Reconstruction of the Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Research Experiment Sounding Rocket Flight Test

The Advanced Supersonic Parachute Inflation Research and Experiments project is a flight test program for development of supersonic parachutes for potential future use at Mars. The flight tests are designed to reduce risk for the Mars 2020 mission. The flight tests involve two Disk-Gap-Band parachute designs to be tested at relevant Mach number and dynamic pressure conditions for the Mars 2020 entry capsule. The first of these parachutes is a built-to-print design that was successfully employed by the Mars Science Laboratory lander at Mars in August 2012, and the second is a design that is strengthened in material properties and construction methods but has the same geometry as that used by Mars Science Laboratory. The first flight test of the built-to-print parachute took place on October 4, 2017 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility. This paper describes the instrumentation, data analysis techniques, and atmospheric and trajectory reconstruction results from this flight test

Monitoring the Effects of MMP Inhibitors on Extracellular Matrix Degradation for use in Implant Protection

In order to lengthen the functional time of implantable ECM, the mechanism of degradation must be inhibited. The matrix metalloproteases are the primary method by which ECM is broken down, and the TIMP family of proteins exists as proof that inhibition of these proteases is possible naturally. In particular, the glycoprotein TIMP-1 plays an inhibitory role with most of the MMPs including the collagenases. Furthermore, there exist synthetic or chemical molecules that likewise inhibit the catalytic actions of MMPs. One such molecule is Batimastat (BB-94) which has been proven to be a dose dependent inhibitor of MMPs during the inflammatory response. In order to evaluate the potential to increase the effective time of ECM based implants, an in vitro assay was developed to monitor the natural degradation rate of ECM in culture with DQ collagen and 3T3 fibroblasts. The protein TIMP-1 and the molecule BB-94 were incorporated into this model to evaluate their potential use in controlling the degradation rate of ECM implants

Prayer, Sacrifice, and Service: Themes in the Mormon Folk Narrative Tradition

The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of the Mormon folk group. Specifically, I aimed to analyze the Mormon folk narratives that center on three core values of Mormonism: prayer, sacrifice, and service. This project was an introductory approach, pointing the field of Mormon folk studies toward the study of these three narrative types. As these themes are central to Mormonism, my purpose was to offer more insight and understanding about Latter-day Saints. Looking at these stories, I examined the ways in which Latter-day Saints believe and practice the doctrinal principles that undergird these themes. Furthermore, I discussed the manner in which and the purposes for which Latter-day Saints share these narratives. I analyzed each of the three narrative types in terms of their history, context, structure and patterns, performance qualities and functions, and meaning. This study examined narratives that I collected from various places in Utah. The stories that I collected through interviews formed the foundation of my study. Additionally, I obtained stories by observing storytelling events and conversing interpersonally and in small groups with Latter-day Saints. In order to obtain a larger sampling, I collected some stories from LDS published works. I ended up compiling at least thirty stories for each narrative type. The results of the study included a greater understanding of how prayer, sacrifice, and service operate in Latter-day Saint life. Answered-prayer narratives were found to be a critical aspect of Mormon supernatural belief, as Latter-day Saints seek to involve God in everyday life. Narratives of sacrifice revealed the various ways in which Mormons seek to give up valued activities and interests in order to draw closer to God. Furthermore, service narratives exposed how Latter-day Saints commit themselves to service upon joining the Church and subsequently participate in a multitude of various service opportunities. My analysis of these three narrative types demonstrated essential aspects of what it means to be Mormon

Embedded-Atom-Method Modeling of Alkali-Metal/Transition-Metal Interfaces

Understanding the thermal properties of materials is essential to using those materials for technological advancement which can benefit civilization. For example, it has been proposed that essential components of tokamaks, devices which perform fusion, be made out of tungsten with a thin layer of lithium on the surface. To that end, this thesis seeks to calculate the thermal properties of a layer of alkali atoms, like lithium and sodium, on tungsten and molybdenum substrates. We use an Embedded Atom Method (EAM) model to perform our calculations. This type of model has been widely used to describe the interaction between atoms of the same type (i.e., how two lithium atoms interact). There is also a standard prescription for building the interaction between two atoms of different types (i.e., how a lithium atom and a tungsten atom interact). However, we have discovered that the prescription fails when trying to describe the interaction of atoms with much different sizes. To remedy this, we explore several different types of models and compare their results

Reconstruction of the Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology Sounding Rocket One Flight Test

The Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology Sounding Rocket One flight test is a demonstration experiment for deployable atmospheric decelerator technologies. The suborbital flight test occurred on 12 September 2018, at the White Sands Missile Range. Data from on-board and ground-based sensors were collected, from which the as-flown trajectory was reconstructed using an iterative extended Kalman filter-smoother. This paper describes the methodology, test vehicle instrumentation, and data analysis results from the flight test trajectory reconstruction