{"@attributes":{"version":"2.0"},"channel":{"title":"Columbia Space Initiative","description":"For the pursuit of knowledge in near-space, space, and beyond.","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/","pubDate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 19:31:17 +0000","lastBuildDate":"Tue, 05 May 2026 19:31:17 +0000","generator":"Jekyll v3.10.0","item":[{"title":"Space Manufacturing\u2019s trip to 3DPrintopia!","description":"

Space Manufacturing traveled to Bel Air, Maryland September 28th to present their novel 3D printer at 3DPrintopia (formerly East Coast Rep Rap Festival). 3DPrintopia is a conference and celebration of everything 3D printing. Industry leaders, individual makers, and companies presented innovative 3D printers, materials, and the latest in 3D printing technology. A wide range of projects ranging from novel multi material filaments to diamond tipped nozzles were shared.\n

\n CSI\u2019s Space Manufacturing mission is exploring and developing new methods to enable the next generation of self-reliant off earth missions. For the past two years the mission has been designing and manufacturing a novel 3D printer that was unveiled to the wider 3D printing community at 3DPrintopia. Attendees were interested in the printer\u2019s design and applications. The team received valuable feedback ranging from the electronics for use in space to frame construction. The team was especially excited to connect with the founder of Prusa, Joseph Prusa and other industry representatives including E3D, LDO Motors, KB3D, Freepeeko, among others.\n

\nAfter a great time learning from fellow 3D printing enthusiasts\u2019 projects and feedback, Space Manufacturing is ready to tackle its next objective: developing a novel printer to print lunar regolith!\n

\nThe trip was a great success and we hope to return next year!<\/p>\n\n

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\n Presenting the Space Manufacturing 3D Printer.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Meeting Joe Prusa.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Arriving at 3D Printopia.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Layout of the primary convention hall.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Space Manufacturing Team<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/space-manufacturing\/2024\/10\/08\/space-manufacturing-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/space-manufacturing\/2024\/10\/08\/space-manufacturing-update\/","category":"space-manufacturing"},{"title":"Summer Outreach at CSI!","description":"

This August, CSI\u2019s Outreach team conducted the Space Science Program at Sophie Gerson Healthy Youth\u2019s yearly summer camp, where we ran rocket launches and observational astronomy sessions, taught students to fly drones and make simple electric circuits, hosted space-themed jeopardy, and challenged students to engineer in creative ways! Our six space science counselors set up and ran these activities for 140 middle school students over the course of the week-long camp. Some activities were familiar to the students, because Outreach had run them during Auditorium Programs at their schools. However, some were completely new\u2014including the constellations circuits activity, which debuted at the camp this year to great success!\n

\nThe circuits activity challenges students (and willing Camp Zeke Counselors!) to create a circuit using conductive copper tape and a coin battery to light up an LED. In preparation for this activity, CSI had ordered the materials necessary, but the night before the scheduled day of the activity, we realized we were missing a crucial piece\u2014the 500 LED lights we ordered. After all space science counselors searched high and low, former Outreach directors Kate Lampo and Will Specht came up with a creative solution\u2014to use decorative LED fairy lights from the nearest store (about 45 minutes away) instead. CSI counselors got to work splicing and twisting wires and melting off wiring insulation in order to make these fairy lights function into disconnected LEDs. After hours of work, we had created about 300 LEDS, which we were able to put to use during the activity. The joy of the students when they managed to put together a working circuit made the twists and turns of the preparation well worth it.\n
\nWe can\u2019t wait to see what camp has in store for us next year!<\/p>\n\n

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\n Students examining their parachute and cushion device to protect a water balloon in a 10 foot drop.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Students gathered around to watch the Water Balloon Drop.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n A line of students preparing to launch their water rockets.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Students playing \u201claser tag\u201d with headlamps.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Outreach Team<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Wed, 11 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/outreachoperations\/2024\/09\/11\/operationsoutreach-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/outreachoperations\/2024\/09\/11\/operationsoutreach-update\/","category":"outreachoperations"},{"title":"Robert D. Lilley Award!","description":"

This past spring, CSI\u2019s Outreach team received the Robert D. Lilley Award for Socially Responsible Engineering at Columbia\u2019s 2024 Leadership and Excellence Awards. This award is given by the Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Columbia to the engineering group that best creates engineering projects in economically or socially disadvantaged areas, student research projects directed towards topics that relate to socially responsible engineering, and campus education efforts that focus on engineering ethics.\n

\nWe were awarded for our work with our educational space science program that reached over 1,000 students in under-resourced middle schools in the past year. Some of our work includes model rocketry, a balloon-dropping activity, and a paper-airplane lesson. In our model rocket lessons, we teach students about aerodynamics and design considerations when making a rocket, then they build their own rockets with components manufactured by CSI volunteers. We then launch the rockets at their schools to help bring these aerodynamics lessons to life. The balloon-drop activity and paper airplane lessons are interactive activities that are a part of our \u201cauditorium programs,\u201d where we teach students about space and engineering principles such as aerodynamics, astronomy, and structural design.\n

\nAt the end of the year, we host Spaceposium as our culminating event, where members of all CSI missions are able to present about their year-long projects to fellow peers, members of the Columbia community, and students from our partner middle schools. At our most recent Spaceposium in April 2024, Outreach members gave a coding lesson to students where they learned the very basics of programming. Then, they were able to put what they learned to use by writing code to guide a robotic car through a maze. Other activities included plasma lab tours and poster sessions where middle schoolers got the chance to learn about CSI\u2019s missions. We are so honored to be recognized with this award and look forward to continuing our work in exposing STEM to middle schoolers across the city!\n

\nRead more about the award here: https:\/\/www.cc-seas.columbia.edu\/awards\/honorees\/2024<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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\n Outreach team at the Columbia award ceremony.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Outreach Team<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Tue, 10 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/outreachoperations\/2024\/09\/10\/operationsoutreach-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/outreachoperations\/2024\/09\/10\/operationsoutreach-update\/","category":"outreachoperations"},{"title":"Micro-g Update 2024","description":"

CSI\u2019s 2024 Micro-g tool, the SEE LION, was an autonomous camera and computer system that utilized image recognition model techniques to identify objects present during an unassisted egress scenario from the Orion capsule (astronauts floating wearing an underarm life preserver, astronaut multi-person life raft, etc). The mechanism was required to be built using off-the-shelf hardware, splash-proof for poolside testing, and operate within an allotted time.<\/p>\n\n

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\n Micro-g posing at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab!<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

Throughout the development of the SEE LION, a large emphasis was placed on ensuring a smooth and straightforward user experience due to the time-sensitive nature of retrieving astronauts upon returning to Earth. The system, consisting of a tripod-mounted camera, a pelican case containing the necessary computing resources, a laptop with a dedicated user interface for the system, and a secondary monitor, was ideated to minimize the complexity of the tool and allow the operator to quickly set up the SEE LION with simple instructions.<\/p>\n\n

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\n All Micro-g teams at the Neutral Buoyancy Lab, Houston, TX.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

Our year-long project culminated in our team traveling to NASA\u2019s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) in Houston, Texas. At the NBL, we were invited on multiple tours that spanned the buildings housing Artemis Program space shuttles and equipment to old Apollo and Soviet space systems. Additionally, we spent time at Mission Control watching the controllers in real time and working with people on the ISS, which was an exciting experience. As the week progressed, our SEE LION was tested at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory pool, undergoing strict procedural checks to maintain the highest levels of safety and accuracy. Through daily testing and troubleshooting, we successfully identified three of the four objects at the NBL with a high confidence of identification. As our session at the NBL started winding down, we connected with the Micro-G team at UT Dallas and bonded over some iconic Texas barbeque. It was a satisfying experience and a wellworth trip for all of us, receiving important feedback from NASA and meeting some amazing individuals. We can\u2019t wait for the next chance to return to NASA with a new team!<\/p>\n\n

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\n Testing the Micro-g SEE LION device on the pool deck at the NBL.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Micro-g Team<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Sun, 08 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2024\/09\/08\/micro-g-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2024\/09\/08\/micro-g-update\/","category":"microg"},{"title":"Successful Rocket Launch!","description":"

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\n \t\tRockets team during launch in the Mojave desert<\/b>\n \t<\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

This past week, our Rockets mission successfully launched their nitrous-parrafin hybrid rocket named PleaseGoHigher at the inaugural FAR-OUT competition in the Californian Mojave desert.
<\/p>\n\n

PleaseGoHigher went FARther OUT, further Up, and Higher than ever, surpassing last year\u2019s PleaseGoUp rocket and winning second place in its launch category and first place in podium presentations. It produced over a half-ton of thrust, accelerated at 16G\u2019s and successfully deployed parachutes to safely land and be recovered. This rocket was entirely student-designed, manufactured, and tested in-house this year, and is CSI and Columbia\u2019s second-ever rocket launch and first-ever successful recovery. \n
<\/p>\n\n

Huge congratulations to the entire team!<\/p>\n\n

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\n Rocket descent<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Tycho Bogdanowitsch, Former Co-President & Rockets Co-Lead<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Sat, 15 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/rockets\/2024\/06\/15\/rockets-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/rockets\/2024\/06\/15\/rockets-update\/","category":"rockets"},{"title":"Parabolic Flight","description":"

The Astrobiology mission spent the academic year learning about spaceflight and its effects on biological systems\u2013namely, spaceflight-induced anemia and decreased bone density due to long-term exposure to microgravity.<\/p>\n\n

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The project aimed to identify changes in the quantity of genetic material pre- and post-exposure to microgravity. To achieve this, the team designed, prototyped, and implemented their own in-flight hardware, which allowed for a timed release of DNA\/RNA preservative into HeLa cells for further extraction, isolation, and quantification.<\/p>\n\n

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From May 17th to May 24th, the team took their samples to Boston to collaborate with the George Church Lab at Harvard, and to New Hampshire to work with Weill Cornell\u2019s Dr. Christopher E. Mason for an authentic microgravity experience via the Aurelia Institute and their parabolic flight programming.<\/p>\n\n

See below for a selection of pictures from their visits.<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\n\t\n<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microbio\/2024\/05\/16\/microbio-parabolic-flight\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microbio\/2024\/05\/16\/microbio-parabolic-flight\/","category":"microbio"},{"title":"Microbio Visits JPL","description":"

A special look into the Space Microbiology\u2019s visit to NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)!<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\tInspecting the 2D Clinostat<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

Host Dr. Ceth Parker<\/a>, and Space Microbiology Co-Leads Miriam Aziz and Theodore Nelson, inspect the rotary cell culture system (RCCS) from Synthecon, one of the 2D \u2018simulated microgravity\u2019 clinostats.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Dr. Ceth Parker, Theodore Nelson, Miriam Aziz\n
Image courtesy of Jake Lee<\/p>\n\n

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\n \t\tVisiting Mission Control<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

JPL Escort Jake Lee and the Space Microbiology Team pose for a photo in the lobby of the Mission Control Center at NASA JPL.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Jake Lee, Miriam Aziz, Theodore Nelson, Michelle Brose, B\u0142a\u017cej Raszewski, Chloe Jones, Rashell Ramirez, Somin Lee, Brianna Przywozny\n
Image courtesy of Jake Lee<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\tOutlining the Experiment<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

Host Dr. Ceth Parker, and Space Microbiology Team Members Somin Lee, Michelle Brose, Brianna Przywozny, and Rashell Ramirez outline the planned zinc oxide formation experiment on the whiteboard.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Michelle Brose, Jake Lee, Dr. Ceth Parker, Somin Lee, Brianna Przywozny, Rashell Ramirez\n
Image courtesy of Miriam Aziz<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\tDare Mighty Things!<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

The Space Microbiology Team poses in front of a sign that reads \u2018Dare Mighty Things!\u2019 a slogan associated with NASA\u2019s rover missions to Mars.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Theodore Nelson, Miriam Aziz, Brianna Przywozny, Somin Lee, Michelle Brose, Rashell Ramirez, B\u0142a\u017cej Raszewski, Chloe Jones\n
Image courtesy of Theodore Nelson<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\tJPL!<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

The Space Microbiology Team poses in front of the stone JPL sign at the entrance to the campus.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Michelle Brose, Theodore Nelson, Miriam Aziz, Somin Lee, Brianna Przywozny, Rashell Ramirez, Chloe Jones\n
Image courtesy of Theodore Nelson<\/p>\n\n

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\n\t\tMission Control!<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

The Space Microbiology Team poses inside the JPL Mission Control Center.<\/p>\n\n

From left to right: Chloe Jones, Rashell Ramirez, Theodore Nelson, Brianna Przywozny, Somin Lee, Miriam Aziz, B\u0142a\u017cej Raszewski, Michelle Brose\n
Image courtesy of Jake Lee<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Mon, 22 May 2023 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microbio\/2023\/05\/22\/microbio-jpl\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microbio\/2023\/05\/22\/microbio-jpl\/","category":"microbio"},{"title":"Micro-g Update 2022","description":"

CSI\u2019s 2022 Micro-g tool, LionLatch, was designed as a gripping and anchoring mechanism for use on the lunar surface during NASA\u2019s upcoming Artemis missions. This year\u2019s challenge asked teams to design and manufacture an anchoring mechanism able to provide holding force on a variety of objects with different types of faces. The mechanism was required to work in the dusty, microgravity environment of the lunar surface, and had to be purely mechanical, not utilizing any sort of electronic aid or chemical adhesion.<\/p>\n\n

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\n LionLatch<\/i> that was designed for NASA's Artemis Mission.<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

In designing this year\u2019s tool, the LionLatch team focused on the astronaut experience, endeavoring to create a design that was simple to use and that required minimal effort to actuate. The design, which can be used comfortably from a standing position, is manipulated with one simple pull of a handle. It consists of six identical legs, dubbed \u201cmacrospines\u201d for their likeness to traditional microspine technology. Each leg has several joints that can navigate around rocks of varying sizes and textures, as well as a roller to aid in the actuation process. All six are pulled into a gripped position by passive spring forces acting on each joint, meaning there\u2019s no need for astronauts to actively grip their targets. The pads on the end of each macrospine are also coated in gecko gripper material, which leverages biomimicry and Van Der Waals forces to provide non-sticky friction during the gripping process.<\/p>\n\n

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\n Micro-g team visits NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, Texas!<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

After a year\u2019s worth of design, development, and manufacturing, the LionLatch team traveled to NASA\u2019s Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory (NBL) in Houston, TX in June 2022. Over the course of testing week, we toured NBL facilities, gave presentations on our design, and worked alongside a diver to test our design in the NBL pool\u2019s simulated microgravity. Our time in Houston was a rewarding learning experience, and we\u2019re thankful for the opportunity to learn from seasoned engineers and to see many crucial aspects of NASA firsthand! It was a satisfying end to a successful year, and we\u2019re grateful for the feedback we received, conversations we were a part of, and individuals we met. Until next time!<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Team LionLatch<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2022\/06\/22\/micro-g-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2022\/06\/22\/micro-g-update\/","category":"microg"},{"title":"Micro-g Update 2020","description":"

NASA\u2019s Micro-g NExT Challenge is an annual competition for undergraduate students to design, build, and test tools that address current space exploration challenges faced by astronauts in microgravity environments. This year, the challenges all focused on aspects of the Artemis program\u2014NASA\u2019s upcoming lunar mission\u2014to address issues such as sample collection and dust tolerance in a lunar environment.<\/p>\n\n

CSI\u2019s 2020 Micro-g NExT team, Lion Core, participated in the Lunar Sample Coring Device project proposed by NASA\u2019s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, designing a drill bit to collect core samples of lunar regolith. We began the design process in early September 2019, focusing our attention on designing a drill bit that could interface with NASA\u2019s underwater diving drill and capture a pristine sample of either concrete or ice as per the challenge guidelines. Because our final tool is dive-tested at the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory in Houston, TX each year, we worked to additionally ensure our coring drill bit could operate underwater and be easily used in a simulated lunar (1\/6th gravity) environment.<\/p>\n\n

After two months of work on our design, we created the Handheld Assistive Removal Device to Capture Observable Regolith Elements (or HARDCORE for short.) HARDCORE consists of (1) a coring drill bit that can capture core samples of 0.5\u201d in diameter and 3\u201d deep and (2) a stabilization jig that allows for easier core extraction in the lunar gravity environment. We submitted a proposal to NASA outlining the design and intended operation at the end of October 2019 and were selected as finalists in early December to manufacture our device and test it in the NBL.<\/p>\n\n

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\n Our initial design of HARDCORE<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

Since submitting our proposal and hearing of our finalist status in the competition, our team has been hard at work updating our design, manufacturing our device, and testing prototypes in the Columbia Makerspace and Mechanical Engineering Shop. Our initial coring bit testing yielded promising results, with the drill bit able to capture a core sample from ice. We have since updated our design to assist in capturing a more pristine sample and streamlined our stabilization jig design to be lighter and more stable.<\/p>\n\n

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\n (Left to Right) Erika Storvick, Swati Ravi, and Matthew Groll with the the team\u2019s underwater diving drill<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Erika Storvick (left) and Kalpana Ganeshan manufacturing HARDCORE in Columbia\u2019s Mechanical Engineering Shop<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

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\n Matthew Groll (left) and Elizabeth Baranes testing the coring bit with a block of ice<\/b>\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n<\/p>\n\n

We have been continuing to make steady progress with our design updates and prototype manufacturing, despite being dispersed around the continent due to COVID-19. Our team now meets virtually and will continue our manufacturing process over the summer with the goal of sending our final tool to the NBL for remote testing in early September!<\/p>\n\n

\u2013 Micro-g Team<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Thu, 23 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2020\/04\/23\/micro-g-update\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/microg\/2020\/04\/23\/micro-g-update\/","category":"microg"},{"title":"SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH!!!","description":"

Our payload launched today on Blue Origin\u2019s \u201cNew Shepard\u201d rocket. This was the first payload Columbia University (and CSI) have sent into outer space! Big thank you to all the team members who have worked hard on this mission during the last 1.5 years, and to the Mechanical Engineering Department for funding it.<\/p>\n\n

-Nathalie Hager, Zero-G Research Division Lead<\/p>\n","pubDate":"Wed, 11 Dec 2019 00:00:00 +0000","link":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/zero-g\/2019\/12\/11\/zero-g-launch\/","guid":"https:\/\/columbiaspace.org\/zero-g\/2019\/12\/11\/zero-g-launch\/","category":"zero-g"}]}}