When SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule splashed down off the Florida coast in August following its first crewed mission, the two astronauts inside could not exit the capsule immediately. Technicians outside had to confirm there were no airborne vapors from hydrazine, a highly toxic fuel used by the vehicle's hypergolic thrusters. Now, Purdue University combustion researchers are investigating a safer and less toxic hypergolic propellant, studying its explosive reaction with a new technique involving both visible and infrared high-speed cameras.

Adranos Inc., which created a cleaner and more efficient solid rocket fuel, will build a manufacturing plant in West Lafayette, creating 50 new jobs. Brandon Terry (PhD '15) developed the fuel at Zucrow Labs, under the direction of Prof. Steve Son.

Guillermo Paniagua has been recognized by the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics) with its 2021 Ground Testing Award, recognizing excellence in modeling, simulation, and testing. Paniagua's facility at Zucrow Labs has unique wind tunnels that test supersonic and hypersonic flows.

Prof. Thomas Siegmund has been elected as a 2021 Fellow of the Society of Engineering Science. Established to break down the barriers between engineers and scientists in all fields, SES was founded at Purdue in 1963.

Graduating from the United States Naval Academy is a lifelong goal for some; for others, completing a master's degree at Purdue is the ultimate accomplishment. Nicholas Toan-Nang "Nick" Vu (MSME '20) had the opportunity to do both.

The School of Mechanical Engineering is giving awards to deserving sophomore, junior, and senior undergraduate students who demonstrate academic excellence, exemplify personal integrity, and exercise involvement in the community of Purdue University. But they can't win unless you nominate them! Deadline for nominations is Friday, March 19, 2021.

With more than 700 graduate students, Purdue ME recruits the best and the brightest minds in engineering. A select few have now received scholarships to further their research and education.

A 3-month study led by Prof. Yan Chen concludes that, with proper safety protocols, riding on an elevator presents a low risk for COVID exposure. Chen conducted the study with the world's largest elevator company, Otis.

Simple fluids are easy to model in computer simulations. But what if you're dealing with a mud or a slurry? For these complex flows, Purdue researchers have demonstrated the success of a two-fluid model, where the fluid and its suspended particles are modeled as if they were two separate fluids.

For the second year in a row, Purdue ME is the #1 mechanical engineering online master's program in the country, as ranked by US News and World Report.