Projects

Full-Scale Mockups
While working with a NASA contractor in Huntsville, AL, I was part of the Human Factors Engineering team that designs & builds full-scale mock-ups for task simulations and analysis work. They are called Performance Analysis & Design Demonstrators (PADDs), and this Interstage PADD represents the ground crew access volume between the First Stage and Upper Stage sections of the Ares I rocket.

These students are part of the HUNCH program at Marshall Space Flight Center and do some impressive mock-up work–everything from foam core boxes to rapid prototyped or CNC-machined parts:

Creative Access Solutions

I also helped develop concepts for internal access systems called Ground Support Equipment (GSE). This GSE will be used for pre-launch maintenance activities conducted by ground operations crews inside the Ares I rocket. All platforms, structures and tools must be installed without damaging the vehicle, then everything must be removed before flight to minimize weight to orbit. Our task: Define viable Internal Access GSE concepts that justify the addition of permanent attach points in the flight vehicle design.

GSE concept generation sessions: