SpaceX Interview
Projects I want to talk about during the Fluids Systems Technician interview.
Augmented Torch Ignitor
Fall 2024, Winter 2025, Spring 2025
The first augmented torch ignitor made at Cal Poly for the first collegiate pump fed rocket engine. My team and I developed this ignitor project for Cal Poly Space Systems. Its purpose is to provide an initial flame that ignites the flow of mixed propellants. The following skills have 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.
Fluid System Test Stand & Check Valve Prototypes
Winter 2025, Spring 2025, Fall 2025
A fluid system and accompanied swing check valve prototypes, designed and built collaboratively by my team and I for our senior project. Its purpose is to collect flowrate, pressure, pressure difference, and observational flutter data for SLA 3D printed swing check valve protoypes. The following skills were developed and/or improved throughout this project:
Knowledge of Fluid Components
Used a pump, flowmeter, pressure gauges, differential gauges, gate valves, and ball valves to contruct the fluid system.
Copper Soldering
As seen in the image, copper pipes were chosen, and they had to be soldered.
CAD, Technical Drawings, and 3D Printing
CAD models of the check valve and fluid system were made. Technical drawings of each manufactured part on the check valve were made. A 3D printing slicer was used to correctly print each prototype.
Applied Fluid Mechanics Theory
Basic fluid mechanics theory for internal flow was applied to this project.
Alexander Aguilar 