Diane Aloisio

Systems engineering is plagued by project failures like delays, quality issues, and other setbacks that can be costly in many ways. Studies of project failures and their prevention provide either highly general or highly context-specific advice, both of which can be difficult to use to identify problems or develop remedial actions. Here, we develop a database of problems and remedial actions that bridges the gap between these two extremes. Our approach is based on the argument that accidents and project failures are manifestations of similar underlying problems. Therefore, we can leverage the extensive literature on accident causation, as well as the many publicly available accident investigations, to understand and prevent project failures. In particular, we can use accident investigation recommendations to address the dearth of specific guidance on preventing project failures.

We use 30 accidents and 33 project failures spanning a wide range of industries to build a database of the most likely accident and project failure causes, and of potential remedial actions. We present the database as a cause-recommendation network, which allows users to identify potential clusters of problems, or remedial actions with high impact, and also provides over 1,300 specific examples of failure causes, and over 1,000 specific examples of remedial actions.

McClain Goggin

Thermal protection systems on spacecraft for atmospheric entry are currently designed with significant margins due to uncertainties in chemical reaction rates for transitional and continuum flight regimes. These margins substantially increase cost and mass for missions. Ground based testing of these regimes is currently extremely difficult, due to the high-enthalpy, low density nature of the flows. As a result, the most effective method for obtaining this flow data is through flight testing. While past missions have attempted to obtain this information, none have successfully provided data for a non-ablative vehicle traveling at orbital velocities in the upper atmosphere. This work describes the Purdue Sensor Payload (PSP) for the Student Aerothermal Spectrometer Satellite of Illinois and Indiana (SASSI2). This undergraduate designed 3U CubeSat will specifically target Nitrogen and Oxygen dissociation and Nitric-Oxide production rates during reentry. The CubeSat includes three spectrometers, five heat flux sensors, and three pressure sensors. The PSP, comprised of the heat flux and pressure sensors, will determine bulk flow properties. When coupled with the spectral intensities provided by the spectrometers, the chemical reaction rates in the flow can be determined. This information is expected to reduce the mass of thermal protection systems on spacecraft by several percent.

What is the Research Symposium Series?

The Research Symposium Series is a department-sponsored forum for graduate students and advanced-level undergraduates to present their research to a general audience.

The Research Symposium Series is designed to: 

• Facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge among faculty and graduate students.
• Provide opportunities for students to develop their technical presentation skills.
• Promote the research activities of the department to undergraduates and other interested individuals.

2017 Prizes

• $500, $300, $200 for best three presentations
• $150 for best undergraduate presentation
• $150 for best abstract

Questions about the Research Symposium Series may be directed to:
aaerss@ecn.purdue.edu
https://engineering.purdue.edu/AAE/Academics/StudentOrgs/aaerss
*Winners in the presentation category cannot compete in that category the following year. The same applies for winners in the abstract category.