We proposed Space Laser-Enabled Propulsion (SLEP): The use of MEO based solar power collecting satellites (AKA, StarPower Stations), transforming solar power to electricity to power lasers that are aimed at high altitude aircraft with laser receivers that in turn focus energy on “laser ramjet engine” to provide unlimited time in air. StarPower Stations, when over places with few aircraft, can also beam power to lunar bases in the lunar night, space craft for laser propulsion, orbital debris reduction and surface operations like night time cloud evaporation, tornado busting and so on ...
We adapted asteroid mining concepts to breaking down and processing large abandoned satellites in LEO. WidgetBlender submitted SAFER (Satellite After Fully Enclosed Recycler) which included a summary of Crointel's BioLeach that proposed a solution to use reflected solar energy to break down, sort and refine parts of large satellites into useful inputs to other LEO operations. Winning submission available on request.
Crointel also submitted a detailed BioLeach entry that WidgetBlender supported that won Third Place.
Trash-to-gas reactors are considered a sustainable approach to both near- and long-term waste management during long-duration space missions. The primary goal of this challenge was to create actionable design concepts for ash removal from a trash-to-gas reactor in microgravity. WidgetBlender supported Crointel with extensive device engineering and visualization collaboration. Visualization examples available on request.
A patent pending concept to reduce orbital debris risk to operational satellites using cubesats and ESPA class smallsats in a variety of operational modes. This approach does not employ direct capture but instead uses directed thruster exhaust particles in very close proximity. Example of RPO = rendezvous proximity operations
Supporting Croitel in a challenge submission for NASA's Particle Partition Challenge. This challenge seeks to identify novel ways that fine carbon particles can be safely and efficiently removed from a Bosch reactor (used to recycle CO2 back to O2), without impacting the reactor’s performance. Won 4th place
High level engineering trade-off modeling, spreadsheeting, costing
Fusion 360 based visualization, rendering, Powerpoint slide decks, technical (the MIT) and business (the MBA) text
Fusion 360 based CAD, 3D printing, prototype level electronics and PCB
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