Aerospace Engineering Commons^™

A Prediction Model That Combines Rain Attenuation And Other Propagation Impairments Along Earth-Satellite Paths, Asoka Dissanayake, Jeremy Allnutt, Fatim Haidara

Online Journal of Space Communication

The rapid growth of satellite services using higher frequency bands such as the Ka-band has highlighted a need for estimating the combined effect of different propagation impairments. Many projected Ka-band services will use very small terminals and, for some, rain effects may only form a relatively small part of the total propagation link margin. It is therefore necessary to identify and predict the overall impact of every significant attenuating effect along any given path.

A procedure for predicting the combined effect of rain attenuation and several other propagation impairments along earth-satellite paths is presented. Where accurate models exist for some …

Acts Propagation Experiment: Experiment Design, Calibration, And Data Preparation And Archival, Robert K. Crane, Xuhe Wang, D. B. Westenhaver, Wolfhard J. Vogel

Online Journal of Space Communication

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) propagation experiment was designed to obtain slant-path attenuation statistics for locations within the United States and Canada for use in the design of low-margin Ka-band satellite communication systems. Experimenters at seven different locations have collected propagation data for more than two years. The propagation terminals used for the experiment were identical. A single preprocessing program was used by the experimenters to provide for automatic calibration, generation of attenuation histograms, and data archival. In this paper, the calibration procedures are described and estimates given for measurement accuracy.

ACTS provided beacons …

Ka-Band Propagation Measurements: An Opportunity With The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (Acts), Robert Bauer

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) was conceived at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as a follow-on program to its long history in satellite communications projects that have reduced the risk of developing new technologies that fall outside the sponsorship capability of the private sector.

To counter the foreign challenge that developed in the late 1970's to the once insuperable U.S. lead in this field, ACTS was developed to maintain the U.S. preeminence. Launched in September 1993 from the space shuttle, key technologies on ACTS include a multibeam antenna, a baseband processor, a 900-MHz wideband microwave switch matrix, …

Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (Acts): Design And On-Orbit Performance Measurements, Frank Gargione, R. Acosta, T. Coney, R. Krawczyk

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), developed and built by Lockheed Martin Astro Space for the NASA Lewis Research Center, was launched in September 1993 on the Shuttle STS 51 mission. ACTS is a digital experimental communications test bed that incorporates gigahertz bandwidth transponders operating at Ka band, hopping spot beams, on-board storage and switching, and dynamic rain fade compensation. This paper describes the ACTS enabling technologies, the design of the communications payload, the constraints imposed on the spacecraft bus, and the measurements conducted to verify the performance of the system in orbit.

Historical Development: Acts Technology, Richard Gedney, Ron Schertler, Frank Gargione

Online Journal of Space Communication

The following material has been extracted from "The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite" book by Richard Gedney, Ron Schertler and Frank Gargione.

Issue 2: From The Guest Editor, Frank Gargione

Online Journal of Space Communication

Guest editor introduction

Historical Development: Acts Program Formulation, Richard Gedney, Ron Schertler, Frank Gargione

Online Journal of Space Communication

The following material has been extracted from "The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite" book by Richard Gedney, Ron Schertler and Frank Gargione.

Perfromance Improvement Of High Bypass Turbofan Engine Through Optimization Of High-Pressure Compressor Blade – A Case Study, Vlad Mandzyuk

Symposium of Student Scholars

This research determines the relation between the High-Pressure Compressor (HPC) blade characteristics, compressor pressure ratio, and lift-to-drag ratio of a high bypass turbofan engine. Alterations in the HPC blades airfoil, span, chord, taper ratio, twist, aspect ratio, sweep, and angle of incidence are performed and their effect on the engine’s performance is observed. The metrics used to compare engine performance include thrust, specific thrust, exit velocity, fuel/air ratio, power, and efficiency. Parametric cycle analysis and computational fluid dynamics are performed to compare and validate findings. The goal of this study is to optimize the design of HPC to maximize the …

Thermochemistry Of Combustion In Polyvinyl Alcohol + Hydroxylammonium Nitrate, James K. Baird, Robert A. Frederick Jr.

PRC-Affiliated Research

A mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxylammoniun nitrate (HAN) forms a gummy solid known as a plastisol, which is ionically conducting. When an electrostatic potential of 200 V DC is applied across the plastisol, it ignites. Combustion ceases upon removal of the applied voltage. The products of PVA + HAN combustion are known to include the molecular gases carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, and hydrogen. When the electric field within the plastisol is spatially uniform, combustion occurs preferentially at the anode. The fact that HAN is an ionic conductor suggests that the mechanism of combustion is electrolytic in …

Thermochemistry Of Combustion In Polyvinyl Alcohol + Hydroxylammonium Nitrate, James K. Baird, Robert A. Frederick Jr.

PRC-Affiliated Research

A mixture of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and hydroxylammoniun nitrate (HAN) forms a gummy solid known as a plastisol, which is ionically conducting. When an electrostatic potential of 200 V DC is applied across the plastisol, it ignites. Combustion ceases upon removal of the applied voltage. The products of PVA + HAN combustion are known to include the molecular gases carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water, nitrogen, and hydrogen. When the electric field within the plastisol is spatially uniform, combustion occurs preferentially at the anode. The fact that HAN is an ionic conductor suggests that the mechanism of combustion is electrolytic in …

Numerical Simulation Of Flow Past An Airfoil With Ice Accretion On Leading Edge, Boyu Wang

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

The focus of this research is on aerodynamic simulation of flow past NACA 23012 airfoil with clean surface and with ice accretion on its leading edge by using the commercial CFD solver ANSYS Fluent. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) computations are performed using Spalart-Allmaras (SA) and Wray-Agarwal (WA) turbulence models. ANSYS mesh package ICEM is used to model the geometry and generate the mesh. The computations are performed at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 degrees angle of attack which are compared with experimental data. For the case of ice accretion at the leading edge, the physical geometry becomes more …

Autonomous Optimal Trajectory Planning For Orbital Rendezvous, Satellite Inspection, And Final Approach Based On Convex Optimization, Nicholas Ortolano, David K. Geller, Aaron Avery

Space Dynamics Laboratory Publications

Convex optimization techniques have deterministic convergence properties, are self-starting, i.e., they do not require an initial guess, and have been tested in real-time environments. These optimization techniques are applied to the trajectory planning problem for orbital rendezvous and proximity operations. Spacecraft rendezvous, inspection, and final approach trajectories are considered. Optional trajectory constraints are considered, including approach corridors, keep-out zones, and maximum thrust acceleration levels. Two linear dynamics models are investigated: Clohessy-Wiltshire dynamics to describe the relative motion in a local-horizontal local-vertical frame, and a new relative orbital motion dynamics model to describe the motion relative to a spinning or uncontrolled …

Rehology And Electrical Conductivity Of Particulate Composites In Additive Manufacturing, Bin Xia

Mechanical Engineering Research Theses and Dissertations

Extrusion-based multi-functional additive manufacturing (AM) has been a rapidly developing area in AM recently. Particulate composites are widely used in this area to provide different functionalities with different types of particulate additives. However, there is no systematic understanding of the behavior of particulate composites during extrusion (especially in small nozzles) or of their properties once deposited in the build. This work investigates the properties of the type of particulate composites usually used in additive manufacturing, composed of a polymer matrix material and particulate additives within the micrometer scale. The focus is on the material rheology in the nozzle/capillary (for the …

Flying Wing Uav For Surveillance And Object Tracking, Kristen Padgett, Scott Semmelink, Jared Lasley, Paul Horne

Senior Design Project For Engineers

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) have become ubiquitous in recent years due to their adaptability and ease of use. Surveillance UAVs in particular have seen increased interest and usage by law enforcement, civilian security, surveying, and federal services. The increased interest has led to the development of UAVs with increased endurance and payload capacity. Further as many of the applications of surveillance drones involve heightened security requirements, an aircraft of domestic make is preferential to many organizations. With this demand in mind, Inspired Products, LLC put forth a request for assistance in the design and testing of a surveillance UAV. More …

Effect Of Galvanic Corrosion On Crack Propagation Of Cold Expanded Holes In Aa2024-T3, Ken Shishino

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

A search for the balance between weight reduction and durability of a structure has always been a popular topic within the aerospace industry. Among numerous researches to improve a structure’s fatigue life, processes on mechanically fastened joints have been a topic of focus as it is naturally a discontinuity in the material leading to a local stress concentration under loading. Cold expansion is a well-known technique with a wide range of applications in both new and repaired structures. The benefits include the extension of fatigue life and a delay in crack growth without addition of weight. However, localized galvanic corrosion …

Rocket Flight Simulation With Monte Carlo Uncertainty Analysis, Jonathan Wallace Drake

Honors Capstone Projects and Theses

No abstract provided.

Cybersecurity Considerations With The Increasing Uses Of Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Suas) Or Drones, Matthew Kucharek, Stanley Mierzwa

Center for Cybersecurity

The effort to produce this information resource results from a collaborative effort between the Bergen County Technical Schools (high school), through the advisor Andrea Buccino, and a cybersecurity expert mentor. High school senior members of this learning partnership are provided with an interactive learning experience. They gain an increase and knowledge in a particular area of study while under the topical guidance of a mentor. In this example, the high school senior is pursuing coursework in Aerospace Engineering, and this was combined with the focus of cybersecurity to expand the students’ cross-discipline knowledge. This collaborative work was done virtually, given …

Real-Time Material State Assessment Of Composites Using Artificial Intelligence And Its Challenges, Muthu Ram Prabhu Elenchezhian

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

Over several decades of careful experimental investigation and exhaustive development of discrete damage analysis methods including integrated computational mechanics methods, our community knows a great deal about how discrete defects such as matrix cracks and defect growth (e.g. delamination) can be predicted in structural composites. For many practical situations controlled by laminated multiaxial composite structures, the loss of performance and “sudden death” end of life is controlled by defect coupling which becomes a precursor to fracture plane development. These interaction sequences are highly dependent on local details of manufacture, design configurations, and loading for a given application material and influenced …

Cooling Efficiency Improvement Of A Data Center Using Optimized Cabinet Design And Hybrid Cooling With High Inlet Conditions Of Single-Phase Coolant And Air, Uschas Chowdhury

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The objective of this study is to improve and optimize the cooling efficiency of liquid and air cooling from server to room level while applying best practices in the industry. The effect of increased air and coolant temperature has been explored through a literature survey and studies are conducted from device level to room level for air and liquid cooling. Three major aspects are considered. A closed-form air cooling solution is proposed for high-powered racks in a modular data center equipped with in-row coolers. Direct-to-chip liquid cooling technology is extensively studied at the server level for raised air and coolant …

Impact Of Material Models On Immersion Cooled Electronics Packages And Reliability Assessment For Chip-Package Interaction, Tushar Jashvantbhai Chauhan

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Dissertations - Archive

The immersion cooling for IT equipment has been around for decades. From thermal energy management perspective, immersion cooling is better than traditional cooling technology. However, there is need for more work in open literature when it comes to impact of immersion cooling on the reliability of IT equipment to make it commercially implemented. Detailed study of material compatibility of the various electronics packaging materials for immersion cooling is essential to understand their failure modes and reliability. The stiffness and thermal expansion are critical material properties for electronics mechanical design. This part of the study mainly focuses on two things. The …