Making History
Melissa Flores, a third-year Aerospace Engineering Ph.D. student in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace, and Nuclear Engineering (MANE), is helping make history through her involvement in the STarlight Acquisition and Reflection toward Interferometry (STARI) mission, with the goal of testing out a novel technique to discover and image habitable planets outside our solar system with greater resolution and at lower cost. The STARI mission will send two CubeSats, satellites the size of briefcases, into space to gather and send starlight to one another. The mission will test for the first time an in-space interferometer, where a group of CubeSats must fly in a precise formation while collecting and transmitting light between them with pinpoint accuracy.
The exciting part of this is that interferometers have the potential to allow scientists to find and study exoplanets in greater depth. This has the potential to accelerate the discovery of faraway planets that are at a distance from their stars such that they could have liquid water and life, which represents a great milestone in human discovery!
The $10 million NASA funded research is being conducted by a team of experts from across the country. In addition to RPI, the team includes researchers from the University of Michigan, Stanford, Georgia Tech, and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). John Monnier, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Michigan, leads the project, and Leonid Pogorelyuk, Assistant Professor of Aerospace Engineering, is the RPI lead.
Here at RPI, Flores works alongside her advisor, Dr. Leonid Pogorelyuk. He states, “Flores is not just the social glue of the lab but also has great technical and leadership skills. She keeps the morale high for the four undergraduate researchers while simultaneously juggling optical design, hardware development, and control algorithms for the STARI project. She works closely with our collaborators, helping to keep technical progress aligned. I'm very glad to have her in the lab.”
The role of Flores is to use optical fibers to collect incoming light and confirm successful signal transmission between spacecraft. The idea is that a spacecraft transmits light while the other receives it, demonstrating the ability to transfer data across space.
Opportunities Abound
At the University of Michigan, there is a possibility that Flores may work in the clean room and continue building components of the spacecraft. She may continue her research on the project as a post-doctoral researcher there. One of her biggest goals is to attend the launch of the spacecraft she has diligently worked on.
In the continuation of space research, she would be open to a research position at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and abroad. For international routes, Flores is considering working at the European Space Agency or the University of Tokyo, pursuing a science-focused continuation of technology development in related research.
The Beginning of It All
Even before arriving at RPI, Flores began meeting with professors to learn about current research. These meetings made an impact; Flores gained an understanding of the labs and heard about graduate students' experiences. These encounters allowed Flores to have a deeper sense of the campus to ultimately prepare for what is ahead.
Flores attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona, for her undergraduate degree. When Flores was looking into graduate school, RPI stood out to her among other schools. She recognized the university's dedication to its students. Flores, inspired by her experiences at RPI, applied in January, just before the deadline. Fortunately, she received a response quickly. When Admitted Graduate Student Day arrived, Flores was impressed by RPI's willingness to fund her travel expenses. Additionally, she greatly appreciated the support she received from Beth Macey in the MANE Graduate Student Office. The journey to RPI was smooth due to the care of staff and faculty.
When Flores met her advisor, Dr. Leonid Pogarelyuk, and saw the research being done in the lab, it was an instant connection. She loves the research being done in computational and experimental approaches, working with hardware, and running simulations. Flores ultimately knew this research was for her.
Community Involvement
When Flores was getting her undergraduate degree, she attended the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) National Conference, where she first learned about RPI and received a graduate application fee waiver.
SHPE also inspired Flores to give back to her community, which grew into a passion. Now as an active member of Rensselaer SHPE, Flores plans regional events and encourages all students to participate, especially in research competitions where they can display their research and win awards.
Melissa Flores is the President of the Graduate Council here at RPI. In her role as president, she advocates for graduate students. While supporting graduate students' challenges, Flores also enjoys organizing social events to bring them together. Her main goal is to help graduate students feel a strong connection to RPI, just as they felt in their undergraduate institutions.
Outside The Lab
Outside of the lab and campus involvement, Flores enjoys spending time on her hobbies. One of her main hobbies is line dancing. When she is just relaxing at home, you can find her spending time with her cat, playing video games, and practicing art.
Reflective Journey
As the STARI mission moves closer to launch, Flores continues to play a role in a project that could help shape the future of space exploration. Through her dedication to research, leadership, and community engagement, she has already left her mark at RPI. While the mission aims to uncover new possibilities beyond Earth, Flores' own journey is just beginning, with exciting opportunities ahead in the field of aerospace engineering.
Categories School of Engineering, Mechanical, Aerospace and Nuclear Engineering
Press Contact Calleigh Pellitier, pellic@rpi.edu
