Although not directly related to the UTA research program, this is an example of a rotary explosion rocket engine. [Photo: U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory]
For generations, rockets have propelled payloads and people deep into space. But next-generation versions called “rotary-explosion rocket engines” are opening up new possibilities that could make propulsion in space more efficient, compact, and powerful.
Now, a team of Arlington Tech researchers has been awarded $900,000 from NASA to help advance their technology. This grant is part of the NASA MUREP Space Technology Artemis Research (M-STAR), which promotes and increases minority-serving agency participation in research and technology development concepts that align with NASA's needs for future Artemis missions. By supporting NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. Moon. NASA selected nine of her agencies for this project and awarded them a total of more than $8 million.
Liwei Zhang, an assistant professor in the UTA School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, is leading the project at UTA.
The explosion wave rotates at “supersonic speed”
Liwei Zhang of UTA
“The explosion is a very fast combustion,” Zhang explained in a statement. “Inside the RDRE, detonation waves rotate in a circle at supersonic speeds. Compared to traditional engines that rely on periodic combustion, RDREs are theoretically more efficient, making them smaller and more compact. can do.”
Zhang said her team will focus on the component level of the technology, such as evaluating injectors, combustors, and nozzles.
“We also plan to study system-level configurations for testing,” she added. “This is a joint effort of theoretical analysis, computational simulations and experimental measurements to evaluate and improve the performance of this type of engine.”
Zhang said the goal is to develop more efficient propulsion systems for space travel and eventually use them to send people to explore the moon and beyond.
“Through the Artemis program, NASA is responding to the call from the National Space Exploration Campaign to harness new technologies to better study the Moon and prepare for future missions,” she said.
Testing will take place at UTA's Aerodynamics Research Center.
One of UTA's rotating explosion rocket engines, nicknamed “Skittles.” [Photo: UTA]
Co-investigators on this project include UT Arlington MAE Professor Frank Lu and Grace Brannon and Monica Mengqi Zhan, assistant professors in the university's School of Communication.
“We are pleased that NASA recognizes our expertise in rotary explosion engines that can play a role in this innovative technology,” Lu said in a statement.
“Frank played a pivotal role in securing this grant through his expertise in explosive engines,” Zhang said. “His and our beloved late Don Wilson [another professor in UTA’s MAE] Thirty-seven years ago, we established the Center for Aerodynamics Research on campus. Since then, they have led much exciting research on explosive engines. All of our testing for his M-STAR project will be done on ARC. ”
K-16 Educational Support Component
One of UTA's rotating explosion rocket engines, nicknamed “Hershey.” [Photo: UTA]
In addition to rocket technology research, educational goals are also part of the project. It will include a K-16 education component for underrepresented student communities, UTA said.
“We want to recruit and retain them so they can establish a career in space,” Chan said. “We want young people to understand that there are ways to get into this track. If you're interested, follow your heart. Many people see space education as something for the elite. I think it's a learning experience. They're disappointed. It's not just a technical hurdle, it's a mental hurdle.”
In a statement, UTA said Zhang spoke from experience, saying, “Growing up in a small town in central China, a girl was casually told that her interest in math and science was misplaced.” While attending, she was often the only woman in study groups or classrooms. She believes parts of education could be changed to include students from different identity groups. ” the university said.
Chan said her communications colleagues are planning “enrichment activities” to promote the recruitment, retention and lifelong engagement of students from diverse backgrounds in space technology.
“How educational goals are communicated early in the K-12 education system can have a significant impact on students' self-efficacy and even their academic success,” says the first-generation college student herself. added Brannon.
Walt Engelland, deputy program administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, praised the efforts of UTA and the eight other agencies participating in the $8 million project.
“It is because of the creativity and dedication of researchers across the country that we will be able to return humans to the moon,” Engelland said. “We are proud to partner with the Office of STEM Engagement to advance the future of technology development and create opportunities for these agencies to contribute to NASA’s Artemis mission.”
Please put it on the list.
Dallas innovates every day.
Sign up to stay up-to-date on what's new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.
Read next
-
“One word: plastic.” This is the famous career advice from the movie The Graduate. UT He's sure the Arlington professor got the same message. Because 56 years later, a professor is making history by using plastic to repair and stabilize roads in his DFW area. Sahadat Hossain, Ph.D., professor of civil engineering at UTA and director of the school's Sustainability Solid Waste Institute, is working with the Texas Department of Transportation Dallas District to help achieve Texas' first use of “plastic road” materials. Approximately $950,000 in grants were received. . The project will begin with road construction near Kaufman, southeast of Dallas.
-
Electrical engineering professor Yang Wang has received $800,000 in funding from the National Science Foundation to develop an open networked aerial computing platform for drones used by first responders. Networking “aerial robot” systems can help find disaster victims and guide rescuers. UTA said her work could also be used for drone delivery and other commercial applications.
-
The Cancer Prevention Institute of Texas approved more than $90 million in new cancer research and prevention grants Wednesday at its quarterly meeting near the Texas State Capitol. $20.6 million of that funding will go to North Texas to advance everything from breast and lung cancer. Screening for “deep learning models” to facilitate T-cell receptor therapy.
-
Shelley, who holds 34 patents, was a pioneer in the design of molecular materials for use in medical imaging. His research on chemicals called macrocyclic ligands led to their use “to carry payloads of metal radiotherapy compounds that can kill cancer cells on contact.” can be engineered to bind to specific proteins, allowing them to be delivered precisely to only affected tissues,” Amanda Siegfried writes in UT Dallas Magazine.
-
Dr. Amy Pinkham of UTD's Department of Behavioral and Brain Sciences received the award for outstanding research in social cognition. The professor said the award will put her group at the forefront of research in this field. This research could potentially be applied to many disorders, including autism, mood disorders, and anxiety disorders.
