Space Vehicles Commons^™

The Influence Of Mixing Duct Length And Phase Of Flight On Wall Temperatures Of A Rocket Based Combined Cycle Engine In Ejector And Air-Augmented Modes, Jonathan Grow

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Rocket Based Combined Cycle (RBCC) engines have been theorized as a possible means of powering launch vehicles and high-speed atmospheric vehicles. By incorporating aspects of both air-breathing and rocket propulsion, RBCC engines promise up to a 230 % increase in specific impulse over traditional chemical rocket propulsion by entraining a secondary flow of atmospheric air and mixing it with the exhaust of a rocket motor. Students within the Embry-Riddle Future Space Explorers and Developers Society (ERFSEDS) identified a
problem of excessive heating and structural failure of the mixing duct during launch and transonic flight of a student-built flight test vehicle. …

Investigation Of Interplanetary Trajectories To Sedna, John W. Sarappo Iii, Samuel Brickley, Iliane Domenech, Lorenzo Franceschetti, James E. Lyne

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

A Systematic Study Into The Design And Utilization Of Burn Wire As A Means Of Tensioning And Releasing Spacecraft Mechanisms Through Applied Joule Heating, Chandler Dye

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The joule heating characteristics of Nichrome burn wires, often used as a thermal cutting device in mechanisms designed to fasten and release CubeSat deployables, are examined in the following thesis. Wires ranging from 0.125 inches to 2 inches long, and diameters of 30 Ga and 40 Ga, are investigated through analytical calculations and thermal simulations based on heat transfer due to joule heating, and through physical circuitry-based experiments. The temperature data is used to generate heating curves to predict the time it takes for Nichrome wires to fail under varying testing parameters. This research aims to catalog a series of …

Nonlinear Dynamics Analysis And Control Of Space Vehicles With Flexible Structures, Marco Fagetti

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Space vehicles that implement hardware such as antennas, solar panels, and other extended appendages necessary for their respective missions must consider the nonlinear rotational and vibrational dynamics of these flexible structures. Formulation and analysis of these flexible structures must account for the rigid-flexible coupling present in the system dynamics for stability analysis and control design. The system model is represented by a flexible appendage attached to a central rigid body, where the flexible appendage is modeled as a cantilevered Euler-Bernoulli beam. Discretization techniques, such as the assumed modes method and the finite element method, are used to model the coupled …

Evaluating System Usability, Workload Suitability, And User Experience Of Game-Based Virtual Reality In Spaceflight Education And Training, Lana Laskey , M.S., Joseph R. Keebler , Ph.D.

Journal of Aviation/Aerospace Education & Research

Game-based instruction and immersive virtual reality are enhanced pedagogical methods beneficial in training environments involving complex disciplines, ranging from medical applications to construction engineering technology. This study investigated the use of game-based virtual reality (GBVR) when applied to the complex field of spaceflight education and training. As modern society places increasing demand on space-based amenities, the need for proficient satellite operators will also increase, requiring more accessible and advanced training options. Satellite ground control training scenarios, immersed in the GBVR environment, were developed and deployed to university student participants. Multiple validated scales were employed to measure the GBVR system regarding …

Space Force Design Project, Emily Greene, Ashton Orosa, Julia Patek, Nathan Doty

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The objective of our research project is to develop a lab testbed composed of a curved surface to represent a spacecraft hull, a mobile robot equipped with repair tools, and a robotic arm equipped with a laser 3D scanner. This project is part of a larger grant to the University of Akron from Space Force and Air Research Labs. The lab testbed developed in this project will be used to assist in creating and testing a software and algorithm to inspect and repair spacecraft while in orbit. The project will involve researching spacecraft hulls to create an accurate simulation bed, …

Media Streaming In A High-Rate Delay Tolerant Network, Kyle Vernyi

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Audio and video streaming across delay tolerant networks are relatively new phenomena. During the Apollo 11 mission, video and audio were streamed directly back to Earth using fully analog radios. This streaming capability atrophied over time. The gradual conversion to digital electronics contributed greatly to this. Additionally, 21st century space systems face the new requirement of interconnectedness. Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN) attempts to solve this requirement by uniting traditional point to point links into a robust and dynamic network. However, DTN implementations present bottlenecks due to low performance. High-Rate Delay Tolerant Networking (HDTN) is a performance-optimized DTN implementation. This work …

Characterizing Air Plasma Sprayed Aluminum Oxide Coatings For The Protection Of Structures In Lunar Environments, Perla Latorre Suarez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2020-

Wear-resistant ceramic and ceramic composite coatings are significant to provide durability and support long-duration missions to the moon's surface for rovers, landers, robotic systems, habitats, and many other components. On the Lunar surface, structural components are continuously exposed to lunar dust projectiles that can cause protective coating delamination around the affected area, of protective coatings and this may not be physically visible. Ceramic coatings, composed of alumina, present excellent resistance to different types of wear due to their high strength and hardness as well as the ability to protect structural components from regolith impacts, wear, and abrasive damage. Air Plasma …

Optimal Path Planning For Aerial Robots Using Genetic Algorithm, Anna Puigvert I Juan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This thesis presents a path optimization solution for a robot in two different constrained 3-dimensional (3D) environments. The robot is required to travel from its current position to a goal position following minimum cost paths (optimal paths). The first environment has 3D obstacles that interfere with the robot’s path. The path cost for this environment accounts for the minimum distance traveled by the robot from the start to the goal position while avoiding obstacles. The second environment is the atmosphere of Venus, specifically a flyable region of this atmosphere with characteristics similar to Earth’s. This environment has strong westward winds …

Evaluating System Usability, Workload Suitability, And User Experience Of Game-Based Virtual Reality In Spaceflight Education And Training, Lana Laskey, Joseph Keebler

National Training Aircraft Symposium (NTAS)

Game-based instruction and immersive virtual reality are enhanced pedagogical methods beneficial in training environments involving complex disciplines, ranging from medical applications to construction engineering technology. This study investigated the use of game-based virtual reality (GBVR) when applied to the complex discipline of spaceflight education and training. As modern society places increasing demand on space-based amenities, the need for proficient satellite operators will also increase, requiring more accessible and more advanced training options. Spaceflight training scenarios, immersed in the GBVR environment, were developed and deployed to university student participants. Multiple validated scales were used to measure the GBVR system regarding three …

Health Management And Adaptive Control Of Distributed Spacecraft Systems, Tatiana Alejandra Gutierrez Martinez

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As the development of challenging missions like on-orbit construction and collaborative inspection that involve multi-spacecraft systems increases, the requirements needed to improve post-failure safety to maintain the mission performance also increases, especially when operating under uncertain conditions. In particular, space missions that involve Distributed Spacecraft Systems (e.g, inspection, repairing, assembling, or deployment of space assets) are susceptible to failures and threats that are detrimental to the overall mission performance. This research applies a distributed Health Management System that uses a bio-inspired mechanism based on the Artificial Immune System coupled with a Support Vector Machine to obtain an optimized health monitoring …

Actively Guided Cansats For Assisting Localization And Mapping In Unstructured And Unknown Environments, Cary Chun, M. Hassan Tanveer

Symposium of Student Scholars

When navigating in unknown and unstructured environments, Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs) can struggle when attempting to preform Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) operations. Particularly challenging circumstance arise when an UAV may need to land or otherwise navigate through treacherous environments. As the primary UAV may be too large and unwieldly to safely investigate in these types of situations, this research effort proposes the use of actively guided CanSats for assisting in localization and mapping of unstructured environments. A complex UAV could carry multiple of these SLAM capable CanSats, and when additional mapping and localization capabilities where required, the CanSat would …

Spacecraft Systems & Navigation, Christopher Vanacore

Student Works

This textbook is steered towards higher educational course entailed in Commercial Space Operations. This textbook will be covering in detail Orbital Satellites, and Spacecraft. These topics are discussed according to their application, design, and environment. The power system, shielding and communication systems are reviewed along with their missions, space, environment and limitations. Any vehicle, whether manned or unmanned, intended for space travel is a spacecraft. A spacecraft's required systems and equipment depend on the information it will acquire and the tasks it will perform. Although their levels of sophistication vary widely, they re all subject to the harsh conditions of …

Full Volume 13, Issue 1, Seyma Tufan

Space and Defense

No abstract provided.

Modeling And Structural Analysis Of Morphing Wing In Uavs, Gunda Shiva Krishna Prof.

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

Morphing structure enables an aircraft to alter its configuration in maneuver to operate effectively in a given flight reign. A continuous wing is utilized to reduce drag as the wing deformation is approximated more closely. With such wing morphing of skin supported with underlying truss structure, they are able to control the unsteady aerodynamic forces. This project seeks to expand and unravel the capability of an aircraft through the application of a reconfigurable “morphing” wing. In this project, the structural model of the morphing wing consists of primarily wing components designed in solid works. Structural analysis of wing components has …

A Study On Concepts De-Laval Nozzle Using Cfd Tool, Krishna Yadav Graduate Engineer, Digambar Daware Mr., Vedant Akolkar, Pallavi Padalwar

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

A device that is used to control the characteristics of fluid is known as a nozzle. Its primary function is to increase the fluid's rate of motion. A traditional De-Laval nozzle will have three distinct parts: a throat, a converging section, and a diverging part. This paper will attempt to detail the bulk of the nozzle concepts developed by De Laval. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the nozzle's operational philosophy. In addition, theoretical flow analysis is carried out at a number of locations along the length of the nozzle. The dynamic changes in flow parameters such as pressure, …

Two Dimensional Cfd Analysis On Different Rocket Nozzles, Yogesh Bhawarker Mr., Digambar Daware Mr., Krishna Yadav, Vedant Akolkar, Pallavi Padalwar, Prakash Katdare

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

The reduction of Earth-to-orbit launch costs in conjunction with an increase in launcher reliability and operational Efficiency is the key demands on future space transportation systems, like single-stage-to-orbit vehicles (SSTO). The realization of these vehicles strongly depends on the performance of the engines, which should deliver high performance with low system complexity. Performance data for rocket engines are practically always lower than the theoretically attainable values because of imperfections in the mixing, combustion, and expansion of the propellants. The main part of the project addresses different nozzle concepts with improvements in performance as compared to conventional nozzles achieved by Different …

Hybrid Rocket Propulsion Development And Application, Akshay Gharat Assistant Professor, Vinayak Hastak Graduate Engineer

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

Satellite technology is advancing. Satellite propulsion requires several desired rocket properties. This is necessary for 1 kg of payload. Launch vehicles no longer need rocket engines. Application includes satellite movement, orbit transfer, and probe and lander propulsion. Space travel is inventive and exciting.

Research, production, and use costs must be decreased to make space transportation systems generally available. Security shouldn't be affected. Rocket propellants must be high-performing, non-toxic, and safe. Rocket engines have other parts. Restarting and throttling are crucial. These are inaccessible to solid rocket motors. Developing a liquid rocket engine is hard and expensive, but it can be …

Engine Performance On Atomization Of Fuel Injector: A Review, Ankit Patil Er., Akshay C. Bedke Er., Vedant A. Deshmukh Er., Pratiksha Y. Shevare Er.

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

The impact of the fuel injection of fuel atoms on engine performance has been investigated to improve fuel efficiency and waste disposal features. The fuel swirl method for injection atomization was evaluated both by the analysis of the fuel flow and the sample test. The goal of the paper is to establish good fuel atomization over the range of engine performance. As a result of our studies, it has been concluded that the desired atomization can be achieved when gasoline is thrown into a circular motion. Fuel spray and atomization features play an important role in the performance of internal …

A Critical Study On Missile And Missile Guidance, Jay Vavdiya Engineer, Vishal Kaushik Prof.

Graduate Research in Engineering and Technology (GRET)

As a result of advancements in armament technology, traditional conceptions of battle are going through a profound transformation. The use of technology as a force multiplier is extremely prevalent in modern combat. In the modern battlefield, autonomous weapons are absolutely necessary. In this day and age, the presence of missiles is almost always indicative of a country's level of military power. The employment of guided weapons is an unavoidable need in the arsenals of modern militaries. The study will primarily concentrate on several types of weapons, ranging in range from extremely short to medium, long, and automated. This study analyses …