Congratulations to Giovanny Vazquez, University of Nevada, Las Vegas for being selected as a Summer 2018 Research Associate (RA) at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center! RA sponsored by Nevada NASA Space Grant Consortium.
My name is Giovanny Vazquez and I am currently a senior year student at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas pursuing a dual-major in Mechanical Engineering and Physics, along with a minor in Mathematics. Ever since I was young, I recall having the utmost fascination with the sciences, in particular with the fields involved in space exploration. After all, it was when learning about the Apollo missions- through my role model, Carl Sagan, that my imagination was captured. For these questions led me to wonder what else exists in the immensity of space? How much is there left to discover? Consequently, my life goal is perform research to aid not only in the endeavors that drive us to the stars but to those that ultimately benefit the planet we all share.
In particular, I hope to devote my studies and work to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA is the pioneer of the modern world, and as such, it is where my aspirations lie as I hope to innovate the field of propulsion systems and aeronautical engineering, just like Robert Goddard. More specifically, I hope to improve conventional liquid bipropellant chemical rockets or improve solar and ionic propulsion systems. With planned missions to capture asteroids and land a human on Mars, the need for rockets with improved fuel economies will undoubtedly prove necessary. Thus, my future research will focus on the enhancement of ionic propulsion by means of higher power levels, exhaust velocities, and sustainability. In regard to pursuit, I am undoubtedly fortunate to have been selected, and am thrilled, to participate in this summer’s 2018 Propulsion Academy at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center, where I will be working on Launch Vehicle Control System Design and Testing as a Research Associate. This work will involve a Hybrid Rocket Flight Project in which the principles of rocket flight will be utilized to test the performance of a hybrid rocket motor under static and flight conditions for inner and outer atmospheric conditions.