School of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Michael Grant

Michael Grant

2012 - Assistant Professor

Degrees

B.S., Purdue University, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering, 2005
M.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, Aerospace Engineering, 2008
Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology, Aerospace Engineering, 2012

Contact

701 W. Stadium Ave.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2045

Office: ARMS 3223
Office Phone: 765-494-4054
Office Fax: 765-494-0307
Email: mjgrant@purdue.edu
Webpage: https://engineering.purdue.edu/~mjgrant/

Interests

Systems Engineering
Hypersonic Aerodynamics
Guidance Design
Trajectory Optimization
Multidisciplinary Design Optimization
Mission Design

Research and experience focused on advanced technologies of high performance hypersonic flight vehicles to support entry, descent, and landing of human and robotic systems at Earth and Mars. Research has encompassed a variety of missions including Mars exploration, human lunar return, and conventional prompt global strike.

Rapid Design of Systems Laboratory: https://engineering.purdue.edu/RDSL

Awards and Major Appointments

Recipient of NASA Tech Brief Award granted by the Inventions and Contributions Board for contribution, "Particle Swarm Optimization Toolbox", 2009

Boeing Engineering Student of the Year, 2009

AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Best Paper Award, 2007, 2009, 2010

1st place in NASA EDL Competition to design a human-class Mars lander, 2007

3rd place in NASA ESMD Design Competition, 2007

NASA Co-op Special Achievement Award, 2003, 2005, 2009, 2010

Air Force Research Laboratory Materials Directorate Chief Scientist Award, 2003

Research Areas

Professor Grant's research is motivated by the computationally intensive iteration that plagues the design of complex aerospace systems. His advancements in hypersonic aerodynamics and trajectory optimization were chosen such that the aggregation of these advancements collapse the traditional, segregated design environment into a rapid, unified, mathematical framework to support the conceptual design of hypersonic missions. This framework capitalizes on the connectedness of hypersonic solutions to fundamentally alter the manner in which space systems are conceived. This research is made possible through the appropriate coupling of fundamental design techniques with modern computing. As such, his research includes the implementation of advanced computational architectures (e.g., scientific GPU computation) to execute his design methodologies.

His research in rapid design techniques extends beyond conceptual studies. Onboard flight computers have limited resources that also demand rapid calculations, and a portion of his research efforts focuses on performing onboard, real-time trajectory optimization. His research interests also include the incorporation of other disciplines within the rapid design environment to capture additional complex interdisciplinary interactions (e.g., fluid-structure interaction). This work would serve as a means to study and catalogue the fundamental integration of disciplines. While his research has largely focused on the design of entry, descent, and landing missions, his interests also extend to launch and orbit phases of the mission. Finally, his interests also include guidance and mission design for flight projects. In the past, this has included entry path-planning of the Mars Science Laboratory, Dream Chaser vehicle, and Orion command module as well as launch aborts of the Space Shuttle.

Publications

Grant, M., Steinfeldt, B., Braun, R., and Barton, G., ''Smart Divert: A New Mars Robotic Entry, Descent, and Landing Architecture,'' Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 47, No. 3, 2010, pp. 385-393.

Steinfeldt, B., Grant, M., Matz, D., and Braun, R., ''Guidance, Navigation, and Control System Performance Trades for Mars Pinpoint Landing,'' Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets, Vol. 47, No. 1, 2010, pp. 188-198.

Conference Proceedings, Presentations, Invited Lectures

Grant, M., Clark. I., and Braun, R., ''Rapid Simultaneous Hypersonic Aerodynamic and Trajectory Optimization Using Variational Methods,'' AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Portland, OR, 8-11 Aug. 2011.

Grant, M., Clark. I., and Braun, R., ''Rapid Design Space Exploration for Conceptual Design of Hypersonic Missions,'' AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Portland, OR, 8-11 Aug. 2011.

Grant, M., Clark. I., and Braun, R., ''Rapid Entry Corridor Trajectory Optimization for Conceptual Design,'' AIAA 2010-7810, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2-5 Aug. 2010.

Baird, D., Grant, M., Kadwa, B., et al., ''Orion Entry Display Feeder and Interactions with the Entry Monitor System,'' AIAA 2010-8062, AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2-5 Aug. 2010.

Grant, M. and Braun, R., ''Analytic Hypersonic Aerodynamics for Conceptual Design of Entry Vehicles,'' AIAA 2010-1212, 48th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including The New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Orlando, FL, 4-7 Jan. 2010.

Steinfeldt, B., Theisinger, J., Korzun, A., Clark, I., Grant, M., and Braun, R., ''High Mass Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing Architecture Assessment,'' AIAA 2009-6684, AIAA Space 2009 Conference and Exposition, Pasadena, CA, 14-17 Sept. 2009.

Grant, M., Steinfeldt, B., Braun, R., and Barton, G., ''Smart Divert: A New Entry, Descent, and Landing Architecture,'' AIAA 2009-522, 47th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting Including The New Horizons Forum and Aerospace Exposition, Orlando, FL, 5-8 Jan. 2009.

Steinfeldt, B., Grant, M., Matz, D., and Braun, R., ''Guidance, Navigation, and Control Technology System Trades for Mars Pinpoint Landing,'' AIAA 2008-6216, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Honolulu, HI, 18-21 Aug. 2008.

Grant, M. and Mendeck, G., ''Mars Science Laboratory Entry Optimization Using Particle Swarm Methodology,'' AIAA 2007-6393, AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference and Exhibit, Hilton Head, SC, 20-23 Aug. 2007.

Lafleur, J., Restrepo, C., and Grant, M., ''Development, Structure, and Application of MAST: A Generic Mission Architecture Sizing Tool,'' AIAA 2006-1717, 2nd AIAA Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Specialist Conference, Newport, RI, 1-4 May 2006.