Air Force cadets conduct research for NASA

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Steve German
  • Air Force News Agency
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNEWS) --  A group of small Pitot tubes, shaped like a hand rake, sit inside one end of a wind tunnel. A miniature space capsule is attached on the other end. It looks similar to what Apollo era astronauts used, but this model plays an important role in the future of human space flight.

The Crew Exploration Vehicle, or CEV, is designed to return NASA's astronauts to the moon aboard the next generation of space vehicle "Orion." Cadets at the Air Force Academy are testing different designs, angles of attack and speeds inside the wind tunnel to help NASA determine how large and long to make the parachutes that will return astronauts safely back to earth. 

"I just feel very fortunate and amazed to see such an engineering marvel actually take flight," said Cadet 1st Class Christopher Oravetz one of the cadets conducting the research. 

"But, it would just give me a good feeling inside that I took stuff that I've learned and am applying it to something good," he said. 

The research done at the Academy is unique, said Aeronautics professor, Dr. Thomas Yechout.

"At just about any other university in the country, they would not get this kind of hands-on experience at the under graduate level," he said. "Typically this kind of research is conducted by graduate students."

This research may benefit Cadet Oravetz directly in the future. When he graduates from the academy, Cadet Oravetz will head to pilot training. It's a stepping stone to fulfilling his dream of becoming an astronaut, said the cadet.

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