Join AIAA Houston Section for a virtual Lunch n Learn event with special guest Dr. Hashima Hasan, Deputy Program Scientist, JWST, this Friday
August
30th, 2024 at 12:00 CST
Join Here
Category Archives: Lunch and Learn
Nominate Someone for the ’24 AIAA Elections
The AIAA Houston Section is holding elections for positions in the Executive Committee, including the following
positions:
- Vice Chair
- Openings on the Executive Committee
We have made great strides in our Houston Section, and we are looking for dynamic individuals that are interested in
growing our membership and leading our technical tracks as we progress forward to the Moon and Mars.
If interested, please fill out the form here
by May 17th
As a reminder, we have our section Social every third Thursday of the month.
We also have an upcoming virtual LunchnLearn with special guest Dr. Hashima Hasan.
Happening every Saturday: Join us via Zoom every Saturday for all things space, exploration, engineering,
and more!
Lunch & Learn with AIAA – Houston!
Join AIAA Houston Section for a hybrid Lunch & Learn event with special guest Dr. Albert Allen Jackson IV, this Friday
April
26th, 2024 at 11:30 CST in person and over Google Meet.
Sign up to attend: Lunch-n-Learn Sign UP
“The Interstellar Ramjet: A Technical History”
In 1960 Robert Bussard published a solution to the mass ratio problem for interstellar flight. He laid out
the design of a starship that scooped interstellar hydrogen compressed it in a fusion reactor, extracted energy
and produced thrust. The process is similar to a terrestrial ramjet.
Bussard outlined the propulsion method, presented the equations of
motion and made general assessments of performance and
propulsion efficiency.
Sagan suggested magnetic ‘scoops’ for collecting working
matter from the interstellar medium. Fishback in 1969 calculated
important limitations on the ramjet magnetic intake and quantified
drag and radiation losses for the ramjet.
Fishback showed there was a limiting Lorentz factor for an
interstellar ramjet imposed by the material properties of the scoop
source.
Tony Martin expanded Fishback study and made some
important observations. The main problem with the concept was
using proton-proton reactions for fusion, this proves very difficult.
In 1975 Dan Whitmire made progress towards solving the fusion reactor problem of the interstellar ramjet
by noting that one could use the CNO process rather than the PP mechanism as method of fusion operation.
Bond and Jackson suggested alternative ramjet operation using augmentation. An alternative to the
Bussard Ramjet was presented in 1977. The Laser Powered Interstellar Ramjet, LPIR. This vehicle uses a
solar system-based laser beaming power to a vehicle which scoops interstellar hydrogen and uses a linear
accelerator to boost the collected particle energy for propulsion bypassing fusion reactor problems.
Link:
https://meet.google.com/iyr-kzbv-pbc
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/iyr-kzbv-pbc?pin=9178300833796
Or dial: (US) +1 314-474-3017 PIN: 913 841 786#
Hope to see you there!
AIAA Houston Section
Virtual Speaker Luncheon Series: Emily Matula, PhD
JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING LUNCHEON EVENT!
Featured Speaker: Emily Matula, PhD
8th September 2022 12:00 CST
Virtual
Meeting ID: 856 7586 4761
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 85675864761# US (Houston)
Find your local number: here
- Martian Greenhouse Project 3.0 team, in collaboration with AIAA and the Aldrin Family Foundation, is seeking to design a food production system for human habitation on Mars.
- Students drive the learning while teachers facilitate a relationship between their students and the mentors. Participating schools are found world-wide (US, Belize, UK, etc) and is a great opportunity to increase the diversity of STEM.
- The Martian Greenhouse Project is expected to run September-November 2022.
Virtual Speaker Luncheon Series: Bob Mitchell
JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING LUNCHEON EVENT!
Featured Speaker: Bob Mitchell
9 December 2021 12:00 CST
Virtual
Meeting ID: 982 2968 6981
Dial by your location: +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
Find your local number: here
- Bob Mitchell joined Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership (BAHEP) in 2001. In 2008 he became President and has led numerous initiatives including recovery efforts following Hurricane Ike, working to reinstate adequate funding for NASA’s human spaceflight program in 2010, assisting in the passing of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Act of 2014, and ongoing advocacy to build a coastal spine to protect the Texas Gulf Coast from hurricane storm surge.
- In recognition of his work with NASA JSC, its contractors, and the Houston Airport System, Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Bob to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee. Mitchell also serves on numerous boards including UTMB Health System Advisory Board, HCA Gulf Coast Regional Advisory Board, and the Rotary National Space Achievement Board of Advisors.