The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is hosting a series of events to showcase several of the student design experiences sponsored by the department. The series of events includes several “show-and-tell” demonstrations from our competition teams including:
- The WVU Formula SAE race car competition team
- The WVU BAJA SAE competition team
- The WVU Experimental Rocketry team
- The WVU EcoCAR mobility challenge team
- The WVU University Rover Challenge team
- The WVU AIAA Design, Build, Fly team
- Spacecraft Design student participating in the NASA RASC-AL competition.
Students participating in the WVU Microgravity Research team will also show and present their flight project, and this year’s Aircraft Design students will host a presentation. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend. The agenda below is subject to change.
April 26 / 2-4 p.m. / ESB G15
Formula SAE Presentation and Open House ESB G15The WVU Formula SAE Team will showcase the 2022 Formula SAE Race Car which will compete in the Formula SAE Competition at Michigan International Speedway in June 2022. The student will discuss the design and fabrication process and highlight the unique features of the race car.
April 26 / 4-6 p.m. / ESB AeroLab 108
MAE 471/472 will have the 2022 BAJA car on display. The current students that are fabricating the vehicle will be there to discuss the competition and how the WVU car is designed to perform for the event. This year we are competing in two SAE events, May 12-16 at TTU located in Cookeville, TN and June 2-6 at RIT located in Rochester, NY. Since our first competition is only two weeks away from this Open House there should be plenty of action in the shop.
April 26 / 5-7 p.m. / ESB 801
Experimental Rocketry Presentation and Show and Tell in ESB 801
Student members of the WVU Experimental Rocketry Club (ERC) will showcase their entry in this year’s Spaceport America Cup international rocket competition. The club’s rocket, Mountain Mama, is entirely designed and built by club members and made to fly to an altitude of 30,000 ft before deploying the “Scatter Sat” payload comprising multiple slow-descent data-gathering environmental sensors.
April 27 / 2-4 p.m. / ESB G15
The WVU EcoCAR team will showcase the nearly “ready to be shipped to final competition” hybrid 2019 Chevy Blazer, discuss the vehicle powertrain and controls, as well as the connected and automated vehicle systems features of the vehicle. Students will discuss and present portions of final competition presentations.
April 27 / 2-4pm / ESB Atrium
University Rover Challenge Robotics Demonstration in ESB Atrium
The University Rover Challenge (URC) team will showcase the latest Mars rover design. The rover will be able to traverse complex terrain, complete precision tasks using its manipulators, and perform in-situ science experiments. The team will perform live demonstrations with the rover and students will be available to answer questions.
April 27 / 2-4 p.m. / ESB Atrium
Spacecraft Design Poster in ESB Atrium
MAE 487 Spacecraft Design 2 will showcase their design for a Portable Utility Pallet (PUP) as part of the 2021-2022 RASC-AL competition. Students are also designing a pressurized mobility asset for astronaut transportation around the future Artemis Lunar basecamp.
April 27 / 2-5 p.m. / ESB G84
Aircraft Design Presentations in ESB G84
MAE 485 Flight Vehicle Design 2 will showcase their design for a rapid-response all-weather unmanned aerial system (UAS) to support first responder engagement in emergency events. Students will discuss every aspect of the UAS, including the electric multirotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), mission planning and ground control station (MPGCS), interchangeable payloads, and data communications systems.
April 27 / 5-6 p.m. / ESB 711
Microgravity Research Team Presentation and Show and Tell ESB 711
The undergraduate Microgravity Research Team (MRT) at WVU is currently offered as a technical elective every semester and attracts some of the best performing MAE undergraduates. It has been established since early 2000 with initial support from NASA WV Space Grant and MAE Department.
The participants are required to conceptualize, design, and develop experiments that are performed in microgravity conditions (parabolic flights-Zero G corporation). The program is multidisciplinary in nature and currently supported from research funding through the NASA Flight Opportunities program and MAE. The current (MRT 18) team focuses on in-space additive manufacturing research and successfully conducted two additive manufacturing experiments in microgravity in November 2021. The next flight campaign is planned for May 2022.
April 28 / 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Design Build Fly Presentation and Show and Tell in ESB 711
MAE 474 Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) Design/Build/Fly (DBF) Competition students will showcase their design for an electric fixed-wing “Humanitarian Mission” UAV designed to deliver critical medical supplies to remote communities. Students will discuss the design challenges of the mission and highlight “lessons learned” from the international competition event.
