Fall 2003 AeroGRAM A newsletter for alumni & friends of the School of Aeronautics & Astronautics covering the 2002-2003 academic year Renovated rocket lab at Purdue is ‘national resource’ By Emil Venere - Purdue News Service WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue University has completed major renovations to a one-of-a-kind propulsion facility and has begun full-scale laboratory testing in research that includes work to develop engines for NASA’s next-generation space shuttle. Engineers working in the High Pressure Laboratory, one of six facilities at Purdue’s Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories, will per- form research sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army, other federal agencies and aerospace companies, said Stephen Heister, a professor in Purdue's School of Aeronautics and Astronautics. A pulse detonation engine is fired at the Zucrow propulsion lab. “It’s the most comprehensive and most capable university propulsion facility in which to test engines at higher pressures “By the time our students begin their Purdue began rebuilding the lab two years and thrust levels,” said Heister, who has professional careers, they will already ago, when it received a $1 million, two- led efforts to refurbish the lab. have seen their designs transformed into year grant from the Indiana 21st Century experimental hardware and see how their Research and Technology Fund, estab- Rocket tests began in June. analyses compare to actual results. NASA lished by the state to promote high-tech and industry realize this, and they have research and development and to help “This lab truly will become a national been very supportive of our efforts to build commercialize university innovations. resource because of its scale and capabili- up this lab, and we are very appreciative That work, which established the lab as ties,” said William Anderson, an associate of their support.” the Indiana Propulsion and Power Center professor of aeronautics and astronautics. of Excellence, was carried out with help “We will be able to study physical phenom- The rocket-testing facility within the High from the Allison Advanced Development ena on the scale and conditions at which Pressure Lab, built in 1965, had not been Co. in Indianapolis, a division of Rolls- they occur in real rockets.” upgraded since the mid-1970s. Jay Gore, Royce Corp. the Vincent P. Reilly Professor of The lab will be an important training Mechanical Engineering and Associate The renovated lab has already begun ground for a new generation of engineers, Dean of Engineering for Research and attracting research dollars. who will be essential for the nation's space Entrepreneurship, said in the interim, industry to meet its goals, Anderson said. other, more modern portions of the lab “Over those two years that Purdue have been active in combustion research received $1 million, we brought in “It is well recognized that there is a critical for turbine engines used in aircraft and almost $3 million in research money, need for new grads as the engineers who power generation and in work to improve so we leveraged that money quite well,” began their careers in the ’60s retire,” diesel engines for trucks and other said Scott E. Meyer, senior propulsion he said. vehicles. engineer at the lab. in this issue... AAE Headlines Renovated Rocket Lab . Cover I am very excited to report on AAE Headlines . 2 progress of the Millennium Engineering Building, a key compo- Philanthropists of the Highest Order . 4 nent in the ongoing execution of the Mars Odyssey Update . 5 $400 million master facilities plan for the Schools of Engineering approved Purdue Celebrates Engineering Week . 6 in 1999. Located at the corner of The William E. Boeing Distinguished Lecture . 7 Northwestern and Stadium avenues, the multidisciplinary engineering facili- Distinguished Engineering Alumni 2003 . 7 ty will accommodate the School of Walker ‘Bud’ Mahurin . 8 Aeronautics and Astronautics, the School of Materials Engineering, Purdue Alumnus on the Move . 9 Thomas N. Farris Engineering Projects In Community News About You . 10 Service (EPICS), Freshmen Alumnus on Gulfstream’s GV-SP first flight . 11 Engineering, minority and women peers. We are pleased to report the in engineering, interdisciplinary addition of two new faculty members Honorary Doctoral Degree . 11 engineering and other engineering the fall of 2003. Dr. Ivana Hrbud Joint Strike Fighter X-35 . 11 programs. Gift funds will cover $10 brings special expertise nuclear and million of the cost for the 238,000- electric propulsion with her. She will The Campaign for Purdue . 12 square-foot building. The state has be joining the School from the NASA Rolls-Royce University Technology authorized Purdue to issue bonds to Marshall Space Flight Center. Dr. Center at Purdue . 13 cover the other $37.7 million. With Charles L. Merkle is one of the world’s Indiana Space Grant Consortium your help, as of this writing, Purdue leading figures in modeling and com- Annual Meeting . 13 is well on its way to raising the putational analysis of fluid flows necessary gift funds. This is all related to propulsion. He will be join- Purdue on the Road . 14 very exciting—Thanks! ing both the Schools of Aeronautics Purdue Makes the Grade . 15 and Astronautics and Mechanical The 2002-03 Academic Year brought Engineering from the University of Colloquium Series . 16 much excitement to the School and Tennessee where he holds the H.H. Boeing Purdue Partnership . 17 Purdue. Purdue University’s Schools Arnold Chair of Computational of Engineering announce the creation Mechanics.You will learn more about Life After Purdue University . 18 of eight signature areas, which repre- them in future correspondence. The Golden Honors Day . 19 sent considerable multidisciplinary faculty is proud that Purdue’s exciting Outstanding Aerospace Engineers Award . 20 strength across Purdue’s engineering opportunities allow it to attract the and related disciplines and present very best faculty candidates. Industrial Advisory Council . 22 exciting opportunities for field-defining Victories & Heros . 23 research, educational innovation, and Highlights of the year included the 4th IP spin-off. These eight areas address William E. Boeing Lecture given by New Graphic Identity . 23 national priorities and promise Major General John Hudson, Director Faculty News . 24 tremendous international impact. of the Joint Strike Fighter Program, Purdue University and the Schools of and the 4th Annual Outstanding Continuing Engineering Education . 26 Engineering are investing substantially Aerospace Engineer celebration. These Study Abroad Opportunities . 26 in 75 new tenure-track faculty posi- events along with Homecoming and tions and a $400 million facilities Gala Week are wonderful times for Science Bound . 27 expansion and upgrade to ensure you to return to campus. We always Emeritus Professor John L. Bogdanoff . 27 unparalleled excellence in pursuing welcome you back to campus so that these interests. The School plans to we might show you up-close the Mark Polansky - STS-117 . 28 increase the size of its faculty to 30 educational opportunities that your Purdue Students Use Renovated in part through the signature areas: support provides our students. Having Lab to Test Rocket Designs . 28 advanced materials and manufactur- you back on campus gives us the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation Award . 29 ing; global sustainable industrial chance to say thank you for your systems; information, communica- support and, more importantly, con- Engineering Career Expo . 29 tions, and perception technologies; nects you with our present students K-12 Educational Outreach . 30 intelligent infrastructure systems; so that you too can know why we nanotechnologies and nanophotonics; make educating Purdue Aeronautical Commencement . 31 renewable energy and power sys- and Astronautical Engineers our life’s Student Awards . 32 tems; system of systems; and work. We strive to make the Purdue tissue and cellular engineering. education live up to the standards Fall Space Day . 34 that you remember so well and Aero Advancement . 36 The School’s undergraduate enroll- remind you that we cannot do so Donor Honor Roll . 37 ment again increased by 18% to 407 without your support. Thanks again in the fall of 2002 giving it the largest for your part in making times at Keep in Touch . 40 undergraduate enrollment among its Purdue so exciting. Renovated rocket lab continued from page 1 The high-pressure lab includes two “test Rockets use special turbopumps to “The students not only have to fulfill cells,” blockhouse-like rooms with 18- inject fuel at high pressure into the their rigorous course work, they also inch-thick steel-reinforced concrete walls. combustion chamber. In the lab setting, come out here and do real engineering,” Each cell contains two test beds, meaning however, it is safer and more practical Meyer said. “They do the lion’s share of four separate tests can be carried out at to use high-pressure nitrogen to push the work, running tubing and plumbing, the same time. the fuel into the engine instead of using doing the wiring, programming the the turbopumps. Liquid nitrogen is held data-acquisition systems, hooking up One of the cells is for rocket testing. The in a 2,400-gallon tank maintained at instrumentation, conducting the test other is for combustion research for tur- about minus 300 degrees Fahrenheit. operations.” bine engines and for work in experimental The nitrogen is vaporized and trans- propulsion systems such as “pulse-deto- ferred via metal tubing to holding tanks Senior Kevin Miller of Goshen, Ind., nation” engines. These engines may lead at pressures as high as 6,000 pounds said opportunities in the lab influenced to the development of “hypersonic” air- per square inch for use in the experi- his decision to stay at Purdue for craft that travel several times the speed ments. While the engines are running graduate studies. of sound. The advanced military and com- in the test cells, data are collected by mercial aircraft are expected not only to various sensors, and video cameras “It’s extraordinary to have such travel faster, but also more efficiently record the firing.