NASA Postdoctoral Program - Laser-based Flow Measurements in High Enthalpy Ground Test Facilities

The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers unique research opportunities to highly-talented scientists to engage in ongoing NASA research projects at a NASA Center, NASA Headquarters, or at a NASA-affiliated research institute. These one- to three-year fellowships are competitive and are designed to advance NASA's missions in space science, Earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, and astrobiology. This specific opportunity focuses on laser-based flow measurements in high enthalpy ground test facilities at NASA Ames Research Center. The design and post-flight analysis of thermal protection systems for planetary entry vehicles relies heavily on computational modeling, and this research will help validate these models through ground testing. The project will focus on femtosecond laser electronic excitation and tagging (FLEET) for studying flow velocity and two photon absorption laser induced fluorescence (TALIF) for studying species concentrations. The postdoctoral fellow will participate in implementing and operating the FLEET and TALIF systems at an arc jet and potentially a shock tube, lead data acquisition, data analysis, and interpretation of results from these systems. This opportunity requires hands-on implementation and operation of laser diagnostics with an in-person on-site work schedule at Moffett Field, CA.