AeroNU - Rocket Airframe Design
Designed and structurally validated a modular rocket airframe for a liquid propulsion system as part of Northeastern’s AeroNU team.
Project Overview:
As a member of the AeroNU airframe team, I contributed to the mechanical design and structural validation of a rocket airframe integrated with a liquid propulsion engine developed by a separate propulsion team. The airframe was responsible for supporting axial thrust loads, housing avionics and recovery systems, and maintaining structural integrity during ascent. The design required careful attention to load paths, subsystem interfaces, and manufacturability. My work focused on bulkhead design, structural modeling, and validating performance through simulation before fabrication.
My Role:
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Designed structural airframe components in SolidWorks and OpenRocket, including bulkheads and internal support structures.
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Evaluated axial load paths and structural constraints due to thrust and dynamic loading.
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Performed finite element analysis to assess deformation under expected flight loads.
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Contributed to simulation-based validation using OpenRocket prior to launch integration.
Engineering Design:
The bulkhead assembly was designed to transfer thrust loads from the propulsion interface into the airframe body while maintaining alignment of internal subsystems. Components were modeled parametrically in SolidWorks to allow iterative refinement based on structural feedback and packaging constraints. The exploded configuration highlights alignment features, load-bearing surfaces, and modular interfaces for integration.
