We learned the effect of compounding overestimation as 100 sheets of XEPS (Styrofoam) arrived today, filling up most of the garage's main room. This should provide us with plenty of foam for manufacturing the shell and fairings for Gato del Sol IV.

This foam will be used to create a male mold, also known as a plug, in the shape of Gato 4's shell. This will be accomplished in two steps. First, we will cut and glue the 2 inch sections of foam together to form the rough shape of the car. Second, we will use a large 5-axis CNC to precisely mill the shape of the car from this block using our 3D CAD model as the reference.

Pictured L-R are Matt Cragun (AE), David Anderson, (LFST), Dr. Drew Landman (AE), John Bledsoe (LFST), and the UK team. Not pictured is Whit Seay (behind the camera!)

The University of Kentucky solar car team is a multidisciplinary undergraduate group that designed and built a vehicle that raced in the 2008 North American Solar Challenge. These lightweight state of the art vehicles use solar photovoltaic arrays and storage batteries to power a 2 horsepower electric motor.  Due to the limited power, streamlined designs are used to maximize speed by minimizing aerodynamic drag.  The UK team approached ODU for help with their 2009 race entry in evaluating the aerodynamic efficiency through a full scale wind tunnel test.  Aerospace Masters student Matthew Cragun worked closely with ODU Langley Full Scale Tunnel test engineer (and alumni) Whitney Seay to adapt a  support for the 3-wheeled craft so that measurements could be made using the facilities existing 4-wheel force balance.   The LFST is routinely used for ground vehicle aerodynamic studies where flow visualization and force measurements are used to reveal subtle deficiencies in design that are extremely difficult to identify without testing the actual vehicle.  The UK team were pleased with the test and found a few small areas where attention to detail resulted in measureable reductions in drag.  They plan to incorporate their findings into an improved design and to campaign the new car in several races including a sojourn across the continent of Australia, if funds permit.

UK students in a solar car competition are teaching the world about sun power

How would you like to cruise right past the gas station in your solar-powered car? No need to stop to buy fuel—your new car runs on free sunlight. Sounds pretty cool—and it’s not just a daydream.

Students at the University of Kentucky achieved major success this summer with their version of a completely solar-powered car.

The University of Kentucky (UK) student Solar Team arrived to Guardian Automotive Plant Tuesday with the solar car from the North American Solar Challenge.

Duane Wilder, Guardian Automotive supervisor, said he first found the team at a car show earlier this year. After talking to the team members, he arranged for them to come to Morehead.

The team members gave a presentation to the automotive plant’s corporate officials, were interviewed by the local press and allowed two already chosen employees to drive the car around the plant parking lot.