As part of its ongoing effort to expand awareness and understanding of NASA science and technology for extreme environments, CAMEE participates in a variety of educational and outreach activities that partner with community, industry, and government agencies and programs. This effort makes it possible for some of the educational, research, and academic resources within our center to be used for addressing the various environment-related problems and needs in the local community and broader regional area.

Educational Activities

NASA 2022 Big Idea Challenge
December 2021–January 2022

The Breakthrough, Innovative and Game-changing (BIG) Idea Challenge is an initiative supporting NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate’s Game Changing Development Program’s efforts to rapidly mature innovative and high-impact capabilities and technologies for infusion in a broad array of future NASA missions.

The 2022 BIG Idea Challenge provided undergraduate and graduate students the opportunity to design, develop, and demonstrate robotic systems with alternative rover locomotion modalities for use in off-world extreme lunar terrain applications. Teams were invited to submit proposals for robots with new mobility solutions in operating scenarios that require access to extreme terrain categories, such as, but not limited to:

  • Fluffy/high-porosity regolith expected at the lunar poles
  • Steep, rugged slopes (state of the art for a wheeled rover is ~30 degrees)
  • Uneven terrain with possible ice content at the bottom of deep-shadowed craters
  • Subterranean features, such as caves, lava tubes, and pits

Proposed Project

CAMEE supported a UTSA student team with their proposed project submission. Drs. Kiran Bhaganagar and Alan Whittington acted as faculty advisors. Colin Johnson was the student team leader.

Exploring the Inner Lava Tubes: HERMIT, the Capable Crustacean Creation
(HERMIT stands for High-definition Exploration of Regolith and Moon Imaging Technology)

Understanding and exploring the geological environment on the Moon is critical to the development of lunar infrastructure. The team proposed a lunar rover for exploration in harsh lunar conditions, focusing on the challenges posed by rough terrain in lava tubes. The novel design implemented on the rover included robotic systems and radars to improve maneuverability over rugged terrain. With the novel technological design, the proposed lunar rover was expected to further the exploration of the Moon.

Objectives and Technical Approach
The overall objective of HERMIT is to provide a novel solution to movement that can carry heavy payloads. The rover is designed to specialize in lava tube exploration. It uses six triple-jointed legs and two high range of motion front claws, inspired by decorator crabs. The HERMIT uses an anchor and tether system to descend skylight entrances to lava tubes.

Video Proposal Submission to the 2022 NASA Big Idea Challenge

The proposed project was not selected for funding.

UTSA Team

Laura Barnes (Computer Science)
Kalea Bridgemohan (Biology)
Aubrey Fuchs (Mechanical Engineering)
Sydney Grona (Interdisciplinary Studies)
Colin Johnson (Mathematics)
Joshua Le (Computer Science)
Parker Leathers (Computer Science)
Jose Malagon Rosas (Mechanical Engineering)
Marcela Montufar Soria (History)
Kane Sandoval (Environmental Science)
Gerardo Silva Carmona (Electrical Engineering)
Ranbir Singh (Electrical Engineering)
Mariana Suarez-Martinez (Biology)
Eberardo Trejo (Mechanical Engineering)

Due to COVID-19 pandemic impacts on team members, UTSA's 2020-2021 NSL project has been cancelled.

NASA Student Launch 2020-2021
October 2020–April 2021

The NASA Student Launch is a research-based, competitive, experiential exploration activity. It strives to provide relevant, cost-effective research and development of rocket propulsion.

During the eight-month project, College/University Division student teams design, build, and fly payloads or vehicle components that support Space Launch Systems. The UTSA student team is supported by CAMEE, the College of Sciences Student Success Center, and the College of Engineering Student Success Center.

Teams complete a series of design reviews that mirror the NASA engineering design lifecycle. Teams must successfully complete a Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Flight Readiness Review, and Launch Readiness Review which include safety briefings, analysis of vehicle and payload systems, and flight test data.

Each team must pass a review to progress to a subsequent review. Teams present their Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, and Flight Readiness Review to a review panel of scientists, engineers, technicians, and educators via video teleconference. Review panel members, Range Safety Officer, and Subject Matter Experts provide feedback and ask questions in order to increase the fidelity between the team's work and research objectives, and will score each College/University Division team.

Project Deliverables

  • A reusable rocket with required payload system ready for official launch.
  • A scale model of the rocket design must be flown during the Preliminary Design Review or Critical Design Review milestones and the flight data reported in the Critical Design Review.
  • A full-scale Vehicle Demonstration Flight and Payload Demonstration Flight must be flown and flight data reported in the Flight Readiness Review and/or Flight Readiness Review Addendum.
  • A team social media presence established and maintained/updated throughout the project year.
  • Reports, PDF slideshows, and Milestone Review Flysheets completed and submitted to the Student Launch Projects management team by due dates.
  • Electronic copies of the STEM Engagement form(s) submitted after proposal acceptance, prior to Flight Readiness Review, and within two weeks of the STEM engagement event.
  • Completion of Preliminary Design Review, Critical Design Review, Flight Readiness Review, Flight Readiness Review addendum (if applicable), Launch Readiness Review, and Post Launch Assessment Review.

Timeline (dates subject to change)

Date Details
August 19, 2020 Request for Proposal released
September 21, 2020 Electronic copy of completed proposal due to project office by 3 p.m. CDT
October 1, 2020 Awarded proposals announced
October 7, 2020 Kickoff and Preliminary Design Review Q&A
October 21, 2020 Team social media presence established; social media handle list sent to project office by 8 a.m. CDT
November 2, 2020 Preliminary Design Review report, presentation slides, and flysheet submitted to NASA management team by 8:00 a.m. CST
November 3-22, 2020 Preliminary Design Review video teleconferences
November 23, 2020 Critical Design Review Q&A
January 4, 2021 Subscale Flight deadline; Critical Design Review report, presentation slides, and flysheet submitted to NASA project management team by 8:00 a.m. CST
January 7-26, 2021BA Critical Design Review video teleconferences
January 27, 2021 Flight Readiness Review Q&A
March 8, 2021 Vehicle Demonstration Flight deadline
March 11-29, 2021 Flight Readiness Review video teleconferences
March 29, 2021 Payload Demonstration Flight and Vehicle Demonstration Re-flight deadlines; Teams completing additional Payload Demonstration Flights and Vehicle Demonstration Re-flights only; Flight Readiness Review Addendum submitted to NASA project management team by 8:00 a.m. CDT
March 30, 2021 Launch window opens for teams not traveling to Launch Week; Post Launch Assessment Review must be submitted within 14 days of launch
March 31, 2021 Launch Week Q&A
April 7, 2021 Teams travel to Huntsville, AL; OPTIONAL: Launch Readiness Review for teams arriving early
April 8, 2021 Official Launch Week Kickoff, Launch Readiness Reviews, and Launch Week activities
April 9, 2021 Launch Week activities
April 10, 2021 Launch Day and Awards Ceremony
April 11, 2021 Backup Launch Day
April 27, 2021 Teams travelling to Launch Week: Post Launch Assessment Review submitted to NASA project management team by 8:00 a.m. CDT

UTSA Team

Carolyn Alvarado (Freshman, Physics) – Outreach and Social Media Team Leader
Kate Benoit (Sophomore, Geology) – Safety, Social Media
Dillon Emmele (Senior, Mathematics) – Rocket and Payload Design, Reports
Evelyn Fernandez (Freshman, Biomedical Engineering) – Lead Safety Officer, Reports
Madeline Hickman (Freshman, Mechanical Engineering) –- Team Leader, Rocket and Payload Design, Reports
Jasmyn Johnson (Junior, Physics) – Rocket and Payload Design, Social Media
Adolfo Santa Fe Duenas (Doctoral, Physics) – Rocket and Payload Design
Daniel Wood (Senior, Physics) – Rocket and Payload Design, Reports

UTSA Faculty Advisor

Dr. Christopher Combs, COE Mechanical Engineering, Christopher.Combs@utsa.edu

Mentor

Don Cosgrove, San Antonio Rocket Society, cosgrove-don@msn.com

Media

team supported by CAMEE, COE SSC, and COS SSC

Climate Change in Extreme Environments Weekly Lecture Series
September 17–October 22, 2020

Lecture Date Lecture Details
September 17, 2020 Drivers and Manifestations of Global Climate Change
Steve Ackley, UTSA Department of Geological Sciences
September 24, 2020 Wildland Fires
Dr. Kiran Bhaganagar, UTSA Department of Mechanical Engineering
October 1, 2020 Hurricanes
Dr. Alberto Mestas-Nuñez, UTSA Department of Geological Sciences
October 8, 2020 Tibetan Climate and Glaciers
Dr. Hongjie Xie, UTSA Department of Geological Sciences
October 15, 2020 Polar Sea Ice and Ice Sheets
Steve Ackley, UTSA Department of Geological Sciences
October 22, 2020 Urban Climatology and Heat Islands
Dr. Neil Debbage, UTSA Department of Political Science and Geography