Apprenticeship 2017-2018: Katherine Aikens

The Space System Engineering Lab has been working toward the successful launch of a CubeSat called ARC-2 for the last two years. Its main research objective will be to log the launch environment going into space. This project is of high interest to NASA as understanding the launch environment from the mini satellite perspective will help others optimize the performance of their satellites and decrease the chances of failure during the launch phase. Also, as this is mainly a student run project it promotes interest in the space industry and low cost space exploration. As a mechanical engineering student who has been working on the Structures, Mechanism, Thermal (SMT) Team since the beginning of 2016, my role has been to support the main mission by building the housing structure that holds the electrical systems of the satellite. The SMT team consists of three mechanical engineering students, myself included, where each of us has a unique role in building the structure. My specific role will consist of designing and machining parts that solely support the electrical systems, including mounting blocks for electrical components and standoffs. Currently, we are starting the manufacturing stage of structural production with the intention to machine multiple satellite structures to put through testing for validation.