TAMUK Engineering Team Receives Awards for NASA-Based Project
Texas A&M University Kingsville
KINGSVILLE, TEXAS (News Release) — A team of mechanical engineering students from Texas A&M University-Kingsville and calling themselves Interstellar Corporation recently received several awards at the NASA-sponsored Design Challenge Showcase in Houston.
Photo courtesy of Texas A&M University Kingsville.
The group received awards for their NASA-based research project including first for best model and display; fifth for best poster; sixth for top peer review and eighth for top design team.
The team’s objective was to create a reliable solar-powered Mars rover with an efficient cleaning mechanism that will dust off its solar panels. This would ensure survivability during constant dust storms while it navigates and analyzes the planet’s terrain. Their objective was to reduce Martian dust on solar panels by maintaining solar efficiency with a cleaning mechanism installed inside the rover.
To prevent the degradation of solar panels due to the electrostatically charged dust, team Interstellar Corporation designed a rover they called the Endurance, the Self-Cleaning Solar Explorer Rover, which was designed to contain a cleaning mechanism installed inside the rover to be deployed when solar efficiency decreases.
The team started working on this project for their Mechanical Engineering Senior Design Project Jan. 22 and participated in the competition April 16.
Members of Interstellar Corporation are all senior mechanical engineering majors. They include
Brandon Enrique Lopez Castillo is from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. He is majoring in aerospace engineering and has always been fascinated by the mechanics of our world. This summer he will join the Aerospace System division at the Air Force Research Lab in Dayton to work on a morphing wing.
Alan Mauricio Hernandez has a mathematics minor. He is from Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico. His passion for design and manufacturing grew through robotics and art competitions and he hopes to turn it into both a hobby and a career.
Gerardo Garza is from Cotulla. He plans to pursue his career dealing with space exploration. He hopes to gain experience and knowledge of all fields of work.
Silas Quin Lazo is from Portland and has minors in aerospace and mathematics. From an early age, he developed a keen interest in discovering new things and understanding the engineering process and the intricacies of how things are made. He plans to work in the aerospace industry.
Triston Neatherlin is from La Vernia and has a minor in mathematics. He plans to work in the oil and gas industry leveraging his strong mechanical and analytical skills. His fascination with the oil and gas industry began at a young age, sparked by a deep curiosity about its complex engineering challenges and vital role in powering the world.
Jaime Alberto Rodriguez is from Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. His goal is to continue his education in aerospace engineering. His passion began at a young age through the constant curiosity of wanting to understand how and why things worked.
