RECAP WRITTEN BY WESTERN CANADA'S 2025 DELEGATE

SYLVAN ZHENG

Hi, I’m Sylvan Zheng, and I had the honour of being the Western Canada Delegate for FISE United Space School 2025! It's difficult to adequately summarize two weeks, packed with three weeks' worth of action, but I’ll try my best.

For me, United Space School started well before landing in Houston. Prior to the in-person portion, we were assigned homework assignments to both prompt research and assess our background in specific parts of the mission. While challenging, these homework assignments gave me the opportunity to bury myself in space research and literature, and an excuse to do so uninterrupted. The assignments led me to deepen my understanding of relatively familiar fields, like aerodynamics, orbital mechanics, and chemical propulsion, and encouraged me to explore less familiar topics, including geology, life support systems, and budgeting. Ultimately, after 5 weeks and 81 pages of work, these previously daunting homework assignments provided me with both valuable technical knowledge and insight into the complexities of spaceflight.

Upon landing in Houston, we were assigned to one of five teams, each responsible for planning a portion of our overarching mission to Mars. I was assigned to the Maroon team, which was in charge of Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL), and the ascent back off of Mars’ surface. Given my interest in aerodynamics, this was my first pick.

Aside from mission planning, the rest of the 9-5 school day was also packed with a multitude of one-of-a-kind activities, experiences, and talks. From trips to Space Center Houston and talks from astronauts and top aerospace engineers, to after-school pool parties, soccer, and baseball games, the organizers went above and beyond with both educational and recreational activities. I was especially interested in the talks, with presentations from Boeing Starliner propulsion engineer Francesco Fusco, HAS ​​Education and Outreach Coordinator and astronomer Daniel Roy, NASA engineer John Graf, Axiom Space Systems ESEP Tony Williams, NASA Science Coordinator Lea Hougland, NASA Apollo 11 PLSS Instructor Tom Sanzone, NASA HUNCH Design Engineer Glenn Johnson, and astronauts Suni Williams, Luca Parmitano and Aymette Medina Jorge. Specifically, the presentations on cutting-edge technology really resonated with me, including a solid-state ceramic oxygen generator, the Starliner RCS thruster redesign, and the challenges of dealing with human waste in space. Overall, the talks not only provided me with technical insight but also valuable contacts for my future endeavours.

Another highlight of the trip were Dan Roy’s astronomy nights. A few days before leaving for Houston, I received an email from Dan asking for our input on an astronomy night. A few days after arriving, I was speaking about stellar remnants in front of the rest of the students! This was a great experience for me to exercise my public speaking skills and share my passion for astronomy with my peers.

I’d also like to mention and thank my host family for their hospitality, great food, and patience in answering all my questions. They introduced me to Houston culture, hosted game nights, and made sure I got to school on time every day.

Way too soon, we were already halfway through the program, but on the bright side, it also meant that it was time for the Culture Faire! Coming from different parts of the world, the Culture Faire was an opportunity for us to share and showcase our countries' unique food and culture through a dish and a presentation. Although my food was rather generic -- Poutine, partially because I like it as a dish -- my presentation was a culmination of five intense, patriotism-fueled weeks of continuous design and iteration. The result was a 1:15 scale, almost fully motorized model of the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS), otherwise known as the Canadarm. Using a self-developed mathematical algorithm to drive the arm, I programmed the arm to draw a maple leaf using a magnetically attached pen holder! Due to the lack of a traditional talent, this was probably the most appropriate way I could apply my skills to represent Canada’s forward-looking culture, and it seemed to be rather well accepted on the world stage! The other performances were equally, if not more, spectacular, with the Italians managing to get half the students on stage with them and quick thinking when one of the French delegates noticed that the piano was missing some keys.

After two weeks of development, it was finally time to present our team projects. Working with the other teams, we developed a two-launch mission profile that would consist of three “Lib3rty” cargo landers and a “Snowhite” crew lander. The cargo landers would be sent first with habitat, life support, scientific, ISRU fuel production, and other equipment without risking crew safety. On the next transfer window, the “Snowhite” crew lander would carry crew to the autonomously prepared base, and would also serve as an ascent vehicle after being refuelled by the fuel depot. I specialized in the design, aerodynamic modelling, and aerodynamic heating of the crew lander, putting my FreeCAD and OpenFOAM skills to use. Weighing 24.42 tons, the almost 8-meter-long “Snowhite” Lander would carry a crew of 5 in a 17m³ cabin. Through CFD analysis using OpenFOAM, we found that the heat shield would reach up to 850K on atmospheric entry. Our presentation also included detailed orbital trajectory modelling, engine selection, fuel calculations, emergency considerations, and cost estimations. After our presentation, a panel of judges, including Francesco Fusco, Glenn Johnson, and Daniel Roy, reviewed our proposal in depth, ensuring feasibility and compatibility with other teams.

All too soon, the fastest and most influential two weeks of my life were coming to an end. Graduation was bittersweet, with all of us parting ways, yet also marking the start of our next journeys. Although I was awarded the Maroon team leadership and excellence award (Which I am very grateful for), I think the most important outcomes were the new connections I made with both the leading engineers in the field today and the bright youth from all around the world who will continue and advance their work in the future. In my future endeavours, whether that be science fair, robotics, or something that I haven’t even thought of yet, my experiences at FISE United Space School will help me every step of the way.

If you’d like to contact me, my email is sylvanz20@gmail.com. As the new application window opens up, I’d be happy to answer any questions or help anyone with the application process, as long as I’m not drowning in schoolwork. If you have any interest in space, it’d never hurt to apply!