Abstract
As society progresses, the need for accessing space in efficient and sustainable ways increases. Space access has become increasingly important for a variety of reasons. Some of these motivations include space exploration, establishing extraterrestrial colonies, and satellite data collection and processing. To achieve these goals, current aerospace technologies and infrastructure must be improved upon, which is the focus of both my technical and STS research. My technical research focuses on improving rocket propulsion systems, specifically rotating detonation rocket engines (RDRE), which are more efficient than traditional rocket engines. My STS research focuses on the expansion of the space industry from an infrastructure perspective, analyzing how a non-aerospace company was able to develop its own reusable launch vehicle.
My technical research aimed to address the issue of advancing test facility design and diagnostic methods for RDRE research and development. One prominent area of research is scaling RDREs to make them efficient across different applications. To do this, my research team aimed to develop a test facility design that would facilitate the study of detonation wave properties across different curvatures. Thus, we designed a system that could be built on a budget of less than $5000 and had modularity, such that the test section is interchangeable for testing different radii of curvature. In this project, my team and I successfully designed a safe test facility that did not exceed the set budget. Our work has been documented and outlined in detail, and other teams and researchers could use our design to conduct testing of their own to further advance detonation and RDRE research.
My STS research aimed to address how and why Honda, an automobile company, is pursuing the development of reusable rocket technology. Using Actor Network Theory (ANT), I analyzed the internal and external actors involved in Honda’s rocket program. Through this analysis, I was able to map the networks through which Honda’s space technology is emerging and uncover the motivations behind its efforts to become self-sufficient in accessing space. In my research, I found that a major motivation is the increase in data flow and the usage of satellites. Pairing that with the Japanese government's strong push to expand commercial activity in the space industry and Honda’s existing infrastructure creates unique circumstances that allow Honda to develop its own reusable launch vehicle.
Overall, I would consider the research conducted on both topics a success. The detonation test facility that my team and I designed is an impressive yet accessible piece of research equipment. The information from our design process can be used to easily design new and improved detonation test facilities, greatly increasing access to detonation wave testing for RDRE research. Future research could involve creating more test structures of different scales and making the ignition process more robust and similar to an RDRE. Improving RDRE design through continued research would provide substantial progress in space propulsion and access to space. On the other hand, my STS research highlights the networks and infrastructure needed to develop space technology as a non-space company. This research and topic greatly expand access to space, as other companies can look to Honda’s developments to develop their own space technology, freeing them from reliance on established space companies like SpaceX. Future research on this topic could examine the roadblocks other companies have faced in establishing space programs, further expanding the information available on the networks needed to develop space technology.
Lastly, I would like to thank everyone who helped me conduct both my STS and Technical research. I want to thank my capstone team for their hard work throughout the past two semesters. I also want to thank my technical advisor, Professor Chloe Dedic, and my STS advisor, Professor Travis Elliott. Finally, I would like to thank Gavin Miller for inspiring me to pitch an original capstone topic. Without his prior work, this project would not have been possible.
