Engineering Commons^™

Tumble Bot, Alena Beyer, Blake Gonzales, Jensen Severance, Liam Chaffey

Mechanical Engineering

Passive locomotion is the ability for an object to move from one place to another by the means of the environment. In nature species such as tumbleweed, fox tails, plankton, and man o’ war jellyfish rely on passive modes of transportation for survival and are able to cross vast distances with little to no expenditure of their own energy. This document seeks to explore the feasibility of building a machine relies on the energy of Mars’ environment to explore the Martian surface.

The “Tensegrity Tumbleweed Locomotion” (nicknamed Tumble Bot) senior project was sponsored by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). The …

Performance Enhancement And Characterization Of An Electromagnetic Railgun, Paul M. Gilles

Master's Theses

Collision with orbital debris poses a serious threat to spacecraft and astronauts. Hypervelocity impacts resulting from collisions mean that objects with a mass less than 1g can cause mission-ending damage to spacecraft. A means of shielding spacecraft against collisions is necessary. A means of testing candidate shielding methods for their efficacy in mitigating hypervelocity impacts is therefore also necessary. Cal Poly’s Electromagnetic Railgun was designed with the goal of creating a laboratory system capable of simulating hypervelocity (≥ 3 km/s) impacts. Due to several factors, the system was not previously capable of high-velocity (≥ 1 km/s) tests. A deficient projectile …

Development Of Cislunar Space Logistics Networks For Satellite Constellation Support Using Event-Driven Generalized Multi-Commodity Network Flows, Alexander R. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

As space becomes an increasingly congested domain, the risk of damage to satellite constellations is increasing. In response, there is an increasing need for capabilities for unmanned repair, refueling, and reconstitution (R3) of those constellations. Cislunar orbits offer a promising storage and low-cost transfer solution for on-orbit service vehicles and replacement satellites to leverage those capabilities. This research makes use of mixed-integer linear programming-based logistics models to determine the situations in which a cislunar mission architecture would offer a cost-effective alternative to Earth-based R3. The network models presented in this research make use of the latest developments in Event-Driven Generalized …

Design Of The 21-Meter Network Monitor And Control System For Deep Space Network Cross Support, Sarah E. Wilczewski

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science Morehead State University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science by Sarah E. Wilczewski on September 26, 2019.

Cislunar Trajectory Generation With Sun-Exclusion Zone Constraints Using A Genetic Algorithm And Direct Method Hybridization, Joshua A. Ostman

Theses and Dissertations

Space missions to the Moon have received renewed interest in recent decades. Science missions continue to be sent to the Moon, and several space agencies have aspirations of establishing a human presence on the Moon. With the increased number of artificial objects in cislunar space, the problem of tracking these objects arises. Optical sensors are able to track these objects in deep space. However, optical sensors cannot track objects that are close to the Sun as viewed from the observer. This unobservable region is the Sun-exclusion zone (SEZ). This research attempts to create optimal Moon-Earth transfers which are completely in …

The Effects Of Atomic Oxygen On Patch Antenna Performance And Lifetime, Max J. Barta

Master's Theses

The space environment is a volatile and challenging place for satellites to survive in. For Low Earth Orbiting (LEO) satellites, atomic oxygen (AO) is a constant corrosive effect that degrades the outer surface of satellites over long durations. Atomic oxygen exists in the atmosphere between 180 and 675 km and has a relatively high energy at 4.5 eV, which allows AO to break molecular bonds in materials on the surfaces of spacecraft. As the number and complexity of CubeSat missions increase, there is an increased risk that AO degradation on commercial off the shelf parts (COTS), such as antenna, could …

Redesign Of Cubesat For Beam Charging, Kuba Preis

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This paper is intended to be a study in the applications of the design freedom granted by additive manufacture in the design of a 1U CubeSat frame. The main loads experienced by a CubeSat are structural (during launch) and thermal (solar radiation). Beam charging is an emerging technology which involves charging a CubeSat using a laser beam. In this paper, a CubeSat frame was redesigned to account for the structural loads induced during launch and the thermal loads induced when beam charging. The thermal, weight, design, and structural requirements for a new CubeSat design were derived. The 1U CubeSat frame …

Task 1: Silver-Based Microbial Check Valve For Spacecraft Potable Water Systems, Eric Beitle

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

As human space exploration increases, the development of a more efficient potable water treatment system suited for spacecraft becomes crucial. This Waste-management Education Research Consortium (WERC) challenge was designed to explore the viability of microbial control through the utilization of silver ions as a biocide for possible integration into the Tranquility Node 3 water purification system aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Current systems using iodine risk causing hyperthyroidism from overexposure; however, silver can be safely ingested without this side effect. After researching silver delivery methods including electrochemical ion production, controlled release, or a combination of the two, our team …

System Architecture Design And Development For A Reusable Lunar Lander, Chad Batten, Camille E. Bergin, Aaron Crigger, Darryl Harris, Gillian Suzanne Mcglothin

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Thermal Management Design Tool System For Cubesat Applications, Siakrishna Reddy Kanumuru

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Saikrishna Reddy Kanumuru on April 26, 2019.

New Design Of An Electronic Power System For The Cosmic X-Ray Background Nanosatellite-3, Christian Joel Ortiz-Huertas

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Christian Joel Ortiz Huertas on April 24, 2019.

Chaotic Lunar Capture Designs And Operations Of A Cubesat Using A Low Thrust System, Kennedy V. Haught

Morehead State Theses and Dissertations

A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Science at Morehead State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science by Kennedy V. Haught on April 17, 2019.

Comprehensive Study Of Study Of Optimal Synergetic Skip Entries With Dynamic Thrust Vectoring Control, Jeremiah M. Webb

Theses and Dissertations

The atmospheric skip entry has been studied since London's presentation in 1962 describing a more fuel efficient means of altering the orbital inclination of satellites. Since London, research over the decades since has traversed many aspects of this field with varying degrees of success. The present research employs the use of modern optimal control software, complex dynamics with minor simplifications, and thrust vectoring to re-approach the aerocruise atmospheric skip entry. Using the aerodynamics of the X-34, the aerocruise problem is first compared to the un-powered aeroglide where it is shown that the aerocruise is capable of increasing the inclination change …

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. …

Optimal And Robust Neural Network Controllers For Proximal Spacecraft Maneuvers, B. 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 …

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 …

Investigation Of Ps-Pvd And Eb-Pvd Thermal Barrier Coatings Over Lifetime Using Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction, Matthew Northam

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Extreme operating temperatures within the turbine section of jet engines require sophisticated methods of cooling and material protection. Thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) achieve this through a ceramic coating applied to a substrate material (nickel-based superalloy). Electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) is the industry standard coating used on jet engines. By tailoring the microstructure of an emerging deposition method, Plasma-spray physical vapor deposition (PS-PVD), similar microstructures to that of EB-PVD coatings can be fabricated, allowing the benefits of strain tolerance to be obtained while improving coating deposition times. This work investigates the strain through depth of uncycled and cycled samples using …

Single-Degree-Of-Freedom Experiments Demonstrating Electromagnetic Formation Flying For Small Satellite Swarms Using Piecewise-Sinusoidal Controls, Ajin Sunny

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical Engineering

This thesis presents a decentralized electromagnetic formation flying (EMFF) control method using frequency-multiplexed sinusoidal control signals. We demonstrate the EMFF control approach in open-loop and closed-loop control experiments using a single-degree-of-freedom testbed with an electromagnetic actuation system (EAS). The EAS sense the relative position and velocity between satellites and implement a frequency-multiplexed sinusoidal control signal. We use a laser-rangefinder device to capture the relative position and an ARM-based microcontroller to implement the closed-loop control algorithm. We custom-design and build the EAS that implements the formation control in one dimension. The experimental results in this thesis demonstrate the feasibility of the …

A Smart Uav Platform For Railroad Inspection, Ryan Debevec

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using quadcopters for analysis of an environment has been an intriguing subject of study recently. The purpose of this work is to develop a fully autonomous UAV platform for Railroad inspection The dynamics of the quadrotor is derived using Euler's and Newton's laws and then linearized around the hover position. A PID controller is designed to control the states of the quadrotor in a manner to effectively follow a vision-based path, using the down facing camera on a Parrot Mambo quadrotor. Using computer vision the distance from the position of the quadrotor to the position of the center of the …