NASA ENGINEERING AND SAFETY CENTER S (NESC) MISSION IS TO PERFORM VALUE-ADDED INDEPENDENT TESTING, ANALYSIS…

Public award description

NASA ENGINEERING AND SAFETY CENTER S (NESC) MISSION IS TO PERFORM VALUE-ADDED INDEPENDENT TESTING, ANALYSIS, AND ASSESSMENTS OF NASA S HIGH-RISK PROJECTS TO ENSURE SAFETY AND MISSION SUCCESS, THE NESC ENGAGES PROACTIVELY TO HELP NASA AVOID FUTURE PROBLEMS. NASA S TECHNICAL FELLOW AND THE TECHNICAL DISCIPLINE TEAM (TDT) MEMBERS ARE THE CORE OF THE NESC. THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS TDT PROVIDES TECHNICAL EXPERTISE FOR THE RESOLUTION OF AGENCY-WIDE ISSUES RELATED TO MECHANICAL SYSTEMS. NESC IS SUPPORTING FUTURE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AS DESCRIBED IN THE NASA TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP. ONE ASPECT OF THAT IS THE ABILITY TO BUILD LARGE, PRECISION STRUCTURES ON ORBIT AND OVERCOME THE CONSTRAINTS OF LAUNCH VEHICLE FAIRING SIZE. THIS WILL NEED TO BE DONE EITHER REMOTELY OR WITH HUMANS IN THE LOOP. DEVELOPMENT OF INTERFACES THAT WILL COST EFFECTIVELY AND MORE RELIABLY STREAMLINE SYSTEM AND SPACECRAFT CONNECTIVITY WILL BE REQUIRED. THE NESC MECHANICAL SYSTEMS TDT IS PROPOSING A SENIOR UNDERGRADUATE DESIGN PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF FUTURE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS FOR NASA S TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP. THE PURPOSE OF THIS TASK IS TO OFFER AN EDUCATIONAL DESIGN CHALLENGE TO UNDERGRADUATE ENGINEERING STUDENTS. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS TASK IS TO DESIGN AND BUILD A PROTOTYPE JOINT MECHANISM THAT CAN INTERFACE WITH THE STRUT OR PANEL STRUCTURES ASSEMBLY ON ORBIT.