A review of how the challenges of all space missions, especially EDL missions, requires a design mind set to maximize efficiency, minimize mass, and make the impossible possible.

Dr. Sengupta will touch on how space technology and design philosophy can serve to mitigate climate change here at home.

Mars is the next destination for humans to explore and colonize in our journey through the solar system and beyond. For the past thirty years, the space programs of many nations have been sending landed platforms of increasing complexity, revealing the Red Planet’s ancient past. One of the most challenging aspects of all missions to Mars is the safe landing on the surface, from an initial entry speed of 30,000 miles per hour to a soft touchdown. During the descent to the surface, robots and eventually people are protected from extreme temperatures and G-forces by complex engineered systems. On the surface they must be able to survive radiation and low pressures, with only the limited resources they can bring with them. This talk will discuss the motivation for Mars exploration and how engineering challenges are tackled with computational modeling, cutting-edge technologies, and out-of-the-box thinking. Engineering the Red Planet is the key to our future and understanding our past.

On August 5th 2012, NASA landed its most capable robotic geologist on the surface of the Red Planet. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission landed a 2000lb rover, the size of a compact car, to explore the planes of Mars. The rover, aptly named Curiosity, will search for organic compounds, characterize the climate and geology, and continue the search for life. One of the most challenging aspects of the mission, from an engineering perspective, was safely landing the rover on the surface. The entry descent and landing (EDL) system used a heat shield to accommodate its hypersonic entry conditions, followed by a supersonic parachute, and eight retro rockets for the powered descent phase. For its final terminal descent, a maneuver called the sky crane was used where the rover was lowered on tethers for touchdown. The talk will describe the motivation for Mars Exploration and how the MSL EDL engineering challenges were tackled with computational modeling and cutting edge experimental techniques.

On August 5th 2012, NASA landed its most capable robotic geologist on the surface of the Red Planet. The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission landed a 2000lb rover, the size of a compact car, to explore the planes of Mars. The rover, aptly named Curiosity, will search for organic compounds, characterize the climate and geology, and continue the search for life. One of the most challenging aspects of the mission, from an engineering perspective, was safely landing the rover on the surface. The entry descent and landing (EDL) system used a heat shield to accommodate its hypersonic entry conditions, followed by a supersonic parachute, and eight retro rockets for the powered descent phase. For its final terminal descent, a maneuver called the sky crane was used where the rover was lowered on tethers for touchdown. The talk will describe the motivation for Mars Exploration and how the MSL EDL engineering challenges were tackled with computational modeling and cutting edge experimental techniques.

In the global marketplace that transfers knowledge at the speed of light, we have a massive time delay and that is modern transportation methods. The hyperloop is the first new mode of transport to be created in over 100 years. The motivation is to connect people, reduce congestion, and protect our planet by eliminating CO2 emissions from terrestrial transport. The hyperloop can best be described as space travel on the ground - a magnetically levitating, electromagnetically propelled, passenger vehicle in a vacuum tube. With the elimination of aerodynamic drag and surface friction, power consumption plummets, speeds can reach 700 mph, and waste and cost are minimized. With the use of autonomy the service is on demand and delays become a thing of the past. Dr. Sengupta will discuss how space-age tech coupled to the VC funded innovation environment are enabling the revolution in green transportation from suborbital rocket flights, to electric airplanes, to space travel on the ground with the hyperloop.

In the global marketplace that transfers knowledge at the speed of light, we have a massive time delay and that is modern transportation methods. The hyperloop is the first new mode of transport to be created in over 100 years. The motivation is to connect people, reduce congestion, and protect our planet by eliminating CO2 emissions from terrestrial transport. The hyperloop can best be described as space travel on the ground - a magnetically levitating, electromagnetically propelled, passenger vehicle in a vacuum tube. With the elimination of aerodynamic drag and surface friction, power consumption plummets, speeds can reach 700 mph, and waste and cost are minimized. With the use of autonomy the service is on demand and delays become a thing of the past. Dr. Sengupta will discuss how space-age tech coupled to the VC funded innovation environment are enabling the revolution in green transportation from suborbital rocket flights, to electric airplanes, to space travel on the ground with the hyperloop.

In the global marketplace that transfers knowledge at the speed of light, we have a massive time delay and that is modern transportation methods. The hyperloop is the first new mode of transport to be created in over 100 years. The motivation is to connect people, reduce congestion, and protect our planet by eliminating CO2 emissions from terrestrial transport. The hyperloop can best be described as space travel on the ground - a magnetically levitating, electromagnetically propelled, passenger vehicle in a vacuum tube. With the elimination of aerodynamic drag and surface friction, power consumption plummets, speeds can reach 700 mph, and waste and cost are minimized. With the use of autonomy the service is on demand and delays become a thing of the past. Dr. Sengupta will discuss how space-age tech coupled to the VC funded innovation environment are enabling the revolution in green transportation from suborbital rocket flights, to electric airplanes, to space travel on the ground with the hyperloop.

In the global marketplace that transfers knowledge at the speed of light, we have a massive time delay and that is modern transportation methods. The hyperloop is the first new mode of transport to be created in over 100 years. The motivation is to connect people, reduce congestion, and protect our planet by eliminating CO2 emissions from terrestrial transport. The hyperloop can best be described as space travel on the ground - a magnetically levitating, electromagnetically propelled, passenger vehicle in a vacuum tube. With the elimination of aerodynamic drag and surface friction, power consumption plummets, speeds can reach 700 mph, and waste and cost are minimized. With the use of autonomy the service is on demand and delays become a thing of the past. Dr. Sengupta will discuss how space-age tech coupled to the VC funded innovation environment are enabling the revolution in green transportation from suborbital rocket flights, to electric airplanes, to space travel on the ground with the hyperloop.

Mars is the next destination for humans to explore and colonize in our journey through the solar system and beyond. For the past thirty years, the space programs of many nations have been sending landed platforms of increasing complexity, revealing the Red Planet’s ancient past. One of the most challenging aspects of all missions to Mars is the safe landing on the surface, from an initial entry speed of 30,000 miles per hour to a soft touchdown. On the surface future explorers must be able to survive radiation and low pressures, with only the limited resources they can bring with them. This talk will discuss the motivation for Mars exploration and how engineering challenges are tackled with computational modeling, cutting-edge technologies, and out-of-the-box thinking. Engineering the Red Planet is the key to our future and understanding our past.

Mars is the next destination for humans to explore and colonize in our journey through the solar system and beyond. For the past thirty years, the space programs of many nations have been sending landed platforms of increasing complexity, revealing the Red Planet’s ancient past. One of the most challenging aspects of all missions to Mars is the safe landing on the surface, from an initial entry speed of 30,000 miles per hour to a soft touchdown. On the surface future explorers must be able to survive radiation and low pressures, with only the limited resources they can bring with them. This talk will discuss the motivation for Mars exploration and how engineering challenges are tackled with computational modeling, cutting-edge technologies, and out-of-the-box thinking. Engineering the Red Planet is the key to our future and understanding our past.