MSAE Project & Thesis Reports: 2017

Spring 2017 

Daniel Aguilar
Design of a mission to Mars using electric propulsion for small spacecraft [pdf]
Advisor: Marcus Murbach, NASA Ames RC

Marcus Bautista
Deployable traffic control dirigible conceptual design

Ted Bohrer
Development of a subsonic sounding rocket for research flights of variable payloads [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Periklis Papadopoulos

Joseph Burces
Experimental investigation of low density ablative insulator materials for rocket combustion chambers
Advisor: Greg Zilliac, NASA Ames RC

Pardha Chadalavada
Tuning of control systems using simulated annealing algorithm
Advisor: Dr. Kamran Turkoglu

Nishith Gorla 

Nathaniel Grady
Design of an all-electric general aviation airplane, using plausible future battery technology
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Benjamin Jacobo

Xiran Lu

Graciela Manzanares
Empirical prediction of a Clark Y-14 airfoil low-speed lift and drag increments due to high-lift devices
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Jeffrey Meadows
Ionization within a plasma for the purpose of investigating space propulsion and the VASIMR plasma rocket engine [pdf]
Advisor: Marcus Murbach, NASA Ames RC

Christopher Mendez

Gustavo Moreno
Astrodynamic calculations and 3-D model of a VASIMR engine powered spacecraft for the accelerated transportation of small spacecraft to Mars [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Kamran Turkoglu

Dhathri H. Somavarapu
A parallel processing and diversified-hidden-gene-based genetic algorithm framework for fuel-optimal tragectory design for interplanetary spacecraft missions [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Kamran Turkoglu

Duong Tan

Summer 2017 

Tara Samuels
Real-time stall speed indicator in any flight condition                                        Advisor: Prof. Jeanine Hunter

Thomas Shu
A holistic approach to emergency communications systems and rapid response [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Periklis Papadopoulos

Fall 2017 

Brian Andrade
Design of a next generation military, heavy-lift air transport [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Hilal Annous
Hilicopter: the design of a two-passenger, general aviation, VTOL, electric aircraft
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Theodore Hendriks

Max Jeng
Aerothermodynamic and TPS sizing of skip re-entry and aerocapture vehicles [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Periklis Papadopoulos

Zaid Karajeh
Perturbations in lower uranian orbit review [pdf]
Advisor: Prof. Jeanine Hunter

Jared Sagaga
Analysis on plasma sheath formation and its effects on radio communications [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Sebastian Smith
CubeSat de-orbit point targeting using drag modulations [pdf]
Advisor: Marcus Murbach, NASA Ames RC

Bruno Sotelo
High-fidelity grid generation investigations of a low-density supersonic decelerator [pdf]
Advisor: Periklis Papadopoulos

Andrew Torricelli
Development of CR3BP, ER3BP and n-body orbit simulations using matlab [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Jeanine Hunter

Veera Vadaparthi
Design of a narrow body, medium range, jet transport aircraft [pdf]
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos

Alyssa Villanueva
Design of a long range, hydrogen-powered, transport aircraft
Advisor: Dr. Nikos J. Mourtos