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MIT ROCKET TEAM

2023-Present

    I am a member of the MIT Rocket Team. We are currently building a student-designed and manufactured rocket intended to reach an altitude of 30,000 feet. I am a member of our structures subteam with a focus on our recovery systems and elected outreach chair for the team.


     Last year, I helped design and test a novel parachute deployment mechanism for our team. This involved researching our proposed method, identifying potential challenges, designing the parts, and conducting hardware testing. Ultimately, our design was successful, and our recovery system had the most successful deployment out of any MIT Rocket Team’s recovery system in many years. Currently, I have been working with my subteam to conceptualize and design our team’s first reefing parachute.

 

     I have learned to do the calculations necessary to design our own parachutes, and have hands-on experience using CAD software (SolidWorks), manufacturing parts in our machine shop, and conducting hardware testing. I look forward to developing these skills further in the coming months.


     In addition, as an outreach chair for the team, I am in charge of our educational programming for K-12 students. I have organized and run events connecting MIT Rocket Team members with students in the community. These events have taught students about rocketry concepts and enabled them to consider how they apply to rocket design.

MIT LunaRecycle NASA Challenge Team

2024-Present

     I am a member of the MIT team competing in the NASA LunaRecycle Centennial Challenge. This challenge involves examining waste products that may be produced during future lunar missions and developing recycling technologies to create useful products. As part of our initial literature review, I researched many material properties, separation and physical transformation techniques, and manufacturing processes for various plastics and metals. 

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     In the next phase of the project, we will focus on a specific technology and determine specific system parameters to develop a comprehensive proposal. As one of the younger members on a team primarily composed of graduate students, I have greatly valued the opportunity to learn from and work with more experienced team members to better understand their perspectives. 
 

ARIELLA BLACKMAN

©2022 by Ariella Blackman's Website.

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