From Campus to the Cosmos: The EagleCam Adventure

Explore the ambitious EagleCam project, a student-led initiative aimed at capturing the first lunar landing selfie, in this National Space Society Space Forum. Learn about the challenges faced by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University students in designing and building a satellite camera to capture third-person images of a spacecraft landing on the Moon. Discover the project's journey from conception to its lunar landing aboard Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lander, Odysseus. Gain insights into the design process, mission control operations, and the unexpected complications that arose during the mission. Hear from Vikas Patel, an aerospace engineering student and team leader, as he shares his perspective on this historic project and discusses the team's current work on project LLAMAS, which aims to capture the first civilian extravehicular activity on the upcoming Polaris Dawn mission. Learn about Patel's academic achievements, internship experiences, and future aspirations in the aerospace industry, including his goal of joining the astronaut program and conducting research in space.