UC researcher to contribute to the next generation of space vehicle
A University of Canterbury engineer is working with American scientists on the next generation of space vehicle.
Associate Professor Susan Krumdieck, of UC’s Department of Mechanical Engineering, has been named as an investigator to
work on the next generation of hypersonic vehicle. The hypersonic vehicle, which will use scramjet engines and travel at
Mach 10-15, is regarded as a much more efficient replacement for the space shuttle as it will be able to essentially fly
to space.
The project is being carried out by the US National Hypersonic Science Center for Materials and Structures (NHSC) and is
funded by the US Air Force and NASA. An industrial contractor, Teledyne Scientific, and seven US universities are
involved in various aspects of research including materials, materials processing, mechanics, atomistics and structures.
Professor Krumdieck will be working directly with David Marshall of Teledyne and Professor Rishi Raj of University of
Colorado at Boulder.
“It is exciting to be working on the really challenging science problems again,” said Professor Krumdieck. “I don’t know
how many years in the future this vehicle might be, or what the probability is that they will ever figure out how to
really do it, but that doesn’t stop the Americans from trying virtually impossible things. That is how they keep
challenging their researchers, and why they really do lead the world in science and advanced materials engineering.”
Professor Krumdieck will be the lead processing researcher in the NHSC team. The project will involve several PhD
students at Canterbury and in the USA who will travel between the member groups to work together. Dr Vladimir Golovko,
senior lecturer in UC’s Department of Chemistry, and Dr Mark Jermy and Dr Sid Becker from UC’s Department of Mechanical
Engineering will also be involved in modeling the deposition and heat transfer processes.
“This is a long-term project to dig deep into the science of advanced, high temperature materials, and we will be
working with some of the world leading experts in the field,” said Professor Krumdieck. “I hope to gain some support for
this work in New Zealand. It is really a great opportunity for a small country to participate in spacecraft research and
development.”
The whole hypersonic vehicle will be made of advanced materials composites with specialist coatings. The engine and
leading edge of the wings and body reach temperatures in excess of 1500 oC. Professor Krumdieck will be working on
developing a processing route for thin films of alumina (Al2O3) on the silicon-carbide composite structural material.
Alumina is a high temperature material that acts as an oxidation barrier and has self-healing properties.
The novel pulsed-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (PP-MOCVD) process that Professor Krumdieck has
developed is seen as a possible way to produce the alumina thin films on the woven composite material in a way that can
coat complex macro-scale shapes as well as penetrate micro-scale features. She developed this process during her PhD
research at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
Professor Krumdieck’s appointment follows a trip she made to California in April during which she presented a seminar on
her research on materials processing and was briefed on the hypersonic materials programme.
ENDS