Welcome to the 2021 Senior Legacy Symposium!
The Wayfinder In Space, Descending Onto Moon (WIS•DOM) mission seeks to extend the low-cost, low-risk mission model Small Satellites are known for in Earth orbit to interplanetary missions with the goal of making deep space exploration more accessible than the current space market allows. The objective of this Senior Design project was to conduct a feasibility study on the design of a CubeSat rideshare spacecraft whose purpose is to deliver generic 1U-sized payloads to the lunar surface via controlled landing upon deployment from a rideshare platform. This Phase A study served to establish a foundation for the CubeSat lunar lander concept rather than a definitive path to flight. The results of analysis proved the design infeasible at the chosen mission parameters but with potential to succeed given adjustments to the mission profile.
Sam Carlowicz is an ambitious and curious aerospace engineering student with a passion for hands-on problem-solving and figuring out how "stuff" works. Her deep love of space, exploration, and adventure is fueled by looking up at the stars, reading, traveling, and finding new experiences wherever she can. After graduating from the undergraduate program here at SLU, she will pursue her master’s degree in aerospace and mechanical engineering also at SLU. Her professional interest is in spacecraft mechanical system design, analysis, manufacturing, test, and integration. One day, she hopes to work as an astronaut, an endeavor she believes is the ultimate adventure, and one in which she can inspire others to love STEM as much as she does. Until then, she will continue solving interesting design problems with friends (for fun?!) and making pizza in her free time.
Megan is a graduating senior from Oak Forest, Illinois, majoring in aerospace engineering and minoring in engineering mathematics. Growing up, she visited many air and space museums and watched inspiring space movies like The Right Stuff and Contact that fueled her interest in aerospace. She is passionate about space exploration and is known to be brought to tears when watching NASA videos. Megan realized she wanted to dedicate her life to advancing space exploration after watching a NOVA special on Curiosity. After graduating, she hopes to start her career working for an aerospace company as a spacecraft systems engineer and devote her life to inspiring others to become passionate about space. In her free time, she likes to play the piano, ukulele, bake, and read books about space.
Claire is a senior from Maryville, IL graduating with a BS in aerospace engineering with a minor in engineering mathematics. In her time at SLU, she has been involved with Space Systems Research Lab, Society of Women Engineers, Engineers Without Borders , Tau Beta Pi, and AIAA. This summer, she will be moving to Indianapolis to complete an internship with Raytheon Intelligence and Space before coming back to SLU to get her master's degree in aerospace engineering. The only thing she loves more than St. Louis Cardinals baseball is her cat Buzz (who is of course named after Buzz Aldrin).
Caleb is a senior attending Parks College of Engineering, Aviation, and Technology at Saint Louis University. He is majoring in aerospace engineering with a minor in engineering mathematics and will graduate in May 2021. He was born and raised in the St. Louis, MO area and dreamed of attending SLU. He got interested in aerospace engineering during high school, when he took a course in aerospace engineering and discovered his passion for applied mathematics. During college, he became most interested in rocket propulsion and continues to expand his knowledge of the subject matter. Upon graduation, Caleb will be moving to Huntsville, Alabama to begin working as an Aerothermal Fluids Engineer with Aerojet Rocketdyne.
The authors would like to thank Sebastian Sanchez: without his guidance and wisdom, WIS•DOM would never have evolved into the design it is today.