The Purdue Space Program Student Launch team was one of 45 college teams that competed in NASA’s Student Launch competition in early April at Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. It launched its vehicle 4,403 feet.
As part of the inaugural Neil Armstrong Distinguished Visiting Fellow program, AAE alumnus Paul Bevilaqua gave a three-day short course, “Introduction to V/STOL Theory and Practice,” participated in the Industrial Advisory Council’s ethics panel, and met with faculty and students.
A new propellant formulation method to use graphene foams to power spacecraft is being developed in Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories and led by Li Qiao, an associate professor in AAE.
Beth Moses became the first woman to fly to space on a commercial spaceship when Virgin Galactic's February 22nd test flight saw the three-person crew rocket into space at more than three times the speed of sound.
Adranos Inc., a Purdue University-affiliated company developing a high-performance, solid propellant for long-range missile and space launch systems, won the Army's inaugural xTechSearch competition. Adranos co-founder Brandon Terry received his doctorate in AAE.