Current Undergraduate Research Opportunities:
Project Logistics
At this time, all project positions have been filled for the Summer and Fall of 2023. For inquires into any potential work, please email Nicholas Brittian (nbrittain3@gatech.edu) and Iason Velentzas (ivelentzas3@gatech.edu).
Project: Reaction Wheel Hardware Integration for COSMOS 1 Robot
The robotics spacecraft testing and simulation group in the Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory (DCSL) in the School of Aerospace Engineering is looking to hire an undergraduate student to work part-time during an academic semester on a robotics hardware integration project. The project pertains to the integration and testing of a custom designed reaction wheel (RW) onto an air-bearing spacecraft simulator -- COSMOS (COntrol and Simulation of Multi-Spacecraft Operations in Space) -- for the purpose of attitude control.
The position will entail the following:
- Identification of the motor + RW system parameters
- Design of a continuous/digital controller
- Validation of the controller performance
- Physical integration of the RW onto the COSMOS platform
- Validation of RW performance by means of a demonstration on the COSMOS platform
- Documentation and information capture at all steps of the project, with appropriate reporting and deliverables required in sue
The applicant should have:
- Basic understanding of modelling of dynamical systems (working with transfer function or state-space models)
- Technical coding experience in either C/C++, MATLAB, or ideally both
- Basic understanding of digital data transfer methods/protocols
- Experience working with Raspberry Pi boards and microcontrollers
- GitHub and code sharing experience
Project: Construction, Programming, and Control of COSMOS 2 Robot
The Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory (DCSL) in the School of Aerospace Engineering is looking to hire undergraduate students to work part-time during an academic semester for the finalization of construction, electrical wiring, programming and testing of the COSMOS 2 robotic air-bearing spacecraft simulator for purpose of ground-based guidance, navigation, and control algorithms.
The position will entail the following:
- Physical wiring hookup and integration of electronic and pneumatic components
- Inertial measurement unit (IMU) integration
- Onboard control and vision computer integration
- Testing and verification of onboard thrusters for trajectory-tracking
- Finalizing CAD model with tubing, wiring/harnesses, and component placement
- Calibrate/estimate the center of mass of the COSMOS 2 robot
- Calibrate the displacement vector between thrusters to center of mass
- Implement extended Kalman filter with motion capture camera system and IMU
- Documentation and information capture at all steps of the project, with appropriate reporting and deliverables required in sue
The applicant should have:
- Basic understanding of modelling of dynamical systems (working with transfer function or state-space models)
- Technical coding experience in either C/C++, MATLAB, or ideally both
- Basic understanding of digital data transfer methods/protocols
- Experience using ECAD software such as EAGLE, or Altium, or mechanical CAD software such as Solidworks
- Experience working with Raspberry Pi boards and microcontrollers
- GitHub and code sharing experience
Project: ASTROS Robot VSCMG Repair and Electronic Levitation Integration
The Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory (DCSL) in the School of Aerospace Engineering is looking to hire an undergraduate student to work part-time during an academic semester for the electrical repair of a Variable Speed Control Moment Gyro (VSCMG) and integration of electronic control of the lower stage air-bearing of the Autonomous Spacecraft Testing of Robotic Operations in Space (ASTROS) platform.
The applicant will work under the direct supervision of graduate students to complete the following tasks:
- Determine outstanding electrical problems with the broken VSCMG
- Fix said electronic issues and reintegrate the VSCMG back into control scheme with motor controller
- Devise new electronic layout and control scheme, i.e., power distribution and new onboard computer selection, for electronic actuation of the lower stage pneumatic air-bearings
- Documentation and information capture at all steps of the project, with appropriate reporting and deliverables required in sue
- Submit design reviews for feedback and revision of work during the design process
The applicant should have an ECE background and many of the following:
- Basic understanding of circuit principles including but not limited to Ohm's law, impedance, voltage followers, analog filters, etc.
- Basic understanding of digital data transfer methods/protocols
- Basic understanding of PCB layout, printing, and assembly
- Some familiarity with micro-controllers and industrical grade motor controllers
- Has experience using ECAD software such as EAGLE, Altium, etc.
- Competence reading and understanding technical documents and datasheets of electrical components
- GitHub and code sharing experience
Project: ASTROS Robot CADing and Pneumatic System Redesign
The Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory (DCSL) in the School of Aerospace Engineering is looking to hire an undergraduate student to work part-time during an academic semester for the bring up of a high fidelity computer-aided design (CAD) model of the (ASTROS) platform and the redesign of the pneumatic system for the upperstage for the addition of new compressed air tanks.
The applicant will work under the direct supervision of graduate students to complete the following tasks:
- Develop high fidelity CAD model of the current ASTROS hardware configuration
- Document all pneumatic systems of the upper and lower stage
- Propose a new pneumatic model for the ASTROS upper stage which consists of new compressed air tanks
- Documentation and information capture at all steps of the project, with appropriate reporting and deliverables required in sue
- Submit design reviews for feedback and revision of work during the design process
The applicant should have an mechanical or aerospace background and many of the following:
- Basic understanding of high pressure pneumatics and compressed fuild dynamics
- Has experience using CAD software such as Solidworks
- Competence reading and understanding technical documents and datasheets of electrical components
- GitHub and code sharing experience
Project: PCB Design and Fabrication for ASTROS & COSMOS Robots
The Dynamics and Control Systems Laboratory (DCSL) in the School of Aerospace Engineering is looking to hire an undergraduate student to work part-time during an academic semester for the design, fabrication, assembly and testing of custom printed circuit boards (PCBs) for robotic air-bearing spacecraft simulators.
The applicant will work under the direct supervision of graduate students to complete the following tasks:
- Selection and integration of sensors into the electrical and software systems of the COSMOS robot
- Design/assembly of new printed circuit boards (PCBs) and revision of current PCBs
- Wiring of COSMOS robot components, power, PCBs, etc.
- Documentation and information capture at all steps of the project, with appropriate reporting and deliverables required in sue
- Submit design reviews for feedback and revision of work during the design process
The applicant should have an ECE background and many of the following:
- Basic understanding of circuit principles including but not limited to Ohm's law, impedance, voltage followers, analog filters, etc.
- Basic understanding of digital data transfer methods/protocols
- Basic understanding of PCB layout, printing, and assembly
- Some familiarity with micro-controllers
- Has experience using ECAD software such as EAGLE, Altium, etc.
- Competence reading and understanding technical documents and datasheets of electrical components
- GitHub and code sharing experience
