Katie Pearce<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Crushing asteroid rock into dust wasn\u2019t the hard part. Figuring out how to do it in zero gravity was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe first month of our project, we looked at all of these crushing mechanisms that work on Earth\u2014and basically had to throw them out,\u201d says Jonik Surprenant, one of four Johns Hopkins mechanical engineering seniors behind a student design \u201cAsteroid Grinder\u201d project. \u201cThey don\u2019t work in space.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Suprenant and classmates Jacob Hammond, Grace Nockolds, and Zahari Stoimenov are developing a prototype device that could one day support construction in space for deeper explorations. They will present their project on April 29 at the Whiting School of Engineering\u2019s Design Day\u2014an annual event showcasing students\u2019 innovation and ability to translate theoretical knowledge into real-world solutions. Karman+, a young aerospace company focused on mining asteroids for raw materials, presented the students with a challenge: Build a compact, energy-efficient device designed to work aboard a spacecraft, pulverizing asteroid rocks\u2014known as regolith\u2014into fine, uniform powder. That powder could be transformed into satellite fuel, building materials, or solar panel components\u2014avoiding the high cost and energy-intensive process of hauling raw materials from Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once the realm of science fiction, asteroid mining is edging closer to reality. NASA and Japan\u2019s space agency have already returned samples from asteroids, and commercial missions aren\u2019t far behind. Karman+ plans to launch its first mission in 2027 to collect raw materials from asteroids, with later missions aiming to process the regolith onboard the spacecraft itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAs a company, we aim to deliver asteroid regolith to supply the space economy,\u201d says Jesse Miller, Engr \u201918, who now works as an engineer at Karman+ and has advised the students throughout the project. \u201cBut first, we need to grind it\u2014and that\u2019s where this project at Hopkins comes in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The students\u2019 design, which they\u2019ve nicknamed \u201cWall-E,\u201d is a foot-long cube, a system of spinning blades and mechanical pressure that pushes asteroid rocks through the machine<\/p>\n\n\n\n
without relying on gravity. Regolith enters through a compact accordion-style \u201cgateway,\u201d then feeds into a spinning grinder inspired by an ice shaver. The resulting dust is sieved and stored, ready for future use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One of the team\u2019s most inventive ideas was designing a three-axis rotating frame that simulates the chaos of a microgravity environment. \u201cThat was one of the defining moments for me,\u201d says Rich Bauernschub, who co-leads the senior design course with Teaching Professor Stephen Belkoff in the Whiting School of Engineering\u2019s Department of Mechanical Engineering. \u201cThey had this eureka sort of presentation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The device isn\u2019t meant to fly just yet, but Karman+ expects it to directly inform the version they hope to launch on their future asteroid missions. For the company, it\u2019s valuable research bringing them closer to a final design. For the students\u2014who are all busy varsity athletes\u2014it\u2019s hands-on, high-stakes engineering work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not just building a gadget\u2014we\u2019re defining a process,\u201d says Nockolds. \u201cIt\u2019s real engineering, with a real client, working on something no one\u2019s done before.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Miller says that returning as a mentor has been a full-circle moment. \u201cI remember my own senior design project as the most valuable experience of my time at Hopkins,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s just awesome to watch this team work.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n