Goddard Space Flight Center
June 7 – August 20, 2021
Goals of your project/s:
Work with the thermal team on Roman Space Telescope (RST) to analyze components of the spacecraft using Thermal Desktop. I needed to use a model given to me in Creo and convert it to a Thermal Desktop model. I then needed to model the part so the software can accurately predict the temperatures during the mission orbit.
Describe what you did during the internship.
Unfortunately I didn’t receive my software until the 6th week of the internship due to technical difficulties. However, I was able to model one component of a spacecraft. I gathered the dimensions from the Creo model and converted the geometry to the Thermal Desktop. The most difficult part was modeling the complex geometry of the part. I worked with my mentor and team members to figure out where to put nodes. I also made sure the model was connected so the temperatures could be transferred from one part to another accurately. Unfortunately time ran out before I was able to run simulations, but the model was set up correctly.
Did you achieve your goals? What were the results and conclusions?
Given the circumstances, I achieved most of my goals. However, I was hoping to run cases and post process the data. I still got valuable modeling experience setting up models, which is the most difficult part of modeling. I received valuable advice working with experienced thermal modelers and analysts.
Describe positive lessons learned from this experience:
I learned that most tasks take longer than you predict in thermal modeling, especially when you’re new to the software. I also learned how important details are to NASA and how many factors affect the scope of a mission.
Describe negative lessons learned from this experience:
I learned how reliant the engineering world is on technology. This remote experience taught me the need for increasing my knowledge of computers to aid my engineering knowledge. I also realized the difficulty of managing my time working from home.