Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014 - (Page 26)

To lightly go... at nasa's Jet ProPulsion laboratorY, researcher aDrian tang DeveloPs electronics for robotic exPloration of sPace Adrian Tang at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Developing technologies that can withstand the unforgiving environment of space. By Dana yateS Stephanie SMith A drian Tang, Electrical and Computer Engineering (MASc) '08, is making a career out of packing lightly. A researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California, Tang's goal is to reduce the size, weight and power consumption of spacecraft systems. There's a lot at stake. In an era of fiscal restraint, when the scientific value of space missions is weighed against their enormous cost, it's critical to think small. At the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the leading NASA 26 ryerson university Magazine * centre in the United States for robotic exploration of Earth, the solar system and space, Tang is researching how to replace existing components in spacecraft electronics with such alternatives as lightweight silicon chips. This low-cost technology uses less power than its conventional counterparts and is readily available in the commercial market. In fact, if Tang has his way, the same technology found in today's cars and smartphones will be used in future space missions to Mars W i n t e r 2014 and Jupiter, improving instruments and communication. Currently, Tang is developing substitute technologies to ensure they can withstand launch and the unforgiving environment of space. Temperatures, for example, can fluctuate by more than 300 C in an hour and Jupiter is known for its harsh radiation environment. In light of these conditions, it's important to know when and why alternative technologies are likely to fail, so engineers can design innovative solutions and help get more scientific bang for taxpayers' buck. "A lot of science objectives are dropped from NASA missions for the sake of weight because electronics are too big and heavy," says Tang, who holds a PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles. "If we can increase the number of instruments on a spacecraft from two to 20, we'll get more data back." n Dana Yates is a writer baseD in toronto. 

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014

Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014
Contents
President's Message
Showcase
Gould Street
Bee-ing the Change
Agents of Change
Crafting it Old School
To Lightly Go...
Who's That Girl?
From Gimmick to Game-Changer
In My Opinion
Giving Back
Alumni Diary/VP Viewpoint
Class Nots
Remember When?

Ryerson Alumni - Winter 2014

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