A Mixed Integer Programming Framework For The Fuel Optimal Guidance Of Complex Spacecraft Rendezvous And Proximity Operation Missions,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
A Mixed Integer Programming Framework For The Fuel Optimal Guidance Of Complex Spacecraft Rendezvous And Proximity Operation Missions, Andrew S. Levalley
Theses and Dissertations
Space is a contested, congested, and competitive environment where space situational awareness (SSA) is a key factor in the long term sustainability of space as a national interest. Space-based SSA conducted by inspector satellites is critical to the detecting, tracking, and attribution of actions in space. Thus, space-based fuel-optimal maneuvers are essential to increasing mission life and improving the capability of inspector satellites working to characterize resident space objects (RSOs) in geosynchronous orbit (GEO). Additionally, on-orbit inspection missions can be characterized by multiple waypoint visits where an inspector is accomplishing a set of proximity operation mission objectives through the visit …
Control Strategies For Multi-Evaporator Vapor Compression Cycles,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Control Strategies For Multi-Evaporator Vapor Compression Cycles, Sunderlin D. Jackson
Theses and Dissertations
Next-generation military aircraft must be able to handle highly transient thermal loads that exceed the ability of current aircraft thermal subsystems. Vapor compression cycle systems are a particular refrigeration technology that is an attractive solution for dealing with this challenge, due primarily to their high efficiency. However, there are several barriers to realizing the benefits of vapor cycles systems for controlling thermal loads in military aircraft. This thesis focuses on addressing the challenge of controlling vapor cycles in the presence of highly transient evaporator heat loads. Specifically, a linear quadratic regulator (LQR) is designed for a simple vapor cycle system, …
Tracking Shock Movement On The Surface Of An Oscillating, Straked Semispan Delta Wing,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Tracking Shock Movement On The Surface Of An Oscillating, Straked Semispan Delta Wing, Justin A. Pung
Theses and Dissertations
A recent research effort, sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, numerically investigated the unsteady aerodynamic flow field around an oscillating, straked, delta wing. The study was centered on determining the importance of the unsteady aerodynamic forces acting as a driver for a nonlinear motion known as limit cycle oscillations. The current effort focused on creating a computational model to compare to the results of previous tests and modeling efforts and discover new information regarding the onset of LCO. The computational model was constructed using the Cartesian overset capabilities of the CREATE-AV™ fixed wing fluid dynamics solver Kestrel. …
Characterization And Anomalous Diffusion Analysis Of A 100w Low Power Annular Hall Effect Thruster,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Characterization And Anomalous Diffusion Analysis Of A 100w Low Power Annular Hall Effect Thruster, Megan N. Maikell
Theses and Dissertations
A Busek 100W low-power annular Hall effect thruster was characterized to determine the thruster’s best operating parameter range and to study plasma oscillations within the thruster. These experiments were conducted using xenon gas in the Space Propulsion Analysis and System Simulator chamber at the Air Force Institute of Technology on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The thruster’s performance characteristics were evaluated at nominal discharge voltages and constant total mass flow rate, solenoid current, and keeper current to determine the operating conditions optimizing divergence angle, beam efficiency, and discharge loss. This was accomplished using a Faraday probe to determine the plume’s current …
Computational Aerothermodynamic Analysis Of Satellite Trans-Atmospheric Skip Entry Survivability,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Computational Aerothermodynamic Analysis Of Satellite Trans-Atmospheric Skip Entry Survivability, John J. Runco
Theses and Dissertations
Computational aerothermodynamic analysis is presented for a spacecraft in low Earth orbit performing an atmospheric skip entry maneuver. Typically, atmospheric reentry is a terminal operation signaling mission end-of-life and, in some instances, executed for spacecraft disposal. A variation on reentry – skip entry – is an aeroassisted trans-atmospheric maneuver in which a spacecraft utilizes the effects of aerodynamic drag in order to reduce energy prior to a terminal entry, pinpoint a targeted entry, or change orbital elements such as inclination. Spacecraft performing a skip entry enable new modes of maneuver to enhance operations in nominal or possibly contested mission environments. …
Wall Model Large Eddy Simulation Of A Diffusing Serpentine Inlet Duct,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Wall Model Large Eddy Simulation Of A Diffusing Serpentine Inlet Duct, Ryan J. Thompson
Theses and Dissertations
The modeling focus on serpentine inlet ducts (S-duct), as with any inlet, is to quantify the total pressure recovery and ow distortion after the inlet, which directly impacts the performance of a turbine engine fed by the inlet. Accurate prediction of S-duct ow has yet to be achieved amongst the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) community to improve the reliance on modeling reducing costly testing. While direct numerical simulation of the turbulent ow in an S-duct is too cost prohibitive due to grid scaling with Reynolds number, wall-modeled large eddy simulation (WM-LES) serves as a tractable alternative. US3D, a hypersonic research …
Sheet Velocity Measurements Using Laser Absorption Spectroscopy In A Xenon Hall Effect Thruster Plume,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Sheet Velocity Measurements Using Laser Absorption Spectroscopy In A Xenon Hall Effect Thruster Plume, Avery W. Leonard
Theses and Dissertations
A new laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) velocimetry system, designed to obtain 2D planar velocity fields for ionized Xenon in the plume of a Hall effect thruster by probing the transition of Xe II at 834.72 nm, was implemented at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Space Propulsion Analysis and System Simulator (SPASS) Lab vacuum chamber. A single horizontal laser sheet was used to probe singly-ionized Xenon in the plume of a Busek BHT-600 Hall thruster and obtain a histogram of estimated axial velocity, to validate the system. Similar velocities to those obtained by an earlier intrusive characterization of the …
Limited-Duty-Cycle Satellite Formation Control Via Differential Drag,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Limited-Duty-Cycle Satellite Formation Control Via Differential Drag, Talon A. Townley
Theses and Dissertations
As CubeSat formation flying missions relying on differential drag control become increasingly common, additional missions based on this control must be studied. A mission planning tool is investigated to control the relative spacing of a CubeSat formation where differential drag is the sole control mechanism. System performance is investigated under varying perturbations and a range of system parameters, including limiting the control duty cycle. Optimal solutions based on using a pseudo spectral numerical solver, GPOPS-II, to minimize maneuver time. This study includes the development of a mission planning tool to work with the modeled CubeSat mission to calculate optimal maneuvers …
Direct Numerical Simulation Of Roughness Induced Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition On A 7° Half-Angle Cone,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Direct Numerical Simulation Of Roughness Induced Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition On A 7° Half-Angle Cone, Tara E. Crouch
Theses and Dissertations
Direct numerical simulation (DNS) computational fluid dynamic (CFD) calculations were performed on a 30° slice of 7° half-angle cones with increasing nose radii bluntness at Mach 10 while simulating a distributed roughness pattern on the cone surface. These DNS computations were designed to determine if the non-modal transition behavior observed in testing performed at the Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 was induced via distributed surface roughness. When boundary layer transition is dominated by second mode instabilities, an increase in nose radius delays the transition location downstream. However, blunt nose experiments indicated that as the nose radius …
Optimal And Robust Neural Network Controllers For Proximal Spacecraft Maneuvers,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Optimal And Robust Neural Network Controllers For Proximal Spacecraft Maneuvers, Brandon Cole George
Theses and Dissertations
Recent successes in machine learning research, buoyed by advances in computational power, have revitalized interest in neural networks and demonstrated their potential in solving complex controls problems. In this research, the reinforcement learning framework is combined with traditional direct shooting methods to generate optimal proximal spacecraft maneuvers. Open-loop and closed-loop feedback controllers, parameterized by multi-layer feed-forward artificial neural networks, are developed with evolutionary and gradient-based optimization algorithms. Utilizing Clohessy- Wiltshire relative motion dynamics, terminally constrained fixed-time, fuel-optimal trajectories are solved for intercept, rendezvous, and natural motion circumnavigation transfer maneuvers using three different thrust models: impulsive, finite, and continuous. In addition …
Investigation Of Endwall Vortex Manipulation In High Lift Turbines Caused By Active Endwall Forcing,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Investigation Of Endwall Vortex Manipulation In High Lift Turbines Caused By Active Endwall Forcing, Horatio J. Babcock
Theses and Dissertations
With the increased demand for lighter, more fuel efficient and smaller gas turbine engines, the impetus to reduce the weight and size of the turbine has become apparent. One approach to reduce this weight is to reduce the number of blades in the turbine. However, to maintain power output, each blade must be capable of supporting a greater amount of lift. While several high-lift turbine profiles have been detailed in literature, most of these profiles have increased endwall losses, despite their desirable mid-span characteristics. To mitigate this endwall loss, a number of active and passive flow approaches have been studied …
Flow Behavior In Radial Rotating Detonation Engines,
2019
Air Force Institute of Technology
Flow Behavior In Radial Rotating Detonation Engines, Scott A. Boller
Theses and Dissertations
Recent progress has been made in demonstrating Radial Rotating Detonation Engine (RRDE) technology for use in a compact Auxiliary Power Unit with a rapid response time. Investigation of RRDEs also suggests an increase in stable operating range, which is hypothesized to be due to the additional degree of freedom in the radial direction which the detonation wave can propagate. This investigation seeks to determine if the detonation wave is in fact changing its radial location. High speed photography was used to capture chemiluminescence of the detonation wave within the channel to examine its radial location, which was found to vary …
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Reactor Shutdown And Residual Heating,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Nuclear Thermal Propulsion Reactor Shutdown And Residual Heating, Samantha B. Rawlins
Research Horizons Day Posters
No abstract provided.
Development Of A Magnetic Nozzle Model For Puff,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Development Of A Magnetic Nozzle Model For Puff, Nathan Schilling
Research Horizons Day Posters
No abstract provided.
Rotor Wing Interaction Of The Low Reynolds Numbers,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Rotor Wing Interaction Of The Low Reynolds Numbers, Darnisha Crane, Mingtai Chen
Research Horizons Day Posters
No abstract provided.
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis, Victor M. Fontalvo, George J. Nelson, Humberto A. Gomez, Marco E. Sanjuan
PRC-Affiliated Research
In this work, a model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is presented. A dynamic performance characterization is performed to assess the cell transient response to input variables. The model used in the simulation considers three different phenomena: mass transfer, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. The main sources of voltage loss are presented: activation, electrical resistance, and concentration. The model is constructed to avoid the use of fitted parameters, reducing the experimentation required for its validation. Hence, the electrochemical model is parameterized by physical variables, including material properties and geometrical characteristics. The model is demonstrated as a test-bed for PEMFC …
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis, Victor M. Fontalvo, George J. Nelson, Humberto A. Gomez, Marco E. Sanjuan
PRC-Affiliated Research
In this work, a model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is presented. A dynamic performance characterization is performed to assess the cell transient response to input variables. The model used in the simulation considers three different phenomena: mass transfer, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. The main sources of voltage loss are presented: activation, electrical resistance, and concentration. The model is constructed to avoid the use of fitted parameters, reducing the experimentation required for its validation. Hence, the electrochemical model is parameterized by physical variables, including material properties and geometrical characteristics. The model is demonstrated as a test-bed for PEMFC …
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis,
2019
University of Alabama in Huntsville
An Enhanced Fuel Cell Dynamic Model With Electrochemical Phenomena Parameterization As Test Bed For Control System Analysis, Victor M. Fontalvo, George J. Nelson, Humberto A. Gomez, Marco E. Sanjuan
PRC-Affiliated Research
In this work, a model of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is presented. A dynamic performance characterization is performed to assess the cell transient response to input variables. The model used in the simulation considers three different phenomena: mass transfer, thermodynamics, and electrochemistry. The main sources of voltage loss are presented: activation, electrical resistance, and concentration. The model is constructed to avoid the use of fitted parameters, reducing the experimentation required for its validation. Hence, the electrochemical model is parameterized by physical variables, including material properties and geometrical characteristics. The model is demonstrated as a test-bed for PEMFC …
Incidence Of An Astronaut Not Sealing The Pressure Garment Visor On Reentry,
2019
Portland State University
Incidence Of An Astronaut Not Sealing The Pressure Garment Visor On Reentry, Cameron M. Smith, Trent Tresch
Journal of Human Performance in Extreme Environments
Audiovisual records of a Project Mercury pilot’s activities during an orbital flight indicate that his visor was left open during reentry and descent to the sea surface, phases of flight during which cabin pressure loss was to be mitigated by suit pressurization; however, the suit could not have been pressurized with the visor open. Thus, for a presently unknown reason, a critical safety step—sealing the visor and making a pressure suit integrity test before reentry—was overlooked in this flight. Later, Space Shuttle flights were carried out with visors unsealed for much of the launch and landing phases, with the false …
The Potential Science And Engineering Value Of Samples Delivered To Earth By Mars Sample Return,
2019
California Institute of Technology
The Potential Science And Engineering Value Of Samples Delivered To Earth By Mars Sample Return, David W. Beaty, Monica M. Grady, Harry Y. Mcsween, Elliot Sefton-Nash, B. L. Carrier, Francesca Altieri, Yuri Amelin, Eleonora Ammannito, Mahesh Anand, Liane G. Benning, Janice L. Bishop, Lars E. Borg, Dale Boucher, John R. Brucato, Henner Busemann, Kathleen A. Campbell, Andrew D. Czaja, Vinciane Debaille, David J. Des Marais, Michael Dixon, Bethany L. Ehlmann, Jack D. Farmer, David C. Fernandez-Remolar, Justin Filiberto, Jennifer Fogarty, Daniel P. Galvin, Y. S. Goreva, Lydia J. Hallis, Andrea Dawn Harrington, Elisabeth M. Hausrath, Chris D.K. Herd
Geoscience Faculty Research
Executive summary provided in lieu of abstract.
