http://www.syndicatemizzou.org Fri, 09 Jan 2009 02:43:04 GMT en-us 40 Center for eResearch Connecting you with the University of Missouri’s innovative research and creative activity http://www.syndicatemizzou.org/images/logo.png 384 80 http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/kluever/ipod/Kluever01.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/kluever/ipod/Kluever01.m4v Craig Kluever’s childhood dream of becoming an astronaut turned instead into the pursuit of the science behind the rockets. Today, the Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering seeks to solve the kind of problems involved in space missions—like how to take off, and most importantly, how to return safely to Earth. Kluever came to this area of research in graduate school when he had a fellowship with NASA, developing computer programs to help solve problems involved with mission designs that use electric propulsion (as opposed to chemical propulsion). At the time, Kluever recalls, electric propulsion was a brand new technology, and NASA needed predictive computer models to calculate missions, for example to map a trajectory from Earth to Mars using electric propulsion. 3 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:21:42 GMT http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/kluever/ipod/Kluever03.m4v Education http://syndicatemizzou.org/resources/kluever/ipod/Kluever03.m4v For the first six years as an assistant professor, Kluever primarily focused on space missions that used electric propulsion. He worked with NASA on a lot of feasibility studies—aka “paper studies” (e.g., missions to the moon, to Mars, to the outer planets, to Pluto), studies that go into rounds of proposals that compete for selection. Unfortunately, none of the studies Kluever worked on have been selected, though he has come close. He worked on Diana, an early version of Dawn, which did get selected. Kluever has also worked with the X-33 program. In this project he looked at the approach and landing guidance system for this unpowered vehicle, which would have been the next-generation space shuttle (if the program had not been cancelled). Now the hot topic is the Crew Exploration Vehicle, the capsule in which NASA hopes to send astronauts to the moon and to Mars. Kluever is focusing on the atmospheric phase of the entry guidance system, particularly the Earth return, and also working on the ascent guidance system for the vacuum-flight phase of the Crew Launch Vehicle. 3 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 17:22:28 GMT