The Mobile Utility Transporter (MUT) is a self-propelled cart for early lunar surface missions. Designed to carry lunar samples, tools, science experiments, and double as an Incapacitated Crew Rescue (ICR) cart in the event of a medical emergency.

MUT went from conceptualization to functional prototype demo in less than 4 months to prove lunar surface capabilities in the rapidly changing Artemis program.

MUT utilizes a dual-motor actuator powering a custom cycloidal gearbox inside each wheel. In an effort to reduce schedule and remove radiation testing brushed motors were chosen to eliminate the need for any active electronics. A novel series-parallel switching control scheme is used to get two drivetrain speeds.

I served as the Lead Chassis and Integration Engineer as well as a subject matter expert for actuator design.

Worked alongside NASA Space Architects to take crew interface hardware from concept to reality

The Space Architects and Human Factors Engineers from the NASA Center for Design & Space Architecture generated initial crew interface concepts in Rhino3D. I took all of their initial concepts and created manufacturable assemblies in PTC Creo to build out the majority of the crew interface hardware over a 4 month period.

After the Center for Design & Space Architecture completed their project support I supervised and mentored interns in the development of additional payloads including Lunar Tool Carrier, Hi-Rate autonomous sensor integration, the addition of dual-driver controls and camera displays, and new front bodywork assembly.

I was the Lead Mobility Engineer on NASA's Lunar Terrain Vehicle- Ground Test Unit (LTV GTU). The LTV-GTU is a feature-rich ground test vehicle designed to be reconfigurable for ground testing and conceptual operations development for various NASA and contractor payloads.

As the Lead Mobility Engineer I was responsible for the architecture, design, manufacturing, integration, and testing of the vehicles mobility system.

I was the sole designer of the propulsion actuators and wheels and completed the final 20% of design work on the suspension and steering actuators and pushed them through manufacturing.

The vehicle consists of 4 identical wheel modules. Each wheel module has two propulsion actuators, a non-backdrivable steering actuator, and a non-backdrivable suspension actuator.

The propulsion actuator is comprised of 2x Parker frameless BLDC motors driving a 3 stage modified COTS planetary geartrain. Commutation is provided by a resolver integrated on the front of the motor rotor.

The steering actuator utilizes a Parker framless BLDC motor, driving a 2 stage modified COTS planetary geartrain that in turn drives a 50:1 worm gear to achieve non-backdrivability. Commutation is provided by a resolver integrated on the back of the motor, absolution position is achieved with a Zettlex inductive encoder. This actuator contains a cascading rotary hard-stop that allows the actuator to have hard-stops at both ends of travel with 600 degrees of output rotation. This cascading hard-stop technology is undergoing review by the NASA Technology Transfer Office to pursue at patent.

The suspension actuator utilizes a Parker frameless BLDC motor driving a custom 4:1 planetary geartrain that is housed inside of the flex-spline of a Harmonic Drive gearset. This drives a 50:1 worm gear to achieve non-backdrivability.

I also designed the vehicles avionics boxes which integrated 6x Elmo motor controllers, custom bus bars, low voltage control devices, and over-voltage shunt resistor. There is one avionics box per wheel module installed in the chassis towers and the boxes are designed to be water resistant.

Served as a Mechanisms Design Engineer on NASA's VIPER mission. VIPER is launching to the lunar south pole in late 2027.

I worked on the Structures and Mechanisms team designing structure and launch lock mechanisms for the rovers navigation and communication gimbals.

All hardware has completed all environmental testing and vehicle is awaiting shipment to Kennedy Space Center for lander integration.