Undergraduate – Rohan Patel

Research

Research Project (01/2020 – 07/2020)

Worked with Try Lam and Damon Landau of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to investigate solar system escape trajectories between 2030-2060.
Developed and added energy maximizing flyby conditions to broad trajectory search data to find fast escape sequences
Conducted a search and optimized trajectories to several KBO objects using the previously found data (found +10,000 trajectories to 25 KBOs of interest)
Published in the AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Tahoe (See Publications Section AAS20-741)

Capstone Project Team Member (09/2019 – 07/2020)

Exploring the use of Monte Carlo Tree Search bases heuristics in broad multi-flyby interplanetary trajectory search
Ran various cases like Galileo and Europa Clipper to validate search results and algorithm performance
Developed a method to find and implement ΔVEGA orbit leveraging into the broad search using a lookup table solution.
Published in the AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference, Lake Tahoe (See Publications Section AAS20-686)

On-Campus Researcher (02/2019 – 12/2019)

Learning Mission Analysis – Low Thrust Optimization (MALTO) and low thrust trajectory design
Conducting internal testing for the new graphical user interface being developed in MATLAB App Designer
Creating documentation and tutorial missions for the new GUI release which will be available to CPP students and JPL employees
Helping with SI sessions and on-campus demonstrations

Mission Design Lead and Systems Engineering (11/2019 – 05/2020)

Responding to a JPL proposal for an interstellar solar gravitational lensing telescope intended to 550 AU
Researching and developing possible trajectories to the interstellar medium (ISM) using multi-planetary flybys
Utilizing JPL’s MALTO and AGI’s Systems Toolkit (STK) to create and verify trajectory and flybys
Involved in vehicle design, components selection, and systems engineering for the project

Individual Project (03/2019 – 04/2019)

Used the non-dimensionalized version of the Taylor-Maccoll Equation to find the flow properties behind a supersonic cone with an oblique shockwave.
Took the T-M PDE and broke it down into 2 ODE’s for use with the Runge-Kutta 4th Order ODE algorithm.
Analyzed flow properties behind the shock for pressure, temperature, and density until the cone surface.

Individual Project (11/2018 – 12/2018)

Learned about the Numerical lifting line theory and the Kutta-Joukowski Lift Equation.
Created MATLAB code takes user input for three different wing geometries and calculates chord wise circulation, downwash, and lift coefficient.
Analyzed different geometries and how lift and drag vary.

Project Lead (01/2018 – 03/2018)

Learned about Lambert Transfers and basics regarding the space mission design process
Created MATLAB code that imports ephemeris data, runs a trajectory search under specified conditions, and generates porkchop plots for launch and arrival data.
Lead team to successful completion of the project and with even participation. (Highest project grade in all sections of the course)

Aerodynamics Team Lead (10/2018 – 06/2019)

Managed aerodynamics and flight simulation team
Taught group members how do basic aerodynamic stability evaluation and to use related programs
Applied high speed aerodynamics to predict flow properties and pressure coefficients around the vehicle
Worked on vehicle design (internal and external) and helped with the CAD model of the vehicle
Placed 1st in the competition sending a 130 lb, 1300 lbf thrust rocket to 23,400 feet at a peak velocity of Mach 1.78 (LAUNCH) (STATIC FIRE) (PICTURES)

Launch Vehicle Aerodynamics (06/2018 – 06/2019)

Involved in Launch Vehicle Design
Working on vehicle stability MATLAB code
Working on 3-DOF MATLAB simulation code
Using CFD to analyze flow properties and to design fin configurations suitable for flight
Developed a USAF Missile DATCOM configuration to generate aerodynamic properties of the vehicle and integrated the results in MATLAB.

Aerodynamics Team and CAD Member (10/2017 – 06/2018)

Learned about the fundamentals of aerodynamics of high powered rockets
Worked on launch vehicle design, stability, and flight performance
Hands on work with rocket assembly gaining experience with with composites and 3D printing
Used Solidworks and Flow Simulation to design parts, assemblies, and do basic CFD analysis of shock-wave formation, pressures, and flow velocities.

Individual Project (ongoing)

Collection of orbital mechanics related code I have created in undergrad.
Requires: NAIF SPICE (CSPICE and Spiceypy)
Uses several community available libraries
Includes: execution error analysis, porkchop plotting (MATLAB and Python), 2BP, visualization, Launch Vehicle performance, and others.
Available at: github.com/rohanpatel747/orbitalmechanics_rp

Individual Project (12/2018 – 01/2019)