Third Tour (Summer '06)
I wanted to get some hardware design my second round in AS&RD. Having written software for robots, learning how to build them seemed like the next logical step!
Robot design is an integration task requiring knowledge of mechanical, electrical, and computer systems. The mechanically-inclined determine the physical properties of the robot: how its joints articulate, how much weight its legs can bear, where its center of gravity is, etc. Electrical and computer engineers then develop electronics that enable the robot to move by providing motors with power and the appropriate control signals required to spin them. Armed with this capability and some sensors, mechanical engineers can then develop control schemes that move their creation. Finally, computer scientists can write software to carry out high-level tasks (like assisting an astronaut).
My third tour I was exposed to this design process, in the Robotics Development Branch of AS&RD. I worked on a reconfigurable robotics testbed geared toward debugging motor controller, I/O,
commutation, and encoder problems frequently encountered when building complicated robotic systems. I was lucky enough to operate one of these systems, a teleoperated inspection tool (affectionately called Tendril) and learn about simple approaches to controlling it.
Fourth Tour (Fall '06)
With an interest in control systems and the Constellation program picking up speed, I switched into the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Design and Analysis branch to work on prototype GN&C software for Orion, the next generation crew exploration vehicle (a replacement for the space shuttle).
There I assisted the development of a guidance algorithm to accomplish a "skip reentry" for Orion. The objective of this maneuver is to achieve greater entry range by lofting Orion into, out of, and back into the atmosphere ("skipping" downrange toward a landing target)! This increased range will grant more flexibility to lunar mission planning as it presents more opportunities to depart the moon within the lunar month and yet still land at the same point on Earth's surface. In turn, it also simplifies logistics (as you no longer have to sail around in the Pacific to pick up astronauts).
My task was to document and refactor the algorithm, making it easier to understand for those unfamiliar with it. In doing so, I had my nose rubbed in proper software engineering techniques: unit testing, regression testing, etc. I also learned how to create binaries that contained routines written in both C and FORTRAN!
The world of GN&C also exposed me to powerful engineering software tools such as TRICK (a flexible framework used to implement high fidelity simulations) and ClearCase (a powerful command-line versioning tool). These tools make it possible for a nation-wide network of NASA engineers and scientists to coordinate their efforts in modeling something as complicated as an entire spacecraft.
Craziness
Back at school I spend most of my precious spare time reading, programming, and playing guitar, with an occasional LAN party to break up the monotony. Needless to say, co-oping at JSC proved to be a big break for me: enough time to have some sophisticated fun traveling around Texas.
Fortunately, there are also many opportunities to get involved at JSC that keep one off the streets. You might even get a chance to show off those leadership skills. For example, there are several student committees you can become part of, such as the tours and lectures committee or the housing committee (both of which significantly improve the lifestyle of Joe Co-op).
Best of luck!
If you enjoy learning and don't mind delaying your graduation some, co-oping at JSC is both an excellent opportunity to get a break from school and a chance to apply your knowledge and creativity to solve real world problems. I highly recommend it, and would be more than willing to get in touch with you if you're interested in NASA's Houston experience. |
