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Faculty & Staff
Home / Faculty & Staff / Faculty / Kumar N. Ramohalli
Kumar Ramohalli
  • ramohall@arizona.edu
    Rocket Laboratory (YouTube)
    Space Engineering Laboratory (YouTube)
    Bio-Inspired Robots (YouTube)

Kumar N. Ramohalli

  • Professor Emeritus of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

Research Expertise

  • Space technologies – propulsion and power
  • Bio-inspired technologies
  • In-situ resource utilization, or ISRU

Courses Taught Since 2000

  • AME 195D: Colloquium, "Space in Our Future and Our Future in Space"
  • AME 323: Gas Dynamics
  • AME 400: Senior Mechanical Laboratory
  • AME 413A/B: Mechanical Engineering Design Lab (supervised projects)
  • AME 424/524: Introduction to Space Technologies
  • AME 425: Aerospace Propulsion
  • AME 428A/528A: Space Mission Concept Design
  • ENGR 102: Introduction to Engineering

Education

  • PhD: Propulsion, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  • MS: Aeronautics, The Indian Institute of Science
  • BS: Mechanical Engineering, Bangalore University

Employment

  • 1982-date: Deparmtment of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Arizona:
    • Associate Professor 1982-89
    • Professor 1989-date
  • 1988-99: NASA Space Engineering Research Center, The University of Arizona (concurrent with above): Co-Director
  • 1995-96: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (sabbatical from AME): Member, Technical Staff (Key Staff)
  • 1989-90: Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, August-January (sabbatical from AME): Visiting Associate
  • 1989: Pennsylvania State University, University Park, May-August (sabbatical from AME): Visiting Adjunct Professor
  • 1975-82: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, CalTech: Senior Scientist, Member of Technical Staff, Group Leader and Group Supervisor
  • 1980-82: Sunfuels, Jet Propulsion Laboratory: Manager (additional duty)
  • 1978: IRSO/IISc, Bangalore, India, August-December (on leave from JPL): Visiting Scientist
  • 1971-75: Daniel and Florence Guggenheim Jet Propulsion Center, CalTech: Research and Senior Research Fellow
  • 1971: D.S.R. Staff, Space Propulsion Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, June-July

Honors and Awards

  • Member of Tau Beta Pi engineering honors society
  • Member of Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society (California Institute of Technology chapter)
  • Member of President George Bush's inner circle
  • NASA ES Medal for "Exceptional Contributions to ... Combustion Research ... Propellants"
  • Awarded the 25th Anniversary Apollo 11 Flag (a small number of flags flown in the Space Shuttle)
  • Appointed by Governor Napolitano to the 9-member Aerospace and Defense Commission, 2005
  • Appointed by National Academy of Engineering to 9-Member Panel on ISRU, April 2005
  • Appointed to Space Technology Council (USRA), 1999-2004
  • "Beyond 2000", several ABC, NBC, and CBS interview segments
  • HEMS Award, December 2000
  • Inducted in International Academy of Astronautics, 1997
  • Certificate of Recognition, University of Arizona, Department of Student Programs, April 1995
  • Appointed to Committee on Space Science and Technology Planning, National Research Council, National Academy of Engineering, May 1992-94
  • Invited for seminars at ISAS (Japan) by the Director-General, 1994
  • Visiting Scientist (at host's expense), ADD, Samsung, Hanwha, S. Korea, 1993
  • Voted one of the Top Three Instructors in AME by the students, 1992
  • Included in "One Hundred Stars of Space" by Ad Astra, July 1991
  • 19 NASA Certificates of Recognition for New Technologies (with monetary awards)
  • duPont Memorial Fellowship, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1968-69
  • NASA Group Achievement Award, Solar Thermal Parabolic Dish Program, October 1984
  • DOE, "Special Recognition" award for solar thermal technologies, 1984
  • Selected (by National Peer Review) Research Engineer at Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 1981
  • NASA Group Achievement Award, Solid Rocketry, November 1976

Professional Societies

  • Associate Fellow, The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
  • IAF: International Lunar Development Subcommittee

Publications Since 2000

  • Ramohalli, K. N., Modeling Aluminum Combustion in Rocket Plumes, Joint JANNAF Community Workshop, February 2006 [invited].
  • Ramohalli, K., Gollapudi, A., and Loehr, R., A Quantitative Methodology for Comparisons of Cost/ Reliability/Risk. This was the Invited Plenary paper at the HEMRL International Conference on Propellants, Pune, India, November 2003.
  • Ramohalli, K. and Voecks, G., MIMOCE, A Novel Technology for an Energy-Rich Approach to Science-Driven Planetary Exploration, 53rd International Astronautical Congress, Houston, Texas, Paper IAF-02-R.4.05, 2002.
  • Ramohalli, K.., Natale, G., Marcozzi, M., Greene, J., and Duke, V., Newer Concepts in Mars Exploration: LORPEX and PV Enhanced Aerobots, 53rd International Astronautical Congress, Houston, Texas, Paper IAF-02-Q.3.2.07, 2002.
  • Ramohalli, K., Lozano, P., and Furfaro, R., Biology-Inspired Explorers for Space Systems, 53rd International Astronautical Congress, Houston, Texas, Paper IAF-02-U-2.09, 2002.
  • Ramohalli, K., Furfaro, R., Lozano, P., and Urdaneta, M., An Innovative Energy-Rich Approach to Planetary Exploration, Paper IAF-01.R.4.03, 52nd International Astronautical Congress, Toulouse, France, October 1-5, 2001.
  • Ramohalli, K., Furfaro, R., Urdaneta, M., and Streibich, D., A New Concept for Planetary Exploration: ISRU with Powerburst, 51st IAF Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 26, 2000 (Space Resources Roundtable, p.65).
  • Ramohalli, K., Urdaneta, M., Furfaro, F., Greene, C., Duke, V., and Marcozzi, M., Space Power When You Need It: LORPEX for Powerburst, 51st IAF Congress, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, October 26, 2000.
  • Ramohalli, K., Marcozzi, M., and Furfaro, R., The LORPEX Concept for Powerburst, NASA/JPL 1st Workshop on Biomorphic Explorer for Future Missions, Pasadena, California, August 19-20, 2000.

Research Grants Since 2000

  • Feasibility Demonstration of Han-Hybrids for Divert Engine (MKV Propulsion), Raytheon, 12/19/02-1/31/04.
  • HAN-Hybrids, Raytheon, 12/00-4/03.
  • Unrestricted Research Grant, McDonnell Douglas, 9/13/00.
  • Hybrid Rockets, Raytheon, 7/1/00-12/31/00.
  • Orbital Debris Mitigation, Spectrum Astro, 12/21/99-8/31/00.
  • Unrestricted Research Grant, Sigma Technologies International, 7/1/99-6/30/00.
  • Space Engineering Research Center, NASA, 6/889/92; renewed for 19921995; renewed for 1996-99; renewed 2000-03.

Patents

  • Orbital Debris Processor, U.S. Patent 5,120,008
  • Gasifiable Carbon Graphite Fibers, U.S. Patent 4,311,630 (with M. F. Humphrey and W. L. Dowler)
  • Silicone Containing Solid Propellants, U.S. Patent 4,210,474

Consulting Since 2000

  • JPL
  • Aerodyne
  • Raytheon, Tucson
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The University of Arizona
Department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering
1130 N. Mountain Ave.
P.O. Box 210119
Tucson, AZ 85721
520.626.2053

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