ME2.01 TDC-106 Lunar and Mars Surface Habitat Module Manufacturing
Sponsor: NASA - Texas Space Grant Consortium (TSGC)
Student Team: Chloe Hinojosa, Liam Byrom, Tony Diehl, John Hearn, Scott Yeatman
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Leah Ginsberg
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Austin Talley
The project objective is to develop a modular habitat that can withstand long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. The habitat will be optimized for packaging and assembly through a hybrid approach, utilizing a combination of an inflatable pressure vessel and rigid exterior structure. Key design goals include maintaining crew safety through radiation and thermal protection, maximizing mass and packaging efficiency for launch, and ensuring compliance with NASA's Artemis and Mars mission standards.
ME2.02 The Meadows Center Diving Buoys
Sponsor: The Meadows Center for Water and the Environment
Student Team: Logan Mallow, Ryan Beakly, Claudia Quilter, Andres Herrera
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Mohamed Abdelkareem
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Austin Talley
The purpose of the Meadows Center Diving Buoys Project is to develop new diver-below-buoys to be used in Spring Lake’s scuba-diving training area. Key product features required by the Meadows center include Product longevity and durability while conforming to strict environmental safety standards. To achieve this, the senior design team will investigate and address the various causes of environmental degradation of materials present at Spring Lake. Additionally, the team will review potential improvements to the current product while developing alternative diving buoys. The project will conclude with the fabrication and installation of four to six new diving buoys in Spring Lake.
ME2.03 Low-Pressure Injection Molding Machine
Sponsor: Hunt & Hunt
Student Team: Mia De La Torre, Ankit Rai, Benedetta Murri, William Gellner, Corbin Whitaker
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Mohammad Abdelkareem
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Austin Talley
The project focuses on showcasing how HDPE waste can be recycled using a low-pressure injection molding machine to produce durable and sustainable parts. The system is designed to be low-cost per use, safer than traditional high-pressure methods, and accessible for small-scale production. In addition to promoting sustainability and manufacturing, the machine also serves as a hands-on educational tool for engineering and materials processing.
ME2.04 Mini Golf Hole Redesign
Sponsor: Paddle TX
Student Team: Brian Earle, Collin Lueb, Landon Meade, Nikola Andric
Project Advisor(s): Mr. Bradley Safranske
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Austin Talley
The goal of this project is to design, fabricate, and install obstacles for the Landa Park miniature golf course to complete a hole styled after the history and culture of New Braunfels, TX. The design is based off of the historic Wurstfest event held annually in New Braunfels. The main design criteria include a strong weather resistant construction and accessibility for all players. The design also includes a dynamic mechanical feature to add interest to the course.
ME2.05 FSAE Passive Interconnected Hydraulic Suspension
Sponsor: Bobcat Racing
Student Team: Reece Cavallo, West Masone, Kira Smith, Ethan Wilfur
Project Advisor(s): Dr. Khosrow Ebrahimi, Dr. Sevan Gonezen, Dr. Rick Schieni
Faculty Instructor: Dr. Austin Talley
This project focuses on the development of a passive hydraulic suspension system to be used in Bobcat Racing's current and future FSAE vehicles. The team is specifically seeking to decouple the four main chassis displacement modes through an interconnected system of hydraulic cylinders, reducing vibrations and increasing the ease of handling. Incorporated into the development of the suspension system will be a MATLAB-based model which will predict fluid flows, suspension forces, and the dynamic behavior of the chassis. This model will inform the creation of a scaled-down prototype and potentially a usable product.