ENGS 89/90 Reports
Year of Graduation
2023
Sponsor
Leading Aerospace Company
Project Advisor
Michael Kokko
Instructor
Solomon Diamond
Document Type
Report
Publication Date
2023
Abstract
Aerospace engineers are leading humanity’s expedition beyond Earth with each successful mission. However, the complexity of these missions requires the engineers to navigate multiple inter-team discussions, which can be challenging due to competing team constraints such as thermal management and trajectory planning. In our project, we tackled this challenge head-on for an Earth-ISS rendezvous mission by identifying and addressing the communication pain points surrounding relevant team constraints. Our approach involved an iterative process of cycling through physical model-based solutions informed by state-of-the-art technology, expert insights, and research on education, communication, and cognitive science. The result of our efforts is a manually adjustable physical model that features a visual representation of the Sun, the Earth, the ISS, orbits, and a gimbaled spacecraft. This model can be configured into different scenarios, showcasing various team constraints, and providing a comprehensive representation of the mission’s relevant aspects. Additionally, the model includes a detachable microcontroller-based system. This system calculates the �� angle of different configurations, serving as a proxy for heat distribution along the spacecraft’s chassis as it travels through space. The impact of our project extends beyond the specific mission context we used, with potential uses for communication purposes in different aerospace companies. Furthermore, the research findings that guided our project demonstrate the usefulness of physical models in improving communication and retention. This suggests that the model can also serve as a valuable learning and training tool in various academic settings.
Dartmouth Digital Commons Citation
Aduse Poku, Edmund; Schubert, Kyle; Lynch, Caitlin; Reeder, Charlie; Carney, Alexander; and Abdiken, Ayazhan, "Oribtal Physical Communication Aid" (2023). ENGS 89/90 Reports. 119.
https://digitalcommons.dartmouth.edu/engs89_90/119
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