Using Math to Make NASA Spacecraft Lighter and More Damage Tolerant

Did you know math could help NASA travel faster and farther? Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) mathematician Randy Paffenroth has been combining machine learning with 19th-century mathematics to make NASA spacecraft lighter and more damage tolerant. His goal is to detect imperfections in carbon nanomaterials used to make composite rocket fuel tanks and other spacecraft structures by using an algorithm he developed. The algorithm allows for higher resolution scans that provide more accurate images of the material's uniformity and potential defects. These yarns are wrapped around structures like rocket fuel tanks, giving them the strength to withstand high pressures.