Eric Ye: Who am I
This blog will be my weekly diary for the next few weeks. By few, I mean 10.
Anyways, as for the 400 word introductory blog post:
Hi, my name is Eric Ye as some of you may know. I am a senior at BASIS Scottsdale and will be pursuing a senior research project.
My senior research project deals with inflatable antenna. In the next few months, I will be researching at an ASU lab called SpaceTREx. It is an interdisciplinary lab that focuses on exploratory robotics (i.e. Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration laboratory).
My research project will be dealing with inflatable antenna. Originally, I wanted to do something more robotics related, but after deliberating about it, I wanted something sounded easily achievable in ten weeks although my current research topic might actually be more complex. Thus, I expound more about the subject I am currently researching after I gain a more holistic picture of what resources I will have at lab.
My interest in the lab with which I am currently interning is my newfound passion for space. I was always interested in space, but this year something changed. Given this whim, I decided to find something that sated this new curiosity. I may have a comparatively strong physics background, but ultimately, I am not very interested in cosmology and astrophysics. Cosmology and astrophysics are too complex and esoteric for my tastes.
My strongest background is probably in computer programming. However, with this research project, I hope to explore something else. Computer programming may be fun, but sometimes it loses its allure when I feel that my eyes are going to die on me. This is why I want to explore another one of my interests. Moreover, I do not have a solid foundation in computer programming; I don't really know data structures or algorithms. I just code and hope for the best with Stack Exchange if I encounter a problem. This is why I have recently decided that when I write code, I will only use a glorified text editor and command-line without the internet until I work through books. Currently, I'm making my way through K&R.
As for my research project, I started to read the literature more closely. On JStor, there aren't many articles about inflatable antenna. Half of those about inflatable antenna are old sources from before 2000. Moreover, many of those sources are about terrestrial inflatable antenna, which are a refined product that faces less complexity than their space-borne counterparts.
I chose this project because seemed interdisciplinary: chemistry as an inflation substrate, physics for antenna gain, and general engineering for antenna design. The complexity of it has exceeded my expectations, but it sounds interesting. Initially, I wanted to do robotics, but I welcome something fresh.
"; }
Anyways, as for the 400 word introductory blog post:
Hi, my name is Eric Ye as some of you may know. I am a senior at BASIS Scottsdale and will be pursuing a senior research project.
My senior research project deals with inflatable antenna. In the next few months, I will be researching at an ASU lab called SpaceTREx. It is an interdisciplinary lab that focuses on exploratory robotics (i.e. Space and Terrestrial Robotic Exploration laboratory).
My research project will be dealing with inflatable antenna. Originally, I wanted to do something more robotics related, but after deliberating about it, I wanted something sounded easily achievable in ten weeks although my current research topic might actually be more complex. Thus, I expound more about the subject I am currently researching after I gain a more holistic picture of what resources I will have at lab.
My interest in the lab with which I am currently interning is my newfound passion for space. I was always interested in space, but this year something changed. Given this whim, I decided to find something that sated this new curiosity. I may have a comparatively strong physics background, but ultimately, I am not very interested in cosmology and astrophysics. Cosmology and astrophysics are too complex and esoteric for my tastes.
My strongest background is probably in computer programming. However, with this research project, I hope to explore something else. Computer programming may be fun, but sometimes it loses its allure when I feel that my eyes are going to die on me. This is why I want to explore another one of my interests. Moreover, I do not have a solid foundation in computer programming; I don't really know data structures or algorithms. I just code and hope for the best with Stack Exchange if I encounter a problem. This is why I have recently decided that when I write code, I will only use a glorified text editor and command-line without the internet until I work through books. Currently, I'm making my way through K&R.
As for my research project, I started to read the literature more closely. On JStor, there aren't many articles about inflatable antenna. Half of those about inflatable antenna are old sources from before 2000. Moreover, many of those sources are about terrestrial inflatable antenna, which are a refined product that faces less complexity than their space-borne counterparts.
I chose this project because seemed interdisciplinary: chemistry as an inflation substrate, physics for antenna gain, and general engineering for antenna design. The complexity of it has exceeded my expectations, but it sounds interesting. Initially, I wanted to do robotics, but I welcome something fresh.
"; }
Eric,
ReplyDeleteI am excited to follow your project over the next few weeks. You mentioned that you are working on an inflatable antenna. How does something inflate in space?
They inflate through the use of chemical sublimates. These chemicals maintain an equilibrium between a solid and gas state to maintain a pressure. Additionally, through the us of UV-rigidizing resin(a coating that hardens in the presence of UV light), the inflatables can keep their structure.
DeleteI'm really interested to see how your project goes. How do you thin you will be able to make measurable comparisons with a regular antenna?
ReplyDeleteI do not thin things, but regular antenna do not inflate. However, there is a baseline for measurable comparisons in comparing the inflation ratio to the time required to inflate.
DeleteYour project sounds very interesting. I also share a passion for space exploration, and having read about the challenges of transporting material into space, I realize how significant your work is! I can't wait to learn more!
ReplyDeleteWhat defines an inflatable antenna, and what are its uses? What text editor will you use, vim or Emacs? Will the program be GPLv3 compliant? Your project looks very exciting.
ReplyDeleteAn inflatable antenna is communication device as indicated by the word antenna that can expand in size due to some gas, a property indicated by the word inflatable. They are useful because they are easy to deploy in space and have an extremely efficient packing ratio (deployed volume v. stowed volume). Moreover, inflatables are cheap compared to regular antenna.
DeleteBecause I'm a windows scrub, I'm using VS Code. It's a nice, modern text editor (emphasis on modern), so it has a nice aesthetic. It's also easily customizable. After all, it is based off the Electron Framework that Github used to make Atom.
And lastly, I am not making any programs.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Deletefor clarity mg = michael garbus
DeleteI know. Who else would ask vim or emacs?
DeleteI'm really excited to see how you develop your project! I have a strong fascination with space, and I'm really interested in the idea of the inflatable antenna. Is there a certain cause that you're attempting to solve with this antenna?
ReplyDeleteHi Kailee, I'm not quite sure what you mean by certain cause. However, the purpose of my project is to examine the wrinkles in the inflatable antenna.
DeleteHi Eric,
ReplyDeleteSpace has always been something which seemed really interesting to me. I had never heard about inflatable antennas before but after reading the introductory post and the other comments, it seems like something really cool and interesting. I can't wait to see your work and I wish you the best of luck.
This is a very interesting concept you have chosen to research and I have two questions. What kind of companies would use this? Do people use inflatable antenna on Earth?
ReplyDeleteMainly, inflatable antenna are used in space because they are cheap compared to the solid ones. Sometimes these solid antenna even jam. Thus, many academics who want to save money but have a good signal-reception with their antenna choose inflatables.
DeleteOn Earth, inflatable antenna are much easier to use. They are even cheaper. These are usually created with an air pump, something that one cannot use in space. Earth-based inflatables have been helping in variety of fields like the military and disaster-relief.
Hi Eric, this seems like an interesting project with a lot of potential. Are you actually going to be constructing an antennae, and if so how will you test your designs?
ReplyDeleteYes, I plan to make the antenna. The antenna design will be tested in a vacuum chamber with a certain video-capture apparatus that I will be building in the next few weeks
DeleteHi Eric, I am very interested in physics and I am looking forward to seeing where your project goes. How large approximately will these antenna need to be in order to fulfill their purpose? Also, seeing as the title of your project is optimizing inflation times, how exactly would this be helpful to space exploration? Do they take a really long time to inflate?
ReplyDeleteIf you like physics, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but this project will not have very much physics. However, I can cover a little bit of the physical side if you are interested.
DeleteInflatable antenna are useful to space exploration because they are cheap and can inflate well. More about the pros and cons of inflatable antenna will be covered in my next post.