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coverƒ-1210.qxd:AA Template 11/17/10 9:53 AM Page 1 1AEROSPACE AMERICA 11 December 2010 DECEMBER 2010

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K 2010THE YEAR IN REVIEW A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS toc-December.qxd:AA Template 11/19/10 11:42 AM Page 1

December 2010

EDITORIAL 3 OUT OF THE PAST 76 2010 SUBJECT AND AUTHOR INDEX 78 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 84

THE YEAR IN REVIEW Adaptive structures 5 Intelligent systems 41 Aeroacoustics 19 Life sciences 58 Aerodynamic decelerators 30 Lighter-than-air systems 26 Aerodynamic measurement Liquid propulsion 55 technology 17 Management 38 Aerospace power systems 54 Materials 8 Aerospace traffic management 73 Meshing, visualization and Air-breathing propulsion systems computational environments 6 integration 56 Missile systems 61 Aircraft design 32 Modeling and simulation 24 Aircraft operations 33 Multidisciplinary design Applied aerodynamics 21 optimization 12 Astrodynamics 18 Nondeterministic approaches 10 Atmospheric and space Nuclear and future flight environments 23 propulsion 52 Atmospheric flight mechanics 22 Plasmadynamics and lasers 14 Balloon systems 28 Propellants and combustion 50 Communication systems 43 Sensor systems 45 Computer-aided enterprise Society and aerospace technology 36 solutions 35 Software systems 40 Computer systems 42 Solid rockets 47 Design engineering 4 Space colonization 64 Digital avionics 44 Space exploration 71 Directed energy systems 74 Space logistics 63 Economics 37 Space operations and support 67 Electric propulsion 49 Space resources 62 Energetic components 53 Space stations 69 Flight testing 27 Space systems 60 Fluid dynamics 15 Space tethers 59 Gas turbine engines 46 Space transportation 65 General aviation 29 Structural dynamics 11 Green engineering 68 Structures 9 Ground testing 20 Survivability 7 Guidance, navigation, and control 16 Systems engineering 34 High-speed air-breathing Terrestrial energy 48 propulsion 57 V/STOL 31 Hybrid rockets 51 Value-driven design 70 Hypersonic technologies Weapon system effectiveness 66 and aerospace plane 72 BULLETIN AIAA Meeting Schedule B2 AIAA Courses and Training Program B4 AIAA News B5 Meeting Program B15 Calls for Papers B19

Cover: The space shuttle is approaching the end of a storied career as 2010 draws to a close.NASA photo.

Aerospace America (ISSN 0740-722X) is published monthly, except August, by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. at 1801 Alexander Bell Drive, Reston, Va. 20191-4344 [703/264-7500]. Subscription rate is 50% of dues for AIAA members (and is not deductible therefrom). Nonmember subscription price: U.S. and Canada, $163, foreign, $200. Single copies $20 each. Postmaster: Send address changes and subscription orders to address above, attention AIAA Customer Service, 703.264.7500. Periodical postage paid at Herndon, Va. and at additional mailing offices. Copyright © 2010 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., all rights reserved. The name Aerospace America is registered by the AIAA in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. 40,000 copies of this issue printed. This is Volume 48, No. 11. AIAA NEW HORIZONS CHALLENGE We see aerospace soaring into new realms of discovery. The next bold step is waiting over the horizon.

To help spur the breakthrough that changes everything, AIAA has organized the New Horizons Challenge, a contest to design Winners will be announced at the 2011 a demonstration competition Aerospace Sciences Meeting and of a groundbreaking New Horizon Forum. innovation. Entry deadline is 13 December.

For entry information and complete contest rules, please visit www.aiaa.org/newhorizonschallenge

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is a publication of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Elaine J. Camhi Editor-in-Chief Patricia Jefferson Associate Editor Greg Wilson Production Editor Flying into history Jerry Grey, Editor-at-Large Christine Williams, Editor AIAA Bulletin The end of the first decade of the 21st century also marks the dénouement Correspondents of one of the most significant eras in the history of human spaceflight. This Robert F. Dorr, Washington Philip Butterworth-Hayes, Europe month’s scheduled launch of the space shuttle Discovery will be its last, and Michael Westlake, Hong Kong only one or possibly two launches remain for the entire program. Just a few years after the world held its collective breath as Neil Armstrong Contributing Writers set foot on the Moon, Apollo launches became old hat, and the national interest Richard Aboulafia, James W. Canan, Marco Cáceres, Craig Covault, Leonard waned. As that program ended, the search for a reusable system to replace David, Philip Finnegan, Tom Jones, David Apollo led to various designs and configurations. When trade studies first began Rockwell, Frank Sietzen, J.R. Wilson in 1969 between NASA and industry, chief among the requirements were a fully reusable crew vehicle and launcher and a 14-day maximum turnaround Fitzgerald Art & Design Art Direction and Design time. A ceiling of $5.1 billion was set for development of the entire system. As with all government programs, reality, practicality, and compromise Craig Byl, Manufacturing and Distribution soon set in. But if the space shuttle that was approved as a national program Mark Lewis, President by Congress and President Nixon was not the system NASA imagined or the Robert S. Dickman, Publisher Defense Department wanted, it was still a magnificent notion. STEERING COMMITTEE Less than 10 years after the presidential nod, on April 12, 1981, the first Michael B. Bragg, University of Illinois; operational shuttle orbiter, Columbia, was launched into space. STS-1 was Philip Hattis, Draper Laboratory; Mark S. commanded by John Young, a Gemini and Apollo veteran, and piloted by Maurice, AFOSR; Laura McGill, Raytheon; Robert Crippen, a rookie astronaut. Merri Sanchez, National Aeronautics and The history of the space shuttle since that first flight has been one of great Space Administration; Mary Snitch, Lock- accomplishment and devastating tragedy. The loss of Gregory Jarvis, Christa heed Martin; David W. Thompson, Orbital McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Dick Scobee, and EDITORIAL BOARD Michael J. Smith aboard the Challenger on January 28, 1986, dealt a body Ned Allen, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics; blow to both the space program and the national psyche. A second shuttle Jean-Michel Contant, EADS; Eugene loss, the Columbia explosion on February 1, 2003, cost the lives of Michael P. Covert, Massachusetts Institute of Technol- Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Rick D. Husband, ogy; L.S. “Skip” Fletcher, Texas A&M Uni- William C. McCool, and Ilan Ramon and once again cast the fate of the program versity; Michael Francis, United Technologies; in doubt. Christian Mari, Teuchos; Cam Martin, But the shuttle and the indomitable astronauts who participated in this NASA Dryden; Don Richardson, Donrich Research; Douglas Yazell, Honeywell great adventure will also be remembered for remarkable feats of skill and courage. It is the shuttle and its crews that we have to thank for assembling the ADVERTISING international space station, now complete and set to act as a national laboratory National Display and Classified: until at least 2020, and for the breathtaking glimpses of the universe provided Robert Silverstein, 240.498.9674 by the Hubble Space Telescope, its optics corrected and its instruments updated [email protected] by spacewalking engineers. The list of accomplishments goes on, but the shuttle West Coast Display: Greg Cruse, will not. 949.361.1870 / [email protected] No less significant than the end of the shuttle program is the end, at least Send materials to Craig Byl, AIAA, 1801 for the moment, of independent U.S. access to space. Once the unrivaled Alexander Bell Drive, Suite 500, Reston, VA leader in human space transportation, this country, for at least the next few 20191-4344. Changes of address should be years, will become just another paying customer, buying seats on someone sent to Customer Service at the same address, else’s ride. by e-mail at [email protected], or by fax at In the growing field of spacefaring nations, the U.S. may no longer 703.264.7606. dominate, but there is no doubt that we still have the capability to be the Send Letters to the Editor to Elaine Camhi at the same address or [email protected]. leader. Nevertheless, unless we firmly support current development efforts, we may indeed become irrelevant. December 2010, Vol. 48, No.11 Elaine Camhi Editor-in-Chief ADS.2010.final.qxd:AA-December 11/9/10 2:08 PM Page 2

AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Design engineering The X-51A was a significant step forward in proving the viability of hypersonic RBCC engines. A completely reusable launch system Technology advances in design engineering could someday dramatically reduce the cost of emerged in many products and design con- access to space. cepts this year. Model-based design (MBD) The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter avionics take and advances in multidisciplinary optimization significant advantage of COTS components have had more influence on the design pro- and subsystems. The design engineers of the cess, while rapid manufacturing processes avionics systems have implemented design continue to evolve to lower costs and increase processes that not only satisfy requirements performance of components and systems. with today’s components but also allow for The AFRL/DARPA/Boeing/Pratt& Whit- faster integration and qualification of future ney Rocketdyne X-51A WaveRider, designed components because COTS hardware is used. using a multidisciplinary design optimization Taking an MBD approach and using higher order software languages can enable The avionics in the F-35 cockpit the performance of components and their intake significant advantage of terfaces to be well defined and implemented. COTS components and subsystems. The performance of these parts and subsystems can be verified easily in simulation, and new components can be evaluated before they are procured. Along with using standard interfaces, this approach can reduce the time it takes to certify new components from three or four years to as little as six months. This not only lowers the cost of integrating new components but also allows rapid insertion of new hardware to address the major problem of obsolescence when using COTS hardware. Rapid prototyping has been a staple of engineering development for more than two decades now. Advances in materials, speed, and parts accuracy have transitioned this process from just prototyping to low-quantity or early production parts. Newly developed ma- (MDO) approach, successfully flew at a speed terials and processes will be replacing conven- of nearly Mach 5 for almost 3 min, powered tional manufacturing for some components by a hydrocarbon-fueled dual-mode scramjet. and materials using additive processes. Analy- Vehicle angle of attack, tail deflection angles, sis by companies such as Northrop Grumman drag, and thrust measured in flight were all has shown a 35-45% reduction in the total very close to predictions, validating the MDO cost of a part. design approach used by Boeing. Parts made with materials such as tita- Looking to the future, an innovative air- nium, nickel, and aluminum high-perfor- breathing vehicle concept was designed by mance alloys are now being manufactured Astrox, ASC/XR, AFRL, and Boeing to be with a variety of additive processes. These in- the reusable second stage of a two-stage-to- clude direct metal laser sintering, selective orbit launch system boosted by a reusable laser sintering, selective laser melting, and rocket first stage. The second stage is pow- others. These parts retain the properties of ered by rocket-based combined-cycle (RBCC) their conventionally manufactured counter- engines fueled by methane and LOX/hydro- parts and can be heat treated and finished us- gen. The vehicle has innovative design fea- ing the same processes. They require little or tures such as twin 3D inward-turning inlet no additional machining processes and, in flow paths and engines mounted on the vehi- some cases, can be manufactured with thinner cle upper surface to shield them from dense, walls than traditional forgings and castings, re- high-temperature air during atmospheric en- ducing component weight. As materials and try. These features enable the vehicle to avoid additive manufacturing processes continue to the engine thermal protection and/or man- improve, more and more opportunities for agement challenges normally present during lowering cost and increasing component per- by E.Russ Althof unpowered flight. formance will arise.

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Adaptive structures

NextGen Aeronautics, University of Illinois, Texas A&M, and NES Technologies are using a new technique called targeted energy transfer to mitigate the limit cycle oscillation of transport wings at transonic flight speeds. En- ergy from a wing bending vibration mode is transferred to a nonlinear energy sink to reduce the oscillation. NASA and Penn State aerospace engineering researchers are addressing high-cycle fatigue in turbomachinery using semipassive, tunable piezoelectric Funded by DARPA, NextGen damping with energy harvesting, which ac- reduction, decreased vibrations, and reduced Aeronautics conducted a demonstration of an undulating counts for the effects of high-g environments. drag in forward flight. Even the maximum side-fin propulsion system that Structural health monitoring technologies takeoff weight could be increased by using the mimics a cuttlefish. are progressing in many areas. Arizona State additional twist statically. The German Aero- University, funded by AFOSR (Air Force Of- space Center has designed, manufactured, fice of Scientific Research) along with AFRL and tested several such active twist blades in and NASA Glenn, developed and tested a recent years, using MFC (macro-fiber com- prognostics health management framework posite) actuators integrated into the blade skin by integrating online/offline information with and GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer) as prognostic tools based on system identifica- a structure. tion and Bayesian for structural health moni- The University of Maryland, along with toring. This framework can identify the nucle- different branches of the Army, is also work- ation of damage at the grain level and track its ing on blade control of helicopter blades. The growth until structural failure has been estab- team is developing and testing applications of lished. The University of Michigan, sponsored pneumatic artificial muscle actuators. These by NASA, has been characterizing guided high-performing, lightweight, robust actuators waves for structural health monitoring of com- Active damping is used on the posite sandwich structures. Researchers have wind tunnel sting to help increase used radar transducers for efficiently interro- data quality. gating a complete structural surface from a central location. Adaptive structures are being used for flow control and propulsion in the air and at sea. The University of Michigan has demonstrated that cellular structural smart material actuator architectures created by continuous, inter- locked loops of stranded active material pro- are proving their effectiveness and scalability duce distributed actuation that can actively in both high-frequency, on-blade control of manipulate the local surface of the aircraft trailing-edge flaps for helicopter rotor blades wing to improve flow characteristics. The Uni- and low-frequency, heavy-lifting applications versity of Quebec in Montreal, in collabora- for robotics. DARPA has funded NextGen tion with Bombardier Aerospace, Thales Aeronautics to develop an underwater dem- Canada, the Institute of Aerospace Research- onstrator vehicle focusing on undulating side- National Research Council, and Ecole Poly- fin propulsion that mimics a cuttlefish. technique, developed a morphing wing that The Adaptive Structures Team in the Air has smart material actuators and changes its Vehicles Directorate is continuing to investi- shape to reduce the drag and to improve the gate perching micro air vehicle concepts, hav- laminar flow region on the wing. This morphing completed vehicle simulations using full ing wing was successfully controlled in open 3D vortex particle aerodynamics with separa- and closed loop, using kulite sensors for flow tion. Optimal trajectories and trajectory-fol- transition and pressures measurement. lowing control schemes are being studied. Ini- Active twist rotor blades for helicopter tial wing mechanisms have been designed and main rotors are needed for individual blade built, and indoor flight testing on basic non- control. The benefits of such control are noise morphing vehicles has begun. by David Voracek

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AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Meshing visualization strated the use of overset grids in a multidisci- and computational plinary environment for analysis of film-cooled turbine airfoil sections. The cooling plenums environments internal to the airfoil and the thermal barrier coating layer were automatically constructed, The impetus for developing overset grid meth- and computational grids for the main flow ods, which were introduced 25 years ago, was path, cooling plenums, turbine walls, thermal the need to reduce the grid-generation chal- barrier coating, and cooling tubes were gener- lenges for structured meshes around complex ated. Embedded overset grids were used for geometries. Unstructured grid technology has the cooling tubes, allowing for arbitrary place- mitigated the need for this capability some- ment without requiring regridding of the main what. However, the overset grid method’s flow path, turbine walls, or cooling plenums. ability to generate and assemble grids for bod- Adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is be- ies in relative motion has proven to be advan- coming an important tool for improving solu- tageous for unstructured grids as well. tion accuracy. A feature-driven Cartesian Recently there has been significant AMR approach for overset grids has been de- progress in incorporating unstructured overset veloped for the Helios flow solver that detects flow features and introduces high-resolution Cartesian grids in the identified regions. An AMR approach using cell refinement for tetra- hedral grids has been used with SUGGAR++ to improve the interpolation stencils within overset regions by reducing the number of fringe cells with poor quality interpolation. An unstructured grid AMR method has also been developed that resolves turbulent flows by freezing the viscous layers near the no-slip wall and adapting away from the boundaries. Using both solution- and adjoint-based adaptation, far-field flow features were resolved with no a priori knowledge for both a supersonic nozzle plume and a turbulent flat plate. In applying anisotropic AMR in 3D, prob- Vorticity isosurface from a lems often arise, such as the loss of anisotropy sphere at a Reynolds number of grid capabilities in legacy flow solvers. Using and the necessity to limit the minimum mesh 800 was solved using the Helios the DiRTlib overset communication library, size when discontinuities are present. A con- dual-mesh overset approach. several unstructured grid flow solvers, includ- tinuous mesh framework based on theoretical ing USM3D, AVUS, and FUN3D, have been developments demonstrating that a field of successfully converted to overset grid solvers. metric tensors completely models a discrete The PUNDIT package provides a similar ca- mesh, and that the notion of interpolation er- pability that handles the grid assembly in addi- ror can be well defined, was proposed and tion to the interpolation and communication demonstrated. of the overset fringe data. Terabytes of data can be generated as Recent development of the SUGGAR++, mesh size and solution complexity increase, Overture, and PUNDIT grid assembly pro- thereby posing a challenge to the CFD practi- grams enables users to construct overset un- tioner to identify important flow physics. A structured meshes, extending the applicability method for extracting flow features concur- of overset technology beyond that of Pegasus rent to CFD code execution has been devel- 5 and other popular programs that apply to oped using intelligent software agents. This structured grids only. To provide an interactive approach was shown to correctly identify vor- grid assembly capability similar to that of the tex cores throughout solution convergence. Chimera grid tool, an effort was initiated to Postprocessing time-dependent data can be develop a prototype graphical interface and a even more daunting. RCAAPS, recently de- process that combines grid generation and as- veloped and demonstrated as a component of sembly into one package, adding an initial ca- Fieldview, enables a user to interactively adjust by Greg D. Power, pability to the Gridgen software. the inputs to the acoustic code PSU-WOP- James S.Masters, A conjugate Navier-Stokes/heat-conduc- WOP and easily create time history and spec- and Vincent C.Betro tion design and analysis procedure demon- tral plots of aeroacoustic data.

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Survivability

In February the Missile Defense Agency performed two tests using high-energy lasers that succeeded in destroying two missiles in two separate trials. Later, there were some unsuc- cessful tests. The laser, a directed-energy weapon of multimegawatt strength, is fired from an airborne modified Boeing 747 aircraft. The laser beam acquires the target and keeps contact with it for several minutes, long enough to heat up the missile’s solid or liquid fuel, resulting in an explosion. Efforts are now under way to use a solid laser instead of the current chemical oxygen iodine liquid laser, to The C-5 Galaxy completed its LFT&E phase. reduce the size and weight of the apparatus used on the 747. In addition, this spring the Navy tested a smaller fiber-optic directed-energy laser of fired surface-to-air missiles impacting the CF6 about 32-kW power, fired from on board a high-bypass turbofan engine, common on ship to destroy enemy unmanned surveillance widebody aircraft. Organizations supporting drones by frying the drone wires, cables, and program execution include NASA Langley, control mechanisms, resulting in the drone‘s the Air Force, the Navy, and General Electric eventual loss of control or destruction. At least Engine Company. four drones were destroyed in these tests. The Orion crew exploration vehicle is a Clearly, countermeasures for this new lethal modular manned vehicle conceived and de- weapon must be developed quickly to reduce signed for the Moon-based Con- the vulnerabilities of U.S. strategic missiles stellation program and envi- and bomber aircraft to unfriendly forces. This sioned for use in other laser weaponry no longer belongs to science space programs as fiction; it is now a real threat that will very well. Orion must pro- likely be faced in the not too distant future. tect its crew during The Joint Cargo Aircraft, an Air Force/ orbiting, reentry Army/Navy joint program, completed its live into Earth‘s atmo- fire test and evaluation (LFT&E) phase. This sphere, and land- included testing for the hydrodynamic ram ef- ing. This spring fect on the wing structure, and the effective- NASA completed ness of the engine nacelle fire detection and the Phase-1 safety suppression systems. These tests paved the review for the Orion way to authorizing low-rate production. crew capsule. This re- The Joint Strike Fighter program investi- view covered survivabil- gated fire initiation and sustainment within the ity/ safety features such as aircraft undercarriage dry bays. The results of the heat shield‘s location behind A program to evaluate the the investigation were used to ascertain mini- a solid structure, and the use of a very tough damage caused by shoulder-fired mum vulnerability to missile fragments. The coating for protection against high-speed im- surface-to-air missiles impacting the CF6 engine, common on results have also been used to identify and rec- pact by micron-sized solid particles of space widebody aircraft, was initiated. tify deficiencies in the fire simulation predic- debris and meteoroid dust. In addition to the tion model. numerous thermal tests, arcjet testing was The reliability enhancement and reengin- used for over 100 hypervelocity impact tests ing program of the C-5 Galaxy strategic airlift performed to characterize the resulting coat- plane also completed its LFT&E phase. The ing damage. results cleared various issues identified in the Other safety design features of Orion in- test and evaluation master plan. clude use of two separate propulsion systems This year the Dept. of Homeland Security in parallel, to withstand leaks or malfunctions, and the Joint Live Fire Program Office spon- and duplicate umbilical lines (power and fluids) by Ameer G.Mikhail,Alex sored and initiated a comprehensive program bundled separately and with sufficient separa- G.Kurtz,Jaime J.Bestard, to evaluate the damage caused by shoulder- tion distance. and Meghan S.Buchanan

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AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Materials conducting extensive research on HexMC, a high-performance discontinuous (chopped) carbon fiber/epoxy system for primary struc- Recent advances in the manufacture and char- tures. Although the raw material cost of these acterization of materials by NASA, DOD, the chopped-fiber systems is about the same as FAA, academia, and industry will lead to that of the unidirectional prepreg from which lighter and more durable aerospace structures. they are derived, their adoption can be justi- In the area of advanced composites, fied by their suitability for molding into com- nonautoclave manufacturing of these materials plex configurations, lower manufacturing continues to be of interest because of signifi- costs, and higher production rates. The Boe- cant cost advantages compared with auto- ing 787 utilizes HexMC for several structural clave-based manufacturing. However, compo- applications, including the window frames nents made using nonautoclave processing and intercostals. The research at UW focuses have lower fiber volume fractions and inferior on creating a certification methodology based properties compared with those of autoclave- on the development of material allowables cured parts. The Non-Autoclave Manufactur- and analysis methods that can capture the ing Technology program is a Boeing/ mechanics of complex structures made of DARPA/AFRL effort aimed at overcoming HexMC. the deficiencies of nonautoclave processing. Among products made of new metallic The goal is to develop large, complex aero- materials, nickel-titanium shape memory alloy space-quality components with structural lives (SMA) actuators are being considered for greater than 5,000 hours noise reduction applications on commercial while greatly reducing aircraft. NASA Glenn, under work funded by NASA Marshall uses friction manufacturing costs. the agency’s subsonic fixed-wing project, is stir welding to fabricate a structural assembly for the The initial work fo- developing both low-temperature and high- Constellation program. cuses on maturing the temperature SMAs for long-term use in air- materials, processes, tool craft engines. As part of this activity, long- family, and fabricator ex- term constant load creep test data have been perience so that the resin generated on binary stoichiometric nickel-tita- (Cycom 5320), vacuum- nium at temperatures between room temper- bag-only prepreg, and a ature and 200 C, with test times in the range family of accompanying of several months to over a year. Variable materials are ready for stress and temperature tests, designed to use in service applica- mimic service conditions, have also taken tions. A manufacturing place. The results are expected to provide de- demonstration article with signers and analysts with the valuable long- feature-based subcompo- term data they need for understanding and nents was completed suc- predicting the stability of SMA actuators in cessfully in March 2009 many commercial applications. with nondestructive and In addition, NASA Marshall has recently destructive testing reveal- fabricated several friction stir welded (FSW) ing autoclave-equivalent structural assemblies in support of the Con- physical and mechanical stellation program, including four 18-ft-diam properties. bulkhead domes and two 27.6-ft-diam barrel Phase-1 additional ef- sections. The spun-formed domes were fric- fort and Phase-2 plans tion stir welded to forged “y” rings using a are envisioned to mature new self-reacting process completed with a the nonautoclave manu- friction pull plug weld closeout. The FSW facturing technology to a bulkhead domes make up the face-sheets of a TRL 6 (technology readi- composite structural assembly that forms the ness level 6), ready for bulkhead between the liquid hydrogen and liq- transition to prototype, uid oxygen tanks on the Ares I upper stage. flight test, and/or produc- Testing of the assemblies will include charac- tion use. terization of the barrel sections for their shell In addition, the Automobili Lamborghini buckling response at NASA Marshall as part Advanced Composite Structures Laboratory of an overall NASA Langley-led effort aimed at the University of Washington (UW), to- at characterizing the response of large-scale by Edward H. Glaessgen gether with Boeing, the FAA, and Hexcel, is launch vehicle components.

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Structures

NASA Glenn is doing research in upgraded nanofiber matrices and their subsequent use in composites reinforced with conventional fibers, which has produced enhanced composite responses with up to two times the buckling load and comparable decreases in the first natural frequency. These are computed results only; however, some recent data indi- Boeing engineers bent the wings cate that the results are reasonable. The im- structural model of an insect wing. When of a 787 ground-test airplane plication is that knowledge and judicious com- completed, this groundbreaking model could until the load was more than one-and-a-half times anything putation methods reduce or eliminate exper- serve as a baseline for future design studies the jet will experience in service. imental data completely. and ultimately shed new light on the nature of In a carefully planned extreme test inside insect flight. Boeing’s Everett, Washington, plant, engi- Advances in synthesis, manufacturing, neers bent the wings of a 787 Dreamliner and modeling techniques are continuing to ground-test airplane until the load was more drive nanocomposite research closer to use in than one-and-a-half times anything the jet will aerospace structural applications. Research experience in service, the company says. By on carbon nanotube-, silica nanoparticle-, the end of the test, the wing had deflected up- and nanoclay-reinforced polymer nanocom- ward from the horizontal by about 25 ft. This posites has brought insight into the cluster- “ultimate load” wing stress test is a dramatic ing, damping, interfacial, thermal transport, milestone in the process of obtaining FAA electrical transport, and mechanical property certification so the airplane can be used for characteristics of these materials. Work at passenger flights. MIT continues to focus on facile processes for In a similar test in January 1995, Boeing creating large-scale bulk structured materials bent the wings of the 777 beyond ultimate with nanoscale order, to take advantage load until they broke in an explosive burst at (where possible) of nanoscale physics. Multi- 154% of the anticipated in-service maximum scale methods in modeling crack-tip condi- load, destroying the test plane. Unlike the trations have continued to improve understand- ditional 777 aluminum wings, the Dream- ing of the atomic-level behavior of metallic liner’s wings are made of more flexible car- nanocomposites for use in aerospace struc- bon-fiber-reinforced plastic and would be tures. Exploratory research has begun devel- expected to keep bending far beyond the cer- oping pillared-graphitic structures for im- tification mark without breakage. proved thermal transport in aerospace Could studying the structural properties of materials. Excellent thermal conductivity and moth wings give the U.S. military a strategic mechanical integrity are provided in three edge on the battlefield of the future? Re- dimensions. searchers at the Air Force Institute of Tech- AFRL, Trinity University, and the Univer- nology (AFIT) think so and hope that their sity of Kentucky are studying the FURL (flexi- studies will help to realize the Air Force’s vi- ble unfurlable and refurlable lightweight) solar sion of operating insect-sized micro air vehi- sail payload to learn its capability for dozens cles (MAVs) by 2030. These vehicles, essen- of deployment-retraction cycles on-orbit. A tially miniaturized flying robots, will be an thin membrane sheet is unfurled and refurled order of magnitude smaller than current oper- using a single rotational actuator coupled with ational MAVs. Moreover, unlike their fixed- a set of four self-deployable triangular retract- wing and propeller-driven predecessors, they able and collapsible booms attached to a pe- will achieve flight by flapping their wings. In rimeter spar structure, each constructed from fact, if the vision is fully realized, they will so a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer. The full- closely mimic the behavior of their biological scale 10-m2 flight-like prototype has under- inspirations that they will be able to carry out gone environmental deployment testing, operations in plain sight. Having these insect- shape surveys, deployment kinematic meas- like characteristics will make them ideally urements, and structural analyses in an effort suited for covert operations in urban, indoor, to demonstrate that this payload is ready to and tight corridor spaces. The AFIT/MAV serve as a propellant-free thrust source for team has set out to develop a high-fidelity Earth-orbiting spacecraft. by Harry H.Hilton

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AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Nondeterministic There is growing use of CFD simulation approaches models to quantify the uncertainty due to inherently random variables using nondeterministic approaches. Such approaches have been As modeling and simulation become more im- applied to both incompressible and compress- portant and are more widely used for devel- ible flows, and to internal and external flows. opment, design, and certification of aero- The desire to extract useful statistical informa- space vehicles, there is widespread and tion about the flow from simulations has growing recognition that the use of nondeter- driven the development of probabilistic meth- ministic approaches is essential. ods to efficiently identify the impact of uncer- There is always variability in the inputs of tainties on model results. One such example any simulation. This variability must be cap- of uncertainty quantification is SESC (simplex tured as uncertainty in the simulation results elements stochastic collocation), based on a so that the potential for undesirable outcomes simplex elements discretization of the proba- can be quantified and managed. In comparing bility space and an adaptive grid refinement the results of a model to a physical experi- strategy. This methodology has been demon- ment, the uncertainty in both the model pre- strated in compressible flow and gas turbine dictions and the experimental results must be engine applications. considered quantitatively to determine the ac- Establishing the credibility of models by curacy of the model. comparing them to experimental data that also contain uncertainty and variability requires the use of nondeterministic approaches. With critical decisions often made solely on the basis of simulation results, using engineering judgment alone to validate a simulation with experimental data will not be sufficient. A quantitative comparison of the results is possible only with nondeterministic techniques. In the end, the goal of these simulations is to determine the proba- bility that the aircraft, or other system, will perform as desired. Recognizing the increasing application of nondeterministic analysis in modeling and simulation, the Southwest Research Institute has developed a new software tool named CENTAUR (collection of engineering tools for analyzing uncertainty and reliability). This software is also the probabilistic engine in Colors show the standard deviation of the transonic pressure field around an airfoil the NESSUS (numerical evaluation of with uncertain flow velocity. stochastic structures under stress) general-purpose probabilistic analysis code. CENTAUR can be called from many programming languages and software Nondeterministic approaches are widely programs, making the tools easily accessible used in the growing area of multiscale model- to any simulation. ing of materials. Multiscale material models In addition, Southwest Research Institute, seek to develop material engineering proper- in collaboration with four major gas turbine ties from the random arrangement of the mi- engine manufacturers, released an update to crostructure and distributions of the con- its DARWIN (design assessment of reliability stituent properties. While multiscale modeling with inspection) program for nickel materials is already being successfully developed using and for surface damage. DARWIN, which is common materials where variabilities are well sponsored by the FAA, is a probabilistic dam- characterized, its real power will be for emerg- age tolerance design code for turbine engine by Eric Tuegel ing engineered materials such as FGMs (func- rotor disks that contain undetected material and Shyama Kumari tionally graded materials). anomalies.

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Structural dynamics

NASA’s 327-ft 1.8-million-lb Ares I-X flight test vehicle was successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 28, 2009. This was the first flight test for an Ares I crew launch vehicle. Important data were obtained on ascent loads, vehicle control, separation, and first-stage reentry dynamics. Boeing partnered with NASA Langley, under an Air Force contract, to verify the flexible AFIT is studying wing flapping of the hawk moth as part of aircraft structural design process and resulting MAV design efforts. joined-wing SensorCraft airframe design. An actively controlled, dynamically scaled 12-ft- span model of the aircraft was tested in Lang- vehicles. The ExFIT (experimental fin tip) pro- ley’s Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. The tests, gram, created for this purpose, has generated concluded this year, addressed the issues of a scale model of a wing tip with a vertical sta- aeroservoelastic stability in the presence of bilizer. These fins were flown successfully in low frequency modes, gust load alleviation for April as the payload on the cadet-built Air buckling stability, and airframe weight. The Force Academy FLVIII sounding rocket. The support system allowed the model to be flown fins were exposed to a Mach 3+ environment in the test section with free pitch and plunge for 10 sec. The data returned from the fin- motions. mounted sensors will be used for evaluating This year Gulfstream conducted ground vi- numerical models. Future flights will expose bration tests on its latest flagship offering, the the fins to higher speeds and altitudes. G650 business jet. It is the world’s fastest civil X-HALE, an 8-m-span UAV developed at aircraft and has the longest range of any tradi- the University of Michigan in collaboration tional business jet. The plane was suspended with AFIT, is an aeroelastically on bungee cords in place of the landing gear. scaled very flexible aircraft. The Excitation was through six electromagnetic objective is to collect data on the shakers attached to each wing tip, horizontal craft’s nonlinear aeroelastic re- tail tip, and engine nacelle. For the flight flut- sponse in the presence of the six ter testing of the aircraft, shaker vanes were rigid-body degrees of freedom. attached to each wing tip and horizontal tail The data will be used for valida- tip. For the entire flight envelope, up to the tion of the coupled aeroelastic maximum dive of 0.99 Mach and maximum and flight dynamic analyses of operating altitude of 51,000 ft, no aeroelastic very flexible aircraft. Several flight instabilities were detected. FAA certification is tests are expected in 2011. expected in 2011. AFIT is investigating the hawk Sandia National Laboratories developed moth (Manduca sexta) as an ideal new techniques for experimental dynamic sub- biological species to study for mi- structuring and investigated sensor integration cro air vehicle (MAV) design prop- in wind turbine blades. The modal testing erties. Modeling and frequency group developed methods to couple experi- experimentation reveal that the mental modal models with finite-element (FE) species has a system identifiable models. Components difficult to model can be characteristic—the study of a spec- tested to produce experimental models that imen is representative of the are coupled to validated FE models. Sandia’s species. The flapping of the hawk Wind and Water Power Dept. embedded moth’s wing is being studied. aerodynamic and strain sensors and ac- The University of Florida is The first flight test of NASA’s celerometers in Sandia-designed blades and developing tools for modeling and controlling Ares I-X test vehicle provided important data on ascent loads, flew them in the field. The field results are sup- aeroservoelastic systems. This involves pa- vehicle control, separation, and porting aerodynamic and structural modeling rametrization of the control effectors and op- first-stage reentry dynamics. for active blade control and health monitoring. timizing their time-varying values to maximize The Air Force Institute of Technology performance. Flapping-wing MAVs and mor- (AFIT) is investigating the possibility of incor- phing aircraft are being investigated using porating vertical stabilizers in reusable launch both CFD and wind tunnel data. by Suresh Shrivastava

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AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Multidisciplinary design The University of Leeds in the U.K., in optimization collaboration with Rolls-Royce, has developed new multidisciplinary optimization capabilities for solving large-scale problems arising in tur- Multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) bomachinery design. They were successfully can be defined as a framework of methods applied to engine design projects with over and tools for the optimization of complex sys- 100 design variables, extremely large compu- tems involving coupled, often competing, dis- tational costs per simulation, numerical noise, ciplines. This year, as in previous years, re- and occasional simulation failures. searchers have focused on core issues such as The Optimal Design Laboratory at the the reduction of computational costs, University of Michigan proposed a novel par- the development of design adigm for design validation during the opti- space visualization tools, and mization process. In addition,the team devel- uncertainty propagation. It oped methodologies for allocating consistency is also noteworthy that constraints in augmented Lagrangian coordi- several collaborations be- nation, managing reduced representations of tween academia, industry, functional responses, and designing hybrid and research centers have electric fuel cell vehicles under uncertain en- Aircraft design used been formed. terprise considerations. knowledge-based engineering for MDO. TU Delft. The Air Force Research MIT has developed new Bayesian-based Laboratory (AFRL) Collabora- methods for multifidelity MDO. An approach tive Center for Multidisciplinary for managing the fidelity of disciplinary mod- Sciences (CCMS), comprising Virginia Tech, els in MDO uses global sensitivity analysis to- Wright State University, and the University of gether with Bayesian estimation theory, while Maryland, completed its first full year in devel- a provably convergent multifidelity optimiza- oping MDO techniques to enable the quanti- tion method is achieved through Bayesian tative technology assessment of three vehicle model calibration and a trust region model concepts: sensorcraft, micro air vehicles, and management. supersonic long-range strike vehicles. Techni- Researchers at Iowa State University’s Vir- cal and strategic advisory committees, consist- tual Reality Applications Center are developing of members from industry, government, ing a visual design space exploration tool us- and academia, reviewed and approved the re- ing contextual self-organizing maps to rapidly search plans for the joint effort between the gain an understanding of the design space and CCMS and AFRL Multidisciplinary Science its properties. and Technology Center. Penn State University and the Applied Re- In the Netherlands, Delft University of search Laboratory are collaborating on the Technology has developed a new knowledge- use of multidimensional data visualization based engineering (KBE) modeling system, techniques and trade space exploration to called DARWING, to support the MDO of support product platform design and product complex wing systems. DARWING links a family optimization. parametric geometry modeling core with a set Phimeca Engineering and the French Insti- of external aerodynamic, structural, and flight tute of Advanced Mechanics in Clermont-Fer- mechanics analysis codes. In collaboration rand, France, are investigating the use of Krig- with the University of Pisa, this framework ing surrogate models for the optimal design of has been used to optimize the propulsion and submarine imperfect pressure shells under re- flight control systems of boxed-wing aircraft. liability constraints. The challenge is to mini- DARWING was developed using the GDL mize the computational cost by reducing the KBE system of Genworks International. total number of nonlinear finite element analy- Researchers at Queensland University of ses while gauging the effect of simplifying as- Technology, the Australian Research Centre sumptions on the final design. for Aerospace Automation, and the Interna- Finally, researchers at the University of tional Center for Numerical Methods in Engi- Bath, U.K., have developed a robust topology neering are collaborating on advanced evolu- optimization technique offering optimum de- tionary methods for uncertainty-based MDO. signs that are less sensitive to variations in Their methods use advanced Pareto-Hybrid loading conditions. This is implemented using Nash games, asynchronous evaluation, multi- the level-set approach, which creates and fidelity models, and parallel computing to merges openings to find the optimum topo- by Samy Missoum speed up the capture of global solutions. logical solutions.

12 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2010 STRATEGY for SUCCESS

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AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Plasmadynamics and lasers from an unusually deep solar minimum and transition into an expected maximum of solar activity in 2011-2012. Space plasma heliophysics progressed mark- There was significant movement in the edly this year, with growing improvements in area of laser technology development, where quantitative solar observations and theoretical the continuous trend for the past decade has understanding of Sun-Earth interconnections. been toward electrically powered laser tech- With so many of society’s activities dependent nology, be it solid-state or gas media. Com- on space-based infrastructure for everything mensurate with this trend is the AFRL Di- from communications to navigation to finan- rected Energy Directorate’s recent demon- cial transactions, these advances are vitally im- stration of a flowing diode-pumped alkali laser portant to developing forecasting capabilities (DPAL) system, which combines the electri- that minimize our vulnerability to solar storms, cally powered, diode-pumped attributes of eruptions, and their disruptive effects. solid-state lasers with the heat transport and beam-quality attributes of gas lasers. Building on previous static-cell DPAL demonstrations by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, General Atomics, the Air Force Academy, and the University of California San Diego, the AFRL experiment demonstrates the ability to flow heat in the gain media away from the laser resonator region, a critical milestone for development of this technology. The field of aerooptics is seeing considerable activity in the areas of in-flight testing, wind tunnel experiments, and CFD simula- A synthetic emission image from tion. The DEBI-XFR (directed energy beam the SOHO extreme ultraviolet Most notable was the February launch of improvement by expanding the field of regard) imaging telescope (EIT Image 304 the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO) for program has teamed AFRL’s Air Vehicles Di- of Carrington Rotation 2009) is compared with a data-driven NASA’s Living With a Star program, as a rectorate with Boeing and the University of global 3D resistive MHD simulation complement to its Solar and Heliospheric Ob- Notre Dame. The team is progressing with (courtesy University of Alabama, servatory (SOHO) and Solar Terrestrial Rela- experiments and CFD simulations of a quar- Huntsville, Center for Space tions Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft. The ter-scale turret (a hemisphere on a cylindrical Plasma & Aeronomic Research). The bright areas in the middle first spectacular images returned by SDO re- base type) with a conformal window, explor- and left of the image correspond vealed an astounding degree of detail and in- ing active and passive flow control devices. to active regions 10486 and sight into the inner plasmadynamic processes Suction is being used as a “best that can be 10488, which are associated with several large flares and coronal of the Sun. Early results show that the mag- done” flow control baseline for comparison mass ejections. netic field is more dynamic and dominant than with other flow control approaches (devel- previously thought. Continued observations oped by AFRL, Boeing, Georgia Tech, and are likely to revolutionize our scientific views, Notre Dame) that may offer some integration particularly our understanding of how the advantages. magnetic field is generated and converted into In recent years some attention has been solar flares and energetic mass ejections. directed toward the aerooptic effects of at- Other observational spacecraft now in the tached turbulent boundary layers, as these will works include China’s Kuafu space buoy, affect airborne free-space communication sys- which will be stationed at the L1 Lagrange tems. The efforts at Princeton and at Notre point to sample the solar wind. Dame provide examples of the new knowl- Naturally, these solar observations are pro- edge developing in this area. Also, new instru- viding an impetus to the development of reli- mentation for measuring aerooptical aberra- able predictive capabilities. Modeling and sim- tions as long time-resolved, time series of ulation of solar activity have long been difficult wavefronts at very high bandwidth has contin- because of the thorny physics of solar plasma ued to develop. Princeton’s pioneering ap- and magnetism, factors complicated even fur- proaches of combining lenslet arrays with ther by an intricate magnetohydrodynamic high-speed CCD cameras have now become coupling with the Earth’s magnetic field. How- common tools in the laboratory. While these ever, the growing base of observational data devices offer new avenues for studying both by Ron J.Litchford has led to much progress, and we may antici- aerooptics and fluid mechanics, the real-time and Timothy J.Madden pate improved forecasting tools as we emerge capabilities are still somewhat limited.

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Fluid dynamics Australian Defence Science and Technology Organisation. The flight, involving a cone/cylinder/flare payload, gathered data on bound- This year saw many exciting developments in ary-layer transition and shock/boundary-layer fluid dynamics over a range of flow regimes interaction for Mach numbers up to 6.5, dem- and scales. Of particular interest were accom- onstrating a low-cost approach to obtaining plishments in flow control, supersonic and hy- unique validation data for critical aerodynamic personic flow, roughness effects, low Rey- phenomena that cannot be obtained in exist- nolds-number flows, and wind turbines. ing ground facilities. Flow control research is becoming more NASA and academic researchers have integrated with flight control and applications made exciting progress in the area of rough- involving unsteady flow and flexible wings. In- ness-induced tripping of high-speed boundary vestigators at the Air Force Academy are ex- layers, a phenomenon of great importance to ploring ways to use closed-loop active flow hypersonic flight. A combination of quiet tun- control to modify the spanwise lift distribution nel experiments, numerical simulations, and on 3D flexible wings. Gust suppression and theory has yielded valuable clues into the energy harvesting techniques for micro air ve- physical mechanisms underlying tripping. hicle (MAV) based modern closed-loop control In-flight measurements involving a con- algorithms are under joint development at the trolled roughness Illinois Institute of Technology and Caltech. element on the These efforts have highlighted the importance shuttle orbiter wing of low-dimensional models for separated flow are providing com- dynamics and unsteady aerodynamics. Uni- plementary valida- versity of Florida researchers have highlighted tion data related to the importance of 3D effects in flow control roughness effects for applications related to cavity flows. The on transition and team has been able to reduce both broadband turbulence. Labo- and tonal surface pressure components using ratory experiments open-loop strategies in supersonic flows, as at Texas A&M and well as closed-loop strategies in subsonic free- Princeton Univer- stream conditions. sity are clarifying The Computational Aerophysics Branch the combined ef- at AFRL has used ILES (implicit large-eddy fects of distributed simulations) to investigate the unsteady flow- surface roughness Researchers at Auburn University field structure and forced generation of a rap- and compressibility on turbulence in high- used a recently developed flow idly pitching plate at low Reynolds numbers to speed boundary layers. Detailed measure- visualization system to capture 3D images of a turbulent jet model a prototypical perching maneuver for ments and visualizations revealed the complex (Reynolds number 10,200). MAV applications, as well as deep dynamic wave field generated by the roughness and its Visible are the Kelvin-Helmholtz stall phenomena induced by the large-ampli- damping influence on Reynolds stress in the instability waves responsible tude plunging oscillations of an airfoil. Investi- near-wall region, even leading to a collapse of for the initial formation of axisymmetric ring vortices near gators at UCLA have used a vortex particle these Reynolds stress levels at a Mach number the nozzle exit, the emergence method to simulate the flow field and force of 7.2. of counterrotating streamwise generated by a rapidly pitching plate at low Researchers at the University of Illinois at vortex pairs, and the complex, Reynolds numbers. They have also developed Urbana-Champaign have shown that low-or- nonlinear interaction between these vortices that leads to fully a reduced-order model for this flow. LES con- der models of roughness representative of the developed turbulence in the ducted at AFRL investigated a novel serpen- in-service damage to real turbine blades yield far field. tine plasma-based actuation for control of a flow conditions almost identical to the fully low-Reynolds-number airfoil representative of rough case. This could prove critical to devel- MAV applications. When used as a tripping oping predictive models for a wide range of mechanism, plasma actuation created prema- surface damage effects. ture transition to a more fully turbulent state, Los Alamos National Laboratories per- thus eliminating time-mean separation and in- formed several large-scale numerical simula- creasing the lift-to-drag ratio by 20%. tions of wind turbine farms. These unique sim- The first research flight under the Hyper- ulations include effects of surface terrains, sonic International Flight Research Experi- atmospheric boundary layers, and rotating mentation (HIFiRE) project was launched blades, enabling high-fidelity predictions for from Woomera, Australia, in March. HIFiRE purposes of wind farm siting and performance is a collaborative R&D effort by AFRL and the optimization. by Michael W. Plesniak

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Guidance,navigation, Auto-GCAS features a pilot-activated recovery and control system to enable recovery of aircraft in the event of pilot disorientation, and a time-varying trajectory prediction algorithm (TPA) to LISA Pathfinder, precursor to the ESA/NASA anticipate a false fly-up and synthesize an opti- Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission mal recovery climb profile. TPA is designed to aimed at the first in-flight test of gravitational operate to minimum clearance requirements wave detection metrology, successfully com- given aerodynamic parameters for the aircraft pleted test and validation of its space-based and its onboard stores, and the aerodynamic drag-free control system. flight variables. SpaceX successfully drop tested Dragon, A typical air combat maneuver (ACM) test its free-flying reusable spacecraft. A second involved an aircraft in nearly inverted flight demonstration will test the launch and separa- wherein bank angle was effectively indetermi- tion from a Falcon 9 launch platform, the nate; Auto-GCAS autonomously commanded Dragon’s guidance and navigation systems, a pull-up to recover the aircraft. In low-alti- and the heat shield. tude, high-speed ACM dive tests, the auto- An innovative drag-free attitude control pilot roll-through logic successfully demon- system has enabled the GOCE (gravity field strated fast recovery of the aircraft to prevent and steady-state ocean circulation explorer) aircraft inversion and the required (approxi- satellite to map the Earth’s gravity field geoids mately 5 g) fly-up without false fly-ups. Auto- with unprecedented accuracy. GOCE achieves GCAS also safely and successfully performed drag-free flight by using a rear-mounted elec- several high-speed, low-altitude (100-150-ft) tric ion propulsion system that generates low strafing runs. The software is being tuned to thrust in the satellite flight direction. The sys- extend the safe flight corridor to supersonic, tem automatically produces continuous thrust low-altitude terrain-masking flight regimes to compensate for buffeting effects from the through rugged and highly variable terrain. residual air encountered by the satellite in its NASA Langley performed autopilot flight 250-km-altitude orbit. GOCE also is the first tests on its GTM (generic transport model) air- spacecraft to fly drag free in LEO using elec- craft, a fully controllable, 5.5% dynamically tric propulsion. scaled remotely piloted, jet-powered aircraft. Thales Alenia Space-France presented its Recent flight tests evaluated an L1 all-adaptive baseline attitude and orbit control system de- flight controller with a single nominal design sign approach for critical operational modes point at an aerodynamic trim condition in the requiring fine precision pointing with fully de- heart of the normal flight envelope. A test fo- ployed flexible appendages. The method uses cusing on the poststall regime demonstrated GOCE’s innovative drag-free H-infinity and μ-analysis techniques for the that this adaptive autopilot could enable the attitude control system has enabled it to map Earth’s design and analysis of flexible satellite control research pilot to more accurately obtain and gravity field geoids with laws. This technique is applied to Thales hold a desired angle of attack. unprecedented accuracy. telecommunication AFRL recently awarded a program to de- satellites that pres- velop sense and avoid (SAA) technologies for ent large structural unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in forma- bending modes be- tion flight. The flight tests will demonstrate cause of flexible ar- sensing of noncooperative intruders and safe rays and fuel slosh. avoidance maneuvers of the UAS formations. The technique has The Missile Defense Agency and the Pa- been successfully cific Fleet successfully executed tests of the deployed and eval- next-generation Aegis ballistic missile defense uated on 15 Space- weapons system, designed to engage longer Bus4000 telecom range, more complex target ballistic missiles. platforms launched These tests, designed to evaluate detection, since 2003. tracking, fire control, discrimination, kill-as- The Automatic sessment, and reengagement decision func- Ground Collision tions, involved tracking and simulated engage- Avoidance System ments with several short-range, separating, (Auto-GCAS) successfully demonstrated the ballistic missile targets. The tests also assessed by Luisella Giulicchi, capability to prevent accidents caused by nui- sensor and telemetry data from the recently Daniel Clancy, sance fly-ups in a full range of tactical flying launched Space Tracking Surveillance System and Leena Singh scenarios on the AFRL/NASA F-16 testbed. satellites.

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Aerodynamic ley. Time-resolved measurements in the measurement technology Mach-2 flow quantified the startup time of this blowdown facility, and spatially translated measurements have been used to validate Researchers at the Laboratory for Turbulence NASA’s CFD simulations. Research in Aerospace and Combustion Researchers at Auburn University have (LTRAC) at Monash University in Melbourne, used planar laser induced fluorescence of ace- Australia, led by Julio Soria, have been collab- tone vapor to measure the 2D density field of orating with researchers from the Engine the separated flow behind a hemisphere. In Measurement Techniques group, led by Chris these experiments, liquid acetone was injected Willert at the German Aerospace Center’s into the supply stream of a blowdown tran- (DLR) Institute of Propulsion Technology, on sonic wind tunnel. The acetone evaporated, ultra-high-speed Schlieren imaging of super- forming an acetone vapor/air mixture that ex- sonic jet flows at up to 1 MHz. The work panded through the nozzle and into the 4 x 4- makes use of recent advances in light emitting in. cross section. A UV A model scramjet diode (LED) technology that has resulted in laser sheet using the at the University high-power, single-chip devices that provide fourth harmonic output of Virginia uses luminous radiant fluxes exceeding several of an Nd:YAG pulsed Stanford tunable diode laser sensors watts. Developments at DLR by Willert and by laser was used to induce for monitoring Boleslaw Stasicki have increased the instanta- fluorescence of the ace- the temperature neous light emission of these LEDs, operated tone molecules, with the and degree of in pulsed current mode to levels comparable resulting signal being di- combustion completeness in to those of photographic (xenon) flash units, rectly proportional to the combustor making them a suitable light source for ultra- the flow density. exhaust. high-speed instantaneous Schlieren imaging. JAXA (the Japanese Unlike commonly used xenon flash units, Aerospace Exploration an LED can be triggered within tens of nano- Agency) has developed seconds at rise times on the order of 100 a magnetic suspension nsec, thereby enabling stroboscopic illumina- and balance system tion at megahertz rates. The LED driving elec- (MSBS) that eliminates tronics were synchronized to the ultra-high- the need for a physical speed 1-MHz Schlieren imaging system model support. The developed at LTRAC by Daniel Mitchell, MSBS avoids interfer- Adam Risborg, and Soria to provide time-re- ence due to supports in solved Schlieren visualizations of an under- wind tunnel tests, re- expanded supersonic jet impinging on a flat vealing the true aerody- plate. Compared to images obtained with a namic characteristics of xenon white light flash, the nearly monochro- the model, especially at matic green light of the LED results in much high angles of attack crisper flow features with superior repeatabil- (AOA) and for large- ity in intensity, without any speckle artifacts scale separated flows. commonly found with laser illumination. JAXA succeeded in Ronald K. Hanson’s research group at demonstrating the world’s first 6-degree-of- Stanford University is providing tunable diode freedom (6-DOF) force measurement of an laser absorption sensor technology for the aircraft model at a 15-deg AOA in a 20- new NASA/AFOSR (Air Force Office of Sci- m/sec airflow while levitating the wing-body- entific Research) Center for Hypersonic Com- type AGARD-B model in a 60x60-cm low- bined Cycle Propulsion at the University of speed wind tunnel, practically doubling the Virginia, led by James McDaniel and Christo- previous 6-DOF measurement record of 8 pher Goyne. In the first year, Stanford per- deg AOA. This was accomplished by increas- formed time-resolved gas temperature and ing the power of the drag coil, enabling the combustion product water vapor measure- aircraft model to be suspended at up to 35 ments with a 250-kHz measurement band- deg AOA, theoretically. JAXA began research width in the model scramjet at the University on the MSBS in 1986, independently devel- of Virginia. Stanford also developed a velocity oping the present system, which succeeded in by Thomas P.Jenkins sensor for precision velocity measurements the world’s first full 6-DOF simultaneous con- and the AIAA Aerodynamic and tested it in the Direct Connect Hyper- trol and force measurement. It has been in Measurement Techniques sonic Combustor Test Facility at NASA Lang- practical use since 2000. Technical Committee

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Astrodynamics extended-extended mission (XXM), called the Cassini Solstice Mission, enables study of the seasonal and other long-term weather varia- In February, a challenging mission to the tions. The 155 orbits of the XXM tour are de- Moon was cleared for mission implementa- signed to maximize the number of satellite fly- tion. NASA approved sending two of the bys, especially encounters with moons Titan outer THEMIS (time history of events and and Enceladus. The final phase of the tour is macroscale interactions during substorms) in many ways similar to the Juno mission at probes into lunar orbits to make measure- Jupiter, which would provide unique opportu- ments of the lunar wake, magnetotail, and so- nities to investigate the Saturnian magneto- lar wind through 2012. This new mission is sphere and gravity field in depth. In June, the The Hayabusa capsule, which returned to Earth after a named ARTEMIS (acceleration, reconnection, Cassini spacecraft performed the lowest Titan seven-year journey to asteroid turbulence, and electrodynamics of Moon in- flyby of the entire mission at an altitude of Itokawa, is seen on the right, teraction with the Sun), and implementation only 880 km. leading the debris and disintegration of the spacecraft. was carried out in collaboration with Univer- On April 15, President Obama delivered a Courtesy JAXA/NASA. sity of California-Berkeley, JPL, and NASA major space exploration speech at Kennedy Goddard. ARTEMIS is the first mission to Space Center. A new element of his plan is to consider placing an Earth-orbiting constella- launch a human mission to an asteroid by tion into a lunar constellation. 2025; this would serve as a stepping-stone to Given the limited resources and schedul- a crewed orbital mission to Mars in the mid- ing, finding a practically feasible mission de- 2030s, with a landing as a follow-up. Because sign was an extremely challenging task. After of this new vision, the astrodynamics aspects a series of orbit-raising maneuvers at Earth, of sending and returning crewed missions to both probes followed low-energy transfer tra- near Earth objects are being studied closely by jectories into Lissajous orbits around Earth- many space organizations. Moon Lagrange points. After lunar orbit in- JAXA launched two missions, Akatsuki sertions, targeted for April 2011, the probes and IKAROS (interplanetary kite-craft acceler- will orbit the Moon for 18 months. This will ated by radiation of the Sun), aboard an H-IIA be followed by controlled crashes of both 202 rocket on May 20. The Akatsuki space- probes onto the lunar surface. craft, also known as Planet-C, will arrive at Also in February, NASA announced the Venus this month and will study its atmo- second extension of the international Cassini- sphere and surface. IKAROS is a solar sail Huygens mission to explore the Saturnian technology demonstration mission using a system until 2017, the time of summer sol- 200-m2, 0.3-mm-thick polyimide experimen- stice in Saturn’s northern hemisphere. The tal sail. The sail was successfully deployed on June 10, making IKAROS the first fully operating interplanetary solar sail mission. The ARTEMIS, which will orbit the spacecraft, solely powered by sunlight, is cur- Moon for 18 months beginning in rently on a six-month cruise to Venus. April 2011, followed a low-energy On June 13, Japan’s Hayabusa spacecraft transfer trajectory. Courtesy UC-Berkeley/NASA Goddard/JPL. made its glorious return to Earth after a seven- year journey to the asteroid Itokawa. The Hayabusa mission is the first Earth return of a low-thrust spacecraft. On its return trajectory the craft surmounted a number of challenging obstacles and managed to land in the South Australian Outback while the bus broke into pieces and created a spectacular fireball. Also in the area of small-body exploration, ESA’s Rosetta spacecraft successfully flew by asteroid 21-Lutetia, the largest asteroid visited by a spacecraft, at a distance of 3,162 km on July 10. The EPOXI (extrasolar planet observation and deep impact extended investigation) mission encountered its final destination, comet Hartley 2, on November 4. The flyby occurred at a radius of 700 km and comet rel- by Ryan S. Park ative velocity of 12.3 km/sec.

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Aeroacoustics transducers than are traditionally used by fixed- array techniques. With support from NASA, University of This year the “war on noise” advanced the Illinois at Urbana-Champaign researchers per- physical understanding, prediction, and reduc- formed the first-ever computational optimal tion of aerodynamically generated noise. aeroacoustic control of a turbulent Mach-1.3 Future aircraft concepts with aggressive jet. The team used an adjoint-based optimiza- technology goals continued to mature. NASA tion methodology with LES. The controlled jet Langley, in collaboration with Boeing, UC was 3.0 dB quieter in the peak radiation di- Irvine, MIT, and United Technologies Re- rection without increasing the sideline radi- search Center (UTRC), is preparing for aero- ated noise. Experimental verification of the dynamic and acoustic testing of the hybrid predicted controller’s performance is planned. wing body concept. The design shows poten- Cavity noise control efforts advanced on tial for producing cumulative noise reductions many fronts. Digital Fusion, Kord Technolo- of up to 42 EPNdB (effective perceived noise gies, and the University of decibels) and consuming 25% less fuel than a Tennessee Space Insti- Boeing 777. Wyle Labs conducted a study tute, with support from and recommended a research plan to assess AFRL, investigated a the complex human response to low-fre- modified rod-in-crossflow quency and infrasonic noise generated by the device in cavities repre- NASA-designed large civil tiltrotor. sentative of the F-35 NTS (National Technical Systems), Russia, weapons bay, using direct and Boeing explored the fundamentals of air- eddy simulations and ex- frame noise predictions on a rudimentary periments. Initial results landing gear model. The model was one of indicate that the modified four problems at the first Benchmark Prob- device would be effective lems for Airframe Noise Computations work- even in the supersonic An ASMAT horizontal RATO shop. Noise calculations via CFD simulation regime. Resesarchers at the University of motor characterization test is and the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings method Florida, with support from AFOSR, investi- conducted at NASA Marshall. did not confirm the expected dominance of gated the effects of open- and closed-loop wall-pressure contributions at low Mach num- control on the cavity flow field. Open-loop ex- bers. Experimental and computational investi- periments using steady leading-edge blowing gation continues. showed nearly 50% reductions in unsteady Jet noise research on source identification pressure fluctuations at Mach 1.4 conditions. and modification attracted significant interest. Closed-loop studies on subsonic (less than UTRC investigated modifications of large- Mach 0.6) conditions used a zero-net mass- scale turbulence structures by chevron-type flux piezoelectric actuator array with different nozzles for subsonic and supersonic heated feedback control algorithms, achieving about flows. Flight effects for supersonic nozzles at 20% reductions. freestream Mach numbers up to 0.4 expand In the area of rocket noise, NASA Mar- on available classical databases. General Elec- shall characterized the ballistic profile, ignition tric demonstrated large eddy simulation (LES)- transient, internal acoustics, and far-field based design differentiation capability over a acoustic pressure response of several full-scale range of subsonic nozzle configurations at the solid rocket motors including Ares I-X, LES for Jet Noise Prediction workshop at SRTMV-N1, and the RSRMV-DM2. Ares I NASA Glenn. CRAFT Tech used LES for pre- scale-model acoustic test (ASMAT) testing, dicting supersonic jet noise at takeoff/landing which began this year, is a 5% subscale test for carrier-borne strike aircraft. The simula- series that uses 18 rocket-assisted takeoff tions agreed with test data including observed (RATO) solid rocket motor test firings. Each twin screech tones and broadband associated vertical ASMAT test incorporates over 120 shock noise. high-frequency acoustic instruments to cap- ATA Engineering developed a continuous- ture internal motor, ground, and liftoff scan acoustical holography system, with sup- acoustics; ignition overpressure; and spatial port from AFRL. Experiments conducted at correlation measurements for source location. Penn State demonstrated that the new con- Data from these tests will be used to deter- tinuous-scan signal processing can deliver “ef- mine full-scale acoustic launch environments fectively infinite” spatial resolution, enabling and corresponding sound suppression sys- by David Alvord high-frequency measurements using fewer tems for NASA Kennedy. and Abraham Meganathan

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Ground testing placing the refrigeration plant and heat exchanger for the Icing Research Tunnel) were also begun and funded as part of the Ameri- This year has seen significant progress in test- can Recovery and Reinvestment Act program. ing capabilities at major ground test centers. At Aerospace Corporation, a new state-of- New facilities have been commis- the-art turbopump cavitation test facility was sioned to address specific testing commissioned. This new water flow facility re- needs, and existing facilities have cently completed qualification testing using a been upgraded to provide cus- quarter-scale model of the space shuttle main tomers with more data while main- engine low-pressure oxidizer pump and is now taining or reducing overall test fully operational and available for testing. costs. In addition, facilities around The Aerodynamics Laboratory of the Na- the world have continued to de- tional Research Council Canada upgraded its velop new testing methodologies 0.9-m 3/4-open-jet, closed-circuit wind tun- and measurement techniques to nel. This will allow aeroacoustic testing to be enhance understanding of flow performed in conjunction with the lab’s cur- physics and to provide engineers rent aerodynamic capability for aerospace and with greater insights into the per- automotive applications. formance of their test articles. The Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9 at the Despite these positive develop- Arnold Engineering Development Center in Cavitation of the space ments, a combination of uncertain workloads, White Oak, Maryland, successfully returned to shuttle main engine LOX inducer is observed under limited budgets for maintenance, and an aging service after a renovation of the main tunnel off-design conditions. infrastructure have continued to erode the controller and the installation of a new state- availability of state-of-the-art ground test facil- of-the-art digital control room. The tunnel also ities throughout the U.S. The list of defunct implemented a global heat-transfer measure- facilities has grown with the decommissioning ment system that can operate simultaneously of the Langley Full-Scale Tunnel and the dem- with traditional measurement techniques dur- olition of the North American Trisonic Wind ing a continuous-pitch sweep and does not Tunnel, which closed in 2007. Representa- significantly increase the test program’s sched- tives of NASA, DOD, and U.S. industry are ule or cost. The resulting global heat-transfer continuing discussions to address the decline maps offer considerable insight into the aero- of existing test infrastructure. thermal environment experienced by the test article. In the U.K., the Aircraft Research Associ- ation developed a highly productive pressure sensitive paint (PSP) capability for its 9x8-ft Transonic Wind Tunnel over the full Mach An Aerojet 100-lbf engine number range. Compared with conventional undergoes testing in the pressure measurement techniques, PSP pro- NASA Glenn Altitude Combustion Stand. vides noncontact, full-field measurements on complex aerodynamic surfaces with high spatial resolution. Meanwhile, researchers from NASA Lang- ley, Ohio State University, and the University of Iowa implemented a novel megahertz-rate At NASA Glenn, the open rotor propul- laser-based measurement system in Langley’s sion rig, originally conceived in the 1980s, Mach-10 tunnel to obtain global qualitative was refurbished to help industry develop new and quantitative measurements of the flow- engines based on unducted turbofan technol- field structure in hypersonic flows. ogy. In addition, the Altitude Combustion A team from the Japan Aerospace Explo- Stand began operation. This new state-of-the- ration Agency used state-of-the-art CFD art facility is capable of testing gaseous hydro- methods to determine the optimum spacer gen, gaseous oxygen, liquid hydrogen, liquid height required in a half-model wind tunnel oxygen, and liquid methane rocket engines up test. This final example is typical of the grow- to 2,000 lb thrust and rocket chamber pres- ing integration of high-end computational sure to 1,000 psia. Two major test facility en- tools with ground test techniques around the hancement projects (adding icing capability to world, offering exciting new possibilities to the by Julien Weiss the Propulsion Systems Laboratory and re- ground testing community.

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Applied aerodynamics tional research and engineering acquisition tools and envi- The NASA Common Research Model (CRM), ronments) program used in the Fourth Drag Prediction Workshop was established in (DPW-IV, http://aaac.larc.nasa.gov/tsab/cfd FY08 to enable ma- larc/aiaa-dpw/) was tested in NASA’s Na- jor improvements in tional Transonic Facility and 11-ft Wind Tun- engineering design nel. Preliminary results were presented at the and analysis pro- 28th Applied Aerodynamics (APA) Confer- cesses. The pro- ence. Predictions from DPW-IV participants, gram seeks to de- summaries, and statistical results were offered velop and deploy in three dedicated sessions. A special CRM scalable, multidisci- experimental data session will take place at plinary physics- the 49th Aerospace Sciences Meeting next based computa- January. As a continuation of DPW-IV work, tional engineering products for the design and A Boeing-led team used a portfolio of innovations to a NASA/Boeing effort extended grid refine- analysis of ships, air vehicles, and RF anten- design an craft that could ments beyond 2 billion points, validating that nas. CREATE is a multiinstitutional, multiser- provide a 70% increase in CFD processes are capable of handling the vice, multiagency, and multidisciplinary pro- fuel economy. growth of production-class CFD simulations gram with participation by the Navy, Air for many years. Force, Army, OSD, industry, and academia. The High Lift Prediction Workshop (Hi- The Air Vehicles program, CREATE-AV, re- LiftPW) was created to assess the numerical leased two products in FY10, the fixed-wing prediction capability of CFD technology for design tool KESTRELv1.0, and the rotorcraft swept medium/high-aspect ratio wings in design tool HELIOSv1.0. landing/takeoff configurations, develop mod- NVIDIA and other graphics hardware ven- eling guidelines, and advance the understand- dors have invested in GPUs (graphics pro- ing of high-lift flow physics. The first work- cessing units) that are designed to be mas- shop (HiLiftPW-1, http://hiliftpw.larc.nasa. sively parallel accelerators to conventional gov), colocated with the 28th APA Confer- CPUs. Recent GPU performance achieve- ence, used the open NASA trap wing configu- ments for aerodynamics applications have ration. It attracted 21 participants from eight been reported by several noted organizations countries and 18 organizations. Trends due to including BAE Systems, George Mason Uni- flap angle were analyzed, and the effects of versity, Stanford, Oxford, and Cambridge. grid family, grid density, solver, and turbulence Growing interest in GPUs for CFD is evident model were addressed. A statistical analysis of from the increasing number of relevant pa- the CFD collective results was performed. pers at conferences. Commercial software has In an effort concluding last spring, NASA progressed, and practically every major soft- funded six industry/university teams to exam- ware vendor has a GPU initiative, with some ine transportation scenarios, advanced aircraft having released products this year. configurations, and revolutionary technology The Boeing 787-8 flight test program has for commercial aircraft of 2030 and beyond. validated several innovative aerodynamic The purpose was to foster innovative ap- drag-reduction technologies, including a trail- proaches to achieve vast gains in efficiency ing-edge variable camber system designed to and reductions in environmental impact. optimize the loading of the wing, nacelle cowls NASA will use the defined technology suites designed for natural laminar flow and re- and development roadmaps to prioritize fu- duced viscous drag, and a simple-hinged ture research. A team led by Boeing used a flap combined with drooped spoilers. portfolio of ideas to reduce fuel burn by more A new approach for predicting boundary- than 70%. Likewise, a team headed by MIT/ layer transition in CFD analysis and design of Aurora/Pratt & Whitney presented a low- laminar flow aircraft has been developed at noise aircraft concept estimated to meet fuel NASA Langley. Called MATTC, this empirical burn, emissions, and field-length goals. Super- method gives detailed information on bound- sonics teams, led by Boeing and Lockheed ary-layer modal growth, but with greatly re- Martin, identified innovative airframe shaping duced computational resources relative to ex- as a viable approach to achieving acceptable isting methods. It is currently being extended sonic boom. and evaluated in a cooperative effort with the by Andrew McComas The DOD 12-year CREATE (computa- DLR in Germany. and Stephen LeDoux

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Atmospheric flight mechanics

The Global Observer approaches its landing site at Edwards AFB during its first flight. Copyright AeroVironment.

NASA completed the first pad abort flight test SPT15 turbofan engine intended to power of the Orion launch abort system (LAS) on the X-48C in 2011. May 6. The test met the flight test objectives, AeroVironment successfully completed including propelling the crew module a safe the first flight of the Global Observer strato- distance away from the launch pad and assess- spheric unmanned aircraft system from Ed- ing the stability and control characteristics of wards AFB in August. The aircraft flew the ini- the launch abort vehicle. The test also deter- tial 1-hr flight on battery power as a precursor mined the performance of the abort, jettison, to later flights using the hybrid liquid-hydro- and attitude control motors within the LAS, gen/electric propulsion system. Global Ob- demonstrated the abort event sequencing, and server is designed to fly at altitudes of 55,000- obtained structural loads and acoustics data at 65,000 ft for durations of five to seven days the LAS and crew model interface. and serves as a platform for communication Orion’s LAS provides an emergency es- and sensor payloads. cape system for the crew if a life-threatening Northrop Grumman was awarded $517 issue arises either on the launch pad or during million to develop up to three long-endurance the vehicle’s ascent to orbit. The abort flight multi-intelligence vehicle (LEMV) systems for tests use uncrewed vehicles, although the vehi- the Army. LEMV is a new hybrid airship cles have outer mold lines and mass properties weapons system and will be deployed in Af- similar to those of the production Orion crew ghanistan in 2011. module and LAS. Data from the abort flight The Navy UCAS-D X-47B completed its tests will allow NASA to validate key abort slow and medium-speed taxi tests at Northrop models for LAS performance, parachute sys- Grumman’s production plant in Palmdale, tem performance, separation aerodynamics, Calif. It is currently undergoing preparations and separation mechanism performance. for its first flight at Edwards AFB this month. Boeing completed Flight 80 of the X-48B NASA Global Hawk completed four sci- on March 19 and its stated Phase-1 flight test ence flights over the Pacific Ocean in April as objectives. The program achieved edge-of- part of the Global Hawk Pacific mission, a envelope maneuvers, including stalls, side- joint NASA-NOAA project with Northrop slips, and departure limiter assaults. A final re- Grumman support. Fitted with 11 science in- port was drafted and submitted to NASA and struments, the craft acquired and transmitted AFRL customers on May 28, and a Phase-1 data that have not previously been accessible technical out-brief took place on August 5. through either manned flights or satellites. The X-48B flight vehicle and ground con- The flights also marked the first time a Global trol station (GCS) began an extensive mainte- Hawk has flown as far as 85° north latitude. nance and upgrade program that includes a On September 2, the UAV supported a continued airworthiness structural inspection, science research flight over Hurricane Earl to installation of an upgraded flight control com- better understand how tropical storms form puter, overhaul of the parachute and recovery and develop into major hurricanes. systems, as well as software upgrades for both Solar Impulse, the first manned airplane the aircraft and GCS. designed to fly continuously without fuel, per- The X-48B resumed flight tests with a formed its maiden flight on April 7 and flew checkout flight in September to perform its for 26 hr solely on solar energy. The final goal by Mujahid Abdulrahim, Bruce Owens, Phase-1.5 follow-on test maneuvers, including of this project is to demonstrate the potential Peggy S. Hayes, single-surface parameter identification evalua- of renewable energy by a five-stage flight and Michael Kisska tions and a flying testbed evaluation of the around the world in 2013.

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Atmospheric satisfying test objectives and restoring the and space environments chamber’s thermal test capability. Scientists at NASA Marshall and the Air Force Research Laboratory, using data from McGill CFD Lab and Newmerical Technolo- the floating potential measurement unit on gies International intensified their develop- the ISS, have shown that charging events av- ment of 3D in-flight icing tools embedded into eraging less than 1 min in duration sometimes the system now known as FENSAP-ICE. They occur when the ISS is coming out of eclipse. have developed a truly unsteady in-flight ice accretion methodology that dispenses with de- ciding how many time intervals to take during ice accretion. In addition, the two groups have developed reduced-order models to analyti- cally explore the entire FAA In-Flight Icing Certification envelope and identify worst-case icing and worst-case performance conditions using only a few 3D simulations. Finally, they have demonstrated arbitrary Eulerian La- grangian mesh movement algorithms that permit the calculation of long-time ice accretion without the need for remeshing. NASA and the Instituto Nacional de Téc- nica Aeroespacial (INTA) in Madrid conducted an experiment to obtain droplet breakup data on an airfoil configuration. The experiment used an airfoil model in the rotating rig test cell at INTA along with a monosize droplet generator. High-speed imaging was used for observing the interaction between the droplets and the airfoil as well as droplet deformation and breakup. Tracking software was used to measure the droplet displacement and calcu- The Mark 1 thermal vacuum late velocity and acceleration. The velocity The events may be of high amplitude and chamber, viewed from the top, is a 42-ft-diam, 82-ft-high space and acceleration, together with experimental seem to be caused by abnormally high elec- environment simulation test values of the air velocity at the locations of the tron current collection on ISS conductors chamber. droplets, were used to calculate the Weber, when adjacent insulators are as yet uncharged Reynolds, and Bond numbers and drag coeffi- by the daytime plasma. The events also seem cients along the droplet path. This is the first to be affected by the earthly weather condi- time that a systematic study of droplet defor- tions at the point where the Sun is rising for mation and breakup has been conducted for ISS. Partly cloudy conditions may lead to droplets approaching the leading edge of an complex charging signatures in time, with airfoil, and the first time that the important clear patches leading to a high, open-circuit parameters have been directly measured voltage and corresponding to charging peaks and/or calculated along the path of the in the floating potential probe output on the droplets from initial deformation to breakup measurement unit. and contact with the airfoil. AIAA has published an updated version of A checkout test was conducted in the the Guide to Reference and Standard Atmo- Arnold Engineering Development Center’s sphere Models as AIAA-G-OO3C-2010. This Mark 1 thermal vacuum chamber to complete document provides a summary for more than reactivation of the liquid nitrogen (LN2) cooling 78 national and international reference and system. The Mark 1 is a 42-ft-diam, 82-ft-high standard atmosphere models. The guide has space environment simulation test chamber. been used extensively as a source document The requirement for the shroud cooldown was for information on models pertaining to aero- to provide a test environment that was cooler space engineering applications. It includes than 100 K, and temperatures as low as 86 K new contributions solicited from several model by Dustin Crider were achieved. An infrared camera was used developers, both national and international. and the AIAA Atmospheric to view the progression of LN2 through the (Copies may be obtained at www.aiaa.org and Space Environments cooling panels. The checkout was successful in without charge to AIAA members.) Technical Committee

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AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Modeling and simulation will help guide efforts to develop additional training methods and technologies, both in simulation and on board the aircraft, that may Aviation safety experts are turning to the reduce the number of LOC-I accidents. modeling and simulation community for help To improve safety, ICATEE’s training and in reducing loss of control in flight (LOC-I) ac- regulations working group is developing cidents, the leading cause of aviation fatalities. strategies that may include additional flight Multiple government agencies and interna- training and other regulatory changes for tional organizations, including the AIAA Mod- early career pilots, as well as changes in the eling and Simulation Technical Committee, training aids themselves. have partnered to form the International As air traffic management is being defined Committee for Aviation Training in the Ex- in the Next Generation (NextGen) program, tended Envelopes (ICATEE). This group has simulation is playing a large role in the estab- taken a dual-stream approach to addressing lishment of the system requirements. It will both short-term and long-term solutions to the also play an important role in the testing of problem of LOC-I accidents: The ICATEE the new guidance algorithms that will enable training and regulations group has created a NextGen. training matrix that identifies the requirements In addition to its work in support of avia- for improving pilot awareness, recognition, tion safety, the simulation industry continues avoidance, and recovery as part of their skill sets. The intention is to take a graduated approach to incorporating these recom- ICATEE has been making mendations and to use recommendations that existing hardware as could improve the realism much as possible as of flight training within well as advanced tools the cockpit environment. for academic training. ICATEE’s research and technology group has been reviewing training device fidelity with a particular focus on the aerodynamic databases in the extended envelope. The group has also been making recommenda- to develop more cost-effective simulation cations that could improve the realism of flight pabilities based on commercial-off-the-shelf training within the cockpit environment itself. products, particularly for visual systems. One major current shortcoming is the abil- Greater use of the growing capabilities of ity of simulator-based scenarios to reproduce GPUs (graphical processor units) is increasing the surprise factor during training. While tech- the overall capabilities and fidelity of simula- nology can help to increase the realism of the tion. High-rate LED flat panel displays also of- simulator, even safety-critical events become fer the possibility of further reducing visual mundane when they recur during training. system transport delays. Continuing research Thus the role of the instructor and the devel- focuses on increasing the fidelity and training opment of appropriate scenarios are both transfer of simulation motion systems. helpful. Areas where the aerospace simulation in- Another area of great interest is the fidelity dustry has seen improvement, such as predic- of the simulation “atmosphere” inside the tive modeling, motion control, human percep- cockpit. Both type-specific and generic sce- tion and action, and system design, are also narios based on real events are being created seeing increased spinoffs to other sectors. for use in simulation training. These scenarios These include telerobotic surgery, rehabilita- by the AIAA Modeling are intended to provide more realistic work- tion research, and solutions to help the dis- and Simulation load and increase the surprise factor in train- abled and injured. A major facility for these ac- Technical Committee ing. The research working group of ICATEE tivities is the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.

24 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2010 Winner of the Summerﬁ eld Book Award and the Aviation/Space Writers Best Seller! Association Award of Excellence.

Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, Fourth Edition

Daniel P. Raymer List Price: $104.95 • AIAA Members: $79.95 2006, 869 pages, Hardback, ISBN: 978-1-56347-829-1 This highly regarded textbook presents the entire process of aircraft conceptual design—from requirements deﬁ nition to initial sizing, conﬁ guration layout, analysis, sizing, and trade studies—in the same manner seen in industry aircraft design groups. Interesting and easy to read, the book has almost 900 pages of design methods, illustrations, tips, explanations, and equations, and has extensive appendices with key data essential to design. The book is the required design text at numerous universities around the world and is a favorite of practicing design engineers.

Raymer…implies that design involves far more than drawing a pretty shape and then shoe-horning people, engines, and structural members into it. It involves art. Raymer’s book covers not only aerodynamics, stability, and stress analysis…but also the interstitial stuff about general arrangement and the interplay of competing design considerations that are really the grout that holds a design together. —Peter Garrison, from Flying Magazine

It was as if this book was written speciﬁ cally for me and brought closure to theoretical concepts with understanding. —James Montgomery, Homebuilder and Student

Great book…very easy to understand and clear explanations. — Chi Ho Eric Cheung, University of Washington

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AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

Lighter-than-air systems

The Army Space and Missile Defense Com- mand awarded Northrop Grumman a $517- million contract to develop three LEMV (long endurance multiintelligence vehicle) hybrid airship systems. The basic LEMV performance requirements include a three-week endurance, an optionally unmanned, 20,000-ft operating altitude, a 2,500-lb payload, 16 kW of payload power, an 80-kt dash speed, and a 20-kt stationkeeping speed. A five-year period of test and support will include delivery in 18 months, followed by test and demonstration in Afghanistan. Northrop Grumman will build the long-endurance hybrid airship for the Army. Other members of the development team include Hybrid Air Vehicles in the U.K., which has been testing a one-sixth-scaled version; pod, Delta Hawk, for retrofit on the A-170 ILC Dover, which will fabricate the nonrigid airship. A new Lightsign and an A-60R en- envelopes, Warwick Mills, supplier of the fab- gine upgrade are under development. The ric; AA1, furnisher of UAV control systems ABC-built Navy MZ-3A was flown from software; and SAIC, which will provide the Yuma, Arizona, to Mobile, Alabama, to assist ground environment for processing and dis- in monitoring the Gulf of Mexico oil spill. semination of sensor data. TCOM LP has developed a new tactical E-Green Technologies has acquired rights aerostat system designated 22M. It will carry from 21st Century to develop the Bullet 580 double payloads at twice the altitudes and airship. It will carry a NASA and Old Domin- twice the power of the 17M tactical used in ion University payload to measure moisture Iraq. TCOM has been awarded contracts for content in soil. E-Green currently flies a 125- 13 of the 22M systems. ft scaled version. Lockheed Martin received a $133-million SAIC plans to develop several Skyship contract for eight aerostat persistent threat nonrigid airships with envelope volumes of detection systems (PTDS) in October 2009. 80,000 ft3 (currently operating), 138,000 ft3, They will be used in Afghanistan and Iraq. ILC and 185,000 ft3. Each could be piloted or re- Dover will have delivered a total of 40 PTDS motely controlled. They would carry payloads envelopes to Lockheed Martin by the end of of 1,000 to 2,000 lb. A 1.5 million-ft3 cargo this year. In addition, ILC Dover will deliver transport airship also is under study. 420,000-ft3 and 275,000-ft3 aerostats for SAIC has teamed with Zeppelin Luft- Tethered Aerostat Radar Systems supplied to schifftechnik in Germany to produce a new Lockheed Martin. multipurpose airship, the MPZ 07, a pilot-op- Airship Ventures, based at the former Mof- tional version of the semirigid NT-07. fett Field Navy base, assisted scientists from This year Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei, the SETI Institute and NASA in studying the which began operations in 1997, carried its salt ponds and microscopic organisms in San 100,000th passenger. Zeppelin has developed Francisco Bay during October 2009. In May a long-distance kit that includes additional fuel of this year the NT-07 flew from Moffett Field tanks and transfer equipment. It was demon- to San Diego to establish a new class record strated during a 24-hr 40-min flight covering for the 10-hr, 459-mi. flight. 783 n.mi. NT-07 airship No. 5, with 15 pass- Sanswire took receipt of its 111-ft STS- enger seats, is under construction. Zeppelin 111 (Stratellite) multisegmented airship from bought NT-07 No. 2 from Japan’s Nippon the TAO organization in Germany. Sanswire Airship, which has ceased operation. No. 2 has developed its 126-ft SkySat for testing probably will be rebuilt in Friedrichshafen, and demonstration to potential customers by Germany. Global Telesat. American Blimp (ABC) has downsized its Digital Design and Imaging Services has organization, both in Oregon and at its Light- built a balloon-supported “9-Eye” camera, ship Group in Florida. Current activities in- which it uses for documenting surveillance by Norman Mayer clude development of a heavy fuel engine tower placement.

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Flight testing endurance record set in 1986 by the Voyager, which stayed aloft for nine days. NASA flew the first research mission with NASA successfully launched the Ares I-X de- its Global Hawk on a 14-hr flight over the Pa- velopment flight test vehicle in October 2009, cific Ocean, from the Dryden Research Cen- demonstrating excellent control of the first- ter nearly to Alaska and back, flying at alti- stage flight of the booster, whose tall, slender tudes in excess of 60,000 ft. The research design had been planned for use in the Con- airplane carries 11 instruments to sample the stellation program. This launch was followed air and profile the dynamics and meteorology in May by a successful demonstration of the of the atmosphere. capsule abort system, using solid-rocket con- The Boeing 787 Dreamliner flight test trol motors. fleet passed the 1,000-hr mark in June. Gulf- In further testing of vehicles for access to stream introduced a new airplane, the G250, space, the Air Force successfully launched the and conducted the first flight test in December X-37B orbital test vehicle on an Atlas V 2009. Scaled Composites’ SpaceShipTwo rocket in April. Designed to be a reusable completed a crewed “captive carry” flight test spaceplane, the X-37B is a test platform for aboard WhiteKnightTwo in July, and followed experiments in space. that with the first piloted gliding flight of Another success in flight testing occurred SpaceShipTwo in October after it was rein May when the X-51 scramjet-powered leased from WhiteKnightTwo at an altitude of WaveRider was dropped from a B-52 and set about 45,000 ft. a record for the longest hypersonic flight ever, Launch of the Ares I-X flying at Mach 5 for about 3 min. development flight test In February the Airborne Laser Testbed, a vehicle took place on modified Boeing 747-400 fitted with a pow- October 28, 2009. erful chemical laser and a precise targeting system, successfully demonstrated the first shoot-down of a ballistic missile during boost phase using a directed-energy weapon. The Joint Strike Fighter program continued testing in January with the first in-flight engagement of the F-35B STOVL (short takeoff/vertical landing) propulsion system. The first vertical landing took place in March. The carrier variant (F-35C) made its first flight in June, bringing all three planned variants (conventional, carrier, and STOVL) into the flight testing phase. The Stratospheric Observatory for In- frared Astronomy (SOFIA), a modified Boeing 747SP with a 100-in.-diam reflective tele- In rotorcraft testing this year, the Sikorsky scope, made its first in-flight night observa- X2 demonstrated its high-speed capabilities, tions. SOFIA flew at altitudes of 35,000 ft, setting an unofficial record of 250 kt with its above most of the atmospheric water vapor coaxial rotor and pusher-prop configuration. problems that hinder ground-based observa- Kaman’s autonomous K-MAX cargo resupply tions. When operational, the usual altitudes vehicle demonstrated autonomous and re- for observations will be between 41,000 ft motely piloted capabilities that included deliv- and 45,000 ft. The observatory will carry a ering sling loads and cargo loads of 3,000 lb maximum of 20 crewmembers for missions flying 150-n.mi. round trips. A sensor system lasting up to 8 hr. to enable helicopter landings in dust “brown- Solar-powered aircraft began breaking en- out” situations was tested in full brownout durance records this year. The piloted Solar conditions at the Yuma Proving Ground, Ari- Impulse flew on solar power for 26 hr in July, zona, in September 2009 aboard an EH-60L. and the Zephyr UAV flew at 60,000 ft, re- The 3D-LZ system consists of a dust-tolerant maining aloft for two weeks. Zephyr’s flight ladar sensor with a display symbology system broke the previous unmanned airplane en- that enables a pilot to land or identify unsafe durance record of over 30 hr, set by a Global conditions and execute a go-around during Hawk in 2001, as well as the manned flight brownout conditions. by Jay Brandon

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Balloon systems NSC’s high altitude shuttle system (HASS), which has defense, science, and commercial applications, continues to progress toward be- This year brought progress in planetary bal- coming operational. HASS fully integrates an looning, controllable small balloons, and re- innovative tactical launch system with a spe- covery systems. These advances are stretch- cial high-altitude UAS for payload recovery. ing the boundaries of traditional balloon The system allows launches to be performed mission concepts. in winds of up to 30 kt with a two-person A JPL team conducted a successful aerial crew from undeveloped sites (including ships). deployment and inflation flight test on a 5.5- The design of the HASS shuttle UAV was op- m-diam prototype Venus balloon. The balloon timized for high-altitude payloads and their was deployed and inflated with 7 kg of helium semiautonomous return to predetermined gas while descending under a parachute with landing locations. To date, NSC has con- aerodynamic conditions ducted over 100 HASS flights, returning pay- comparable to those at loads of up to 30 lb. Venus. Although the bal- Smith College has continued to develop loon was not later re- controlled meteorological (CMET) balloons for leased for free flights, all use in atmospheric research. These balloons, other steps in the process although similar in size to standard rawin- were demonstrated, and sondes, carry sophisticated sensors, have long- the balloon was recov- duration flight capability, and can repeatedly ered, inspected, and change altitude on command via satellite. Re- found to be undamaged. cent analyses demonstrate that CMET bal- This result demonstrates loons performing continuous soundings can CMET balloons performing further maturing of the simultaneously measure trajectories over a continuous soundings can balloon technology re- wide range of altitudes for periods of 30 hr simultaneously measure quired at Venus for a or more. trajectories over a wide range of altitudes for long-duration, cloud-level This new technique, which was found to periods of 30 hr or more. balloon capable of carry- be more accurate than transport models in ing a 45-kg payload. predicting plume location, has applications in Near Space Corpora- air-pollution and atmospheric process studies tion (NSC) has developed and for tracking hazardous plumes in near-real a new large/heavy-lift time. In an August study directed by the Nor- balloon capability. This wegian Meteorological Institute, five CMET effort allowed for a fresh balloons were flown from Ny Ålesund, Nor- look at scientific balloon way (78.9° N), reaching new milestones for paradigms and led to flight time (192 hr) and number of balloons in some significant new ap- the air at one time (four) as they dispersed proaches, including use over the North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. of a staged, packed-para- NASA’s flight program had its successes chute recovery system. and challenges this year. Six flights were con- The system uses a ducted from Antarctica. The CREAM (cosmic drogue chute for the ini- ray energetic and mass) mission achieved over tial high-speed stabilized 37 days’ flight duration, thus providing over descent, followed by the 155 days of cumulative exposure for the proj- deployment of one or ect. The BARREL (balloon array for RBSP more main chutes to relativistic electron losses) project flew four slow the descent before test flights in preparation for a 40-flight cam- impact. The new recov- paign in 2012. The increased-volume super- ery system significantly pressure balloon failed going into float. After reduces the descent time an investigation, changes were made in the from altitude, the poten- design and another balloon was fabricated for tial landing footprint, testing this month. shock loads, and oscilla- The Australia campaign supported two tion of the payload. It is missions: The TIGRE (Tracking and Imaging by the AIAA applicable to payloads Gamma Ray Experiment) mission flew for 57 Balloon Systems with masses ranging from a few hundred to hr, and the Nuclear Compton Telescope mis- Technical Committee several thousand pounds. sion suffered a mishap during launch.

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Piper introduced General aviation the PiperSport early this year, a slightly modified version of a light sport General aviation sales continued to decline built by Czech this year, but did so at a lesser rate than last Sport Aircraft. year. Total shipments for the first half of this year were down 10% from last year. How- ever, in the same period last year they were down 46% from the previous year, and 42% for all of 2009. Billings actually increased slightly this year, a significant change from 2009, when they declined for the first time in over a decade. Deliveries of high-end business jets accounted for the increased billings, although shipments of all business jets dropped 14% from last year. After being The biggest change in deliveries was for granted an allowable weight piston aircraft. Last year they had declined increase this 54%, but for the first half of this year the fig- summer, Terrafugia ure was only 2%. Cirrus actually delivered has redesigned the more airplanes than in the same period last Transition roadable aircraft into a year, with 127 units, and was the largest pro- production ducer of piston aircraft. prototype. Piper, under new ownership by Imprimus, is expanding internationally. It is again em- phasizing entry-level singles, having delivered lage. The company is proceeding to expand it 30 Warriors and Archers so far this year, ver- into a four-place certifiable airplane with a sus two last year. In a surprise move, in Janu- 180-hp Lycoming engine. ary the company introduced the PiperSport, a Light sport deliveries were down this year, light sport aircraft (LSA) manufactured by but the industry is holding its own, especially Czech Sport Aircraft. The first model under with both Piper and Cessna now producing the Piper name was delivered in April. The LSA. A number of companies have re- company is also proceeding with full develop- sponded to complaints about high LSA prices ment of the PiperJet. by offering economy models. Legend intro- At present, the very light jet market as duced the Classic J-3 for under $95,000, and originally conceived appears to be dormant, Flight Design is displaying its CTLS Lite at but larger models that are more in the light-jet $20,000 under the standard model. The com- class are doing quite well. Both the Embraer pany also announced a new version of the CT Phenom 100 and the Cessna Citation Mus- designed specifically for glider tow, the CTLS tang are top sellers among all jets. Earlier this HL (for high lift). year Cessna announced the rollout of the In June the FAA granted an allowable in- 300th Mustang, although production was crease of 110 lb in gross weight to the Terra- downsized at midyear. The HondaJet contin- fugia Transition roadable airplane. This should ues in development, as do the single-engine allow the aircraft to incorporate features that Diamond D-Jet and the Cirrus Vision. enable it to meet federal highway safety stan- Large jet development also continues. The dards and still qualify as an LSA. A redesigned Gulfstream G650 is in flight testing and claims production prototype has already been devel- a cruise speed of Mach 0.925, slightly edging oped, and vehicle deliveries are anticipated out the 0.92 record of the Cessna Citation X. late next year. In addition, the Gulfstream G250 midsize is The general aviation industry still appears on schedule for spring 2011 certification. to be in a slump, and layoffs continue. Tecnam of Italy is becoming a significant Mooney has shut down all new production, player in the general aviation market. Best doing only customer service work with its re- known as a major producer of LSA, the com- maining 55 employees. Hawker Beech is de- pany received FAA certification this spring for pending on military contracts to offset its de- the twin Rotax-powered retractable P2006T. clining business aircraft sales. Still, industry This year the firm also introduced the P2008, analysts remain optimistic and expect a turn- a top-of-the-line LSA with composite fuse- around soon. by Hubert C.“Skip”Smith

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Aerodynamic decelerators chute. In this test, conducted at the Yuma Proving Grounds, a record weight of 78,000 lb was deployed. Following release, the test This was an extremely busy article was allowed to accelerate to a prede- year for parachute develop- termined velocity before the 68-ft-diam ment, both for space appli- drogue parachute was deployed. This para- cations and for precision chute is designed to reorient and decelerate aerial delivery. NASA’s the first-stage booster to an acceptable speed Orion crew exploration vehi- before the three main parachutes are de- cle parachute assembly sys- ployed. The test exercised the drogue para- tem (CPAS) was successfully chute to its intended 450,000-lb design load demonstrated in May at for the Ares I first stage. White Sands Missile Range Pioneer Aerospace began an effort to de- as part of a launch abort sys- sign, build, and test the descent system for tem test. CPAS consists of ESA’s intermediate experimental vehicle two mortar-deployed drogue (IXV). The IXV project is part of the ESA Fu- parachutes, which slow the ture Launchers Preparatory Program. The crew module during reentry IXV reentry system is a technology platform into the Earth’s atmosphere, to verify in-flight performance of critical re- followed by three mortar-de- entry technologies. The lifting-body-shaped ployed pilot parachutes that IXV weighs approximately 1,900 kg and is 5 in turn deploy three 116-ft m long and 2 m wide. The IXV descent sys- final descent main para- tem consists of a mortar-deployed pilot, a su- chutes. The CPAS team has personic ribbon drogue, subsonic ribbon been performing compo- drogue, and ringsail main parachute. The IXV nent and subsystem tests launch, reentry, and final 6-m/sec water land- since 2006, but the recently ing is planned for 2013. conducted Pad Abort 1 test A Blizzard autonomous networked aerial marked a significant mile- delivery system (ADS) was developed by the stone in the demonstration Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems Center at of the complete recovery the Naval Postgraduate School. Because of its system, which functioned smart guidance and control algorithms, even flawlessly. with strong winds this ultralightweight ADS SpaceX recently com- proved quite reliable and exhibited a superb The crew module descends following Pad Abort 1 launch pleted its first Dragon space- performance of 40 m circular error probable. on May 6 at White Sands craft drop test. The purpose Such performance allows the development Missile Range. was to test the deployment team to proceed with the demonstration of of the Dragon recovery sys- unique applications for aerial delivery, such as tem as well as recovery op- precise delivery of an autonomous ground ro- erations ahead of the first bot, landing on a moving platform, and de- scheduled launch later this ployment from the stratosphere. year. The recovery system In Europe, the FASTWing CL Project, includes two drogue para- largely funded by the European Commission chutes to begin deceleration and conducted by a consortium of eight Euro- and stabilization of the pean companies and institutions, was com- spacecraft, followed by three pleted successfully, with a total of 21 drop main parachutes that reduce tests of payloads weighing between 6,500 the capsule’s speed to the and 13,000 lb. Using a 3,225-ft2 tapered desired landing descent rate. parafoil and ultracapacitor-powered actuators, This test, conducted in Au- the system navigated autonomously to the tar- gust off the coast of Califor- get, showing an average glide ratio of 4:1. nia, was a complete success. The SPADES 1000 Mk2 system, devel- Alliant Techsystems, to- oped by NLR and Dutch Space in the Nether- gether with NASA, the lands, has been sold to the Netherlands De- Army, and United Space Al- fense Forces and is presently undergoing liance, broke the record for the largest single system qualification. load extracted from a C-17 aircraft as they For more information, go to: https://info. by Elsa Hennings successfully tested an Ares I drogue para- aiaa.org/tac/AASG/ADSTC/default.aspx.

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V/STOL increase further when BF-5, the final test jet, enters airborne testing late this year. The year’s other, equally significant mile- In two major highlights for the year, both the stone was Sikorsky’s record-breaking X2 flight F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and the X2 heli- on September 15, in which the company’s copter set very important speed records. X2 Technology Demonstrator achieved 250 Lockheed Martin’s milestone flight oc- kt true air speed in level flight and fulfilled the curred on June 10, when an F-35B piloted by program’s primary objective. All loads, vibra- a U.S. marine became the first of the JSF pro- tions, and temperatures were within limits, duction STOVL (short takeoff/vertical land- and the speed was limited only by power avail- ing) aircraft to fly faster than the speed of able. The aircraft hit 260 kt in a shallow dive sound. The aircraft accelerated to Mach 1.07 immediately following the level flight record. on the first in a long series of planned super- Testing was at the company’s West Palm sonic flights. The ultimate requirement is Beach facility. Mach 1.6. “For the first time in military avia- “The real significance of this record flight tion history, supersonic, radar-evading stealth is that X2 technology can [now] be applied to comes with short takeoff/vertical landing ca- new designs using the knowledge learned. pability,” said Bob Price, Lockheed Martin The era of high-speed, low-disk-loading heli- F-35 USMC program manager. copters has arrived and will change rotary-

On June 10, an F-35B reached a record speed of Mach 1.07.

On the significance of the flight, the pro- wing aviation forever,” says Sikorsky engineer gram manager said, “The supersonic F-35B Tom Lawrence. can deploy from small ships and austere bases During the buildup flights to the record run near front-line combat zones, greatly enhanc- of the Sikorsky X2, the aircraft was modified ing combat air support with higher sortie-gen- to improve its handling qualities. A small hor- eration rates.” izontal surface was added to the ventral fin to The Mach 1.07 record was achieved on improve longitudinal stability, and the fly-by- the 30th flight of the F-35B STOVL variant wire control laws were tuned to improve known as BF-2. The pilot, Marine Corps Lt. damping. The active vibration control system Col. Matt Kelly, climbed to 30,000 ft and ac- was also adjusted to maintain low vibration celerated to Mach 1.07 in the offshore super- levels in the cockpit. As a result, the aircraft sonic test track near NAS Patuxent River, Md. was easy to fly at 250 kt and should be capa- Future testing will gradually expand the flight ble of achieving higher speeds. envelope out to the aircraft’s top speed of Work is currently under way to add an in- Mach 1.6, which the F-35 is designed to terhub fairing, sometimes called the sail fair- achieve with a full internal weapons load of ing, to reduce the drag of the exposed upper more than 3,000 lb. rotor shaft. With this addition, it is expected By August 31, the F-35B STOVL jets un- that the X2 will achieve speed increases of dergoing flight testing at Patuxent River had 10-15 kt. Further flight testing is planned into completed 122 flights, broken the sound bar- next year. rier, and logged 10 vertical landings for the A significant contribution to the X2’s mile- year. The flights of the four STOVL jets (BF-1, stone flight was the use of piloted simulation. -2, -3, and -4) represent more than half of the This allowed changes in control laws or con- 233 total F-35 flights for the year to date. The figuration to be assessed before being imple- STOVL jets logged 26 flights in August, their mented and made it possible for the X2 to highest monthly total so far. Flight rates will reach 250 kt in only 17 flights. by E.R.Wood

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The Boeing X-51A Harvard University is developing high-per- Aircraft design WaveRider made his- formance insect-size flapping-wing spy vehi- tory on May 26 by cles, using a unique fabrication technique to making the longest create the insect-scale wings, actuators, tho- ever supersonic com- rax, and airframe. The effect of wing design bustion hypersonic on performance is being investigated through flight. Pratt & Whit- experiments that move the wings at high fre- ney Rocketdyne’s hy- quencies, recreating trajectories similar to drocarbon-fueled and those of an insect. These include high-speed fuel-cooled scramjet stereoscopic motion tracking, force measure- engine burned for ments, and wing flow visualization. 200 sec, accelerating Military rotorcraft design could get a ma- the vehicle to Mach jor boost this year. Sikorsky’s fly-by-wire high- The SolarEagle is designed 5. The X-51A is a speed X2 demonstrator achieved its 250-kt to carry a 1,000-lb payload major advancement toward sustained-use hy- speed milestone, paving the way for the de- in continuous flight for personic propulsion relative to its predecessor velopment of faster helicopters. DARPA’s five years. the X-43A, which was powered by an un- Mission Adaptive Rotor program is develop- cooled, hydrogen-fueled scramjet that burned ing a shape-changing rotor that could offer for just 12 sec. substantially more payload and range with Other key activities complementing scram- significantly less noise and vibration. The ro- jet development are under way. Lockheed tor’s blades can “adapt” to a wide range of Martin and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne are flight conditions by changing their own pa- working on a TBCC (turbine-based combined- rameters. Boeing is studying the Discrotor cycle) engine, under DARPA’s Mode Transi- convertible rotorcraft, which slows the rotor tion program. The Vulcan engine program and retracts extendable telescopic blades has advanced to the second stage, aimed at within the disc as it accelerates, until it development and demonstration of a constant- morphs into a high-speed (400-kt) swept- volume combustion (CVC) engine and CVC wing aircraft powered by variable-thrust module integration into a turbine engine. ducted propfans. In the military aircraft segment, the Ma- The truss braced wing (TBW) configura- rines’ STOVL F-35B accomplished its first tion is promising to be a “green” design that vertical landing, and the Navy F-35C carrier could be used for commercial airliners enter- variant achieved its first flight. The Air Force ing service in 2030. A Virginia Tech-led study F-35A is undergoing mission systems and for NASA is showing that a TBW aircraft weapons testing. Northrop Grumman’s Navy burns 30% less fuel than a B-777. Synergy E-2D Advanced Hawkeye entered operational between the TBW’s advanced wing topology, service. The X-47B UCAV (unmanned com- tailless designs, fuselage drag reduction with bat air vehicle) is undergoing testing for air ve- riblets, fuselage relaminarization, Goldschmied The hydrogen-powered Phantom hicle systems/ship systems interface, prepar- devices, and/or buried engines indicates the Eye can stay aloft for four days with a 450-lb payload ing for its maiden flight. potential to achieve more than 70% reduced Boeing’s solar-elec- fuel burn. tric-powered SolarEagle Boeing recently produced five ultragreen high-altitude long-endur- single-aisle commercial aircraft design con- ance (HALE) UAV was cepts. Sugar Volt, a concept featuring a TBW selected for DARPA’s aircraft using an electric battery gas turbine Vulture program to dem- hybrid propulsion system, indicates 70% re- onstrate, in 2014, a duced fuel burn relative to a B-737. UAV that can carry a Lockheed Martin produced a low-sonic- 1,000-lb payload and boom design concept featuring an “inverted- draw 5 kW of power while flying uninterrupt- V” engine-under-wing configuration and ca- ed for five years at above 60,000 ft. The nards for supersonic commercial transports. quad-tail 400-ft flying wing design uses highly Another promising concept is Boeing’s efficient electric motors and propellers. En- X-48B blended wing body, which recently ergy collected by the solar panels is stored in completed “limiter assaults” flights, confirm- solid-oxide fuel cells. Boeing is also developing that a robust, versatile, and safe control ing the 150-ft hydrogen-powered Phantom system can be developed. A modified low- by Dyna Benchergui Eye HALE UAV, which can fly up to four days noise version, the X-48C, is being prepared and Charlie Svoboda with a 450-lb payload. for flight tests in 2011.

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Aircraft operations over strategic time horizons, EDA provides efficient descents that avoid traffic conflicts while maximizing arrival throughput. Reac- This year significant research, including sev- tions of controllers and pilots were en- eral simulation experiments, advanced the couraging. To further enable fuel-efficient Next Generation Air Transportation System descents, EDA technology was combined (NextGen) concept. with new automation and procedures in a In the airport surface domain, a NASA ex- series of NASA TAPSS (terminal area periment tested taxi scheduling algorithms in precision scheduling system) simulations. a human-in-the-loop simulation of a major These combined new time-based meter- U.S. airport, using advanced controller advi- ing automation with advanced navigation Human-in-the-loop simulation sory tools. The experiment demonstrated the concepts to enable environmentally friendly of the TAPSS were conducted. initial feasibility of the algorithms and showed descents in high-density airspace. that eliminating stop-and-go operations dur- NASA investigated function allocation for ing taxiing could reduce fuel expenditure on NextGen, comparing different approaches to the airport surface by 18%. separation assurance. Two human-in-the-loop In the terminal area domain, NASA simu- simulation experiments were conducted on lations increased airport capacity by allowing homogeneous airborne and ground-based planes to approach closely spaced parallel four-dimensional trajectory-based operations. runways in low visibility. The TAAPR (termi- In coordinated simulations, controllers for the nal area approach procedures research) simu- ground-based concept at Ames and pilots for lations compared manual and automatic tech- the airborne concept at Langley managed the niques to pair aircraft from different arrival same traffic scenarios under the two different streams to a coupling point 15 n.mi. from the concepts. Results showed no substantial dif- runway threshold. The speed of the trailing ferences in performance or operator accept- aircraft was coupled to that of the lead aircraft ability. Mean schedule conformance and flight to maintain adequate in-trail spacing to the path deviation were considered adequate for runways. both approaches. Conflict detection warning An FAA/NASA experiment used 22 com- times and resolution times were mostly ade- mercial airline pilots to determine the effect of quate, but certain conflict situations were de- using Data Comm during busy terminal area tected too late to be resolved promptly, creat- operations. Quantitative data were collected ing safety compromises and/or unacceptable on subject reaction time and eye tracking. workloads. Controller feedback was generally Oculometer systems simultaneously tracked positive, although further study is required. the Pilot Flying (Captain) and Pilot Monitoring Research in traffic flow management ex- (First Officer) head angle and eye gaze vector. amined more equitable flight planning under Each crew managed over 200 aircraft and capacity restrictions such as adverse weather, 1,200 voice transmissions. Of particular inter- using a credits-based concept. The concept est to the FAA were new D-TAXI messages, establishes airline flight priorities and route such as the “Expected Taxi” clearance to be preferences, and allows airlines to maintain sent prior to gate pushback during departures, schedule integrity and flight-connectivity con- and prior to Top Of Descent during arrivals. cerns while minimizing fuel consumption. A Crewmembers responded to 95% of the Data human-in-the-loop simulation demonstrated Comm messages within 1 min; however, feasibility and support for the concept. The there was general agreement that 2 min was FAA and NASA also tested the near-term, reasonable for response. Eye tracking data in- Generic Airspace concept. Generic Airspace dicated a significant increase in head-down gives air traffic controllers new tools and in- time for the Pilot Monitoring when Data formation that enable them to become quickly Comm was introduced; however, workload accustomed to new airspace sectors designed was rated as operationally acceptable by al- for maximum operational efficiency. most all crewmembers in all conditions, ex- A NASA/Navy/Air Force simulation mo- cept at certain points beyond the final ap- deled the integration of the Navy’s broad area proach fix and during certain taxi operations. maritime surveillance (BAMS) UAS (un- NASA, with Boeing and the FAA, contin- manned aircraft system) with civilian airspace ued developing the efficient descent advisor operations. Results have been used to perfect (EDA). It gives controllers maneuver advisories the BAMS design and validate the modeling by the AIAA to enable continuous, idle-thrust descent oper- and simulation system for future UAS inte- Aircraft Operations ations in busy traffic. By predicting trajectories gration studies. Technical Committee

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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Systems engineering policy approval cycles. This typically causes out-year cost growth and schedule slippage as programs struggle to reduce near-term Simon Ramo, pioneering physicist and engi- spending while policy and budgets are de- neer, defined systems engineering as “a disci- bated. This in turn provides political justifica- pline that concentrates on the design and ap- tion for cancelling programs. And even if a plication of the whole [system] as distinct from program survives, the end system is less likely the parts. It involves looking at a problem in to prove useful when it becomes operational, its entirety, taking into account all the facets because it must also overcome the accelerat- and all the variables, and relating the social to ing rate of change in the need during the the technical aspect.” length of the schedule slip. This problem has Engineered systems have become increas- resulted in billions of dollars being sunk on ingly complex, and their desired complexity canceled projects. also has been growing at an ever-increasing SEs emphasize the need for internal pro- rate. This poses major challenges for the sys- gram stability, especially in funding and re- tems engineer (SE). As noted systems thinker quirements. Often we hear SEs stress the Russell Ackoff stated, “Change itself is con- need for well-defined requirements at pro- stantly changing.” Donald A. Schön, another gram inception, and the need to resist chang- eminent thinker in this field, pointed out that ing the requirements set during the develop- as the rate of change increases, so does the ment process. This may seem like resistance complexity of the problems that face us. The to change; yet it is resistance to internal pro- more complex the problems, the longer it gram change that is absolutely necessary for takes to solve them. The more the rate of managing costs and program complexity in change increases, the more the problems that efforts to produce a system that does repre- face us change, and the shorter the life of the sent a leap forward in operational capability. solutions we find. Therefore, by the time we It is this actual end product or service that find solutions, they often are no longer rele- constitutes a capability advancement in an vant or effective. ever-changing world. This is becoming prophetic for the SE. The alternative—repeated restructuring The social aspects of systems engineering, and rescoping of a project—increases the like- particularly the political aspects, are becoming lihood of program cancellation, or at a mini-

The Air Force tanker program has gone through several bid-award-appeal cycles.

a greater influence on SEs, challenging their mum, cost and schedule creep. Such restruc- ability to develop products and services that turing may be done with good intention—that are still value added by the time they become is, in an attempt to meet an end user’s ever- operational. U.S. government acquisition is changing needs—but all too often the result is an example of such an influencer. The devel- a system that never achieves operational sta- opment cycle for some of the most complex tus because of program cancellation, justified aerospace systems is significantly longer than by schedule and cost overruns. the yearly congressional budget approval cy- Until government acquisition policy is cles and the tenures of White House adminis- aligned with the realities of the desired com- trations and policies. plexity of future systems, there will be a grow- As each Congress and White House puts ing gap between the length of time it takes to its stamp on defense and space policies, the develop operational system capabilities and changes cause cyclic disruptions in most ma- the length of policy and budget approval cy- jor DOD and NASA programs. There is a dis- cles. This will make the SE’s job of racing continuity between even the most conserva- changing needs to the operational finish line by Brian Selvy tive development cycle and these budget and ever more challenging.

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Computer-aided tain and may require more material, signifi- enterprise solutions cantly affecting product profitability. OODA in a product design process helps engineers and designers observe a product’s After 10 years of advances in software and behaviors before it is manufactured. With ad- hardware technologies, it would be useful to vances in hardware and software technologies, see what has changed and ask the question: the notion of simulation-based engineering can Are we doing enough to exploit the technolo- be used for digitally creating and testing an gies we have around us? idea before it is ever real. Rather than explor- From 2000 to 2005, CAD application ing one design in a certain time period, engi- performance increased almost fivefold, ac- neers can explore significantly more designs. cording to estimates. In the next five years it They can ask “What if I did this or that?” increased only about threefold. Most CAD applications, being single threaded, exploit only a fraction of the available computational power of today’s workstations. Intel and other semiconductor manufacturers moved from increasing clock speeds to maintaining them, adding new instruction and more computational cores. The impact was a leveling off in the performance of serial applications such as computer-aided design. During the same period, analysis and simulation performance is estimated to have increased by nearly 100 times. This was due mainly to increased core count per processor, new instructions, and faster infrastructure. Complex simulations that took nearly five hours to process in 2003 were now being completed in less than 10 minutes. Meanwhile, technical computing software They can orient themselves to new ideas vendors were merging and acquiring CAD, faster, then make a decision and act by asking meshing, simulation, and analysis companies. “What if?” or saying “Wow, I did it.” By accel- They retooled themselves and created com- erating an engineer’s OODA loop, you have prehensive engineering suites, presenting effectively accelerated the art of innovation at users with innovative schematic views that tie your organization. together CAD with the entire simulation pro- We live in interesting times; in fact, the cess. The schematics serve as guides to engi- technologies presented by software and hard- neers, enabling them to process complex mul- ware providers are so fascinating that they are tiphysics analyses with drag-and-drop sim- challenging our status quo. They present us plicity. Their intention is to accelerate the with opportunities to work smarter and more user’s innovation rate by reducing complexity efficiently. We now have options to iterate and increasing system utilization. through more ideas in less time. We can move Henry Ford said, “There’s a better way to from an adequate to an optimal design. But do it—find it.” With advances in workstation are we deploying our new “stuff” to support technologies and the integration of CAD, the way we have been doing business all meshing, CAE, and CFD software, there has along—in some cases decades? Should we be to be a more efficient way to create, test, reviewing our processes and then considering modify, and visualize ideas. An interesting options—hardware and software—that will process that can be applied to the design readily enable us to work the way we believe is process is Boyd’s loop, also known as the best? After all, we are the experts in our prod- OODA (observe, orient, decide, and act) loop. uct development. Simply defined, Boyd’s loop is a decision- If the definition of insanity is “to do the making process similar to the plan-do-check- same thing over and over again and expect act cycle. The speed of the loop is often an different results,” isn’t it time we accelerate in- early indicator of a group’s ability to deliver an novation again and explore how we can rein- by Bill Abramson, optimal design rather than an adequate design vent the design process using the talents and Wes Shimanek, that may cost more to manufacture and main- technologies we have available to us? and Mike R. Jahadi

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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Society and aerospace technology

When the subject of funding for civil space USSR. This is not surprising, because the programs is broached, the “public will” or space race was on. But by 1971, the 10th an- “public mood” is usually cited as well. It is niversary of cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s first clear that when the public will for a space flight, the top-down music culture directed by project is lacking, so too are the needed the Communist Party was dead. It appears funds. But conducting an accurate annual na- that Soviet culture, in terms of the production tional survey on the issue would likely cost as of space music, was rather anemic, whereas much as running some spaceborne experi- in contemporary bottom-up Russian popular ments aboard the ISS. music, space themes are literally rocketing to Fortunately, the social sciences have other new heights. Also on a steep ascent are songs means at their disposal for gauging the public in the aggregate from countries other than mood about space. Specifically, a recent Russia and the U.S. Meanwhile, U.S. produc- analysis of 1,027 space-themed popular tion of space-themed songs may be in decline songs from around the world has provided a after having reached a second peak in the first useful gauge of the public mood toward space decade of this century. over time, beginning with the start of the In the U.S., the later peak likely reflects space race. The analysis was performed by the various discoveries concerning Mars made Thomas Gangale, an author of this report and in the late 1990s and early 2000s; public in- a member of the Astrosociology Subcommit- tee of the AIAA Technical Committee on So- ciety and Aerospace Technology. The analysis reveals some surprising patterns. “…a recent analysis Many U.S. and British songs use outer of 1,027 space-themed popular space as a metaphor rather than being specifically about human spaceflight; only a few songs from around the world songs celebrate particular space missions. Sci- ence fiction themes are more prevalent, espe- has provided a useful gauge of cially Star Trek themes. The UFO phenome- the public mood toward space non was captured in popular music from the very beginning (1947) and continues today. over time,beginning with the The first Sputniks inspired a flurry of rocka- start of the space race.” billy songs. Space jazz was pioneered in the mid-1950s and continued through the 1980s. Surf music also displayed an early affinity for the adventure of spaceflight. “Trek rock” has been a niche for pop groups in both Sweden terest in the Hubble space telescope, space and the U.S. shuttle, and ISS news; and policies about re- By contrast, Soviet songs were specifically turning to the Moon and sending humans to about the heroic adventures of the cosmo- Mars. The downturn seems to track with deci- nauts. Even modern Russian music tends to sions on retiring the shuttle, withdrawing from be more grounded in the reality of human the ISS, and shutting down the Constellation spaceflight in Earth orbit, or in the foreseeable program. possibilities of travel in the inner solar system, Despite the slump in space-themed songs rather than in interstellar science-fiction vi- from the former space race rivals, such music sions set in future centuries. from the aggregate of other countries has It appears that the rest of the world demonstrated steady growth and is now in al- mourns America’s fading space glory much most as sharp an ascent as that of modern more than the U.S. itself does. Songs on the Russia. What can this mean? It is likely reflec- subject, particularly in the U.K., lament the tive of the investment by other nations in the passing of the Apollo years, or, as in Canada, civil space enterprise: China has orbited taiko- satirize the wildly optimistic literature that nauts, India has mastered splashdown tech- baby boomers were raised on. nology, and a supranational Europe has taken by Marilyn Dudley-Flores Peaks in the numbers of songs produced the lead in partnering with other nations on and Thomas Gangale occurred in the 1960s for the U.S. and the space projects.

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Economics developing a commercial space transportation system capable of providing cargo to the ISS, is scheduled for late this year. The aerospace industry saw many positive de- Despite lower interest rates for corporate velopments this year, including a recovery in bonds and modest easing of lending stan- air transportation, progress on programs with dards, companies still faced a constrained potentially large economic implications, and credit environment compared to the pre-crisis increased use of export financing by the space period. However, several satellite operators industry. However, the approaching end of were able to turn to export credit agencies the shuttle era and a sluggish economy are (ECA) for substantial portions of their financ- causes for concern. ing needs, continuing a trend that started with The economic recovery aided a rebound Globalstar’s credit facility from Coface, in the air transportation industry. By June, the France’s ECA, in 2009. Hughes Communica- International Air Transport Association was tions received Coface backing for about $90 forecasting that commercial airline industry million in financing for the launch of its volume will grow over 7% for passenger mar- Jupiter Ka-band broadband satellite aboard an kets and almost 19% for cargo markets. The Ariane rocket. Coface also guaranteed $1.7 industry is on track to achieve an estimated billion of a credit facility for Iridium’s NEXT $2.5 billion in profits this year as compared to mobile satellite system constellation, under de- estimated losses of $9.9 billion in 2009 and velopment by Thales Alenia Space. In addi- $16 billion in 2008. In addition, Boeing’s tion, Inmarsat is seeking U.S. Export-Import 787 Dreamliner made progress. Following up Bank support for the $500-million cost of on its first flight in December of 2009, the three Boeing Ka-band satellites for its Global 787 entered into an extensive flight test pro- Xpress mobile broadband system. gram, with over 500 flights and 1,500 flight hours through the end of August. Boeing’s 787 has begun an extensive flight test program Scheduled for first deliveries in 2011, the 787 has the potential to impact airline industry economics significantly. Among the benefits the plane will provide, says Boeing, are 20% less fuel consumption, 30% lower maintenance costs, 10% lower cash operating costs, and an increase in cargo revenue capacity of over 40%. Another milestone marking progress in industry economics was the successful flight of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launcher. On its inaugural launch in June, Fal- With the end of the space shuttle era ap- con 9 attained a nearly perfect orbital inser- proaching and its replacement, the Constella- tion and accomplished all of its primary mis- tion program, cancelled, the space industrial sion objectives. SpaceX claims that the base is confronting a difficult period. Accord- launcher represents the lowest mission price ing to the Dept. of Labor, the end of the shut- for its vehicle class, listing prices of about $50 tle program could result in the loss of 20,000 million-$60 million per launch. Demand for jobs, with implications for the health and sus- more cost-effective launch services appears tainability of the industrial base. United Space strong, with SpaceX announcing that it has Alliance, the prime shuttle contractor, has al- over 40 launches under contract, including a ready sent out layoff notices to over 1,300 $492-million deal to launch satellites for mo- workers, about 15% of its workforce. Further- bile satellite services provider Iridium’s up- more, the economy appears to be weakening, coming NEXT constellation—the largest single with GDP slowing this year and other eco- commercial launch deal ever signed. In addi- nomic indicators fading. Looking toward tion, the first demonstration flight of the Fal- 2011, a cautious outlook for the aerospace by Scott Isara con 9 for NASA’s COTS program, aimed at industry is warranted. and Marilee Wheaton

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ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Management

A review of the issues aerospace management this issue is how each of these four areas com- grappled with in 2010 starts with formulating pounds the complexity of, the required re- and prioritizing lists. However, while lists are sponse to, and recovery from a crisis. easy to create, in reality it is much more diffi- Even though not associated with aero- cult to segregate issues into topics that can be space, the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico succinctly discussed. Further consideration of illustrates the interrelatedness of these areas. the top issues reveals that not only are all in- It shows how rapidly advancing technology, terrelated, but each compounds the effects of decreasing budgets/staffing, as well as the others. The unavoidable conclusion is that increasing system complexity all challenge our none of these issues can be addressed alone. ability to sustain critical knowledge and man- And even though each issue on the list is image risk holistically. It also demonstrates how portant in and of itself, we can only briefly ex- spillovers—unintended consequences—impact amine the most critical of these issues here. other industries that then have to respond. •Developing a vision for the future of •Cultural change. Change is that all en- aeronautical sciences may be the most im- compassing, ubiquitous thing that we’ve all portant endeavor in the first half of the 21st come to…love. What is interesting and impor- century. Just as the development of aeronau- tant about this issue is the diversity of areas tics in the late 18th and early 19th centuries now effecting cultural change: a multigenera- paved the way for change that still affects tion workforce, intense global competition, a each of us today, the aeronautical sciences stressful economic environment, loss of expe- will have a profound effect on our lives far rience on the contractor and the government into the future. sides, much more complex systems, and more Aeronautics literally means “navigation of rapidly evolving (that is, changing) require- the air”; however, the aeronautical sciences ments, to name only a few. How well we are have produced a broad plethora of goods, able to manage cultural change will largely de- services and knowledge beyond aircraft, from termine how successful we are in each of navigation/communication systems to cook- these areas in the future. Furthermore, how ware for home use. Any vision for the future well we manage cultural change will have a direct impact on our re- silience, for example, on how well we are able to “Any vision for the future of aeronautical manage crises in the future. Again, the relationships and sciences cannot and should not focus solely on the interface between these air transportation.Just as each of management’s very important issues are recognized as crucial. top issues affects all the others,the aeronautical Developing a vision for sciences will continue to affect much more the future of aeronautical sciences is deeply interre- than our mobility through the air.” lated with our industry’s practice of knowledge management and depends heav- of aeronautical sciences cannot and should ily on our management of cultural change. not focus solely on air transportation. Just as Absent an effective system for maintaining each of management’s top issues affects all current expertise and skills, our future may the others, the aeronautical sciences will con- simply be relegated to reinventing the past. tinue to affect much more than our mobility The challenge in aerospace management con- through the air. tinues to be one of recognizing and under- •Management of crisis, in the broader standing these complex issues. Management context of a “top issue,” is different from remains committed to sharing insights and many of the crises in the history of aerospace. best practices on these topics—distilling their The focus of this issue is not a single vehicle essence—in a way that advances our industry. or incident. Rather, the focus is on the rela- In aerospace, our culture, our knowledge, tionship between technology, people, knowl- how we think about and manage risk, and in by Marvine Hamner edge, and risk. What is really important about reality our future, all depend on our vision.

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Software systems

Software continues to play an increasingly im- software to enable vision scientists on Earth to portant role in the development of new aero- enhance human eyesight. space platforms and breakthrough platform Software is used to trigger and synchro- capabilities. Of significance here are software nize an increasing number of onboard func- systems—both resident on flight systems and tions on an increasing number of onboard executing on the ground—that control, man- processors. For example, published reports age, and otherwise interact with flight sys- from this year indicate that the F-35 fifth-gen- tems. This year saw some notable examples eration fighter will have about four times as of the important role that software has played much software code as the F-22 has. This in this area. larger volume of code will be executing on a Flight tests were conducted on a demon- significant number of processors on the air- strator aircraft to prepare it for an attempt to craft, all orchestrated by onboard software. break the world speed record for a helicopter Safety is a paramount concern for aero- (400 kph, set in 1986). Decades ago, an space systems. Newer systems are becom- early flight of an original con- ing more complex in response cept demonstrator had “Flight to customers’ needs for resulted in a crash systems are safe today in part better performance landing after a because of the sound development and more features, sudden pitching and software motion forced processes and effective partnerships that have plays a major the pilot to land been forged between systems/software role in imple- on the aircraft’s developers and customer oversight/regulatory menting this tail. For this emergent, com- year’s attempt at bodies, all of whom have a keen interest in plex functionality. the record, CAD the development and operation of But with added software tools were safe flight systems.” functionality comes an used to redesign the airfoils, even larger burden, that of rotors, and fuselage. Software was ensuring the safety of these increas- written to implement necessary stability aug- ingly complex implementations. Flight sys- mentation functions to dampen unwanted tems are safe today in part because of the pitch and roll when the plane was under pilot sound development processes and effective control, and simulation software was used partnerships that have been forged between to estimate vehicle performance and to drive systems/software developers and customer pilot-in-loop training prior to live flight. The oversight/regulatory bodies, all of whom have aircraft, a Sikorsky X2, reached 250 kt in a keen interest in the development and opera- level flight. tion of safe flight systems. In April a major domestic airline modified To help deal with this increasing complex- the cockpit software in a majority of the air- ity and to ensure system safety, organizations planes in its fleet to allow for precise satellite- such as the National Science Foundation, based navigation approaches to airports. This NASA, and DOD laboratories have made leverages the emerging concept of RNP (re- some important investments in software de- quired navigation performance) routes to en- velopment methodologies and in V&V (verifi- able fuel savings, reduce noise, and shorten cation and validation) technologies for soft- arrival delays. ware. Investment areas include cyber-physical Also this year, work for NASA resulted in systems, model-based development for flight the building of software to fix blurred images software, studying the use of formal methods received from space telescopes. The concept for code analysis, formal languages for soft- involves calculating optical aberrations that ware requirements, research on software de- will be used to sharpen incoming images. This sign-for-certification, and research on prov- software will be coupled with future telescopes ably correct autocode generators. having flexible mirrors that can bend and These research areas can be important for move on command; the combination will en- supporting continued development of increas- able identification of a sensor’s own errors ingly complex and safe aerospace systems, all and implementation of subsequent compensa- enabled by software that can be developed by Jim Paunicka tion. There is even thought of extending this affordably.

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Intelligent systems

This was a year of exciting advances for intel- flight data recorders through DASHlink (dash- ligent systems in both aviation and space. link.arc.nasa.gov), a Web 2.0 portal for the In aviation, DARPA funded Rockwell Col- world. Using Miner and Orca, two advanced lins to design damage tolerant control (DTC) anomaly detection techniques, Southwest was technology to mitigate common UAV failures able to uncover operationally significant such as surface damage, airframe damage, events that would not be triggered by their ex- and complete engine failure. A series of flight isting methods. Orca alone analyzed 7,200 tests were performed with a subscale F/A-18 flights from 10,000 ft to touchdown, reveal- to showcase key aspects of the DTC technol- ing data quality issues, high roll and pitch ogy. DTC’s unique, software-based approach events near final approach fix, and hard nose- to vehicle control has been developed and over prior to landing, leading to everyday evolved over the past decade. Flight tests changes in the commercial airline’s operation. demonstrated completely autonomous flights On the space side, the University of Wyo- with loss of ailerons, loss of 60% of a wing ming pushed the state-of-the-art in evolving and 30% of vertical and horizontal stabilizers, intelligent systems that enhance control, sta- engine-out condition, and 80% wing loss. The bility, and robustness during autonomous as- combination of all-attitude control and an sembly of large complex structures in space. emergency mission management system pro- The components of an evolving system self- vided these UAVs with unprecedented robust- assemble to form new components and are ness against otherwise catastrophic failures. Robust adaptive flight control was an area of particular emphasis this year. A collabora- “The combination of all-attitude tion by Wichita State, Kansas State-Salina, Missouri University of Science and Technol- control and an emergency mission ogy, and Hawker Beechcraft demonstrated an- management system provided other adaptive flight control technology for general aviation aircraft. The team, funded by these UAVs with unprecedented NASA, is advancing model reference adaptive robustness against otherwise control techniques, investigating adaptation in the presence of aeroelastic modes, and using catastrophic failures.” flight simulation flown by student pilots. Their first flight test on board the Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza AGATE/SATS fly-by-wire testbed augmented with additional local controls to en- showed promising results. sure system stability during assembly. Evolving Researchers in the Diagnostic and Prog- systems enable modular system design and nostic Group at NASA Ames’ Intelligent Sys- the reuse of components where scale, com- tems Division, in collaboration with California plexity, and distance preclude astronaut assis- State Polytechnic University, have designed tance because of inherent risks and costs. The and built an innovative airborne testbed for evolving systems framework provides a scala- conducting research into prognostic health ble, modular architecture to model and ana- management of electromechanical actuators. lyze subsystem components and connections. Use of such actuators in aerospace vehicles is Enabling astronauts to make better in- expected to increase for safety-critical func- formed decisions, researchers at NASA John- tions. Several experimental flights of the test- son and Jet Propulsion Lab unveiled and field bed have been conducted aboard USAF C-17 tested a new onboard energy management aircraft and Army UH-60 helicopters. During advisory system. It combines an intelligent flight tests, the testbed’s nominal and fault-in- planner with real-time estimation to provide jected test actuators mimicked the motion and detailed projections of battery energy across load profiles that the aircraft’s actuators were complex activity plans. The onboard planner experiencing, while health management algo- continually revalidates the activity plan as it is rithms evaluated conditions in real time. executed and can inform astronauts when Southwest Airlines streamlined its opera- projection models indicate that the planned tions thanks to NASA technology transfer. activities will lead to an unsafe state or will by Seth Harvey, This year NASA open-sourced many key data jeopardize a contingency plan; the system Michel Ingham, mining algorithms for analysis of output from then suggests recovery options. and Kristin Yvonne Rozier

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INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Computer systems which maintains the specification for Open- GL, now has a cross-platform Open Comput- ing Language, OpenCL. Transformative advances in computing con- As of June, the fastest supercomputer in tinue unabated. Aerospace and advanced mo- the world (according to http://top500.org) is bile technologies have hit the consumer mar- Jaguar (1.759 tFLOPS), at Oak Ridge Na- ket. Computational science and engineering tional Laboratory. Built by Cray, it is a vast ar- are turning to high-performance graphics for ray of multicore 64-bit AMD Opteron proces- new methods of supercomputing. A new radi- sors. The second-fastest supercomputer is ation-hardened FPGA (field programmable Nebulae (1.271 tFLOPS), at the National Su- gate array) is becoming available for space- percomputing Centre in Shenzhen, China, us- borne applications. And space plug-and-play ing a mix of multicore 64-bit Intel processors architecture is proving itself in orbit. and NVidia Tesla GPUs. Third-fastest is Road- GPS-enabled navigation has become es- Runner (1.042 tFLOPS), at Los Alamos Na- sential to drivers on the road. Accelerometers tional Laboratory, using IBM PowerXCell (a have revolutionized game consoles such as the variant of the CELL broadband engine) along Nintendo Wii. Today so-called “smartphones” with multicore 64-bit Opteron processors. integrate sensor and computing technology The need to shorten protracted develop- that would normally be expected in a UAV. ment times for spacecraft is driving the devel- Both the Apple iPhone and Google Android- opment of plug-and-play architectures analo- based devices have GPS receivers, accelerom- gous to those in personal computers. Tac- eters, and gyro or solid-state compasses. They Sat-3, launched in 2009, flew the first space also add digital cameras and radios to support demonstration of AFRL space plug-and-play wi-fi, Bluetooth, and 3G communication, architecture. In June, it was handed over to along with a sophisticated operating system the Air Force as a full-time operational asset. and its array of “apps.” This low-cost, mass- Spaceborne electronics are susceptible to marketed integrated package has caused some effects of radiation. Mitigating these effects is a complex problem involving techniques such as error correction, redundancy, shielding, MGT DSP Logic latch-up current monitors, and watchdog timers. Xilinx, a major provider of programmable logic devices, was funded by AFRL’s PowerPC Space Vehicles Directorate to create the Vir- tex-5QV, a rad-hard version of the Virtex V The Virtex-5 field programmable FPGA. The 1-billion-transistor chip is the gate array consists of various functions embedded in a most complex circuit ever designed for space. columnar architecture. It allows rad-hard designers to use the same (Courtesy Xilinx.) tools currently used in nonhardened designs. The result should revolutionize the implementation of high-performance computation in space. But the niche market for rad-hard devices keeps their prices well above those of their commercial counterparts. I/O Clocking&Config. BRAM Space weather forecasters say a storm season is approaching, noting that the Sun is waking up from an unusually long dormancy. aerospace researchers to adopt smart phones The next solar maximum is expected in early as their starting point for “faster, cheaper, bet- 2013. This is the first since widespread con- ter” vehicle or small satellite design. sumer adoption of GPS technology. The pre- In recent years, computational science and vious solar max (2000) was preceded by a engineering have migrated to massive clusters surge in cell phone adoption. Now, however, of multicore microprocessors for supercom- developing countries are skipping land lines in puting power. Now graphics processing units favor of cell towers. (GPUs) that normally power real-time 3D vis- A solar max is accompanied by coronal ualization are being added to the mix. GPU mass ejections (CMEs). Given the wrong polar- leader NVidia provides a common interface to ity, it could necessitate shutdown of airborne its GPUs through its Compute Unified Device and spaceborne electronics while the associ- by Rick Kwan and Jim Lyke Architecture, or CUDA. The Khronos Group, ated plasma storm passes by the Earth.

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Communications systems ing five spacecraft procured on-orbit and ordered a new satellite from SS/L in Octo- This is the fifth consecutive year of robust ac- ber. A new regional opera- tivity for the satellite industry, with 20-25 tor, Vietnamese VNPT, or- commercial awards projected and 14-16 dered its second satellite launches. With large backlogs, the outlook for from Lockheed Martin. the satellite manufacturing and launch indus- In the government sector, try continues to be healthy. the Air Force placed the By mid-October, Space Systems/Loral third Boeing WGS into oper- (SS/L) had been awarded six satellites, and ation. WGS 4, 5, and 6 con- Boeing increased its backlog with the win of tinue production, and long- Inmarsat-5. Lockheed, Thales, Astrium, and lead funding for a seventh Orbital received one or two awards each. WGS has been authorized. Launch services became a duopoly be- The USAF could acquire up tween ILS and Arianespace, but this is chang- to 12 WGS satellites for the ing. Sea Launch returned to the market after wideband capabilities lost emerging from Chapter 11 with a Russian in- with the TSAT cancellation vestor, and SpaceX’s Falcon 9 had a success- last fall. The Air Force is ful maiden launch. The U.S. EELV manifest studying commercial pro- includes only government launches, except curement practices as a for GeoEye-2, which will launch on an Atlas. faster and less expensive way For satellite broadband, in the U.S., both to meet requirements. Lock- ViaSat-1 is lifted into the thermal vacuum chamber at the Space ViaSat and Hughes continue to add sub- heed Martin launched the first Advanced EHF Systems/Loral satellite assembly, scribers and have next-generation high- satellite; however, a propulsion anomaly was integration, and test facility in throughput satellites on order from SS/L. KA- identified and will delay its entry into service. Palo Alto, California. SAT and HYLAS-1, both manufactured by The second and third AEHF satellites are Astrium, are scheduled for launch late this scheduled to be launched in 2011 and 2012, year for service in Europe, and the Australian respectively. government indicates that satellites will be in- In August, Intelsat announced that its IS- cluded in its national broadband plan. 27 spacecraft, being manufactured by Boeing, In the direct broadcast market, DIRECTV will include a UHF-hosted payload to comple- and the Dish Network continued growing ment existing UFO (UHF Follow-On) and fu- their fleets. Dish launched two spacecraft, ture MUOS (mobile user objective system) DIRECTV ordered DIRECTV-14, and SIRIUS programs. XM Radio launched XM-5. Regarding FSS Among emerging technologies, higher satellites, Telesat ordered Anik G1 and SES power continues to be important, with Thales Astra continued its expansion with the launch and Astrium integrating Alphasat I-XL for In- of Astra 3B. In Asia, the AsiaSat and marsat, and SS/L qualifying its 25-kW space- EchoStar joint venture started HDTV service craft. Flexible payloads providing on-board in June. routing and beamforming have limited appli- MSS (mobile satellite service) provider cation because of the cost premium, but mod- TerreStar made its 3G satellite phone com- est implementations such as IRIS on Intelsat- mercially available through ATT. SkyTerra, 14 are demonstrating benefits. For “bent- rebranded LightSquared, is ready to launch pipe” payloads, the quantity of equipment re- its SkyTerra-1 satellite, and is paying In- quired for two-way broadband and mobile ap- marsat to move its traffic to share spectrum plications is likely to drive more hardware efficiently. The first Thales-provided second- miniaturization. generation Globalstar spacecraft launched, On the regulatory side, the FCC issued a and Iridium selected Thales to build its NEXT notice that could lead to terrestrial use of por- system, with construction financed by CO- tions of MSS spectrum for wireless broad- FACE, the French export agency. An order band. The U.S. is reviewing its export control of three Ka-band spacecraft for the Inmarsat- policies, which may result in some process 5 program signaled a shift for the mobile L- streamlining. At WRC-12, satellite issues to band operator. be addressed include long-term spectrum for The top four FSS (fixed service satellite) aeronautical MSS, spectrum usage of the operators are completing a major satellite re- 21.4-22-GHz band for BSS, and new MSS placement cycle. New entrant ABS is operat- frequency allocations. by Christopher F.Hoeber

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Digital avionics supplement voice communications with less workload-intensive data communications, and enable ground systems to use real-time aircraft At Oshkosh AirVenture 2010, the huge gen- data to improve traffic management. Data eral aviation air show, the FAA NextGen Data Comm will provide two-way data exchange be- Communications (Data Comm) program in- tween controllers and flight crews for clear- troduced new technology that promises major ances, instructions, advisories, flight crew re- savings in time, money, fuel, and environ- quests, and reports. This new FAA technology mental effects. Data Comm avionics were will enhance air traffic safety by providing among the FAA’s key NextGen exhibits. The more timely and effective clearances, leaving technologies introduced there by Data Comm more time for controllers and pilots to think included its new air traffic control (ATC) and and select appropriate actions. It will also en- Boeing 737 cockpit simulators. Both simula- able more orderly communications during tors demonstrate the emerging digital data peak traffic and more reliable messaging, communication avionics and controller tools thereby reducing the number of operational being developed for ATC and aircrews. errors associated with voice communications. In addition, Data Comm will improve controller and aircrew productivity by enabling more efficient operations, faster revised departure clearances, trajectory-based routing, optimized profile descents, and automation of repetitive tasks. This will lessen ground delays, taxi time, fuel use, greenhouse gas emissions, and operational costs. By reducing voice communications congestion and related errors, the FAA estimates the digital data communications will enable controllers to safely handle approximately 130% of current traffic. With these improvements, ATC will evolve from short-term tactical control to managing flights strategically gate-to-gate. Once implemented, Data Comm will provide data transmissions directly to pilots, who can autoload All smiles in the cockpit as Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and the messages into their flight management Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood enjoys “flying” with FAA FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt were two of systems. This will increase air traffic effi- Administrator and former airline the first Oshkosh AirVenture participants to ciency, capacity, and throughput. Use of Data pilot Randy Babbitt. Babbitt is at fly the new Data Comm B737 cockpit flight Comm technology in the NAS is scheduled to the controls of the FAA NextGen simulator. Babbitt, a lifelong aviation enthusi- begin in 2014. Data Comm Boeing 737 flight simulator. The simulator has ast and former airline pilot, demonstrated his The FAA projects that domestic air travel built-in cockpit display units, piloting skills at the controls of the simulator will grow substantially by 2015. By 2022, ac- which demonstrate the transfer by easily taking off, flying, and landing on a cording to the agency’s estimates, failure to of Data Comm digital data communications from air traffic simulated flight between Miami and Ft. Laud- fund and implement NextGen would cost the controllers to the aircrew. erdale, Florida, aided by the simulator’s new U.S. economy $22 billion annually in lost Photo courtesy FAA Data Data Comm technology. economic activity. The number will grow to Communications Program. Data Comm is a key transformational pro- more than $40 billion annually by 2033 if it gram within the FAA NextGen effort. To meet is not implemented. The FAA believes invest- future demand and avoid gridlock in the sky ment in NextGen Data Communications and at airports, the NextGen Data Comm technology is the critically important next program is designed to advance today’s ana- step for improving air safety, reducing delays, log voice-only air-to-ground communications increasing fuel savings, improving the envi- system to one in which digital communica- ronment, and leading U.S. aviation into the tions become an alternative, and eventually a 21st century. predominant, mode of communications. For more information on the NextGen by John Gonda, Data Comm is necessary for fully realizing Data Communications program, please con- Everett Zillinger, and the the NextGen vision of trajectory-based opera- tact Sandra Anderson, manager, Air/Ground AIAA Digital Avionics tion in the National Airspace System (NAS). Data Communications Group at sandra. Technical Committee The technology will automate repetitive tasks, [email protected].

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Sensor systems multiple sensors around the vehicle, providing the pilot with a “look through” the airframe spherical image. Northrop Grumman’s IR Aerospace sensor systems provided vital data DAS (infrared distributed-aperture sensors) in a variety of settings this year, allowing im- and Raytheon’s ADAS (advanced distributed proved responses to natural and man-made aperture system) have already demonstrated disasters, giving new data on the universe, the capability of this technology. providing greater safety in combat operations, A team from Carnegie-Mellon Innovations and improving system performance. Lab, NASA Ames, and the U.S. Geological Sensing technologies ranging from satel- Survey implemented a payload-directed con- lite sensor systems to laboratory particle im- trol system to show that mission sensors can age velocimetery (PIV) techniques played a control unmanned systems directly. The ex- role in measuring British Petroleum’s oil spill periment used a commercial magnetometer in the Gulf of Mexico. The MISR (multiangle on a NASA unmanned ground vehicle and imaging spectroradiometer) instrument demonstrated the use of sensor data for both aboard NASA’s Terra spacecraft, the ad- real-time feedback control of vehicle motion vanced synthetic aperture radar aboard ESA’s and geophysical mapping. Magnetic anom- Envisat Earth observation spacecraft, and Raytheon’s MODIS (moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer) on board NASA’s Terra and Aqua satellites all provided data on the spill. Laboratory experiments and analysis, including the work of Steve Wereley of Purdue University and Tim Crone of Colum- bia’s Lamont-Doherty laboratory, were used to interpret the underwater photographs of the leaking well-head, leading to revised estimates of the spill’s magnitude. This information was critical for planning the response to the spill. A similar approach was used to assess the threat to aviation created by the eruption of Iceland’s Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Space-based sensing included thermal imaging from MODIS on board Aqua and SEVIRI on board Eumetsat’s Meteosat Second Generation A scanning electron microscope satellite, along with lidar (light detection and alies were used to map subsurface fault zones reveals a prototype MEMS shear sensor design that is ranging) observations from NASA’s CALIPSO in a test area in Northern California. This currently under development by (cloud-aerosol lidar and infrared pathfinder sensing concept may be applied with UAVs researchers at Tufts University satellite observations) spacecraft. These were such as NASA’s Exploration Aerial Vehicle. and Spirit Aerosystems. used, together with ground-based lidar meas- Microscale sensor systems allow measure- urements and airborne sampling, to estimate ment of the turbulent boundary layer encoun- the extent of the ash cloud. tered in aerospace systems. Researchers at NASA’s WISE (Wide-Field Infrared Survey Tufts University and Spirit Aerosystems are Explorer) spacecraft began its mission at the collaborating on the development of surface end of 2009. This year the satellite captured pressure and shear sensor array-on-a-chip de- images in mid-infrared wavelengths of objects vices for characterization of the pressure and ranging from brown dwarf stars, distant ultra- shear spectrum in the turbulent boundary luminous galaxies, and dangerous near-Earth layer. These silicon-based microsystems incor- objects. As it began to run out of coolant in porate up to 64 individually addressable mi- August, the satellite shifted to the “warm” crophones or shear sensors on a 1-cm2 chip. mission, aiming at new targets and imaging in System electronics allow the array to be re- different wavelengths. configured on the fly. Careful packaging en- Several new sensor system technologies sures low-profile interconnects, minimizing the effect of the sensor system on the proper- were demonstrated this year. The F-35 Joint by Wei-Jen Su, Strike Fighter and the UH-60 Blackhawk hel- ties of the flow. The systems have been Michael Martin, icopter will benefit from distributed-aperture demonstrated in the laboratory, and will be Robert White,Tim Howard, electrooptical systems. These systems use wind-tunnel tested in the coming year. and Jeffery Puschell

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Gas turbine engines flight in Seattle, Washington, on December 15, 2009, and the GEnx-1B made its first flight on the Dreamliner on June 16. GE’s CF34-10A engine, which will power the new ARJ21 regional jet from COMAC (Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China), received its FAA type certification in July. The new H80 turboshaft for business and general aviation began its certification testing in early March and met or exceeded all power ratings in multiple runs at GE Aviation’s facility in Prague, Czech Republic. On February 2 Will- iams International received FAA type certification for its 3,600-lb-thrust FJ44-4 engine, which powers the Cessna CJ4 business jet. Also achieving its first run was the latest member of Rolls-Royce’s Trent aero engine family, the Trent XWB, which powers the Airbus A350 XWB family of aircraft. A strong focus on energy and the environment marked propulsion development activities. The ADVENT and HEETE (highly effi- Rolls-Royce’s Trent XWB powers cient embedded turbine engine) programs the Airbus A350 XWB. This was a busy year for military propulsion continued to progress at AFRL, and NASA development. The Pratt & Whitney F135 en- continued work under the Environmentally gine achieved its first-ever vertical landing as Responsible Aviation project, with both agen- part of the STOVL (short takeoff/vertical cies aiming to make significant improvements landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, in aircraft engine efficiency. The FAA’s con- and an F119 engine demonstrated full life re- tinuous lower energy, emissions and noise quirements in 8,650 cycles of accelerated mis- (CLEEN) technologies program made signifi- sion testing. cant progress, having awarded Rolls-Royce a Meanwhile, under the adaptive versatile $16-million contract to perform aero engine engine technology (ADVENT) program, Rolls- test demonstrations. These focus specifically Royce North American Technologies and GE on reduced fuel burn technologies and on eval- Aviation continued to develop variable-cycle uating alternative aviation fuels. The CLEEN engine technologies that will enable significant program’s goals are to achieve a 33% reduc- reductions in fuel consumption across the tion in fuel burn, against a baseline of current flight envelope. Both companies produced performance technology, and to advance sus- variable fan rigs, and Rolls-Royce initiated tainable alternative aviation fuels by 2015. testing at Wright-Patterson AFB. In addition, AFRL successfully completed a 12-month the Air Force selected Rolls-Royce to proceed Phase-1 program for an effort called Develop- with integration of various advanced technolo- ment of Combustion Rules and Tools for the gies, component testing, and development of Characterization of Alternative Fuels. Its work- a technology demonstrator core and engine. ing group consisted of GE Aviation, Honey- GE Aviation was selected to continue work on well, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, Williams a demonstrator core, including component International, and various consultants. The development/integration and demonstration. program met all objectives, including estab- In May, the GE38 turboshaft engine, which lishing a database of alternative fuel testing powers the CH-53K helicopter, produced experience, reviewing the current fuel evalua- over 7,500 shp while exceeding production tion process to identify improvements, devel- performance margins for fuel consumption. oping an improved methodology/process for Commercial development has been busy fuel evaluation, and developing a multiphase as well. The GE Aviation GEnx-2B had its program approach to bring the evaluation maiden flight on the Boeing 747-8 on Febru- methodology to maturity. Phase II, expected ary 8 and received its FAA type certification in to begin in 2011, includes the testing of base- July after accumulating more than 2,600 hr line and alternative fuels in combustor rigs, by the Gas Turbine Engines of testing. Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines engines, and fundamental experiments, as Technical Committee powered the Boeing 787 Dreamliner’s first well as analytical tool development.

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The Orion launch abort system Solid rockets and attitude control motor, both manufactured by ATK, undergo static testing. Progress in solid propulsion included significant milestones and technology breakthroughs this year. In May, Raytheon Missile Systems delivered the 100th Standard Missile- 3 Block IA to the Missile Defense Agency. On the tactical side, the Army selected Raytheon to finalize the design for the next-generation 1.55-mm precision-guided projectile during the next phase of the Excalibur Ib program. The production milestones continue for solid propulsion as Lockheed Martin delivered April 22, and NASA successfully launched the the 1,000th Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Ares I-X rocket on October 28, 2009, from Missile to the Air Force. the Kennedy Space Center. Lockheed Martin and Aerojet teamed on In support of the Ares I first-stage five-seg- the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) pro- ment solid rocket motor development, ATK gram and achieved a technological break- conducted two successful ground static tests: through by successfully completing full tem- DM-1 September 2009, and DM-2 in August perature range testing and validation to sup- of this year. The five-segment rocket motor port a single rocket motor solution for all has been identified as a key element of JAGM fixed-wing and rotary-wing platforms. NASA’s future heavy-lift launch vehicle. Aerojet provided the missile segment en- As some programs begin, others are wind- hancement (MSE) advanced two-pulse solid ing down. The shuttle program conducted its rocket motor that provided the energy man- final ground test of the reusable solid rocket agement for Lockheed Martin Missiles and motor (RSRM) at ATK’s facility in Promon- Fire Control’s successful Patriot Advanced Ca- tory, Utah. The test marked the end of a 30- pability-3 (PAC-3) MSE guided test flight-1B year program that continuously improved the (GTF-1B). This was the first successful MSE RSRM’s performance and safety features. test in which a target simulating a tactical bal- This year, three success- listic missile was intercepted in the MSE ex- ful shuttle launches have Data from flight tended battlespace. taken place; one is left tests of the Ares I-X ATK was awarded an R&D contract for the on the manifest. will enable NASA to Counter Air/Future Naval Capabilities pro- On May 6, NASA improve the vehicle’s design and safety. gram by Naval Surface Warfare Center/China successfully tested the Lake to develop new technologies that can be Orion crew module incorporated into next-generation air-to-air abort system. Conducted missiles such as AMRAAM and like systems. at the Army’s White Aerojet’s advanced third-stage technology Sands Missile Range in demonstration motor and advanced second- New Mexico, it was the stage motor were successfully tested by the first fully integrated test Air Force in altitude static tests. Meanwhile, of the launch abort sys- ATK successfully static tested its internally tem (LAS). The LAS in- funded CASTOR 30 motor, being developed cluded three solid rocket to support commercial resupply missions to motors: abort, attitude the ISS, at the Air Force’s Arnold Engineering control, and jettison. Development Center in Tennessee. The abort motor, manu- July 20 marked the 50th anniversary of factured by ATK, pro- the Navy Strategic Systems Programs’ first pelled the crew module underwater launch of a fleet ballistic missile. from the pad. The atti- Today’s Trident II D5, a three-stage, solid-pro- tude control motor, also pellant, inertial-guided ballistic missile, has built by ATK, fired simul- achieved 134 consecutive successful sub- taneously with the abort motor and steered merged test launches since 1989, the last four the vehicle. The jettison motor, built by Aero- having occurred on June 8 and 9 of this year. jet, pulled the entire LAS from the crew mod- Orbital Sciences successfully launched its ule, clearing the way for the parachute de- by Clyde E. Carr Jr. first Minotaur IV rocket for the Air Force on ployment and landing. and Barbara A. Leary

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Terrestrial energy systems and examining their combustion characteristics for clean and efficient use in current engines. Research groups at the University of This year significant efforts focused on the de- Texas at El Paso are developing fuel-flexible velopment of sustainable energy technologies, turbine combustors and next-generation ther- including alternative fuels, renewable power, mal barrier coatings (TBCs) for future zero- advanced fossil power generation, and carbon emission coal power systems. Some notable capture and sequestration. Among several al- advances in this area include identification of ternative fuel options, biofuel has the best flame flashback due to combustion-induced near-term potential. Researchers at the Uni- vortex breakdown, and development of nano- versity of Oklahoma are using molecular engi- structured hafnium-based TBCs. neering and designer catalysts to tailor the CFD tools are essential for all aspects of properties of biomass-derived fuels to closely designing terrestrial energy systems. Re- match gasoline, diesel, and jet fuels. They searchers at institutions around the world are have also developed experimental techniques working to develop and validate next-genera- for rapidly characterizing the combustion be- tion CFD tools such as large-eddy simulation havior of biofuels. (LES). Because of the significant spatial and Currently available power plant design temporal variations of flow variables, the pres- tools are highly discipline specific. However, ence of large-scale coherent vortical struc- tomorrow’s zero-emission power plants are tures, and other inherently transient physical highly integrated, complex systems. Their de- and chemical processes in gas turbine com- sign and development processes require engi- bustors, LES models appear to be much more neers with diverse expertise. Recently, Ames promising than Reynolds-averaged Navier- Laboratory scientists have developed virtual Stokes models. LES provides detailed time-de- engineering software to facilitate power plant pendent spatial data, which are valuable for design processes within a multidisciplinary development/evaluation of new combustors framework. The software combines CAD and the design of reliable control strategies. models, process simulation, and CFD analyses The CFD group at Michigan State Univer- to allow real-time design review and changes. sity has been involved in modeling and large- Coal remains the primary source of fuel scale simulations of turbulent reacting flows in for most of the electricity generation in the realistic flow configurations. More recently, U.S. An aggressive portfolio of technologies is the group has developed a novel subgrid com- emerging to make the future coal power sys- bustion model called FMDF. This model can tem cleaner and more efficient. Enabling tech- handle the two-way interactions between the nologies such as advanced gasification, high- turbulence and combustion in LES and is ap- hydrogen fuel turbines, oxy-fuel turbines, and plicable to various turbulent flames (nonpre- carbon sequestration not only will allow exist- mixed, premixed, partially premixed, slow, Prof. Mark Bryden (left) of Iowa ing systems to meet stringent environmental fast, and so on). The LES/FMDF methodol- State University shows the new regulations but also will make the future plants ogy provides a basic framework for imple- virtual engineering tool for cleaner and more efficient. menting important physical and chemical energy systems design. processes into the simulations. It can also be continuously and systematically improved and applied to increasingly complex systems. Finally, it is worth noting that during the past two decades, the U.S. energy R&D en- terprises have experienced a “missing generation” of energy engineers and professionals. There are simply not enough graduate students enrolled in energy disciplines at U.S. universities to replace the engineers and scientists who plan to retire within the next five to eight years. This has now become a serious workforce crisis and poses a threat to the na- At the University of Maryland, researchers tion’s energy security and sustainability. To are investigating flameless combustion tech- meet the workforce demand, the U.S. must nologies for zero-emission and energy-effi- invest more in this area so that universities can cient gas turbine engines. They are also devel- continue to train and educate future leaders in by Ahsan Choudhuri oping biofuels using membrane technology energy science and engineering programs.

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Testing of advanced Electric propulsion metal propellants for EP took place at Michigan Technological University. From upper left and The Aerojet/Lockheed Martin Space Systems going clockwise the BPT-4000, a 4.5-kW Hall thruster system, propellants are xenon, was launched for the first time aboard the bismuth, zinc, and magnesium. Courtesy USAF Advanced Extremely High Frequency Michigan Technological satellite. It also completed over 10,000 hr of University. ground testing, marking the most throughput ever demonstrated on a Hall thruster. Acceler- ation channel erosion was reduced significantly after about 5,600 hr. Numerical simulations at JPL revealed with potentially breakthrough implications that by properly shaping the mag- delivered, with orders or options up to model netic field near the channel walls, their erosion 20. Twenty years in-orbit and 12,000 hr of can be practically eliminated. thrusting time have been accumulated. For In 2010, three science missions featured the small GEO EP thruster assembly, eight EP in flight. The Hayabusa spacecraft’s ion SPT-100 thrusters have been procured, and engine system powered it back to Earth after Snecma will begin integration activities. De- a seven-year mission to asteroid Itokawa. The veloped under ESA, small GEO satellites will system logged 39,637 engine-on hours, in- rely on Hall thrusters from Snecma, or on cluding 14,830 hr on a single engine. Aerojet HEMPT units from Thales. has entered into an agreement with NEC to At over 31,500 hr of operation, NASA’s market this system in Japan and the U.S. evolutionary xenon thruster—a 7-kW ion en- By the end of August, the three-engine gine developed by NASA Glenn and Aerojet— ion propulsion system (IPS) on NASA’s Dawn became the longest lifetime thruster of any spacecraft had operated in flight for 16,500 type ever, with a total propellant throughput hr and delivered a delta-V of 4.8 km/sec over 520 kg and total impulse over 19 MN-sec. while consuming 183 kg of the original 425 The high-voltage Hall accelerator, a high- kg of xenon propellant. Dawn is scheduled to specific-impulse engineering model thruster rendezvous with Vesta in July 2011 and built by Aerojet and NASA Glenn, has under- Ceres in 2015. gone performance testing. The thruster in- ESA’S GOCE satellite is providing unique corporated a life-extending discharge channel data on Earth’s gravity field and geoid using replacement innovation. The testing of the two T5 ion thrusters. The ion propulsion as- NASA-300M Hall thruster was performed for sembly from QinetiQ is operating well. power and voltage levels up to 20 kW and ESA’s LISA Pathfinder, scheduled to 600V with xenon and krypton propellants. launch in 2012, features a drag-free system The French GDR research group (CNRS/ using micronewton EP provided by ESA and CNES/Snecma/universities) continued Hall NASA. BepiColombo, a Cornerstone mission thruster physics investigations, with partner- to Mercury to launch in 2014, will rely on a ships with the Charles University of Prague 4.5-kW T6 IPS from QinetiQ. and the IPPLM institute of Warsaw. With Space Systems/Loral (SS/L) has launched Snecma, ONERA, and IPPLM, the GDR will six spacecraft with stationary plasma thrusters design, manufacture, and test a 20-kW Hall- (SPTs). The SPT subsystems in flight have to- effect thruster within the HiPER European re- gether logged over 11,000 hr of thruster op- search program on high-power EP. Testing eration. They incorporate four Fakel SPTs and will begin in 2011. two SS/L power processing units. The last Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, with three satellites feature new SPT modules with Aerospace Corporation, examined perform- greater range of motion. SS/L has five SPT ance improvements for cylindrical Hall subsystems delivered to spacecraft scheduled thrusters (CHTs). The lab built low-power per- to launch through 2011, and five more to be manent magnet CHTs with improved mag- delivered to spacecraft under construction. netic design, which demonstrated superior At Snecma, Safran Group, the last two of performance over CHT with electromagnets four PPS 1350-G thrusters for Alphasat were during measurements at NASA Marshall. delivered. Production of thruster module as- With a larger volume-to-surface ratio over semblies has attained significant milestones: conventional Hall thrusters, the CHT poten- By the end of the year, flight model 16 will be tially offers less erosion and longer lifetime. by Olivier Duchemin

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Propellantsandcombustion within Earth’s atmosphere. Of particular note, engine performance, operability, and thermal balance characteristics were all as expected, The X-51A scramjet engine demonstrator comparing quite favorably with those of (see page 57) made its first flight on May 26. ground tests. The flight made history, already The WaveRider is a USAF/DARPA-funded having being compared to the first flight of the research project managed by the AFRL jet engine, and has ignited serious interest in Propulsion Directorate with participation by applications for future operational vehicles us- NASA, Boeing, and Pratt & Whitney Rocket- ing hydrocarbon fuels. Three additional flights dyne. The goal is to demonstrate that the hy- are tentatively planned between this month drocarbon-fueled scramjet engine has taken a and May 2011. major step toward reaching TRL 6 (technol- Air Transport World awarded the Joseph F. ogy readiness level six) and is ready for pow- Murphy Industry Achievement Award to ered flight tests. CAAFI, the Commercial Aviation Alternative This year the program met several signifi- Fuel Initiative, for the overall coordination of cant milestones, including successful comple- alternative aviation fuel efforts. The aviation tion of dress rehearsal flights in preparation industry formulated a system-level gated risk management process (fuel readiness level) as well as an environmental analysis framework developed by a U.S. Interagency Working Group that included DOE, the Air Force, and the FAA. Both these initiatives were submitted to the International Civil Aviation Organiza- tion and adopted as best practices. The FAA’s Partnership for Air Transporta- tion Noise and Emissions Reduction (PART- NER) released the first quantitative “ground to wake” report on alternative jet fuel greenhouse gas life-cycle emissions, as part of continuing research under the FAA-funded PART- NER Center of Excellence at MIT. Following successful adoption of the alternative jet fuel specification (ASTM D7566) in 2009, a number of alternative fuel flights were conducted A C-17 Globemaster III takes off this year. On April 30, United Airlines con- August 27 on a flight test to ex- for WaveRider’s first flight; completion of as- ducted the first flight (in the U.S.) of a com- amine how it performs with dif- sembly of all four flight test vehicles; and, ferent combinations of biofuels. mercial aircraft using natural-gas-derived Fis- The aircraft is powered by 50% most important, successful first flight. cher-Tropsch synthetic paraffinic kerosene JP-8, 25% by hydro-treated re- The flight went as planned: The ATACMs (SPK), a jet fuel produced by Rentech. newable jet fuel, and 25% by a booster accelerated the vehicle at over 6 g to In March and April, the USAF and Navy Fischer–Tropsch fuel. The 418th Flight Test Squadron conducts the engine start envelope, where a nominal conducted a significant ground and flight test- flight tests during the week us- stage separation and scramjet ignition on eth- ing program with a hydrocarbon aviation bio- ing different combinations of ylene occurred. Transition to JP-7 went as ex- fuel—hydroprocessed renewable jet or bio- regular JP-8 and the HRJ. Air pected. The vehicle had nominal performance SPK—on the A-10 and F-18. The C-17 also Force photo by Kenji Thuloweit. except for isolated internal temperature rises. was flight tested with this fuel in August. The After 143 sec of the 240-sec planned scram- USAF/Navy fuel was competitively procured jet engine operation, the vehicle began to de- from UOP by the Defense Energy Support celerate and descend in what appeared to be Center. Several alternative jet fuel production a glide. The mission was an unqualified suc- agreements also were announced this year. In cess. Analysis of the flight continues. parallel, the Princeton-led AFOSR-funded sur- The WaveRider achieved flight conditions rogate fuel Multi-University Research Initiative between approximately Mach 4.7 and Mach project has developed and tested a generic ap- 4.90 and cruised at those conditions for over proach to constructing surrogate jet fuel mod- 170 sec, of which 143 sec provided good en- els for real fuels from alternative sources. This gine data. (During the last roughly 25 sec of partnership and the progress in jet surrogate by Joanna Austin, Charles powered flight, significant data dropouts oc- fuel modeling will support the development F. Brink, James Edwards, curred.) This is over 10 times longer than any and deployment of commercially viable, envi- and Yiguang Ju previous scramjet operation in free flight ronmentally friendly alternative aviation fuels.

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Hybrid rockets expensive way for the A hybrid sounding rocket built by Fredericksburg High School students to learn. The was launched from White Sands Missile Range. program and its curric- Several organizations made important contri- ula are being replicated butions to hybrid rocket research this year. across Texas. NASA Scaled Composites has completed five suc- provided funding to cessful static firing tests of the hybrid rocket FHS to support alter- motor for SpaceShipTwo, including an in- native hybrid fuel and creased duration firing in August. On October nozzle material devel- 10, the vehicle completed its first piloted glide opment. This year, flight. The craft, under development by Virgin FHS successfully tested Galactic, will be transported by a new com- nine alternative fuels at posite aircraft to the upper atmosphere, the school’s Humble- where the hybrid motor will ignite and propel Bowden Propulsion space tourists, scientists, and payloads into Research Center. Us- space. Suborbital trajectories of up to 65-mi. ing a fuel grain and altitude are expected. nozzle material from its Under a contract from AFRL, Space R&D work, FHS de- Propulsion Group (SPG) has continued its designed and built a 525- velopment of high-performance LOX/paraf- lb hybrid-propelled fin-based hybrid rocket motor technology. sounding rocket capa- Over the course of the year, more than 15 ble of lofting a 25-lb motors in the 7,000-lb-thrust class have been telemetry research pay- fired. Excellent combustion efficiencies and load to 75,000 ft by good motor stability behavior have been producing 2,500-lbf of demonstrated without the addition of external thrust for 26 sec. heat or the injection of pyrophoric liquids. In Orbital Technologies (ORBITEC) contin- addition, SPG has successfully fabricated sev- ued developmental testing of a 10,000-lbf- eral 22-in.-diam paraffin-based fuel grains, thrust-class vortex hybrid motor. The 14-in.- each weighing over 1,500 lb. The new grains diam motor uses aluminized HTPB (hyroxyl- will be burned in a 30,000-lb-thrust LOX hy- terminated polybutadiene) solid fuel and liquid brid motor. Static firing of this large motor is oxygen injected in a swirling fashion to gener- planned for the end of this year. ate a vortex flow field in the fuel port to drive IN Space, along with partners Purdue Uni- fuel regression rates that are both fast and ax- versity and General Kinetics, investigated the ially uniform. The high regression rates allow catalytic decomposition of oxidizers in hybrid for a single-port, cartridge-loaded fuel grain to rockets to improve energy management while provide low operations costs and rapid turn- increasing fuel-grain regression rates and lim- around. The test program aims to demon- iting fuel slivers. Using a catalyst bed to de- strate the functionality of the vortex hybrid de- compose the oxidizer before injection, a labo- sign, stable and efficient combustion, high ratory-scale hydrogen peroxide/polyethylene reliability, and the potential for low recurring hybrid motor achieved characteristic velocity costs. Testing to date has indicated stable, ef- efficiencies of up to 100%, regression rates ficient combustion, with characteristic velocity up to 50% higher compared to a different ig- efficiencies of about 97%. nition method, and a 10:1 throttling range Rocket Lab of New Zealand successfully with stable combustion. For a liquid injection developed and launched a hybrid suborbital- configuration, catalytic fuel grains were static class sounding rocket with the aim of reaching fired with 90% hydrogen peroxide, resulting 120-km altitude. The sounding rocket was an in rapid ignition and regression rates 2.5 all-carbon-composite construction, including times those of uncatalyzed fuel grains. This composite linerless pressure vessels, in-house- project was funded by the Air Force at AFRL. developed aerothermal ablatives, and com- Fredericksburg High School (FHS) in Fred- posite combustion chamber and nozzle. The ericksburg, Texas, is continuing its aero- propellants used were nitrous oxide and science program, led by Brett Williams. This Rocket Lab’s in-house-developed fuel, hybrid program educates high school students 90A. The company says this fuel offers equiv- through theoretical study and hands-on expe- alent regression rates to HTPB but with supe- rience in rocket propulsion. Working with hy- rior mechanical properties that enable com- brid motors provides a relatively safe and in- plex grain geometries without web supports. by Steven Frolik

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Nuclear and future flight propulsion

The performance and size of the RL10B-2 chemical engine can be Atmospheric mining in the outer solar system compared with different thrust was investigated as a means of fuel production NTR engines. for high-energy propulsion and power. Fusion fuels such as helium 3 (3He) and hydrogen can be wrested from the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune. In 2009 Case Western Reserve, assisted by NASA Glenn, undertook six aerospace design studies of such mining. Both 3He and hydrogen were the primary gases of interest, hy- pressed target, creating a hot spot in the inte- drogen being the main propellant for nuclear rior of the target burn that propagates out- thermal or nuclear fusion rocket-based atmo- ward into the surrounding fuel. This then spheric flight. Four teams addressed issues as- greatly increases energy gain, because part of sociated with atmospheric cruiser-based and the required input energy is replaced by the balloon-based mining vehicles. Two teams fo- propagating burn. Fast ignition is very effi- cused on outer planet moon mining for the cient in giving very high gains while maintain- gases. Many of the cruiser designs were effec- ing a low electron temperature, allowing igni- tive in gathering 3He in less than one year. tion of more demanding fusion fuels such as Using nuclear thermal propulsion, or NTP p-11B. The University of Illinois and the Los (with primarily closed-cycle gas core rocket Alamos National Laboratory conducted this technology), effective flights into and out of work. the atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune were NASA’s recent Mars DRA (design refer- possible. Outer planet moon mining vehicles ence architecture) 5.0 study examined mis- were also designed and parametric analyses of sion, payload, and transportation system op- 3He concentration conducted. A central tions and requirements for a human Mars power system supported multiple miners, mission in the 2031-2033 timeframe. A making the mobile miners lighter than those proven technology, NTP could potentially en- with onboard power. Some teams concluded able future human Mars missions with reason- that NTP must focus on very high specific im- able initial mass in LEO and a reasonable pulse closed-cycle gas core powered vehicles. number of Ares V launches. However, to re- Uranus’ and Neptune’s vast reservoirs of fuels capture, mature, and flight qualify NTP sys- are more readily accessible than those of tems in time to support future cargo and Jupiter and Saturn and, with the advent of nu- crewed Mars missions in the post-2030 time- clear fusion propulsion, may offer the best op- frame will require meaningful, sustained in- tion for the first practical interstellar flight. vestments beginning in the next several years. Laser-driven inertial confinement fusion These investments will attempt to establish (ICF) is extremely attractive for deep-space firm NTP engine system requirements using propulsion and has been the subject of several updated Mars mission analysis and payload conceptual design studies. However, these estimates; recapture composite Rover/NERVA were based on older ICF technology using ei- fuel element technology, and mature uranium ther “direct or indirect X-ray-driven“ type tar- dioxide in tungsten metal “cermet” fuel tech- get irradiation. This leads to rather low energy nology; perform high-fidelity modeling, de- gains. Moreover, traditional deuterium tritium sign, and engineering of candidate engine sys- fusion was selected, requiring tritium breeding tems; prepare test facilities; and conduct the and delivering 80% of the fusion energy in required nuclear/nonnuclear demonstration neutrons that cannot be directed through an tests of NTP fuels, components, and subsys- exhaust nozzle. tems in preparation for “contained” full-scale However, important new directions have ground testing of both demonstration and developed for laser ICF in recent years follow- flight-type engines. ing the development of “chirped” lasers capa- Assuming five years of technology prepa- by Bryan Palaszewski ble of ultrashort pulses with powers of ter- ration and then a 10-year development and the AIAA Nuclear and awatts up to a few petawatts. This has led to phase, NTP flight testing can begin in the late Future Flight Propulsion the exciting concept of “fast ignition,” where 2020s, in time to support initial human Mars Technical Committee the petawatt laser beam strikes a precom- flights in the 2031-2033 timeframe.

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Energetic components and systems

On August 31, Alliant Techsystems and NASA conducted a second successful ground test (DM-2) of the Ares-I five-segment development motor. This test was an important milestone in the development of the next generation of U.S. launch vehicles. Initial test data indicated that the motor, which had been chilled to a 40 F core temperature since early July, performed as designed, burning for just over 2 min and producing approximately 3.6 million lb of thrust and about 22 million hp. The test collected 764 chan- nels of data to accomplish 53 test objectives. The DM-2 test was designed to expand the envelope of operating conditions for the five-segment motor by firing it at cold temperature to test its redesigned joints. The joints had been modified after the 1986 space shuttle Challenger accident, with joint heaters added to keep the O-rings flexible at cold temperatures. Since then, engineers have devel- Alliant Techsystems and NASA conducted a second successful ground test of the Ares I oped O-rings with a new material that is far five-segment development motor. more resilient at colder temperatures than the old materials, to the point where the joint heaters are no longer necessary. A major part of the DM-2 test was to confirm the perform- duce material in support of DOD and com- ance of the joints at these colder tempera- mercial applications. tures. Test data indicate the new joint design NASA successfully boosted the Orion performed properly. Launch Abort System (LAS) at the Army’s The CAD/PAD (cartridge actuated de- White Sands Missile Range on May 6. At igni- vice/propellant actuated device) R&D and PIP tion, the motor produced 500,000 lb of force (product improvement program) Branch at that pulled the Orion capsule mockup off the the Indian Head Division, Naval Surface War- pad and accelerated it skyward to about 445 fare Center, is leading a multiyear develop- mph in less than 3 sec. The motor, with its ment program to find an environmentally four nozzles, continued to burn for a total of friendly replacement for the primary explosive about 6 sec, boosting the system to an altitude lead azide, specifically RD-1333. The result of of nearly 4,000 ft and putting it on a ballistic this effort is a novel compound, copper(I) 5-ni- trajectory with a predicted high point of trotetrazole, also called DBX-1, which has roughly 6,000 ft. The revolutionary attitude been synthesized and characterized by Pacific control module (ACM), a solid motor with Scientific Energetic Materials (PSEMC) in eight computer-controlled exhaust ports, Chandler, Arizona. Testing of this material has helped maintain the craft’s stability during the shown that it has sensitivity and safety charac- initial climb away from the launch pad. teristics that are similar to those of lead azide, Ten seconds after takeoff, the ACM began and slightly greater output characteristics. In repositioning the vehicle to a capsule-first ori- addition, DBX-1 has been tested in a variety entation, and as the craft passed through the of detonator applications, with results that in- apex of its trajectory, the burned-out LAS was dicate it may serve as a drop-in replacement jettisoned. Drogue parachutes then deployed for lead azide. from the capsule to slow and stabilize it before PSEMC is currently working to scale the three 116-ft-wide parachutes unfurled for the compound up to larger batch sizes. The cen- final descent. The heavily instrumented cap- ter is attempting to establish a manufacturing sule hit the ground at 16 mph, 2 min 14 sec capability for this material. Once the material or so after launch and 6,919 ft from its take- fabrication is scaled up, the center will pro- off point. by Donald Jackson

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Aerospace power systems by Advanced Methods and Materials, and a pair of Sunpower 1-kWe Stirling engines with thermodynamically coupled Power system technology contin- shared working fluid ex- ues to advance to meet the need pansion space to reduce for higher performance and en- structural weight and con- Mars Science Laboratory has successfully completed able high-power missions with trol complexity. testing of a new solar array reduced mass and stowed vol- Development also qualification coupon. ume for launch. AFRL con- continues on the ad- tinued its research into vanced Stirling ra- high-efficiency, flexible ap- dioisotope generator plications using inverted (ASRG) for potential metamorphic (IMM) so- use in NASA’s Dis- lar cells to achieve effi- covery 12 mission ciencies of over 32% with a “thinned” multi- in 2015. The ASRG reduces Pu-238 require- junction cell. Current efforts focus on applying ments by a factor of four over current RTG these advanced cells to space arrays using an (radioisotope thermoelectric generator) sys- integrated blanket interconnect system. tems. The ASRG engineering unit has been in AFRL’s array initiatives for incorporating the extended testing at NASA Glenn, accumulat- IMM cell include Boeing’s high-performance ing over 13,000 hr of extended operation and solar array, ATK’s ultraflex array, the DSS supporting controller development with Lock- roll-out solar array, and MicroSat Systems’ heed Martin, DOE’s ASRG system integrator. folded integrated thin-film stiffener array. NASA Glenn has also received four pairs of DARPA’s Fast Access Spacecraft Testbed next-generation advanced Stirling convertors. (FAST) program aims at developing an ultra- These are hermetically sealed and include all lightweight high-power-generation system that the necessary interfaces. Testing of these de- can generate up to 175 kW. The goal of the vices includes extended (24 hours a day) oper- program is to demonstrate a suite of critical ation to provide additional data on life, relia- technologies, including high-efficiency solar bility, and durability and to enable further cells, sunlight-concentrating arrays, large de- controller development. ployable structures, and ultralightweight solar NASA is improving battery performance arrays. These technologies enable lightweight, and safety for human missions. This effort in- high-efficiency, high-power satellites. When cludes development of “non-flow-through” combined with electric propulsion, FAST will proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells and lay a foundation for future self-deployed high- electrolyzers, coupled with low-permeability mobility spacecraft to perform ultrahigh- membranes for high pressure operation; high- power communications, space radar, satellite energy battery cells using lithiated mixed- transfer, and servicing missions. metal-oxide of NMC (Ni-Mn-Co) cathodes; Modular solar panels promise improved electrolytes that are both high-voltage stable cost, standardization, and qualification trace- and flame resistant; cathode coatings to re- ability compared to today’s customized tech- duce exothermic reactions; and a reversible nology. DR Technologies’ MOSAIC modules thermal switch for overtemp conditions. For are sized as a single string of standard high- the NASA extravehicular mobility unit, ABSL efficiency cells and integrate into body- delivered four long-life battery assemblies for mounted and deployable panel configurations; integration into astronaut spacesuits designed a flight on FalconSat 6 is planned. SpaceQuest for use on the ISS. Each battery assembly has has provided its modules for FASTSAT, a joint an energy density in excess of 180 Wh/kg. activity of NASA and the Dept. of Defense. Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), sched- NASA and the Dept. of Energy continue uled to launch in the fall of 2011 and land on to conduct research and subsystem testing the red planet in August 2012, includes the aimed at enabling fission power in space or largest rover ever sent to Mars. MSL has suc- on planetary surfaces. This year nearly all cessfully completed the integration and test of planned subsystems technology readiness upgraded power system electronics, testing of demonstrations were completed. The subsys- a new solar array qualification coupon, and tems included a no-moving-parts electromag- fabrication of the first EM lithium-ion battery by the AIAA Aerospace netic annular linear induction pump for con- assembly with the new higher capacity rover Power Systems Technical trolled flow of liquid metal NaK at 525 C, a battery assembly unit containing two 43-amp- Committee prototype NaK-to-NaK heat exchanger built hr batteries.

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The HTV main engine undergoes Liquid propulsion hot-fire testing.

In support of next-generation manned spaceflight, Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne’s Com- mon Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE) demonstrated a throttling range from 104% of rated power down to 5.9%. CECE is a 15,000-lbf thrust class rocket engine designed as a technology demonstrator for throttling and use of LH2/LO2 or CH4/LO2. This latest biter, also known as the Akatsuki spacecraft. test was the fourth in a series conducted in Akatsuki will begin transfer into Venus orbit in West Palm Beach over the past five years. December 2010 using this 500N bipropellant The CECE program is funded by the NASA engine built by IHI Aerospace. One week after Propulsion and Cryogenics Advanced Devel- the Akatsuki launch, Aerojet celebrated the opment project under a contract to demon- launch of its highly modular propulsion sys- strate cryogenic engine technologies that tem on the inaugural GPS IIF spacecraft. could be used for space exploration activities, The European Space Agency (ESA) con- including landing on the moon, an asteroid, or tinued to develop the 180-kN Vinci expander another planet. cycle engine designated to power the future The 17.7-to-1 throttling capability demon- upper stage of the Ariane 5 launcher midlife strated by CECE is a first for a cryogenic en- evolution (A5ME). As part of various design gine. Other cryogenic firsts achieved include adjustments related to A5ME requirements, closed-loop control throughout the throttle Snecma conducted additional tests on the range, engine start at 10% power level, and P4.1 high-altitude bench at DLR Lampold- rapid restart at varying power levels. The total shausen. The main objectives of these tests run time for the most recent test series was were to explore the engine’s entire flight do- 2,403 sec, bringing the program’s total en- main with firing time beyond 700 seconds, gine run time to 7,436 sec. and to operate the large area ratio extendible There was also progress on the liquid composite nozzle in line with its deployment propulsion system for the Orion crew and mechanism. service modules. Aerojet’s R-1E 25-lbf bipro- ESA's Future Launcher Preparatory Pro- pellant engine completed hot-fire test se- gram (FLPP) refined system studies were initi- quences including more than 17,250 sec of ated in 2010 to more specifically trade differ- total burn time, demonstrating its ability to op- ent launcher candidates in view of a next- erate under a broad variety of conditions ex- generation space transportation system. An pected for the Service Module. In support of important focus area was FLPP’s main stage the Crew Module, Aerojet successfully tested propulsion technology program. By midyear, an up-rated MR-104 160-lbf monopropellant EADS/Astrium had successfully hot-fired a hydrazine thruster under three times the pre- high pressure liquid hydrogen cooled subscale viously qualified vibration loads. Subsequent nozzle (SCENE), designed and manufactured hot-fire testing demonstrated life and high by Volvo Aero Corporation (VAC). The en- thrust for contingency operations during gine employed laser-welded sandwich technol- launch abort. ogy in its construction and achieved a cham- The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ber pressure of 140 bar on the P8 test bench (JAXA) and IHI Aerospace qualified two new at DLR Lampoldshausen. Earlier in the year, pressure-fed, bipropellant rocket engines. The VAC had set a novel achievement in Euro- A SCENE nozzle demonstrator 500-N design is the main engine for JAXA’s pean nozzle technology when a full-scale liq- mounted on an EADS/Astrium 40-kN subscale chamber awaits cargo transfer vehicle to the ISS, commonly uid hydrogen cooled sandwich nozzle was suc- testing at the DLR P8 bench. known as the HTV. The 120-N engines are cessfully hot-fired on a Vulcain 2 engine at used for HTV’s reaction control system. IHI DLR’s P5 test bench in support of the ESA Aerospace also completed manufacturing of Ariane 5 research and technology accompa- the HTV-3 flight engines, scheduled to launch niment program. In parallel, Snecma flight in 2012. tested several cost-saving technology break- Two improved unmanned propulsion de- throughs on a Vulcain-scale gas generator and signs debuted in summer 2010. On May 20, hydrogen turbo-pump assembly, confirming by the AIAA the world’s first ceramic rocket engine was the technological readiness levels for these Liquid Propulsion launched aboard Japan’s Venus Climate Or- components. Technical Committee

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Air-breathing propulsion PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel cell systems integration fueled by hydrogen from high-pressure and lightweight hydrogen storage tanks. It boasts quiet operation and high efficiency. The fuel This year has seen cell has about four times the efficiency of a interesting develop- comparable internal combustion engine, and ments in hypersonic the system provides seven times the energy in propulsion systems the equivalent weight of batteries. and green aviation. The United Technologies Research Center The Air Force completed a pioneering system study for Research Lab (AFRL) NASA assessing embedded, boundary-layer- completed a series of ingesting (BLI) propulsor technologies for hy- successful experi- brid wing body aircraft. Results indicate that ments demonstrating embedded propulsors, with BLI inlet airflow Aerojet’s combined- distortion effects mitigated adequately, pro- cycle integrated in- vide up to 5% reduced fuel burn compared to let, an enabling tech- advanced conventionally configured turbofan nology for integrated engines, and 10% (or more) reduced fuel burn NASA Glenn’s wind tunnels are enabling the current NASA/GE turbine-based combined-cycle (TBCC) en- with increased levels of BLI. collaborative testing of gines. The tests took place at NASA Glenn An 18-month NASA effort to explore con- counterrotating fan-blade following earlier high-Mach tests performed at cepts for 2030-era subsonic single-aisle com- systems for open-rotor jet Langley. Transonic wind tunnel testing of this mercial aircraft has produced interesting find- engine designs. inlet, completed under AFRL’s multidiscipli- ings. A Boeing-led study that presented five nary Robust Scramjet Program and in part- designs indicates that hybrid electric engine nership with NASA’s Hypersonics Project, technology is a clear winner that can meet will improve understanding of TBCC engine NASA’s goals of reduced fuel burn, NOx emis- operation and performance capacity. This sions, and field length. A portfolio of ad- first-of-its-kind test activity measured subsonic vanced technologies (nicknamed SUGAR through combined-cycle propulsion mode Volt), including an electric battery gas turbine transition and collected 8,000 data points for hybrid propulsion system, was found to re- an integrated TBCC inlet. duce fuel burn by more than 70% relative to The X-51’s historic 200-sec hypersonic today. MIT/Aurora/Pratt&Whitney pre- flight on May 26 marked an important ad- sented a concept featuring a “double-bubble” vancement in scramjet development. Power- design and a three-engine BLI propulsion sys- ing the X-51 is the hydrocarbon-fueled SJY61 tem with ultra-high-bypass ratios above 20. Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne scramjet engine, Two versions are being considered, one using which features fuel-cooled walls operating in existing technologies and another using ad- an endothermic cycle. JP-7 fuel is pumped vanced technologies. The latter design’s en- from a holding tank through all four walls of gines have compressor exit corrected flows of the engine to provide cooling. In the process roughly 1 lb/sec; the definition of appropriate of cooling, the fuel is vaporized and eventually configurations to provide these high-efficiency is partially cracked for combustion. small cores is a technology challenge remain- Boeing’s Phantom Eye high-altitude long- ing to be addressed. endurance UAV passed a key testing phase of The NASA/General Electric collaboration its propulsion system, which comprises two on open rotors ended its first phase with com- hydrogen-fueled Ford 150-hp, 2.3-liter, four- pletion of aerodynamic and acoustic testing in cylinder internal combustion engines. Liquid the NASA Glenn 9x15-ft low speed wind hydrogen stored in tanks is boiled off and then tunnel. Six blade sets were evaluated for per- passed through a heat exchanger and fed into formance at takeoff and approach conditions. the engines at near room temperature. The Detailed measurements using technologies engine, turbochargers, and engine control such as acoustic phased array and stereo par- system successfully completed an 80-hr test in ticle image velocimetry also were performed. an altitude chamber. These provided the historical baseline blade- The Navy’s Ion Tiger, a small electric set data required for a comprehensive data- UAV, recently set a 26-hr endurance record. base that will support modeling and simula- by Dyna Benchergui, This aircraft, which can carry a 5-lb payload, tion. Testing for performance at cruise speed Jeffrey Flamm, features an onboard electric fuel cell propul- has begun in Glenn’s 8 x 6-ft high-speed wind and Richard Wahls sion system comprising a 550-W Protonex tunnel and will continue through this winter.

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High-speed air-breathing heed Martin completed preliminary design of propulsion an actively cooled dual-mode ramjet combustor under the DARPA-funded mode transition demonstrator program. Air-breathing hypersonic propulsion entered a Aerojet’s supersonic sea-skimming target new era this year. The 7.9-m-long X-51A ramjet propulsion system successfully com- WaveRider, powered by the Pratt & Whitney pleted the first flight test of the Coyote High Rocketdyne scramjet engine, made aviation Diver supersonic target mission. The target history on May 26 with the longest ever vehicle, developed by Orbital Sciences with scramjet-powered flight. Aerojet’s solid-fueled variable-flow ducted “This first flight test brings aviation closer rocket engine, was rail-launched from the than ever to the reality of regular, sustained ground and boosted by a rocket motor to ram- hypersonic flight,” said Curtis Berger, director jet-takeover speed. Under ramjet power, the of hypersonic programs at Pratt & Whitney system ascended to 35,000 ft and reached Rocketdyne. “We are very proud to be part of Mach-3.3 cruise speed. At the end of its 110- the team that made this possible.” n.mi. flight, the vehicle executed a planned The X-51A program is a collaborative ef- unpowered dive to its objective. fort of AFRL, DARPA, Boeing, and Pratt & The international community pushed for- Whitney Rocketdyne. During its flight, the ward air-breathing hypersonics as well. Brazil’s WaveRider was carried beneath an Air Force Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv) continued B-52 and dropped from an altitude of 50,000 developing its 14-X, a Mach-10 waverider hy- ft. A rocket booster propelled the cruiser to a personic vehicle. IEAv also ground tested air- speed greater than Mach 4.5, creating the su- breathing laser propulsion in collaboration personic environment necessary for starting with the Air Force Office of Scientific Re- its flight. Separating from the booster, the search. In France, MBDA and ONERA contin- SJY61 scramjet ignited, initially on gaseous ued R&T activities in hypersonic air-breathing ethylene; it then transitioned to JP-7 fuel. propulsion, under contract to continue the re- The achievement is significant, because maining part of LEA’s flight testing program. this is the first hypersonic flight by a hydrocar- The experimental vehicle will be flight tested at bon-fueled scramjet. “We are ecstatic to have Mach 4-8 in 2013-2015. accomplished many of the X-51A test points Japan’s JAXA tested a rocket-based com- during its first hypersonic mission,” declared bined cycle engine at Mach-11 conditions in Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager with its High Enthalpy Shock Tunnel, following AFRL. Brink called the leap in engine tech- sea-level static Mach 4-6 tests with a detona- nology “equivalent to the post-WW II jump tion tube supplying combustion gas. At Rus- from propeller-driven aircraft to jet engines.” sia’s Central Institute of Aviation Motors, suc- Aerojet also made progress on cessful tests of a large-scale advancing scramjet technol- scramjet model demon- ogy. Under contract strator integrated with with AFRL, the com- a hypersonic air- The X-51A WaveRider made pany completed frame simulator history on May 26 with the ground testing of were performed longest ever scramjet- powered flight. a scramjet com- to support de- bustor, demon- velopment of strating a new the axisymmet- thermal manage- rical hydrogen- ment technique. fueled scramjet, Called core burning, which was flight it forces the combus- tested in the 1990s. tion flames away from The complex require- walls, thereby reducing overall ments of faster vehicles will heat loads. Core burning will enable scramjets continue to demand advances in hypersonic to have more thermal margin, use less cooling propulsion. The spectacular flight of the X- fuel, and fly faster than they can with conven- 51A WaveRider brought scramjet technology tional thermal management. The engine op- a major step closer to practical reality. erated robustly at simulated Mach-3-5 flight Read more about these and other pro- conditions. grams at https://info.aiaa.org/tac/PEG/ Pratt&Whitney Rocketdyne and Lock- HSABPTC/default.aspx. by Dora Musielak

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Life sciences and systems module habitat (with testing of a prototype “space greenhouse”). Two crews, each con- sisting of an astronaut and a geologist, con- The life sciences and systems (LSS) commu- ducted closed operations in the SEVs for a nity is conducting numerous aerospace- week, performing several EVAs, then docked related efforts focusing on enabling human with the HDU for simulation of suit mainte- exploration of space. Science and technology nance, geology, general maintenance, and efforts have been un- food growth experiments. der way at space or- The flame extinguishment and the smoke ganizations around the aerosol measurement experiments took place world to address the on the ISS. Conducted in reduced gravity, they anticipated life sup- were aimed at improving the reliability of fu- port needs for future ture spacecraft fire suppression and detection. space endeavors. The capillary flow experiment improved our A modular air revi- ability to control fluids in two-phase systems; talization system for the constrained vapor bubble looked at phe- future manned space- nomena important in advanced wickless heat craft bound for the pipes; and IVGen produced medical quality in- ISS and other LEO travenous fluids in reduced gravity. destinations has com- In late December 2009, ESA astronaut pleted its preliminary Frank De Winne became the first non-U.S., design review, clear- non-Russian to take command of the ISS. ing the way for work Two Italian astronauts are preparing their mis- Desert RATS simulated lunar to begin on a ground sions to ISS: Paolo Nespoli for Expedition 26- exploration in the Arizona desert. test unit. Under NASA’s CCDev (commercial 27, and Roberto Vittori for STS 134. Vittori crew development) project, Paragon Space will execute life science and radio-biology ex- Development passed the milestone in July periments. ESA is increasing the ECCO (ESA with its commercial crew transport air revital- cold container) fleet to allow the return of bio- ization system. logical samples to Earth at controlled temper- A panel discussion sponsored by the ature, without the need of a power supply. House Committee on Science and Technol- The European Science Foundation has ini- ogy, AIAA, and the American Society for tiated a 24-month project called THESEUS Gravitational and Space Biology was held in (towards human exploration of space: a Euro- September. The panel focused on the emer- pean strategy) to develop an integrated life sci- gence of the biological economy and leverag- ences research roadmap enabling European ing of telemedicine, agriculture, energy and human space exploration in synergy with the environment, and how space biological re- ESA’s strategy to identify potential nonspace search enables these terrestrial applications. applications and dual R&D. In response to requests from Congress, A Russian-led multinational effort to simu- NASA asked the National Research Council late the isolation of a 500-day mission to Mars to undertake a decadal survey of life and phys- is under way in Moscow. By September the ical sciences in microgravity. Research pro- mission had been in progress for 90 days and posed for the next decade by the life and had simulated more than 15 million km of physical sciences communities would expand transit from Earth but was still 200 million km use of the space environment to solve com- from Mars. plex problems in these areas to deliver both Systems needed for maintaining breath- new knowledge and practical benefits for hu- able air in spacecraft are being developed at mankind. Their interim report is available on several NASA centers. Planning continues on line (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?rec the next tests of the pressure swing amine bed ord_id=12944). The final report is due in technology intended for use on Orion, Altair, early 2011. EVA systems, and lunar electric rover applica- Desert RATS (research and technology tions. A closed-loop CO2 removal system is studies) simulation testing was conducted in being built incrementally to reduce power as- Arizona to simulate planned operations for fu- sociated with water recovery and to integrate ture exploration of the Moon or Mars. Desert CO2 compression with the CO2 removal func- RATS included two space exploration vehicles tion. Technologies for recovery of O2 from (SEVs) and a habitat demonstration unit CO2 and H2 from methane have progressed by Joe Chambliss (HDU) that simulated a pressurized excursion significantly this year.

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Space tethers

In this past year, the space tethers community launched a sounding rocket payload experiment and continued to prepare several up- coming flight experiments, as well as to develop new applications. On August 31, a Japanese space tether experiment called T-Rex was launched on sounding rocket S-520-25 from Uchinoura Space Center (near Uchinoura, Japan), reaching a maximum altitude of 309 km. T-Rex was developed by an international team led by the Kanagawa Institute of Technology/Nihon Uni- versity to test a new type of electrodynamic tether (EDT) that may lead to a generation of propellantless propulsion systems for LEO spacecraft. The 300-m-long tape tether deployed as scheduled and a video of deployment was transmitted to the ground. Success- ful tether deployment was verified, as was the Downlinked video from fast ignition of a hollow cathode in the space the T-Rex tether experiment environment. Data analysis is ongoing. masses with a 1-km-long conducting tether. shows successful boom Tethers Unlimited (TUI) continued devel- Recently, NRL completed successful deploy- (bottom) and tether (top) deployment. opment of its terminator tape deorbit module, ment tests of a spring mechanism called a a lightweight, low-cost device that uses elec- stacer, which pushes the two CubeSats apart trodynamic and aerodynamic drag to enable at 4 m/sec. TEPCE is planned for flight as a spacecraft to meet orbital lifetime regulations. secondary payload in 2012. The company performed testing of termina- In support of TEPCE, the U.S. Naval tor tape prototypes aboard the zero-g para- Academy is developing TetherSat, a satellite bolic flight aircraft, demonstrating successful system with a 1-km-long tether, to test the deployment in microgravity. TEPCE tether deployment hardware in LEO An AFOSR-funded team from Penn State, and to analyze the dynamics during and after the University of Michigan, and TUI have been deployment. Twin end masses are 1.5U examining the use of EDTs for “energy har- CubeSats that will contain GPS and other sen- vesting” on spacecraft. The goal is to develop sors to accurately measure tether libration and a better understanding of the power genera- orbital motion data. Although the tether is tion capabilities of EDT systems on various conductive, it will not be used to generate scales, and how to store energy in and derive electrodynamic forces. TetherSat is planned energy from the “orbital battery.” Initial re- for a flight in late 2011. sults show that large satellites have the poten- Under a Space and Naval Warfare Sys- tial to harvest as much as kilowatts, and small tems Command Small Business Innovation EDT systems for use on CubeSats could har- Research program, Star Technology and Re- vest tens of watts of average power for short search and Tether Applications are develop- periods of time—useful, for example, during a ing a propellantless maneuvering spacecraft ground station overpass. Femtosats, such as using electrodynamic propulsion with a 10- ChipSats, could benefit from EDT systems km conductive tape and powered by thin-film that would enable them to maintain orbit with- solar arrays. The ElectroDynamic Debris Elim- out a significant contribution to size and mass inator (EDDE) spacecraft is designed to ac- or the need for expendable propellant. tively remove large debris objects from LEO The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is using lightweight nets deployed from the planning to fly a Tether Electrodynamic Pro- ends, at far lower cost than using rockets. pulsion CubeSat Experiment (TEPCE) to dem- EDDE achieves high performance from its onstrate electrodynamic propulsion in LEO. patented rotating design, which provides sta- With body-mounted solar cells, TEPCE will be bility and increased thrust. Using data from by Sven G. Bilén and able to change its orbit by 1 km/day. The the TEPCE flight, a Mini-EDDE will be de- the AIAA Space Tethers spacecraft consists of two 1.5U CubeSat end signed for an orbital flight demonstration. Technical Committee

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Space systems images are available to the public on the SDO web site. “By some estimates, SDO will trans- mit as much as 50 times more science data Innovative satellite than any mission in NASA history,” says systems designed to Dean Pesnell of Goddard. carry out scientific ex- The latest in the Geostationary Opera- ploration are a main- tional Environmental Satellite (GOES) series, stay of our nation’s GOES-P, was launched on March 8 and ac- space systems. A cepted into service on September 1; it will go steady stream of satel- by the name GOES-15. It was built by Boeing lites since Explorer 1, Space and Intelligence Systems and launched launched in January with a Delta IV rocket by ULA. The spacecraft 1958, has quietly and is currently in a parking orbit, ready to take proudly been expand- over weather monitoring and tracking should ing the frontiers of hu- one of the currently active GOES spacecraft man scientific know- experience an anomaly. ledge. In the midst of The European Space Agency’s CryoSat 2 changes and upheaval spacecraft was launched on April 8 aboard a that marked the year Dnepr rocket. It replaces Cryo-Sat, which was 2010, we celebrate lost in a 2005 launch failure. CryoSat 2 is de- these achievements, signed to precisely monitor the thickness of which represent some ice, both in the ocean and on land. In its most The New Horizons satellite is of the best of human endeavors. Despite the advanced mode, two SAR antennae on the scheduled to arrive at Pluto on July 14, 2015. Image challenges faced by other parts of NASA, its spacecraft use interferometric techniques to courtesy JHUAPL/SwRI. Science Mission Directorate is enjoying one of accurately measure ice thickness. the most fruitful time periods, with more than This year marked the half-time point in 15 science satellites in operation. Worldwide, New Horizon’s traverse to Pluto. The small scientists are getting more data from space- spacecraft, weighing only 478 kg, carries six based observations than ever before. instruments to conduct observations of Pluto, A slew of Earth-observing space systems the once-planetary body and now largest of were launched in 2010 to help further under- the Kuiper-belt objects. New Horizons was stand our planet and its environment. Man- built jointly by the Applied Physics Lab and aged by NASA Goddard, the Solar Dynamics Southwest Research Institute. With a destina- Observatory (SDO) was launched on February tion more than 30 AU from the Sun, New 11 on an Atlas V 401 to a geosynchronous Horizons is powered by a radioisotope ther- orbit to provide continuous monitoring of the mal generator, supplying about 240 W to the Sun. SDO is providing unprecedented multi- grand-piano-size spacecraft. Communication wavelength observation of the Sun, continu- is done via a large, 2.1-m high gain X-band ously downloaded to its own dedicated antenna. At its destination, New Horizon has ground station. High-definition near-real-time a roundtrip communications latency of ~9 hr, necessitating a relatively autonomous spacecraft that can manage faults and anomalies re- A close-up look at a substantial covery with minimal ground contact. active region on July 9 shows a The Japanese Aerospace Exploration hotbed of magnetic activity that Agency launched Akatsuki, a Venus orbiter, leads to a small solar flare bursting out into space. on May 20 aboard a JAXA H-IIA 202 rocket The images were taken by SDO’s from Tanegashima. The spacecraft carries in- AIA instrument in the 171-Å novative silicon nitride ceramic thrusters de- wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light. The thin arcing loops are veloped by JAXA for the 500-N orbit maneu- really particles spiraling along vering engine. Akatsuki (“Dawn”) is scheduled magnetic field lines above the to arrive at Venus this month and enter into a active region. 30-hr elliptical orbit. Akatsuki carries a multi- wavelength suite of instruments designed to image the Venusian atmosphere from 90 km down to 10 km. These missions are just a few examples of space systems being built around the world to by Amy Lo expand the frontiers of human knowledge.

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Missile systems

A number of exciting and important launches and flights took place this year. Both the low- cost guided imaging rocket (LOGIR) program and the Minotaur IV had successful launches. In addition, the X-51A completed the first powered flight of an endothermic hydrocarbon-fueled scramjet engine. The value and advantages of these programs are enormous, enabling the U.S. to maintain its position as a world leader. LOGIR, a Navy-developed guidance enhancement capability for rockets, completed its concept demonstration phase at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division with a successful launch and direct hit. The test in- The successful performance volved the air launch of a guided rocket tercept test. Representatives from several mis- test of Aerojet’s advanced against a fast inshore attack craft target. The sile defense assets and emerging technologies second-stage large solid- launch aircraft was a helicopter equipped with observed the launch and gathered data for fu- propellant rocket motor was the first at simulated altitude a LOGIR fire control system and LOGIR ture analysis. The THAAD system continues conditions. smart launcher. This test officially shifted the to undergo development and testing to pro- LOGIR project into the joint capability tech- vide a robust layered defense against ballistic nology demonstration phase, where it will be missiles of all ranges in all phases of flight. known as Medusa. Completion of a military For the third time, a Japan Maritime Self- utility assessment for Medusa is expected in Defense Force ship conducted a successful in- 2011. tercept flight test in cooperation with the U.S. The first Minotaur IV rocket successfully Navy. The test was a significant milestone in launched in April, deploying DARPA’s hyper- the growing cooperation between Japan and sonic technology vehicle 2 into a suborbital the U.S. in the area of missile defense. Also, trajectory. The Minotaur IV “lite” launch vehi- the Aegis BMDS successfully completed a se- cle leverages the flight-proven heritage of the ries of exercises. The second-gen- Minotaur I, Pegasus, and Taurus vehicles to eration Aegis BMDS brings the ca- provide an extremely cost-effective and capa- pability to engage increasingly ble space solution. Future Minotaur IV mis- longer range and more sophisti- sions will include options such as commercial cated ballistic missiles. A two-stage solid-fuel rocket upper stages and a hydrazine ground-based interceptor (GBI) propulsion and attitude control system. was also successfully flight tested. The X-51A made history when it success- This GBI is undergoing develop- fully completed its first flight, with acceleration mental testing as part of the from boost (about Mach 4.5) to about Mach DOD’s strategy of investing in a An AH-1W attack helicopter 5. The X-51A is an unmanned scramjet-pro- new missile defense option that can contribute launches a guided imaging pelled aircraft developed for advancing air- to homeland defense. rocket during a test at the breathing hypersonic flight technology. A Two new propulsion systems underwent NAWCWD Point Mugu sea range. Boeing and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne con- simulated altitude testing at the Air Force’s sortium is developing the aircraft for the Air Arnold Engineering Development Center. Force and DARPA. In the future, platforms The successful performance test of Aerojet’s capable of flying at hypersonic speeds will be advanced second-stage large solid-propellant able to respond almost instantly to strategic rocket motor was the first at simulated altitude and tactical threats. Additional X-51A flights conditions following a 2009 sea-level test at are planned for late this year and 2011 to Edwards AFB. ATK’s Castor 30 motor, de- chase the goal maximum, about Mach 6+. signed to support a “family of motors” prod- Testing and development continued for uct line for possible DOD and NASA applica- the nation’s ballistic missile defense system tions, was also successful, operating for over (BMDS). The operationally configured termi- 150 sec. This first-ever test of this upper stage by the AIAA nal high-altitude area defense (THAAD) mis- motor was the longest firing in the test facil- Missile Systems sile system conducted its seventh successful in- ity’s 16-year history. Technical Committee

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Space resources probe, a multispectral microscopic imager, an X-ray diffraction instrument, a borehole X-ray fluorescence instrument, and the VAPoR In another exciting year for the space re- (volatile analysis by pyrolysis of regolith) and source utilization community, several tech- RESOLVE systems for volatile analysis. nologies advanced from laboratory prototype Multiagent teaming of rovers was used to to complete operat- autonomously prepare a landing pad at the ing system. Many of test site. Concentrated solar energy and elec- these technologies tric resistance heaters mounted on a rover were integrated for were used to sinter the tephra surface to in- the first time and crease stability. The geotechnical properties tested at the 2010 of the sintered surfaces were measured before International Lunar they were tested with the exhaust plume from Surface Operations an LCH4/LOX thruster. Tephra was also col- and ISRU (in-situ re- lected with an automated rover powered by a source utilization) fuel cell and delivered to a carbothermal re- Analog Test. This duction plant, where it was inserted into the field test took place reactor with a pneumatic lift system. The from January 25 to tephra was processed using concentrated so- February 12 at a lu- lar energy, producing water that was elec- nar analog test site trolyzed. The hydrogen produced was stored operated by PISCES in metal hydride canisters, while the oxygen (Pacific International was liquefied and later used to operate the Space Center for Ex- LCH4/LOX thruster. The stored hydrogen ploration Systems) at was used to operate a fuel cell that powered The integrated regolith processing an elevation of 9,000 ft on the slopes of the carbothermal reduction plant and other system located at a lunar analog test site on Mauna Kea is remotely Mauna Kea. NORCAT (Northern Center for support equipment. operated from NASA Johnson. Advanced Technology) led the test, with fund- The field test was very successful and met ing from the Canadian Space Agency. all its major objectives. Equipment from several NASA’s Science Mission Directorate funded organizations was successfully integrated at the resource characterization instruments. test site to create a true end-to-end demonstra- The major participants in the field test tion of space resource evaluation and utiliza- were NASA (Kennedy, Johnson, Langley, tion. Prototype equipment was operated in a Goddard, Ames, JPL, and Headquarters), harsh terrestrial environment for long periods DLR (the German space agency), ORBITEC, as a precursor for flight hardware develop- Honeybee Robotics, PSI, ASRC Rocket, ment. Several systems were monitored and op- WASK Engineering, the NORCAT-led SRCan erated remotely through a satellite communi- team (Neptec, Xiphos, Ontario Drive and cations link that provided telemetry, situational Gear, UTIAS, Electric Vehicle Controllers, awareness, command and control, and data Virgin Technologies, Natural Resources Ca- management. Outreach and public education nada, PACEAS Technologies, and YUM Culi- events were held during the field test to share nary Academy/Cambrian College), the Uni- the exciting work with local residents, students, versity of Hilo, Arizona State University, UC and the general public. Davis, McMaster University, the University of NASA Kennedy coordinated and hosted Mainz, and the University of Washington. the inaugural Lunabotics Mining Competi- The field test was a unique opportunity to tion. This event, sponsored in part by the integrate many different capabilities required AIAA Space Resources Technical Commit- for space resource utilization—active vision tee, included designing and building a remote- systems, drilling, robotic mobility, robotic ma- controlled or autonomous excavator (lunabot) nipulators, communications, and ISRU pro- for competition, writing a systems engineering cessing technologies—into a single demonstra- paper, coordinating informal education out- tion. Several instruments characterized the reach to K-12 students, a lunabotics mining geotechnical, chemical, and mineral features slide presentation, and a team spirit evaluation. of the tephra at the test site. Instruments in- Finally, an Ohio State University/NASA cluded the RESOLVE (regolith and environ- Marshall/NASA Kennedy/ASRC Aerospace ment science and oxygen and lunar volatile team demonstrated the full removal of metallic extraction) drill, a combined Mossbauer/XRF, and lunar oxide melts by countergravity casting by Robert Gustafson several cone penetrometers, a heat flow from a molten regolith electrolysis furnace.

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Space logistics The challenge of ISS spares and preposition planning is overcoming the uncertainty in failure rate estimates and minimizing the risk Space logistics is the theory and practice of of inaccurate failure predictions. To mitigate driving space system design for operability, this problem, the ISS logistics and mainte- and managing the flow of materiel, services, nance team and ISS reliability and maintain- and information needed throughout a space ability team use Bayesian inference to update system life cycle. The shuttle’s impending re- mean time between failure estimates with tirement will significantly affect space station ORU performance history. As with previous logistics processes—the original ISS opera- updates, the 2009-2010 operating period tions and support concept was designed with generally shows on-orbit hardware perform- continued shuttle operations in mind. The im- ing better than initially predicted. The minent cancellation has driven significant ISS Bayesian update process will likely continue to sustainment concept changes, which now in- be a critical tool for ISS sustainment plans ex- volve greater reliance on spares preposition- tending to 2020 and beyond. ing, on-station ORU (orbital replacement unit) ISS prepositioning, sustainment, and re- repairs, and the loss of capacity for returning pair capabilities were showcased in August af- large, high-value parts to Earth for repairs. In ter an ammonia pump module on the star- sum, the shuttle’s retirement will severely chal- board-side truss failed. One of the station’s lenge our ability to address satellite servicing two cooling loops was brought down, necessi- and significant unplanned ISS system repairs. tating a reduction in power consumption by Soyuz and Progress flights continue to noncritical systems and payloads. Planning transfer crews and materiel to the ISS, and began immediately for removing the broken Soyuz will become the only vehicle capable of pump and replacing it with an available spare. crew and limited cargo return when the shut- Expedition 24 flight engineers Doug tle retires. The automated transfer vehicle Jo- Wheelock and Tracy Caldwell Dyson per- hannes Kepler is slated to become the formed a first spacewalk on August 7 second European spacecraft to to remove and replace the pump. reach the ISS, with the launch Their excursion lasted 8 hr 3 via an Ariane 5 mission ex- min, making it the longest pected early next year. It ISS-based spacewalk and offers significantly more the sixth-longest space- cargo capacity than walk in history. Their re- Progress, with up to pair tasks originally in- Expedition 24 flight engineer 5.5 metric tons of cluded removing the Tracy Caldwell Dyson, attired in her extravehicular mobility freight and supplies, failed pump module unit spacesuit in the ISS 840 kg of water, 100 and retrieving a spare Quest airlock, completed kg of gases, and 4 from an external three spacewalks with flight metric tons of fuel for stowage platform, but engineer Doug Wheelock to remove and replace an ISS orbit correction. an ammonia leak ne- ammonia pump module that ESA is also investigat- cessitated a second EVA failed July 31. ing a reusable reentry to finish removing the vehicle variant that is de- failed pump and prepare signed to return crew and a spare for installation in a materiel to Earth. Other third and final spacewalk. ISS resupply alternatives in- The 780-lb spare ammonia clude the NASA COTS SpaceX pump had been delivered in July Dragon and Orbital Sciences 2006 via STS-121 and placed on an Cygnus vehicles and the JAXA HTV, all of external stowage platform. The repair and which are planning flights to the ISS in the replacement tasks took a total of 22 hr 49 next few years. Dragon brings the potential min during the three spacewalks. for significant downmass capacity. The extensive EVA work also highlights Major tasks remaining for the ISS interna- the need for implementing EVR (extravehicu- tional partnership include coordinating flight lar robotics) and EVA/EVR cooperative main- schedules, cargo manifests, docking port tenance for other external ORUs (orbital re- availability, and reverse logistics; maintaining placement units) using the Canadian Space a robust set of spares; and the timely delivery Agency’s special-purpose dexterous manipu- of consumables. lator, fondly referred to as Dextre. by Alan W. Johnson

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Space colonization The year also brought significant progress in the space tourism arena. A Virgin Galac- tic/Scaled Composites team demonstrated a Expanding human presence beyond Earth is suborbital test flight of VSS Enterprise in a bid the long-term goal of the manned spaceflight to achieve commercial manned suborbital program—a goal clearly recognized by the flight. Bigelow Aerospace, teamed with Or- Augustine commission, and against which bitec Technologies, embarked on human rat- every foray into space should be measured. ing the environmental control and life-support Progress toward future space settlements is system to be used on the Sundancer inflatable measured in small ways, mostly as incremen- habitat in space, scheduled for a 2015 launch. tal changes in perception and in advances in ISS activities included research on human supporting technology development. This physiology and radiation protection; micro- year was full of mixed signals, with commer- gravity disciplines such as materials science, cial entities continuing to make progress to- fluid physics, and combustion; Earth observa- ward cargo/crew launch and the U.S. gov- tions; and education outreach. ernment trying to reinvent the human space Space settlement concepts and infrastruc- program priorities and approaches. ture supporting future space settlement were Russia, ESA, Japan, China, and India all featured at the AIAA Space 2010 Conference have proposed ambitious missions, including and AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting as manned missions, to the Moon and planets. well as at the National Space Society Interna- The announced finding of substantial amounts tional Space Development Conference, —perhaps a billion gallons—of water and other where the focus was on key technologies re- volatiles from the Lunar Crater Observation quired for space colonization. and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) 2009 impact Evidence of popular acceptance of space mission has come as a stunning revelation settlement concepts is increasing. The AIAA- that warrants a second look at the Moon. The sponsored International Space Settlement De- presence of ammonia in the impact ejecta is sign Competition involved over 1,000 high- another key finding for facilitating future ex- school students worldwide in designing large tended human presence on the lunar surface. space settlements in a solar cycler orbit cross- SpaceX and Orbital Sciences made con- ing the orbits of Earth and Mars Earth orbit, in tinued progress in the development of com- Mars lunar orbit, and on the surface of Mars. mercial launch vehicles via NASA-funded pro- The National Space Society Space Design grams. Several other firms reported programs Contest attracted hundreds of entries, prima- for suborbital launches that could be leased for rily from individual students. research and/or promoting science, technol- This year we have seen the U.S. space ogy, engineering, and mathematics education. program become a political football, with pas- sions running high in both camps. The U.S. has spent billions of dollars on developing a shuttle replacement, only to see the program Findings from the LCROSS fundamentally changed in midcourse. It is 2009 impact mission reveal time for us to realize that the space program the presence of large amounts of water on the Moon. is no longer a discretionary one but rather a strategic one that is multifaceted, providing a key stimulus for technical innovation and enterprise, showcasing technical prowess and leadership, and challenging the next generation to pioneer the next frontier. The key to success in space will be a coherent, sustained vision, adequate funding, and relentless effort. NASA should embark on the Moon-first path while keeping open the later opportunity to visit other near-Earth bodies. Moon-Base 2020 should be an engineering testbed for technologies applicable to long-term exploration missions on Mars and elsewhere. Without these technologies and by Ram Ramachandran demonstrable milestones, long-term explo- and Anita Gale ration goals will remain elusive.

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Space transportation

While the space shuttle program is winding down, NASA has entered a particularly critical period in its effort to reshape its human spaceflight program. All this activity is gener- ating a lot of media attention and discussion, as the decisions being made in Congress now may very well affect the agency for years to come. STS-130 delivered the Tranquility con- necting node and the cupola to the international space station. The cupola is a module with seven windows to provide a unique view The WhiteKnightTwo carrier around the station. STS-131 carried a multi- fore the end of the year. Future payloads in- aircraft, with SpaceShipTwo, purpose logistics module with supplies and ex- clude the second ATV, Johannes Kepler, to made its first long-distance captive-carry flight in October. periments for use aboard the ISS. STS-132 the ISS. The first Soyuz launch from Guiana is carried the Russian mini-research module 1, planned for December. to be attached to the Zarya module. And STS- Japan has achieved a significant “first” in 133 delivered the express logistics carrier, a space transportation with the successful re- multpurpose logistics module, and critical covery in Australia of its Hayabusa probe in spare components. June. Launched seven years ago, Hayabusa The Orion pad abort test was launched at landed on asteroid Itokawa in November White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; it 2005. An H-II-A rocket launched Akatsuki, was the first fully integrated flight test of the the first Japanese probe to Venus, in May; the launch abort system. The Orion crew explo- payload included the Ikaros satellite, equipped ration vehicle parachute assembly system per- with a 20-m-wide solar sail. formed a successful airdrop test at the Yuma India launched its first GSLV Mk2 D3 with Proving Grounds. The second full-scale an indigenous cryogenic upper stage, but it demonstration test of the five-segment solid failed during its initial ascent. The Indian polar rocket booster was successfully conducted. satellite launch vehicle launched the Cartosat The first SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle 2B remote sensing satellite and multiple sec- was successfully launched in June, marking a ondary payloads. A GSLV Mk1 launch was key milestone for the commercial spaceflight planned for the last quarter of 2010. The sec- industry. Preliminary data indicated that Fal- ond attempt to send a South Korean satellite con achieved all of its primary mission objec- with a KSLV launcher failed in June. The ve- tives, culminating in a nearly perfect insertion hicle exploded toward the end of first-stage of the second stage and Dragon spacecraft operations. qualification unit into the targeted circular or- Seven Chinese Long March launches were bit. A second launch under the COTS pro- conducted this year, the last with China’s sec- gram is planned before year’s end. ond lunar orbiter probe, Chang’e 2. Russia is A United Launch Alliance Delta IV deliv- still launching at a high rate, totaling 17 by ered GOES-P for NASA and NOAA. The midyear (including ILS launches). In June, Is- weather satellite will monitor conditions rael launched its Ofeq 9 reconnaissance satel- across the U.S. Another ULA Delta IV lite with a Shavit rocket. launched the Air Force’s first Block-2F navi- Virgin Galactic’s WhiteKnightTwo carrier gation satellite for the GPS system. A ULA aircraft, with SpaceShipTwo, made its first Atlas V launched NASA's Solar Dynamics Ob- long-distance captive-carry flight to the Space- servatory; another launched the U.S. mili- port America runway dedication in conjunc- tary’s X-37B, a prototype spaceplane. A third tion with the October ISPCS meeting in Las Atlas V launched the first advanced extremely Cruces, New Mexico, following a successful high frequency satellite. One each of the Delta first free flight of the SpaceShipTwo vehicle. II and Delta IV Heavy vehicles, two Atlas Vs, XCOR is continuing to develop the Lynx and two Minotaur launches are also scheduled suborbital spaceplane that is expected to be- for this year. gin prototype flight tests in mid-2011. Masten by Carl Ehrlich and the As of mid-2010, three Ariane 5 launches Space Systems, meanwhile, is developing sub- AIAASpace Transportation had been conducted, with three remaining be- orbital vehicles of its own design. Technical Committee

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The various elements of the partially deployed Weapon system system are still undergoing test and integration. effectiveness Midcourse defense intercepts long-range missiles while they are ballistic, the missiles having used up their fuel. There is ongoing research on destroying missiles earlier, during boost, just after launch during their acceleration phase, while they are still burning fuel. On February 11, the airborne laser test bed (ALTB) destroyed two missiles during launch within 1 hr of each other, one a liquid-fueled rocket and one a solid-fueled rocket. The ALTB has an oxygen-iodine laser housed in a Boeing 747-400 freighter. On September 1, a test was terminated as the laser beam veered and the system software shut down the beam. In the terminal intercept regime, where the missile warheads are on their way down toward the target, this year saw another successful test of the terminal high-altitude area defense (THAAD) missile defense system with a successful intercept of a target missile off the coast of Hawaii on June 28. The target represented a short-range ballistic missile. Also This GBMD interceptor was for short-range missiles and artillery shells, the launched from Vandenberg AFB This year marks the 27th anniversary of Pres- Iron Dome system is under development by Is- on January 31. Missile Defense ident Reagan’s visionary speech on strategic rael with U.S. support. Agency photo. defense, where he announced that the U.S. Historically, the primary defense for indi- was capable enough that mutually assured de- vidual soldiers and ground vehicles has been struction was no longer a morally tenable de- inaccuracy of incoming fire. Unfortunately, in fense position. He said, “I've become more Afghanistan and Iraq, explosive devices are and more deeply convinced that the human being placed in close proximity to the target, spirit must be capable of rising above dealing negating this historical defense. Thus, our sol- with other nations and human beings by diers and vehicles need equipment to protect threatening their existence.” against impacts and close-range blast. After In this initial speech, Reagan recognized the initial, and successful, delivery of vehicles that “[creating a strategic defense] will take such as MRAP, we are now in a position to years, probably decades of efforts on many begin devising vehicles that are designed from fronts. There will be failures and setbacks, just the ground up with impact and blast defense as there will be successes and breakthroughs.” in mind. Ideas such as “floating” the cabs to Defensive systems are still proving to be prevent soldiers’ legs from being shattered the most demanding weapon systems. Missile during a blast event, and incorporating new defense systems strike incoming warheads, materials and safety systems into the vehicles, objects that are less than 1 m across, at veloc- are under development. ities ranging from subsonic (300 m/sec) to From the systems perspective, we need to above 5 km/sec (over 10,000 mph). understand all the demands on the vehicles, As to complexity and difficulty on the up- including mobility, stability, electrical power per intercept velocity end, the U.S. is still test- requirements, cooling, and what information ing its deployed ground-based midcourse de- and devices need to be accessible by the crew fense (GBMD) segment. On January 31, the since additional objects in the cab become U.S. had a test failure of the installed system: hazards during extreme events. When the a target missile was successfully launched from Weapon System Technical Committee first Kwajalein, and the interceptor missile was suc- formed in 1995, its main focus was missile cessfully launched from Vandenberg AFB, but defense, requiring the most complex systems there were problems with sea-based X-band yet created. Now ground systems need in- radar and an intercept did not occur. On June creased sophistication. The art of effective 6 there was a successful launch of a ground- weapon system design is most challengingly by James D. Walker based interceptor, again from Vandenberg. expressed in these defensive systems.

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Space operations and support

This year has been marked by a number of significant scientific advances in the field of spacecraft operations, including a number of asteroid mission successes. Deep Impact’s flyby of Earth in June as part of its extended investigation activity en route to comet Hartley-2 was followed closely by Rosetta’s flyby of asteroid Lutetia in July. The most remarkable of the asteroid missions was undoubtedly the Japanese Haya- busa mission. Japan had already enjoyed a significant scientific operations success in May with the launch of its Akatsuki satellite to Venus. But Hayabusa became the first mission to take a sample from the surface of an asteroid (Itokawa) and return it to Earth. JAXA’s Hayabusa overcame The mission’s success was all the more re- zation looking at conjunctions of satellites a series of problems before successfully returning its markable considering the issues the opera- owned by its participating operators, and the probe to Earth. tions team had to overcome. The spacecraft’s expected first launch of the USAF’s space sur- rover, Minerva, could not be dispatched and veillance satellite. Hayabusa itself, which was not intended to Commercial spaceflight has made steady land on the asteroid, landed for 30 minutes. progress this year, most notably by SpaceX The particle collection mechanism failed, but with the successful maiden flight of its Falcon asteroid dust was collected as a result of the 9 heavy-lift rocket on June 4 from Launch landing. A failure in one of the engines re- Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral. The com- sulted in a loss of communications with the pany achieved another major milestone on spacecraft for seven weeks, and JAXA needed August 12 with a a further 16 months to regain control. Finally successful drop test the craft had to use ion thrusters to return to of its Dragon cap- Earth after the chemical thruster failure. sule about 9 mi. off Space debris and situational awareness re- the coast of Morro mained very active topics. The widely publi- Bay in California. cized control communications failure of the The test validated Galaxy 15 satellite while maintaining trans- its parachute de- ponder broadcasting in April, resulted in sig- ployment system. nificant interference to neighboring spacecraft And though the ini- as it drifted uncontrolled in front of active geo- tial flights will de- stationary orbital slots over the subsequent scend for a touch- months. This not only caused significant dis- down on the water, ruption to the geostationary communications their goal is a land sector, but highlighted a less cited but equally recovery. The combined Falcon 9 and Dragon The Dragon drop test validated the parachute deployment system. important domain of spacecraft control failure were designed not only to replace the space mitigation and end-of-life strategies, com- shuttle as a cargo carrier but also to transport pared to past years’ dramatic debris events. crew to low Earth orbit. The latter is the so- End-of-life passivation guidelines highlight called “D” option of the Commercial Orbital the need for disabling intentional transmitters, Transportation Services contract, which and although Galaxy 15 was not being placed NASA has not yet exercised. into an end-of-life configuration, it demon- Elsewhere in private spaceflight, Virgin strated very clearly the need for such guide- Galactic’s VSS Enterprise made its inaugural lines during both these and mission contin- manned flight on March 22 in a “captive gency activities. carry” flight test in which the vehicle stayed at- Progress in space situational awareness in- tached to the VMS Eve mothership. The flight cluded the first operations of the Space Data lasted 2 hr 54 min and achieved a peak alti- by Franz Newland Center, set up in 2009 as a nonprofit organi- tude of 45,000 ft. and J. Paul Douglas

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Green engineering mittee meeting at the end of the year to discuss an amendment to the D7566 fuel specification. If the vote on the amendment is fav- Green aviation, alternative fuels, sustainabil- orable, it should lead to the approved use of ity, and energy topics moved to the forefront biofuels in commercial aircraft. this year in the aerospace industry. The FAA, through its CLEEN (Continuous In one of many key milestones for bio- Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise) pro- fuels, a military helicopter was flown for the gram, is seeking to develop and demonstrate first time using a 50/50 blend of biofuel and technologies and alternative fuels to meet traditional jet fuel. The flight of a Boeing multiple environmental and energy goals. Apache, piloted by the Royal Netherlands Air These include reducing fuel burn by 33%, ni- Force, lasted 20 min. trogen oxide emissions by 60%, and cumula- The Navy reached a significant landmark tive aircraft noise levels by 32 dB. In June the in April with the first flight of a naval fighter program announced $125 million in contracts fueled by a biofuel blend. The Boeing F/A-18 to companies including Boeing, Honeywell, Green Hornet, powered by GE F414 engines, GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls- flew for 45 min and performed as expected. Royce North America. Preceding this test were hundreds of hours of NASA hosted a Green Aviation Summit in component and ground testing. September to discuss the challenges, opportu- The Air Force posted key achievements as nities, and progress associated with its Envi- well, completing altitude tests of an F110 en- ronmentally Responsible Aviation effort. The event was attended by government, industry, Dr. Bilal Bomani and academia, and highlighted the diverse inspects spectrum of NASA programs aimed at miti- Salicornia as a potential gating aviation’s impact on the environment. biofuel for GE Aviation completed low-speed acoustic next-generation testing of its generation-one open rotor blades. aviation fuels in The subscale blades were tested at NASA the Green Lab at NASA Glenn in Glenn in the 9x15-ft low-speed wind tunnel. Cleveland, Ohio. The company expects the final configuration to enable a double-digit reduction in fuel burn. Pratt & Whitney continued development of its geared turbofan, which also promises double- digit improvements in fuel burn. Rolls-Royce made progress this year in its Environmentally Friendly Engine program, which will validate technologies aimed at reducing noise, fuel burn, and emissions. These technologies will undergo testing in a full engine demonstrator. gine using a 50/50 biofuel mix at Arnold En- The newly formed ARPA-E (Advanced Re- gineering Development Center. The first flight search Projects Agency-Energy) has had a of an A-10 Thunderbolt II using a camelina- busy year. In March it awarded $106 million in derived biofuel blend took place in March. contracts focusing on biofuels, more efficient CAAFI (Commercial Aviation Alternative and cost-effective batteries, and clean coal Fuels Initiative) is researching the use of alter- technology. July brought $92 million in addi- native fuels as a means of improving energy tional funding for 43 potentially transforma- security and environmental sustainability. It is tional energy projects. These contracts center sponsored by the FAA, the Airports Council on infrastructure factors such as grid scale en- International-North America, the Aerospace ergy storage, building efficiency, and power Industries Association, and the Air Transport electronics. Later, a September announce- Association of America. The coalition also in- ment awarded $9.6 million to six projects cludes members from airlines, airframers, en- aimed at increasing building energy efficiency, gine manufacturers, and energy producers. In reducing solar energy costs, and improving January, CAAFI received the Joseph S. Mur- power density. phy Industry Service Award, which recognized Finally, AIAA formed a Green Engineer- the partnership’s considerable achievements ing Program Committee this year, further rein advancing alternative fuels. flecting the growing importance of these pro- by Jason Slagle ASTM International will hold a critical com- grams to the aerospace industry.

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Space stations

The ISS is an international collaborative space areas—physical sciences, biology, medicine, venture that includes partnerships between psychology, Earth observation, preparation NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, ESA, for human exploration, and technology dem- Roscosmos (the Russian space agency), and onstration. Use of the station’s U.S. National the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency. Laboratory also promotes the commercializa- For more than 15 years this partnership tion of space. This year the National Institutes has weathered economic, technical, and polit- of Health (NIH) awarded three grants to use ical challenges, having completed one of the the ISS National Laboratory facilities for con- most ambitious engineering projects ever ducting research in the areas of bone, immu- conceived. However, the challenge of success- nity, and disease. The grants, which total over fully utilizing the platform remains. Facilities $1.3 million, enable a partnership that takes commissioned in 2009 and 2010 include advantage of the unique microgravity environ- physical sciences hardware for combustion, ment aboard the ISS. This environment allows materials science, and fluid physics research, exploration of fundamental questions about as well as additional multipurpose and sup- important health issues here on Earth while porting infrastructure. Discovery’s STS-131 mission added the WORF (window observational research facility), which will enable full scientific use of the optical quality window in the Destiny laboratory; the third and final MELFI (-80° laboratory freezer), an ESA-built, NASA-operated freezer for science sample storage; EXPRESS (expe- ISS partner agency percentage dite the processing of of experiments conducted to experiments to space date by discipline. station) Rack 7, a multipurpose payload rack system that supports experiments in any discipline by providing structural interfaces, power, data, cooling and water; and the MARES (muscle atrophy re- also advancing NASA’s exploration goals. search and exercise system), which will im- As ISS research has progressed, the ISS prove understanding of microgravity’s effects partners have been working together to track on the human muscular system. the objectives, accomplishments, and applica- Even during the assembly phase, work tions of the new knowledge gained. To date, done on the ISS demonstrated the potential there have been 59 countries represented by benefits of space-based R&D. These include research and educational activities on the ISS. the advancement of scientific knowledge From 1998 through March of this year, the based on experiments conducted in space, de- ISS partner agencies have conducted a total velopment and testing of new technologies, of 552 experiments in the following disci- by Tara Ruttley, Jacob and derivation of Earth applications from new plines: physical and material sciences, biology Cohen, Julie Robinson, understanding. and biotechnology, human research, Earth Bev Girten, the AIAA Space Station Program The ISS, with its human-tended capabili- and space science, technology development, Committee, and the AIAA ties and configurability for experiments, pro- commercial development, and educational ac- Microgravity and Space vides a unique platform that supports interna- tivities. As the era of utilization begins, these Processes Technical tional research spanning a broad array of numbers are expected to grow. Committee

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PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Value-driven design stability is inhibited by uncertainties introduced via the stochastic objective function. The detailed results were presented at the High points this year in the field of value- Space 2010 conference. driven/centric design include a DARPA- A second example of the use of a value- funded research program, a series of National driven/centric design approach is DECODE Science Foundation workshops on the future (decision environment for complex designs), a of systems engineering, a U.K. research task, three-year research program at the University and the development of an active network of of Southampton funded by the U.K.’s Engi- experts in this field from academia and indus- neering and Physical Sciences Research try in Europe. Council. The primary aim of DECODE, now in its second year, is to provide a consistent, rigorous method for the activities associated with the design of complex systems. The goal is to complete three full design cycles on a relatively complex but accessible design, and to develop the necessary associated tools. The platform chosen for demonstrating the DE- CODE concept is a small man-portable UAS (unmanned air system). The two DECODE teams have already produced a round of UASs that are currently undergoing testing. The National Science Foundation commissioned a series of two one- to three-day workshops on the future of systems engineering and the viability of using value-models as an alternative to the current requirements flow- down process. The first of these workshops was held February 22-24 in Washington, D.C., with a follow-up workshop on Septem- ber 12 in Ft. Worth, Texas. The Value-Driven Design Institute organized both events. The outcome of the first is now publicly available at the Institute’s Web site, where the second The DECODE UAS is currently undergoing testing. workshop’s results will also be published at a later date. These workshops focused on the future of systems engineering, specifically the The DARPA research effort is the frac- area of complex systems design. They were tionated spacecraft program, or system F6. part of a larger series of workshops commis- Late last year, after downselecting from four sioned by Christina Bloebaum, program direc- prime contractors at the end of the design tor for engineering design and innovation at phase, DARPA funded Orbital Sciences to the NSF, focusing on several aspects of engi- perform the detailed design on the spacecraft neering design and optimization. concept. As part of this program, academics There are also some nascent efforts where at MIT performed an in-depth analysis of pub- activity has been accelerating, and these por- licly available fractionated satellite value-cen- tend well for the future. The first of these is tric design tools from Phase 1 of the DARPA the establishment of a joint academic and in- system F6 program. The first task, a compar- dustry network in Europe that focuses on edu- ative benchmarking study of these four tools, cation and research into value-driven/centric involved modeling several use cases to deter- design methods. The second effort follows de- mine differences in inputs, analysis methods, velopments in a planned DARPA program and outputs. The results found the tools to be called Advanced Make. Both efforts appear substantially diverse in modeling architectures likely to produce some interesting results. and value interpretation. Overall, value-driven design made significant The second task applied optimization advances this year, and the future holds even methods to the Phase 1 PIVOT tool, created more promise. by the AIAA Value-Driven by Orbital Sciences to maximize satellite sys- For more information on the NSF work- Design Program Committee tem value. The results showed that solution shops see: http://vddi.org/vddi-home.htm.

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Space exploration

Human spaceflight activities moved in a new direction in 2010, a year marked by both continued progress in exploration systems and uncertainty about the future. The 2009 Review of U.S. Human Space Flight Plans Committee, which was commissioned by President Barack Obama, deter- mined that the Constellation program could not be executed within the available budget and recommended that NASA pursue a “flexible path” strategy for human exploration. Under this new strategy, human missions would be sent to progressively more distant The Pad Abort 1 test of the Orion launch abort system took place destinations, such as Lagrange points, near successfully at White Sands Earth asteroids, and the moons of Mars, be- Missile Range. fore attempting to land on either the Moon or Mars. By first demonstrating the critical capa- ATK test fired a five-segment solid rocket mo- bilities needed for deep space missions, and tor for Ares I to demonstrate operation at cold by deferring the development of landing and temperatures. A ground test article of the surface systems, costs can be spread out in Orion capsule was fabricated and tested at time to fit within the available budget. proof pressure. The Constellation program In February, the president’s FY11 budget also completed its preliminary design review. request for NASA incorporated many of the Plans to develop commercial rockets for recommendations of this committee in plans launching crew and cargo into LEO were for several new technology programs. These given a boost by the successful launch of the programs would seek to demonstrate key ca- Space-X Falcon 9 vehicle on June 4. NASA pabilities for human deep space exploration awarded contracts to begin development of and would place a new emphasis on develop- concepts and technologies for commercial ing commercial rockets to transport crews into crew launch. orbit after the space shuttle is retired. The new In September, the Lunar Reconnaissance technology programs would develop liquid- Orbiter (LRO) completed its one-year mission fueled rocket engines for heavy-lift launchers. to map the Moon and identify potential land- They would also demonstrate automated ren- ing sites and resources for future human mis- dezvous and docking, cryogenic propellant sions. LRO’s seven instruments have returned storage and transfer, a solar electric transfer over 100 terabytes of data. The orbiter’s ma- vehicle, and habitation systems in spaceflight jor accomplishments include finding the cold- experiments. Plans also include a series of ro- est spot in the solar system in shadowed botic precursor missions to scout potential des- craters at the lunar poles, mapping the distri- tinations for future human activity. bution of hydrogen, acquiring high-resolution On April 15 the president set a new goal images of the Apollo landing sites, and pro- for NASA: sending a human mission to a ducing a global topographic map with its laser near-Earth asteroid by 2025. The primary ob- altimeter. The mission will be extended for jectives for an asteroid mission would be to two more years for lunar science studies. test technologies and operational concepts for Two crewed rovers, a large payload trans- deep space missions, return samples to in- port rover, and a habitat unit were tested in crease our understanding of the solar system’s the Arizona desert to simulate operational formation and evolution, and determine if as- scenarios for planetary surface exploration. teroids can be deflected to prevent them from Robonaut 2 was launched to ISS in November colliding with Earth. to assist the crew in performing tasks. Meanwhile, the Constellation program The year closes with Congress having continued to make progress despite its uncer- passed the NASA Authorization Act of 2010, tain future. On May 6 the first integrated test which directs NASA to begin a new heavy-lift of the launch abort system for the Orion crew launch vehicle program and continue the de- exploration vehicle was successfully conducted velopment of a crew exploration vehicle in by Chris Moore at White Sands Missile Range. On August 31 2011. and Surendra Sharma

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Hypersonic technologies First flight of X-51A and aerospace plane Around 1980, the ramjet-powered Advanced Strategic Air-Launched Missile was tested. On Flight 1, after it was launched at Mach 2.54 and In various activities this year, critical test data accelerated to Mach 4.1, the fuel control stuck were collected to verify performance and to wide open, further accelerating the missile to determine lessons learned. Mach 5.6-6.0. During Flight 7, ASALM cruised at A Falcon HTV-2 flight test resulted in a Mach 4.0 for 290 sec. In 2004, the scramjet-powered X-43A flew at Mach 9.68 for 11 sec. On May crash nearly 9 min into a 30-min flight over a 26 of this year, the X-51A vehicle achieved around distance of 5,700 km. A DARPA review Mach 4.9, and the dual-mode scramjet (DMSJ) board is analyzing the data gathered to deter- engine (per the X-51A program’s characteriza- mine the cause. tion) operated for 143 sec, exhibiting transonic After the HyFly missile with its solid rocket combustion. booster was released from an F-15E, its This flight of the X-51A was very significant, booster engine did not ignite. On detecting achieving nearly all test objectives. The fuel- low internal battery voltage, the onboard soft- cooled DMSJ engine started on ethylene at Mach ware aborted motor ignition. This was the 4.7 and successfully transitioned to JP-7 seconds third failure to demonstrate transonic combus- later. The vehicle accelerated at 0.15 g. After the tion technology. first 25 sec of engine-on flight, it suffered an On Flight 1, the HIFiRE program con- anomaly. It decelerated to 0.0 g, and during the ducted two experiments, mostly successfully. latter part of deceleration it experienced a pro- The vehicle design consisted of a cone/cylin- nounced bank angle along with a slight side slip. der/flare configuration. A ballistic trajectory There was an inlet unstart, followed by engine was flown to enable varying Reynolds num- recovery. At 160 sec into the flight, the X-51A bers to be achieved at near-constant Mach briefly returned to nominal operation, accelerat- number. Data were collected to study bound- ing at 0.15 g. Again, it began to decelerate. ary-layer transition and shock/boundary-layer Telemetry was lost and the flight was terminated. interaction. The X-51A flew and the thermally balanced DLR completed integration of the faceted engine performed as expected before the anom- tip of the experimental sharp-edged space- aly. Measured drag, thrust, angle of attack, and tail deflection angles were extremely close to craft SHEFEX II. Nine different thermal pro- predictions. The objectives of reaching Mach 5.9 tection systems, mostly based on ceramic ma- and of operating the engine for 240 sec were trix composites, were integrated. SHEFEX II not achieved. A fix to the vehicle would be made has about 160 gauges for measuring pressure, to achieve these objectives on the next flight. temperature, and heat flux. Canards are used To fully exploit airbreathing hypersonic flight, Pollux is the first unmanned to control the attitude of the vehicle. engines are needed to cover Mach ranges 0-6, 3- space vehicle with a slender JAXA has completed ground firing tests of configuration to be tested in 8, 6-12, and finally 0-12. The first flight of X-51A flight at low speeds. a hypersonic precooled turbojet engine to de- was another major milestone toward that goal. velop a turbine-based combined-cycle engine. Conducting the tests with both horizontal and vertical attitude enabled the evaluation of the long-duration, reusable vehicles with au- effect of gravity force in a free-fall flight ex- tonomous entry into Earth’s atmosphere and periment. The starting characteristics of the landing capabilities, and to conduct some ex- air intake were obtained in a supersonic en- periments. Its mission time will depend on the gine test facility. progress of the experiments. MBDA and Onera are to receive a con- Under Italy’s PRORA-USV program, the tract from the French administration covering Italian Aerospace Research Center success- the remaining parts of their flight testing pro- fully completed the second mission of the gram, LEA. The upgrade of the Onera S4Ma dropped transonic flight test to acquire data wind tunnel is in progress and will provide a on transonic and low supersonic flight. A large-scale Mach-6 free-jet test capability. stratospheric balloon took Polluce (Pollux) up Tests involving fuel-cooled composite struc- to a drop altitude of 24 km. After it was ture were conducted in the new MBDA test dropped, it achieved a maximum falling speed facility, Methyle. of Mach 1.24. The vehicle executed auton- The objectives of the first orbital flight of omous control laws, performing a series of the X-37B craft, launched aboard an Atlas V extremely complex maneuvers. A COTS on April 22, are to verify its on-orbit perform- parachute was used at around Mach 0.14 for by Unmeel Mehta ance, to validate the technologies required for water landing.

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Aerospace traffic management

Air carriers were experiencing better financial returns, based on an upturn in passenger bookings and the results of “down gauging,” in which airlines use smaller aircraft to achieve better load factors. Meanwhile, the eruption of a volcano in Iceland in March caused significant disruptions to air travel across the North Atlantic and in Western Europe for about a month. Concerns that the ash plume would damage engines caused closures of large portions of the airspace, leading airlines to cancel many flights. The event brought home to travelers, ship- pers, aircraft operators, and air navigation service providers (ANSPs) the profound influence that environmental factors such as se- vere weather can have on air operations. It also engendered a lively and continuing de- The ash plume from the eruption of a volcano in Iceland caused bate over the scientific basis for concerns sultant improvement in surveillance coverage widespread disruptions in air about abrasion in aircraft engines exposed to in the Gulf of Mexico facilitated the heavy air travel. volcanic ash, and the actions that should be activity that followed this year’s massive oil taken to safeguard life and property. spill in the region. Aviation safety remains at an exceptionally Also in connection with ADS-B, in May high level, but those few accidents that do the FAA published new rules mandating air- happen focus attention on areas where im- space and avionics performance requirements provement is still needed. The Polish air force effective after January 1, 2020, giving aircraft Tu-154 crash that occurred in April near the owners approximately 10 years to equip for city of Smolensk, Russia, killed all 96 people operations within the designated (busiest) air- on board. This was a high-profile event be- space. The avionics perform a function gen- cause the victims included the Polish president, erally known as “ADS-B Out,” which trans- along with a large delegation of high-level of- mits precise location and other information ficials going to a memorial service. about a plane to ground stations and other While the cause of the crash is still under ADS-B-equipped aircraft. The new rule has investigation, it is clear that the pilot was at- added significance because it signals the tempting to land under low-visibility condi- FAA’s resolve to make sure that operators up- tions without benefit of an instrument landing date their aircraft systems (namely avionics) so system (ILS) to provide lateral and, most im- that NextGen benefits can be fully exploited. portant, vertical guidance. In an environment Interest in unmanned air systems (UAS) where GPS signals are pervasive and the cost for commercial use has intensified, putting of receivers is low, aircraft landing guidance pressure on ANSPs to establish operating (vertical and lateral) is easily accommodated procedures that would allow these aircraft by the addition of inexpensive ground installa- greater access to domestic airspace. An indi- tions. Around the world, airports without ILS cation of this interest is the rapidly growing have recognized this and are acting to imple- number of special authorizations the FAA has ment the needed systems. issued allowing public entities such as law en- The U.S. NextGen program is deploying forcement to use defined airspace. In addition, ADS–B (Automatic Dependent Surveillance– the FAA has now asked the private nonprofit Broadcast) at an accelerated pace. This is one corporation RTCA to work with the industry of the enabling technologies that, in combina- to develop UAS standards centering on issues tion with other NextGen developments, will of command and control and “sense and allow the National Airspace System to accom- avoid” so that UAS can safely operate among modate traffic growth safely through 2025. piloted aircraft without undue restrictions. Un- by the AIAA Aerospace The deployment, still far from nationwide, has fortunately, the current target date for com- Traffic Management had unforeseen benefits—for example, the re- pletion of this work is not unil 2015. Program Committee

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2010 73 PC-1210.qxd:AA-December 11/16/10 2:29 PM Page 8

PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Directed energy systems shifted to electrically driven lasers to overcome the issues of chemical reactant storage, transportation, and effluent. The first genera- Progress toward development of directed en- tion of 100-kW-class solid-state weapons is ergy weapon systems continued in several moving out of the laboratory and into field major DOD programs, the Airborne Laser testing. But proponents of even more ad- (ABL), the Office of Naval Research Maritime vanced technologies continue to develop Laser Demonstrator, the Navy LaWS (Laser more advanced, more efficient concepts that Weapon System), and the Army High Energy offer promise when budget pressures take Laser Tactical Demonstrator programs. Boe- precedence over operational needs. ing was selected by the Office of Naval Re- The head of the MDA announced that search (ONR) to develop the design and inte- solid-state lasers would not achieve the mega- gration of a 100-kW FEL demonstrator. The watt-class power levels needed to shoot down Air Force announced initiation of ELLA (Elec- ballistic missiles, and that the next generation tric Laser on a Large Aircraft), a new program of hybrid electric/gas lasers (diode-pumped for aircraft integration of a 100-kW-class heavy metal vapor such as alkali) might be the solid-state laser. desired option. The power levels of these A Missile Defense Agency (MDA) modi- lasers, first demonstrated in July, are orders of fied Boeing 747 ABL boost-phase missile de- magnitude below the megawatt class needed fense prototype aircraft successfully accom- and many years away from weapons-class use. plished kill sequences against instrumented The ONR/NorthropGrumman Maritime boosting missile targets early this year. ABL’s Laser Demonstration program continued to megawatt-class chemical oxygen iodine laser make progress on integrating a 100-kW-class was then tested twice unsuccessfully later in solid-state laser on a seaborne platform for the year against a simulated ballistic missile at testing against tactical targets. Advanced fiber a range of over 100 mi. Citing technical and lasers are also being incorporated into close- operational issues, Defense Secretary Robert range, tactical naval laser weapon systems. Gates opted to continue using that single plat- After tests against mortar rounds in flight in form as a testbed rather than to proceed with 2009, the Navy/Raytheon LaWS program acquiring additional platforms. successfully engaged and shot down UAVs in maritime environment tests in May at San Nicolas Island. The MDA’s modified Boeing 747 Nonweapons aspects of di- ABL boost-phase missile defense rected energy systems involve prototype aircraft successfully accomplished kill sequences beamed energy propulsion against instrumented boosting (BEP), a revolutionary technol- missile targets early this year. ogy for future space transportation. BEP vehicles would be driven by power beamed from remote, reusable, long-range sources. Although most BEP techniques are based on lasers, the scope of this technology also covers other forms of directed energy, such as mi- crowave and X-ray radiation and particle beams. BEP systems could provide unique propulsive characteristics im- This decision highlights the problem faced possible to achieve with traditional, combus- not only by directed energy weapons but also tion-based engines. Vehicles driven by BEP by many other innovative emerging technolo- will be smaller, lighter, faster, and more effi- gies: After successful near-prototype demon- cient than any currently existing means of strations, acquisition and fielding are deferred space transportation. Work by the Advanced because a better technology is always just Propulsion Technology Group, JPL, and around the corner. NASA continues to advance BEP technology, Despite decades of successful high-power as reported in the proceedings of the Ameri- by James A. Horkovich chemical laser demonstrations, attention has can Institute of Beamed Energy Propulsion.

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25 Years Ago, December 1985 for the next 10 years under a special agreement. The Aeroplane, Dec. 30, 1960, p. 850. Dec. 7 The China Clipper, a Pan American Boeing 747, arrives in Dec. 10 The Discoverer 18 reconnaissance satellite is Beijing after departing New York and successfully “air-snatched” by a C-119 aircraft over the making a stop in Tokyo. It is the first Pacific Ocean near Hawaii. It is the third successful midair commercial flight between the U.S. catch and also features the first successful use of the and mainland China since 1949. KH-2 Itek camera system aboard a satellite. On Dec. 20, Chronicle of Aviation History, 1980-89. Discoverer 19 is launched. The Aeroplane, Dec. 16, 1960, p. 812, and Dec. 30, 1960, p. 848; D. Baker, Spaceflight and Rocketry, p. 111. 50 Years Ago, December 1960 Dec. 15 The three-stage British Jaguar solid-fuel sounding rocket succeeds in Dec. 1 the first of a series of hypersonic flights launched to gather basic information on William aerodynamic phenomena at hypersonic speeds up to 7,000 mph. The first stage Allen, is a Skylark; the second and third stages are newly developed Gosling and Lobster president of Boeing, authorizes rockets. The Aeroplane, Dec. 23, 1960, p. 821. development of the three-jet-engine Boeing 727 airliner after studying the Dec. 19 Martin, the company established by Glenn L. Martin in 1912, delivers concept for four years. On December 6 its last airplane, a Marlin Patrol Boat, to the Navy. But the Baltimore-based firm he signs contracts with two airlines, remains active in the missile and space fields, building products such as the Titan United and Eastern, to build 40 each. ICBM and the Mace, Bullpup, Lacrosse, Matador, and Pershing missiles. E. Preston, The 727 proves highly successful and ed., FAA Historical Chronology, p. 69; Flight, Jan. 6, 1961, p. 3. is produced in greater numbers than any other commercial jet airliner in Dec. 20 The first Douglas DC-8 Series 50 the world in its time, with 1,832 aircraft, featuring four 17,000-lb thrust Pratt manufactured. D. Baker, Flight and & Whitney JT3D turbofan engines, makes Flying, p. 373; The 1961 Aerospace its first powered flight. D. Baker, Flight and Year Book, p. 445. Flying, p. 373; Flight, Jan. 27, 1961, p. 129.

Dec. 1-2 The Soviet Sputnik VI is 75 Years Ago, December 1935 launched with two dogs, Pchelka (Little Bee) and Mushka (Little Fly) Dec. 3 William Durand is awarded the John Fritz Medal for his distinguished on board, as well as other animals, work in engineering and aeronautics. Aircraft Year Book, 1936, p. 441. insects, and plant life. However, following a 24-hr orbit of Earth, it Dec. 5 Explorer Lincoln Ellsworth and pilot Herbert Hollick-Kenyon, who took off descends along an incorrect trajectory, Nov. 23 in a Northrop Gamma Polar Star from Dundee Island in the Weddell Sea has to be destroyed by a command headed across Antarctica for Little America, are forced to land 25 mi. short of signal from Earth, and burns up in the their goal. This is the first transcontinental flight across the South Pole and is atmosphere. The Aeroplane, Dec. 9, flown largely over unexplored territory later named Ellsworth Land. After the 1960, pp. 753, 761. landing, the two walk for six days to a camp abandoned by Richard E. Byrd years earlier. The British Research Dec. 5 The Polaris A-2 Society ship Discovery II sights travels 1,600 mi. in a them on January 15, 1936, near successful test flight. Its the Bay of Whales. Hollick-Kenyon design range is 1,725 later returns to recover the aircraft, mi., compared to 1,380 and Ellsworth donates it to the for the A-1 model. The National Air and Space Museum. Aeroplane, Dec. 16, 1960, p. 793. The total distance flown by on the mission is about 2,400 mi. NASM Dec. 8 Howard Hughes transfers Aircraft Reference File, Northrop Gamma control of TWA (Trans World Airways) Polar Star.

76 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2010 OOP-210layout.qxd:AA Template 11/15/10 3:44 PM Page 3

An Aerospace Chronology by Frank H.Winter, Ret. and Robert van der Linden

Dec. 11 Flying (purchased from the Wrights in 1909), and he accompanied Orville Wright on the an Aeronca Army acceptance flight from Ft. Myer to Alexandria, Va. Foulois was the only pilot, C-3, navigator, observer, and commander in the Army’s heavier-than-air division from Benjamin 1909-1911, and was commander of the First Aero Squadron, which in 1916 was King sets a sent on the Mexican Punitive Expedition. He was later chief of the Air Corps. 100-km speed Aero Digest, October 1935. record for seaplanes of 80.931 mph and a 500-km speed record of 70.499 Dec. 18-21 French pilots Gaston Genin and Andre Robert fly their Caudron-Simoun mph for the same category while aircraft between Paris and Madagascar in a record time of two days 9 hr 32 min. competing in the Eighth Annual Aircraft Year Book, 1936, p. 442. All-American Air Maneuvers in Miami, Fla. Aircraft Year Book, 1936, p. 441. 100 Years Ago, December 1910

Dec. 8 Georges Legagneux of France sets an altitude record of 1,693 ft in a Bleriot monoplane. A. van Hoorebeeck, La Conquete de L’Air, p. 878.

Dec. 10 Romanian aviation engineer Henri Coanda allegedly flies his Turbo-Propulseur Dec. 12 Flying a Douglas OA-5 airplane accidentally, during taxiing tests at amphibian airplane powered by two Issy-les-Moulineaux, thus achieving the world’s Wright Cyclone engines, Army Lt. first flight of a jet plane. According to his account Hugh F. McCaffery and his five-man given in 1956, he was concentrating on regulating crew set a distance record of 1,033 mi. the flow of gasoline in the engine when he saw Georges Legagneux for this aircraft class, flying from San that he was headed toward army fortifications. To Juan, Puerto Rico, to Chapman Field avoid them, he lifted the machine off the ground but then lost control. Injecting in Miami. Aircraft Year Book, 1936, more fuel caused the plane to catch fire. Coanda says he cut off the fuel but the p. 442. aircraft stalled. He was thrown clear as the plane crashed. However, on close examination of his varying accounts, and especially his patent on the Propulseur Dec. 17 The Douglas DST, designed and descriptions from that time, by Arthur Raymond on behalf of there is much doubt that the American Airlines, flies for the first aircraft was a true jet and time. The DST is a larger sleeper capable of flight. The plane version of the successful 14-passenger appears to have had a ducted Douglas DC-2. The 21-passenger day fan design in which air was version of this new aircraft will sucked into the front by curved become the immortal DC-3. Aircraft blades set in a large nose housing with the smaller end facing forward. The blades Year Book, 1936, p. 441. were driven by an internally mounted turbine screw driven by a four-cylinder 50-hp Clerget engine. But the patents and contemporary Dec. 17 Maj. descriptions do not mention fuel injection at all as in a true Gen. Benjamin jet, and there is no record of the alleged flight in aviation D. Foulois retires. journals, or in Le Figaro. Although the Hiller Flying Platform In 1908, Foulois did use ducted fans in the 1950s, it barely lifted with two was the first to or three 44-hp piston engines, and the Coanda Turbo fly a U.S. Propulseur was definitely underpowered. F. Winter, The government Aeronautical Journal of the Royal Society, Dec. 1980, pp. dirigible balloon. 408-416. He was also one of the first pilots Dec. 20 J. Tijck of Belgium makes the first aircraft flight of an Army in India while travelling in Calcutta. A. van Hoorebeeck, airplane La Conquete de L’Air, p. 88.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2010 77 DEC2010_INDEX.qxd:2003 index.final 11/16/10 12:54 PM Page 2

2010 INDEX

Subjects Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin Kepler’s search for Earth-like planets, Jan., p. 36. deep, Nov., p. 14. Environmental regulations fly high and wide, March, Aerospace 2010: Aerospace traffic management, p. 4. AIRCRAFTDESIGNANDTECHNOLOGY Dec., p. 73. Why asteroids beckon: NASA and near-Earth objects, Aircraft industry rides out the recession…so far, Jan. Aerospace 2010: Digital avionics, Dec., p. 44. March, p. 12. p. 20. Aerospace 2010: Guidance, navigation and control, Open rotor research revs up, March, p. 38. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, Dec., p. 18. Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, p. 26. Jan., p. 24. SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. Some answers, but still some questions, Feb., p. 10. COMMUNICATIONS Making the most of GOCE, June, p. 30. China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., Flying gets personal in Europe, July-Aug., p. 4. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, p. 24. The greening of aviation: Another context, Nov., p. 3. Jan., p. 24. Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. Environmental regulations fly high and wide, March, Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. p. 4. deep, Nov., p. 14. ISR in today’s war: A closer look, March, p. 30. World tanker market: More than just KC-X, March, Aerospace 2010: Atmospheric and space p. 16. Euro Hawk sparks UAS integration plans, May, p. 4. environments, Dec., p. 25. DARPA’s Vulcan engine goes Navy, March, p. 20. Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, p. 26. Aerospace 2010: Green energy systems, Dec., p. 70. Unmanned and airborne: A new plan, March, p. 24. NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p.31. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69. ISR in today’s war: A closer look, March, p. 30. SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. Open rotor research revs up, March, p. 38. INSTRUMENTATIONANDTECHNOLOGY India joins the race, April, p. 8. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., p. 28. Wind tunnels: Don’t count them out, April, p. 39. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, Aerospace 2010: Communications, Dec., p. 43. Jan., p. 24. Euro Hawk sparks UAS integration plans, May, p. 4. Seeking other Earths, Jan., p. 28. Trainer aircraft: Long-term hopes for growth, May, Kepler’s search for Earth-like planets, Jan., p. 36. p. 20. COMPUTERSANDSOFTWARE Homeland security goes transatlantic, Feb., p. 18. Israeli UAVs find a competitive edge, May, p. 22. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p.31. New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. Jan., p. 24. Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. Homeland security goes transatlantic, Feb., p. 18. ISR in today’s war: A closer look, March, p. 30. Airborne laser shootdown: Defying the odds, June, New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. Open rotor research revs up, March, p. 38. p. 40. Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. Flying gets personal in Europe, July-Aug., p. 4. Geography drives ISR technology, April, p. 22. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., SOFIA’s smooth ride shakes up astronomy, April, p. 26. Emerging regionals crowd a flat market, July-Aug., p. 28. p. 16. Hubble at 20: Reflections on the universe...and Aerospace 2010: Computer-aided enterprise ourselves, April, p. 30. Tunnel 9: A national treasure reborn, July/Aug., p. 42. solutions, Dec., p. 35. Euro Hawk sparks UAS integration plans, May, p. 4. Iran’s unconventional approach to aerospace, Sept., Aerospace 2010: Computer systems, Dec., p. 42. Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, p. 26. p. 39. Aerospace 2010: Intelligent systems, Dec., p. 41. NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p.31. Europe charts path to sixth-generation fighter, Oct., Aerospace 2010: Meshing, visualization and p. 4. computational environments, Dec., p. 6. Dazzling images from our nearest star, June, p. 20. Jetliners: Bright spot in the world economy, Oct., Aerospace 2010: Modeling and simulation, Dec., p. 24. Making the most of GOCE, June, p. 30. p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Multidisciplinary design Airborne laser shootdown: Defying the odds, June, X-51 scrams into the future, Oct., p. 26. optimization, Dec., p. 12. p. 40. The greening of aviation: Another context, Nov., p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Software systems, Dec., p. 40. Defense electronics: The spigot is not closing, New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. July-Aug., p. 20. Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin Tunnel 9: A national treasure reborn, July/Aug., p. 42. deep, Nov., p. 14. ECONOMICS Robonaut: The next generation, Sept., p. 26. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., Aircraft industry rides out the recession…so far, Jan. X-51 scrams into the future, Oct., p. 26. p. 28. p. 20. New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Europe looks to outsourcing, Jan., p. 4. Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Aeroacoustics, Dec., p. 19. Changing aerospace cluster dynamics, Feb., p. 4. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., Aerospace 2010: Aerodynamic decelerators, Dec., Homeland security goes transatlantic, Feb., p. 18. p. 28. p. 30. China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Aerospace 2010: Aerodynamic measurement p. 24. Aerospace 2010: Aerodynamic decelerators, Dec., technology, Dec., p. 17. World tanker market: More than just KC-X, March, p. 30. Aerospace 2010: Aerospace traffic management, p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Aerodynamic measurement Dec., p. 73. Unmanned and airborne: A new plan, March, p. 24. technology, Dec., p. 19. Aerospace 2010: Aircraft design, Dec., p. 32. Trainer aircraft: Long-term hopes for growth, May, Aerospace 2010: Aerospace traffic management, Aerospace 2010: Aircraft operations, Dec., p. 33. p. 20. Dec., p 73. Aerospace 2010: Applied aerodynamics, Dec., p. 21. Israeli UAVs find a competitive edge, May, p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Fluid dynamics, Dec., p. 17. Aerospace 2010: Computer-aided enterprise U.S. space launch: Growth and stagnation, June, p. Aerospace 2010: Directed energy systems, Dec., p. 74. solutions, Dec., p. 35. 16. Flying gets personal in Europe, July-Aug., p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Lighter-than-air systems, Dec., p. 26. Aerospace 2010: Flight testing, Dec., p. 27. Emerging regionals crowd a flat market, July-Aug., Aerospace 2010: Missile systems, Dec., p. 61. Aerospace 2010: General aviation, Dec., p. 29. p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Plasmadynamics and lasers, Dec., Aerospace 2010: Ground testing, Dec., p. 12. Defense electronics: The spigot is not closing, p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Hypersonic technologies and July-Aug., p. 20. Aerospace 2010: Sensor systems, Dec., p. 45. aerospace plane, Dec., p. 72. Taxes and trains threaten aircraft market, Sept., p. 4. Aerospace 2010: V/STOL, Dec., p. 31. Aerospace 2010: Lighter-than-air systems, Dec., p. 26. Defense companies brace for changes, Sept., p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Sensor systems, Dec., p. 45. Jetliners: Bright spot in the world economy, Oct., INTERNATIONAL Aerospace 2010: V/STOL, Dec., p. 31. p. 14. Space launches spike upward, Oct., p. 22. Europe looks to outsourcing, Jan., p. 4. Controlling launch vehicle life-cycle costs, Oct., Aircraft industry rides out the recession…so far, Jan. AVIONICSANDELECTRONICS p. 40. p. 20. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, The greening of aviation: Another context, Nov., p. 3. Seeking other Earths, Jan., p. 28. Jan., p. 24. Aerospace 2010: Economics, Dec., p. 37. Space debris: Turning goals into practice, Feb., p. 3. Geography drives ISR technology, April, p. 22. Aerospace 2010: General aviation, Dec., p. 29. Changing aerospace cluster dynamics, Feb., p. 4. Defense electronics: The spigot is not closing, Crouching tiger, puffing dragon, Feb., p. 6. July-Aug., p. 20. Homeland security goes transatlantic, Feb., p. 18. New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., ENVIRONMENT China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., p. 4. Small Explorers with big benefits, Jan., p. 32. p. 24.

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New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. POLICY Environmental regulations fly high and wide, March, Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., p. 4. p. 28. Mitigation and adaptation, Jan., p. 3. Why asteroids beckon: NASA and near-Earth objects, Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Money woes take center stage, Jan., p. 8. March, p. 12. Aerospace 2010: Adaptive structures, Dec., p. 5. A safer path to orbit, Jan., p. 16. World tanker market: More than just KC-X, March, Aerospace 2010: Computer-aided enterprise Space debris: Turning goals into practice, Feb., p. 3. p. 16. solutions, Dec., p. 35. Crouching tiger, puffing dragon, Feb., p. 6. Reconnecting with a magnetic mystery, March, p. 18. Aerospace 2010: Design engineering, Dec., p. 4. Some answers, but still some questions, Feb., p. 10. Open rotor research revs up, March, p. 38. Aerospace 2010: Materials, Dec., p. 8. New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. Europe tackles runway capacity issue, April, p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Modeling and simulation, Dec., p. 24. Space, safety—and risk, March, p. 3. India joins the race, April, p. 8. Aerospace 2010: Nondeterministic approaches, Environmental regulations fly high and wide, March, Geography drives ISR technology, April, p. 22. Dec., p. 10. p. 4. SOFIA’s smooth ride shakes up astronomy, April, p. 26. Aerospace 2010: Sensor systems, Dec., p. 45. Big budget, big changes, March, p. 8. Euro Hawk sparks UAS integration plans, May, p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69. World tanker market: More than just KC-X, March, Israeli UAVs find a competitive edge, May, p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Space tethers, Dec., p. 59. p. 16. Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, p. 26. Aerospace 2010: Structural dynamics, Dec., p. 11. Working toward compromise, April, p. 3. SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. Aerospace 2010: Structures, Dec., p. 9. Season for endings?, April, p. 11. “Smart” procurement falters in Europe, June, p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Survivability, Dec., p. 7. A boost for commercial human spaceflight, April, Making the most of GOCE, June, p. 30. p. 20. Flying gets personal in Europe, July-Aug., p. 4. Wind tunnels: Don’t count them out, April, p. 39. MILITARYSYSTEMS T minus 15 years...and holding, July-Aug., p. 12. As the tanker turns, May, p. 3. Emerging regionals crowd a flat market, July-Aug., Europe looks to outsourcing, Jan., p. 4. Feeling the pinch and fighting back, May, p. 8. p. 16. Aircraft industry rides out the recession…so far, Jan. Space shuttle: An astronaut looks at its legacy, May, Defense electronics: The spigot is not closing, p. 20. p. 16. July-Aug., p. 20. Future tactical communications: Getting the JTRS, NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p. 31. Japan’s solar sail heads starward, July-Aug., p. 24. Jan., p. 24. SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. Taxes and trains threaten aircraft market, Sept., p. 4. Homeland security goes transatlantic, Feb., p. 18. U.S. civil space policy: Clearing the fog, June, p. 3. Arianespace: Thirty years and growing..., Sept., p. 18. China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., “Smart” procurement falters in Europe, June, p. 4. Iran’s unconventional approach to aerospace, Sept., p. 24. Disagreements and hard decisions, June, p. 8. p. 39. New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. Europe charts path to sixth-generation fighter, Oct., World tanker market: More than just KC-X, March, Airborne laser shootdown: Defying the odds, June, p. 4. p. 16. p. 40. Jetliners: Bright spot in the world economy, Oct., DARPA’s Vulcan engine goes Navy, March, p. 20. The human factor, July-Aug., p. 3. p. 14. Unmanned and airborne: A new plan, March, p. 24. Gearing up for budgetary battles, July-Aug., p. 8. Space launches spike upward, Oct., p. 22. ISR in today’s war: A closer look, March, p. 30. T minus 15 years...and holding, July-Aug., p. 12. Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. India joins the race, April, p. 8. Human rating for future spaceflight: A roundtable New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. Geography drives ISR technology, April, p. 22. discussion, July-Aug., p. 27. Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. As the tanker turns, May, p. 3. Dollars and sense, Sept., p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69. Feeling the pinch and fighting back, May, p. 8. Taxes and trains threaten aircraft market, Sept., p. 4. Trainer aircraft: Long-term hopes for growth, May, The difficulties of letting go, Sept., p. 8. p. 20. LIFESCIENCES Defense companies brace for changes, Sept., p. 16. Israeli UAVs find a competitive edge, May, p. 22. A higher calling for suborbital research, Sept., p. 32. Hearts in free fall, Feb., p. 22. “Smart” procurement falters in Europe, June, p. 4. A good first step, Oct., p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Life sciences, Dec., p. 58. Airborne laser shootdown: Defying the odds, June, Outlasting the opposition, Oct., p. 6. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69. p. 40. Ad astra: The future of NASA’s astronaut corps, Oct., Defense electronics: The spigot is not closing, p. 18. July-Aug., p. 20. Controlling launch vehicle life-cycle costs, Oct., p. 40. MANAGEMENT Iran’s unconventional approach to aerospace, Sept., The greening of aviation: Another context, Nov., p. 3. Europe looks to outsourcing, Jan., p. 4. p. 39. The waiting game, Nov., p. 8. Changing aerospace cluster dynamics, Feb., p. 4. Europe charts path to sixth-generation fighter, Oct., China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., p. 4. Combining safety and survivability for future spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. p. 24. X-51 scrams into the future, Oct., p. 26. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., Environmental regulations fly high and wide, March, Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. p. 28. p. 4. Combining safety and survivability for future Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Euro Hawk sparks UAS integration plans, May, p. 4. spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. Flying into history, Dec., p. 3. NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p.31. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., SESAR faces nontechnical hurdles, May, p. 38. p. 28. Aerospace 2010: Society and aerospace technology, Dec., p. 36. “Smart” procurement falters in Europe, June, p. 4. Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Defense companies brace for changes, Sept., p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Directed energy systems, Dec., p. 74. Controlling launch vehicle life-cycle costs, Oct., p. 40. Aerospace 2010: Hybrid rockets, Dec., p. 51. PROPULSIONANDPOWER Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin Aerospace 2010: Hypersonic technologies and A safer path to orbit, Jan., p. 16. aerospace plane, Dec., p. 72. deep, Nov., p. 14. Reconnecting with a magnetic mystery, March, p. 18. Aerospace 2010: Missile systems, Dec., p. 61. Aerospace 2010: Aerospace traffic management, DARPA’s Vulcan engine goes Navy, March, p. 20. Dec., p. 73. Aerospace 2010: Survivability, Dec., p. 7. Japan’s solar sail heads starward, July-Aug., p. 24. Aerospace 2010: Computer-aided enterprise Aerospace 2010: Weapon system effectiveness, X-51 scrams into the future, Oct., p. 26. solutions, Dec., p. 35. Dec., p. 66. Aerospace 2010: Ground testing, Dec., p. 12. New batteries, fuel cells energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Management, Dec., p. 38. Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin MISSILES deep, Nov., p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Multidisciplinary design optimization, Dec., p. 12. Iran’s unconventional approach to aerospace, Sept., Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Systems engineering, Dec., p. 34. p. 39. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., p. 28. Aerospace 2010: Value-driven design, Dec., p. 70. Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. Aerospace 2010: Hybrid rockets, Dec., p. 51. Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. Aerospace 2010: Guidance, navigation, and control, Aerospace 2010: Aerospace power, Dec., p. 54. MATERIALSANDSTRUCTURES Dec., p. 18. Aerospace 2010: Air-breathing propulsion, Dec., p. 56. Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is only skin Aerospace 2010: Missile systems, Dec., p. 61. Aerospace 2010: Electric propulsion, Dec., p. 49. deep, Nov., p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Weapon system effectiveness, Aerospace 2010: Directed energy systems, Dec., p. 74. Combining safety and survivability for future Dec., p. 66. Aerospace 2010: Energetic components, Dec., p. 53.

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2010 INDEX

Aerospace 2010: Gas turbine engines, Dec., p. 46. Iran’s unconventional approach to aerospace, Sept., B Aerospace 2010: High-speed air-breathing p. 39. propulsion, Dec., p. 57. Ad astra: The future of NASA’s astronaut corps, Oct., BALL, R., Combining safety and survivability for future Aerospace 2010: Hybrid rockets, Dec., p. 51. p. 18. spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Hypersonic technologies and Space launches spike upward, Oct., p. 22. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Europe looks to aerospace plane, Dec., p. 72. Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. outsourcing, Jan., p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Liquid propulsion, Dec., p. 55. Controlling launch vehicle life-cycle costs, Oct., p. 40. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Changing aerospace cluster dynamics, Feb., p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Nuclear and future flight propulsion, Combining safety and survivability for future Dec., p. 52. spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., With Graham Lake, Feb., p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Propellants and combustion, Dec., Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. p. 50. Aerospace 2010: Hypersonic technologies and BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., p. 24. Aerospace 2010: Solid rockets, Dec., p. 47. aerospace plane, Dec., p. 72. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Environmental regulations Aerospace 2010: Terrestrial energy, Dec., p. 48. Aerospace 2010: Nuclear and future flight propulsion, Dec., p. 52. fly high and wide, March, p. 4. Aerospace 2010: Space logistics, Dec., p. 63. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Open rotor research revs up, March, p. 38. ROBOTICS Aerospace 2010: Space transportation, Dec., p. 65. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Europe tackles runway Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. capacity issue, April, p. 4. Robonaut: The next generation, Sept., p. 26. SPACECRAFT BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., With Dietmar Schrick, Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. April, p. 14. A safer path to orbit, Jan., p. 16. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Euro Hawk sparks UAS Seeking other Earths, Jan., p. 28. p. 28. integration plans, May, p. 4. Small Explorers with big benefits, Jan., p. 32. Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., With Andrew Brookes, Aerospace 2010: Space logistics, Dec., p. 63. Kepler’s search for Earth-like planets, Jan., p. 36. May, p. 12. Aerospace 2010: Space resources, Dec., p. 62. China’s short march to aerospace autonomy, Feb., BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., SESAR faces nontechnical p. 24. hurdles, May, p. 38. New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. SPACEANDATMOSPHERICSCIENCE BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., “Smart” procurement Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. falters in Europe, June, p. 4. Seeking other Earths, Jan., p. 28. Reconnecting with a magnetic mystery, March, p. 18. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Flying gets personal in Small Explorers with big benefits, Jan., p. 32. A boost for commercial human spaceflight, April, p. 20. Europe, July-Aug., p. 4. Kepler’s search for Earth-like planets, Jan., p. 36. SOFIA’s smooth ride shakes up astronomy, April, p. 26. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Taxes and trains threaten Forecasting turbulence over the seas, Feb., p. 38. Hubble at 20: Reflections on the universe...and aircraft market, Sept., p. 4. Why asteroids beckon: NASA and near-Earth objects, ourselves, April, p. 30. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Iran’s unconventional March, p. 12. Space shuttle: An astronaut looks at its legacy, May, approach to aerospace, Sept., p. 39. Reconnecting with a magnetic mystery, March, p. 18. p. 16. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Europe charts path to SOFIA’s smooth ride shakes up astronomy, April, p. 26. U.S. space launch: Growth and stagnation, June, p. 16. sixth-generation fighter, Oct., p. 4. Hubble at 20: Reflections on the universe...and Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., Critical times for India’s ourselves, April, p. 30. Making the most of GOCE, June, p. 30. space program, Oct., p. 34. Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, p. 26. T minus 15 years...and holding, July-Aug., p. 12. BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., New batteries, fuel cells Dazzling images from our nearest star, June, p. 20. Japan’s solar sail heads starward, July-Aug., p. 24. energize aviation, Nov., p. 4. Japan’s solar sail heads starward, July-Aug., p. 24. Human rating for future spaceflight: A roundtable BUTTERWORTH-HAYES, P., With Mark Clough, Nov., p. 11. A higher calling for suborbital research, Sept., p. 32. discussion, July-Aug., p. 27. Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. A higher calling for suborbital research, Sept., p. 32. Aerospace 2010: Astrodynamics, Dec., p. 18. Critical times for India’s space program, Oct., p. 34. C Aerospace 2010: Atmospheric and space Combining safety and survivability for future CÁCERES, M., A boost for commercial human environments, Dec., p. 23. spacefaring, Nov., p. 16. spaceflight, April, p. 20. Aerospace 2010: Atmospheric flight mechanics, Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, Nov., p. 22. CÁCERES, M., U.S. space launch: Growth and Dec., p. 22. Air Force technology: Change on the horizon, Nov., stagnation, June, p. 16. Aerospace 2010: Balloons, Dec., p. 28. p. 28. CÁCERES, M., Space launches spike upward, Oct., p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Plasmadynamics and lasers, Dec., Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. CAMHI, E., Mitigation and adaptation, Jan., p. 3. p. 14. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69 CAMHI, E., Space, safety—and risk, March, p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space colonization, Dec., p. 64. Aerospace 2010: Space tethers, Dec., p. 59. CAMHI, E., Working toward compromise, April, p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space exploration, Dec., p. 71. Aerospace 2010: Space transportation, Dec., p. 65. CAMHI, E., As the tanker turns, May, p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space operations and support, CAMHI, E., The human factor, July-Aug., p. 3. Dec., p. 67. CAMHI, E., Dollars and sense, Sept., p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space resources, Dec., p. 62. INTERVIEWS CAMHI, E., A good first step, Oct., p. 3. Aerospace 2010: Space systems, Dec., p. 60. With Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Jan., p. 12. With Graham Lake, Feb., p. 14. CAMHI, E., Flying into history, Dec. p. 3. With Dietmar Schrick, April, p. 14. CANAN, J., With Gen. Norton A. Schwartz, Jan., p. 12. SPACESTATION With Andrew Brookes, May, p. 12. CANAN, J., ISR in today’s war: A closer look, March, Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. With Buzz Aldrin, June, p. 12. p. 30. Aerospace 2010: Space logistics, Dec., p. 63. With Robert T. Bigelow, Sept., p. 10. CANAN, J., Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. Aerospace 2010: Space stations, Dec., p. 69. With Werner J.A. Dahm, Oct., p. 10. CANAN, J., With Robert T. Bigelow, Sept., p. 10. With Mark Clough, Nov., p. 11. CANAN, J., With Werner J.A. Dahm, Oct., p. 10. SPACETRANSPORTATION CANAN, J., Air Force technology: Change on the A safer path to orbit, Jan., p. 16. Authors horizon, Nov., p. 28. DARPA’s Vulcan engine goes Navy, March, p. 20. COVAULT, C., Air Force X-37B wings into the future, Nov., p. 34. India joins the race, April, p. 8. A A boost for commercial human spaceflight, April, p. 20. ABOULAFIA, R., Aircraft industry rides out the Space shuttle: An astronaut looks at its legacy, May, recession…so far, Jan. p. 20. D p. 16. ABOULAFIA, R., World tanker market: More than just DAVID, L., Kepler’s search for Earth-like planets, Jan., U.S. space launch: Growth and stagnation, June, p. 16. KC-X, March, p. 16. p. 36. Arianespace: Thirty years and growing..., Sept., p. 18. ABOULAFIA, R., Trainer aircraft: Long-term hopes for DAVID, L., Hubble at 20: Reflections on the universe... T minus 15 years...and holding, July-Aug., p. 12. growth, May, p. 20. and ourselves, April, p. 30. Paradigm shift in U.S. space policy, June, p. 22. ABOULAFIA, R., Emerging regionals crowd a flat DAVID, L., A higher calling for suborbital research, Human rating for future spaceflight: A roundtable market, July-Aug., p. 16. Sept., p. 32. discussion, July-Aug., p. 27. ABOULAFIA, R., Jetliners: Bright spot in the world DAVID, L., Hayabusa makes a triumphant return, A higher calling for suborbital research, Sept., p. 32. economy, Oct., p. 14. Nov., p. 22.

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DORR, R., Money woes take center stage, Jan., p. 8. FLINN, E., Futuristic aircraft: Old-fashioned look is ROCKWELL, D., Future tactical communications: DORR, R., Some answers, but still some questions, only skin deep, Nov., p. 14. Getting the JTRS, Jan., p. 24. Feb., p. 10. ROCKWELL, D., Geography drives ISR technology, April, p. 22. DORR, R., Big budget, big changes, March, p. 8. G DORR, R., Season for endings?, April, p. 11. ROCKWELL, D., Defense electronics: The spigot is DORR, R., Feeling the pinch and fighting back, May, GOLDSTEIN, E., Wind tunnels: Don’t count them out, not closing, July-Aug., p. 20. p. 8. April, p. 39. GREY, J., U.S. civil space policy: Clearing the fog, June, DORR, R., Disagreements and hard decisions, June, S p. 8. p. 3. DORR, R., Gearing up for budgetary battles, July-Aug., GREY, J., The greening of aviation: Another context, SIETZEN, F., With Buzz Aldrin, June, p. 12. p. 8. Nov., p. 3. DORR, R., The difficulties of letting go, Sept., p. 8. W DORR, R., Outlasting the opposition, Oct., p. 6. J WESTLAKE, M., Crouching tiger, puffing dragon, DORR, R., The waiting game, Nov., p. 8. JONES, T., A safer path to orbit, Jan., p. 16. Feb., p. 6. JONES, T., Why asteroids beckon: NASA and WESTLAKE, M., India joins the race, April, p. 8. F near-Earth objects, March, p. 12. WESTLAKE, M., Japan’s solar sail heads starward, JONES, T., Space shuttle: An astronaut looks at its July-Aug., p. 24. FINKLEMAN, D., Space debris: Turning goals into legacy, May, p. 16. practice, Feb., p. 3. WILLIAMSON, M., Arianespace: Thirty years and JONES, T., T minus 15 years...and holding, July-Aug., growing..., Sept., p. 18. FINNEGAN, P., Homeland security goes transatlantic, p. 12. Feb., p. 18. WILSON, J., Small Explorers with big benefits, Jan., p. 32. JONES, T., Ad astra: The future of NASA’s astronaut FINNEGAN, P., Israeli UAVs find a competitive edge, WILSON, J., New capabilities for GPS II/III, Feb., p. 32. corps, Oct., p. 18. May, p. 22. WILSON, J., Forecasting turbulence over the seas, FINNEGAN, P., Defense companies brace for Feb., p. 38. changes, Sept., p. 16. L WILSON, J., DARPA’s Vulcan engine goes Navy, March, p. 20. FLINN, E., Seeking other Earths, Jan., p. 28. LEWIS, M., Tunnel 9: A national treasure reborn, FLINN, E., Hearts in free fall, Feb., p. 22. WILSON, J., Unmanned and airborne: A new plan, July/Aug., p. 42. March, p. 24. FLINN, E., Reconnecting with a magnetic mystery, LEWIS, M., X-51 scrams into the future, Oct., p. 26. March, p. 18. WILSON, J., NextGen: A slow transformation, May, p.31. FLINN, E., SOFIA’s smooth ride shakes up astronomy, WILSON, J., Making the most of GOCE, June, p. 30. April, p. 26. R WILSON, J., Airborne laser shootdown: Defying the odds, June, p. 40. FLINN, E., Measuring change in Earth’s wobble, May, ROBINSON, J., Controlling launch vehicle life-cycle p. 26. costs, Oct., p. 40. WILSON, J., Robonaut: The next generation, Sept., p. 26.

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Faculty Openings Aeronautics & Astronautics The School of Aeronautics & Astronautics (AAE) at Purdue Univer- sity seeks outstanding individuals with a Ph.D. and a strong background relevant to aerospace engineering. Currently, AAE faculty members conduct research and teaching in the broad disciplines of Aerodynamics, Aerospace Systems, Astrodynamics and Space Applications, Dynamics and Control, Propulsion, and Structures and Materials. Candidates with interests in these areas are encouraged to apply. Details about the School, its current faculty, Hope. and research may be found at the Purdue AAE website https://engineering. purdue.edu/AAE Candidates should have a distinguished academic record, exceptional potential for world-class research, and a commitment to both undergraduate and graduate education. Tenure-track positions are available at the assistant and associate ranks. For consideration, please submit curriculum vitae, state- ment of teaching and research interests, and the names and addresses of at When Heartbreak least three references to the College of Engineering Faculty Hiring website, Turns to Hope, https://engineering.purdue.edu/Engr/AboutUs/Employment/indicating interest in AAE. Review of applicants begins 1/15/11 and continues until the You’re There. positions are ﬁlled. Down the street, Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/Equal Access/Afﬁrmative across the country, Action employer fully committed to achieving a diverse workforce. around the world —you help save the day. Every day.

When you give blood to or provide a hot meal to a disaster victim, train in ﬁrst aid or help a member of our military, you reach out your hand. It’s at that moment—when heartbreak turns to hope —that you’re there through the American Red Cross. Your help is needed now more than ever. Visit redcross.org.

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AIIAAA FORMMS NEWW EARTTH OBBSERVATTIOON TAASK FFORCEE

AIAA has created a new task force to assist in the formulation of a national road map for the U.S. to address investments in the Earth-observing industry to adequately inform future climate change debates and decisions. Composed of leading experts on policy and climate-monitoring technology from within AIAA and in collaboration with other organizations, the task force is developing a strategy to come up with recommendations to help reach this goal.

For more information, contact Craig Day at 703.264.3849 or [email protected].

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