Hypersonic ReEntry Deployable Glider Experiment (HEDGE): A CubeSAT Approach to Low-Cost Hypersonic Research; High-Speed Autonomy: Investigating the Ethical Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hypersonic Airborne Weapons Using a Utilitarian Framework

Both my technical project and sociotechnical research are related to the topic of hypersonics, which describes flow regimes that are greater than five times the speed of sound. It is the central focus of my technical project and sociotechnical research, but each work investigates different issues within hypersonics and focuses on different applications of the technology. My technical project aims to create a low-cost, easily-accessible solution to modern research in hypersonic reentry. On the other hand, my sociotechnical research examines trends in the modern use of hypersonics in defense technology and investigates the morality of automating high-speed weapons. Although my projects explore different uses of the technology, both address relevant issues in the field of hypersonics as a whole.

My technical project explores ways to reduce the cost of hypersonic reentry research and make it more accessible to various programs and institutions. My team’s solution was to create a deployable glider that takes the form of a CubeSat, a satellite with standardized dimensions and specifications, to be implemented into NASA’s RockSat-X student launch program. Our project, the Hypersonic ReEntry Deployable Glider Experiment (HEDGE), will be integrated into the RockSat-X sounding rocket and launched this summer. After launch, it will deploy from the rocket and take the form of a reentry vehicle so it can reach hypersonic speeds as it reenters Earth’s atmosphere. The goal of this experiment is to record basic atmospheric measurements upon reentry, proving that hypersonic research can be conducted for relatively low costs. We hope that this could save millions of dollars in the field of space research, while also motivating future generations of aspiring engineers by demonstrating that the work of undergraduate students can greatly benefit developing technological fields.

My STS research explores a different application of hypersonic research: defense technology. It investigates the modern, global arms race to develop effective hypersonic cruise missiles and focuses on the morality of using artificial intelligence in these weapons. I use the defense technology company, Anduril, as a case study throughout the research, as they are a leading developer of autonomous, airborne weapons. I analyze the impacts of the development of this technology through the ethical lens of utilitarianism, employing the preamble of the U.S. Constitution as a concise definition of humanity’s highest good at the societal level. The goal of my research is not to make a definitive judgment on the ethicality of using high-speed, autonomous missiles, but rather to develop a conceptual framework that can guide critical thinking and proper regulation of the use of this emerging technology.

School of Engineering and Applied Science

Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering

Technical Advisor: Christopher Goyne

STS Advisor: Kathryn Webb-DeStefano

Technical Team Members: Sydney Bakir, Cole Bixby, Max Cristinzio, Luke Dropulic, Franklin Escobar, Nathan Kaczka, Jason Morefield, Arooj Nasir, Benjamin Petsopoulos, Cade Shaw, Michael Wennemer, Caleb White