Reaching for the stars: Top 10 insights from Tom Stoumbos on space exploration

Space exploration is one of engineering’s most demanding arenas. The unforgiving conditions and the necessity for precise, reliable technology present formidable challenges. Recently, on the Engineer Innovation podcast, Tom Stoumbos, Director of Engineering at Northrop Grumman, shared his insights on why space exploration is both difficult and exhilarating. He delved into the critical roles played by simulation, testing, AI, and data management.

From the home office in the cosmos, where the stars align and rockets soar, we have the top 10 quotes from Tom. Buckle up because we’re about to launch into some stellar insights.

10

“Operating in the virtual world is much easier than the prototypes in the real world with all the constraints about volume, space, mass that that takes. “

9

“Lunar exploration was a success of the ’60s. We worked hard together with a lot less resources to accomplish something inconceivable and now 50 years later it’s still difficult.”

8

“The models are complex, which means…there’s a lot of fidelity. For example, a space vehicle, it comprises of a lot of subsystems. So, it’s just not the structure. We have motors, we have mechanisms, we have complex joints that we need to simulate or operate. We have software that controls robotic arms. So, we need to make sure we understand how these things are controlled from the control system of that space vehicle. “

7

“In the virtual world, you can do design updates quickly…you can engage AI through custom algorithms that search for optimum solutions based on design constraints.”

6

“It’s difficult to establish a launch site here on Earth, furthermore in the moon that has no infrastructure.”

5

“Simulation is critical to making mission operations and design decisions better.”

4

“We’re basing a lot of the work we do on HEEDS. We think it’s an invaluable tool to do that first step of tying all the solvers that we’re using together and allowing us to do these design of experiments or Monte Carlo simulations for our missions quickly and efficiently.”

3

“With computing power exponential increase…we need to make sure the algorithms are properly conceived, and they help us reach that optimum solution, but [AI and Machine Learning] definitely make it much faster”

2

“AI is definitely much faster…we can save 50% of the time to market time by engaging as soon as we can with AI and ML.”

And finally, the number 1 quote from Tom Stoumbos:

“Teamcenter Simulation allows you to track what tools you use, what requirements you tied those to, and all the data that has been generated…it’s easily searchable.”

Pioneering new frontiers in space exploration

Space exploration is a challenging but rewarding field that pushes the boundaries of human knowledge and capability. Tom Stoumbos’s insights underscore the importance of robust simulation and testing processes and the transformative potential of AI and data management. As we continue to explore the cosmos, these technologies will play an increasingly vital role in ensuring the success of our missions.

For a deeper dive into these topics and more, listen to the full interview with Tom Stoumbos in this episode of the Engineer Innovation podcast.

Sky’s not the limit: AI and data management redefining space exploration