-
3D printing of shape memory Alloys for complex architectures of smart structures Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-27 T. Biasutti, P. Bettini, A. Nespoli, A.M. Grande, T. Scalia, M. Albano, B.M. Colosimo, G. Sala
Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) are materials used to design smart structures with intrinsic functional properties and improved efficiency. This is a key aspect of aerospace industry and makes SMA good candidates in this field. One of the most widespread SMA is the equiatomic NiTi alloy which, however, has the strong limitation of poor machinability, so only simple shapes can be obtained. Additive Manufacturing
-
Laboratory studies on the mechanical properties of sulphur-based construction material at simulated Martian temperatures Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-25 Muhammad Nazrif Zamani, Norhazilan Md Noor, Sarehati Umar, Mohamad Shazwan Ahmad Shah, Nordin Yahaya, Jang Ho-Jay Kim, Ng Chiew Teng
Mars is the next destination for further exploration and the hypothetical establishment of humanity's frontier. However, the planet offers very harsh environmental conditions particularly the very cold temperature in the Martian environment. Knowing that the sulphur-based construction material is perceived as one of the ideal Martian construction materials based on the identified abundant source of
-
Effects of inner cone length on continuous rotating detonation in a variable cross-section combustor Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-23 Shi-jie Liu, Bao-ping Yuan, Guang-yu Wang, Hao-yang Peng, Yi-ming Dai, Lin-hui Tang, Bing Wang
A variable cross-section combustion chamber with different inner cone length is designed, composing of an annular part with divergent width and a cylinder part without inner cone. Ethylene-air and hydrogen-air continuous rotating detonation (CRD) experimental tests are conducted. The results show that the ethylene-air CRD wave can be achieved in the variable cross-section combustor with the short inner
-
A method for assessing satellite operators’ compliance with geosynchronous orbital assignments Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-23 Thomas G. Roberts, Richard Linares
In order to avoid harmful interference in the radio-frequency spectrum, geosynchronous (GEO) satellite operators coordinate their plans with one another by publicly describing their preferred orbital positions and frequency bands in an assignment process managed by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), a specialized agency of the United Nations. But once assignments are determined, how well
-
Experimental study of Cryogenic jet injection using centrifugal nozzles at supercritical pressure Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-23 Zixuan Fang, Wentong Qiao, Caoxing Mo, Jingxuan Li, Lijun Yang, Qingfei Fu
The new generation of large-thrust rockets commonly employ cryogenic liquids such as liquid hydrogen (LH2), liquid oxygen (LOX), and methane as propellants. Conventional analytical methods established under subcritical (specifically, low-pressure) conditions are inadequate for addressing the atomization issues under -critical and supercritical conditions. Therefore, conducting experimental research
-
Magnetospheric Venus Space Explorers (MVSE) mission: A proposal for understanding the dynamics of induced magnetospheres Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-19 Roland Albers, Henrik Andrews, Gabriele Boccacci, Vasco D.C. Pires, Sunny Laddha, Ville Lundén, Nadim Maraqten, João Matias, Eva Krämer, Leonard Schulz, Ines Terraza Palanca, Daniel Teubenbacher, Claire Baskevitch, Francesca Covella, Luca Cressa, Juan Garrido Moreno, Jana Gillmayr, Joshua Hollowood, Kilian Huber, Viktoria Kutnohorsky, Sofia Lennerstrand, Adel Malatinszky, Davide Manzini, Manuel Maurer
Induced magnetospheres form around planetary bodies with atmospheres through the interaction of the solar wind with their ionosphere. Induced magnetospheres are highly dependent on the solar wind conditions and have only been studied with single spacecraft missions in the past. Without simultaneous measurements of solar wind variations and phenomena in the magnetosphere, establishing a link between
-
Additive manufacturing of ceramic single and multi-material components–A groundbreaking innovation for space applications too? Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-19 Uwe Scheithauer, Eric Schwarzer-Fischer, Jan Sieder-Katzmann, Martin Propst, Johannes Abel, Lisa Gottlieb, Steven Weingarten, Lars Rebenklau, Henry Barth, Christian Bach
The main advantages of ceramic materials are their excellent thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties. They also have a much lower density than metals, making them ideal for lightweight construction, which can also be interesting for space components. However, ceramics have not been widely used due to their low ductility and the challenges of mechanical processing using conventional methods like
-
Flows past airfoils for the low-Reynolds number conditions of flying in Martian atmosphere Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-16 Andrea Aprovitola, Luigi Iuspa, Giuseppe Pezzella, Antonio Viviani
Fixed-wing aircraft with potential for long-duration flight and efficient manoeuvrability is expected to be the next frontier of Mars surface exploration. However, the feasibility of such an aircraft demands for wing airfoil suitable for low Reynolds flight conditions. In this framework, the paper deals with the computational study of two wing sections specifically designed for Mars exploration aircraft
-
Music-making in microgravity: across the first 63 years (1961-2024) of spaceflight. Academy transaction note Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-16 Luis Luque Álvarez, Iya Whiteley, David Andrew Green
Musical expression is a characteristic of humanity on Earth. This paper highlights the historical relationship between music and spaceflight, including its use in the representation of space, and its role in space culture. The paper documents circa 57 musical instruments: from a miniaturized harmonica to a 1.5 m Digeridoo that are known to have been taken into space – usually as part of a crew members
-
Morphology of polyhedral space habitat modules – Identifying the ideal form using multi-criteria analysis Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-16 Elliott Orion Ruzicka
Over the past fifty years, the form and function of space habitat modules have remained largely unchanged. While cylindrical modules are relatively simple to transport and deploy, their limited size poses a challenge to their efficiency and usability. In contrast, large space habitat construction projects are costly and present logistical difficulties. The development of polyhedral modules could bridge
-
Where is the plant-space research going? An overview on the last two decades through bibliometric network multi-analysis Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-15 Christian Lorenz, Bruno Hay Mele, Carmen Arena
In recent decades, the interest of the scientific community in plant space biology increased based on the certainty that cultivating higher plants in space is imperative for prolonged human missions. The cultivation of plants in space assumes great relevance moved by the consideration that there is a pivotal need to improve resource regeneration and onboard production of plant-based food, thus reducing
-
Poly(vinyl alcohol) gels cross-linked by boric acid for radiation protection of astronauts Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-14 Lucia Lambertini, Giuseppe Coccarelli, Elisa Toto, Maria Gabriella Santonicola, Susanna Laurenzi
-
Magnetron sputtering thruster operated with a compact gas feeding system using double pulsed valves Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-14 Sota Shimizu, Kazunori Takahashi
A continuous injection of gaseous water propellant into a magnetron-type sputtering propulsion device is performed in a pseudo manner by using a combination of two high-speed solenoid-type pulsed valves and a low-pressure gas reservoir . The gas injection system provides a temporally averaged gas flow rate of about 5–10 sccm with adjustment of the repetition frequencies of the pulsed valves, while
-
Effects of long-term storage on properties of perovskite solar cells Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-14 Yoshiyuki Murakami, Shusaku Kanaya, Teppei Okumura
-
Future in-orbit servicing operations in the space traffic management context Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-13 Roberto Opromolla, Dmitriy Grishko, John Auburn, Riccardo Bevilacqua, Luisa Buinhas, Joseph Cassady, Markus Jäger, Marko Jankovic, Javier Rodriguez, Maria Antonietta Perino, Benjamin Bastida-Virgili
-
Robust attitude coordinated control for gravitational-wave detection spacecraft formation with large-scale communication delays Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-11 Yinsheng Song, Xiaofang Chen, Zeyang Yin, Yuxin Liao, Caisheng Wei
-
Radial ablation uniformity of cathode and design of double anode micro-cathode arc thruster Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-10 Bin Sun, Yue Chang, Xuhui Liu, Daoman Han, Peng Hu, Liang Ai, Ming Yi, Chang Lu, Guangqing Xia
Micro-cathode arc thruster offers promising applications in micro–nanosatellite space missions owing to its simple structure, high specific impulse, and low power consumption. However, the non-uniform ablation of the cathode poses a significant limitation on the total impulse of micro-cathode arc thruster. This non-uniformity can be categorized into circumferential and radial types, with previous research
-
Environmental life cycle assessment of reusable launch vehicle fleets: Large climate impact driven by rocket exhaust emissions Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-10 Guillermo J. Dominguez Calabuig, Andrew Wilson, Sifeng Bi, Massimiliano Vasile, Martin Sippel, Martin Tajmar
After the success of the reusable Falcon 9 rocket, space actors are pursuing competitive space access by developing Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs). While this initiative may enhance recycling rates, it may also trigger the Jevons’ paradox as it amplifies the overall environmental footprint due to increased launch frequencies. It is therefore essential to quantify RLVs’ impacts and identify key design
-
High-fidelity flexible multibody model considering torsional deformation for nonequatorial space elevator Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-10 Ryo Kuzuno, Shuonan Dong, Yuya Takahashi, Taiki Okada, Cheng Xue, Keisuke Otsuka, Kanjuro Makihara
Space elevators are a promising technology for future space transportation. The primary component of a space elevator is a tether deployed from a geostationary orbit towards the Earth and into deep space. Payloads can be transported using a climber moving along the tether. However, obtaining a deeper comprehension of the precise dynamics of a space elevator is challenging. The tether could have various
-
Design and analysis of a large tolerance docking mechanism Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Xiaotian Zhang, Qinyuan Liu, Xiaoyu Ma, Wenfei Gong, Wenlong Wang
On-Orbit Servicing is increasingly crucial with the growing number of spacecraft. The foundation for On-orbit servicing is space docking mechanisms. As On-Orbit Servicing tasks become more complex, the demands for docking capture mechanisms increase in both function and performance. Therefore, it is crucial to design a docking mechanism with a large tolerance. Among various docking capture mechanisms
-
An approach for end-to-end optimization of low-thrust interplanetary trajectories using collinear libration points Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Sung Wook Yoon, Viacheslav Petukhov, Alexey Ivanyukhin
This article presents an approach to solve the problem of end-to-end optimization of the low-thrust interplanetary trajectory. At first, the problem of optimizing low-thrust interplanetary trajectory, which passes through the collinear libration points near the planets of departure and arrival is considered. The obtained solutions from this problem can be used as an initial guess to solve the end-to-end
-
TWO-STAGE ‘slingshot amplifier’ can detect subtle gravitational deviations Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-09 Alexander P. Yefremov, Alexandra A. Vorobyeva
-
Cocopeat supplementation negates lunar soil simulant-induced baneful phenotypic and biochemical changes in crop seedlings Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-08 Ravikumar Hosamani, Basavalingayya K. Swamy, Malarvizhi Sathasivam, Ajwal Dsouza, Mahamed Ashiq I
Lunar exploration has captivated significant attention in recent times through programs such as Artemis. To establish long-term sustenance on the moon, astronauts have to grow their food on-site. While a key substrate for plant production – lunar regolith can induce baneful effects, supplementation with organic amendments could alleviate this inherent toxicity and significantly improve plant growth
-
Experimental study on the spray characteristics of an internal-mixing gas-liquid injector Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-07 Wentong Qiao, Shaoyan Wang, Xiaocong Yang, Hegu Wan, Zhi Deng, Lijun Yang, Qingfei Fu
To determine the spray characteristics of internal-mixing gas-liquid injector under various operating conditions, the experimental facilities for spraying are established. By means of high-speed camera, laser particle size analyzer and PIVlab, the effects of gas and liquid flow conditions on the spray characteristics, such as position of jet impingement, spray angle, breakup length, velocity distribution
-
Bremsstrahlung power conversion for fusion power and propulsion in space Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-07 Thomas Bone, Raymond Sedwick
-
Optical and acoustic ground effects simulations from terminal defense asteroid disruption via the PI method Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-06 Brin Bailey, Alexander N. Cohen, Philip Lubin, Darrel Robertson, Mark Boslough, Sasha Egan, Elizabeth A. Silber, Dharv Patel
Our simulations suggest that Pulverize It (PI), a NASA Phase II NIAC study, is an effective multi-modal approach for planetary defense that can operate in extremely short interdiction modes (with intercepts as short as hours prior to atmospheric entry) as well as long-interdiction time scales with months to years of warning. The basic process is complete disruption of the threat via fragmentation.
-
Investigating combined effects of varying gravity and heat flux direction on the melting dynamics of phase change material in space Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-06 Keyur Kansara, Shobhana Singh, Navin Kumar Dwivedi, Maxim L. Khodachenko
The present work investigates the combined effect of varying gravity and heat flux direction with respect to gravity on the melting dynamics of Phase Change Material. Similar conditions are relevant to applications in space, at different space infrastructures, such as orbiting satellites, as well as various extraterrestrial surface assets, landers, and rovers. The numerical simulations are performed
-
Numerical and experimental investigations of micro Al particle additive on the performances of HTPB hybrid rocket motors Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-06 Hui Tian, Xiaoting Niu, Xiangyu Meng, Xianzhu Jiang, Xiaoming Gu, Guobiao Cai
The hybrid rocket motor (HRM) emerges as a promising propulsion system offering thrust adjustment at a low cost. Prior research has indicated that the inclusion of micro Al additives enhances HRM performance, yet a comprehensive investigation remains absent. Thus, this study aims to explore the impact of Al particle additive content and size variation on the characteristics of hybrid rocket motors
-
Benefits of a rotating – Partial gravity – Spacecraft Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-06 Jack J.W.A. van Loon, Cesare Lobascio, Giorgio Boscheri, Clement Goujon, Stefano Voglino, Eleonora Zeminiani, Ricard González-Cinca, Reinhold Ewald
A long-duration microgravity environment has numerous detrimental effects on the human physiology. The most obvious solution for this problem related to long duration space exploration missions is to remedy the lack of gravity. This could be done using short arm human centrifuges but they do not seem to be sufficiently effective, perhaps because of the short duration exposure of this countermeasure
-
Optimal combined impulsive/low-thrust trajectories for asteroid deflection via kinetic impact Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-04 Bruce A. Conway, Alessia Speziale, Ludovica Malagni
This work considers the trajectory optimization of a kinetic impactor spacecraft, which is sent to collide with a threatening near-Earth asteroid. It is assumed that Earth departure is done impulsively, by the upper stage of a launch vehicle, and is then followed by low-thrust electric propulsion until impact. For a given spacecraft, all of the important decision parameters, such as the date of departure
-
Effects of UV-C exposure on composite materials made of recycled carbon fibers Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-04 Daniele Tortorici, Elisa Toto, Maria Gabriella Santonicola, Susanna Laurenzi
Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers are widely used in space applications since they combine outstanding mechanical properties with low material density. However, the development of composite components involves raw materials that are becoming increasingly scarce and contributes significantly to carbon emissions during the manufacturing process. Indeed, the fabrication of fibers is energy-intensive and
-
On the critical parameters for feasibility and advantage of air-breathing electric propulsion systems Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-04 Vittorio Giannetti, Eugenio Ferrato, Tommaso Andreussi
In recent years, air-breathing electric propulsion emerged as a potential enabling technology for long-duration space missions in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO). In this work, we show how the complex relation between mission environment, spacecraft configuration, and propulsive performance can be associated to a single requirement for full air-breathing drag compensation, which becomes less stringent
-
Enhancement of the electrostatic–magnetic hybrid thrust performance using a stagnant ring Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-03 Ryota Nakano, Daisuke Ichihara, Akihiro Sasoh
-
Study on the compatibility between iodine and common aerospace materials Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-03 Carla Guidi, Giulia Becatti, Luca Bernazzani, Alessio Ceccarini, Fabrizio Paganucci, Manuel Martín Saravia
-
Effects of selected cathode materials on a magnetically enhanced vacuum arc thruster Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-30 T. Rencken, P. Ferrer
We discuss the effects of the ion distribution of a magnetically-enhanced Vacuum Arc Thruster using different cathode materials (Fe, Al, Cu) and magnetic field strengths. We develop a formalism, which is based on physical and geometric ideas, that describes the data for the inclusion of a magnetic field better than previous models (R > 0.89 for worst case). Our tests were performed on a Vacuum Arc
-
A simplified analytical approach for determining eclipses of satellites occulted by a celestial body Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-29 Vladislav Zubko, Andrey Belyaev
-
Quantitative sampling and thermal extraction of the lunar regolith for lunar volatile exploration: Method and validation Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-29 Guanxin Chi, Zhiheng Zhang, Junyue Tang, Shengyuan Jiang, Zixiao Lu, Weiwei Zhang, Ye Tian, Zongquan Deng
Water and other volatiles are present in the permanently shadowed region of the moon. Quantitative analysis of the content is of great significance for lunar resource assessment and geological evolution. However, no detector has yet carried out in situ analysis on the moon, and quantitative sampling and low-power thermal extraction of lunar regolith are also difficult. Thus, a systematic method is
-
Experimental investigation on detonation characteristics of boron-rich gelled propellant in static premixed combustible gases Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-27 Kun Liang, Liya Huang, Jiarui Zhang, Jianjun Wu, Mingquan Gong, He Yang
A detonation in multiphase air-kerosene-boron mixtures is studied experimentally and the initiation and propagation characteristics of multiphase pulse detonation are emphasized. The boron-rich kerosene gelled propellants are taken as the fuel to analyze its detonation characteristics in static premixed combustible gases. The factors affecting detonation initiation including component, atomization
-
HERCCULES: A university balloon-borne experiment for BEXUS 32 to characterize the thermal environment in the stratosphere using COTS Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-26 David González-Bárcena, Blanca Boado-Cuartero, Ángel-Grover Pérez-Muñoz, Alejandro Fernández-Soler, Juan Manuel Redondo, Angel Porras-Hermoso, Pedro Barba-Navarrete, Carlos Arroyo-Ruiz, José Miguel Álvarez, Juan Bermejo-Ballesteros, Daniel Alfonso-Corcuera, Marina Merchán-Bravo, Carlos Gómez-Navajas, Siro Muela-Márquez, Noelia Martínez-Figueira, Alba Benito, Adrián Peña-Capalvo, Pablo Dorado-Melara
The thermal analysis of stratospheric balloon payloads is still a complex task due to the variable thermal environment during the flight phases as well as due to the convective effects during the ascent. An experiment named HERCCULES has been successfully launched from Esrange Space Centre (Kiruna, Sweden) in September 2023 as part of the REXUS/BEXUS programme. This experiment aimed of serving as a
-
Study on a hybrid-produced magnetic-field Hall thruster Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-25 Daren Yu, Chao Zhong, Xingyu Liu, Hong Li
The increasing interest in all-electric, low-Earth orbit satellite constellations has stimulated the rapid development of electric propulsion technology, particularly low-power Hall thrusters. In this study, the difficulties in magnetic field design were analyzed in low-power Hall thrusters, and a new and efficient hybrid production technique is proposed. Hybrid production combines the advantages of
-
Computational studies on hyper velocity impact of spherical projectiles on whipple shield with hybrid Newtonian fluid-filled core Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-24 Anand Pai, Nishant Mujumdar, Aditya Piccholiya, Marcos Rodriguez-Millan, Masahiro Nishida, Satish Shenoy B.
Satellites orbiting in low Earth orbits face potential threats from space debris. To mitigate this risk, a Whipple shield is employed to shield satellites from potential hyper-velocity impacts caused by debris of varying sizes and speeds. Typically, these protective systems use spaced aluminum plates affixed to the satellite’s exterior. Ongoing advancements in this field include exploring alternative
-
Time-optimal coordinated detumbling and pose adjusting control of a non-cooperative target with model uncertainties Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-24 Yinkang Li, Bin Song, Qiufan Yuan, Shuang Li
In this paper, a novel post-capture takeover control strategy of non-cooperative target with model uncertainties by the dual-arm space manipulator is proposed. Two mission objectives of target detumbling and pose adjusting are comprehensively considered. First, the motion trajectory of the target is parameterized with normalized time by a Bezier shape-based function. On this basis, by considering the
-
Multiple-arc optimization of low-thrust Earth–Moon orbit transfers leveraging implicit costate transformation Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-23 Alessandro Beolchi, Mauro Pontani, Chiara Pozzi, Elena Fantino
-
Reflective and transmissive solar sails: Dynamics, flight regimes and applications Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Samuel M. Thompson, Nishanth Pushparaj, Chantal Cappelletti
-
Liquid mass gauging during propellant transfer in microgravity Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Kevin Crosby, Eric A. Hurlbert, Rudolph J. Werlink
-
Optimal attitude planning along torque equilibrium points using aerodynamic database for deorbiting large space debris Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-20 Takahiro Sasaki, Ryo Nakamura, Hiroyuki Okamoto
Currently, considerable attention is being directed toward active debris removal (ADR) using small, cost-effective satellites. From high altitude to re-entry, ADR missions use thrusters that consume significant amounts of fuel. The volume of the propulsion system in these satellites can be quite large, and it is difficult for a small satellite to accommodate a large-scale propulsion system. Thus, active
-
Historical space painting art: Its important role on the creation of space-age era in 1950s Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-19 Yi-Wei (Eva) Chang, Tung-Yueh Pai
The major purpose of this paper is to study the important role of historical painting art on the creation of space-age era eight decades ago in 1950s. According to the , the first known use of “space age” was in 1946. In the , the space age is the present period in the history of the world when travel in space has become possible, and people use “space-age” to describe something that is very modern
-
The pointing uncertainty Region's analysis of inter-satellite laser alignment systems under multiple uncertainties Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-18 Anyuan Mao, Yao Zhang, Zeyu Bao, Xingang Li, Shaozhao Lu, Quan An
Laser inter-satellite links (LISLs) are crucial for enabling rapid information exchange within low earth orbit (LEO) constellations. Previous research on laser link establishment often relied on the idealized probability density function (PDF) of the pointing uncertainty regions (PURs) when designing scan-and-capture methods, neglecting the impact of various practical uncertainties. To address the
-
Modeling and analysis for volatile characteristics of lunar water ice Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Fulong Zhu, Weiwei Zhang, Lingxin Wang, Shengyuan Jiang, Junyue Tang, Zhenlong Wang
Lunar water ice resources are important space assets for human survival and sustainable living on the Moon. Detection data indicates that the permanently shadowed regions at the lunar poles contain water ice resources. The efficiency of in-situ extraction of lunar water ice resources depends on its volatile characteristics. In the context of extraction and utilization of water ice resources in the
-
Intelligent and robust control of space manipulator for sustainable removal of space debris Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-17 Shabadini Sampath, Jinglang Feng
This study focuses on enhancing the control precision and efficiency of a two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) space manipulator used for active space debris removal. The unpredictable space environment introduces large uncertainties, which introduces unique challenges beyond the capabilities of a standalone computed torque controller and degrades control performance. To address this problem, a robust controller
-
Reinforcement learning-based finite time control for the asymmetric underactuated tethered spacecraft with disturbances Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Yingbo Lu, Xingyu Wang, Ya Liu, Panfeng Huang
-
Test characterization of infrared phototransistors-based sensors for close-proximity operations Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Mattia Peruffo, Alex Caon, Francesco Branz, Alessandro Francesconi
On-orbit servicing and on-orbit assembly represent very appealing mission concepts that could facilitate the exploitation of the space environment. Autonomy is a critical requirement for systems aimed at the execution of these operations. The development of enabling technologies for this type of missions is a focal research topic for the global space community. The AUTOMA project (University of Padua
-
Mission analysis and guidance and control for the SpEye inspection CubeSat Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Giacomo Borelli, Gabriella Gaias, Yu Nakajima, Camilla Colombo, Vincenzo Capuano, Fabio Saggiomo, Giuseppe Leccese, Silvia Natalucci
The space community is moving forward with the development of in-orbit servicing and removal technologies to enable the circular economy in space and improve future space missions’ scientific and commercial return and space environment exploitation. The application of nanosatellites to carry out proximity operations presents an additional opportunity to support various novel and cost-effective distributed
-
Antarctica and beyond – unconsidered expectations of leaders in small isolated environments Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-16 Michael Stieber
The aim of this discussion is to raise awareness on the danger of leaders being overtaxed when expectations are excessive; not compatible and do not correspond to leader's nature, or even when there is an excessive expectation of performance. The laboratory situation of a overwintering in Antarctica is suitable for approaching such a topic. An extensive analysis of relevant publications of the last
-
Developing algorithms to determine an Asteroid’s physical properties and the success of deflection missions Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-15 Arushi Nath
-
Architectural approach for evaluation of radiation shielding integration in space habitats Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-15 Olga Bannova, Eszter Gulacsi
NASA HRP considers developing radiation protection for human space flight and surface habitation as one of the critical technologies for successful deep space exploration. Although the danger of radiation exposure is recognized as a potential show-stopper for deep space exploration, and radiation effects on humans are now understood better than before, shielding strategies for different stages of space
-
Review of machine learning in robotic grasping control in space application Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-15 Hadi Jahanshahi, Zheng H. Zhu
This article presents a comprehensive survey of the integration of machine learning techniques into robotic grasping, with a special emphasis on the challenges and advancements for space applications. The incorporation of artificial intelligence, particularly through deep learning, reinforcement learning, transfer learning, convolutional neural networks and recurrent neural networks, has significantly
-
Sequence planning for on-orbit robotic assembly based on symbiotic organisms search with diversification strategy Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Zeyu Sheng, Weidong Chen, Zishuo Chen, Hao Wen
The demands for efficiency and stability in space missions have necessitated the development of sequence planning schemes for on-orbit robotic assembly of space structures. A sequence planning method is proposed in this work based on robotic kinematic analysis and Symbiotic Organisms Search (SOS) algorithm with a diversification strategy. With feasibility as the constraint and assembly cost as the
-
Convolutional neural networks for image analysis of high-speed videos from two slab burners Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-13 Oliver Assenmacher, Riccardo Gelain, Alexander Rüttgers, Anna Petrarolo, Patrick Hendrick
-
CerAMfacturing of a ceramic aerospike engine Acta Astronaut. (IF 3.5) Pub Date : 2024-04-10 Uwe Scheithauer, Eric Schwarzer-Fischer, Jan Sieder-Katzmann, Martin Propst, Christian Bach
High-performance ceramics are recognized as key enabling materials because of their very high thermal, chemical and mechanical resistance in combination with a lower density compared to most metals. These properties apparently predestine ceramics for many different applications, e.g. propulsion engines.