Terri Sindelar
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                                         
June 16, 1992
Phone: 202/453-8400


RELEASE: 92-90

UNDERGRADUATES SHOW NASA ADVANCED DESIGN CONCEPTS

     University students and faculty from across the nation will 
present scenarios for missions to Mars and present plans for 
solar-powered and hypersonic aircraft to officials of NASA and 
the aerospace industry on June 16-18 at the Ramada Renaissance 
Techworld Hotel, Washington, D.C.

     Presentations on such topics as the design of a supersonic 
executive transport plane and remotely piloted vehicles and the 
design of a mission and spacecraft to take astronauts back to the 
Moon, to Mars and beyond will be made by engineering design 
students from 41 universities in the NASA/Universities Space 
Research Association's Universities Advanced Design Program. 

     In its 8th year, the advanced design program originally was 
conceived by NASA to revive interest in design education.  The 
result has been a symbiotic relationship that has encouraged 
students to study engineering design in courses where they gain 
experience working on potential "real-world" projects which, in 
turn, stimulates interest in aerospace engineering. 

     Each university design team will present the results of 
their design project, offer participants the opportunity to 
interact with each other and to share ideas.  NASA and aerospace 
industry representatives will attend and critique the 
presentations. 

     Typically, seniors participate in the program by enrolling 
in an engineering design course taught by a professor who serves 
as faculty advisor and a graduate teaching assistant who has 
spent 10 weeks of the previous summer working at a NASA center or 
industry site preparing project plans and gaining experience. 

     Each design team is assigned to a NASA engineer who acts as 
its mentor.  Mentors aid students in the selection of a project 
and offer advice and resources.  

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