do science on Mars,” said Karras.
Don’t miss the change to learn more about Vaughn’s engineering, technology, management and aviation programs at our Open House on Saturday, November 11 and 18. Space is limited – reserve your spot today!
The PUFFER project is a Game Changing Development (GCD) program. The project is managed by JPL. The GCD program investigates ideas and approaches that could solve significant technological problems and revolutionize future space endeavors. GCD is part of NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate.
WANT TO KNOW MORE?
Simply complete the form below to receive information about Vaughn and get connected with an admissions counselor.
