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By NASA
5 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Candeska Cikana Community College uses selective laser sintering, a type of 3D-printing in which heat and pressure form specific structures using layers of powdered material. Shown here, a student works to remove excess material, in this case a powdered form of nylon with carbon fibers, to reveal a prototype of the “Mapi Hapa,” or “sky shoe.” Candeska Cikana Community College Human exploration on the lunar surface is no small feat. It requires technologists and innovators from all walks of life to tackle many challenges, including feet.
From designing astronaut boots, addressing hazardous Moon dust, and researching new ways to land on Mars, NASA is funding valuable research through M-STAR (Minority University Research and Education Project’s (MUREP) Space Technology Artemis Research). The M-STAR program provides opportunities for students and faculty at Minority Serving Institutions to participate in space technology development through capacity building and research grants. With more than $11.5 million awarded since 2020, M-STAR aims to ensure NASA isn’t leaving any potential solution behind.
Best Foot Forward
Nicholas Bitner from Candeska Cikana Community College, left, and Jesse Rhoades from the University of North Dakota (UND), right, are pictured in UND’s BiPed lab, where their students test and capture motion data for the Mapi Hapa. Walter Criswell, UND Today Supportive boots are required for astronauts who will perform long duration Artemis missions on the Moon. With astronaut foot health in mind, students and faculty of North Dakota’s Candeska Cikana Community College in Fort Totten and the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks are designing a solution for extravehicular activity Moon boots. The project, called Mapi Hapa, proposes a 3D printed device that helps astronauts achieve the range of motion that takes place in the ankle when you draw your toe back towards the shin.
Candeska Cikana Community College is a tribal college that serves the Spirit Lake Nation, including the Dakota, Lakota, Sisseton, Wahpeton, and Yanktonai peoples.
Nicholas Bitner, an instructor at Candeska Cikana and graduate student at the University of North Dakota, notes the unique skills that tribal students possess. “Their perspective, which is unlike that of any other student body, thrives on building with their hands and taking time to make decisions.”
Bitner also attributes many opportunities and successes of their program to M-STAR and its partnership which exemplifies the dire importance of consistent funding.
“Given the relationships, we have been able to expand our capabilities and our lab, but it has also given us funding. We were able to hire all our students in the engineering department as lab technicians. So, they get paid to do the research that they are a part of, and not only do they have that psychological ownership, but they also have a good paying job that looks nice on their resumes.”
In addition to addressing astronaut foot health, M-STAR funding is helping develop solutions to combat lunar regolith, or Moon dust, which can damage landers, spacesuits, and human lungs, if inhaled.
Lunar Dust Development
With M-STAR, New Mexico State University in Las Cruces developed affordable, reliable lunar regolith simulants to help test lunar surface technologies. The team also designed testing facilities that mimic environmental conditions on the Moon.
New Mexico State has already started sharing their simulants, including with a fellow M-STAR awardee. An M-STAR project selected in 2023 from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in Princess Anne uses the simulants to help test their experience in smart agriculture to test applications for crop production on the Moon.
University of Maryland, Eastern Shore explores the possibility of growing crops in lunar regolith by mixing varying proportions of lunar regolith simulant, horse manure, and potting soil. The lunar regolith simulant was provided by fellow M-STAR awardee at New Mexico State University in in Las Cruces.Stephanie Yeldell/NASA Douglas Cortez, associate professor in civil engineering at New Mexico State, believes different perspectives are essential to maximizing solutions.
“There are hundreds of people working at Minority Serving Institutions that are used to looking at the world in a completely different way,” said Cortez. “When they start looking at the same problem and parameters, they come up with very different solutions.”
As we look to sustainable presence on the Moon, NASA also has its sights set on Mars and M-STAR is helping develop technologies to inform crewed Martian exploration.
Stick the Landing
San Diego State University in California was awarded funding for research on Mars entry, descent, and landing technologies. The team aims to achieve optimal trajectory by developing onboard algorithms that guide vehicles to descent autonomously.
The M-STAR research opportunities have been invaluable to students like Chris Davami and his teammates working to develop improved methods to land on Mars.
Christopher Davami, who supported San Diego State University’s 2021 M-STAR project, is pictured here at NASA’s Langley Research Center, where he was selected for internships supporting research in aeroelasticity, atmospheric flight, and entry systems research.NASA “I would definitely not have been able to have these opportunities with NASA if it weren’t for M-STAR,” said Davami. “M-STAR helped pay for my education, which helped me save a lot in student loans. I probably wouldn’t be going to graduate school right now if I did not have this opportunity. This program enabled me to keep pursuing my research and continue doing what I love.”
Following his contributions to the M-STAR-funded project, Davami was awarded a NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunity in 2023 on his work in autonomous end-to-end trajectory planning and guidance constrained entry and precision power decent.
Through efforts like M-STAR, NASA aims to seed the future workforce and prepare colleges and universities to win other NASA research opportunities. When it comes to the advancement of space technology, people of different backgrounds and skillsets are needed to achieve what was once known as impossible. Not only can the diversification of ideas spark fundamental innovations in space, but it can also help students apply these technological advancements to solving problems here on Earth.
To learn more about M-STAR visit:
https://go.nasa.gov/442k76s
by: Gabrielle Thaw, NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate
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By NASA
3 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA operations engineer Daniel Velasquez, left, is reviewing the Mobile Vertipad Sensor Package system as part of the Air Mobility Pathways test project at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, on Oct. 17, 2023.NASA/Steve Freeman Lee esta historia en Español aquí.
Born and raised in Peru, Daniel Velasquez moved to the United States when was 10 years old. While that decision was a big transition for his family, it also created many opportunities for him. Now Velasquez is an operations engineer for NASA’s Air Mobility Pathfinders project at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.
Velasquez develops flight test plans for electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, specifically testing how they perform during various phases of flight, such as taxi, takeoff, cruise, approach, and landing. He was drawn to NASA Armstrong because of the legacy in advancing flight research and the connection to the Space Shuttle program.
“Being part of a center with such a rich history in supporting space missions and cutting-edge aeronautics was a major motivation for me,” Velasquez said. “One of the biggest highlights of my career has been the opportunity to meet (virtually) and collaborate with an astronaut on a possible future NASA project.”
Daniel Velasquez stands next to the main entrance sign at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, in 2022.Daniel Velasquez Velasquez is incredibly proud of his Latino background because of its rich culture, strong sense of community and connection to his parents. “My parents are my biggest inspiration. They sacrificed so much to ensure my siblings and I could succeed, leaving behind the comfort of their home and family in Peru to give us better opportunities,” Velasquez said. “Their hard work and dedication motivate me every day. Everything I do is to honor their sacrifices and show them that their efforts weren’t wasted. I owe all my success to them.”
Velasquez began his career at NASA in 2021 as an intern through the Pathways Internship Program while he was studying aerospace engineering at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Through that program, he learned about eVTOL modeling software called NASA Design and Analysis of Rotorcraft to create a help guide for other NASA engineers to reference when they worked with the software.
At the same time, he is also a staff sergeant in the U.S Army Reserves and responsible for overseeing the training and development of junior soldiers during monthly assemblies. He plans, creates, and presents classes for soldiers to stay up-to-date and refine their skills while supervising practical exercises, after action reviews, and gathering lessons learned during trainings.
Daniel Velasquez graduated in 2023 from Rutgers University in New Jersey while he was an intern at NASA. Behind him is the New York City skyline.Daniel Velasquez “This job is different than what I do day-to-day at NASA, but it has helped me become a more outspoken individual,” he said. “Being able to converse with a variety of people and be able to do it well is a skill that I acquired and refined while serving my country.”
Velasquez said he never imagined working for NASA as it was something he had only seen in movies and on television, but he is so proud to be working for the agency after all the hard work and sacrifices he made that lead him to this point. “I am incredibly proud to work every day with some of the most motivated and dedicated individuals in the industry.”
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Last Updated Oct 16, 2024 Related Terms
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By NASA
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, executive director of the Space Science Center at Morehead State University, left, listens as NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon talks about NASA’s exploration efforts.Credit: Morehead State University NASA’s Glenn Research Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon met with students and faculty at Morehead State University (MSU) in Kentucky on Sept. 19. Kenyon provided the keynote address on the topic of NASA’s exploration efforts and regional economic impact during the ASTRA-Con (Appalachian Space Technology & Research Advancement Conference). He also moderated a panel, which included Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef Lead Dr. Randy Lillard, MSU’s Dr. Pamela Clark (formerly of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Goddard Space Flight Center), and Glenn European Service Module Manager Logan Larson.
Morehead State University (MSU)’s Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, right, shows NASA Glenn Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon and others on tour the anechoic (echo-free) chamber used in support of MSU’s 21-meter Deep Space Network. Credit: Morehead State University Dr. Benjamin Malphrus, executive director of the Space Science Center at MSU, provided Kenyon, along with House Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Hal Rogers’ staff and members of industry, with a tour of the space center and its capabilities. Kenyon learned about MSU’s space systems engineering program where students gain hands-on experience designing, constructing, and testing satellites before they launch into space.
Members of NASA Glenn’s Technology Transfer Office also staffed an informative exhibit during the conference.
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By NASA
2 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
NASA project manager Patricia Ortiz stands in front of the X-1E research aircraft at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California.NASA Lee esta historia en Español aquí.
Patricia Ortiz is proud to be a first-generation Salvadoran American. Her mother, born and raised in El Salvador, came to the United States for a better opportunity despite not knowing anyone or the English language.
As a project manager for Space Projects and Partnerships at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, Ortiz manages various space and aeronautics projects for new technologies that begin from the early stages to the execution. This involves meeting with partners, working with leadership and managing the project for performance and mission success.
While reflecting on her journey to NASA, Ortiz honors her mother for her resiliency and the impact she had on her. “My mom faced a lot of hardship in coming to this country, but she came to this country so that I could do this.” This brave decision to move to an unfamiliar place was what opened the door for Ortiz to eventually work for NASA.
Ortiz enjoys staying connected to her Salvadoran roots and one way she does this is through food. Her favorite dish: the pupusa. “My mom makes the best pupusas with chicharrón [pork], cheese, and curtido [cabbage slaw]. It’s so delicious!”
NASA is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing the rich histories, cultures and passions of employees who contribute to advancing the agency’s mission and success for the benefit of all humanity. This month-long, annual celebration honors and recognizes the Hispanic and Latino Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
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Last Updated Oct 07, 2024 EditorDede DiniusContactElena Aguirreelena.aguirre@nasa.govLocationArmstrong Flight Research Center Related Terms
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By NASA
1 min read
Preparations for Next Moonwalk Simulations Underway (and Underwater)
Dr. Kenyon, far right, and three other umpires listen to the national anthem before the start of a baseball game.Credit: West Springfield Little League
As the director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Dr. Jimmy Kenyon is used to making important decisions at work. He also likes to call the shots on the baseball field as a volunteer umpire.
In July, Kenyon packed up his gear and traveled to Ankeny, Iowa, as part of a four-man umpire crew for the Little League Intermediate 50/70 Baseball Central Region Tournament. He was selected for this crew assignment in May, as the Little League season was getting underway.
Dr. Jimmy Kenyon in action as a volunteer umpire during a Little League baseball game. Credit: West Springfield Little League “Making the call is part of the job at NASA Glenn, but it’s also something I enjoy as a volunteer umpire for Little League Baseball and softball,” Kenyon said. “It allows me to share the excitement of baseball and NASA with young players, who may very well be part of our future workforce someday.”
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