Extracurricular Projects

Augmented Torch Ignitor

Fall 2024, Winter 2025 (Current)

The first augmented torch ignitor made at Cal Poly for the first collegiate pump fed rocket engine. My team and I are currently developing this ignitor project for Cal Poly Space Systems. Its purpose is to provide an initial flame that ignites the flow of mixed propellants. This project is a work in progress, but the following skills have already been learned and used to advance the project:

P&ID Diagrams

A schematic of the fluid components necessary to construct the ignitor.

Thermodynamics & Fluid Mechanics

Tells us information about the flow within the lines.

MATLAB

Script to run numerical simulations of this fluid system.

Testing

Individual components must be tested to ensure they function properly when integrated into the system.

C.A.V.E.R.

Fall 2024

View

A “Cavern Autonomous Vehicle Explorer and Research” moon rover, designed collaboratively by my team and I during our involvement in the NASA L’SPACE Mission Concept Academy. Its purpose is to collect science data for a theoretical mission to one of the moons’ lunar pits, which ended in the preliminary design review phase. The following skills were developed throughout this project:

Teaming

This project focused heavily on how to communicate in an interdisciplinary team. Many former and current NASA employees attended weekly sessions to express the importance of knowing how to team effectively, which we then applied to our project.

Thermal Management Design

I was the thermal engineer on the project and responsible with selecting components that would keep the others within their operating temperature range.

Budgeting

Adapted to a significant budget cut, which in the real world would prevent further delays.

Technical Report Writing

Contributed to Mission Definition Review (MDR), System Requirements Review (SRR), Mission Concept Review (MCR), and Preliminary Design Review (PDR) reports.