The Space Engineering Institute
Team of Texas A&M University-
Kingsville made their way to the
Johnston Space Center in Houston,
Texas Sat. Apr. 20, 2009 to present
the results of their research currently
funded by NASA.
The research including experimenting
ways to effectively wash,
disinfect., and dry garments worn
by astronauts while living on the
new space station on the moon
that will be completed in 2024.
Why not just haul a whirlpool
washer and dryer?
Well the moon does not support
energy resources as earth does so
NASA must develop waves to run
the space station while using as
little energy as possible.
The group consists of Graduate
Student Firoz Ahmed, chemical
engineer major Faren von Duben
and Mechanical Engineer Majors
Victoria Bailey, Michael Orana, Jeremy
Murib, and Michael Gutierrez.
Other schools such as A&M
Commerce and College Station
also present the results of their independent
studies as well.
The S.E.I. previewed their
Gravity Independent Laundry
System.
The laundry system is effective
and consumes very little energy
due to the adiaratic saturation
process theory which uses high
pressure vacuums to sanitize compared
to forty gallons of water a
load in a typical washing machine.
The students were very confident
in their work and were not
intimidated by such large schools
as A&M-College Station.
Though, Michael Gutierrez did
stress that “it is intimidating because
their budget and large
workspace.”
A&M-College Station has expensive
lab equipment and an
abandoned Walmart as a lab,
while Gutierrez and his peers feel
though it may seem intimidating,
they benefit from a different stimulating
learning experience they
are proud of.