Challenging Projects in Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering Senior Capstone Design Experience

A significant way to attract engineering students’ interests in engineering and promote their design skills is to implement several exciting NASA programs into the senior-year capstone design experience. In 2002 Mechanical, Aerospace and Biomedical Engineering Department offered two new projects, named “Microgravity” and “Lunar Rover Vehicle”, as senior capstone design projects. Both required participation, on a competitive basis, in two corresponding NASA programs: “The Reduced Gravity Student Flight Opportunities Program” and “The Great Moonbuggy Race”. The experience demonstrated that these programs are very suitable in offering senior students unique opportunities to improve their analytical abilities, develop their design skills, and familiarize them with the process of solving real engineering and scientific problems.