Frontier Space

Kole Lutz

Frontier Space is a research organisation and podcast listened to in 80+ countries with entrepreneurs and researchers who are transforming the environment, materials science, engineering, biotechnology, and space systems. Our Podcast host Kole Lutz is the cofounder of startups such as Magneto Space and University. The Podcast helps push the envelope of science and development of life on Earth and beyond. Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frontier-space/support read less

Acoustic Analysis FFT of Laser on Graphene - Ep 28
Mar 26 2022
Acoustic Analysis FFT of Laser on Graphene - Ep 28
Take a gander into acoustic analysis of laser-induced graphene (LIG) with our guest, John Li, PhD Candidate from Stanford University and pod host Kole Lutz. Researchers used a $31 microphone attached to the CO2 laser writing head, followed by a simple acoustic signal processing scheme that allows for far greater quality control capabilities that are orders of magnitude faster than characterization of laser-induced graphene by microscopy techniques.  By applying Fourier and integral analyses, reseachers observed the local quality and morphology of the produced material graphene. Learn about how the acoustic analysis and signal processing can evaluate material properties and synthesis with implications for a wide range of applications including sintering, phase engineering, strain engineering, chemical vapor deposition, combustion, annealing, laser-cutting, gas evolution, distillation, spacecraft, bioengineering, and more.  Li, V. D., Li, J. T., Beckham, J. L., Chen, W., Deng, B., Luong, D. X., Kittrell, C., Tour, J. M., Sounds of Synthesis: Acoustic Real-Time Analysis of Laser-Induced Graphene. Adv. Funct. Mater. 2022, 2110198. https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.202110198  DATAQ Instruments Brand Data Loggers Model DI-1100, $50 data logger system with Windaq software. DATAQ Instruments' WinDaq Waveform Browser (WWB) playback software (FREE) contains a Fourier transform algorithm.  https://www.dataq.com/data-logger/dataq/ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frontier-space/support
Manufacturing Landing Pads with HVOF Nanocoatings on Luna with Masten Space - Ep 27
Feb 20 2022
Manufacturing Landing Pads with HVOF Nanocoatings on Luna with Masten Space - Ep 27
Dive into Masten Space’s near-instant landing pads called in-Flight Alumina Spray Technique (FAST) method with our guest Matthew Kuhns, VP R&D, to in-situ manufacture near-instant 6meter+ diameter landing pads with dust free zone. In partnering with Texas A&M, UCF, and Honeybee Robotics and collaborating with a NASA NIAC Phase 1 program, Masten conducted a series of tests and experiments in 2021 on Earth using the High velocity oxygen thermal spraying (HVOF) concept to release .5 mm alumina ceramic powder nanoparticles from the rocket exhaust, to build up spray coating in lunar regolith, and to deploy a thin pad from 30m deployment height and prevent ejecta plume/debris.   Traditionally, each lunar landing pad was expected to cost $120 million and kick up high-velocity regolith that can travel up to 3,000+ meters per second. Learn about results from test flights on Earth simulating delivery of 300kg mass payload to Lunar surface, future research, material science, math, compressive strengths, dust debris mitigation, plume impingement analysis, pressure injection, localised melting/point stresses, future applications, and more. researchgate.net/publication/356422803_FAST_Landing_Pads_for_Moon_and_Mars masten.aero/blog/mitigating-lunar-dust-masten-completes-fast-landing-pad-study/ Speaker Matthew Kuhns, VP R&D at Masten Space Systems With over a decade of experience in aerospace and startups, Matthew has co-founded several companies. Matthew plays key roles around technology development and advanced concepts, holding 5 patents and the title NASA NIAC Fellow. He is a leader in enabling technologies including LOX/Methane propulsion systems, electric pumps, and advanced additive manufacturing.  Masten Space Systems is a aerospace R&D and Earth and Moon transportation company creating and deploying reliable, reusable rocket vehicles and components. Because landing on the Moon, Mars, or anywhere else in the solar system is what Masten Space Systems can do for you. With more than 600 successful rocket-powered landings, 17 years of business and 5 rocket platforms, Masten puts landers and payloads right where they need to be every time. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frontier-space/support
Phototrophy and Bioengineering Life in Venus Clouds - Ep 24
Nov 21 2021
Phototrophy and Bioengineering Life in Venus Clouds - Ep 24
Investigating potential phototrophy, habitability, and bioengineering of microbes and potential floating algae in the lower, middle, and upper cloud layers of Venus with our guest, Rakesh Mogul, Ph.D., Professor of Biological Chemistry and Director; NASA/CSU Spaceward Bound, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Professor Rakesh recently published a study outlined below in finding that sunlight filtering through Venus’ clouds could support Earth-like photosynthesis round-the-clock in Venus’ clouds with the middle and lower clouds receiving similar solar energy as Earth’s surface. Mogul R, Limaye SS, Lee YJ, Pasillas M. Potential for Phototrophy in Venus' Clouds. Astrobiology. October, 2021;21(10):1237-1249. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2021.0032 Professor Rakesh's Website: https://www.cpp.edu/~rmogul/home.html Discussion/topics include: Part 1: Phototrophy and Habitability in Venus Clouds Bacterial chlorophyll B, floating algal blooms, cloud chemistry, photophysical/chemical/biological habitability, hammett acidity factor, bioavailable water activity level, neutralized sulfuric acid favor a habitable zone, solar irradiances for photosynthesis, primary biological aerosol particles (PBAP), NASA 1kg Aircraft Bioaerosol Collector (ABC), airborne microbial metabolism and spores up to 38km in Earth's clouds, mitosis cell division in clouds Part 2: Bioengineering Investigating how to apply the following systems to adapt microbial life to local conditions in Venus clouds: Venus sulfuric acid (H2SO4) coatings, airborne DNA sequencers, Bioengineering Whispering gallery mode (WGM) phycobilliproteins, biophotonic Optofluidic Microcavities Liquid Crystal Droplets, introducing an enzyme into the water to increase H production by 400%, UV resistant nanostructured coatings and biofouling hydrophilic coatings, self replicating algae mats and floating algae ISRU bioreactors in clouds of Venus --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frontier-space/support
Next-gen SuperBIT Stratospheric Balloon Telescopes - Ep 23
Oct 23 2021
Next-gen SuperBIT Stratospheric Balloon Telescopes - Ep 23
A lively dialogue on the mission, design, and implications of SuperBIT balloon-borne telescope one of the highest resolution telescopes ever made with our guest Barth Netterfield PhD, Professor, DADDAA & Physics at Uni of Toronto and project lead of SuperBIT mission to image weak gravitational lensing, galactic star formation, distribution and quantity of dark matter in galaxy clusters and super exoplanet atmospheres. The $5M Super-pressure Balloon-borne Imaging Telescope (SuperBIT) is 1,300X lower than the cost of the $6.5bn Hubble Space Telescope to image  visible-to-near-UV (300-900 um) with 0.25-.5 arc second imaging and 50X more sensitive resolution than hubble. With a  0.5 m mirror, wide-field, 1.5m aperture, SuperBIT is equipped a helium balloon and 80kg carbon fiber mount telescope with a 69-megapixel camera with low read noise, high quantum efficiency and very low dark current that is capable of flying 1,000kg science payload at 35km altitude. Toward the end of the Podcast episode, Barth enlightens us about the preliminary plans and implications of GigaBIT, next generation atmospheric telescope focusing on green, blue and UV imaging wavelengths, which is planned to be 4X better than ground telescopes with 3X imaging stability over superbit potential launch in late 2020's SuperBIT: A low-cost, balloon-borne telescope to rival Hubble https://phys.org/news/2021-07-superbit-low-cost-balloon-borne-telescope-rival.html _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Romualdez, L. J., et al (2018). Overview, design, and flight results from SuperBIT: A high-resolution, wide-field, visible-to-near-UV balloon-borne astronomical telescope. In L. Simard, L. Simard, C. J. Evans, & H. Takami (Eds.), Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy VII [107020R] (Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering; Vol. 10702). SPIE. https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2307754 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/frontier-space/support