Daniel I. Pineda, Ph.D.
@danielpineda.bsky.social
lasers and rockets
@gem-jones.bsky.social I came across this funny coincidence today, if you hadn't seen it yet
May 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
@gem-jones.bsky.social I came across this funny coincidence today, if you hadn't seen it yet
This year, I've had the privilege to mentor a fantastic group of four students repping @utsaroadrunners.bsky.social in the 2025 NASA Student Launch Competition. This weekend, they flew a test launch in the Lone Star Cup, earning 2nd place! Looking forward to the competition launch in Huntsville!
March 25, 2025 at 1:02 PM
This year, I've had the privilege to mentor a fantastic group of four students repping @utsaroadrunners.bsky.social in the 2025 NASA Student Launch Competition. This weekend, they flew a test launch in the Lone Star Cup, earning 2nd place! Looking forward to the competition launch in Huntsville!
We have a new paper out this week in collaboration with the UTSA Hypersonics group using high-speed chemiluminescence imaging to estimate detonation cell sizes! Thanks Brandon N. and Eugene H. for helping carry this over the finish line. Check it out: rdcu.be/dMUZo
July 6, 2024 at 3:51 PM
We have a new paper out this week in collaboration with the UTSA Hypersonics group using high-speed chemiluminescence imaging to estimate detonation cell sizes! Thanks Brandon N. and Eugene H. for helping carry this over the finish line. Check it out: rdcu.be/dMUZo
Looks like Rocket Project at UCLA is still out here pushing limits with their bi-propellant liquid rockets in the Mojave! This was a fun one to catch in-person.
May 19, 2024 at 6:34 PM
Looks like Rocket Project at UCLA is still out here pushing limits with their bi-propellant liquid rockets in the Mojave! This was a fun one to catch in-person.
We officially have an operational shock tube at UTSA! @utsaroadrunners.bsky.social
April 15, 2024 at 5:02 AM
We officially have an operational shock tube at UTSA! @utsaroadrunners.bsky.social
Our lab group enjoyed a moment of darkness yesterday
April 9, 2024 at 12:36 PM
Our lab group enjoyed a moment of darkness yesterday
Always love a "new laser day"
April 3, 2024 at 6:47 PM
Always love a "new laser day"
Extra set of knurled port plugs for our shock tube arrived today!
April 2, 2024 at 3:17 AM
Extra set of knurled port plugs for our shock tube arrived today!
Never a dull moment around here
February 20, 2024 at 9:18 PM
Never a dull moment around here
This is certainly one of the most out-of-left-field gifts I've been given by a graduating student, but I'm appreciative nonetheless
January 17, 2024 at 10:04 PM
This is certainly one of the most out-of-left-field gifts I've been given by a graduating student, but I'm appreciative nonetheless
While this airline has always been good to me, my transit-pilled brain now only sees this triangle figure and associated business model as one of the main reasons Texas didn't develop high speed rail in the 90s: www.texastribune.org/2014/03/07/f...
January 7, 2024 at 3:37 PM
While this airline has always been good to me, my transit-pilled brain now only sees this triangle figure and associated business model as one of the main reasons Texas didn't develop high speed rail in the 90s: www.texastribune.org/2014/03/07/f...
The progress continues!
December 16, 2023 at 10:16 PM
The progress continues!
Our high enthalpy shock tube is coming together!
December 15, 2023 at 2:46 AM
Our high enthalpy shock tube is coming together!
It was an eventful Friday unpacking and inventorying our custom High-Enthalpy Shock Tube this week at UTSA. It's going to be a busy few weeks of assembly for us!
November 18, 2023 at 7:44 PM
It was an eventful Friday unpacking and inventorying our custom High-Enthalpy Shock Tube this week at UTSA. It's going to be a busy few weeks of assembly for us!
forbidden marshmallow
October 20, 2023 at 11:03 PM
forbidden marshmallow
I'm happy to share that our UTSA High-Enthalpy Shock Tube successfully passed its hydrostatic pressure test, to ~380 bar! This will allow our researchers to generate extreme temperatures and pressures applicable to a wide variety of aerospace and propulsion projects.
October 19, 2023 at 4:45 PM
I'm happy to share that our UTSA High-Enthalpy Shock Tube successfully passed its hydrostatic pressure test, to ~380 bar! This will allow our researchers to generate extreme temperatures and pressures applicable to a wide variety of aerospace and propulsion projects.
Snapped this one today in San Antonio! Olympus EM-10 Mark II with a 150 mm lens and solar filter #Eclipse
October 15, 2023 at 2:59 AM
Snapped this one today in San Antonio! Olympus EM-10 Mark II with a 150 mm lens and solar filter #Eclipse
Thanks to Justin T, we've made some custom UTSA-branded printed circuit boards for our stepper motor control systems that operate our optical translation stages!
October 10, 2023 at 11:40 PM
Thanks to Justin T, we've made some custom UTSA-branded printed circuit boards for our stepper motor control systems that operate our optical translation stages!
Yesterday we had our first premixed combustion experiment in our fume hood! Joseph H.-M. designed and manufactured a plasma torch ignitor using our metal 3D printer. We'll apply some laser absorption tomography techniques to this flow soon...
October 10, 2023 at 11:37 PM
Yesterday we had our first premixed combustion experiment in our fume hood! Joseph H.-M. designed and manufactured a plasma torch ignitor using our metal 3D printer. We'll apply some laser absorption tomography techniques to this flow soon...