Aeronautics & Astronautics
Bruckner

Adam Bruckner

Professor and Chair
Director, University of Washington Aeronautical Laboratories (UWAL)

bruckner@aa.washington.edu
Office: 211E Guggenheim
Phone: (206) 543-6143

University of Washington
BOX 352400
Seattle, WA 98195-2400

 
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Background

Professor Bruckner graduated from McGill University in Montreal, Canada in 1966 with a B. Engr. in Honours Mechanical Engineering, and was a recipient of the British Association Medal. He received his Ph.D. in Aerospace and Mechanical Sciences in 1972 from Princeton University and joined the University of Washington as a Research Associate in the Aerospace and Energetics Research Program the same year. He has been department Chair since July 1998.

Professor Bruckner has received several awards from NASA and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In 1989, he was honored by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA) with the Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the NASA/USRA Advanced Design Program. At the UW he was selected as the recipient of the 1989 Burlington Resources, Inc. Faculty Achievement Award for Outstanding Research, in recognition of his contributions to the development of the ram accelerator. He is a Fellow of the AIAA and has served this organization through his work on local and national committees. Other professional societies of which he is a member are the American Society of Engineering Educators, and Sigma Xi. He has also been a frequent consultant to industry and government.

Research Activities

Professor Bruckner's research has encompassed hypervelocity accelerators, planetary in situ resource utilization, space propulsion, space power systems, energy conversion, and laser applications in biology and medicine. He has published more than 170 papers and reports on these topics. He is a co-inventor of the ram accelerator, a chemically propelled ramjet-in-tube hypervelocity projectile launcher, and is also co-inventor of the liquid droplet heat exchanger, a promising approach to thermal management in space power systems which has found near-term application in the development of chemical oxygen-iodine lasers for missile defense. In addition, Professor Bruckner has worked on the development of enabling technologies and architectures for manned and unmanned Mars missions based on in situ resource utilization. His particular interest in this area is the extraction of water from the Martian atmosphere for the production of rocket propellants and life-support consumables. Professor Bruckner has five U.S. patents in the areas of ram accelerators, launch vehicles, and heat exchangers. He has been a member of the UW's Astrobiology group since 1997.


Selected Publications
  1. Bengherbia, T., Yao, Y., Bauer, P., Knowlen, C., and Bruckner, A.P., “Numerical Analysis of the Thermally Choked Ram Accelerator in Sub-Detonative Regime,” 21st International Colloquium on the Dynamics of Explosion and Reactive Systems, Poitiers, France, July 23-27, 2007.
  2. Knowlen, C., Joseph, B., and Bruckner, A.P. “Ram Accelerator as an Impulsive Space Launcher: Assessment of Technical Risks,” International Space Development Conference, Dallas TX, May 25-28, 2007.
  3. Wood, S. E., Schneider, M. A., Cardell, G., Hecht, M., Knowlen, C., Bruckner, A.P., Catling, D. C., Cobos, D., and Zent, A., “Characterization and Calibration of the Phoenix TECP Relative Humidity Sensor in a Mars Atmospheric Simulation Chamber,” Fourth International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration, Davos, Switzerland, Oct. 2-6, 2006.
  4. Bauer, P., Knowlen, C., and Bruckner, A.P., "Modeling Acceleration Effects on Ram Accelerator Thrust at High Pressure", J. Propulsion and Power 21: 955-957, 2005.
  5. Bundy, C., Knowlen, C., and Bruckner, A.P., "Unsteady Effects on Ram Accelerator Operation at Elevated Fill Pressures", J. Propulsion and Power 20: 801-810, 2004.
  6. Schneider, M.A., and Bruckner, A.P., “Extraction of Water from the Martian Atmosphere,” Space Technology & Applications International Forum – STAIF-2003, Albuquerque, NM, Feb. 2-5, 2003, M.S. El-Genk, ed., American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings, Volume 654, pp. 1124-1132.
  7. Polkko, J., Harri, A-M., Lehto, A., Tillman, J., Bruckner, A.P., and Siili T., “Digihum: Humidity Transmitter for Harsh Martian Environment, Construction and Performance Assessment,” Poster PS037, XXVII General Assembly of the European Geophysical Society, Nice, France, April 21-26, 2002.
  8. Bruckner, A.P., "The Ram Accelerator: A Technology Overview" Paper AIAA 2002-1014, 40th Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Reno, NV, January 14-17, 2002. (Invited)
  9. Knowlen, C., and Bruckner, A.P., "Direct Space Launch Using Ram Accelerator Technology", in Space Technology and Applications International Forum - STAIF-2001, Albuquerque, NM, , Feb. 11-14, 2001, M.S. El-Genk, ed., American Institute of Physics Conference Proceedings, Volume 552, pp. 583-588.
  10. Grover, M.R., Odell, E.H., Smith-Brito, S.L., Warwick, R.W., and Bruckner, A.P., “Ares Explore: A Study of Human Mars Exploration Alternatives Using In Situ Propellant Production and Current Technology,” AAS 96-332, in The Case for Mars VI, Vol. 98, Making Mars an Affordable Destination, McMillen, K.R., ed., American Astronautical Society Science and Technology Series, Univelt, Inc., San Diego, CA, 2000, pp. 309-340.