Introduction

At both Maxar and the Air Force Research Lab, I developed orbital debris shields. These experiences gave me firsthand insight into the existential threat of space junk and showed me the ways that government contractors and agencies operate.

*Due to NDAs, I can only include a limited amount of technical details 

Maxar

During the summer of 2022, I developed an orbital debris shield proof of concept optimized for mass reduction and integration with spacecraft. To do this, I characterized the relevant LEO debris environment and effects on performance using MATLAB and NASA ORDEM model. From there I created a highly-adjustable program for rapid shield development for use in future Maxar Low Earth Orbit programs.

Final Presentation (Cleared for Public Viewing)

AFRL, Space Vehicles Directorate

During the summer of 2021, I researched, designed, and fabricated a composite, deployable orbital debris shield, which led to a 3 times increase in performance compared to a non-deployable shield. As part of this process, I developed and manufactured different composite layups to iterate through the most supportive designs. I also met with leading experts on hypervelocity impacts at NASA and Sandia National Laboratories.