Tag Archives: Interns

My Summer Internship

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The past 10 weeks at Princeton Satellite Systems have been a life changing experience. During my summer off from the University of Pennsylvania, I have worked as an intern for the company. This gave me the opportunity to learn from trailblazers in the industry and to be immersed in a community passionate and dedicated to the work.

I first heard of Princeton Satellite Systems at the Dawn of Private Space Science Symposium in 2017. After that, Mike graciously agreed to come speak for the Penn Aerospace Club in the fall and the Ivy Space Coalition Conference the next spring. Everyone in attendance was fascinated by the presentation and I felt so lucky that I would have the chance to learn so much more soon. Connections like these are what drive the aerospace community and as I expand my communication I hope to stay closely in touch with the people I came to know at PSS.

Through my work, I’ve been doing a lot of Matlab modeling: sizing the components for the Direct Fusion Drive engine, testing a rotating detonation engine, and MHD plasma simulation. The idea of these technologies enhancing propulsive power and efficiency is fascinating and has great potential for the future of space travel.

My summer at Princeton Satellite Systems has helped me to enhance my technical understanding and skills: I’ve definitely gained a ton of experience in Matlab, and all of my studying of plasma modeling should give me a head start in my fluids class next semester! I’ve also gained a much better understanding of how the professional world works. I got to help write and edit proposals, sit in on phone calls, and even attend the NIAC meeting at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab.

I think that there’s a great benefit in working at a smaller company. You are given plenty of real responsibility and see the changes happening in real time. I will definitely take the lessons I’ve learned this summer and apply them to my education as well as my future career as a mechanical engineer.

I am so grateful for this opportunity. Everyone has been so kind and helpful and patient. The time has flown by, and it definitely made staying in my little Princeton dorm with no air conditioning well worth it! I’ll miss coming in to work every day but I can’t wait to see all the big things that PSS accomplishes.

 

Sun Sensor Design Project

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Hello!

My name is Anna Cruz and I am Mechanical Engineering major and rising sophomore at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ). This summer I was given the opportunity to work at Princeton Satellite Systems (PSS) as their engineering intern. The most recent project I have been working on is the mechanical design and 3D model of the sun sensor that will be made using a 3D printer. All the models I have created were done using SolidWorks. I have been working alongside my coworker Gary, and manager of the project Mike that have done a wonderful job in giving me helpful tips when I needed it the most.

This sun sensor will fly on a CubeSat or small spacecraft in low earth orbit. The main body of the sensor has a pyramid shape with a solar cell on each side. I had already been given a drawing and STEP file of the circuit board that will be attached to the sun sensor so the dimensions for the sensor I am making were based on that single part. To start, I did some research on different sun sensor models to get a sense of how they work. I first needed to figure out how these parts would be assembled. To make it simple, I decided to use 4 screws on each corner to attach the sensor to the circuit board. The base is rectangular with dimensions a bit larger than the circuit board to allow space for the screw clearance holes and room for the screw head as shown in figure 1.1.

Then it was time to design the pyramid itself. I created a pyramid with a flat top and placed it at the center leaving space from each edge of the pyramid to the edge of the rectangular base adjusting the dimensions as needed. The pyramid holds one solar cell on each side. To make sure that the cells fit nice and snug, I added a placeholder feature deep enough to hold the chip. However, after discovering that the solar cell did not have a flat surface and that there was a wire attached to the back and front of the chip, my original design had to change completely! After a few days of trying out new designs and working with Gary to find the best solution, we liked the idea of creating a trench like feature in the middle of the placeholder extruding a bit further into the pyramid. This will accommodate the wire from the back of the solar cell as well as increase the tolerance regarding the location of the wire for each chip. As for the wire coming out the front of the chip, I added a rectangular slot feature next to the placeholder which channels all the way down the pyramid shown in figure 1.2. This will help gather and guide both wires all the way down one channel to the circuit board. There is one channel on each side of the pyramid, a total of 4. Aside from these hollow channels, the entire pyramid is a solid piece.

Figure 1.2

The placeholder for the solar cell is deep enough so that nothing sticks out of the pyramidal faces. This will aid in the application of the glass window on top of each solar cell using a space qualified adhesive. The same adhesive will be used to attach the solar cells to their placeholders.

Because the sun sensor is attached to a spacecraft, there is a high change of reflective light bouncing off the spacecraft and onto the sensors. To prevent this, a lip feature around the pyramid needed to be added. I went along and added an extruded frame like feature surrounding the pyramid leaving a gap between the end of the frame and the end of the pyramid. The outside edge of this feature is perpendicular to the base surface. The inside edge is at about a 50 degree angle from the base surface as shown in the section view in figure 1.3.

Figure 1.3

Since this sun sensor will be used in space, the plan is to do a vacuum test of this part. As of right now, I am currently waiting on the entire part to be printed so that it could be tested. I am very excited to see the final product!

3-D Modelling of Direct Fusion Drive Rocket Engine

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My name is Matthew Daigger and I’m a mechanical and aerospace engineering major at Princeton University going into my senior year. I was given the opportunity to intern and learn at Princeton Satellite Systems this summer. Through this internship, I got a lot of valuable experience in 3-D modelling, research and design. I was able to work with the fantastic engineers at Princeton Satellite Systems as well as Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, who helped whenever questions in their areas of expertise arose.

Side view of the reactor showing the coils

DFD CAD model generation by Matt Daigger

The Direct Fusion Drive (DFD) is an innovative and exciting new technology being designed by Princeton Satellite Systems. This Rocket engine utilizes the Princeton Reverse Field Cycle fusion reactor setup in order to create both thrust and power for a satellite. The vehicle it is currently being designed for is an exploratory satellite being sent to Pluto. What makes the DFD unique is that it can potentially halve the flight time to Pluto, from ten years to five, as well as have enough fuel left to put the satellite into orbit. Along with this, the craft should have enough extra power to deploy a rover to the surface of Pluto and power a drill. This technology could also open other exciting doors, such as manned missions to Mars, given its capability to cut travel times so drastically.

The first task I worked on this summer was looking into how to incorporate a Brayton cooling cycle into the design of the DFD. This Brayton cycle had a dual purpose. The first is to help cool the reactor and prevent too much heat and radiation from escaping and potentially damaging other parts of the satellite. The second function is to re-use this waste heat and convert it back into usable energy. Two simple brayton cycles running in parallel were chosen in order to maximize heat absorption from the reactor and power developed. The working fluid, its flow rate and the diameter of piping, as well as approximate dimensions of the turbine and compressor were also determined. Another important design factor is the ability for the satellite to withstand launch loads. Preliminary launch load calculations were also done in order to get a better idea for the stresses involved with launch using a Delta IV Heavy launch vehicle.

All of this information helped to conceptualize the physical design, which was drawn up in Inventor. The shielding and incorporation of the Brayton cycle flowing through the shielding were ideas which were confirmed by members at PSS and PPPL. The length of the reactor is a key factor in determining how high energy it will be. The length was chosen so to produce a 1 MW engine. The superconducting coils were also a main topic of research. These are active superconductors which are used to shape the plasma. This is still an ongoing process, as using active coils hasn’t been done before, and our engine has unique weight and size limitations which other similar lab reactors don’t. The debate as to whether to use high temperature or low temperature superconducting coils comes down to total size and weight, including that of a cryo-cooling system in the case of the low temperature coils. High temperature superconducting coils are the more massive option, which generally makes them less desirable for space application. The support structure was designed to keep the size compact while being able to handle the stresses calculated earlier. All information about the RMF heating coils, which are used to actually excite and drive the plasma, was received and confirmed by colleagues at Princeton Plasma Physics Lab. The separation coils at the tail-end of the thruster are power variable, and allow the expelled products to be manipulated, giving the engine high precision control in space travel.

Overall, this was an incredibly interesting and educational experience. The work that the Engineers are doing at PSS is innovative and exciting. The big ideas that are being developed here today are what lead to the next big step in space travel tomorrow. I am very thankful for the opportunity to spend my summer here and learn from some of the best engineers in the industry.