Penn State Professor Gives Aerospace Presentation

Dr. Robert Melton, Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Penn State University, was the featured guest speaker and presented an aerospace lesson to the Nittany Composite Squadron on January 4th. The video- and lecture-based presentation gave the CAP cadets and officers an in-depth look at spacecraft propulsion systems in use today, including liquid- and solid-based propellents, as well as future propulsion technology such as nuclear and particle. Dr. Melton also provided information about NASA's new Ares 1 launch vehicle, and the the logistics and planning behind designing a manned mission to Mars.

Dr. Melton has been teaching at Penn State since 1981, has conducted research on space flight dynamics, (orbital motion, trajectory optimization, and space mission design), and has worked with NASA on analyzing the motion of space stations and the orbits of satellites around asteroids.



Learn more about the new Ares Launch Vehicle from NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/ares/aresI.html

Track the International Space Station (ISS) and other satellites where you live:
http://heavens-above.com/