Low Energy Orbits In the Solar System, Intel Science Talent Winner Describes Her Work Options

[lyford]

Erika DeBenedictis, 18, of Albuquerque, N.M., with her project developing a software navigation system to help improve spacecraft travel through the solar system.

Debenedictics is talking to the Boeing Company with the hopes of running her software on their equipment, to see how satellites and other spacecraft would react to its station keeping methods. Instead of an astronaut, she now wants to be an aerospace engineer so she can continue her research and make low-energy orbits a reality.

“Nobody is funding low-energy orbits right now, but [scientists] think this is a cool area that hasn’t been figured out yet,” she said. “This is a good time for me to be around.”


UMSF FTW!!!!

[lyford]

Yes, I know less about orbital mechanics than I do about almost anything, but her article did lead me on a very fruitful journal hunt in a quest for self enlightenment. I couldn't say one way or another about how good her simulation is, though smarter folks than me must have been impressed if she won the award.

Her desire to be an engineer rather than an astronaut is what really struck me as a good entry for this forum. ")