{"id":244,"date":"2022-07-16T04:18:02","date_gmt":"2022-07-16T04:18:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vishnusrinivas.com\/?page_id=244"},"modified":"2023-01-05T17:59:20","modified_gmt":"2023-01-05T17:59:20","slug":"psp-liquids-structures","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vishnusrinivas.com\/?page_id=244","title":{"rendered":"PSP Liquids: Structures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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My design for endcaps that will attach the raceway to the rocket airframe, while allowing for wire and avionics ground QDs (quick-disconnect wires).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Overview<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Purdue Space Program Liquids team are some of the brightest, most amazing engineers I’ve ever met. They design, build, and test liquid rockets (an extremely hard challenge to do at the scales they do it at) from scratch to compete in the FAR MARS competition. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I originally joined the structures team to work on a ‘knitting’ project (described below) but am currently doing work on sensors that will help retrieve flight and structural data on the CraterMaker Special, their next liquid rocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CraterMaker Special<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

CraterMaker Special (CMS) is PSP Liquid’s next, biggest liquid rocket, currently in early planning and design in fall of 2022. I am working with the structures team to try and design an array of sensors to monitor flight stresses- forces from parachutes, torsional forces, and fin flutter – so that the structures team can design parts as well as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sensors<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I’ve done both research and development with sensors. To make strain gauges do what we want them to, I’ve learned a lot about them and tried to make some from graphene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I compiled my research into strain gauges into one easy-to-read document for reference to other members of the structures team. Read it below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Strain Gauge Doc<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

We also were able to print graphene into desired patterns using Kapton tape and a laser engraver. The next step is to test the resistance of these tests and see if they can be accurately used as strain gauges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n