A Space-Based Solution to Improve Roadway Safety and Efficiency in Virginia: Real-Time Winter Weather Data for Navigation; Stakeholder Influence on the Adoption of Sustainable Shipping Practices

The technical report discusses the efforts of the Spacecraft Design capstone team at the University of Virginia to design a system responsible for monitoring and distributing information on road conditions in the Capital Beltway corridor of Northern Virginia. With roadway accidents still alarmingly high during periods of poor weather, the team set out to design a system capable of providing real-time coverage on snow and ice conditions in an effort to more effectively inform drivers of hazardous conditions. The solution comprised of utilizing a constellation of 25 6U CubeSat satellites operating in Low Earth Orbit and based out of two ground stations located at Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. This network of CubeSats allows for multiple passes over the Capital Beltway per hour, thus providing routine updates on roadway conditions and allowing drivers to make more informed decisions when travelling. Although only in the design phase, success in the Capital Beltway region could lead to widespread testing across all of Virginia.
The STS research paper examines the role of stakeholder influence in the adoption of Sustainable Shipping Practices (SSP) in the shipping industry. With the shipping industry lagging behind land-based transportation methods in environmental regulation, it is crucial that the most effective methods for SSP implementation are identified. Using Actor-Network Theory, the various stakeholders and their roles within the shipping industry are identified and discussed. These roles are then analyzed in the context of SSP adoption, illustrating the unique ways in which each stakeholder can influence shipping companies to focus on environmental reform. Individually, the most influential stakeholders are government organizations, who possess the power to influence trade through taxation and legislation, and resource suppliers, who actively support shipping companies through financial aid and technological investments. However, stakeholders can be seen to be at their most effective when operating in strategic partnerships, as their diversified roles within the industry allow for widespread influence and increased coercive power.
The technical and STS reports are related by their involvement in the transportation industry. The technical report proposes a system to more effectively inform drivers of hazardous roadway conditions in an effort to reduce weather-related accidents. With automobile travel continuing to increase and weather becoming more unpredictable due to global warming, it is essential that drivers have access to all the tools they need to make informed decisions about travelling. The STS report focuses on analyzing the impact of stakeholders on the adoption of Sustainable Shipping Practices in the shipping industry. Similar to automobile travel, international trade and transport only continue to grow as countries become more reliant on foreign imports and exports for domestic success. Thus, the shipping industry’s impact on the environment must be addressed to prevent an increase in environmental pollutants. This research introduces two very relevant topics in everyday life, and demonstrates the importance of regulating and monitoring the transportation industry.

School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Technical Advisor: Chris Goyne
STS Advisor: Hannah Rogers
Technical Team Members: Arianna Asquini, Isaac Burkhalter, Xavier Castillo, Reed Curtin, Andie Daniels, Ian Davis, Luke Dennis, Cooper Dzema, Kyle Ebanks, Shane Eilers, Graham Fitzgerald, Kevin Fletcher, Rikia Freeman, Brandon Ghany, Raeann Giannattasio, Jalen Granville, Alex Griffin, Allen Lang, Dorothea LeBeau, Dominic Pinnisi, Colin Purcell, Bailey Roe, Khamal Saunders, Anisha Sharma, Jimmy Smith, Pranav Sridhar, Elias Topp, Anish Vegesna, Ethan Vicario, Avery Walker, Ian Wnorowski, Victor Yang