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ASCENT MODULE
FOR SPACEX'S STARSHIP ROCKET
MISSION BRIEF
"DESIGN AN 8-PERSON CREW ASCENT MODULE FOR THE SPACEX STARSHIP TO LIFT-OFF FROM MARS AND EMBARK ON AN 18 HOUR TO 1 WEEK MISSION TO RENDEZVOUS WITH A RETURN SPACECRAFT EN ROUTE TO EARTH."
NOMINAL TRIP DURATION: ~18 HOURS
ANOMALOUS TRIP DURATION: < 1 WEEK
TEAM
CADE S. - OVERALL DESIGN, CAD, CONSTRUCTION
MASON M. - OVERALL DESIGN, CAD, CONSTRUCTION
DYLAN F. - OVERALL DESIGN, HAND DRAWING, CONSTRUCTION
FELIX A. - MACHINE FABRICATION, RESEARCH
JACK Y. - COMPUTER RENDERING, PART DESIGN
PHIL Z. - PRESENTATION, ILLUSTRATOR
YECHEN Z. - PART DESIGN
PROJECT STRATEGY
PHASE 1:
/ IDENTIFY SCOPE OF PROMPT / IDEATE
/ EXPERIMENT FULL SCALE IN CARDBOARD
/ PRESENT INITIAL DESIGN TO NASA
PHASE 2:
/ DEVELOP FINAL DESIGN WITH NASA FEEDBACK
/ BUILD FULL SCALE HIGH FIDELITY FINAL MODEL
/ PRESENT FINAL DESIGN TO NASA
​
PHASE 1
PHASE 1 REFINED SKETCHES
WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE CAD TEAM, I SKETCHED REFINED CONCEPTS AND DESIGNS TO GIVE THE COMPUTER RENDERS ADDED DETAIL AND CONTEXT.
PHASE 1 CAD RENDERINGS
PHASE 1 PRESENTATION TO NASA
OUR TEAM HAD A IN-DEPTH MEETING WITH 4 SPECIALISTS FROM NASA FOR DESIGN EVALUATION
​
KEY FEEDBACK RECEIVED:
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/ EXCESSIVE UNUSED SPACE ABOVE SEATING AREA
/ TOILET DESIGN IS EXCESSIVE FOR MISSION SCOPE
​ // ALSO MUST ACCOMMODATE BOTH SEXES
/ INCREASE STORAGE CAPACITY WITHIN CABIN
// INCREASE VARIETY OF STORABLE CARGO INCL. CONTAMINABLES
/ FURTHER MINIMIZE SIZE OF MODULE
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PHASE 2
MINUS 80° SCIENTIFIC SAMPLE FREEZER
​​​
/ DESIGNED BASED ON THE UNIT CURRENTLY IN THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISS)
/ ​ITEMS ARE STORED IN CARTRIDGES WHICH FIT TOGETHER IN THE HOUSING
/ RETRACTING HOUSING BRINGS STORED ITEMS IN AND OUT OF THE FREEZER SAFELY AND EASILY
​
REVISED WASTE AND HYGIENE COMPARTMENT (WHC)​
​​
HOUSED IN SIDE WALL OF CENTRAL FLOOR CAVITY
PROTOTYPE SEAT
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/ BLUE FOAM
/ CUT USING A CNC MACHINE
/ SIZE RANGE SPANS 4'11" TO 6'4"
​
FULL SIZE BUILD
FINAL NASA PRESENTATION / CRIT
CRITIQUE
DR. ROBERT HOWARD (LAYING IN OUR MODULE) IS THE LEAD OF THE CENTER FOR DESIGN AND SPACE ARCHITECTURE AT JOHNSON SPACE CENTER IN HOUSTON, TX. HE FLEW IN FROM HOUSTON TO ATTEND OUR CRITIQUE IN-PERSON.
SPECIALISTS AT NASA, INCLUDING A RISD ID ALUM WHO ALSO ATTENDED THIS CLASS CALLED IN FROM HOUSTON.
THIS CRITIQUE WITH NASA SPECIALISTS LASTED 1 HOUR AND OUR IMPROVED DESIGN PROVED TO BE A MAJOR IMPROVEMENT OVER OUR INITIAL PHASE 1 DESIGN. IT MET ALL PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND WOULD BE SHIPPED TO THE JOHNSON SPACE CENTER TO BE DISPLAYED PUBLICLY. DUE TO COVID LIMITATIONS THE EXHIBIT WAS ULTIMATELY CANCELLED.
MISSION SUCCESS
THIS WAS A PROJECT ASSIGNED IN MY JUNIOR YEAR SPRING SEMESTER INDUSTRIAL DESIGN DESIGN FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS SPECIAL TOPICS CLASS FUNDED BY NASA THROUGH THE RHODE ISLAND SPACE GRANT AND TAUGHT BY PROF. MICHAEL LYE.
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