M.S. Student

Sebastian Lopez

M.S., Aerospace Engineering, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Reentry vehicle design; inflatable heat shields and control

Research Areas

Projects

active2025–2027

Aerothermal Cargo Downmassing

Design and analysis of thermal protection systems for high-speed atmospheric entry vehicles used to return cargo to Earth, addressing aerothermal loading during hypersonic reentry.

U.S. Air Force (subcontract through Cardinal Engineering)

Publications

2025

Strategies in CFD Modeling: Hypersonic Cargo Delivery Gliders Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

SA Lopez, ZA Miles, MP Kinzel

AIAA SCITECH 2025 Forum, 1923, 2025

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2024

Data-driven modeling to predict aerodynamic loads on reentry vehicles

ZA Miles, M Kinzel, S Lopez

AIAA AVIATION FORUM AND ASCEND 2024, 4410, 2024

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2024

Gaussian Process Regression Implemented as Surrogate Model to Aid Aerodynamic Design Process

ZA Miles, S Lopez, MP Kinzel

AIAA Aviation Forum and ASCEND, 2024, 2024

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