NASA RASC-AL Design Competition

Project Sisyphus was a design proposal for a 30 day manned Mars mission to take place by 2035. It utilized high-TRL systems to mitigate design costs and production lead times. Notable technologies included the SHEDLab, an unpressurized science lab to be deployed on the Martian surface; the OTER, a tracked rover with a bucket for off-world construction; and an innovative short-radius artificial gravity ring. This proposal went to national finals where we presented before a team of NASA experts who commented especially favorably on our surface operations and planetary protection efforts. I was personally awarded “most likely to host a future RASC-AL competition” for my presentation abilities.

In working on this project, all aspects of the mission were considered, from ECLSS to vehicle design and launch windows. As team lead, I had my hands in all of it, but my specialties were in propulsion, operations planning, and systems engineering.