Mechanical and Structural Design of the Gamma Ray Observatory / Engineering Lecture by Professor Roland L. Beanum, MBA

Lecture:  The Mechanical and Structural Design of the Gamma Ray Observatory

When: Thursday, Feb 23 

What time: 2-3:30 pm

Where: Qualcomm Conference Center, Jacobs Hall, UC San Diego

Professor Roland L. Beanum will be lecturing and presenting the technical process and human effort of how he performed with his team of engineers at TRW the Mechanical and Structural elements for the Gamma Ray Observatory spacecraft.  NASA's Gamma Ray Observatory was launch into Earth orbit on April 5, 1991 by the STS-37 the eighth flight of the shuttle Atlantis and the 39th shuttle flight. The orbiter weighed 115,502 kg at launch; total vehicle weight was 2,047,178 kg. Much of the payload was the Gamma Ray Observatory (GRO), at 15, 620 kg (37,000 pounds) the heaviest shuttle-launched payload to that date. The GRO de-orbit occurred June 5, 2000.

Professor Beanum’s lecture will briefly touch upon the future needs in Space and how San Diego can today with its rich legacy in Aircraft design and production, contribute in the commercialization of space. 

He is currently working on a proposal to teach a course that will be designed around "The History of Human Space Flight".  During the course, products will be suggested for production by the industrial and research complexes represented that can stimulate the commercial environments to create jobs within the community of San Diego. The course will both define and raise issues related to how people and companies in San Diego can contribute specifically to the human spaceflight industry and spaceflight missions.