With the challenge of designing a nosecone capable of withstanding the extreme aerodynamic and thermal loads of hypersonic flight, I immersed myself in the world of advanced composites. I dove into research papers, engaged in technical discussions on specialized forums, and quickly developed a deep appreciation for the complexity and versatility of composite materials.

I studied fiber-to-resin ratios, weave orientations, and the influence of layup patterns on structural performance. To support our rocket development goals, I designed and built a prototype carbon fiber filament winder, enabling the production of lightweight yet strong body tubes that significantly reduced overall vehicle mass. Along the way, I became well-versed in epoxy chemistry—understanding glass transition temperatures, tensile strength characteristics, and curing processes critical to high-performance aerospace applications.

I wanted a cheap alternative to a Onewheel. Electric scooters were huge, electric skateboards had no handles, and carrying either up stairs was basically a workout. So, over the summer of 2024, I designed and built my own.

The scooter folds from a full 46" ride down to 25" in about 15 seconds—basically origami, but with more sheet metal and fewer paper cuts. Power comes from an 850 W hub motor fed by a 24-cell 18650 lithium-ion pack I wired myself. I designed all the sheet metal parts in CAD, had them laser-cut at work, and went through several folding mechanism prototypes until it was both rock-solid and ridiculously simple to use. It’s light enough to carry to class, fast enough to climb steep hills, and folds up small enough to fit under a desk.