Dalten was born and raised in Honolulu, where he graduated from Moanalua High School. He is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Aerospace and a minor in Computer Science at University of Hawai’i at Manoa. After receiving his bachelor’s, he hopes to pursue a masters and potentially a doctorate with the end goal of working in research. He is a part of a CubeSat project, VIA-SEEs, where he is currently the electronics lead for one of the detectors on-board. Dalten also mentors the robotics team at his alma mater and volunteers as a referee at robotics competitions. In his spare time he likes to play video games, tinker with electronics, and hang out with friends.
Home Island: Big Island Hawai’i
High School: Moanalua High School
Institution when accepted: University of Hawaii at Manoa
Project Site: Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics: ASIAA, Hilo, Big Island HI
Mentor: Ryan Chilson
Project Title: Designing a Weather-Resistant Enclosure for a Cryogenic Compressor on SMA
Project Abstract: The Submillimeter Array (SMA) is an 8-element radio interferometer located near the summit of Maunakea, Hawaii. Each telescope is being upgraded with new cryogenic compressors as the current ones are over 20 years old and are no longer maintainable. It also allows for enhanced instrumentation which will lead to improved data. The new compressors are designed for indoor use only, therefore the goal of this project is to design a weather-resistant enclosure to protect the compressor and allow it to be accessible for maintenance. The development of the enclosure will use CAD software to model the enclosure and check for interference with the compressor. The enclosure will be designed to use off-the-shelf components, 3D-printed parts, and simple metal components. The enclosure will feature custom 3D-printed vents to allow for airflow while reducing the amount of water and dust that enters. A sliding door will allow for ease of access for maintenance using components that are dust and corrosion-resistant. In-field thermal testing will be done after a design is finalized, produced, and deployed to determine the thermal effectiveness of the design. Data on the operational temperature before and after the deployment will be taken. Conclusions will include the progression of the design throughout the internship and the thermal data, which will be presented at a later date.