“If you’re trying to put these structures into orbit, every gram counts. Not just every pound but every gram…So you are making structures that are operating at their margins.” — Dr Chauncey Wu, NASA Langley Research Center
Today’s conversation features Dr Chauncey Wu, who is a research engineer at NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Chauncey has worked at NASA for more than 30 years, predominantly in the field of structural mechanics, and has been responsible for designing and testing a number of space structures that have been launched into space. Some examples of his work include structural analyses on the LITE telescope that was launched into space in 1994, as well as the optimisation of rocket propellant tank structures, and conceptual design studies of lunar lander vehicles and habitat structures for the colonisation of the Moon. In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss:
- Chauncey’s path to NASA as an undergraduate student
- The history of NASA and the cultural shift compared to its predecessor, the NACA
- The reason why rocket science is so hard
- Chauncey’s recent research on a new type of lightweight composite material: tow-steered composites, which could be a game-changer for rocket booster designs
- And much, much more
Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Dr Chauncey Wu! If you enjoy the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you can support it by leaving a review on iTunes or by becoming a patron.
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Selected Links from the Episode
- NASA Langley Research Center
- NASA Glenn, NASA Goddard, NASA Ames and NASA Marshall
- NASA co-op program
- The NACA (predecessor to NASA)
- Bob Gilruth, Chris Kraft
- Collier Trophy
- Low-Drag Cowling and Fred Weick
- John Stack, Larry Bell, Chuck Yaeger and the X-1
- Slotted-wall wind tunnel
- Richard Whitcomb, the Area Rule and the Supercritical Airfoil
- Science Office for Mission Assessments
- The safety factor
- The history of rocketry and a primer on rocket science and lightweight design
- Tow-steered composites (some further NASA research here and here)
- ISAAC
- Imperfection sensitivity of cylinders (the introduction of this paper conveys the message)
- Video of collapsing soda can and “scientific” crush test
- NASA Shell Buckling Knockdown Factor (video)
VEry informative and help for the present and future students.