Purdue Space Connections

July 2, 1999 On July 20, 1969, Purdue University alumnus Neil Armstrong became the first human to plant his feet on the moon. Now there are 21 Purdue graduates who have flown in space, and Purdue and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have had more alumni chosen for space flight than any other non-military institution. As the 30th anniversary of Armstrong's mission nears, here's a list of story ideas about other Purdue efforts to expand our reach in space. Additional information is available at the Purdue in Space Web site. Space exploration drives energy innovation Some believe that earth's supplies of oil and natural gas will run out in roughly 50 years, meaning the clock is ticking for humankind to invent truly new forms of energy, such as those being developed for space exploration. "We are at a turning point," says John Rusek, assistant professor in aeronautics and astronautics. Possible future technologies range from engines that run on nonpolluting fuels derived from water, to nontoxic batteries filled with hydrogen peroxide, to space propulsion systems that use powerful electric fields instead of rockets. Rusek researches these concepts in collaboration with Stephen Heister, a fellow Purdue professor in aeronautics and astronautics. Space exploration is pushing scientists to invent entirely new forms of power that might, for example, exploit stores of water on the moon and Mars, says Rusek, who teaches courses called Advanced Energy Conversion and Future Propulsion Concepts. CONTACTS: Rusek (765) 494-4782, rusek@ecn.purdue.edu; Heister, (765) 494-5126, heister@ecn.purdue.edu Purdue Calumet's space center challenges students The Challenger Learning Center of Northwest Indiana teaches school children problem-solving skills through simulated space flights. The center's equipment included NASA control room and shuttle simulators, plus a simulated air lock. In a typical "mission" at the $1.7 million center, students are divided into groups, one at "Mission Control" and the other assigned to the "Space Station." During these missions, students carry out tasks tied to various aspects of life in space. Teachers prepare students for their missions with pre- and post-flight classroom activities. Other activities simulate moon missions, voyages to Mars and exploration of Halley's Comet. Since it opened in March, 150 teachers have participated in learning workshops and more than 100 "student missions" have been conducted. There are 31 Challenger Learning Centers across the United States, licensed by the Challenger Center for Space Science Education in Washington, D.C. CONTACT: Lisa Karney, center director, (219) 989-2007; lkarney@calumet.purdue.edu Purdue to have Mach 6 wind tunnel Construction will be complete by early 2000 on the fastest low-noise research wind tunnel at any academic institution in the world. Purdue's Mach 6 wind tunnel will be capable of conducting experiments in airstreams traveling at six times the speed of sound. Steven Schneider and Steven Collicott, associate professors in aeronautics and astronautics, will use the $1 million facility to study how air flows over and around objects traveling faster than the speed of sound. One application of their research is the design of new reentry space vehicles. "Designers are considering a new reentry vehicle with a metal skin," Schneider says. "This would eliminate the tile system used on the space shuttle, which is expensive to maintain." CONTACTS: Schneider, (765) 494-3343; steves@ecn.purdue.edu, and Collicott, (765) 494-2339 or (765) 494-5131; collicot@ecn.purdue.edu Students prepare Vomit Comet experiments Four teams of Purdue students will travel to Houston's Johnson Space Center in August to participate in NASA's "Vomit Comet" flight program. "This type of hands-on experience is critical for our students. It allows them to see the dramatic leap from theory to reality," says Steven Collicott, associate professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering. The teams were selected based on their proposed experiments. The experiments will test the effects of weightlessness on problems related to fluid mechanics, pressurization, vibration and the possibility of creating metal foam. The anti-gravity effect is created in a KC-135A jet that astronauts use to train for space flight. It flies in a series of parabolas to the upper atmosphere that allow the plane to free-fall for 25 to 30 seconds. The flights generally last for two to three hours and consist of about 40 periods of weightlessness. CONTACT: Collicott, (765) 494-2339 or (765) 494-5131; collicot@ecn.purdue.edu Professor charts course for mission to study the sun A Purdue professor and two doctoral students have designed the trajectory for an upcoming NASA mission. Kathleen Howell, professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering, helped chart the course for the spacecraft that will carry out the Genesis Mission, scheduled for launch in 2001. The mission will collect solar wind particles -- material being swept out of the sun -- and return them to Earth for analysis. The trajectory Howell designed with students Brian Barden of West Lafayette and Roby Wilson of Vincennes, Ind., will put the spacecraft in "orbit" near a libration point nearly one million miles from Earth in the direction of the sun. A libration point occurs where the gravitational pull from two or more heavenly bodies, plus the centrifugal force from their rotation, cancel each other out. "These orbits are very complicated, much more complex than the orbit of a planet around the sun," Howell says. She says a spacecraft in orbit near a libration point offers a stable venue for making observations and taking data. CONTACT: Howell, (765) 494-5786; howell@ecn.purdue.edu Students prepare for down-to-earth space research Not all students with space on the brain wind up flying into orbit. "Astronautical engineering isn't just about being groomed to become an astronaut, although Purdue is proud to have many of its graduates go on to 'clock-in' among the stars," says Kathleen Howell, professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering. "Our program is designed to make students employable in every aspect of space research, development and exploration." According to industry experts, one area in particular is booming -- satellites. Pagers, cellular phones, direct TV and syndicated radio all depend on satellites to do their jobs. And before anyone can get beeped, buzzed or zoned-out in front of the tube, these satellites have to be built and launched. Industry reports indicate that more than 1,500 satellites -- mainly commercial -- will be sent into orbit in the next 10 years. Getting them built and launched is the job of astronautical engineers. CONTACT: Howell, (765) 494-5786; howell@ecn.purdue.edu Statewide group promotes space activities Purdue and 12 other learning institutions work together to enhance Hoosier awareness of space science. The Indiana Space Grant Consortium promotes cooperative space-related projects and encourages science and math learning at every level. Consortium director Dominick Andrisani, associate professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue, says the group's activities are far-reaching. "For example, universities sponsor teacher workshops, public lectures and demonstrations; fund scholarships and research projects; develop curriculum; and provide expertise and exhibits to museums," he says. The consortium is one of 52 such groups nationwide funded by NASA. CONTACT: Andrisani, (765) 494-5135; andrisani@ecn.purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page