Part One:

Through my research of Aerospace Engineering, I analyzed the two different fields of engineering, aeronautical or astronautical. After reading many different articles I realized that astronautical engineering is what I want to pursue in. Astronautical engineering targets the design, manufacturing, and development of spacecrafts or objects that go beyond the Earth’s surface. One thing that is currently an issue is the ineffective use and over consumption of fuel. In larger vehicles such as rockets and other spacecrafts the use of fuel is much more with the propellant and high energy exhaust and immense power. With that information researched, I plan on proposing a 3D design on a software called Inventor with an innovative rocket design. The purpose of this is to test and design a new way to use renewable fuel such as solar of wind energy on spacecrafts to ensure a more environmentally friendly take off. With this I am trying to accomplish finding a better solution which is more eco-friendly with the same power and energy that will achieve going into space. Throughout this process I am attempting to answer questions such as how will using different types of renewable or eco-friendly fuel be efficient and which will be the most powerful in taking a spacecraft into space. I will learn a lot about what companies are doing to integrate a better method of space travel and formulate my own method of creating an efficient journey to space. The work I am planning on producing is a 3D model on Autodesk Inventor, a mechanical modeling design software that specializes in design. On Inventor I can construct a design that incorporates the exterior of the spacecraft and the type of fuel source I plan to use to effectively take it into space. I plan for the end result to be a model of a rocket with some sort of environmentally friendly fuel source attached to it which will power it.

​

Part Two:

To begin with, I need to research the various different components of a spacecraft and find out what type of fuel to use as well as where the best place would be to place it. With this it will be much easier to understand what part is what and where the fuel is typically harbored. I will design the two smaller rockets and the main rocket as well as provide an entire 3D view of the entire spacecraft. I must take into account the size and weight of the spacecraft which will determine the safety of the astronauts inside. Along with safety requirements, the appearance is vital as well. The design will be focused on the details seen on an actual spacecraft and essentially replicate it, with some modifications.  As I am familiar with the Autodesk Inventor software, using it will not be as complicated but I will learn the different aspects and controls that I did not know earlier that might help me for this design. The research and design will take time and I am keeping in mind that I may run into issues during the design process. I have less that two months to complete this project so my tentative plan in order to accomplish this design is to first research different types of spacecrafts that have gone into space and were successful and the time it took to go to and return from space. Next I will sketch how I want the appearance to look like and where everything goes where. Lastly I will put that all into Inventor and construct different parts and connect them all together for the end product. Throughout this process, I will maintain a log with images of the research and all that I learned as well as the progress throughout. All this should take all of the fall break and the polishing done during the December break.

As said by Vince Lombardi “Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence.” This quote will stick with me throughout the entire process to strive for perfection so I can be successful in my original work. Although this is not very easy with the extensive research as well as trial and error in the design aspect, I am confident that I will be able to learn a lot during this process and utilize all of my resources.

​

​