While working on an ongoing NASA project to propel spacecraft and satellites via a tether system, three TTU engineers launched another design that is grabbing attention at Marshall Space Flight Center.

Mechanical Engineering graduate students Marshall Norris and Seth Knight, along with research associate Jamie Beard of our Center for Energy Systems Research, recently attended the Marshall Technology Expo to demonstrate a prototype gimbaled thruster, a device that allows users to control and keep a thruster in a constant position on a rotating spacecraft.

Jamie Beard, left, a research associate at our Center for Energy Systems Research, and Kirk Sorenson, right, lead systems engineer of Emerging Propulsion Technologies in the In-Space Propulsion Office, show Marshall Space Center Director David King, second from left, and Assistant Director for Technology/Chief Technologist James Bilbro how a new gimbaled mount can be used for the reaction control system of future spacecraft. Photo by Fred Deaton/MSFC

"Over the course of working on the tether project, they saw a need to be able to constantly control the position of a solar ray to operate a solar-powered panel to generate electricity," says Stephen Canfield, professor of Mechanical Engineering. "The gimbaled thruster addresses this need to control the direction in the reaction control system of future spacecraft. The problem of control has been presenting itself in several areas, including crew explorer vehicles."

A gimbal is a device that uses angles to measure the rotation of an object in three dimensions and to control that rotation. It provides three degrees of freedom so that a mechanism can be pointed in a constant position while on a rotating spacecraft.

Of the more than 100 products on display at this year's technology expo at Marshall Space Flight Center, Center Director David King requested a copy of the prototype gimbaled thruster to place in his office. The Sept. 1 issue of the Marshall Star, a NASA newsletter, featured a picture of the device on the cover.

Marshall's Technology Expo showcases a host of technologies developed to support Marshall programs related to space launch, science and exploration. More than 300 chief engineers, program managers and others attended this year's event.