Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Engineering Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

University of Texas at El Paso

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 181 - 210 of 2141

Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Catalytic Water Photolysis For Generating Renewable Hydrogen Fuel, Dr. Niveditha Nanda May 2023

Catalytic Water Photolysis For Generating Renewable Hydrogen Fuel, Dr. Niveditha Nanda

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Modern advances have enabled rapid industrialization and urbanization. However, the consequences of global modernization have included significant pollution to the air and water resources. Consequently, many changes to energy use must come to address and mitigate damages to our future. Solar energy derived hydrogen gas is a clean, renewable fuel that does not produce carbon dioxide or other pollutants. My research investigates the use of heterogeneous photocatalysis, by focusing on solar photochemical energy conversion, which is the making of hydrogen from water using sunlight. The production of clean, renewable hydrogen fuel will enable the utilization of low-cost, pollution-free energy resources …


Multi-Objective Optimization Framework For Electrified Vehicle Penetration Based On Life Cycle Assessment And Life Cycle Cost., Eva Alondra Diaz Lozano May 2023

Multi-Objective Optimization Framework For Electrified Vehicle Penetration Based On Life Cycle Assessment And Life Cycle Cost., Eva Alondra Diaz Lozano

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This research proposed a novel framework for creating optimal transportation scenarios that consider multiple objectives such as minimum greenhouse gas emissions, air pollutant levels, and cost of ownership. The thesis approach is a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm coupled with the AFEET tool, allowing us to efficiently explore the complex trade-offs between these objectives and identify a diverse set of optimal solutions. Through several case studies and a design of experiments, this demonstrates the effectiveness and practicality in different scenarios. This approach has significant implications for policymakers and industry professionals seeking to make sustainable and cost-effective decisions in the transportation sector.


Additive Manufacturing Of Binary And Ternary Shape Memory Polyester Blends As A Pathway Towards High Entropy Polymer Systems., Luis Eduardo Lares Carrillo May 2023

Additive Manufacturing Of Binary And Ternary Shape Memory Polyester Blends As A Pathway Towards High Entropy Polymer Systems., Luis Eduardo Lares Carrillo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this work is to incorporate additive manufacturing technology (AM) in the development of shape memory polymer blends. Two polyester blend systems were developed, one binary and the other ternary. The binary blend consisted of polycaprolactone (PCL) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and the ternary blend was composed of PCL, TPU and polylactic acid (PLA). Test specimens were fabricated with the AM technology of fused filament fabrication (FFF). Several tests were performed to characterize the mechanical and shape memory properties. A dynamic mechanical analyzer (DMA) was first used to establish the shape recovery temperature. Tensile testing was carried out …


A Method For Measuring The Spectral Emissivity Of Metal Powders At Different Temperatures And Applications In Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Emmanuel Levario May 2023

A Method For Measuring The Spectral Emissivity Of Metal Powders At Different Temperatures And Applications In Laser Powder Bed Fusion, Emmanuel Levario

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Radiation thermometry monitoring methods used in powder bed fusion additive manufacturing (PBF-AM) are becoming increasingly more popular for quality assurance and repeatability. The dynamic nature of the PBF process and a lack of accuracy of metrics being captured for temperature monitoring lend great difficulty in the successful implementation of in-situ monitoring. There is currently no data on the emissivity, a metric used in non-contact temperature measurements, for metal powders used in AM. This work describes a method for measuring the spectral emissivity for metal powder sizes commonly used in AM using a multi-wavelength (MW), FMPI SpectroPyrometer, calibrated within the spectral …


Sensing Optimization Of Thermoplastics And Ceramics Fabricated Through Additive Manufacturing, Cory Marquez May 2023

Sensing Optimization Of Thermoplastics And Ceramics Fabricated Through Additive Manufacturing, Cory Marquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The objective of this research is to fabricate and optimize thermoplastic and ceramic materials that can be fabricated for Laser Sintering (LS), Direct Ink Write (DIW), and Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) 3D printing. The fabrication of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) thermoplastic particles into spherical allow for better flowability and packing density for LS printing which results in better printability and an increase in mechanical properties. The fabrication of clay ceramic allows the printability application for DIW with the implementation of an embedded wireless temperature and relative humidity sensor. The use of FFF multi-material printing allowed the capabilities of 3D printing a …


Study Of Different Heat Treatments And Aging Conditions For Observing Microstructures And Mechanical Properties Of Lpbf Fabricated F357 Alloy, Victor Adrian Medrano Balderas May 2023

Study Of Different Heat Treatments And Aging Conditions For Observing Microstructures And Mechanical Properties Of Lpbf Fabricated F357 Alloy, Victor Adrian Medrano Balderas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Aluminum F357 is a widely used material for casting in the aerospace and additive manufacturing industry. Heat treatments are commonly applied to some aluminum alloys to modify their properties. With a further study on the aging and performance of the F357 with 3D printing technology, several industries benefit from this; military, automotive, and aerospace are some examples because of the numerous components cast in service. This work presents the mechanical properties of F357 specimens fabricated with EOS technology and subjected to heat treatments. Heat treatment conditions were applied to tensile specimens and tested. Furthermore, the specimens were subjected to artificial …


Metal Fused Filament Fabrication: Distortion Compensation & Co2 Electrochemical Reduction, Jean Emmanuel Montes Ramirez May 2023

Metal Fused Filament Fabrication: Distortion Compensation & Co2 Electrochemical Reduction, Jean Emmanuel Montes Ramirez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Metal fused filament fabrication (MF3) is a rapidly growing additive manufacturing technology that enables the creation of complex metal parts with high accuracy and precision. Copper, a highly conductive metal with various applications in industries such as electronics and aerospace, is a promising material for MF3. In this study, we investigated the use of MF3 copper parts to fabricate copper electrodes for CO2 electrochemical reduction. We examined the post-processing manufacturing process of debinding and sintering to obtain fully 3D printed copper parts in an air environment. Our results demonstrate that MF3 copper parts have high porosity, providing a larger active …


Addressing The Challenged Of Dcop Based Decision-Making Algorithms In Modern Power Systems, Luis Daniel Ramirez Burgueno May 2023

Addressing The Challenged Of Dcop Based Decision-Making Algorithms In Modern Power Systems, Luis Daniel Ramirez Burgueno

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Natural disasters have been determined as the leading cause of power outages, causing not only huge economic losses, but also the interruption of crucial welfare activities and the arise of security concerns. Because of the later, decision-making considering grid modernization, power system economics, and system resiliency has been a crucial theme in power systemsâ?? research. The need to better withstand catastrophic events and reducing the dependency of bulky generating units has propelled the development and better management of behind-the-meter generation or distributed energy resources (DERs). DERs can assist in the grid in different manners, not only by meeting energy demand …


Challenges, Limitations, And Strengths For An Optimal Predictive Maintenance Application, Erick Armando Rosales May 2023

Challenges, Limitations, And Strengths For An Optimal Predictive Maintenance Application, Erick Armando Rosales

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution, has emerged as the most recent digital transformation worldwide, expanding and reshaping the manufacturing industry by introducing novel technologies. In Industry 4.0, Smart Manufacturing (SM) and the Internet of Things (IoT) have collaborated to bring the best of both worlds and make the new manufacturing era more cost-effective, automated, and digitized. As a result, many businesses are putting sensors, intricate networks of integrated systems, big data analytics, cloud computing, and storage in place to use predictive maintenance (PdM) best. PdM uses IoT to convert physical activities into digital activities, also known as digitization. Predictive …


Characterization And Modeling Of Unbound And Cementitiously Stabilized Materials For Structural Analysis Of Multilayer Pavement Systems, Edgar Daniel Rodriguez Velasquez May 2023

Characterization And Modeling Of Unbound And Cementitiously Stabilized Materials For Structural Analysis Of Multilayer Pavement Systems, Edgar Daniel Rodriguez Velasquez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The incorporation of cement for soil improvement is a sustainable solution for utilizing marginal materials in the construction of new pavements and the rehabilitation of existing roadway systems. To effectively design and assess the performance of pavement structures, it is crucial to determine the strength and resilient properties of cementitiously stabilized aggregates. Accurate determination of the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), tensile strength, and Resilient Modulus (Mr) is of utmost importance for thoroughly characterizing the structural capacity of pavement layers through a mechanistic approach.The tensile strength of stabilized materials can be assessed in a laboratory setting through the implementation of two …


Computational Analysis Of Water Braking Phenomena For High-Speed Sled And Its Machine Learning Framework, Jose A. Terrazas May 2023

Computational Analysis Of Water Braking Phenomena For High-Speed Sled And Its Machine Learning Framework, Jose A. Terrazas

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Specializing in high-speed testing, Holloman High-Speed Test Track (HHSTT) uses a process called "water braking" as a method to bring vehicles at the test track to a stop. This method takes advantage of the higher density of water, compared to air, to increase braking capability through momentum exchange. By studying water braking using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), forces acting on track vehicles can be approximated and prepared for prior to the actual test. In this study, focus will be made on the brake component of the track sled that is responsible for interacting with the water for braking. By discretizing …


Cyber-Physical Production Systems And Their Practical Integration And Application With Simio Software, Jose Carlos Garcia Marquez Basaldua May 2023

Cyber-Physical Production Systems And Their Practical Integration And Application With Simio Software, Jose Carlos Garcia Marquez Basaldua

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Industry 4.0 comprises a diverse array of technologies and components that are revolutionizing the manufacturing industry, from Digital Twins, Cyber-Physical Systems and Augmented Reality. The elements that englobe Industry 4.0 vary from framework to framework. Nevertheless, there are similarities in the available literature on what constitutes Industry 4.0. Some of the most critical components specified by the available literature include Digital Twins and Cyber-Physical Systems. A Factory Digital Twin is a virtual representation of a production system that can mimic the behavior of the physical asset. Moreover, a digital twin must have synchronization with its physical twin (i.e., production floor), …


Optimizing Laboratory Curing Conditions For Hot Mix Asphalt To Simulate Field Behavior, Benjamin Arras May 2023

Optimizing Laboratory Curing Conditions For Hot Mix Asphalt To Simulate Field Behavior, Benjamin Arras

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The engineering properties of asphalt mixtures change with time. Shortly after placement, asphalt concrete (AC) layers are more susceptible to rutting. As the pavement ages, the AC layer becomes stiffer, brittle, and thus more susceptible to cracking. Current protocols provide guidelines for the selection of materials, the determination of the material proportions (e.g., aggregates and binder content), and the evaluation of the engineering properties (e.g., cracking and rutting potentials) of any given asphalt mix design. However, these protocols do not consider the impact of aging on the mixture. This study investigated existing and novel laboratory methods to determine protocols that …


Digitizing Work Instructions Through Technology Using Internet Of Things (Iot), Priscila Balanzar Almazan May 2023

Digitizing Work Instructions Through Technology Using Internet Of Things (Iot), Priscila Balanzar Almazan

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Smart manufacturing is fundamentally changing the industry so fast; for this reason, modern industrial processes must be intelligently and digitally automated. Digitalization of work instructions has taken an important role in improving the efficiency of industry and traditional manufacturing processes. TULIP is a frontline operations platform that allows users to digitize operations using friendly apps that operators can deploy in their daily shopfloor processes. This Industry 4.0 tool is important because it optimizes the development of processes by enabling IoT with the use of sensors, connectors, and machines to collect real-time production data. In this research, a manufacturing station equipped …


Evaluation Of Maternal Patient Experience During Covid-19 Using Natural Language Processing, Debapriya Banik May 2023

Evaluation Of Maternal Patient Experience During Covid-19 Using Natural Language Processing, Debapriya Banik

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Healthcare policymakers are constantly investigating how to improve this situation and provide a more patient-centered care. Delivering excellent medical care involves ensuring that patients have a positive experience. Most healthcare organizations use patient survey feedback, like HCAHPS, to measure their patients' experiences. The United States has the highest maternal mortality or morbidity rate of the developed countries, so we used maternal patients as the patient cohort to evaluate various touchpoints. The power of social media can be harnessed to provide researchers with valuable insights into understanding patient's experience and care. We used the "COVID-19Tweets" Dataset, which has over twenty-eight million …


An Approach For Verification Of Traffic Speed Deflectometer Measurements, Mahsa Beizaei May 2023

An Approach For Verification Of Traffic Speed Deflectometer Measurements, Mahsa Beizaei

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Recent research studies have shown the usefulness and applicability of Traffic Speed Deflectometers (TSD) in support of the network-level pavement management process. There are, however, no accepted procedures for verification and validation of the TSD measurements to be utilized by practitioners. To address this need, TSD measurements may be verified with the data obtained by widely accepted road-testing equipment, Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). In this study, TSD and FWD operations on pavement sections were simulated employing the finite layer approach which resulted in the development of a comprehensive database of pavement responses. Using the established numerical simulation database, theoretical relationships …


A Multiple Model Approach To Bridge Deterioration Modeling, Jin A. Collins May 2023

A Multiple Model Approach To Bridge Deterioration Modeling, Jin A. Collins

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Bridge Management Systems (BMSs) have been used to support decision-making in bridgeprojects, including maintenance, rehabilitation, and replacement under financial constraints. These decisions are predicated on the ability to estimate bridgesâ?? future condition states to optimize bridge network systems' performance. Deterioration models are commonly used tools to help transportation agencies make predictions of future condition states of infrastructure facilities, schedule capital investments, and make comparative decisions. Numerous deterioration models have been developed over the last few decades. In particular, Markov chain models utilize bridge data collected from the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) database to make predictions. The accuracy of predictions is …


Development Of A Cost-Constrained Intelligent Prosthetic Knee With Real-Time Machine Learning, Predictive Stumble Control, Lucas Jonathan Galey May 2023

Development Of A Cost-Constrained Intelligent Prosthetic Knee With Real-Time Machine Learning, Predictive Stumble Control, Lucas Jonathan Galey

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The field of biomechatronics is evolving quickly with advances in computer science, biology, and electrical and mechanical engineering. Coupled with increased interests in machine learning (ML) across all industry sectors, there are opportunities to leverage advanced analytics in uniquely complex problems. This study aimed to deploy real-time ML predictions in a novel microprocessor-controlled prosthetic knee (MPK) device capable of identifying and responding to stumble-events to reduce amputee fall prevalence. Innately, stumbling is a chaotic event. Current MPKs operate by detecting gait characteristics and reacting to preprogrammed states. While these systems are beneficial in significant ways, such as energy expenditure and …


Thermal Behavior Of Plain And Fiber-Reinforced Rigid Concrete Airfield Runways, Arash Karimi Pour May 2023

Thermal Behavior Of Plain And Fiber-Reinforced Rigid Concrete Airfield Runways, Arash Karimi Pour

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The environmental condition and temperature gradient are important factors resulting in concrete airfield runways cracking during the time. Rigid concrete airfield runways experience different thermal gradients during the day and night due to changes in air temperature. Curling and thermal expansion stresses are the main consequences resulting in various types of cracking over the surface and thickness of concrete airfield runways and increasing maintenance costs. The curvature of concrete slabs increases with an increase in the temperature gradient which is amplified when runways open to traffic. Additionally, the combination of the curling and shrinkage stresses, in rare circumstances, can be …


Heat Transfer Of A 1n Thruster In A 2.5u Cubesat Module, Javier Madrid May 2023

Heat Transfer Of A 1n Thruster In A 2.5u Cubesat Module, Javier Madrid

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

With the aerospace industry expanding and moving forward with more ambitious missions, small satellites such as CubeSats have proven to be at the forefront of innovation for research satellites. This innovation have introduced complications which if gone unattended can lead to the loss of the satellite; one such complication coming in the form of propulsion heat transfer. This paper presents an investigation into the propagation of heat transfer within a 2.5 CubeSat module when a 1N thruster is fired inside it. This is done by leveraging the equation of heat transfer and comparing results to those simulated by ANSYS. Not …


Systems Thinking As A Method For Leveraging Smart Classrooms, Jazmyne V. Del Hierro Apr 2023

Systems Thinking As A Method For Leveraging Smart Classrooms, Jazmyne V. Del Hierro

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Digital technologies have revolutionized enterprises across our personal lives, and most major industries. The digital transformation can be considered a strategic response to digital trends (Vial, 2019), encompassing substantial changes in society and industry caused by technology development (Taj, et al., 2010). It is a complex journey that needs to be guided by clear strategy. Digital transformation is more about people, than it is about technology (Frankiewiczz, B., 2020). It requires organizational changes that are backed by leadership and driven by challenges to culture (Abbu, H., 2022). Digital transformation requires leaders to build trust (Mugge, Abbu, and Gudergan 2021; Gudergan …


Grid Independence Studies Of Eddy-Resolving Models At The Scale Of A River Reach Along A Transect In Marble Canyon Of The Colorado River, Arizona, Rosa Elena España Urresty Apr 2023

Grid Independence Studies Of Eddy-Resolving Models At The Scale Of A River Reach Along A Transect In Marble Canyon Of The Colorado River, Arizona, Rosa Elena España Urresty

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

This study presented a novel approach for evaluating the impact of changes in spatial resolution on field-scale models to identify turbulent flow patterns in hydraulic features in canyon-bound rivers. The methodological framework incorporated seven different computational domain resolutions to analyze the sensitivity of field-scale models to spatial resolution changes by employing techniques such as turbulent kinetic energy spectrum, spatiotemporal analysis of eddy structures, divergent Kullback-Leibler (KL) divergence, Nash-Sutcliffe (NS) model efficiency coefficient, wavelet power spectrum, and GCI calculation. Statistical and physical-based skill metrics are employed to quantifying information loss to evaluate a set of domain resolutions. Grid independence studies have …


Sulfonated Styrene Grafted Sebs/Abs Made By Additive Manufacturing For Ion Exchange Applications, Avianna Elaine Gallegos Dec 2022

Sulfonated Styrene Grafted Sebs/Abs Made By Additive Manufacturing For Ion Exchange Applications, Avianna Elaine Gallegos

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

An interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) for cation exchange applications was synthesized from a blend of styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), which was 3D printed, grafted with crosslinked polystyrene (PS), and sulfonated. A method for styrene grafting was applied to reduce the damage to polymer phases caused by the sulfonation reaction. Styrene and divinylbenzene monomers were introduced to the IPN and induced with heat treatment to polymerize in situ. The graft copolymerization reaction was enhanced with varying quantities of benzoyl peroxide as a chemical initiator. The samples were subsequently sulfonated with chlorosulfonic acid in dichloroethane and functionalized for ion …


Fabrication And Characterization Of Germanium Functionalized Porous Nickel Oxide Electrodes For Application In Supercapacitors, Cristina Gonzalez Dec 2022

Fabrication And Characterization Of Germanium Functionalized Porous Nickel Oxide Electrodes For Application In Supercapacitors, Cristina Gonzalez

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Limited fossil fuel, increasing population, pollution, and climate change are motivating society to use renewable and clean energy techniques. However, the intermittent nature of renewable sources hinders their continuous availability and use. Energy storage devices such as supercapacitors and batteries are essential for sustainable development but their high cost limits its bulk use. The cost of energy storage devices mainly depends on materials, synthesis process and device fabrication. Therefore, low cost 3-D mesoporous nickel germanium fictionalize nickel oxides electrode materials has been developed by using facile fabrication techniques for supercapacitor application. 3-D mesoporous nickel provides the high surface area and …


Generation Of Phase Transitions Boundaries Via Convolutional Neural Networks, Christopher Alexis Ibarra Dec 2022

Generation Of Phase Transitions Boundaries Via Convolutional Neural Networks, Christopher Alexis Ibarra

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Accurate mapping of phase transitions boundaries is crucial in accurately modeling the equation of state of materials. The phase transitions can be structural (solid-solid) driven by temperature or pressure or a phase change like melting which defines the solid-liquid melt line. There exist many computational methods for evaluating the phase diagram at a particular point in temperature (T) and pressure (P). Most of these methods involve evaluation of a single (P,T) point at a time. The present work partially automates the search for phase boundaries lines utilizing a machine learning method based on convolutional neural networks and an efficient search …


Synthetic Data Generation For Intelligent Inspection Of Structural Environments, Noshin Habib Dec 2022

Synthetic Data Generation For Intelligent Inspection Of Structural Environments, Noshin Habib

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Automated detection of cracks and corrosion in pavements and industrial settings is essential to a cost-effective approach to maintenance. Deep learning has paved the path for vast levels of improvement in the area. Such models require a plethora of data with accurate ground truth and enough variation for the model to generalize to the data, which is notwidely available. There has been recent progress in computer graphics being used for the creation of synthetic data to address the issue of deficient data availability, but it is limited to specific objects, such as cars and human beings. Textures and deformities within …


Interoperability In An Electrified Pavement System: A Model-Based Systems Engineering Perspective, Beatriz Irene Soto Dec 2022

Interoperability In An Electrified Pavement System: A Model-Based Systems Engineering Perspective, Beatriz Irene Soto

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

In a 2021 statement provided by The White House, (The White House, 2021), the Biden administration announce the goal for electric vehicles to account for 50% of new vehicle sales in the United States by 2035. In addition, the legislation allocates a budget of $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. This investment will support the President's goal of building a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, improve …


A Comparative Evaluation Of Oxidation And Combustion Phenomena In Ti-6al-4v Exposed To Earth Re-Entry And Arc-Jet Test Environments, Arlene Smith Dec 2022

A Comparative Evaluation Of Oxidation And Combustion Phenomena In Ti-6al-4v Exposed To Earth Re-Entry And Arc-Jet Test Environments, Arlene Smith

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The Ti-6Al-4V alloy is widely used in aerospace applications for its beneficial combination of properties. However, this alloy has high solubility for oxygen and thus a high reactivity. Recovered data contained within the Columbia artifacts suggests that this alloy underwent an accelerated degradation and combustion reaction when exposed to the high enthalpy, low-pressure surroundings experienced during reentry into Earth's atmosphere. Arc-jet testing has provided a simulated aerothermodynamic heating environment to mimic what the spacecraft endured. When the effect of thermal alteration on this alpha-beta phase alloy was investigated during previous studies, optical metallography and microhardness tests revealed inconsistencies between samples …


Hybrid Model For Making Decision Methods In Wireless Sensor Networks Through Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System, Martha Lucia Torres Dec 2022

Hybrid Model For Making Decision Methods In Wireless Sensor Networks Through Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System, Martha Lucia Torres

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Considering the complexity and multiple alternatives for technology decisions in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), a multicriteria selection method (MCDM) is an appropriate approach for choosing the best option in technical projects. Purely quantitative decision-making procedures have currently been created based on client requirements and recommendations from industry professionals in many domains. In this context, implementation and operational costs could be increasing due to technical problems and additional processes. In order to prevent future difficulties and obtain a more accurate technology selection, a new method was being developed to involve qualitative and quantitative parameters taken from real scenarios and technical literature …


Compact Electrospray Propulsion Systems For Small Form-Factor Satellites: An Orbital Performance Survey & Platform Design, Alberto Meza Dec 2022

Compact Electrospray Propulsion Systems For Small Form-Factor Satellites: An Orbital Performance Survey & Platform Design, Alberto Meza

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Over the past decades, small form-factor satellites such as CubeSats have remained as one of the most accessible platforms to reach space for universities, research institutions, private and governmental entities to perform a wide range of missions. This paper presents a survey into the design and implementation of an electrospray rail thruster, to be integrated to the CubeSat platform. The design investigated features propellant tanks for each individual thruster embedded inside the rail of a standard 1U CubeSat. The capabilities of utilizing the electrospray thruster as an attitude & determination control system was also investigated in which, a pointing accuracy …