{"id":124554,"date":"2021-11-24T09:22:33","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T14:22:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=124554"},"modified":"2022-09-01T10:42:59","modified_gmt":"2022-09-01T14:42:59","slug":"self-assembly-landing-pads-for-the-moon-ucf-researchers-are-working-on-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/self-assembly-landing-pads-for-the-moon-ucf-researchers-are-working-on-it\/","title":{"rendered":"Self-Assembly Landing Pads for the Moon \u2014 UCF Researchers Are Working on It"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine hitting a button and instantly creating a landing pad just moments before descending a rocket onto the moon or an asteroid. That\u2019s the concept behind two research projects underway at the Florida Space Institute at UCF.<\/p>\n

FSI postdoctoral researcher Douglas Fontes worked with planetary scientist Phil Metzger and Masten Space Systems, a private company, to create a model that may do just that.<\/p>\n

Using Molten Meta<\/strong>l
\n<\/strong>FSI Postdoctoral researcher Douglas Fontes worked with Planetary Scientist Phil Metzger \u201900MS \u201905PhD<\/strong> and Masten Space Systems, a private company, to create a model that may do just that.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen a rocket lands it blows a lot of gas to slow down its decent,\u201d says Fontes. \u201cThat disturbance can blow back soil or rocks that could damage the rocket or equipment it is carrying. It could also create a crater, which wouldn\u2019t be good.\u201d<\/p>\n

Masten developed the concept and UCF has provided the modeling and analysis to determine if it is feasible.<\/p>\n

Droplets of molten metal are blown in rocket exhaust, so the idea is to have the droplets self-assemble into a landing pad on the surface of the moon seconds before landing, Fontes says.<\/p>\n

Fontes performed computer modeling to show how the droplets behave inside the rocket exhaust for the project. Analysis showed the concept is feasible, and researchers are looking to further mature the landing pad technology.<\/p>\n

Fontes came to UCF from Brazil in 2019 and completed a postdoc in the College of Engineering\u2019s Computational Fluid and Aerodynamics Laboratory before moving to FSI to work with Metzger.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been interested in complex multiphase flow, which is prevalent in rocket landing,\u201d says Fontes who has extensive knowledge in fluid dynamics.<\/p>\n

In 2022, he is headed to California where he has taken a position as an assistant professor at the Westmont College.<\/p>\n