EXPERIENCE
USRA Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI)
NASA Johnson Space Center, Hypervelocity Impact Technology Facility (HITF)
Houston, USA
Postdoctoral Researcher, Feb 2008 – Current
Develop, test and evaluate new concepts for micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) shielding using experimental and numerical methods. Provide support to program offices (e.g. Shuttle, ISS) for assessing and minimizing MMOD risk to manned space missions. Develop tools for performing mission risk assessments.
Topics of Research
Hypervelocity impact performance of periodic sandwich structures, composite materials and ballistic fabrics
Damage mechanisms in space hardware and materials subject to hypervelocity impact
Ballistic limit equations for predicting failure limits of MMOD shielding configurations
Augmentation of existing MMOD shield configurations for enhanced safety of manned spacecraft
Fraunhofer Institute for High-speed Dynamics, Ernst-Mach-Institute (EMI)
Freiburg, Germany
Project Scientist, Dec 2003 – May 2007
Provide planning, execution and analysis of hypervelocity impact studies investigating risk analysis for spacecraft subject to impact by space debris. Develop numerical models, and perform numerical simulation of hypervelocity impact on spacecraft structures in support of experimental programmes.
Topics of Research
Spacecraft perturbations related to hypervelocity impact-induced disturbances
Vulnerability of spacecraft components to orbital debris and micrometeoroid particles
Dynamic material characterization, damage evaluation and material modeling of composite materials subject to impact at hypervelocities
Meteoroid/Orbital Debris (M/OD) risk analysis