Rabinovitch Research Group
Combining Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Space Exploration!
Welcome!
In our research group, we combine an interest in space exploration with fundamental computational fluid dynamics research. Our areas of interest include investigating plume-surface interactions during powered descent of spacecraft, modeling supersonic parachute inflation, hybrid rocket propulsion for small satellites, and modeling geophysical phenomena, such as the plumes on Enceladus or Yardangs on Earth and Mars! We are always looking for new and exciting projects as well.
Interested in learning more about what we have been up to recently? Please see our Activities and News page!
A few recent highlights from the RRG:
Nov. 18th, 2024 - We are excited to announce that our proposal “To What Extent Does Enceladus' Plume Sample its Ocean: Insights from Conduit Flow Modeling” was recently selected for NASA funding through the Solar Systems Working (SSW) program. This work will be in collaboration with JPL and SWRI, and click here for more information!
July 29th, 2024 - Prof. Rabinovitch and students Danial Ghasimi and Andrew Sayad attend the 2024 AIAA Aviation Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. Andrew presented on and lead the work in “High-Speed Multiphase Verification and Code-to-Code Comparison,” Danial presented on and lead the work in “Permeability Modeling of Mars Parachute Broadcloth Materials,” and Prof. Rabinovitch contributes to “Sensitivity Analysis and Validation of a Computational Framework for Supersonic Parachute Inflation Dynamics.”
May 29th, 2024 - Prof. Rabinovitch gives a presentation at Polytechnique Montréal as part of the Séminaires de Génie Mécanique.
May 13th, 2024 - The paper entitled “A Proposed Model for Cryovolcanic Activity on Enceladus Driven by Volatile Exsolution” has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets. This paper has resulted from a multi-year collaboration with JPL (Dr. Karl Mitchell and Dr. Morgan Cable), and a special congratulations to Jonathan Scamardella (Stevens BE’2022 MEng’2023) who supported this research as a Master’s student and is a co-author on the paper!
May 10th, 2024 - Prof. Rabinovitch attends AbSciCon 2024 and presents on “The CryoErupt Model for Enceladus Plume Eruption - Viscous and Inviscid Comparisons.” This project has been an ongoing collaboration with JPL for several years.
April 12th, 2024 - Our preprint on particle-laden under-expanded sonic jets is online! This represents a multi-year collaboration between Stevens, the University of Michigan, and Johns Hopkins University.
March 14th, 2024 - Prof. Rabinovitch gives an invited talk at Johns Hopkins University for the MechE Seminar Series.
February 28th - March 1st 2024 - Prof. Rabinovitch attends the first Venus Science Coordination Group Meeting (VeSCoor) in Leesburg, Virginia.
October 3rd, 2023 - Prof. Rabinovitch is named as one of the 2024 AIAA Associate Fellows!
September 13th, 2023 - Prof. Rabinovitch gives an invited talk at Yale for the Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Seminar Series.
September 5th, 2023 - The paper “Observed High-Altitude Surface Erosion During the MSL and Mars 2020 Landings” is accepted for publication in a special Mars 2020 volume in the AIAA Journal of Spacecraft and Rockets. Congratulations to Soleil Santana on being the second author of this paper!
NASA's Mars Perseverance rover acquired this image during its descent to Mars, using its Parachute Parachute Up-Look Camera A. This camera is mounted on the spacecraft's backshell and looks up at the parachute. This is one still frame from a sequence captured by the camera while taking video. This image was acquired on Feb. 22, 2021 (Sol 2) at the local mean solar time of 10:24:26.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech