Blue Origin Interview

University Involvements

Involvements

• WIAA

• AIAA

• Terrapin Rockets

• Balloon Payload

• Maryland Dhoom

Reasons for "leaving" previous role

Why left?

• Company Layoffs due to business decisions
• Very isolating
• Want to directly work with people of various backgrounds
• Stagnant

Blue Bird 1 (BB1)

Blue Bird 1 will be the world's first and only space-based broadband network for smartphones that will cover the entire planet, assure communication in any crisis or danger, and accelerate 5G rollout and coverage.

Role Overview

Multi discipline system engineering experience

Blue Bird 1

Blue Walker 3

*Image not accurate display of BB1 design

Full service satellite in planned development

Test satellite launched Sept 2022

Blue Bird 1

Comprised of two main parts:

• Control Sat
• Phased Array

Control Sat is the satellite bus where all power, propulsion, avionics, AOCS, etc. subsytems are housed.

Phased Array is comprised of hundreds of small elements called microns which contain solar cells on one side and antennas on the other

Responsible Areas

• 1 of 2 system engineers working on BB1 in entire company

• My system engineering responsibilities can be broken into 5 main areas:

1. System Requirements

5. Verification Planning

2. System Architechture

4. Subsystem Integration

3. System Technical Budgets

System Requirements

Wrote from scratch level 3 and 4 requirements for various subsystems and components

• Command & Data Handling Subsystem Requirements
• Payload Component Specifications

Led creation and update of:

• Generic Design and Interface Requirement Document (GDIRD)
• Launch Vehicle Interface Requirement Document (LVIRD)

Update level 1 and 2 mission requirements after an architecture re-baseline

Subsystem Integration

• Created and maintained Master Interface List that tracked mechanical, thermal, electrical, data, and test interfaces
• Mechanical: CoG, MOI, Physical dimensions, Mass, Material,etc
• Thermal: Op/Nonop Temp Limits, absorptivity, emissivity, etc
• Electrical: Power, Wire Gauge, Voltage, Current, Data, etc

• Led discussions on inter-subsystem topics
• Interface between components and Power System or Flight Computer

• Tracked and organized component ICDs

System Architechture

• Developed System Conops
• Valispace: Model based System Engineering tool
• Conducted trade studies
• Propulsion thruster placement
• MOI

*Image from University of Arizona

Verification Planning

• Helped developed Master Verification Plan for BB1
• Grouped all Level 1&2 requirements into verification events

• Helped developed Verification Test Plan for BB1 Structural Thermal Model

Test

Review

Analysis

Inspection

Test

System Technical Budgets

Set up and maintained following budgets:

• Mass
• Power
• Thermal
• Pointing

Updated component list

Assigned margins per design maturity

Organized and led Mass Control Boards

*Image from Nasa

Design Problem Walkthrough

• Context: Designed for flexibility in launch configurations and vehicles

• Situation: Budget and timeline restaints caused us to consider a potential Rideshare launch for initial satellites

• Problem: Rideshare dropoff altitude was much lower than our desired altitude

• Solution: Add Orbit Raising capability to our satellite

• Compromise: Able to consider lower operational altitude

Considerations

• Need capability to Orbit Raise to operation altitude
• Raise orbit in an reasonable amount of time
• Ability to remove system if not needed in future increments​

Three implications to consider with this:

• How to provide thrust?​
• How to provide power for the thruster system?​
• How to distribute power for the thruster system?

Efforts

Trade studies that needed to be conducted:

• Type and quantity of thrusters
• Source of power generation and where it would be located
• Harnessing routing

My contribution?

• Involved in discussions with Propulsion lead on thurster trade studies
• More on backend
• Helped push along leads

Solution

How to provide thrust?​

Decided to increase the number of thrusters.

How to provide power for the thruster system?​

Make use of already installed on board solar panels

How to distribute power for the thruster system?

No changes needed. Power distributed using preexisiting system

Summary

• Worked on a fast changing project
• Design has already undergone multiple major architechtural redesigns
• Have presented and led discussions on various topics
• Gained exposure to multiple disiplines of systems engineering
• Despite early career, already had exposure to combined full life cycle of an engineering project

NASA RASC-AL: Human Mission to Ceres

2021 UMD Senior Design Course Capstone

Prompt -Design a mission that supports a crew of 4 on a mission to

Ceres in the 2040s. < 5 years total, ready to land on

Ceres no later than December 31, 2049 with capability of at least

two crew to land on the surface of Ceres

Responsibilties: Crew Systems Subsystem

• Ensure crew returns alive and well from mission!
• Design interior of the lander used for crew to conduct plantary sciences on surface of Ceres

NASA RASC-AL: Human Mission to Ceres

2021 UMD Senior Design Course Capstone

Considerations:

• Food
• Air
• Water
• Recreation

... And the list goes on!

• Accomodations
• Exercise
• Waste removal
• Radiation

Skills and Tools Used:

• Trade studies
• CAD (Fusion 360)
• Risk analysis

• Inter commitee collaboration
• Requirements breakdown
• And more!

Water System

Problem: Provide clean potable water to crew for entire length of mission

Constraints: Mass, Volume, Power

Solution: Water recovery system and Waste Managment System

• Vapor Phase Catalytic Ammonia Removal Process (VPCAR)

Other trade studies conducted for hygiene

• Shower
• Laundry
• General Hygiene

Worked with structual team to develop concept of a water wall

Store majority of water supply surrounding crew capsules

• Increase usable volume
• Increased Radiation protection