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Full-Text Articles in Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

Design And Optimization Of A Bluff Body For Energy Harvesting Of Transverse Galloping Induced By Low-Speed Wind Using Bernstein Polynomial Equations, Youssef Wael Abdelmoneim Jun 2026

Design And Optimization Of A Bluff Body For Energy Harvesting Of Transverse Galloping Induced By Low-Speed Wind Using Bernstein Polynomial Equations, Youssef Wael Abdelmoneim

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, a computational framework is proposed for optimizing the aerodynamic shape of bluff bodies used in galloping-based wind energy harvesters. The system targets low-wind speed environments, where normal wind turbines are not effective, offering a potential alternative to batteries used for powering small electronic devices such as wireless sensors. The design relies on the galloping effect, where airflow around a bluff body induces transverse oscillations that drive an energy conversion mechanism. To generate efficient bluff body geometry, the Class-Shape Transformation (CST) method is used to define a wide range of candidate shapes with minimal design parameters. These shapes …


Manned Exploration Of Satellites Of The Outer Planets: An Analysis Of Current Technologies And A Discussion Of Advancements Required, Joshua Carson Meador May 2026

Manned Exploration Of Satellites Of The Outer Planets: An Analysis Of Current Technologies And A Discussion Of Advancements Required, Joshua Carson Meador

Theses and Dissertations

The Solar System’s outer planets have many satellites, some of which are known to be the most likely places to find extraterrestrial life in our celestial backyard. Multiple scientific missions have been sent to glean information from these satellites, yet the possibility of a manned expedition has long been exclusive to science fiction stories. This paper intends to collect and analyze the current state of space travel technology to explore the feasibility of such a mission with modern technology and to discuss which future advancements should be the focal point for making such missions a reality. To begin, data on …


Range Extension Of Electric Propulsion General Aviation Aircraft Using Solar Technology, Mary Kathryn Shultz May 2026

Range Extension Of Electric Propulsion General Aviation Aircraft Using Solar Technology, Mary Kathryn Shultz

Theses and Dissertations

Alternative propulsion technologies in aviation have been a long-time topic of interest as operators aim to bypass growing fuel prices and meet environmental sustainability requirements set globally. Research regarding alternative propulsion technologies is primarily centered around marginally improving efficiency of combustion systems or large-scale implementation of novel technologies. This research evaluates the feasibility of implementing solar-integrated propulsion for general aviation aircraft to extend range through a comparison of full-electric, hybrid solar, and internal combustion engine propulsion systems. This evaluation of existing technology by range analysis indicates that hybrid solar‑electric propulsion is viable primarily for short‑range training and recreational aircraft, rather …


Flexible Fault-Tolerant Multi-Die Fpga-Based Architectures For Varying Space Environments, Yosof Ali Seif El Din Ali Maklad Feb 2026

Flexible Fault-Tolerant Multi-Die Fpga-Based Architectures For Varying Space Environments, Yosof Ali Seif El Din Ali Maklad

Theses and Dissertations

It is well-known fact that spacecraft’s electronic components operate in an extreme harsh and varying space environments, beside changing orbit or passing through Van Allan Belts during orbital course results of radiation levels change. This thesis focuses on SRAM-based FPGA systems on-board of such spacecrafts, that are commonly utilized in space applications’ critical applications due to their capabilities and flexibility to reconfigure, since these systems are vulnerable to frequent negative impacts of ionizing radiation, thus inducing soft and hard errors leading to disastrous failures that could jeopardize the entire spacecraft. The soft errors’ effects are frequent yet can be mitigated, …


Towards Visual Inertial Navigation With Fixed Tetrahedral Targets, Joao Leonardo Silva Cotta May 2025

Towards Visual Inertial Navigation With Fixed Tetrahedral Targets, Joao Leonardo Silva Cotta

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a robust method for 6DoF position estimation under impaired visual conditions utilizing a minimum 4-point Perspective-n-Point (P4P) solver designed for tetrahedral targets. Using SO(3) × R 3 instead of SE(3), the method uses a Lie group-based formulation to discriminate between rotation and translation, thereby enabling computationally efficient, resource-conscious op- optimization while preserving correct geometric behavior. Designed using the contemporary C++17 library ShomerTarget, the solver is analytically formulated and assessed under pragmatic robotic conditions. Particularly in low-light and high-dynamic environments, experiments on embedded systems, UAVs, and NASA’s Astrobee show that the proposed solver attains enhanced accuracy compared to …


Creating And Analyzing Space Vehicle Seit/Pm Factors, Jordan A. Bosco Mar 2025

Creating And Analyzing Space Vehicle Seit/Pm Factors, Jordan A. Bosco

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense relies on accurate cost estimation to inform budget decisions. Beyond being a critical component of the Defense Acquisition System, cost estimation is a legal requirement in the budgeting process. Cost analysts, therefore, have both a fiduciary and statutory responsibility to produce realistic estimates. Among the many elements of a space system cost estimate is Space Vehicle Systems Engineering, Integration & Test, and Program Management (SEIT/PM). While existing factors aid in estimating SEIT/PM, Space Systems Command is interested in research in alternatives to the current methods and crosschecks for those methods. This study develops a set of …


Caelus: Cubesat Array For The Exploration Of The Uranus System, Dylan George Heidenrich Barnes May 2024

Caelus: Cubesat Array For The Exploration Of The Uranus System, Dylan George Heidenrich Barnes

Theses and Dissertations

Following recommendations from the 2023-2032 Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey, we propose a novel Pre-Phase A level Uranus exploration mission concept that is centered on using swarms of small spacecraft to observe the Uranus system. This mission could act as a supplement to the Flagship Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission detailed in said Decadal Survey. We propose launching a 4,500 kg spacecraft on an Earth-Jupiter-Uranus gravity assist transfer trajectory with a transfer time of six years, launching in 2033 and arriving at Uranus in 2039. This shorter transfer time and accelerated development timeline would allow for an earlier arrival …


Statistical Reliability Estimation Of Space Launch Vehicles, Brooke N. Wagenblast Mar 2024

Statistical Reliability Estimation Of Space Launch Vehicles, Brooke N. Wagenblast

Theses and Dissertations

Space launch vehicle reliability is imperative to understand since launch vehicles are crucial in getting payloads into space for a hopefully successful mission. This thesis examines the reliability of commercial, civil, and military space launch vehicles through trend analysis and a variety of statistical methods. Data sets obtained from the Seradata database are analyzed for trends by looking at data subsets including launch date, launch country, final mission orbit, section (commercial, civil or military), launch vehicle family and failed subsystem. First-level Bayesian analysis and mean success rates are performed, primarily split up by launch vehicle family and total launches, and …


Discerning Satellite Subsystem Costs To Improve Cost Estimation, Ryan A. Candella Mar 2024

Discerning Satellite Subsystem Costs To Improve Cost Estimation, Ryan A. Candella

Theses and Dissertations

The race for supremacy in the space environment is accelerating, with the United States taking a significant step by establishing its dedicated military branch for space operations. Achieving dominance in this realm relies on efficiently managing costs and securing rapid funding to initiate new programs. One step towards accomplishing this goal is to comprehend the cost distribution across the primary components of a Space Vehicle Bus and to delve into lower-level Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) elements for more precise and expeditious cost estimations. To achieve this, descriptive statistics for a variety of Bus subsystem WBS elements are provided in this …


Standardization Of Risk Classifications For Unmanned Space Vehicle Missions, Collin A. Gwaltney Mar 2024

Standardization Of Risk Classifications For Unmanned Space Vehicle Missions, Collin A. Gwaltney

Theses and Dissertations

This paper seeks to model risk classification levels (A-D) for 122 Space Vehicle programs. Models include multinomial logistic regression as well as random forest, a machine learning technique based on decision trees. We use independent variables (IVs) which are theoretically correlated to risk class for the regression and one random forest model. We then include all IVs and allow the random forest technique to use those which provide the most information on risk class before paring down the number of IVs to only 7. We show that the accuracy of predictions increases from 62% to 87% by using random forest …


Comparative Analysis Of Satellite Battery Technologies: A Cross-Sectional And Temporal Study Within And Across Battery Types, Andrew H. Chung Mar 2024

Comparative Analysis Of Satellite Battery Technologies: A Cross-Sectional And Temporal Study Within And Across Battery Types, Andrew H. Chung

Theses and Dissertations

Trends in costs for batteries incorporated in satellite electrical power systems (EPS) have been identified by Space Systems Command (SSC) within the Unmanned Space Vehicle Cost Model (USCM) database. A subset of pre-1980s data consisting of Nickel-Cadmium battery costs was excluded from battery cost estimating relationship (CER) development as a result of this determination. This research aims to ascertain the impacts of these trends on satellite cost estimating practices by assessing developments in battery costs over time, comparing normalized Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) / NickelHydrogen (NiH2) / Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion) battery costs, identifying differences between the NiH2 and Li-Ion modern battery types, and …


Development Of Cost Factors For Satellite Rechargeable Batteries, Katelyn A. Clements Mar 2024

Development Of Cost Factors For Satellite Rechargeable Batteries, Katelyn A. Clements

Theses and Dissertations

Factors are often used by the cost estimating profession to predict costs of future projects or project components. Cost factors can be useful when little to no cost data is available from which to build an initial estimate or as an easy-to-use cross check of a primary estimate. Specific to satellites, previous studies have examined cost factors at higher Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) levels (e.g., Level 2 or Level 3), while this research analyzes cost factors developed using data specific to rechargeable batteries at USCM WBS Level 4 and its parent, the Electrical Power System (EPS) at Level 3. Within …


Preliminary Architecture Assessment Of Lunar Surface Sensors For Cislunar Ssa, Clint J. Spesard Mar 2024

Preliminary Architecture Assessment Of Lunar Surface Sensors For Cislunar Ssa, Clint J. Spesard

Theses and Dissertations

The exploration of the lunar and cislunar realm is becoming increasingly active as several entities, private and public, foreign and domestic, set their sights beyond traditional Earth-centered space operations. Along with this renewed activity is a growing need for comprehensive Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Space Traffic Management (STM) in the inherently chaotic cislunar system. This thesis seeks to embolden the study of cislunar SSA by considering the lunar-surface as a platform from which to conduct optical SSA. In this thesis, a lunar-based SSA system is heuristically optimized via a genetic algorithm through three separate implementations. All surface locations considered …


External Runtime Execution Monitoring Of A Cyber Physical System Via Trace Interfaces, Peter Vaughan Truslow Jan 2024

External Runtime Execution Monitoring Of A Cyber Physical System Via Trace Interfaces, Peter Vaughan Truslow

Theses and Dissertations

In the past two decades, Unmanned Aerial Systems have progressed from expensive military hardware or one-off custom builds, to include off-the-shelf drones that can be purchased for a rather affordable price and flown by nearly anyone. As the technology and performance have improved, the door is opened to applications that require operation in environments where the consequences for failure are high, such as operating in the navigable airspace or in urban environments, or with human passengers. This requires a great deal of trust in the reliability and integrity of the control systems of the aircraft. A method of monitoring the …


A System Theoretic Process Analysis Framework And Model Based Approach For Resilient Space Architecture Design, Eric T. Sommer Dec 2023

A System Theoretic Process Analysis Framework And Model Based Approach For Resilient Space Architecture Design, Eric T. Sommer

Theses and Dissertations

As the capabilities provided by space-based systems offer significant contributions toward defense applications, potential adversaries stand to gain significant value in disrupting them. Therefore, the United States must pursue the development and operation of resilient space architectures, capable of delivering capabilities in the face of disruptions. To support this development, systems engineering methods require innovation to effectively ensure design of complex space architectures to meet their objectives. This thesis recommends and demonstrates a System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) framework to qualitatively analyze space architectures. The analysis outputs identify design considerations, requirements, and constraints required for resilience. To enable a model-based systems …


Task Optimization Utilizing Digital Transformation Concepts - Automation Project Execution Via Agile Methodology, Anthony Steven Maiello Dec 2023

Task Optimization Utilizing Digital Transformation Concepts - Automation Project Execution Via Agile Methodology, Anthony Steven Maiello

Theses and Dissertations

Task Optimization via the use of automated process improvements is becoming more widespread as more industries lean into the concepts surrounding digital transformation. This shift also necessitates a complementary adaptation in project management methodologies to support the rapid and ever-changing environment, requirements, and innovations. This thesis examines the effectiveness of Agile methodology in managing digital automation projects, with a specific focus placed on process improvements with systems engineering. It accomplished this by contrasting the original model, designed and derived utilizing traditional project management techniques, with the proposed model which is a direct result of the application of Agile project practices. …


Developing Systems Engineering And Machine Learning Frameworks For The Improvement Of Aviation Maintenance, Fatine Elakramine May 2023

Developing Systems Engineering And Machine Learning Frameworks For The Improvement Of Aviation Maintenance, Fatine Elakramine

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation develops systems engineering and machine learning models for aviation maintenance support. With the constant increase in demand for air travel, aviation organizations compete to maintain airworthy aircraft to ensure the safety of passengers. Given the importance of aircraft safety, the aviation sector constantly needs technologies to enhance the maintenance experience, ensure system safety, and limit aircraft downtime. Based on the current literature, the aviation maintenance sector still relies on outdated technologies to maintain aircraft maintenance documentation, including paper-based technical orders. Aviation maintenance documentation contains a mixture of structured and unstructured technical text, mainly inputted by operators, making them …


Optimal Gyroid Infill For Space Launch, Jose R. Lopez Cordell Mar 2023

Optimal Gyroid Infill For Space Launch, Jose R. Lopez Cordell

Theses and Dissertations

This research characterizes the optimal gyroid infill design for the 1st frequency response of composite sandwich panels. Structural performance may be improved by designing the gyroid infill within the sandwich panel to have a 1st mode resonance frequency above typical launch vehicle vibrations. Ensuring a component generates a natural frequency response above a designed threshold is mandatory for space launch systems to prevent damage. The gyroid, a Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS), has the potential to provide close to isotropic stiffness in the principal axes with a minimal amount of material, making it an attractive choice for this application. This …


Satellite Tt&C For Cubesats With Applications For Grissom-1, Michael J. Bittle Mar 2022

Satellite Tt&C For Cubesats With Applications For Grissom-1, Michael J. Bittle

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis describes the assessment and analysis performed to characterize the communication subsystem used for command and telemetry transmission in support of the Grissom-1 Mission (GM1). The GM1 is unique in that it represents the pathfinder for a standardized 6U bus that serves as the basis for future CubeSat missions to host a variety of technical and scientific payloads, as prioritized by the Department of Defense, requiring flight demonstration or access to the orbital environment. Lab-based testing within an anechoic chamber provided link margin data required to characterize the command and telemetry links of the GM1. Experimental data describing the …


Applied Agile Digital Mission Engineering For Cislunar Space Domain Awareness, Benjamin R. Williams Mar 2022

Applied Agile Digital Mission Engineering For Cislunar Space Domain Awareness, Benjamin R. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

In the backdrop of an expansion into cislunar space and a digital transformation, the author synthesizes a methodology from agile system development, DE, ME, and MBSE processes, methods, and tools to develop a basic RA and DT for cislunar SDA mission and system design. The Agile DME methodology is used to conduct basic requirements analysis, develop a concept, understand cislunar physics, study scenario geometries, and perform analyses and the DT implements, executes, and accelerates research by integrating a descriptive tool with analytical and simulation tools. This research demonstrates the value of automated Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis (MSA) work flows and …


Optimal Incorporation Of Non-Traditional Sensors Into The Space Domain Awareness Architecture, Albert R. Vasso Sep 2021

Optimal Incorporation Of Non-Traditional Sensors Into The Space Domain Awareness Architecture, Albert R. Vasso

Theses and Dissertations

The United States Government is the world’s de facto provider of space object cataloging data, but is challenged to maintain pace in an increasingly complex space environment. This work advances a multi-disciplinary approach to better understand and evaluate an underexplored solution recommended by national policy, in which current collection capabilities are augmented with non-traditional sensors. System architecting and literature identify likely needs, performance measures, and contributors to a conceptualized Augmented Network. Multiple hypothetical telescope architectures are modeled and simulated on four separate days throughout the year, then evaluated against performance measures and constraints using optimization. Decision analysis and Pareto optimality …


Cubesat Development Framework, William D. Sousa Mar 2021

Cubesat Development Framework, William D. Sousa

Theses and Dissertations

AFITs Center for Space Research and Assurance (CSRA) has developed several small satellites without a detailed developmental framework in place but future work will focus on CubeSat development with the intent of managing multiple builds concurrently. With the goal of each satellite being completed in three years, a comprehensive process needs to be established. Research revealed that the Department of Defense (DoD), U.S. Air Force (USAF), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) guidance on the acquisition and systems engineering processes require more reviews and deliverables than appropriate for CSRAs projects. The development processes from other universities divulge some aspects …


A Reference Architecture For Rapid Cubesat Development, Sean R. Kelly Mar 2021

A Reference Architecture For Rapid Cubesat Development, Sean R. Kelly

Theses and Dissertations

The CubeSat class of nanosatellites has lowered the barrier of entry to space and has rapidly gained popularity in recent years. To successfully design a CubeSat system in a rapid cycle conducive to academic timelines, a Reference Architecture geared towards University CubeSat development would be helpful. A Reference Architecture would speed up the development process by providing a template, capturing previous work and lessons learned from subject matter experts, providing a framework to focus on the CubeSats design rather than the fine details of modeling software. A Reference Architecture can also add functionality that student teams could use and improve …


Comparison Of Decision Analysis Methods For A Cubesat Propulsion System, Jared L. Pilcher Mar 2021

Comparison Of Decision Analysis Methods For A Cubesat Propulsion System, Jared L. Pilcher

Theses and Dissertations

Low Earth Orbit (LEO) is becoming an increasingly congested orbital regime. As a result, propulsion systems on CubeSats are becoming a more desirable feature to provide them with collision avoidance capabilities. To date, there have been very few CubeSat launches with a propulsion system on them. Due to the relatively high cost of a propulsion system compared to the budget of small educational organizations, a decision analysis model is needed so that these organizations can make the best decision between whether to purchase a Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) product or to develop one within the organization. This research applies three decision analysis …


Modeling Situation Awareness In A Uav Scenario Using Sysml, Tommy R. Hernandez Mar 2021

Modeling Situation Awareness In A Uav Scenario Using Sysml, Tommy R. Hernandez

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is rapidly moving towards using increasingly automated systems. Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) will be used in contested environments where direct human control may be impossible for long stretches of time. This increase in automation brings with it challenges in maintaining resilient Situation Awareness (SA) for operators, who still need to set goals for the UAS to accomplish their missions. Simultaneously, the DoD is increasing the adoption of Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) in the development of weapon systems. This thesis explores the use of SysML to model of an SA repair system for a UAS …


Specifying Space Defense Operator Interfaces Through The Application Of Cognitive Systems Engineering And Prototyping, Justin E. Oryschak Nov 2020

Specifying Space Defense Operator Interfaces Through The Application Of Cognitive Systems Engineering And Prototyping, Justin E. Oryschak

Theses and Dissertations

The Department of Defense needs better tools to support its operators as they strive to defend its space assets. The growing sophistication of anti-satellite weapons increasingly challenges the nation’s orbital communications and surveillance infrastructure. Operators face difficulties gathering useful information and dealing with the complexity of potential enemy actions. This research applied cognitive systems engineering and ecological interface design (EID) methodologies to create a prototype space mission management tool that enhances operator situation awareness and decision-making ability. Applied cognitive task analysis interviews were used to document space operator decision-making in their domain. Model-based systems engineering was applied to integrate work …


Design And Test Of An Autonomy Monitoring Service To Detect Divergent Behaviors On Unmanned Aerial Systems, Loay Y. Almannaei Jun 2020

Design And Test Of An Autonomy Monitoring Service To Detect Divergent Behaviors On Unmanned Aerial Systems, Loay Y. Almannaei

Theses and Dissertations

Operation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) support many critical missions in the United State Air Force (USAF). Monitoring abnormal behavior is one of many responsibilities of the operator during a mission. Some behaviors are hard to be detect by an operator, especially when flying one or more autonomous vehicles; as such, detections require a high level of attention and focus to flight parameters. In this research, a monitoring system and its algorithm are designed and tested for a target fixed-wing UAV. The Autonomy Monitoring Service (AMS) compares the real vehicle or simulated Vehicle with a similar simulated vehicle using Software …


A Reference Architecture For Cubesat Development, Luke J. Farrell Mar 2020

A Reference Architecture For Cubesat Development, Luke J. Farrell

Theses and Dissertations

Developing a space vehicle is a complex and detailed process, and while CubeSats are smaller and more accessible than traditional satellites the design process is relatively unchanged. Creating a viable space vehicle design requires detailed analysis of a set of mission needs in order to define the mission, with this need set used to then create the specific mission requirements. These requirements are used to formulate a concept of operations, and then move into developing a physical system for executing the mission. The successful production of CubeSats within an organization is contingent upon the accurate execution of the general CubeSat …


The Impact Of Changing The Size Of Aircraft Radar Displays On Visual Search In The Cockpit, Justin R. Marsh Mar 2020

The Impact Of Changing The Size Of Aircraft Radar Displays On Visual Search In The Cockpit, Justin R. Marsh

Theses and Dissertations

Advances in sensor technology have enabled our fighter aircraft to find, fix, track, target, engage (F2T2E) at greater distances, providing the operator with more data within the battlefield. Modern aircraft are designed with larger displays while our legacy aircraft are being retrofitted with larger cockpit displays to enable display of the increased data. While this modification has been shown to enable improvements in human performance of many cockpit tasks, this effect is often not measured nor fully understood at a more generalizable level. This research outlines an approach to comparing human performance across two display sizes in future F-16 cockpits. …


Development, Test And Evaluation Of Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems In A Simulated Wide Area Search Scenario: An Implementation Of The Autonomous Systems Reference Architecture, Katherine E. Cheney, David D. King Mar 2020

Development, Test And Evaluation Of Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Systems In A Simulated Wide Area Search Scenario: An Implementation Of The Autonomous Systems Reference Architecture, Katherine E. Cheney, David D. King

Theses and Dissertations

The implementation and testing of autonomous and cooperative unmanned systems is challenging due to the inherent design complexity, infinite test spaces, and lack of autonomy specific measures. These challenges are limiting the USAF's ability to deploy and take advantage of tactical and strategic advantages offered by these systems. This research instantiates an Autonomous System Reference Architecture (ASRA) on a Wide Area Search (WAS) scenario as a test bed for rapid prototyping and evaluation of autonomous and cooperative systems. This research aims to pro- vide a framework to evaluate the system’s ability to achieve mission and autonomy objectives, develop reusable autonomous …