>> As NASA's Artemis mission prepares to return humans to the moon and establish a permanent lunar base.

3 University of Illinois-Chicago students are playing their own small part to make that happen.

The 3 of just completed a summer internship program at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, helping lay the groundwork for humans to have an enduring presence on the moon.

And maybe even one day Mars.

Joining us now to talk about their experiences are read West.

Haha.

Phd student in the Civil Materials and Environmental Engineering Department at UIC Caleb Smith, who earned his bachelor's degree this spring.

Congrats and will soon start working on a PhD in mechanical and industrial engineering Department at UIC.

And you're in book, mechanical and industrial engineering undergrad at UIC who's working towards one day becoming an astronaut.

Congrats to all 3 of you completing your internship.

thanks for joining us.

Caleb Smith.

Want to start with you.

So the internships we know were offered through UIC Center for In-space Manufacturing.

Sounds like a partnership that the school has with NASA.

fairly new collaboration there.

What did your NASA internship have you doing?

Yes.

So the main goal for my project was to develop a system to print with lunar regulate stimulant.

>> So this is a fancy term for moon dust.

So we want to be able to fabricate components and ultimately habitats on the moon.

So that was our goal.

This summer was developing that system.

So I got to work with robotics lasers to be able to create that very cool.

>> What was that like was like for you being able to do that?

It was an amazing opportunity definitely very challenging.

But I had a great time working with my team.

I worked with the team of 2 and then a mentor as well.

And from there, I went again a lot about robotics, a lot a lot about working with Moon dust as well, which is a great yeah.

>> dust.

Yes.

Like that.

You have actual I know this is a very non scientific Was moon dust like from previous expeditions or you worked with sort of creating something similar?

Yeah.

So we use lunar regulate stimulants.

So we have taken samples that we've collected from the moon.

>> And we've researched the composition of that dust and then from there were able to replicate that composition utilizing materials here on actions like moved us to second he See, I know runways.

I understand you've got a civil structural engineering background.

You were initially little bit hesitant about this internship.

Not sure if you're the right fit for the program.

What NASA have you working on?

So my work actually aligns with my PhD research.

I was hired to process like our Dana.

>> Light are is just the laser scan.

So essentially think of it like sending alike and then it bounces off of the wall.

When you get a million points in space, my task was to connect the dots that make it a 3 D model.

And so the idea is to create these model so that we can then better inform ourselves of what lunar and Martian space is going to look like.

The model that you'll see on the table now is one of the lava tubes that I inspected and created this 3 D component for I can then use my engineering background to study more about it, which can then be used for exploring Martian space.

And so this is a 3 D print out.

Yes, okay.

You can actually people.

So this is a in America there you're going through the lava tube and it was able to capture some of the people that were on site at the lava tube as well.

And so I was able to print them out to show that.

>> The scale of what the lava tube looks like compared to the people was all this like for you to be able to do this, especially it must have been a bit of a surprise if you really got know if this is right for me.

Definitely.

I was very surprised with how versatile NASA can be.

There's a spate their space for everybody.

And so there's space for everybody.

I'm I would I would encourage anybody with different backgrounds to pursue opportunities at NASA.

so it's very rewarding to be able to contribute in my own way and to take my field and compare to other fields as well.

You're you've said that you've dreamed of going into space from a very young age.

Just where did that come I actually watched my first space shuttle launch when it was 7.

>> On YouTube, it was some STS one.

29, it suspicious.

The first space shuttle launch site.

Watch >> And I remember and that the sound like sticks with me.

Remember hearing how Chris, the sound was like this is cool.

This rocket I want be like.

These people and I take a shower, it's like put like a very common thing that listen to the site to listen to the com's, because like just brings me so much comfort that, you know, I've I've been like I've been to NASA before and know how how this sort of works and I can actually know they're talking about.

And it's a very surreal experience for And well, you remember when the when they discontinued space flight, but have you had the opportunity to see a live It?

>> So part part of the Marshall.

They're very flexible So survey flexible actually planned with the interns, a sort of in total launch party for crew.

11 Kerr 11.

And you can see the mission patches of dry actually punish if you've got several, which is was a very cool experience to be watching that live and also get a chance to meet positions.

And to that was a very surreal experience for all 3 of an expedition me to that involved much Wilmore who recently tired.

think for something Williams, Nic Hagg we'll see if close dump that and the oldest astronaut still going strong.

I've had highest respect for these these people and all the people that I met.

Marshall, NASA have you personally?

The same thing as rock was surprisingly, but it's more checking the manufacturing processes to make sure everything was manufactured to spec or within within tolerance that basically means like is it by defection correctly?

This is the is the fault acceptable and some of the stuff that that I've seen over there, our for our actually harbor for the SLS special system.

Big Orange Rocket.

Nasa is using to go back to to So having have this experience, what do you think is next for you?

I would like to keep simple as that.

So I mean, clearly something you'd like to return to NASA what would that look like for It could make could honestly until the most likely from the until going back to Marshall.

And if and if that's not the case and maybe try the other centers for go back or going to industry I just had the realization that like the starship system, SpaceX, it looks.

It kind of looks like modern shuttle.

yeah.

So yeah.

Well, sorry.

I just want to because we're almost at a time we know about the 2 of you ride was what do you think is next for you?

>> So I will be graduating your fingers I do want to continue in academia, but I want to stay connected with with NASA's mission.

>> Maintaining those that working opportunities that bills and those connections that I felt that NASA to to see how I can continue my research and collaborate with in the futures.

Okay.

With.

>> starting on my PhD program.

So I'm looking forward to working through that and then continue the collaboration between UIC and as was NASA Marshall Space Flight Center