Staff in the Mechanical Engineering Group test a component of the Operationally Responsive Space-5 SensorSat.

Mechanical Engineering

We provide innovative mechanical solutions for advanced technology prototypes. Prototypes we have worked on include airborne and space-based laser communications systems, biological agent detectors and identifiers, and large radar antenna systems. We are the Engineering research area's center for 3D computer-aided design with expertise in precision-engineered systems, optomechanical systems, mechanisms, dynamic metrology, composite structures, highly efficient lightweight structures, electronics packaging, and cable design. Our staff are involved in every step of a program's execution from conceptual design all the way to environmental and performance testing.

Featured Projects

The International Space Station will be outfitted with our ILLUMA-T laser terminal to provide optical communications.
lasers
The ILLUMA-T will enable optical communications on the International Space Station.

Advancing Our Research

Featured Publications

HF vector sensor for radio astronomy: ground testing results

Sep 13
AIAA Space 2016 Conf. and Exposition, 13-16 September 2016.

Vector antenna and maximum likelihood imaging for radio astronomy

Mar 5
2016 IEEE Aerospace Conf., 5-12 March 2016.

Development and application of spherically curved charge-coupled device imagers

Apr 1
Appl. Opt., Vol. 54, No. 10, 1 April 2015, pp. 3072-82.