Seminar featuring Prof Davoyan “Breakthrough Space Exploration Enabled by Nanostructures”

ABSTRACT: Future of space exploration calls for novel methods of advanced propulsion and spacecraft design. New approaches based on nanoscale engineering can enable more efficient, faster, cheaper and lighter space systems. In this talk I will show that nanomaterials and nanostructures are of great promise for breakthrough space missions. In particular, will overview our concept of extreme solar sailing, which by making use of novel ultralight nanomaterials are capable of getting to <5 solar radii. Such solar sails can slingshot to near arbitrary trajectories and destinations, including solar polar and halo orbits, as well as fastexist hyperbolic trajectories, potentially more than 10 times faster than the record set by the Voyager 1 spacecraft. Such fast transit solar sail missions will open a new chapter in the exploration of the deep space and interstellar medium.

I will also discuss how novel nanostructures made of 2D materials can enable smaller and lighter photonic systems for future optical communications and beam steering. Specifically, Iwill show that transition metal dichalcogenide heterostructures significantly enhance light materials interaction providing new avenues for low loss deeply subwavelength devices.

BIOSKETCH: Artur Davoyan is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA. His interests span advanced propulsion, physics and dynamics of complex systems, and lightmaterials interactions among others. He is leading a mission study on extreme solar sailing, and is also actively involved with the Breakthrouh Starshot mission concept. He has been named Hellman Society Fellow and NASA NIAC Fellow, and received NASA Early Career Faculty award. Prior to joining UCLA he was a prize postdoctoral fellow at Caltech. His PhD is from the Australian National University.

Date/Time:
Date(s) - Dec 09, 2022
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

Location:
38-138 Engineering IV
420 Westwood Plaza Los Angeles CA 90095