SWARM

Designed, built, and tested a prototype of a reconfigurable system of satellite modules intended to be mass produced and deployed in a cylindrical configuration for inexpensive build and launch, and then autonomously reconfigure on-orbit to support mission-specific payloads. 

During the requirements development phase, I worked with a team of 3 to specify requirements and selected hardware for the control FPGA within each module, and for the Bluetooth communication between modules. 

During the hardware design phase, I worked with a different team of 4 to design, water-jet cut, and assemble the octagonal structure and Lexan transparent cases of the modules. 

And during the test phase, I worked with a team of 3 to build a CO2-powered air carriage testbed to use on glass tables or super-flat resin floors to test system navigation and autonomous docking in a 3DOF enviroment. 

The testbed unit was also used as part of the flight qualification test suite for the SPHERES project at Marshall Space Flight Center, enabling the SPHERES to be launched to the ISS in 2006, where they have been used for over 100 experiments (and still going!)