UD mechanical engineering students connect classroom learning with a rocket propulsion test at Northrop Grumman
For a moment, Kiersten Ebersole could see the rocket motor test but couldn’t hear it.
The University of Delaware mechanical engineering senior was watching a static propulsion test during a Sept. 22 student visit to Northrop Grumman. Then the sound reached her.
“You can feel the energy of the rocket in your chest, and it’s like you’ve suddenly been enveloped by it,” Ebersole said. “There is no other feeling like it.”
Ebersole, who has wanted to become an aerospace engineer since seventh grade, was among a group of UD mechanical engineering students who toured the Northrop Grumman (NG) facility, heard from engineers about their work and observed the propulsion test.
The visit included students from MEEG 432 Aerodynamics, an undergraduate and graduate-level elective taught by assistant professor Tyler Van Buren. When Van Buren emailed students about the limited spots available, more than 25 responded within three minutes.
During the tour, Ebersole recognized concepts from both that course and a rocket propulsion course. “I was able to connect concepts from my aerodynamics course to tangible items at NG, like the adjustable fins on some of their rocket motors,” Ebersole said.
Van Buren said that connection between coursework and professional engineering is one reason visits like this matter.
“Students get to experience professional-level experimental campaigns, which are often much more involved and sophisticated than what they would see in a typical classroom laboratory,” Van Buren said.
For Ebersole, one classroom concept clicked when engineers showed her an inert sample of solid propellant cut open for inspection and explained how its internal geometry affects rocket motor performance. She also was surprised to learn that testing continued for several minutes after the motor had burned its fuel, allowing engineers to evaluate how it withstood the test.
“It is difficult to understand the manufacturing and testing processes that go on in a company like NG until you are actually able to witness them,” Ebersole said. “By being present in the facility, you are able to see how much work actually goes into each process.”
The visit grew out of a developing relationship with NG as interest in aerospace engineering grows among UD students. NG employees hold leadership roles in the Delaware section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and Van Buren serves as a college liaison as UD works to establish an AIAA student chapter. The relationship could lead to future outreach events, guest speakers and professional programs for students.
For Ebersole, the visit offered a glimpse of a career she has imagined since middle school.
“Everyone at NG seemed very passionate about their work and took great pride in what they were doing,” she said. “I hope to be a part of a team like this.”
