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The aim of this work is to apply an innovative adaptive ℒ1 techniques to control flutter phenomena affecting highly flexible wings and to evaluate the efficiency of this control algorithm and architecture by performing the following tasks: i) adaptation and analysis of an existing simplified nonlinear plunging/pitching 2D aeroelastic model accounting for structural nonlinearities and a quasi-steady aerodynamics capable of describing flutter and post-flutter limit cycle oscillations, ii) implement the ℒ1 adaptive control on the developed aeroelastic system to perform initial control testing and evaluate the sensitivity to system parameters, and iii) perform model validation and calibration by comparing the performance of the proposed control strategy with an adaptive back-stepping algorithm. The effectiveness and robustness of the ℒ1 adaptive control in flutter and post-flutter suppression is demonstrated.

Pneumatic, manually operated, drilling machines are used to produce a significant proportion of all holes drilled during wing manufacture. Drilling machine design and the manual drilling process has not changed significantly in decades. By employing miniature, low power, electronics and interfacing techniques, a monitoring system has been developed. This system enables improved process control of the manual drilling operation. Machine calibration management, measurement of drill performance, jig drilling error control and asset management are some of the benefits attainable. This project will hopefully encourage others to discover the potential for improving historically established processes, by employing modern technological developments.

The onboard “SODART” telescope silicon detector cooling system of the “Spectrum-X-Gamma” observatory, which is designed for the space objects X-ray radiation study, is described. The scale-down model of the passive cooling system description and thermal vacuum test results of this model are given. In the real cooling system the minimal detector temperature at 300 mW heat release is expected about 107 K.

This paper describes some of the design solutions adopted in solving two major problems besetting man-powered aircraft in use: that of breakage and storage. It describes work leading up to the building and testing of “Phoenix”, a man-powered aircraft with a polyester-film inflatable wing. The paper deals mainly with aspects relating to the wing design and construction.

THIS PAPER reviews VTOL problems, indicating probable ways toward optimization of whole lifting and propelling system. Also discussed are the power and thrust requirements for optimum cruise and vertical take-offs and landings for propeller-driven and jet-propelled aircraft. Three speed ranges offer the most promise for VTOL aircraft, if thrust requirements for cruise and take-off are to match. The ranges are centered around Mach numbers of 0.65, 0.8, and 2.0+. There is a possibility of overcoming the high thrust needed for hovering by use of bypass augmentation, special hovering jets, or favorable ground effects, the author reports.

STRUCTURAL MATERIALS for Mach 3 jet transports pose difficult problems for the design engineer. Reasons for this problem are the incomplete information available on the many possible metals and the diversity of critical properties that are added by supersonic requirements. The material properties discussed in this paper include tensile strength, resistance to crack propagation, ease of fabrication, weldability, and thermal expansion. Cost factors are also considered. The structural configuration of the wing and fuselage is an example of the complexity of the material selection problem. The wing may be rigidity-critical, and the fuselage strength-critical; each requires diferent material properties to solve the problem.*

eROSITA (extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array) is a powerful X-ray telescope under development by the Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik (MPE) in Garching, Germany. eROSITA is the core instrument on the Russian SRG1 mission which is planned for launch in 2011. It comprises seven nested Wolter-I grazing incidence telescopes, each equipped with its own CCD camera. The mirror modules have to be maintained at 20°C while the cameras are operated at -80°C. Both, mirrors and CCDs have to be kept within tight limits. The CCD cooling system consists of passive thermal control components only: two radiators, variable conductance heat pipes (VCHP) and two special thermal storage units. The orbit scenario imposes severe challenges on the thermal control system and also on the attitude control system.

The permanently increasing number of convenience and safety functions leads to higher complexity of in-car electronics and the rapidly growing amount of sensors, actuators and electronic control units places higher demands on high- speed data communication protocols. Safety-critical systems need deterministic protocols with fault-tolerant behavior. The need for on-board diagnosis calls for flexible use of bandwidth and an ever-increasing number of functions necessitates a flexible means of extending the system. None of the communication solutions available on the market until now (like CAN or TTP) have been able to fulfill all these demands. To solve these problems, BMW together with several semiconductor companies has developed a new protocol for safety-critical applications in automotive vehicles.

A “next generation” condensing heat exchanger for space systems has to satisfy demanding operational requirements under variable thermal and moisture loads and reduced gravity conditions. Mathematical models described here are used to investigate transient behavior of wetting and de-wetting dynamics in the binary porous system of porous tubes and porous cold plate. The model is based on the Richard's equation simplified for the zero-gravity conditions. The half-saturation distance or the zone of influence of the porous annular suction tubes on the cold-plate porous material will be in the range of 1 to 10 cm for the time scales ranging from 100 to 10,000 seconds and moisture diffusivity in the range of D = 10-4 to 10-6 m2/s.

Guidelines for designing you-are-here (YAH) maps aboard International Space Station (ISS) are proposed, based on results from previous 3D spatial navigation studies conducted by our research group and colleagues. This paper reviews terrestrial YAH maps, the common errors associated with them, and how to appropriately implement what is known from terrestrial to micro-gravity YAH maps. We conclude with a creative example of an ISS YAH map that utilizes given guidelines and information visualization techniques.

Combat aircraft maneuvering at high angles of attack or in landing approach are likely to encounter conditions where the flow over the swept wings is yawed. This paper examines the effect of yaw on the spectra of turbulence above and aft of the wing, in the region where fins and control surfaces are located. Prior work has shown the occurrence of narrowband velocity fluctuations in this region for most combat aircraft models, including those with twin fins. Fin vibration and damage has been traced to excitation by such narrowband fluctuations. The narrowband fluctuations themselves have been traced to the wing surface. The issue in this paper is the effect of yaw on these fluctuations, as well as on the aerodynamic loads on a wing, without including the perturbations due to the airframe.

The XMM-NEWTON satellite is the ESA X-ray spaceborne observatory covering the soft X-ray portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. XMM-NEWTON has been put in orbit on December, 10th 1999 by an Ariane 5 single launch. The spacecraft has a conventional thermal design that takes full advantage of the stable environment provided by its high altitude/long period orbit and by the limited variation of solar attitude angles in order to provide a stable platform for the telescope system. The precise geometry and alignment of the telescope system impose strict temperature requirements so that not only temperature gradients have to be kept small but also, and more importantly, time-variations of the gradients have to be minimised. In the paper, the thermal behaviour of the spacecraft as verified by its thermal test programme is compared with the early in-orbit temperature measurements.

The X-Wing concept employs a single lifting system for all modes of flight. The lifting system is comprised of four very rigid, circulation control wings with blowing for lift modulation and control. For hover and low speed flight, the wings rotate such as the rotor of a helicopter. For high speed flight, the wings are stopped in an “X” configuration across the fuselage - from which the name of the concept is derived - with two forward-swept wings and two aft-swept wings. Such a vehicle is also envisioned to have an integrated gas turbine propulsive system for all flight modes. At low speeds, the gas generators) would drive a shaft to turn the wings and the circulation control compressor as well as a set of propulsive fans. For high-speed flight, the shaft would drive only the compressor and accessories as the fans propel the vehicle. The X-Wing concept has been underdevelopment for over 15 years.

High quality rivet installation is of critical importance to the aerospace industry, and the existence of gaps between the rivet head and the countersink is undesirable. Detection of gaps traditionally involves sectioning through rivet joints. Two concerns exist for this method of evaluation: it provides data only from the sectioned plane, and it has potential to alter the gaps. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to validate the effectiveness of the tradition sectioning method. It was revealed that the sectioning process generally increased the size of gaps. CT images also revealed that the gaps are not necessarily uniform around the rivet.

This SAE Metric Aerospace Standard (MA) provides dimensional, performance, testing and other requirements for high strength, thin wall, double head box and combination wrenches which possess an internal wrenching design so configured that, when mated with hexagon (6 point) fasteners, they shall transmit torque to the fastener without bearing on the apex of the fastener's wrenching points. This standard provides additional requirements beyond ANSI B107.9 appropriate for aerospace use. Inclusion of dimensional data in this document is not intended to imply all of the products described therein are stock production sizes. Consumers are requested to consult with manufacturers concerning lists of stock production sizes.

The Convair/Navy XFY-1 VTOL fighter was ahead of its time. In the early 1950s it became the first airplane to take off vertically, hover, transition to high speed level flight, transition back to hover, and land vertically. Pilot “Skeets” Coleman made a number of successful flights at Moffett Field South of San Francisco, at Brown Field near the California/Mexican border, and at San Diego's Lindbergh Field. This “first of a kind” aircraft soon adopted the name “POGO”. The POGO with its stall proof delta wing had near perfect aerodynamic characteristics in hover, transition and level flight. There were no “black boxes” needed for stability augmentation. The POGO was one of the very first aircraft to use hydraulic power flight controls - a system used today on all modern fighter and transport aircraft.

The first flight of a delta wing aircraft took place in the United States at the Muroc AFB Flight Test Center on 18 September 1948. The aircraft, Convair No. 7002, Air Force S/N 46-682 and designated the XF-92A was piloted by Convair's Manager of Flight Research, E.D. “Sam” Shannon. The author witnessed this historic flight as a Flight Test Engineer on the project. Studies and wind tunnel tests for a supersonic interceptor were conducted at the Vultee Division of Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation (Convair) in 1945. These studies led to the selection of the 60° delta wing plan form. This paper reviews the major differences between the thin wing XF-92A and the thick wing DM-1 glider (never flown) designed by Alexander M. Lippisch in Germany at the close of World War II. The XF-92A used a fully hydraulic irreversible control system for its elevons and rudder. The only airplanes up to this time with fully hydraulic controls were the Northrop XB-35 and the YB-49 flying wings.