December 2015

2015

NASA mosaic of #PlutoTime photos

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS At this time of year, we count our blessings and give back to the people and organizations that have helped us grow in our profession.

Please join the AIAA Foundation Board of Trustees and many AIAA members who have already donated to the AIAA Foundation. Your support is critical to our work of offering educational programs, conferences, scholarships and design competitions.

Share your legacy and support and inspire tomorrow’s aerospace leaders by giving to the AIAA Foundation.

www.aiaafoundation.org #AdvancingAerospace

AIAA strongly believes in the importance of our educational programs and will match individual and corporate donations up to $1 million dollars (of unrestricted funds).

The AIAA Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization recognized under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. All donations are tax deductible. December 2015

EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK 2 OUT OF THE PAST 72 CAREER OPPORTUNITIES 74

THE YEAR IN REVIEW The most important developments as described by AIAA’s Technical and Program Committees

Adaptive Structures 6 Microgravity and Space Processes 61 Aeroacoustics 14 Missile Systems 62 Aerodynamic Decelerator Systems 26 Multidisciplinary Design Optimization 7 Aerodynamic Measurement Technology 15 Non-Deterministic Approaches 8 Aerospace Power Systems 50 Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion 56 Aircraft Design 27 Plasmadynamics and Lasers 23 Aircraft Operations 28 Pressure Gain Combustion 46 Applied Aerodynamics 16 Product Support 32 Astrodynamics 17 Propellants and Combustion 57 Atmospheric and Space Environments 18 Reusable Launch Vehicles 47 Atmospheric Flight Mechanics 19 Sensor Systems 42 Balloon Systems 29 Society and Aerospace Technology 36 Communications Systems 38 Software 43 Computer Systems 39 Solid Rockets 58 Digital Avionics 40 Space Architecture 63 Economics 34 Space Automation and Robotics 64 Electric Propulsion 51 Space Colonization 65 Flight Testing 30 Spacecraft Structures 9 Fluid Dynamics 20 Space Environmental Systems 48 Gas Turbine Engines 52 Space Exploration 49 Green Engineering 44 Space Operations and Support 66 Guidance, Navigation, and Control 21 Space Systems 67 High-Speed Air Breathing Propulsion 53 Space Tethers 68 Hybrid Rockets 54 Space Transportation 69 HyTASP 45 Structural Dynamics 10 Intelligent Systems 41 Structures 11 Legal Aspects 35 Survivability 12 Life Sciences and Systems 60 Systems Engineering 37 Lighter-Than-Air Systems 31 Terrestrial Energy Systems 59 Liquid Propulsion 55 Thermophysics 24 Meshing, Visualization V/STOL 33 and Computational Environments 22

BULLETIN AIAA Meeting Schedule B2 AIAA News B5 AIAA Courses and Training Program B15

ON THE COVER The red box in the center of this NASA mosaic marks a photo of Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered Pluto in 1930.

Aerospace America (ISSN 0740-722X) is published monthly by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. at 12700 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston, Va. 20191-5807 [703/264-7500]. Subscription rate is 50% of dues for AIAA members (and is not deductible therefrom). Non-member subscription price: U.S., $200; foreign, $220. 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 2015 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 53, No. 11 ® is a publication of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics Editor’s Notebook

Ben Iannotta Editor-in-Chief Kyung M. Song Associate Editor Greg Wilson The meaning of 2015 Production Editor Jerry Grey The best thing about Aerospace America’s annual year-in-review edition Editor-at-Large might be what it signals about the future. Christine Williams For one thing, the articles from AIAA’s technical and program committees are Editor AIAA Bulletin setting the stage for some good old-fashioned drama to come. Orbital ATK and SpaceX worked hard this year to get their rockets ready to fly again, and a host Contributing Writers of customers are counting on them to succeed. SpaceX failed twice this year to Robert van der Linden, Frank H. Winter land a spent Falcon 9 first stage on an ocean barge, but Elon Musk is probably Jane Fitzgerald not the kind to give up easily. The Bigelow Expandable Activity Module should Art Direction and Design soon be inflated at the International Space Station, possibly setting the stage for a new approach to erecting structures in space. James F. Albaugh, President James “Jim” Maser, President-Elect All that aside, avoiding drama is also a worthy goal. Airliners could soon be Sandra H. Magnus, Publisher tracked anywhere in the world, reducing or eliminating the odds of more cases Craig Byl, Manufacturing and Distribution like the disappearance of Flight MH370. As significant as these and other events would be, it’s also worth reading STEERING COMMITTEE between the lines of the year-in-review edition for broader trends. You’ll find John Evans, Lockheed Martin; Steven E. evidence that the global aerospace industry is in the midst of profound changes Gorrell, Brigham Young University; Frank Lu, that are starting to confront what has been the industry’s biggest challenge: University of Texas at Arlington; David R. Riley, Boeing; Mary L. Snitch, Lockheed Martin; Reducing the high cost of aircraft, satellites, space probes, access to space and Annalisa Weigel, Fairmont Consulting Group satellite-based communications. Flip through these articles and you will see the developments that will propel EDITORIAL BOARD the industry into the future: Startups and new players mean more competition Ned Allen, Jean-Michel Contant, L.S. “Skip” Fletcher, Michael Francis, and, hopefully, lower costs; more computer modeling and lab work means Cam Martin, Don Richardson, fewer costly and risky flight tests; additive manufacturing will result in quicker Douglas Yazell production and lower parts counts; applying software across multiple missions ADVERTISING and technical domains is making it harder for agencies to justify spending lots of Joan Daly, 703-938-5907 money on specialized tools. [email protected] Let’s get specific: AIAA’s Communications Systems Technical Committee tells us how new Pat Walker, 415-387-7593 [email protected] launch vehicles and high-throughput satellite technologies are disrupting — for the better — that segment of the market. LETTERS AND CORRESPONDENCE From the Software Technical Committee, we hear about a host of new products, Ben Iannotta, [email protected] including a NASA-funded application suite that can be reused for multiple missions and about the Flightradar24 aircraft tracking website that displays the real-time QUESTIONS AND ADDRESS CHANGES locations of thousands of planes. [email protected] The Structural Dynamics Technical Committee describes numerous advances, ADVERTISING MATERIALS including computer-aided-design meshing tools and a computerized apparatus Craig Byl, [email protected] developed in Canada that replicates the vibrations of rotorcraft on the ground, so that designers can more easily reduce pilot and passenger fatigue and physi- December 2015, Vol. 53, No. 11 ological stress. From the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Technical Committee, we learn about efforts to apply computer code across multiple disciplines to manage uncertainty and improve estimates of operating lives, among other applications. Those are just a few of the notable trends and developments that I see. You, the reader, will no doubt find others as you take a moment this holiday season to take stock of the industry.

Ben Iannotta Editor-in-Chief Letters to the Editor

Corrections Events Calendar 2–3 January 2016 The article, “Mars via the moon,” ber, page 44) incorrectly described 2nd AIAA CFD Aeroelastic (November, page 24) incorrectly the propellant used during a 1965 Prediction Workshop described proposed plans for a lu- test flight of NASA’s Lunar Land- Systems Requirements Engineering nar base. Crew members eventually ing Research Vehicle. The article Structural Dynamics of Rocket will set up permanent infrastructure should have said that the rocket Engines Tutorial at the poles, near water needed to motors used the liquid propellant San Diego, CA produce propellants. hydrogen peroxide and produced 4 January 2016 jets of steam. AIAA Associate Fellows Recogni- QQQ tion Ceremony and Dinner The introduction to the article, “New QQQ San Diego, CA life for an old hybrid,” (October, page The photo of the SpaceX Crew 4–8 January 2016 38) used an incorrect word choice. Dragon capsule accompanying the AIAA SciTech 2016 The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works article, “Maximizing Safety,” (Oc- (AIAA Science and Technology airship is the progeny of the P-791. tober, page 21) shows the capsule Forum and Exposition) lifting off during an unmanned test San Diego, CA QQQ in May. The caption incorrectly 25–28 January 2016 An entry in Out of the Past (Octo- stated the stage of flight. Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS) Tucson, AZ All letters addressed to the editor are considered to be submitted for possible publication, 14–18 February 2016 unless it is expressly stated otherwise. All letters are subject to editing for length and to 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight author response. Letters should be sent to: Correspondence, Aerospace America,12700 Mechanics Meeting Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 200, Reston, VA 20191-5807, or by email to: [email protected]. Napa, CA

us atCome SciTech see 16 Announcing FieldView 16

3D PDF: Native export lets you share your results for interactive exploration on your desktops, tablets, smartphones and in PowerPoint presentations. Performance improvements: Read data faster, use less memory and load larger results on the same hardware, without any change to your CFD format. New Vertex Rendering mode for high speed interaction and x-ray like effects.

XDBview version 2 Built on FieldView 16, our free viewer now has the ability to sweep surfaces. Plus, FieldView read STL files to add context to your CFD Advancing CFD, session or use XDBview as a stand alone Advancing You. STL viewer. For More: www.ilight.com Turbomachinery image produced by Intelligent Light via XDBs from an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) sponsored Phase II SBIR, Contract Intelligent Light FA8650-14-C-2439. Truck image produced by Intelligent Light with simulation results courtesy of Navistar.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 3 Participation is Power

Shaping the future of aerospace is no simple task.

AIAA forums and expositions are catalysts for Shaping the future of aerospace takes passion, inspired idea exchange, progressive problem discussion, innovation, collaboration, and most solving, and industry innovation. importantly, it takes YOU!

AIAA Forums and Expositions “Your return on investment will be AIAA SciTech 2016 high. The multiple opportunities 4–8 January 2016, San Diego, California you have to advance your career AIAA DEFENSE 2016 personally by learning, to advance 8–10 March 2016, Laurel, Maryland your career professionally by AIAA AVIATION 2016 networking…is worth the price of 13–17 June 2016, Washington, D.C. admission.” AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2016 25–27 July 2016, Salt Lake City, Utah —Lt. Gen. Larry D. James, USAF (Ret.), NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory AIAA SPACE 2016 13–16 September 2016, Long Beach, California

Learn More! aiaa.org/forums “The forum is a great place for “All sorts of things go on in the “Students…when you us to make contacts, network hallways, in side meetings; and present a paper and get with our customers and talk you really need to be here in published, that fact stays on about new, innovative ideas.” person to experience that.” your resume your entire life.”

—Rob Fuller, Lockheed Martin —Jeffrey Puschell, Raytheon Company —Kevin Burns, Northrop Grumman Corporation

Thank you to our participating sponsors.

16-953 AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Better flight he Air Force Research Laboratory, FlexSys Aerospace Research (NRC-IAR) and the École Tand NASA completed flight tests of the de technologie supérieure abd École Poly- through Active Compliant Trailing Edge on a modi- technique, as well as Alenia, the Centro Ital- shape-shifting fied NASA Gulfstream 3 business jet to prove iano Ricerche Aerospaziali and the University the airworthiness of FlexFoils for optimizing of Naples. The Canadian team controlled the materials fuel efficiency and reducing air loads and air- morphing wing during wind tunnel tests to frame noise. FlexFoils are compliant airfoil validate the numerical aerodynamic results for by Louis R. Centolanza structures that replace conventional surfaces a higher laminar flow region with experimen- for seamless, variable camber capability. On tal results from infrared tests and kulite sen- The Adaptive Structures Technical Committee the G-3, the FlexFoil sections span 5.5 meters, sors. NRC-IAR performed infrared tests and supports work to enable plus 60 centimeters of compliant fairings on balance and wake-rake measurements. aircraft to adapt to changing both sides to reduce noise. Spacecraft for future missions face a dif- environmental conditions High-lift leading-edge-slat devices for ficult thermal-control challenge. They must during flight. transport aircraft are a prominent source of reject a high heat load in warm orbital envi- airframe environmental noise near airports. ronments and a low heat load in cold tran- NASA Langley Research Center and Texas sit environments, requiring radiators with A&M University collaborated to optimize de- high turn-down ratios. This challenge is signs and prototypes representing a 2D simpli- being addressed with radiators enabled by fication of a highly reconfigurable, superelas- shape-memory alloys, which exploit tem- tic shape-memory alloy-based slat structural perature changes to passively morph radia- treatment, known as a slat-cove filler. It alters tor shape and adjust the heat-rejection rate. the flow field to reduce noise without detri- Texas A&M, Paragon Space Development ment to aerodynamic performance. Recent Corp., and NASA Johnson Space Center work explored 3D sweep and taper effects are researching integrated stress and ther- and means for minimizing actuator work re- mal model and prototype structures. Fully quirements. Aeroacoustic tests of 2D and 3D physically coupled simulation and thermal prototype systems are planned, and the 2D vacuum chamber testing of prototypes dem-

Air Force Research Laboratory testing platform is under development. onstrated feasibility of the concept. NASA and FlexSys Inc. this year The German Aerospace Center designed, Boeing and the Army Aviation Develop- completed flight tests of the manufactured and tested a droop-nose mor- ment Directorate completed their Multi-Role company’s shape-morphing phing device for the leading edge of a re- Rotor-Adaptive Performance project, which control surfaces, called FlexFoils, which are designed to reduce gional jetliner wingtip for the European demonstrated helicopter rotor system tech- noise and fuel burn. The surfaces Union project NOVEMOR, or Novel Air Ve- nologies that improve aircraft performance were tested on NASA’s Gulfstream 3 hicle Configurations: From Fluttering Wings and reduce vibrations. The team conducted research jet. to Morphing Flight. The device has a seam- full-scale design studies, fabricated and less flexible skin with an optimized ply layup tested full-scale actuators, and successfully The German Aerospace Center con- ducted wind tunnel tests on a driven by electrical linear actuators and to- conducted two wind tunnel tests, includ- droop-nose, morphing device for pologically-optimized compliant mechanisms ing an integrated morphing blades model to the leading edge of a wingtip. fabricated from super- explore the benefits of in-flight rotor blade elastic nickel titanium al- twist variation for hover and cruise perfor- loy. Wind tunnel testing mance and vibratory loads. at the University of Bris- Arizona State University is investigating tol in February showed the mechanochemistry of thermoset poly- the structure is able to mers dispersed with carbon nanotubes and effectively morph under mechanophores nanoparticles to enable mul- aerodynamic loads. tifunctional properties such as self-sensing The Consortium for and self-healing in polymer matrix compos- Research and Innovation ites. Cyclobutane-based mechanophores are in Aerospace in Qué- being synthesized with funding from the U.S. bec produced an elec- Air Force and the Army. tric-actuator-controlled A quantum mechanics-based molecular German Aerospace Center morphing wingtip for a dynamics simulation method is under devel- Bombardier-type aircraft. opment to accurately capture mechanophore International partners in- activation under complex external loading. clude Bombardier Aero- The influence of nanoparticles on material space, Thales Canada, property enhancement, improvement in elas- the National Research tic/inelastic performance, and thermal and Council Institute for electrical effects are under study.

6 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

he year brought advances in many aspects power and thermal management, high-fidel- Collaborating Tof multidisciplinary design optimization: ity engine models and operations analysis in • MDO tools: In July, NASA released the OPTImization Multidisciplinary Systems for multi- OpenMDAO version 1.0. This computing OPTIMUS program. disciplinary platform uses the modular analysis and uni- McGill University’s Systems Optimization fied derivatives framework, developed at the Lab developed methods to integrate compo- design University of Michigan’s MDO Lab, to effi- nent operating-life predictions, or lifing, into ciently compute coupled-system derivatives MDO of aerospace product-service systems. by Karen Willcox and accelerate multidisciplinary analysis. The The lab, in collaboration with McGill’s Com- Air Force Research Laboratory’s Multidisci- putational Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, also The Multidisciplinary Design Optimization plinary Science & Technology Center (AFRL applied surrogate-assisted derivative-free op- Technical Committee MSTC), MIT and Syracuse University released timization to design aircraft electro-thermal provides a forum for those the Computational Aircraft Prototype Synthe- anti-icing systems. active in development, ses program. CAPS supports geometry and North Carolina State University and Brigham application, and teaching of meshing for conceptual design, MDO, and Young University explored design of systems a formal design methodology high-fidelity physics simulation. The Compu- better equipped to meet the challenges of un- based on the integration of disciplinary analyses tational Optimal Design of Engineering Sys- foreseen user requirements, operating environ- and sensitivity analyses, tems laboratory at the University of Arizona ments, and technological advancements. This optimization and artificial released the CODES toolbox for computa- work identifies which components are critical intelligence. tional design, including classification-based in enabling changes to the system even after adaptive sampling and reliability assessment. deployment in the field. MIT released GPkit, an open-source Python Iowa State and Penn State are de- programming-language package for geometric veloping visual analytics tools to sup- programming-based optimization that supports port value-driven design of complex interactive-design space explorations. engineered systems under uncertainty. • MDO methodology: Researchers at the These tools will facilitate system de- University of Southampton explored scripted composition and organizational align- University of Southampton/ parametric geometry definitions, showing ment while optimizing subsystems in a Andy Keane that the geometry-as-recipe idea can circum- mathematically rigorous framework. The ducts and fuselage of the vent curse-of-dimensionality issues. They The AFRL MSTC-Virginia Tech-Wright Southampton University Custer Channel unmanned aircraft were also investigated integration of flight-test re- State University Collaborative Center on Mul- produced in the U.K. with 3D sults into an iterative MDO loop, exploiting tidisciplinary Science researched topology printing, using multidisciplinary advances in rapid prototyping. optimization of multifunctional structures design optimization. The geometry Delft University of Technology and the using multiscale analysis; a new quasi-New- of the SUCCUAV’s ducts resulted from optimizing the trade-offs University of South Carolina developed a ton algorithm QNSTOP for stochastic and among lift, drag, weight and cost. multi-level fidelity approach in which consis- global optimization; non-intrusive aeroelas- tency between fidelities is guaranteed through tic shape sensitivity analysis; exploration of a coupled adjoint approach. multidisciplinary design spaces using addi- A Multidisciplinary Research Program tive manufacturing and rapid prototyping of the University Research Initiative (MURI) testing; control of transonic flutter; and a team is developing multi-information-source computational MDO design environment for approaches to multidisciplinary decision- advanced supersonic efficient aircraft. making. The MURI team is composed of Ari- • MDO design capabilities: The AFRL zona State University, Cornell, MIT, Santa Fe MSTC/NASA Langley Sensitivity Analysis for Institute, Texas A&M and the University of Multidisciplinary Systems project is extend- Michigan. ing the FUN3D unstructured Navier-Stokes University of South Carolina Researchers at the University of Illinois analysis code with adjoint-based computa- Kittyhawk, a blended-wing-body developed new, generative-design methods tion of derivatives of transient aeroelastic aircraft, was designed with for topology optimization of electro-thermal responses. The goal is to capture critical multidisciplinary-design-optimi- zation tools by a team led by VX power systems; they extended direct optimal aeroelastic interactions during aircraft con- Aerospace and including North control for integro-differential optimization figuration optimization. The Multidisciplinary Carolina State University, Stanford problems, and improved hydraulic system ef- Analysis and Design Center for Advanced University and the University of ficiency via micro-texture design and surro- Vehicles at Virginia Tech is developing a South Carolina. gate modeling. computational design environment for MDO MDO methods are expanding to cover of wings of advanced subsonic and super- more of the system life cycle. An AFRL sonic aircraft whose designs are expected to MSTC-lead Boeing/General Electric team include curvilinear spars and ribs enabled by is expanding conceptual design to include additive manufacturing.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 7 AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Modeling o enable aerospace design under uncer- Ttainty, researchers continue to develop uncertainty for non-deterministic methods capable of incor- better design porating various sources of uncertainty. The Aerospace Systems Directorate of by Qiqi Wang the Air Force Research Laboratory this year conducted fundamental research on goal- The Non-Deterministic oriented, multi-fidelity algorithms for miti- Approaches Technical gating model uncertainties while achieving Committee advances the art, significant reductions in computational cost. science and cross-cutting They developed an approach based on the Georgia Tech technologies required for adjoint method, which facilitates both design applying non-deterministic Studying terradynamics: To measure how robotic legs interact modeling and analysis to optimization and model selections. with granular surfaces, researchers at Georgia Tech move aerospace systems. Multi-fidelity design is the process of uti- them through poppy seeds. lizing all available resources — levels of phys- ics, grid refinement, and discipline coupling fabricated by fused-deposition modeling, and — to achieve high-fidelity accuracy at low integrated its uncertain characteristics into computational cost. Wright State University is the developed framework. The framework developing a robust and cost-effective multi- matches probabilistic behavior of coarse- fidelity design optimization framework. It scale, low-fidelity and fine-scale, high-fidelity incorporates uncertainty quantification tech- models via an optimization procedure, en- niques, including Bayesian updating and abling performance prediction and certifica- model management. The Bayesian method is tion of printed parts. Katholieke Universiteit used to combine additive and multiplicative Leuven in Belgium also is studying how ma- adjustment factors with a low-fidelity model terial properties are affected by variability in to serve as a pseudo high-fidelity model. This additive manufacturing processes. makes use of all low-fidelity physics, such as Epistemic uncertainty represents the de- a beam model of a wing, with first-order cor- gree to which design and analysis tools are rections to a high-fidelity model, such as a validated. To model epistemic uncertainty, detailed finite-element model. Mississippi State University is extending the The University of Arizona has developed Bayesian models to integrate a multi-interval a new approach to design nonlinear energy representation into a decomposed multilevel sinks under uncertainty. These devices suf- optimization framework. Current research fo- fer from high sensitivity to design and load- cuses on material-product design optimization ing uncertainties, which can cause abrupt with both aleatory and epistemic uncertain- changes in efficiency. However, their nonlin- ties. This technology can be applied to design ear stiffness properties make them promising lightweight, multi-functional new materials for for passively reducing structural vibration and aerospace applications. acoustic sound pressure. To tackle high-dimensional uncertain prob- The Missouri University of Science and Tech- lems, researchers at Stanford University and Delft nology, NASA, and Boeing in October started University of Technology in the Netherlands validation and uncertainty quantification of vari- developed an efficient and accurate numeri- ous turbulence models, many of which can be cal integration scheme, which benefits many inaccurate in complex flows. This effort also in- uncertainty quantification strategies. The new cludes robust vehicle aerodynamic shape design scheme, simplex stochastic collocation, bridges under uncertainty. the gap between Monte Carlo and quadrature A notable development from NASA/Boeing/ material properties. It proves to be advanta- Missouri is uncertainty quantification with sto- geous in high-dimensional uncertain problems, chastic expansions implemented for hypersonic while maintaining the efficiency of quadrature flow and radiative heat transfer models for Titan, in low dimensions. It also handles non-smooth Mars, and Earth entry and the design of hyper- outputs of interest found in aerospace applica- sonic inflatable aerodynamic decelerators for the tions, where small uncertainty in the inputs can next generation Mars spacecraft. lead to abrupt changes in performance. Another ongoing research focus for non- Simplex stochastic collocation is one of deterministic approaches is additive manu- the many novel contributions of Jeroen Wit- facturing, in which variabilities in the process teveen, whose passing in August at the age can cause parts to deviate structurally from of 34 was mourned by his colleagues and col- intended designs. Georgia Tech studied parts laborators worldwide.

8 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

he Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite Array and Reflectarray Antenna demonstra- Mapping Earth Tthat NASA launched in January carries a tion cubesat, which is scheduled for launch 6-meter-diameter mesh reflector that is the in 2016. An X-band version of this antenna is and imaging first large, deployable structure to rotate at also baselined for the Mars Cube One cube- exoplanets a high rate relative to a de-spun spacecraft. sat, also scheduled for launch in 2016. These SMAP continues to provide the first three-day reflectarrays are stowed between the space- by Gregory L. Davis revisit global maps of the Earth’s hydrosphere craft bus and the launch canister, taking ad- state via its passive radiometer instrument, but vantage of unused space in that area. The Spacecraft Structures its active radar stopped transmitting in July for Preliminary development also began on an Technical Committee, reasons related to its power supply that are inflatable X-band antenna that stows in a 1U formerly the Gossamer Spacecraft Program still being investigated. cubesat envelope. Also, radiofrequency and de- Committee, focuses on the The SMAP instrument is comprised of a ployment tests have been completed on a pro- unique challenges associated Northrop Grumman Astro Aerospace-built totype of the 42 decibel Ka-band parabolic de- with the design, analysis, deployable AstroMesh reflector/boom as- ployable antenna; a future version is expected fabrication and testing sembly and a Goddard Space Flight Center- to be used on RainCube, a cubesat mission of spacecraft structures. supplied radiometer. NASA’s Jet Propulsion concept for performing radar science. Laboratory supplied the radar, feed, slip-ring, In the planetary-imaging domain, tech- and structural elements. Boeing supplied the nologists from JPL, Princeton University, spin motor assembly and control electronics. Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, and SMAP’s flexible, deployed boom and reflec- the Colorado-based companies Roccor and tor were designed to achieve exacting surface Tendeg made progress this year on a novel accuracy and pointing requirements at 14.6 technology that would utilize a free-flying rpm, requiring key analytical and validation starshade occulter to make exoplanets visible. methods to be developed during the engineer- Once operational, this flower-shaped occulter ing process. Data from on-orbit operations in- will measure up to 40 meters tip-to- dicate that the deployed reflector natural fre- tip and will be positioned 30,000 to quency is within 2 percent of the prediction, 50,000 kilometers in front of a space and that objectives for overall antenna perfor- telescope. Its precise petal shape mance (surface figure) and rotational stability will generate diffraction patterns to (mass properties) are achieved at 14.6 rpm. mask light from the exoplanet’s par- NASA has initiated several technology de- ent star. The team is implementing velopments focusing on deployable antennas very demanding stowed-volume and for cubesats. A reflectarray antenna operating deployed-dimensional requirements at K-band is baselined for the Integrated Solar for a full-scale 7-meter-long starshade NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory petal and 10 meter-diameter, half-scale The Starshade occulter would make exoplanets visible by mask- NASA’s Soil Moisture inner disc testbed. It also is utilizing novel, ori- ing light from the exoplanet’s Active Passive spacecraft, gami-inspired large optical shields to provide parent star. SMAP, is mapping soil the starlight suppression. Concepts based on moisture to help with a radially-deploying origami “flasher” design water-policy decisions. were fabricated this year at several scales, en- abling progress toward a baseline design. A 2-meter-diameter, deployable inner disc test- bed was fabricated by Roccor and is currently in testing to understand origami kinematics at the 1:10 scale. A flight-like 10 meter-diameter half-scale, micrometeorite-resistant optical shield testbed is also in development and will be completed in late 2017 based on a recent NASA technology award. Finally, the Spacecraft Structures Technical Committee is preparing the Handbook of Test- ing Large, Ultra-Lightweight Spacecraft. The handbook will provide both the theory and especially the practice of testing these unique spacecraft for project managers and technical specialists. Eleven chapters are currently under development by leading experts in the field. Expected publication by AIAA is late 2016. NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory/CalTech

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 9 AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Reducing risks he year saw many developments in the Canada’s National Research Tfield of structural dynamics, from im- Laboratory developed a seat through proved rotorcraft modeling to human factors cushion that mitigates the effects of vibration structural engineering to launch vehicle system identifica- on helicopter crews. tion and new stress analysis for aircraft design. analysis A team from the University of Maryland and the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Direc- by D. Todd Griffith torate developed CAD-based meshing and and Anubhav Datta multibody modeling tools for a 3D solid- The Structural Dynamics multibody dynamic analysis of a NASA one- Technical Committee quarter scale model of the V-22 Osprey. The focuses on the interactions novelty of the approach is that it models all among a host of forces root-end parts, constraints and load-paths on aircraft, rocket and from first principles to predict the kinematic spacecraft structures. couplings and dynamic stresses without any one-dimensional beam assumptions. Exact 3D modeling and high-fidelity simulations will enable the design of lighter hubs, mor- phing blades and increased whirl flutter mar- National Research Laboratory gins with thinner wings for high-speed tilt- rotors of the future. Initial results using the Army’s X3D code demonstrated the first-prin- operational modal analysis in flight: the non- ciples capability to predict the root-end cou- stationarity of a variable mass system, and the plings without relying on model-scale rotor unknown, or uncontrolled, generally narrow- test data to derive equivalent root springs. band, input forcing functions. The rollout in- Current work is focused on coupling the put forcing functions, though uncontrolled, are model with the Army’s high-fidelity Reyn- dominated by broadband quasi-random forc- olds-Averaged Navier-Stokes computational ing. The process uses acceleration frequency fluid dynamics solver. responses at a selected set of sensor locations The National Research Council of Canada to construct response shapes across the fre- developed a human vibration platform to quency spectrum. These response shapes are accurately reproduce vertical aircraft vibra- then compared with FEM mode shapes using tion and find ways to reduce the risks to a standard Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC) pilots from whole-body vibrations. The pro- to identify response/mode pairs demonstrat- file of an entire flight can be recreated while ing high correspondence. The method was ensuring safety of the human subjects. The validated up to 255 Hz with MAC values above system is capable of reproducing arbitrary 0.85 with a small lab cart that was instrumented time histories with accelerations up to 1 G and rolled over rough pavement. NASA/MSFC root mean square and with frequency from The ability to quickly compute the inter- Artist concept of NASA’s Space 2 Hz to 1,000 Hz, using four electro-dynamic nal stresses on an airframe for a variety of Launch System. Marshall Space Flight Center developed an mechanical shakers. A variety of sensors are maneuvers or control sequences opens op- operational modal analysis installed on the platform (1m x 1.8m): accel- portunities for improved design and main- process for the SLS rollout using erometers and pressure pads; electromyog- tenance of aircraft. ZONA Technology and a finite element model of the vehicle-launcher assembly. raphy, electroencephalography, electroocu- Boeing, with assistance from the Air Force lography electrodes (for muscle, brain and Research Laboratory, developed a dynamic eye activity, respectively); goniometers; and flight simulation system called the Stick-to- heart-rate, skin conductance and respiration Stress Dynamic Flight Simulation Program monitors. This facility will enable research on by combining a flight dynamics model with the effects of long-term exposure to vibration an aeroelastic solver. The program presents on human fatigue and physiological stress a method of using the stick inputs to com- that adversely impact mission performance. pute finite element model load cards for ev- NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in ery time step of the simulation. These load Alabama developed an operational modal cards — when applied to detailed FEMs of analysis process for the Space Launch System the airframe — compute the internal stresses rollout utilizing a finite element model (FEM) needed for fatigue tracking. Stick-to-stress is of the vehicle-launcher assembly with ap- an improvement upon traditional simulations propriate crawler boundary conditions. Using because it is capable of computing the incre- rollout mitigates two obstacles encountered in mental loads from airframe dynamics.

10 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ASA is poised to add an addition to the and physically interact with the carbon fiber Inflatable space NInternational Space Station to temporar- surface, providing an accurate representa- ily expand it from eight rooms to nine. The tion of interface properties. The nanoscale habitat ready new room will be like no other on the station, information pertaining to covalent bond dis- for deployment and will be easy to install: It’ll connect to a sociation is used to define scalable param- docking port, be filled with compressed air eters that are further integrated into damage by Harry H. Hilton and, voilà, an instant space habitat. This de- models at higher-length scales with funding ployment is the result of 15 years of research from the Office of Naval Research. The Structures Technical and development by Bigelow Aerospace of The Air Force Institute of Technology has Committee works on the North Las Vegas, Nevada, on the Bigelow Ex- been researching additive manufacturing of development and application of theory, experiment and pandable Activity Module, or BEAM. objects made from plastics and metals. Sev- operation in the design Initially scheduled for a September launch, eral specimens have been produced and ana- of aerospace structures. BEAM’s test deployment has been delayed by lyzed, such as a projectile considering opti- the June explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket mization of the topology and a frame for an on its way to the ISS. Once BEAM reaches its des- icosahedron. The first product was shot into tination, it will undergo two years of intensive a concrete target and reacted in a very favor- testing in what will amount to a trial run for in- able way compared to a projectile produced flatable spacecraft, a technology that could play in the normal fashion. The second project a significant role in future human spaceflight was to analyze the performance under exter- and low-Earth orbit commercial ventures. nal loading both from a dynamic instability The inflatable spacecraft structures tech- point of view leading to chaotic behavior and nology was pioneered at NASA’s Johnson from a collapse consideration. Experiments Space Center in Houston during the 1990s un- were carried out to determine the correctness der the TransHab project. Bigelow Aerospace of the finite elements procedure. licensed the patents and with NASA’s help is MIT researchers have developed a com- poised to add this module to the ISS for three posite manufacturing technique that does not years. It is to be the first human-rated inflatable require the use of large conventional ovens or structure ever used in space. autoclaves. This was achieved by integrating an The Adaptive Intelligent Materials & Sys- aligned carbon nanotube film into the top sur- Bigelow Aerospace tems Center at Arizona State University is face of an aerospace-grade composite structure, Artist’s rendering of the Bigelow developing physics-based multiscale mod- and applying current to the carbon nanotube Expandable Activity Module eling techniques for composites and nano- film to process the composite via Joule heat- attached to the International composites, bridging atomistic to structural ing. The team conducted curing experiments Space Station. The module will be scale with funding from the Air Force Of- with common carbon fiber reinforced com- launched to the space station on a SpaceX flight. fice of Scientific Research and the Army Re- posites used in aircraft components and found search Office. A quantum-mechanics-based that the new ‘out-of-oven’ technique can yield molecular dynamics approach is being de- composites of equal or greater quality than veloped to capture stress-induced covalent conventional oven-based techniques while bond dissociation. A novel interphase model consuming 99 percent less energy during the allows the polymer molecules to entangle curing process. The researchers believe that this new “out-of-oven” approach serves as the new One-third scale model of the Bigelow benchmark for energy-efficient techniques for Expanded Activity Module, manufacturing aerospace composites. an inflatable space habitat. Manufacturers and engineering firms in the advanced composites sector can now use new software developed at Purdue Uni- versity to reduce the design cycle of materi- als and structures, and analyze models too complex for existing methods. AnalySwift, a commercial software provider based in Utah, launched SwiftComp, technology that provides efficient, high-fidelity modeling of composites and reduces analysis times with- out a loss of accuracy, while capturing de- tails of composites that were unreachable using traditional methods. The company licensed the technology, which was devel-

NASA oped at Purdue.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 11 AEROSPACE DESIGN AND STRUCTURES

Surviving he Air Force Research TLaboratory in Ohio fires and pursued several notable atmospheric efforts in 2015 in the field of aircraft and crew entry survivability: Researchers undertook by Ameer G. Mikhail, a crew-compartment fire Adam E. Goss, survivability project in Scott R. Wacker and Gregory J. Czarnecki which they investigated the effects on combat The Survivability Technical personnel from extreme Committee promotes air temperatures, oxygen and spacecraft survivability depletion, toxic gas ac- as a design discipline cumulation and visual that includes such factors as crashworthiness degradation by smoke. Lockheed Martin and repairability. Occupant survivability was assessed in terms A protective panel for Orion’s service module is jettisoned during testing at Lockheed Martin’s Sunnyvale, California, facility. This test series evaluated design changes to the of time-to-incapacitation spacecraft’s fairing separation system. relative to physiological limitations published in medical literature. A vivability tests on its Orion crew transport statistical model was developed from the test capsule. Test information is also shared with data, from which probability-of-incapacitation NASA’s three space commercialization con- could be estimated. Data from this test series tract winners for use in their independent indicate that occupant incapacitations can be capsule designs (SpaceX’s Dragon, Boeing’s driven to zero, when fires are extinguished CST-100, Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser). rapidly, when ventilation is increased, and NASA continued to study the valuable when emergency egress can be executed. data from the December 2014 launch and A live fire test and evaluation program was ocean retrieval of the SpaceX unmanned begun for the KC-46 fuel tanker against ballistic Dragon capsule for human survivability in- and advanced threats. The LFT&E program is put for g-loading, forces on human body, pursuing innovative data-collection and analy- spacesuits cooling adequacy, radiation lev- sis techniques. These techniques are provid- els, and capsule cooling system capacity. ing critical input for model development and Space survivability also had it share of recent validation for use in future LFT&E programs. tragic events, such as Orbital ATK’s Antares Correlation between test results and model rocket exploding at Wallops Island in Vir- predictions are demonstrating that the vulner- ginia in October 2014 and SpaceX’s Falcon-9 ability analysis can be combined with strategic, rocket explosion over Florida in June. statistically significant test programs to provide NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has accurate platform vulnerability assessments at started testing a larger braking system of substantially reduced cost and schedule when inflatable drag devices for its 18- to 40-ton compared to a test-only approach. Martian human explorer vehicle for its crew Researchers investigated the effects of a survivable landing on Mars. This system high-energy laser on backed aircraft compos- dwarfs the braking system used for the 1-ton ite materials under controlled conditions. Test Curiosity landing rover, which NASA landed specimens were immersed in a high-velocity on Mars in August 2012. airstream during quantification of penetra- When it comes to survivability in civil avi- tion times and back-surface temperatures as a ation, a pressing issue remains airliner track- function of laser irradiance. Results are being ing and the cause of the March 2014 disap- used to develop laser-damage effects models pearance of Malaysian Flight MH370. Since that will ultimately transition into laser-en- then, a short-term solution embraced by the abled aircraft vulnerability assessment codes. International Civil Aviation Organization is to NASA and other agencies undertook no- require pilots to report their location every 15 table survivability work as well: minutes. The U.S. NTSB has recommended a For survivability efforts in non-aircraft stricter, longer-term solution that would re- fields, such as in space systems, NASA, quire location reporting every minute through through its prime contractor Lockheed Mar- a new, modern automatic transmitting-track- tin, is performing structural and human sur- ing system to be developed.

12 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 2O16 8–10 MARCH 2016 LAUREL, MARYLAND

The AIAA Defense and Security Forum (AIAA DEFENSE 2016) will give you classified and unclassified discussions of technical, programmatic, and policy issues pertaining to aerospace in U.S. national security. Topics Include Featuring: Cyberspace • AIAA Missile Sciences Conference Hypersonic Systems and Technologies • AIAA National Forum on Weapon Innovative Concepts and Technologies System Effectiveness Missile Defense • AIAA Strategic and Tactical Robotic and Unmanned Weapon Systems Missile Systems Conference Space Systems Strategic Missile Systems — Ground-Based (GBSD) and Sea-Based Deterrent Tactical Missiles Targets and Countermeasures Weapon System Performance Analysis, Modeling & Simulation Weapon System Test & Evaluation

Register Today! aiaa-defense.org

16-946 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Flying quiet

by Dennis McLaughlin and Anthony Pilon

The Aeroacoustics Technical Committee addresses the noise produced by the motion of fluids and bodies in the atmosphere and the responses of humans and This image shows the temperatures in a subsonic turbulent jet flow predicted structures to this noise. using large eddy simulation. The red contours indicate the instantaneous temperature field visualized in a two-dimensional cut in the middle of the jet and through a round nozzle (the blue outline).

Cascade Technologies

oise generated by fluid flow is an impor- Together with academic partners at Ntant factor in the development of aero- PPRIME Institute in Poitiers, France, and the space systems and ground vehicles. Develop- California Institute of Technology, researchers ment and operation costs are often directly at Cascade Technologies in Palo Alto, Califor- correlated with radiated noise, so the demand nia, are leveraging high-performance comput- for noise reduction will continue to be impor- ing and state-of-the-art hybrid modeling to tant for both military and commercial systems. perform high-fidelity large-eddy simulations In 2015, the aeroacoustics of turbulent jets. Far-field noise predictions research and development for an isothermal, Mach 0.9 jet matched the community made advances companion experimental measurements to to address these demands. within 0.5 decibel for relevant frequencies. An A scale-model of a low- extensive LES database collected during the noise conceptual N+2 (two simulation is being mined to inform reduced- generations from today’s order models for wide application. aircraft) supersonic airliner Researchers at Penn State are continu- was tested in the Aero- ing to develop of the fluidic insert concept Acoustic Propulsion Labo- for on-demand noise reduction of tactical ratory at NASA’s Glenn Re- aircraft exhaust noise. Experiments are un- search Center in Cleveland. derway with a ¼ scale engine model at GE

NASA Glenn Research Center The model incorporated an Aviation with ASE FluiDyne support. An al- A scale model of an aft deck and inverted velocity profile jet flow with modeled ternate on-demand noise reduction concept tail of future supersonic airliner airframe surfaces that simulate the aft end of a is being explored at Lockheed Martin. This undergoes acoustic tests for exhaust noise at NASA’s Glenn low-boom vehicle. Far-field and noise source concept reduces jet noise via reconfiguration Research Center. distribution measurements were acquired to of variable geometry nozzle hardware to rep- validate empirical models and physics-based licate a forced mixer nozzle. simulations of exhaust flow-airframe interaction The increased presence of advanced noise sources, shielding and reflection. These noise-test facilities in the automotive indus- recently developed tools will be used in system try demonstrates how aerospace technology studies to demonstrate the feasibility of a su- in aeroacoustics is benefiting broader and personic airliner that would be quiet enough to larger industries. There has been significant meet noise regulations. progress in developing test facilities for full Engine nacelle acoustic liners provide scale automotive wind noise testing since significant aircraft fan noise reduction, but the early 1990s. The test technology is criti- further improvements in noise reduction ca- cal to the development of modern vehicles, pacity and bandwidth are needed. NASA and and numerous aeroacoustic wind tunnels Honeywell Aerospace tested a fan model with have been recently commissioned for auto- an advanced multiple-degree of freedom, or motive wind noise testing. MDOF, liner designed at NASA’s Langley Re- Many new climatic wind tunnels also fea- search Center in Virginia. Preliminary results ture acoustic test capabilities for engine and show that the MDOF liner provides additional drivetrain component testing. These test capa- broadband noise reduction relative to a current bilities will continue to enable the development single-degree of freedom liner. These data will of vehicles with better wind noise attributes, be used to refine the liner models and design fewer problems with sunroof “booming,” and codes to optimize future MDOF liners. lower noise levels for auxiliary systems.

14 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

esearchers at NASA’s Armstrong and Ames Researchers from NASA Langley Research Visualizing air Rresearch centers this year worked with the Center, the National Institute of Aerospace U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School to capture im- and Spectral Energies collaborated to perform density ages of changes in air density around a T-38 femtosecond laser electronic excitation and trainer jet using updated forms of schlieren tagging, or FLEET, velocity measurements in by David H. Plemmons photography, the imaging technique named Langley’s 0.3 meter transonic cryogenic tun- and Thomas P. Jenkins from the German word for a streak. nel at high Reynolds number conditions. Ac- The Aerodynamic Specifically, Armstrong and Spectabit Optics curacies and precisions of the single-point Measurement Technology added a subpixel algorithm to the Ground-to- measurements were generally on the order of Technical Committee Air Schlieren Photography System, or GASPS, 1 meter per second. The FLEET system was advances measurement a telescope-based system developed in 2011 able to measure freestream velocity fluctua- technology for ground facilities by MetroLaser of California. Spectabit Optics, tions as low as 0.05 percent when the facility and aircraft in flight. a spin-off of MetroLaser, refined the previously was operated at a Mach number of 0.75. developed Polar Analysis Synthetic Schlieren, Optical mass flow measurements were or PASS, algorithm to include sub-pixel resolu- performed in a supersonic wind tunnel at tion and other filters. The algorithm allowed for Arnold Engineering Development Complex. computation of the imagery in post-flight analy- Tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy sis so that more details could be extracted from was used to measure velocity, air density the raw images. The GASPS work in 2015 is a and mass flow over a range of supersonic result of many years of improvements since the flow speeds up to Mach 5.5. Test section ve- 1990s, when Leonard Weinstein, then of NASA’s locities in excess of 800 meters/second were Langley Research Center in Virginia, pioneered inferred from measured Doppler shifts of su- the film-based, sun-edge method. percooled oxygen molecules. Static tempera- Researchers at Ames made advances this tures were near 50 kelvin. Mass flux uncer- year in the Air-to-Air Background Oriented tainties of 3 percent were achieved. Schlieren, or AirBOS, technique. The T-38 was Schlieren image of an imaged from above using two high-speed Phan- aircraft in flight taken tom v641digital cameras on a NASA King Air from above, using the , with the desert vegetation of the Supersonic desert vegetation beneath as the Flight Corridor near Edwards Air Force Base in reference background. California as the background. The results com- pared favorably to manufactured backgrounds. NASA Ames Research Center This year, Sandia National Lab’s wind tun- nel team in Albuquerque, New Mexico, ac- Multidimensional measurements have long quired Particle Image Velocimetry, PIV, mov- been sought to answer many open questions in ies in a high-speed testing facility. This appears highly turbulent propulsion flows. The ability to mark a first among researchers around the to make 4D measurements (i.e., measurements world. Sandia worked in partnership with Spec- of flow and flame properties in all three spa- tral Energies of Ohio to create high-speed, time- tial coordinates with adequate temporal resolu- correlated velocity fields. A specialized laser tion) is the ultimate goal, and recent measure- known as a pulse-burst laser was used in 2015 ments in a supersonic combustor represent a to progress PIV from measuring static images significant step in this direction. Researchers at of velocity vectors to acquiring time-correlated the Air Force Research Laboratory and Virginia velocity fields — that is, movies. Until this year, Tech jointly demonstrated a technique, com- acquisition of PIV movies was possible only bining endoscopic imaging and tomography, in low-speed flows. The demanding needs of to enable 3D flame measurements in a Mach high-speed aerodynamics require this new laser 2 combustor at a temporal rate of 20 kilohertz. technology to deliver large amounts of energy Customized fiber endoscopes were applied to in bursts of pulses at repetition rates reaching image the target flame from eight different view 500 kHz. Data already are providing new physi- angles simultaneously at 20 kilohertz. The im- cal insights for modeling and simulation. ages captured were then fed into a tomography inversion algorithm, frame-by- Ground-to-air frame, to obtain 4D flame prop- Schlieren Photography System image of a T-38 erties, including topography, taken with the sun surface area, volume and curva- as the light source. ture. These results are used to study both the ignition and sta- ble operation of the combustor. NASA Ames Research Center AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 15 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

ASA’s Environmentally Responsible Testing The hybrid-wing-body aircraft Aviation Project this year completed a N at the National Transonic blended-wing- series of low-speed wind-tunnel tests of a Facility at NASA Langley. body concept Boeing blended-wing-body concept vehicle. Among the test goals were to optimize the by Nathan Hariharan high-lift system, develop an aerodynamic da- tabase and measure inlet distortion due to The Applied Aerodynamics Technical Committee vehicle-induced flow fields. emphasizes the development, Configurations tested included flow- application and evaluation through nacelles with variable-geometry wing of concepts and methods using edges, both leading and trailing. Testing with theories, wind tunnel ejector powered nacelles and turbine powered experiments and flight tests. simulators installed were also completed as part of the multi-year research. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Lock- heed Martin and NASA reached a milestone in researching the hybrid-wing-body, HWB, de- sign, which aims to burn 70 percent less fuel than legacy transports. Results from a 4-percent- scale, semi-span transonic wind-tunnel test in the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center — with facility improvements to semi-span test data repeatability — confirmed

the aerodynamic efficiency of the HWB and Air Force Research Laboratory the 5 percent benefit in aerodynamic efficiency of over-wing versus conventional under-wing nacelle installations. This means the HWB de- ences such as installation effects, in-ground/ sign is now suitable for system-level research out-of-ground etc. into technologies for future Air Force airlifters Researchers from Boeing, Bell, Sikorsky, and tankers, as well as advanced commercial NASA, the National Rotorcraft Technology Cen- freighters. ter, and Georgia Tech conducted validations Helicopter rotor blades produce strong of rotorcraft ice accretion, deicing and shed- tip vortices systems that affect the rotorcraft’s ding models. The first-principles, multi-physics Boeing performance and handling. Further, the rotor coupled computational tools advanced the state blades are highly flexible, making it difficult to of the art in icing analysis for rotors. Empiri- Boeing’s blended-wing-body concept aircraft undergoes accurately predict rotorcraft performance. NASA cal models are still needed for certain elements high-lift and stability-and-control is considering a new class of hover experiments for the calibration for roughness effects and the testing at NASA Langley’s in wind tunnels under its Revolutionary Verti- calculation for heat transfer coefficients. The 14-by-22-foot Subsonic Tunnel. cal Lift Technology Project. The goal is to pro- new experimental data sets reduced uncertainty vide hover performance and wake-geometry in the empirical models. measurements with greater precision to facili- In January, progress was made toward tate validation of modern computational fluid identifying a series of increasingly complex dynamics codes. High-resolution pre-test CFD aerodynamic benchmark problems at a spe- simulations have been carried out for a rotor cial forum of SciTech. The problems are suit- operating in the NASA Ames Full-Scale Aerody- able for exercising aerodynamic optimization namics Complex to assess the effects of walls, methods in a constrained space. The Defense floor and ceiling in a wind tunnel on rotor per- Department’s High Performance Computing formance and vortex wake. Modernization Program CREATE Air Vehicles The AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Techni- program released three products in 2015: the cal Committee’s Rotorcraft Simulation Working fixed-wing analysis tool Kestrel 6.0; the rotor- Group held its second hover invited session at craft analysis tool Helios 6.0; and the concep- the SciTech conference. The goal of this ses- tual design tool DaVinci 3.0. Kestrel 6.0 intro- sion was to assess different approaches for duces full-engine integrated aircraft simulation the hover prediction of S-76 rotor planform capability and Helios 6.0 hardens multi-rotor/ for three different tip shapes. Ten institutions tail-rotor capabilities. DaVinci 3.0 enables rapid across the world participated in the 2015 ses- generation of parametric aircraft designs, in- sion. A third series of invited hover sessions is cluding the ability to generate outer-mold-lines planned for SciTech 2016, focusing on influ- and basic internal structures.

16 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

fter some 2 ½ years of cruise from the Object Close flyby with Optical Navigation, An exciting year Aasteroid Vesta, NASA’s Dawn spacecraft was scheduled to perform an Earth flyby in in March entered an orbit around Ceres, the December and will head to a to-be-selected for exploring only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt, and target in the main asteroid belt. dwarf planets became the first spacecraft to orbit a dwarf A Russian Soyuz booster rocket delivered planet as well as two distinct solar system a resupply cargo ship to the International by Ryan S. Park bodies. With only two functioning reaction Space Station in July after a string of failed wheels, Dawn has been operating nominally cargo attempts, including a Soyuz launch in The Astrodynamics with impressive performance and revealed April and a Space-X Falcon 9 launch in June. Technical Committee a number of important discoveries of Ce- During planning for the 2020 Asteroid advances the science of trajectory determination, res, including mysterious bright spots. Dawn Redirect Mission, NASA in March selected prediction, and adjustment, will continue its primary science sequences “Option B,” which calls for bringing back a and also spacecraft through 2016. boulder from an asteroid to Earth orbit, rather navigation and attitude Launched in 2006, NASA’s New Horizons than the whole asteroid as in “Option A.” determination. spacecraft in July made the first encounter with The eighth Global Trajectory Optimi- Pluto, the largest known dwarf planet in the sation Competition, organized by the Jet solar system, with the closest approach distance Propulsion Laboratory, named as winner a of 12,500 kilometers and speed of 14 km/sec- team from ESA and JAXA. The competition’s ond. With only a few minutes of window for objective is to design trajectories for a sim- observing Pluto and its satellites, this flawless plified Very Long Baseline Interferometry flyby revealed amazing surface features, in- mission using three Earth-orbiting spacecraft cluding a 3.5-km icy mountain on Pluto. The with electric propulsion and the option to spacecraft is now en route to its second target, use lunar gravity assists. The winning solu- a Kuiper belt object called 2014 MU69, and is tion produced 17 different sources observed expected to arrive at the target in 2019. and 45 total observations in a flight time of After four years of orbiting Mercury, NA- three years. SA’s Messenger spacecraft used the last of its remaining propellant to end its mission by impacting the surface of Mercury on April 30. The European Space Agency’s (ESA) Philae lander, which was dropped onto Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko from the Rosetta spacecraft in November 2014 with the first soft landing on a comet nucleus, beamed an 85-second wake-up message to Earth via Rosetta on June 13. That communication was the first signal from this solar-powered comet lander in seven months since the probe fell silent shortly after its landing. After a main engine failure in 2010, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, JAXA, planned another attempt in Decem- ber with its Akatsuki probe to orbit Venus and explore its atmosphere. The resulting orbit will have a similar periapsis com- pared to the originally planned science or- bit, but will be much more eccentric with about four or five times larger apoapsis. Japan’s Hayabusa-2 mission, which launched in December 2014, continues on its way to the target asteroid (162173) 1999JU3. The spacecraft is propelled by its ion engine system and will rendezvous NASA Jet Propulsion Laborary with its target in 2018, collect surface sam- NASA’s Dawn spacecraft took this image in June. It shows the bright spots of Occator crater ple, and return it to Earth in 2020. Hayabu- on Ceres from an altitude of 4,400 kilometers. The Occator crater is about 90 kilometers sa-2’s secondary payload, called Proximate across and 4 kilometers deep.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 17 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Breakthrough ASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and industry now have a facility to study Ncompleted the first ever large-fan driven test articles operating at high altitude in ice year for icing rig ice crystal icing test in its Propulsion Sys- crystal icing environments that apply to both researchers tems Laboratory, NASA’s altitude-simulation small and large turbofan engines. This covers jet-engine test facility. The laboratory was the full spectrum of commercial aircraft that by Michael J. Oliver, retrofitted in 2012 with an ice crystal cloud operate in an ice crystal icing environment. Andy Broeren, generation system and soon completed a first- Though PSL was developed specifically for William W. Vaughan ever, small-fan jet engine test, using a Hon- generating high-altitude ice crystal clouds, and Justin Likar eywell ALF502-R5. GE Aviation, the industry the successful generation of conventional customer for the more recent test, required icing clouds at above sea level altitudes (su- The Atmospheric and Space the generation of a controllable, conventional per cooled liquid water) gives researchers Environments Technical Committee encourages the ice crystal cloud at various altitude conditions another tool to study how inclement weather exchange of information for a large-fan jet engine. affects the operation of turbofan engines at about the interactions The technical challenge to overcome was controllable altitudes and temperatures well between aerospace systems that the airflow requirements for the full- above sea level. and their surroundings. scale large-fan jet engine exceeded the air- In recent years, NASA has collaborated mass flow rate capabilities of the Propulsion with the FAA and the French Aerospace Labo- Systems Laboratory, PSL, at Glenn. NASA and ratory, ONERA, to investigate in-flight icing customer researchers, engineers and tech- on large-scale commercial transport airplanes. nicians worked together to overcome this A major program milestone was achieved challenge by developing a facility interface this year with the completion of three icing- and driven rig test article specifically target- wind-tunnel test campaigns in the NASA Icing ing the part of the engine that researchers Research Tunnel. A large database of ice ac- believe is the main region where large- and cretion geometry information was collected small-fan jet engines alike are affected by ice for three swept-wing models representing in- crystal icing. board, midspan and outboard sections of the Their achievement is significant in that NASA Common Research Model. researchers and engineers from government A hybrid model design approach was used to reduce the model scale to a reasonable size for the test section. The hybrid model de- signs utilized a full-scale leading edge section with a truncated afterbody and flap for circula- tion control. The approach was developed under a NASA re- search announcement with the participation of the University of Illinois, the University of Vir- ginia, the University of Wash- ington and Boeing. Aerodynamic data collected during the Icing Research Tun- nel test campaigns was used to confirm the performance of the hybrid design method. Flight- scale representative ice accretion was generated on these models and measured with a 3D laser- scanning method developed specifically for this work under a previous research effort. The ice accretion information will be used for development and vali- dation of ice-accretion simula- A technician at NASA Glenn’s Propulsion Systems Laboratory tion codes and for aerodynamic inspects the inlet ducting of the Honeywell ALF 502 engine investigations to be conducted used for NASA’s engine icing validation test. NASA over the next three years.

18 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Advances in space vehicles

by Jared Grauer and Christopher Karlgaard

The Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Technical Committee addresses the aerodynamic performance, trajectories and attitude The X-56A in flight at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. dynamics of aircraft, NASA/Ken Ulbrich spacecraft, boosters and entry vehicles. ASA took receipt of the X-56A Multi- The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator NUtility Technology Testbed from the Air vehicle, developed and tested primarily by the Force Research Laboratory and began flight NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, completed testing the aircraft in April at Armstrong Flight a flight test on June 8 at the Pacific Missile Research Center in California. The X-56A was Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The LDSD is designed by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works designed to enable payloads up to three tons under contract to AFRL as a test bed for ac- to be landed on Mars and employs an inflat- tive flutter suppression and gust-load allevia- able structure to decelerate the vehicle. The tion technology. NASA is testing it under the goal was to test two decelerator technologies: Advanced Air Transport Technology project. A Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decel- The April flight was the first of eight erator for robotic missions, SIAD-R, and planned flights for envelope clear- an improved Supersonic Ring Sail ance using a relatively stiff wing, parachute. Lessons were incorpo- to be completed before pro- rated from a 2014 flight test in gressing on to wings having which the Supersonic Disk Sail less structural stiffness. parachute was damaged. The The mobile Airborne SIAD-R deployed and func- Subscale Transport Re- tioned as planned, just as search team from NASA it did in the 2014 test, but Langley Research Center again the parachute failed. completed flight tests of The National Trans- the Bat-4 portable un- portation Safety Board NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator manned aircraft in April held a hearing and issued at NASA’s Wallops Flight a press release on July Facility in Virginia. The 28, regarding the October flights were intended to 2014 in-flight loss of the demonstrate flight be- Virgin Galactic VSS Enter- yond visual range, which prise, or SpaceShipTwo, is a new capability for the vehicle. The investigation team, and included a 6 nau- found that the accident was tical mile flight at 4,000 feet. caused by the co-pilot pre- Research maneuvers were maturely unlocking a mov- also completed during the able tail section. It was also flight for efficient air data instru- stressed that considering human mentation calibration, real-time factors, assessing safety, and an- global aerodynamic modeling, real- NASA ticipating human errors are critical time frequency response estimation to the continued success of manned and real-time fault detection. spaceflight. In April, Blue Origin performed the first In August, the FAA granted Nevada ap- developmental flight test of its New Shepard proval to conduct flights at its unmanned air- space vehicle. The test included attaining craft systems test site during the night and up Mach 3 and an altitude of 307,000 feet. The to altitudes of 1,200 feet, expanding its current vehicle is designed to be a reusable and cost- capabilities. The test site is one of six set up effective means of transporting astronauts and around the country by the FAA for research researchers into sub-orbital space. into unmanned aircraft systems.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 19 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Flow-control he U.S. Air Force Academy and the Uni- the wake behind a pitching trapezoidal panel, Tversity of Colorado in Boulder this year using traversing stereoscopic particle image ve- technologies experimented on a wing designed to undergo locimetry. The University of Virginia completed move out torsional limit cycle oscillation, also known as the complementary numerical simulations this stall flutter. These flow control experiments and year. The experimental and numerical results of labs matching simulations suggest that such flutter capture similar vortex wake behavior. Ongoing can be significantly reduced by modifying the quantitative validation will allow researchers to by Qiqi Wang flow structure with a jet of air injected through investigate details of these unsteady flows. a small slot near the leading edge. Researchers are tackling challenges faced The Fluid Dynamics Technical Committee Flow control technologies have transi- when using computational fluid dynamics to focuses on the behaviors tioned from the laboratory and small scale test simulate unsteady aerodynamics in off-design of liquids and gases vehicles to full-scale aircraft, such as the tail and high-lift conditions. High-order methods in motion, and how those of the Boeing 757 EcoDemonstrator research have garnered much interest. NASA has en- behaviors can be harnessed plane. Boeing concluded tests of this technol- gaged to improve models and methods for pre- in aerospace systems. ogy on the EcoDemonstrator in April. The dicting separated, free-shear, and shock-bound- application uses sweeping jets, developed at ary layer interaction flows. NASA and AIAA the University of Arizona, to increase rudder identified test cases for these flows. Efforts in effectiveness during large deflections. The high-order methods, turbulence modeling, the goal is to shrink the rudder, which is currently use of graphical processing units, and extreme sized to overcome asymmetric thrust when an scale supercomputers are also evidenced by engine fails. Further research focuses on syn- the numerous special invited sessions in recent thetic jets that need no air supply. AIAA conferences. A group of experts completed a multi-year study on how to better teach computational fluid dynamics to undergraduates. Among other things, the study outlines a curricula for undergraduate engineering programs. The George Washington University and National Center for Atmospheric Research developed a model for convection in the sun. Their method simulates compressible flow on an unstructured grid using a massively-parallel high-order method. It is also being used to simulate rapidly rotating oblate stars. Research- A NASA researcher monitors data showing how active-flow ers at George Washington are investigating controls change aerodynamic 3D separation around wall-mounted obstacles forces over an aircraft tail. NASA encountering pulsating flow. Wind-tunnel ex- periments were performed with programmable Engineers need to set manufacturing tol- vanes downstream producing pulsating inflow. erance when designing aircraft with laminar A self-induced vortex propagation mechanism flow technologies. For this purpose, NASA is proposed to explain the observed dynamics. Langley is studying how surface irregularities Researchers at UCLA, the California Insti- affect three-dimensional boundary-layer tran- tute of Technology and the Illinois Institute sition. Researchers measured flow instabilities of Technology developed models of unsteady downstream of a backward-facing step inside aerodynamic loads for agile and gust-tolerant a swept-wing boundary layer in experiments aircraft. Their lift response model to periodic this year at NASA’s Langley Research Center actuation proved accurate for both long-time in Virginia. The step has no significant effect hysteresis and short-time fluctuations. A data- on the stationary crossflow instability, but the driven vortex model is being explored for non- stationary crossflow interacts with the unsteady linear vortex interaction effects. disturbances generated by the step, causing a Wright State University developed new modulation of the unsteady disturbances and technology to measure blood flow inside human an increase in their amplitude. Particle image bodies, for diagnosis and treatment of vascular velocimetry measurements were peformed this diseases like stenosis. This technology injects year to study the flow in more detail. contrast medium into blood and photographs Syracuse University and the University of the target with an x-ray imagining system. Un- Virginia are studying unsteady flow around steady flow field is inferred from successive im- fish-like fins. Syracuse experimentally studied ages using an optimal flow method.

20 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

our Magnetospheric Multiscale mission and tipped over on the deck. The Falcon 9 Forecasting Fspacecraft developed and tested at NASA’s first stage is 14 stories tall and reaches speeds Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland of up to 1,300 meters per second. A series disruptive were launched on an Atlas-Centaur AV-53 in of three burns must be executed to stabilize space weather March. The mission will study how the sun’s and slow the descent to 2 meters per second. and the Earth’s magnetic fields connect and The limited size of the ocean platform re- by Lesley A. Weitz and disconnect, which transfers energy between quires a landing precision of 10 meters. Pre- Luisella Giulicchi the magnetic fields causing space weather vious landing tests in the ocean only showed that affects terrestrial technologies such as precisions of 10 kilometers; therefore, four The Guidance, Navigation GPS networks and energy grids. hypersonic fins, each controlled indepen- and Control Technical The mission reached an important mile- dently, were added to the first stage and are Committee advances techniques, devices, and stone in July, when the MMS began execut- deployed on descent to control the direction systems for guiding and ing maneuvers to begin formation flying. The of the lift vector. commanding flight vehicles. spacecraft will fly in a tetrahedral formation As the cost of high-performing sensors to observe electrical and magnetic fields in keeps dropping, complex sensing applica- three dimensions with a goal of understand- tions are becoming more available. For ex- ing and predicting disruptive space weather ample, the Low Cost Surface Awareness, events. Small and large formation maneuvers LCSA, system is an affordable approach to are maintained through onboard closed-loop providing enhanced situational awareness maneuver control using an attitude control of an airport’s surface operations to tower system with 12 thrusters on each spacecraft. controllers and air traffic managers. While Attitude sensor data is provided by star and high-functioning sun sensors. radar systems The European Space Agency’s The Bell 525 Relentless, the world’s first have been in- LISA Pathfinder was commercial fly-by-wire helicopter, made its stalled at busy readied for launch in Germany initial flight in Amarillo, Texas, in July. The airports around in September before fly-by-wire technology replaces traditional the country, departing for the launch site in French Guiana. manual flight controls with a digital interface they cost $10 that provides improved situational awareness million to $25 and mission control to the pilot. Pilot inputs million, out are transmitted to the flight control computer, of price range which translates those inputs into roll, pitch, and unafford- and yaw and lateral and vertical guidance and able for many control. Among other things, the test flight smaller airports. demonstrated taxi maneuvers, hover ma- The LCSA sys- neuvers and low-speed handling qualities in tem uses above- winds gusts up to 20 knots. ground magnetic The European Space Agency’s LISA Path- or infrared sen- finder was set to launch in December to test sors to deter- low-frequency gravitational wave detection. mine when a The mission, which will be conducted in col- block, a sub- laboration with NASA Jet Propulsion Labo- divided opera- ratory, will put two test masses in a near- tionally-relevant perfect gravitational free fall, and control and segment of a measure their motion with unprecedented runway or taxi- accuracy. This will be done with inertial sen- way, is occu- sors, a laser metrology system, a drag-free pied. The status control system and an ultra-precise micro- of the various propulsion system. blocks is dis- SpaceX made two attempts to land a spent played to air Falcon 9 first stage on a custom-built ocean traffic controllers platform, which would be a stride toward re- to supplement usability and the ultimate goal of returning visual informa- European Space Agency the first stage to dry land. An attempt in Janu- tion and provide ary failed after the stabilizing fins exhausted safety alerts when another aircraft is detected their fuel supply prematurely. to be entering an occupied space. This sys- An attempt in April ended when the first tem was tested during August at Teterboro stage made a hard landing on the platform Airport in New Jersey.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 21 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Inching toward n indispensable component to aero- Aspace testing and development is com- ‘push-button’ putational modeling and analysis. This often takes the form of computational fluid dynam- meshing ics, or CFD, which is reinforced by continual By James Masters advances made in meshing, visualization and computational environments, MVCE. The Meshing, Visualization While “push-button” meshing remains an and Computational elusive goal, advances in 2015 have brought Environments (MVCE) the technology to the point where meshes Technical Committee can be constructed with relative ease when explores the application appropriate surfaces are available. of computer science to pre-processing, This has effectively moved the bottleneck CFD Research Corp. post-processing and upstream to the clean-up and defeaturing Simulation of a ballistic projectile traveling through a dry bay infrastructure in support stage, in which the outer mold lines of an and into a fuel tank. Modeling real-life events, such as fire initiation inside an aircraft, is critical for improving survivability. of computational simulation aerodynamic body are smoothed. Mechanical in the aerospace community. computer aided design, MCAD, and meshing software providers are working together to address this bottleneck by considering CFD fore being written to disk or transferred over earlier in the design process. networks. Because of the increased use of This year also saw a continuing trend of data-processing techniques that are integrated exploring CAD-free meshing when the origi- into the analysis during run-time, the use of nal MCAD surfaces are not available. Also “knowledge extraction” is becoming seen by gaining popularity is the use of high-order many as more apt than “post-processing.” methods, which is necessitating the develop- NASA’s 2014 CFD Vision 2030 Study gained ment of tools for elevating the polynomial de- momentum in the analysis community this year gree of linear meshes. This effort is exempli- with several NASA officials citing it at AIAA’s fied by meshCurve, an automated low-order Aviation 2015 Forum. Members of the MVCE to high-order mesh generator being devel- community are addressing a key concern ex- oped at the University of Kansas. pressed in the study, specifically that “mesh The management of large datasets from generation and adaptivity continue to be sig- high performance computing resources, nificant bottlenecks in the CFD workflow.” which often are geographically removed from In January, AIAA’s Meshing, Visualization the analyst, presents many challenges. The and Computational Environments Technical visualization community is addressing this is- Committee established a 2030 technical sub- sue in several ways, including intelligent file committee. The subcommittee is planning compression and in-situ processing, in which several activities in the upcoming years lead- data is intelligently reduced, analyzed, trans- ing to a Geometry and Meshing Workshop formed, and indexed while still in memory be- coinciding with AIAA’s AVIATION 2017 Fo- rum. This workshop will examine the cur- rent state of technologies and make progress toward the goals outlined in the 2030 study. To ensure relevance to the greater aerospace community, the subcommittee is partnering with others, starting with organizers of the High Lift Prediction Workshop. The MVCE community has also embraced the “grand challenges” laid out in the study and taken the step of identifying community members that are focused on one of the three core areas (meshing, visualization or computation environments) and forming subcommittees to come up with strategies for how to ad- dress obstacles on the road to 2030. Panels University of Leicester on geometry, meshing and visualization for CFD 2030 were held at SciTech and AVIA- Large eddy simulation of a turbulent mixing layer. The numerical schlieren visual- TION in 2015 with a panel on computational ization is shown in plan view (top) and in side view (bottom). environments to be held in 2016.

22 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

his year brought continued improve- atomic carbon and oxygen. The work indicated Understanding Tments in terms of physical understand- that generation of large amounts of vibrationally ing and novel innovations in the areas of excited CO is possible with this approach, and plasma- plasma-assisted combustion, propulsion, predicted the potential for good laser gain and assisted flow control actuators, aerospace application high power. The work suggested the possibility of lasers and aero optics. of using surface ablation of carbon on a high- combustion, Researchers at Ohio State University altitude hypersonic as a means to generate the propulsion gained new insight into the kinetic mecha- atomic carbon, and react the atoms with the nism of energy thermalization in nanosecond oxygen in dry air from the surroundings to fuel by Michael D. White pulse discharges by using a combination of such a laser. Elsewhere, Colorado State Univer- and Timothy J. Madden kinetic modeling and time-resolved, Coherent sity in collaboration with Chevron investigated Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy, or CARS. the ignition properties of methane-air mixtures The Plasmadynamics and Lasers Technical Committee Researchers were able to measure the temper- using a pulsed laser. The work examined com- works to apply the physical ature in a diffuse filament for energy transfer pression ratios for the methane-air mixture in properties and dynamic spanning several orders of magnitude. the range of 10:1 to 14:1, using a 12 nanosec- behavior of plasmas The Applied Physics Research Group at the onds pulsed Nd:YAG at 1064 nanometers for to aeronautics, astronautics University of Florida introduced a milliwatt- the ignition source and varying fuel-oxidizer and energy. class needle actuator suitable for plasma chan- ratios. The work highlights the potential for nels, vortex generation and surface cooling. increasing gas turbine and Electrode configurations tested for a channel jet engine efficiency using a configuration showed a three- to 14-fold in- tunable ignition source. crease in energy conversion efficiency as com- Aero-optics experimen- pared to conventional actuators, while demon- tal work revisited problems strating improved heat transfer and cooling. associated with propaga- In plasma combustion, a collaboration tion in a supersonic flow between CU Aerospace of Illinois, and the environment. Researchers University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign at the University of Notre (UIUC) directly compared experimental mea- Dame, teamed with Inno- surements of plasma-assisted combustion of vative Technology Appli- methane in microwave reactors with simula- cations of Missouri and the Air Force Research Laboratory tions. The goal of this work is to create robust U.S. Air Force Academy, Instantaneous density contours in the compression ramp simulation tools for modeling the effect of performed aero-optic dis- region from a large eddy simulation of Mach 3 turbulent flow over a 20-degree compression ramp and a cylindrical step. non-equilibrium plasmas on flame composi- tortion measurements on tion and stability. In a separate effort, UIUC supersonic boundary layers. researchers have developed a new Direct They concluded that root Simulation Monte Carlo solver with automatic mean square optical path unstructured mesh refinement to enable fast difference models corre- resolution of charge-exchange ions (CEX) lated with free stream Mach trace species fluxes in concentrations cover- number, even though origi- ing 5 orders of magnitude. Accurate predic- nally qualified only for sub- tion of CEX from ion thrusters is crucial for sonic and transonic flows, understanding potential contamination of accurately represented the spacecraft solar cell arrays. data through Mach 5. Com- The Missouri University of Science and putational simulation work Technology is developing a plasmonic nano- performed by research- propulsion system for nano/picosats that har- ers at the Ohio Aerospace nesses the interaction of sunlight with deep- Institute and the Air Force Air Force Research Laboratory subwavelength nanostructures to accelerate Research Laboratory exam- Instantaneous pressure contours and a density isosurface nanoparticle propellant. Sunlight excites sur- ined unsteadiness in con- from a hybrid large eddy simulation — Reynolds Averaged face plasmon polaritons, which accelerates junction with supersonic Navier-Stokes simulation of an Auburn University wind tunnel nanoparticles to directly produce thrust with shock-boundary layer inter- experiment for transonic flow over hemispherical turret. no spacecraft power required. action. The work illustrates Laser activity this year demonstrates the ap- the computational challenges to capturing the plicability of the technology in aerospace appli- unsteadiness associated with the shock in- cations. Researchers at the Ohio State University teraction with the separation event, relevant reported theoretical work exploring the possi- to the supersonic flows around laser beam bility of developing a carbon monoxide, CO, director turrets, as the shock movement will laser-based on a gas phase reaction between tend to degrade the coherence of beam.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 23 AEROSPACE SCIENCES

Preparing n 2015, the thermophysics community de- phenomena. The European Space Agency in Iveloped fundamental tools at the molecular February launched its own flight test, the In- thermophysics level, began preparing new technologies for termediate Experimental Vehicle, on a Vega for new future missions, and saw careful design enable rocket. The unmanned IXV reached an altitude scientific discovery at Pluto. of 412 kilometers and re-entered the atmo- missions With support from the Air Force Office of sphere to simulate a spaceplane returning from Scientific Research, researchers at the Univer- orbit, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean. The by Aaron Brandis, sity of Minnesota have developed novel, first- flight marked an important step toward efficient Alexandre Martin, Tom Schwartzentruber, principles methods for studying the coupling space access and provided researchers with Michael James Martin, of chemical reactions and energy transfer flight data on the behavior of high temperature Jay Feldman collisions to the fluid dynamics of hypersonic reusable thermal protection systems. and Dinesh Prabhu shock layers. New potential energy surfaces, The success of the New Horizons flyby PESs, have been constructed and used to com- of Pluto and its moons in July depended on The Thermophysics pute rate constants for molecular dissociation, advanced thermal management over the wide Technical Committee as well as nonreactive vibrational and rotational range of conditions encountered by the space- promotes the study and application of mechanisms energy transfer. The new PESs were also used craft. This was achieved through careful inte- involved in thermal energy in the direct simulation Monte Carlo method, gration of the spacecraft’s power system, waste transfer and storage in which the dynamics of each collision is heat management, electronics power usage in gases, liquids and solids, computed on the fly. and internal heaters. The or combinations. These new techniques, thermal management coupling motion at the system used louvers atomic scale to macro- to prevent overheating scopic flow and energy at the start of the jour- transfer, are being used ney. As the spacecraft to develop more accu- approached Pluto, the rate models for compu- challenge became keep- tational fluid dynamics ing the spacecraft warm simulations of hyper- enough. By channel- sonic vehicles. ing waste heat from the 3D-MAT, a woven composite Future vehicle de- spacecraft’s radioisotope material that will be used for the heat shield of Orion, signs will be enabled thermoelectric genera- is produced from quartz yarn. not only through better tor through the fuel tank Right inset: After resin flow simulations, but into the main spacecraft infusion and machining, the through new materi- structure, a temperature 3D-MAT material (left inset) is ready. als. NASA’s woven ther- of 20 degrees Celsius mal protection system NASA Ames Research Center was maintained inside is a new approach to produce heat-shield ma- the vehicle. This integrated approach allowed terials. Using precisely engineered 3D weav- the spacecraft to operate its instruments at their ing techniques, NASA can customize material design temperatures at a distance 33 times far- characteristics to meet the stringent mission ther from the sun than Earth’s orbit, with a total requirements for protecting vehicles from the power budget of approximately 200 watts. intense heat of atmospheric entry. 3D-MAT, a Lessons learned from the thermophysics fully dense quartz composite material, is engi- of spacecraft entries have found application to neered for the Orion capsule and is scheduled a new problem: assessment of risk from atmo- to fly on the Exploration Mission-1 in 2018. spheric entry of asteroids. The first international The challenges of engineering a spacecraft workshop at NASA Ames in this area brought traveling at hypersonic speeds are so extreme together experts in the areas of exoatmospheric that the first flight of Orion, the unmanned Ex- characterization, atmospheric entry and surface ploration Flight Test-1 mission in December damage simulations, with a view to a physics- 2014, tested the re-entry capabilities of the ve- based risk assessment framework. The simula- hicle. EFT-1 used an extensive suite of instru- tions of large, irregularly shaped objects at en- ments, including thermocouples, pressure trans- try speeds in the range of 12 to 30 kilometers ducers and radiometers, to measure the thermal per second have opened opportunities to ex- response of the front heat shield and the back- pand the understanding of thermophysics for shell. This extensive data set will be used to dense plasmas and their interactions with as- validate the models used during flight and will teroidal materials. These analyses will aid the allow engineers to understand how to use simu- development of appropriate responses to these lations and ground tests to predict flight-relevant rare, but potentially catastrophic, events.

24 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 4–8 JANUARY 2016 SAN DIEGO, CA

DELIVERING INGENUITY AND FEATURING 12 TECHNICAL INNOVATION IN AEROSPACE SCIENCES CONFERENCES

FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS 24th AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference WHY ATTEND? 54th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference ●● Your exposure to over 3,500 participants and more than 2,500 technical presentations from 15th Dynamics Specialists Conference nearly 800 institutions in 39 countries offers you AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and the latest research results on 44 high-impact Control Conference topics and scores of opportunities for networking.

●● Engage with presidential campaign AIAA Information Systems— representatives; hear about technology priorities Infotech@Aerospace Conference over the next four years; and learn how AIAA AIAA Modeling and Simulation and you can support and advocate these goals Technologies Conference across both sides of the political aisle.

●● Discover how a new generation of innovators is 18th AIAA Non-Deterministic contributing to the future of aerospace and what Approaches Conference can be learned from a generation of early space- 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, age pioneers. Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference ●● Learn how partners in academia, government, industry, and AIAA can continue to work together 9th Symposium on Space Resource Utilization across organizational boundaries to assure future progress in aerospace. 3rd AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference 34th Wind Energy Symposium

REGISTER TODAY! aiaa-scitech.org

16-918 AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

Balloons, he U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research was deployed. Customized GPS-based navi- TDevelopment and Engineering Center gation showed the ability to autonomously parachutes has focused on Precision Airdrop Enhance- acquire and maintain desired headings at and ballutes ments for autonomously guided cargo air- higher altitudes than previously demon- drops. One enhancement is bleed-air actua- strated. These tests are a major milestone in by Ben Tutt tors that control airflow through vents in the showcasing parafoil parachute systems that top skin of a guided Joint Precision Aerial can be employed above conventional mili- The Aerodynamic Decelerator Delivery Systems parafoil. These small ac- tary cargo airdrop altitudes, enabling signifi- Systems Technical Committee tuators use roughly 1/100th of the force re- cant increases in the cross range capability of focuses on development and quired by conventional trailing edge deflec- the recovery system. application of aerodynamic decelerator systems and tion, provide an improved system response, A wind tunnel test of subscale para- lifting parachutes, enable an additional degree of freedom chutes was conducted at the NASA Langley pararotators, and inflatables through longitudinal control, have demon- Research Center’s Transonic Dynamics Tun- for deceleration, sustentation strated increased accuracy, and weigh sig- nel in Virginia. This test supported the ringsail and landing of manned and nificantly less than standard actuators and parachute development being undertaken by unmanned vehicles. batteries. It is envisioned that bleed-air ac- NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator tuators could be inserted into existing para- project. The test’s main objective was to gener- foil-based systems, eliminat- ate a database suitable for modeling the aero- ing the need for warfighters dynamic characteristics of ringsail parachutes to recover airborne guidance during flight at Mars. A Disk-Gap-Band para- units now in use. chute was also tested in order to provide data Airborne Systems and for a direct comparison of aerodynamic per- Near Space Corp., as part of formance between ringsail and the parachutes. the Flight Opportunities pro- Also as part of the Low-Density Super- gram in the NASA Space Tech- sonic Decelerator project, the Jet Propulsion nology Mission Directorate, Laboratory conducted a second supersonic completed two high-altitude flight test with the next generation of aerody- flight tests in August of an au- namic decelerators for future Mars missions. tonomously guided parafoil A 4.7 meter diameter blunt-body aeroshell parachute recovery system. In was lifted to an altitude above 30 kilometers each test, a payload weighing by a balloon with a volume of 1.12 million 100 kilograms was released cubic meters. The test vehicle was released from a balloon at an alti- from the balloon and accelerated to A NASA engineer tude of 18,600 meters. above Mach 4 and an altitude of inspects a ringsail In the first test, the 54 kilometers where a 6 meter model parachute autonomous on- diameter Supersonic Inflatable at the Langley board navigation Aerodynamic Decelerator was Transonic Dynamics Tunnel. system guided deployed to slow the vehicle. the payload to The flight also saw the de- a location just ployment and inflation of 70 meters a large, 4.4-meter-diameter from its pre- trailing ballute. A super- Bleed air actuators NASA determined are integrated into sonic parachute was also landing a guided Joint Preci- deployed but was severely coordinates. In the sec- sion Aerial Delivery damaged during supersonic Systems parafoil. ond test, the payload The actuators control inflation. landed just 33 meters airflow through The Beagle 2 Team was away from its target co- vents in the top skin awarded a 2015 Sir Arthur ordinates. These flights of the parachute Clarke Award. Eleven years aiding control and demonstrated a more accuracy. after its landing attempt on De- challenging dynamic cember 25, 2003, Beagle 2 was deployment of the para- found on the Martian surface in chute system than a pre- January 2015 by NASA’s Mars Re- decessor test. Each pay- connaissance Orbiter. Data showed load fell for 10 seconds that Beagle 2 had landed but a num- under a drogue to build up ber of the solar panels had failed to speed before the semi-ellip- open completely, preventing the lander tical parafoil parachute system from communicating back to Earth.

26 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 U.S. Army RDECOM TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

oeing completed firm configuration for the Agusta Westland began certification flight Final design B777-9, the first member of the 777X fam- testing of its AW609, the first-ever commer- ily, which is set to begin production in 2017. cial tiltrotor, in the powered-lift category. for 777-9, first Boeing also used its ecoDemonstrator 757, the Certification and first delivery are anticipated flight for KC-46 third technology demonstrator of its ecoDemon- for 2017 and 2018 respectively. Airbus Heli- strator Program, to continue research into tech- copters completed the first flight of the H160, by Hernando Jimenez, nologies that improve environmental perfor- its twin-engine medium utility helicopter and Michael Drake mance. Fifteen technologies were flown more first all-new design. and Willem Anemaat than 194 flight hours. Key technology demon- After numerous delays, the first op- strations included natural laminar flow wing, erational squadron of 10 F-35 Joint Strike The Aircraft Design Technical Committee energy-harvesting windows, recycled carbon Fighters was announced in August. Boeing promotes optimization fiber 3D-printed flight-deck aisle stand, end-of- completed the first flight of its KC-46 tanker of aircraft systems, service recycling and the use of active flow con- test program with a 767-2C last December, including analysis trol on a vertical tail. Major followed by the first of their future potential.

Boeing’s 757 ecoDemonstrator was used in 2015 to test technologies for reducing environmental impacts.

Boeing collaborators were flight of a fully NASA, TUI Airline Group, outfitted KC-46, the Stifel Aircraft Leasing and the Aircraft Fleet Recy- Air Force’s next-generation widebody multi- cling Association. role tanker, in September. Machining of the first parts of Airbus’ A suite of aerodynamic modifications for A330neo jetliner started in September, and first the Eurofighter Typhoon were demonstrated deliveries are scheduled to start in 2017. Air- over a series of flight tests bus’ A350-900 received type certification from from which engineers the European Aviation Safety Agency and the claimed improved subsonic FAA and delivered the first unit shortly after in agility. The first ever fully December 2014 to launch customer Qatar Air- autonomous aerial refueling ways, which began first-ever revenue flights of operation was completed this type in January. Airbus also has made prog- in April with the Navy’s X- ress for the A350-1000 variant for which wing 47B carrier based unmanned assembly began in August. Bombardier com- combat aircraft demonstrator NASA Langley/David C. Bowman pleted the first test flight of its 135-seat CS300 in built by Northrop Grumman. February, which lasted five hours and reached Significant progress has 41,000 feet. A second flight followed in March. taken place in the devel- In March, Gulfstream was awarded the opment of long-endurance NASA’s Greased Lightning GL-10, annual National Aeronautic Association Rob- VTOL UAV aircraft. Aerovel a battery-powered unmanned ert J. Collier Trophy for development of the completed flight trials with two sea-launched aircraft prototype, approaches for G650 business jet. prototypes of the 45-lb. tail-sitting Flexro- a vertical landing. Cessna Aircraft Co.’s Citation Latitude busi- tor to finalize its production configuration. ness jet received FAA type certification in June Dzyne Technologies conducted hover flights following the aircraft’s first Atlantic crossing in with its Pathfinder model and is preparing May. Deliveries were scheduled to begin in for transition flight tests. NASA’s Greased 2015 with NetJets among the first customers. Lightning (GL-10), a battery-powered 10-en- Dassault’s Falcon 8X conducted its first gine tilt-wing VTOL UAV out of Langley Re- flight in February, marking the start of the search Center, has now expanded the flight flight test certification efforts. The Falcon 8X envelope through the transition corridor into is a derivative of the Falcon 7X and features wing born flight. Several follow-on tests are several technology upgrades. planned for 2016.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 27 AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

Unmanned .S. air operations continued their gradual have proposed moving the responsibility for Urebound this year from the 2009 economic ATC from the federal government to a private, aircraft join collapse, with 775,673 domestic passenger en- nonprofit entity. Most suggestions propose an rise in air traffic planements in the 12 months ending June 2015, organization modeled after Nav Canada, an Ot- up 3.3 percent from the prior period, according tawa company that for 19 years has operated by Karen Marais to data published by the U.S. Department of the country’s civil air navigation system for the Transportation. In the European Union, passen- government’s Transport Canada agency. The Aircraft Operations ger arrivals and departures also increased, from Regarding drones, the year saw almost Technical Committee 842,219,926 in 2013 to 878,291,692 in 2014, as daily reports of air crews either sighting or promotes safe and efficient airlines continued to chase an elusive recovery. having to disrupt operations because of un- flights in the airspace Jet fuel prices continued to drop around manned aircraft near their flight paths. system by encouraging information sharing among the world. In September 2015, the year-on- the community and year price decreased by an average of 46.6 Research government agencies. percent, according to the Internation Air Flight operations is one of the most popular Transport Association. IATA estimates that research topics, especially in the area of tra- airlines will save a total of $85.2 billion com- jectory-based operations and the integration pared to 2014. Combined with higher load fac- of remotely-piloted aircraft. NASA’s Aviation tors and higher overall traffic levels, most car- Operations and Safety Program is focusing riers continued showing good financial results on both of these topics. NASA Ames Re- and were rewarded by the stock markets. search Center hosted an inaugural conven- Wichita State University and Embry-Rid- tion on UAS Traffic Management (UTM) with dle University released their annual Airline more than 1,000 attendees from government, Quality Rating in April 2015. They found that industry and academia. For the first time, the overall industry performance declined in Google and Amazon publicly presented con- 2014 to its lowest level in four years. Only cepts and plans for future operations. three airlines improved performance: Ha- The FAA is planning a NextGen demon- waiian, Alaska and Virgin America. Over- stration of 4D trajectory components en- all, performance decreased in the four areas abled by the Aeronautical Telecommunica- tracked by the study: More flights were de- tion Network Baseline 2 standard sometime layed, more baggage was mishandled, more in early fiscal 2017. The components to be passengers were bumped involuntarily and shown are Dynamic Required Navigation there were more customer complaints. Performance, Advanced Interval Manage- ment and ATC Winds. Safety Several large aircraft accidents occurred in 2015. Military operations In February, Trans Asia Airlines Flight GE235 Fighting in Syria and Iraq propelled the F-22, hit a highway viaduct and the Keelung River a fifth-generation fighter aircraft, into regu- near New Taipei City shortly after takeoff. Forty lar combat missions. The extensive delays three of the 58 passengers and crew members of the most advanced fighter ever built, the were killed. In March, an Airbus A320 operated F-35, helped spark a discussion among air by Germanwings crashed in a mountainous power experts over the plane’s suitability to region in southern France, killing all 144 pas- fill the close-air-support role played by the sengers and six crew A-10 Warthog. Reliance of fighter aircraft on members. The in-air refueling has heightened expectation preliminary report of a new tanker platform, the KC-46, which issued by the French moved into the flight testing phase. Military accident investigation board indicates that the use of unmanned planes continued to grow pilot intentionally crashed the plane. In July, a as these platforms have become even more flaperon was found on a beach on the French cost efficient, especially while flying intelli- Airbus island of Reunion in the Indian Ocean, and in gence, surveillance and reconnaissance roles Hawaiian Airlines was one of September, French authorities confirmed that it where their capability is set to surpass that of only three U.S. carriers whose came from MH370. their manned counterparts. performance improved in 2015, according to the annual Airline Quality Rating by Wichita State Air Traffic Control Seeking New Members and Embry-Riddle universities. Much of the ATC news centered on the pro- The Air Transportation Operations Commit- posed privatization of control services and the tee is being reinvented and is actively seek- exploding numbers of drones in the national ing members. Please contact Karen Marais: air space. American Airlines and United Airlines [email protected].

28 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ASA launched three separate Long Du- static balloon launch system and the self- Trove of data Nration Balloon science missions from contained flight, descent and landing system Antarctica in a campaign that provided a that made three manned, high-altitude flights from Antarctic trove of technical and scientific data for re- in 20 days, culminating with Eustace’s re- balloon searchers when they concluded in January. cord-setting peak altitude of 136,400 feet and The three missions — ANITA-2, SPIDER and his skydive. The flight hardware was sched- missions COSI — amassed more than 40 days of to- uled to be delivered this year to the Smithson- tal flight time. In addition, the NASA Low- ian Air and Space Museum. The project in- by Paul Voss Density Supersonic Decelerator was again cluded a range of innovations, in particular a The Balloon Systems lifted into the stratosphere by balloon from novel stabilizing drogue arrangement, called Technical Committee the Navy’s Pacific Missile Range Facility in SAEBER, for Stiff Anti Entanglement Bridle supports development and Kauai, Hawaii. The balloon launched LDSD Ejecting Rod. SAEBER could find wide appli- application of free-floating from a static launch tower to test a potential cation for future manned near-space activi- systems and technologies Mars entry and landing system. ties. While the balloons used where similar for buoyant flight in the In March, NASA launched an unmanned, to standard polyethylene scientific balloons, stratosphere or atmospheres of other planets. pumpkin-shaped super pressure balloon from a novel launch method was used to avoid Wanaka, New Zealand, on a record-setting the risks associated with conventional dy- flight. The balloon, with a volume of 532,200 namic launch. The balloon was allowed to cubic meters, carried a 2,270 kilogram payload stand up and Eustace was attached only mo- almost entirely around the world in the span ments before release, minimizing the consid- of 32 days at an almost-constant altitude of erable risks at launch. 110,000 feet. NASA commanded flight termina- tion of the balloon in April, bringing it down in the Australian Outback. Regardless, no balloon has ever carried such a heavy payload as far at that altitude and without the need to ballast. The mission was a critical step in qualifying this balloon design as a standard offering by NASA as a platform for the science community. Raven Aerostar helped facilitate this groundbreaking NASA flight by providing detailed design sup- port, balloon integration engineering services at the launch site and balloon recovery support in the Outback of Australia. Raven Aerostar has also been a major con- tributor to the Google Loon project with bal- loon design, manufacturing and performance analysis. Project Loon is a Google X Moon- shot program with the ultimate goal of provid- Paragon SDC ing ubiquitous Internet access over unserved/ Alan Eustace ascending for a rural portions of the world where people do CNES, the French space agency, conducted record-breaking high-altitude not have access to the web. Over the last year, its first scientific Zero Pressure Balloon cam- skydive from Roswell, New Mexico. hundreds of Loon test flights have been con- paign from the Canadian Space Agency’s Tim- ducted, compiling thousands of days of su- mins launch facility in Ontario, Canada, with perpressure balloon flight at latitudes ranging six flights between August and September. A from the Arctic to the Antarctic Circles. Alti- second campaign included the first flight of an tude control systems, launch procedures, and astrophysics gondola called PILOT, for the Po- flight termination systems were developed larized Instrument for Long wavelength Obser- and tested using the cavernous blimp hangars vation of the Tenuous interstellar medium. at Moffett Field in California. Near Space Corp. of Tallamook, Oregon, World View Enterprises, the Tucson, Arizona completed several dozen stratospheric balloon company that sells balloon rides to near space, test flights for the NASA Flight Opportunities this year absorbed the Paragon StratEx team Program. This year’s FLOP missions included a that lofted Google executive Alan Eustace for test drop of a prototype orbital payload return his record-setting skydive in 2014 from an alti- capsule for Terminal Velocity Aerospace of At- tude of 135,899 feet. The acquisition included lanta and deployment and performance testing the team’s intellectual property. Over three of a specialized high altitude parafoil system for years, Paragon StratEx developed the novel Airborne Systems of Pennsauken, New Jersey.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 29 AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

Advances and his was a year for several significant flight The NASA Environmentally Responsible Ttests for military, commercial, space and Aviation Project, in partnership with the Air setbacks in technology development programs. Force Research Laboratory, conducted flight flight testing One was the completion of Lockheed Mar- tests of adaptive, compliant trailing edge tin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Block 2B testing. technology on a modified Gulfstream G3 by Bob Curry This was the initial demonstration of the jet’s aircraft during the first five months of the and Karl Garman war-fighting capability for the U.S. Marines. year. The experimental concept may offer re- Boeing and the U.S. Air Force continued duced cruise drag and noise and other ben- The Flight Testing Technical certification testing for the KC-46A tanker efits during landings. Committee focuses on program. The first flight of a tanker-config- A notable setback took place just after testing of aircraft, spacecraft, ured KC-46A occurred in September in the press time for last year’s article, when the missiles or other vehicles in their natural environments. Puget Sound area. Flight tests using a 767-2C Virgin Galactic-Scaled Composites Space- airframe, which began in late 2014, have ac- ShipTwo disintegrated during its fourth pow- cumulated over 150 hours this year. ered test flight. The investigative findings In a joint effort involving the Air Force, will likely drive changes in the interface be- NASA and Lockheed Martin, the auto air-col- tween technology and public policy for the lision-avoidance system demonstrated that it embryonic space tourism industry. could safely prevent mid-air collisions of fighter Several trends are emerging as the commu- aircraft during combat training exercises without nity responds to prolonged limited resources, significantly impeding normal operations. new test technologies, and changing needs. In In the commercial arena, the Bombardier contrast to historic large-scale, national flight CS100 C Series aircraft, the company’s first projects, government and industry test pro- narrow-body airliner, proceeded through cer- grams are pursuing lower-cost flight test strat- tification testing on a schedule that supports egies. One example is the X-56A Multi-Utility operational service beginning in 2016, thus far Technology Testbed. This modular, low-cost, accumulating more than 2,250 flight hours. unmanned configuration enables high-risk Following the flight test of NASA’s Orion parametric experimentation into complex aero- spacecraft on Dec. 5, 2014, the vehicle was servoelastic technologies necessary to improve returned for detailed post-processing and flexible aircraft design. The first airframe, de- data analysis. The heat shield, which survived veloped by Lockheed Martin and the Air Force exposure to the extreme conditions of atmo- Research Laboratory, began flying in 2013. A Three main parachutes of NASA’s spheric reentry, is being used for subsequent second test vehicle with NASA developed con- Orion spacecraft helped it descend ground based testing in preparation for the trol laws began flying in April. The airplane has to Earth after its December 2014 next phase of flight test operations. NASA’s flown at negative static margin and a conven- flight test. Since then, Orion has been undergoing detailed Exploration Mission-1 is scheduled for 2018. tional stiff wing in preparation for research with post-processing and data analysis. more advanced flexible structures. The FAA’s six unmanned-aircraft test sites have been in operation for more than a year. The need for coordinated system develop- ment and flight test activity is expected to grow with increasing industrial interest in unmanned aircraft applications and increas- ing concerns over interference between un- manned and manned air traffic. Interest in certain revolutionary aeronautical concepts has also stimulated novel approaches to flight test. Several concepts for electric pro- pulsion appear promising but could also ben- efit from early and efficient large-scale flight evaluations due to their radical departure from conventional design. For example, NASA’s Leading Edge Asynchronous Propeller Tech- nology project seeks to study the benefits of distributed electric propulsion with a manned, experimental vehicle. NASA tested full-scale air- craft components at flight speeds on a unique ground vehicle — enabling test conduct while NASA controlling x-plane development costs.

30 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ybrid Enterprises, exclusive reseller for test program under the direction of the Euro- Commercial HLockheed Martin’s 20-ton capacity hy- pean Aviation Safety Agency. Airlander 10 is brid airship, LMH-1, announced at the June scheduled to fly in the first half of 2016. hybrid airships Paris Air Show that it would start taking or- In August, Zeppelin Luftschifftechnik prepare to get ders for delivery as early as 2018. Lockheed GmbH celebrated carrying its 200,000th Zep- said it has completed all required FAA certi- pelin NT passenger. In the U.S., Goodyear is airborne fication planning steps and is ready to begin assembling the second of three NT Zeppelins construction of the first commercial model at it ordered in 2001. The craft’s first flight is by Alan Farnham its Palmdale, California, facility. scheduled for spring 2016. The Lighter-Than-Air-Systems Russia’s Augur RosAeroSystems, makers At Aeros Corp. in Los Angeles, design, test- Technical Committee of the AU-30 blimp (payload 1/2 ton) intends ing and other development work continues stimulates development of to complete the first phase of development on the ML866 (66-ton payload) Aeroscraft. knowledge related to airships of its hybrid cargo-and-passenger airship — The craft uses a recently patented proprietary and aerostats for use Atlant-30 (capacity 16 tons) — by December, buoyancy-control system that allows for vertical in a host of applications with tests of a prototype to follow. A larger takeoff or landing at maximum payload with- from transportation to surveillance. version, Atlant-100, would carry 60 tons. out using external ballast. In March the com- TCOM and Logos Technologies demon- pany sued the U.S. Navy for damage sustained strated the capabilities of Logos’ Simera wide by its Dragon Dream prototype, when the roof area motion imagery sensor combined with a of a Navy-owned hangar partially collapsed. TCOM 12M Tactical Aerostat. Targets of inter- Airship do Brasil, a Brazilian manufac- est were located and tracked in real time over turer of blimps, balloons and other lighter- a city-sized area, from the system’s 360-de- than-air technology, has made its long-term gree field of view. In October a TCOM aero- priority the development of a “classical con- stat, part of Raytheon’s JLENS missile defense system, broke free from its moorings at the Aberdeen Proving Ground and drifted some 150 miles before coming down in rural The Airlander 10 hybrid Pennsylvania. The program airship being air-inflated at Hybrid Air Vehicles’ Cardington has been suspended, pending Hangar in the U.K. Army review. This year, Goodyear cel- ebrated 90 years of using air- ships for advertising, including 60 years of aerial broadcast- ing. In August, Goodyear re- tired its GZ-20 blimp, Spirit of America, based in Carson, California, which has carried 30,280 passengers on 8,005 flights since 2002. It will be re- Hybrid Air Vehicles placed first by its twin sister, Spirit of Innovation, followed two years later by one of Goodyear’s new cept” airship of 30-ton capacity, the ADB Zeppelin NT semi-rigids. 3-30. Applications would include the inspec- The U.K.’s Hybrid Air Vehicles (HAV) tion, maintenance and replacement of electric continued to reassemble its 92-meter-long transmission lines in the Amazon. In March Airlander 10 hybrid airship at its Cardington the company inaugurated a new headquar- Hangar in England. The craft was formerly ters in São Carlos, including a new hangar. part of the U.S. Army’s Long Endurance It plans to have an intermediary airship, the Multi-Intelligence Vehicle program, and has 50-meter long ADB 3-3 non-rigid, flying in the now been reclassified as a civil aircraft. In first quarter of 2016. 2015 HAV raised money to return it to fly- In March, U.S. Reps. Tom Rooney (R- ing condition, the funds coming from a va- Florida) and Brad Sherman (D-California) an- riety of sources, including $3.4 million from nounced formation of a bipartisan Cargo Air- crowdfunding. The company’s workforce has ship Congressional Caucus to promote cargo increased to 90 as it prepares for a civil flight airships for commercial and military use.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 31 AIRCRAFT AND ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEMS

Making fter 15 to 20 years of service, most pas- The typical freighter conversion work scope Asenger aircraft are replaced with newer includes the installation of a main deck cargo freighter models. Some of these planes will get sec- door, including upper and lower frame shells, conversions ond lives as freighters, carrying air cargo for main deck loading system, safety barrier net and perhaps another 15 to 20 years. smoke curtain, as well as systems adaptation, more efficient Of the 1,600 freighters in service today window plugs, passenger-door deactivation and worldwide, more than 60 percent are con- the integration of an optional courier area. by Patrick Schultheis verted passenger airplanes. Converting air- Examples for ideal conversion candidates The Product Support craft provides a lower capital cost option for are the Airbus A320 and A321, with over Technical Committee air cargo operators, and the strategy offers 4,800 aircraft produced to date. A growing advances the quality, owners and investors an opportunity to ex- number are entering the “conversion win- technology, and excellence tend the lives of assets that would have to be dow” after 15 to 20 years of service, providing of post-production aviation retired otherwise. plenty of feedstock for the next 20-plus years. products and services The market forecast looks promising for Still, one of the major challenges of conver- by providing an international, cargo airplanes, which carry half of all air- sion design remains. As Joshua Long, a struc- industry-wide forum for networking and exchanging freight — the other half is transported as “belly tural engineer at conversion specialist PACAVI of best practices. cargo” by passenger airplanes. After years of Group, points out: “Any aircraft that is in pro- stagnation, air-cargo traffic rebounded in 2014 duction for a long time, like the A320 or 737, with an expected growth of 4.5 percent to goes through several service goal and avionic 4.7 percent annually over the next 20 years, improvements, as well as tweaks in manufac- meaning that air cargo traffic could more than turing to support a more efficient production double between now and 2035. After a slow line. If you add the structural repairs during 20+ years of service, the result is a mixed fleet with many different aircraft configurations.” A DHL Airbus A330 freighter is loaded For conversion design, this means that en- with cargo at DHL’s hub in Leipzig, Germany. The majority of freighters gineers must deal with significant variances in service today are converted jetliners. that can only be determined by experience. “Structure design is especially sensitive to this variability. With new designs you can control both of the mating parts or systems and ensure that they will work. In conver- sion design, we have to deal with a non-stan- dard, imperfect part, the fuselage, which has changed its size over time”, Long says. This drives either custom engineering for each aircraft, or a design that can accommo- date many different changes, an approach that sometimes results in sub-optimal solutions. As production continues, the gained experiences (and the subsequent redesign) are improving the process over time. Deutsche Post DHL Stephan Hollmann, co-founder of the PSTC and chief executive of the PACAVI start this year, the latest numbers are confirm- Group, explains how the company, spear- ing the predicted growth. Aviation consul- heading an A320 family conversion program, tancy Air Cargo Management Group released applies a range of practices to improve ef- an estimate in May that as many as 3,000 ficiency: “We are using proven off-the-shelf freighters will be delivered over the next two technology wherever possible. In addition, we decades, including replacements for more will have many components and instrumenta- than 1,100 aging freighters too costly to op- tion for joint use on both the A320 and A321, erate. Sixty-five percent of deliveries will be like the main cargo door, actuators and the convert passenger jets. loading system. The aftermarket parts car- The Product Support Technical Committee rying the Parts Manufacturer Approval will (PSTC) launched the Special Purpose Aircraft be certified for both aircraft wherever pos- (SPA) subcommittee in 2002 to identify com- sible, with a 24/7 AOG (aircraft on ground) mon issues and standardization opportunities program as well as a Continuous Quality Im- in the conversion market and improve con- provement (CQI) program in place to sup- version efficiency. port customers worldwide.”

32 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ctivities in vertical flight continued to Texas, took place in September and first flight Momentum Agather momentum in 2015. is expected in mid-2017. In July the F-35B program achieved a ma- The Sikorsky CH-53K performed its first growing in jor milestone: initial operating capability for flight in late October and began a three-year vertical flight the U.S. Marine Corps. Prior to the announce- flight-test program. Ground testing of the ment, the Marine Corps had performed F-35B CH-53K began in April 2014 and is ongoing. by Erasmo Piñero Operational Test One (QT-1), consisting of The ground tests incorporate the non-flying six F-35B short-takeoff-and-vertical-landing prototype called the ground test vehicle The V/STOL Technical variant aircraft with 10 Marine pilots aboard (GTV). The GTV supplements the CH-53K Committee is working to advance research the Navy’s amphibious ship USS Wasp, accu- flying prototype. on the vertical take-off mulating more than 76 flight hours. VTOL aircraft having conventional wing- and landing aircraft. Over two weeks, the Marines and their borne flight characteristics are seeing a re- Navy partners conducted over 100 takeoffs surgence of interest not seen since the tilt and vertical landings during day and night wing research of the late 1960s. This inter- extended range operations. OT-1 also con- est is generated by VTOL applications to un- firmed aircraft-to-ship network communica- manned aircraft and other small tions interoperability and the suitability of vehicles, and by the potential F-35B maintenance support equipment for to use distributed electric and shipboard operations. hybrid electric propulsion sys- The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey program tem architectures that offer booked its first foreign sale when Japan an- quieter, more energy efficient, nounced the purchase of at least five air- and more user-friendly perfor- craft through the U.S. foreign military sales mance. A promising concept is program. Japan plans to purchase 17 more NASA’s GL-10 Greased Light- Sikorsky Aircraft V-22s. The Japan sale came after V-22 took ning. The name is derived from part in well-publicized humanitarian relief ef- its combustion engine that can forts in Nepal and elsewhere, places that until burn many types of fuel includ- now were accessible only by helicopters and ing biofuel (grease) and the electric propul- The Sikorsky S-97 took to the air for the first time in a flight from ground transportation. sion system (lightning). Sikorsky West Palm Beach facilities. In late May, Sikorsky Aircraft conducted In early April, the GL-10 completed its first the first flight of the S-97 Raider helicopter full transition. To date the unmanned vehicle prototype, a rigid coaxial rotor and com- has made 20 conversions to wing-borne flight pound helicopter designed to demonstrate and back — vertical takeoff, outbound transi- the combination of maneuverability, hover tion, cruise flight as a conventional airplane, ability, range, speed, endurance and surviv- inbound transition and vertical landing. ability requirements set by the U.S. Army Avi- ation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center Joint-Multi Role Technol- ogy Demonstrator, JMR-TD, program. The Sikorsky JMR-TD team conducted the An F-35B Lightning 2 Joint Strike Fighter lands aboard flight at Sikorsky’s Development Flight the USS Wasp in May 2015 during operational testing. Center in West Palm Beach, Florida. The The fighter jet achieved initial operating capabilities coaxial counterrotating main rotors and two months later for the U.S. Marine Corps. pusher propeller are expected to provide cruise speeds up to 240 knots. In related news, Lockheed Martin an- nounced the purchase of Sikorsky Aircraft from parent company United Technologies. It is too early to determine how the deal will influence the JMR-TD projects. Bell Helicopter and Spirit AeroSystems an- nounced that major assembly is progressing on schedule for the Bell V-280 Valor fuselage. The V-280 is a tilt rotor configuration, but the engines do not rotate with the rotors. Bell es- timates a forward speed of 280 knots — hence the V-280 designation. Delivery of the first V-280 fuselage to the Bell facility in Amarillo,

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Remington Hall AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 33 ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Commercial he global aerospace and defense sectors enue in 2015 will be $727 billion and net Tgrew by 1.4 percent to reach revenues of profits will be $29.3 billion, compared to ac- aviation $682.2 billion in 2014, according to Deloitte’s tual revenue of $733 billion and a profit of driving growth annual “Global Aerospace and Defense Sector $16.4 billion in 2014. Financial Performance Study” released in June. A strong market demand for new, fuel-ef- by Venkatesan This decline from 3.2 percent growth in 2013 ficient airplanes is expected to result in $124 Sundararajan and 5.8 percent in 2012 resulted in a slower billion of commercial aircraft deliveries in- growth rate than that of global gross domestic dustry-wide globally in 2015. During the first The Economics Technical product, which grew at 2.6 percent in 2014. three quarters of 2015, Boeing delivered 638 Committee analyzes the Within those overall figures, global, com- jetliners, and Airbus delivered 446 jetliners. economic aspects of mercial aerospace revenues grew by 8.2 per- In the general aviation industry, airplane aerospace programs and cent, from $291.2 billion in 2013 to $314.9 bil- technology. shipments fell 9.1 percent to 1,015 units for lion, indicating that the slowing growth was the first half of 2015, and airplane billings de- due largely to decreased defense spending in clined 4.6 percent to $10.4 billion, compared some parts of the world. Mergers and acquisi- to the same period a year ago, according to tions rose, resulting in total aerospace and de- the General Aviation Manufacturers Associa- fense sector deals worth $22.3 billion in 2014, tion. Worldwide business jet shipments in the slightly above the 10-year rolling average of first six months of 2015 totaled 305, a 4 per- $21.2 billion. During the first two quarters of cent decrease from 2014. Rotorcraft shipments 2015, 19 mergers and acquisitions worth $12.4 decreased, from 502 units to 447 units, and billion were concluded. billings were down an estimated 16.8 percent In July, Lockheed Martin agreed to ac- to $1.9 billion for the first six months of 2015. quire Sikorsky Aircraft, a leading military The global space economy grew by 9 per- and commercial rotary-wing aircraft maker, cent in 2014, reaching a total of $330 billion for $9 billion. In October, the U.S. Air Force worldwide, according to The Space Founda- awarded contracts to Northrop Grumman for tion. The NASA budget for fiscal 2015 was the engineering and manufacturing devel- $18.01 billion compared to an actual budget opment (EMD) and early production of the of $17.65 billion for fiscal 2014. Long Range Strike Bomber. The independent In August, NASA Administrator Charles estimate for the EMD phase is $21.4 billion in Bolden informed Congress that NASA is ex- 2010 dollars. tending its contract with the Russian gov- According to the International Air Trans- ernment to meet America’s requirements for port Association, air travel as of August rep- crew transportation services valued at $490 resented an increase of 7.1 percent com- million. In January, SpaceX raised $1 billion pared to a year ago. The 2015 mid-year IATA in a financing round with two new inves- Economic Report forecast for the commer- tors, Google and Fidelity, that will collectively cial airline industry projected that total rev- own just under 10 percent of the company. In 2014, SpaceX was awarded a $2 billion NASA Commercial Crew Transportation Capability Airbus planned to deliver about 15 A350 XWBs contract to transport astronauts to the Interna- in 2015 to reach its target production rate tional Space Station and home, with a goal of of 10 aircraft a month. ending U.S. reliance on Russia in 2017. Slower growth in China, Japan and Eu- rope were the principal short-term risks to the aerospace industry in maintaining the current earnings growth through the first quarter of 2016. The outlook for the defense sector is mixed, given the declining defense budgets in the U.S., which accounts for 39 percent of the global defense market share. European defense budgets are expected to grow mod- estly, as are those of emerging markets such as South Korea, India, Indonesia, Saudi Ara- bia and the United Arab Emirates. The global commercial aviation industry is projected to have robust long-term growth with a need for over 36,000 jet airplanes in the next 20 years Airbus valued at $5.2 trillion.

34 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

pace security debates continued in the in- new rules for small unmanned aerial systems, Wrangling over Sternational fora. Russia and China’s draft which would allow for routine use of craft Treaty on the Prevention on the Placement during daylight hours within line of sight of space security of Weapons in Space remained tabled at the the operator. Then in May, FAA Administra- deadlocked United Nations Conference on tor Michael Huerta indicated that the agency by P.J. Blount and Disarmament. In July, the European Union in- was considering proposing rules that would Christopher M. Hearsey vited more than 100 countries to negotiate the allow for beyond-line-of-sight operation of The Legal Aspects Technical terms of a draft International Code of Conduct drones in the national airspace. The FAA has Committee fosters on Outer Space Activities. The meeting was continued to grant Section 333 exemptions an understanding of legal convened at the United Nations headquarters on a case-by-case basis allowing a variety of areas unique to aerospace. in New York. The discussions quickly bogged commercial operations in U.S. airspace. In down and were reclassified by its chair as a early August, it announced that more than “consultation” after a number of attendees took 1,000 exemptions had been issued. issue with rules of procedure and forum, and In the commercial space sector, a broader whether there was any mandate for negotia- discussion unfolded this year regarding gov- tion. The meeting ended with the diplomats ernmental authorization of commercial space agreeing to disagree, politely squabbling about activities. This was precipitated by a December the forum and issues to be discussed. 2014 determination by the FAA informing Big- In January, SpaceX dropped a lawsuit it elow Aerospace that the agency would work filed in 2014 against the U.S. Air Force after the service awarded a sole-source con- tract to United Launch Alli- ance to boost military pay- loads. SpaceX had argued that the award should have been competitively bid. The company dropped the suit after the Air Force agreed to help complete the mili- tary certification of SpaceX’s launch vehicles and open future launches to competi- tive bids. In July, the NTSB is- sued its findings on the October 2014 in-flight breakup of Virgin Galac- tic’s SpaceShipTwo. In- vestigators concluded that co-pilot Michael Alsbury, who died in the accident, Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition prematurely unlocked the University of Mississippi students address the panel at the Manfred Lachs Space Law craft’s feathering system, Moot Court Competition in Washington, D.C. Space security has proven to be a which moves the craft’s tail contentious issue at the United Nations. wings in order to slow the craft for its return. to protect private sector assets on the moon Drones continued to make headlines. and provide a safe environment for Bigelow While some commercial entities sought pub- and other companies to operate without fear of lic-relations advantage with campaigns built harmful interference from authorized entities. around the technology, numerous commercial The determination was issued in response to passenger, cargo, police, fire and rescue pilots a “payload review request” made by Bigelow have begun to complain about in-air incidents Aerospace related to its plans to place a space and near-misses at an exponentially increas- habitat system on the moon. Subsequently, the ing rate, with concerns growing about inter- FAA’s Commercial Space Transportation Ad- ference with safe aircraft operations. Some visory Committee endorsed the FAA’s role in fire-fighting operations have been suspended helping to define a zone of non-interference due to the interference. The FAA proposed for commercial space operators.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 35 ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY MANAGEMENT

Aerospace erospace technology is so much a part utilize these systems.” But society is not wait- Aof the fabric of our lives that its benefits ing. Technology has now made small electric, news captures go unnoticed by most of us, even by those unmanned aircraft available to almost anyone the public’s within the industry. who wants one. The FAA estimates that almost Sure, we might think about satellite tech- 1 million small unmanned aircraft will be sold attention nology when we use GPS-enabled naviga- in the U.S. in 2015. tion systems in our cars or when we access This proliferation of “drones” is concern- by R. Steven Justice and satellite weather images. But how many of us ing to segments of the public worried about Bradley A. Steinfeldt think “aerospace” when we buy fruit in the safety and the erosion of privacy. In July, a The Society and Aerospace grocery store in the dead of winter or when Kentucky man was reportedly arrested after Technology Technical we buy the latest must-have children’s Hal- he shot down a neighbor’s drone that he be- Committee promotes the loween costume? Those items are, of course, lieved was hovering over his yard taking pic- transfer and use of aerospace flown from overseas by air cargo using aero- tures. A local judge later dismissed the case, technology for the benefit space technology. ruling that the drone represented an invasion of society. The year saw of privacy. In response to concern by their three major news constituents, over 30 state legislatures have ei- stories that ther passed or contemplated laws on “drone” captured the use, which could deter the growth of this notice of new market. President Obama directed the the general Commerce Department’s National Telecom- public. Two munications and Information Administration showed the to develop privacy, transparency, and ac- power of countability rules for both government and New Horizons, shown technology public drone use. in an artist’s rendering, to inspire and On a more positive note, NASA’s New Ho- is credited with stirring interest in STEM education. NASA another illus- rizons spacecraft, which had been traveling trated the chal- for a decade in relative obscurity, burst on the lenges sometimes in- scene with a flyby of the dwarf planet Pluto herent in introducing in July. In an age when spaceflight seemed to new technologies into lose its luster with the public, New Horizons NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator, shown in an artist’s society. Three major attracted weeks of coverage by all the major rendering, fascinated news stories captured news outlets and numerous blogs. the public during the public’s attention A major benefit of the media coverage of its June test flight in 2015 by highlight- New Horizons was to inspire a new genera- off Hawaii. ing how technology tion of people to pursue careers in STEM, sci- can inspire people — ence, technology, engineering and math. One as well as how it can article, headlined, “The Women who Power stir fears and trepida- NASA’s New Horizons Mission to Pluto,” tion. quoted a deputy project scientist who said Nothing in 2015 “girls will be inspired to be scientists and captured the trepida- boys will grow up to be ‘gender blind,’ seeing tion aspect more than women in science as the norm.” the explosive growth Closer to Earth, NASA’s Low Density Su- of the commercial un- personic Decelerator fascinated people in manned aircraft mar- June with its resemblence to a “flying sau- ket. Early uses of un- cer” during a flight off Hawaii. A key tech- manned aircraft in the nology for future Mars missions, the LDSD commercial arena in- project’s goal is to develop entry, descent, clude film production, and landing technology that is capable of agriculture, infrastruc- landing 2,000 to 3,000 kilograms on Mars ture inspection, and through the use of new drag devices — larger possibly even package parachutes and supersonic inflatable aerody- delivery. The Aero- namic decelerators. space Industries Asso- The LDSD test flight in June drew cover- ciation notes that “with age via Livestreams, Twitter, blogs, Instagram countless benefits it is and Reddit, in addition to newspapers and not surprising that so- television, demonstrating the public’s connec- NASA/JPL ciety is waiting to fully tion to this new and exciting technology.

36 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

his year, NASA’s Airspace NASA airspace TTechnology Demonstra- tion–1 (ATD-1) project began technology working with an industry team demonstration to develop a prototype of new airborne automation software accelerates tools for use on commercial air- NextGen craft and continued efforts to support the successful technol- by William C. Johnson ogy transfer of new ground au- tomation software tools for use The Systems Engineering by the FAA. The combined re- NASA’s FutureFlight Central is Technical Committee a full-scale airport-operations sults of these efforts will be new supports efforts to define, simulator located at NASA’s develop and disseminate ground-automation capabilities Ames Research Center in modern systems engineering NASA known as Terminal Sequenc- California. practices. ing and Spacing (TSAS) and airborne automation capabilities known as ers also assisted NASA in anticipating chang- Interval Management (IM). The end state for ing requirements from the community and re- both capabilities is technology readiness level sponding to them with increased agility. 6 built on vendor platforms to demonstrate Meanwhile, integration work began the capabilities of an integrated arrival solu- in three labs at NASA Langley and NASA tion that can bring benefits to airspace users Ames research centers to prepare the inte- and airspace managers once implemented. grated tools for test and evaluation. A base- This year, TSAS passed the FAA’s final line test environment was established and investment decision, a milestone that paves implemented in the labs using tools devel- the way for implementation by 2019. IM also oped from both NASA centers. The result is passed the FAA investment analysis readi- a world-leading capability to simulate inte- ness decision, with the final investment deci- grated air-traffic-management operations rep- sion planned for 2017. resenting air traffic and aircraft capabilities. Reaching this point in the ATD-1 project Following that, NASA conducted more than came with a number of significant challenges, 20 integrated simulations to assess the concept among them integrating three research teams and tools. The technology transfer process in- — one for each technology — from two differ- cluded a series of incremental handoffs to the ent coasts, each with different assets available FAA comprised of all documentation, software in their local facilities. Another challenge was and prototypes developed by ATD-1, as well as making incremental advances toward products active participation on FAA technical and invest- that work together to achieve improved effi- ment decision teams. In addition, prototyping ciency in the air-traffic system even as stake- the capabilities into vendor platforms provided holder requirements were still being written. a means to transfer the technology to industry, Systems engineering was recognized as a and participation in standards development with critical element of the project planning. The the FAA-chartered RTCA was essential to align- greatest challenge in selecting a suitable ap- ing the avionics prototypes with the community. proach originated from a NASA desire to With the completion of the technology provide maximum value to the stakeholder transfer of TSAS to the FAA in late 2015, the community, while the stakeholder require- Interval Management development remains ments were still being developed within the to be completed with industry partners — Boe- community. Significant effort was made to ing, Honeywell and United Airlines — before collaborate with various stakeholders. Given ATD-1 is completed at the end of fiscal 2017. the uncertainty associated with stakeholder Based on the successes of the ATD-1 proj- requirements, NASA adopted the agile sys- ect, other demonstrations have been created tems engineering approach to provide flexi- to address the extremely complex integrated bility in addressing an extended requirements arrivals, departures and surface operations, definition phase from the community. With and traffic flow management operations for agile systems engineering, high-bandwidth en-route and oceanic operations. These new communications within the team is necessary, sub-projects have taken the lessons learned and this must be extended to key stakehold- from ATD-1 and established similar systems ers during the requirements definition phase. engineering processes to continue providing This continual interaction with key stakehold- value to the community.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 37 INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Profound he satellite communications industry is expansion of conventional C and Ku-band Tundergoing great transition, like much of satellite payloads. Intelsat plans to launch transition today’s global economy. Technology is offer- eight EpicNG satellites over the next three continues ing new approaches that are disrupting busi- years to add about 900 net transponders — a ness as usual. Time will tell whether this will 40 percent increase to its 2,200 on-orbit tran- for satcom spawn successful new businesses or lead to sponders. SES of Luxembourg plans to add overcapacity. a comparable supply. An even greater surge by Tom Butash, Joe Pelton Efficient launch services are key to the is underway in HTS for consumer broad- and Roger Rusch SATCOM industry. SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and band or Internet access, led by ViaSat-2 and Falcon Heavy provide a new, essential ca- Hughes’ Jupiter 2/EchoStar 19 satellites to be The Communications Systems Technical pability, with 18 successful launches and 67 launched in 2016. Overall, the industry plans Committee is working more scheduled through 2018 with a launch to quadruple the communication throughput to advance communications tempo of two launches a month during 30 supply between 2010 and 2017. systems research months of this period — an unprecedented The elasticity of demand and new pric- and applications. launch rate for a single launch system. How- ing levels are big questions intriguing the ever, a June Falcon 9 failure has delayed industry. Other key questions include when the inaugural Falcon Heavy flight until next Ka-band will become congested and when spring, after Falcon 9’s successful December Q/V- and W-bands can be utilized to fur- launches of Orbcomm and SES commercial ther increase capacity. The European Space communications satellites. Agency’s Aldo Paraboni Q/V Band Payload aboard Alphasat continued to collect experi- mental propagation data this year to help Rendering of Boeing 702HP, which is similar to the ViaSat-2 Ka-band pave the way to deployment. satellite that Boeing will build for ViaSat. The new O3b equatorial middle-Earth- orbit constellation optimized for Internet is now operational. This project, backed by SES, Liberty Media and Google, among others, is only the first step. Silicon Valley is seeking to provide ubiquitous worldwide broadband access. Dominant Internet com- panies like Facebook, Apple, Google, Am- azon and Qualcomm and innovative space systems companies such as SpaceX are in- vestigating at least 11 constellations consist- ing of hundreds or thousands of satellites, envisioned to cost as little as $1 million each on-orbit. Also under consideration are bal- loon and unmanned aircraft-based global Internet systems seeking new economies of service. It remains to be seen whether these new visionaries can achieve what was unaf-

Boeing fordable a little more than a decade ago. It has long been a dream to build satel- lites quickly and adapt hardware on-orbit to New launch competitors include the Rus- changing markets. In the past such flexibility sian Angara, Ariane 6, Japanese H-3, and came at a high cost and took longer to de- Orbital ATK’s Antares as well as established velop, but the first steps are being taken to- systems. For small satellite constellations, day. Intelsat is deploying its EpicNG satellites new options are planned for 200 kilogram- with next-generation service to begin in 2016, class satellites, including Virgin Galactic’s while Eutelsat has commissioned the Quan- Launcher One, and the Swiss Space Sys- tum satellite. Other R&D projects are focus- SSL tems S3 spaceplane. The late August Russian ing on greater flexibility in future retrofits. Artist’s concept of the Proton M launch of the third Global Xpress Satellite orders remain strong with 17 or- Jupiter 2/EchoStar 19 satellite allows Inmarsat to begin operation ders as of early November, although slightly satellite, which will of the first global coverage broadband GEO off 2014’s pace of 25 by year end. Growth in be launched in 2016. constellation by year end. revenues for 2015 is projected to be some- Another big story is the ongoing surge what down from the 4 percent revenue in Ka-band high-throughput satellites and growth recorded last year.

38 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ome of the biggest space science achieve- deliver a final burst of scientific data. In the Old processors Sments in 2015 were delivered by proces- inner solar system, the computing workhorse sors designed two decades ago, even as new continues to be the RAD750 processor, the rad- guide new space computing architectures and standards this year hard adaptation of the PowerPC 750. It’s also explorations point toward new strategies for exploration. aboard Juno, the NASA New Frontiers probe NASA’s Cassini spacecraft continues to now on its way to Jupiter. by Rick Kwan return images and science data from Sat- Earlier this year, the VITA 78 SpaceVPX urn and its moons. Its brains are a set of Systems standard was recognized by the The Computer Systems seven Generic VHSIC Spaceborne Computer American National Standards Institute as the Technical Committee (GVSC) flight computers born from the Pen- ANSI/VITA 78.00-2015 open standard. advances the application tagon’s Very High Speed Integrated Circuit, At the opposite end of the spectrum are of computing to aerospace programs. or VHSIC, program of the 1980s. GVSC is a short-term low-cost missions in low Earth or- radiation-hardened 16-bit processor for the bit. With protection from the Earth’s geomag- U.S. Defense Department’s MIL-STD-1750A netic field, more effort is placed on qualifica- instruction set. tion of commercially available parts, both for New Horizons zipped by Pluto and Charon small satellites and small launch vehicles. and other moons in July, revealing an unex- Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, a company pectedly complex terrain. The spacecraft uses formed in Irvine, California, by some of the a MIPS R3000 processor, popular with a spec- creators of the cubeSat standard, provided its trum of devices from game consoles to serv- Intrepid board for this year’s Lightsail-A mis- ers in the 1980s and 1990s, and widely studied sion. The board is a Linux-based system using in computer architectures courses. Announced an ARM9-based processor for both command in 1996, the Mongoose-5 is a rad-hard version and data handling and electrical power. A of the MIPS R3000, and was used on several variation of the board is expected for small NASA missions before being launched on New launch vehicles. Horizons in 2006. New Horizons continues its Engineers at NASA Ames announced the data dump from Pluto while speeding along Affordable Vehicle Avionics package, a mod- toward its next Kuiper Belt target. The Cassini ular avionics system for small launch vehicles. will reach a fiery end in September 2017, when It uses a Linux-based ARM Cortex-A8 system the craft descends into Saturn’s atmosphere to with real-time extensions, and a variety of sensors. They hope to test it as a non- guiding payload on suborbital “open loop” flights by the end of 2015, and fol- low those with flights where it will ac- tively guide a launch vehicle. The computing world is being rocked by the Internet of Things, a no- tion that objects ranging from wearable devices to autonomous vehicles can be linked to the Internet. To accomplish this, communication and computing cores are being merged into a system The Affordable Vehicle Avionics on a chip, which then sits on a board controller is smaller than a stack of six compact disc cases and weighs with sensors and actuators. The commu- less than 1 kilogram with batteries. nications link can be Wi-Fi, Near Field Communication (typically 10 cm) or a software-defined radio capability. Do- ing so raises the specter of mesh net- works, the subject of IEEE standards such as 802.11s and 802.16. The Internet of Things has also prompted renewed development of real-time operating sys- tems, this time focused on small devices. Commercially, billions of U.S. dollars are at stake, attracting lots of players, and likely to result in new autonomous de- vice interfaces that the aerospace indus- NASA try will have to decide how to handle.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 39 INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Securing he air-ground communication channel is and statistical distributions of excess path Tcommonly considered to be fairly benign loss, the latter of which were used by RTCA. communication in terms of risk of disruption, particularly Specifically, a research team from the channels in comparison to terrestrial channels such university, NASA and Berkeley Varitronics as those of cellular transmissions, in which Systems developed a customized dual-band, for unmanned obstructions and multiple signal paths can single-input/multiple-output wireless channel aircraft severely attenuate and distort transmitted measurement system or sounder for measur- signals. ing and modeling the channel. This sounder by David W. Matolak In fact, hundreds of journal and confer- outputs signals in the two bands recently allo- ence papers have been published in the past cated by the International Telecommunication The Digital Avionics 30 years on cellular channel characteristics, Union for unmanned aircraft operation: an L- Technical Committee compared to a few dozen papers over 60 band signal of bandwidth 5 megaherz, cen- advances the development years on the air-ground channel. This differ- tered near 968 MHz, and a C-band signal of and application of communications, ence is due to the historical practice in civil bandwidth 50 MHz, centered near 5.06 GHz. navigation and surveillance aviation of using ground sites in open, clear These signals employ spread spectrum signal- systems used by military areas, with antennas on tall towers, and to the ing to enable complete estimation of the time- and commercial aircraft. traditional narrowband nature of AG signals. varying air-to-ground channel’s response, si- For unmanned aircraft, location of ground multaneously as received by two antennas in sites in open areas with tall antenna tow- each band. ers may not be guaranteed, and (as has also Since NASA began the measurement cam- happened to commercial communication paign in 2013, flight tests have been con- systems) data rates and consequently signal ducted for a variety of scenarios: over sea and bandwidths are increasing. Hence traditional fresh water, over hills, mountains and deserts, simple narrowband models for the air-to- and over urban and suburban areas. Test data ground channel will not always be sufficient will allow development of accurate, validated, for unmanned craft. Flight dynamics also dif- wideband AG channel models for these envi- fer from those of ronments. All told, the NASA campaign col- NASA engineers raise a communications piloted aircraft, lected nearly a third of a billion channel re- tower that transmits data to the NASA making the phe- sponses in these environments, making this S-3 Viking research aircraft. nomenon of air- the most comprehensive AG channel mea- frame shadowing, surement campaign in history. The data is or signal blockage now being analyzed. from the aircraft From these measurements, we are devel- itself, more signifi- oping channel models for propagation path cant. loss, or attenuation, small-scale (multipath) The FAA made fading and dispersion, airframe shadowing, progress in 2015 and correlations among the signals at differ- toward integrat- ent frequencies and different antennas. These ing commercial models will be used to assess performance unmanned aircraft of candidate AG radio technologies, and can into the National also be used to evaluate future advanced sig- Airspace System. naling schemes. Ultimately, the models will NASA In July, RTCA, an be used, along with radio technology models, FAA-chartered to evaluate complete AG networking perfor- company that helps set aviation mance for unmanned aircraft. This year, mod- standards, established preliminary els for the over-water and hilly/mountainous minimum operational performance settings were finished, and remaining models standards for unmanned aircraft. are nearing completion. The final version of the minimum Results from this work have been pub- standards is planned for early 2016. lished in numerous conference papers and The University of South Carolina NASA reports, and journal papers are in prep- is working with NASA Glenn Re- aration. Results have also been presented to NASA search Center in Ohio on part of RTCA, and to the International Civil Aviation NASA researcher Jim Griner sits an unmanned-aircraft integration Organization, for use in international stan- inside S-3 Viking research plane project; the initial area of investigation is air- dards development for unmanned aircraft. as he coordinates testing of a prototype radio that will help to-ground channel measurements and mod- Future work may include AG channel model link pilots on the ground to their eling. This year, the project specifically pro- development for very small, and low-altitude unmanned aircraft. duced models for airframe shadowing effects unmanned aircraft.

40 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

he Intelligent Systems Technical Commit- tors to deconflict and monitor operations in Outlining Ttee this year drafted a “Roadmap for Intel- the lower altitudes. UTM leverages the lessons ligent Systems in Aerospace” recommending learned from the well-established air traffic paths to safer investments by government, academia and management system and future plans for the and more industry in an effort to produce aerospace sys- FAA’s NextGen Air Transportation System. tems that are more adaptive, reliable, secure, NASA’s goal is to demonstrate how the UTM reliable safe, cost-effective, trustworthy and coopera- enables safe low-altitude and unmanned-air- aerospace tive. Development areas include autonomy, craft operations within five years. The goal computational intelligence and adaptive con- over the next 10 to 15 years is to enable the systems trol. The draft was presented to 180 partici- safe operation of all low-altitude airspace pants at the AIAA Intelligent Systems work- operations given the dramatically increasing by Elad Kivelevitch shop in August seeking feedback. number of aircraft in this regime. The Intelligent Systems Loss of control is a leading cause of fatal In the U.K., the University of Sheffield and Technical Committee aircraft accidents, and many of those accidents the University of Sussex achieved a milestone advances the application are precipitated by a pilot losing awareness of this year in the Green Brain Project when they of computational problem the state of the aircraft. The Intelligent Systems flew a quadcopter using a neuromimetic model solving technologies and Division at NASA Ames Research Center in of a honeybee brain that processed vision. methods to aerospace systems. California is teaming with the German Aero- The system mimicked how hon- space Center to develop new predictive, as- eybees process visual sessment and alerting technologies to enable information flight displays that depict the current and fu- ture state of the aircraft. New display features and alerts developed from this work were in- stalled this year at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Virginia so commercial airline pilots can try the features and provide feedback. The to perform motion University of Sheffield and features and alerts were evaluated previously detection. University of Southampton in the Advanced Concepts Flight Simulator at The compu- NASA Ames. Commercial airline crews flew tations were multiple problematic approach and landing performed by Robot Bee, a neuromimetic model of scenarios, with results showing the potential graphic processing a honeybee brain encased in a micro air to improve situational awareness. units made by NVIDIA of vehicle, aims to mimic a honeybee’s Researchers from NASA Ames and Oklahoma California. Additional research sophisticated vision-based navigation. State University are working on an online adap- focuses on detection, classification, and learn- tive Multi-Objective Optimization (MO-Op) flight ing in the olfactory pathways of the honey- and wing shaping control technology that could bee. This research not only sheds light on the enable aircraft to adapt themselves to changing honeybee brain and basic cognition, but also mission requirements and flight conditions. The develops robust and adaptable guidance and goal is to achieve simultaneous control require- control systems for MAVs so they can survive in ments including adaptive drag optimization, load a complex world. alleviation, modal suppression, and conventional The V-FASTR (Very Long Baseline Array- flight control. This effort is aimed at reducing Fast Transient) detection system surpassed flight cost in commercial airliners. The adap- 200,000 detections. V-FASTR searches for tive drag optimization strategy includes using short radio transient sources of less than one distributed sensors for drag optimization. NASA second, and it employs a machine classifier Ames researchers at AIAA’s 2015 SciTech Forum trained on human-labeled events to deter- reported that multi-object flight control simula- mine whether each detection was caused by tions show a drag reduction of 4-6 percent, which an artifact, a pulsar, or an unknown source. is consistent with previous wind tunnel data. The latter category is of most scientific inter- In an effort to enable safe and efficient est, with the potential for new discoveries. unmanned aircraft operations in low-altitude, To date, the system has processed nearly uncontrolled airspace, NASA’s Unmanned 200,000 detections, including 40,000 pulses Aerial System Traffic Management system was from known pulsars, and continues to listen tested in August at Crows Landing, Califor- for new detections of novel scientific interest. nia. UTM will provide airspace management, This system is a collaboration between Curtin flight planning and monitoring, separation University in Australia, the National Radio As- assurance, collision avoidance and weather tronomy Observatory and NASA’s Jet Propul- prediction for unmanned aerial system opera- sion Laboratory in California.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 41 INFORMATION SYSTEMS

Different ense-and-avoid (SA) technology for un- Defense Agency. The MIDCAS program in- Smanned aircraft that will fly in civil air- volves a number of European countries and paths to sense- space continues to advance, with several dif- companies and includes on the aircraft EO, ra- and-avoid ferent onboard and ground-based approaches dio, infrared (IR) and radar sensors. currently being developed and tested. On- The New Horizons spacecraft completed technology board SA systems typically use radar plus elec- its flyby of Pluto in July. The spacecraft’s for unmanned tro-optical (EO) sensors, often augmented by Long Range Reconnaissance Imager de- automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast livered some striking images, with more to aircraft location and identity transmissions. These sys- come as data are received and processed in tems require significant investments in sensor coming months. Almost unheralded aboard by Timothy L. Howard, fusion techniques. This year, for example, de- New Horizons is the debut of the first stu- Domenico Accardo and Wei-Jen Su velopment work on the FAA’s ACAS Xu sys- dent-built experiment on any interplanetary tem (Airborne Collision Avoidance System for spacecraft, the Venetia Burney Student Dust The Sensor Systems Unmanned Aircraft) capitalized on the proof- Counter. Built by University of Colorado stu- and Information Fusion of-concept SA system tested in late 2014 on dents, the instrument has already surpassed Technical Committee NASA’s Ikhana, a civil version of the Predator- the previous distance record of dust measure- advances technology for B. This proof-of-concept system incorporates ments of 18 astronomical units set in 2010. It sensing phenomena and air-to-air X-band radar plus ADS-B. Honeywell is giving the first look at the density of dust for combining the resulting data for display to users. also provided an integral fusion algorithm for in the outer solar system, which likely origi- combining data from multiple sensors. The nates at least in part from collisions between system will help pave the way for ACAS Xu to minor bodies, and will help scientists under- be used by the UAS community. stand dust sources and transport mechanisms out to 40 AU. NASA has begun building a multisatellite mission, the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System, to provide surface wind measurements of hurricanes and tropical storms. CYGNSS comprises eight mi- crosatellites to be launched together on a Pegasus rocket in late 2016. The satellites will use a multipath, multi-sensor measurement technique that receives GPS signals along

NASA both direct and ground-reflec- tion paths. The combined mo- The Cyclone Global Navigation tions of the CYGNSS and GPS Satellite System will use eight Others involved in this space include the satellites will allow measurements of wind satellites and a novel multipath technique to provide accurate, Air Force Research Lab, which is working with speed. The system will be deployed with sat- frequent measurements of hurricane Defense Research Associates to develop an SA ellites distributed around Earth to give revisit and tropical-storm winds. system that doesn’t require aircraft modifica- times of around 12 minutes. This will allow tion. This system uses passive EO sensors to for updates of tropical wind speeds several detect, identify, and track both cooperative times per day, as opposed to once every few and non-cooperative aircraft. Also, Sikorsky days with current satellites. has been working on an autonomous helicop- NASA has also given the green light to ter fly-by-wire system since 2013, with flight construction of the Solar Probe Plus. The trials continuing. This system includes LIDAR spacecraft, to be developed by the Johns and other sensors for avoiding obstacles and Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, will be the finding safe landing spots. The company is first to approach the Sun within about 6 mil- working on a similar system to help alleviate lion kilometers. It will host instruments for aircrew workload on manned craft. particles and fields as well as a wide-field Europe is also heavily involved in this tech- imager for close-up studies of the solar co- nology. Alenia Aermacchi reported in June rona. The imager will allow scientists to that it completed trials of a collision avoidance make 3D coronal images, giving a much bet- system under the Mid-air Collision Avoidance ter view of internal motions such as clouds System program sponsored by the European and shocks.

42 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

oftware continues to be a core compo- for a user to turn a Raspberry Pi processor Guarding Snent of aerospace systems with several into a PiAware ADS-B ground station. advancements over the year. While software advances continue to en- against In March, the Innovative Technology able revolutionary progress in aerospace, cyberattacks Partnerships Office at NASA’s Goddard Space software and data entry errors also caused air Flight Center in Maryland released the core travel problems in 2015. In August, an air traf- and software Flight System application suite. The cFS is a fic tracking computer system glitch resulted glitches platform and project-independent, reusable in a period of flight delays that was quickly software framework and set of reusable soft- dubbed “Flypocalypse.” Planes were not al- by Ella Atkins, ware applications. The cFS architecture in- lowed to fly near the busy Washington, D.C., Sam Adhikari corporates a dynamic run-time environment, region over an extended stretch during the and Susanne Strege layered software, and a component based day, which created a domino effect of more design. These key aspects make cFS suitable than 2,000 flight delays and hundreds of can- The Software Technical Committee focuses on for reuse on numerous NASA spaceflight cellations. In February, United Airlines mis- software engineering issues projects and/or embedded software systems takenly allowed several thousand passengers for complex and critical at a significant cost savings. cFS is in use by to book first-class trans-Atlantic flights for as systems, including multiple NASA Centers as well as industry. little as $51 due to a currency-exchange rate requirements, design, code, The complete cFS open-source framework is error by a third-party software provider. test, evaluation, operation now available for public download via the In cybersecurity, the aviation industry and maintenance. core Flight System page of the NASA God- made significant progress this year. To pre- dard website. vent network-based cyberattacks, a team Sysoft Corp. in Whitehouse Station, New consisting of Boeing, National Information Jersey, this year developed a camera-based and Communications Technology Austra- tracking system that can achieve accurate in- lia, Rockwell Collins and Galois is rewrit- air localization for unmanned and manned ing drone software to isolate from the out- aircraft in low visibility conditions. The side world all communications between a tracking system will support close-proximity ground station and the aircraft. unmanned aircraft formation flight, enabling The work is being performed autonomous air-to-air refueling and energy under the DARPA High-Assur- savings due to reduction in induced drag. ance Cyber Military Systems Real-time localization using the vision data program. While hack-proof supports improved tracking errors within 5 technology cannot compensate percent of a wingspan both horizontally and for faulty software, system fail- vertically. Real-time image processing with ures or operator error, it can color-based segmentation using K-Means prevent a malicious party from clustering provides computational features taking control. Cybersecurity that are validated against large datasets using challenges are also present big data analytics. for manned aircraft due to in- Flightradar24, which operates creased use of com- a website displaying real-time lo- munications devices Flightradar24 cations for thousands of aircraft, in and Internet Proto- November provided Egyptian inves- col connectivity in Flightradar24’s live map of the August 2015 “Flypocalypse” tigators and the French BEA agency cabins, combined with an architec- resulting from a computer glitch with the air traffic data it received ture in which a single broadband with the FAA’s air-traffic control from the Metrojet Flight 9268 aircraft radio serves aircraft control, air- system. The map shows how routing that exploded over the Sinai Pen- line information services, passen- flights from affected areas cleared the skies above Washington, D.C. insula. Flightradar24 collects data ger information and entertainment from approximately 7,000 Mode S services, and three local area net- transponders and automatic depen- work domains. Special certification dent surveillance — broadcast receiv- conditions have been developed ers around the world, and receives to deal with increased connectiv- supplemental 5-minute-delayed FAA ity during Boeing 787 and Airbus data for the U.S. and Canada. Flight- A350 certification, but experts in- Aware publishes Mode S and ADS-B dicate cybersecurity would be fa- tracking data in addition to receiving cilitated by a single global authority more than 50 government air traffic with accountability for certifying and private datalink feeds. In 2014, aircraft avionics and communica- it began offering a low-cost means tion systems. AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 43 PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Grease and any organizations, large and small, con- tinue to research and test electric and The Airbus Group’s E-Fan M all-electric demonstrator aircraft. trash feed hybrid electric aircraft. advances In July, Solar Impulse 2 broke records after making a four-day, 22-hour solo flight in biofuels from Nagoya, Japan, to Hawaii. In July, the Airbus E-Fan electric aircraft by Marty Bradley, Gary flew across the English Channel. Also, the Ja- Dale and Keiichi Okai pan Aerospace Exploration Agency completed flight tests on an electric propulsion system for The Green Engineering aircraft. JAXA demonstrated how the system’s Program Committee promotes a holistic, systems unique power regeneration function can serve approach to improved energy as a substitute for traditional air braking during efficiency, sustainability, descent and how the redundant motor system renewable energy and design. ensures better fault tolerance. In the U.K., a project led by the Univer- sity of Cambridge and sponsored by Boeing Airbus tested an aircraft with a parallel hybrid engine — one that can recharge its batteries in flight. reduce the residue left by bug strikes, with In April, NASA flew its 10-engine, battery- the goal of enabling more drag-reducing lami- powered Greased Lightning 10 unmanned air- nar flow. On the left wing, Boeing evaluated craft, demonstrating transition from hover to technologies to reduce environmental effects wing-borne flight and back to hover for landing. on natural laminar flow as a way to improve Progress on alternative fuels continued in aerodynamic efficiency. Following the flight 2015. United Airlines announced a $30 million test program, Boeing and the Aircraft Fleet investment in Fulcrum BioEnergy, a California Recycling Association recycled the 757 using company that has developed and certified a environmental best practices. technology to convert municipal trash into fuel Airbus ProSky partnered with Flight- blendable with traditional fuels. Also, FedEx radar24 to utilize their aircraft positional has agreed to purchase 3 million gallons of re- data along with other information in a new newable jet fuel annually over eight years from flight-tracking platform, AirFlight, to ensure Red Rock Biofuels of Colorado. aircraft operators have the tools necessary to A Japanese consortium has established a operate efficiently, predictably, and sustain- five-year road map to develop sustainable avi- ably from gate to gate. ation biofuel by the 2020 Summer Olympics Japanese scientists transmitted energy Lockheed Martin in Tokyo. In addition, Boeing and the Com- wirelessly, an important step that could one Lockheed Martin’s hybrid-wing-body mercial Aircraft of China, COMAC, opened a day make solar power generated in space and concept airlifter is designed to burn demonstration facility for turning used cooking transmitted to Earth a possibility. Also, Lock- 70 percent less fuel than the C-17. oil into sustainable aviation biofuel. China is heed Martin reported a technological break- estimated to generate enough of this oil to pro- through in developing a power source based duce 500 million gallons of biofuel annually. on nuclear fusion, saying that in about a de- The Air Force Research Laboratory is ad- cade a small reactor could be ready. vancing biosensor technology for early-warn- In August, AFRL, Lockheed and NASA con- ing detection, monitoring and risk assessment ducted a 4 percent-scale semi-span test in the of bio-deterioration in the Defense Depart- National Transonic Facility at NASA’s Langley ment’s fuel systems. Research Center in Virginia to validate the hy- Boeing and its partners continued the brid wing body design, which could burn 70 ecoDemonstrator program’s multi-year effort percent less fuel than legacy transport planes. to accelerate new technologies and methods Small strakes patented by Lockheed Martin, for greener aviation. Active flow control is called microvanes, were shown to reduce drag one of 18 technologies tested on the ecoDe- by 3.5 percent in flight testing by AFRL and omonstrator 757. The technology could re- Lockheed Martin. In 2015, the Royal Canadian duce tail size by 17 percent, reducing tail Air Force installed microvanes on a C-130J-30 weight and also drag by about 0.5 percent. for a two-year in-service test. The U.S. Coast These improvements would cut an airplane’s Guard has outfitted a C-130J with microvanes fuel use and carbon emissions. to assess fuel burn reduction and long-term op- On the right wing of the ecoDemonstrator, erability. Microvanes are also on the production NASA tested bug-phobic coatings that would LM-100J, a derivative of a C-130J-30.

44 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

he international hypersonics community Stalker Tunnel (High total enthalpy); High Den- Researchers aim Tthis year conducted a wide range of re- sity Tunnel (High Reynolds number); and Low search and facility upgrade work: Density Tunnel (Rarefied). for hypersonic Europe-Russia: European and Russian of- Russia: After conducting the first launch missiles and ficials collaborated on Mars entry studies. of the heavy-lift Angara A5 vehicle in 2014, France’s aerospace research center, ONERA, launch services are planned for global custom- transport tested Russian plasma-assisted combustion for ers, including from the new Vostochniy site. vehicles high-speed propulsion. Hypersonic aerodynamics and heating studies Europe-Japan: The European Union and Ja- for Angara 5 were performed by TsAGI, which by Kevin Kremeyer pan Aerospace Exploration Agency performed is currently pursuing Winged Reusable Rocket design studies for a high speed aircraft under Modules. After the fourth flight test of its next The Hypersonic Technologies the HIKARI project and thermal management generation Yu-71 Mach 10 missile, Russia’s and Aerospace Planes Program Committee works studies on the THOR project. Rosoboronexport signed a contract to sell the to expand the hypersonics Australia-Europe-U.S.: The German Aero- S-400 Mach 6.2 air defense system to China. knowledge base and promote space Center and the Air Force Research Labo- Japan: The Japan Aerospace Exploration continued hypersonic ratory conducted airframe, inlet aerodynamic Agency is more than halfway through its plan to technology progress through and aerothermal tests at Mach 8 under the Hy- develop a hypersonic transport that would cross ground and flight testing. personic International Flight Experimentation the Pacific Ocean in two hours by 2025. Tests project, at the Arnold Engineering Development of hypersonic inlet-starting and a pre-cooled tur- Complex in Maryland. Australia’s Defence Sci- bojet engine have paved the way for its Mach 5 ence and Technology Organisation and AFRL test of a ram jet turbo-fan engine, while design, continued their cooperative Hypersonic Interna- materials, airframe and aerodynamics studies tional Flight Research Experimentation, HIFiRE, continue. Beyond JAXA’s current launch vehicle program. Australian researchers collaborated development program, the hypersonic transport with European partners on the HEXAFLY- will yield lower-cost, on-demand space access. International project toward testing a Mach 8 U.S.: Four flight tests were completed to- vehicle. University of Queensland coordinated ward a Conventional Prompt Global Strike ca- multiple Australian Universities, DSTO and in- pability. DARPA’s XS-1 Reusable Experimental ternational collaborators. Spaceplane program faces a go/no-go deci- Lockheed Martin China: The Chinese Academy of Sciences’ sion in 2016. DARPA also funded Raytheon to Institute of Mechanics finished calibrating its continue work on a hypersonic tactical boost 3.5-meter-diameter J-12 hypervelocity tunnel glide vehicle. AFRL plans to scale up Boeing up to Mach 9, with heat transfer measurements and Aerojet-Rocketdyne’s X-51 Mach 5 scramjet and simulations yielding accurate results for 10-fold, followed by 100-fold. NASA funded a external aerodynamics and supersonic com- Lockheed Martin-Aerojet Rocketdyne feasibility bustion trains. After multiple Wu-14 hypersonic study of the propulsion concept for their SR-72 glide vehicle re-entry flights, China unveiled its Mach 6 aircraft. DARPA identified four engines Artist rendering of the SR-72 hypersonic aircraft. NASA is funding new Mach 10-12 DF-21D missile. for long-range combined cycle operation and a study of the Mach 6 plane. Europe: The European Space Agency’s In- demonstrated transition from turbojet to ram jet termediate Experimental Vehicle spaceplane mode without unstarting the inlet. AFRL is also was boosted to an altitude of 412 kilometers in developing a High Speed Strike Weapon, and February and splashed down in the Pacific, to together with DARPA is developing a Hyper- mimic entry from low Earth orbit. Reaction En- sonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept. gines of the U.K. continued work on the British Infrastructure upgrades are being per- government-European Space Agency-funded formed to enable more accurate testing: up- Skylon spaceplane, preparing for flight tests by date the NASA Langley’s 8-foot High Tempera- 2020. Airbus received international patents on a ture Tunnel (HTT) to be capable of testing at Mach 4.5 military-commercial passenger, long- Mach 3, 4, 5 and 7; increase the run time and range vehicle. Universitaet Göttingen partici- stagnation pressure over which Purdue Univer- pated in the Cryogenic Hypersonic Advanced sity’s Ludwieg tube remains quiet; benchmark Tank Technologies program and implemented the CUBRC company’s Large Energy National Magneto-Hydrodynamic flow control in its High Shock tunnels against re-entry and scramjet Enthalpy Shock Tunnel. Facility upgrades in- flight data; expand AEDC’s Hypervelocity Wind cluded: modifications to the HELM shock-tun- Tunnel 9 to Mach 18; and expand the National nel at Universitaet der Bundeswehr Muenchen Aerothermochemistry Laboratory for larger- to simulate Martian re-entry; scramjet testing scale tests of PM&AM Research’s energy depo- capabilities at ONERA’s F4 high enthalpy facil- sition technologies for revolutionary external- ity; installation of three tunnels at Oxford — T6 internal high-speed flow-control.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 45 PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Global interest nterest continues to grow worldwide in pres- range of stable operating conditions (equiva- Isure gain combustion, a propulsion process lence ratio, feed pressure, flow rate) for eth- grows in in which the total pressure of the exit flow ex- ylene/gaseous oxygen, methane/GOX, and pressure gain ceeds that of the inlet flow on an appropriately ethane/GOX. Specific impulse, or Isp, values as averaged basis. high as 192 pound-force-second/pound-mass combustion In the U.S., the Air Force Office of Scien- were recorded with methane/GOX. Tests that tific Research, Office of Naval Research, DARPA evaluated resistance to acoustic interference by Kazhikathra Kailasanath and the Department of Energy continue to sup- and direct detonation upset demonstrated com- port research projects at locations across the bustion stability as one of the key attributes of country. Work continues with academic institu- CDREs for space application, especially with The Pressure Gain Combustion Program Committee tions as well, including the Naval Post Gradu- “green” propellants such as methane/GOX. advances the investigation, ate School, the University of Texas at Arlington, Extended pulse-mode firings with methane/ development and application University of Cincinnati, University of Con- GOX demonstrated the potential for CDREs as of pressure-gain technologies necticut and Purdue University. Internationally, attitude control thrusters. for improving propulsion and China, France, Japan, Poland, Russia, Singapore Notable developments outside the U.S. in- power generation systems and Taiwan maintain very active research and clude experimental observation from a Japa- and achieving new mission development programs in PGC. nese research group of Nagoya University, Keio capabilities. Overall, the global emphasis has shifted University and the Japan Aerospace Exploration from pulsed-detonation engines to continuous Agency. The group found that the efficiency of or rotating-deto- rotating-detonation-rocket combustor charac- The exhaust flow from a rotating-detonation nation engines. At teristic velocity is more than 95 percent using engine operating on methane the same time, al- precise mass flow and thrust measurements. In and gaseous oxygen. ternates to detona- France and Poland, work continued on several tion engines, such advanced efforts in the development and test- as wave-rotors and ing of rotating-detonation engines, including pulse combustors, research on a turbofan engine with RDE by the continue to receive Institute of Aviation in Warsaw. In China, Pe- attention. king University continues to experiment with a A team compris- cylindrical chamber RDE (instead of the typical ing HyPerComp, annual chamber adopted by most researchers). University of Con- Chinese researchers are among those around GHKN Engineering necticut, Naval Post- the world who have made significant progress graduate School and in the numerical simulations of representative Aerojet Rocketdyne is conducting analysis and configurations with various degrees of fidelity experiments to demonstrate a single turbine for all the complex physical and chemical pro- stage integrated into a continuous detonation engine (CDE). The goal is to understand the A cut-out view of a turbofan engine with an integrated rotating-detonation role of the unsteady processes of the CDE driv- engine combustor. ing the turbine and to explore avenues for per- formance enhancement. United Technologies Research Center is continuing to develop PGC technology, funded in part with two major government contracts. One is the Department of Energy’s “Combined Cycle Power Generation Employ- ing Pressure Gain Combustion” study to as- sess if PGC technology can achieve 65 percent thermal efficiency for a gas turbine combined- cycle power generation application. The other Institute of Aviation is the DARPA-funded “Rotating Detonation Engines Combined Cycle” study, focusing on cesses involved. There is also significant inter- designing high performance rotating-detona- est in developing appropriate exhaust system tion engines for a direct-thrust application. configurations for these dynamic systems that GHKN Engineering of Redmond, Washing- minimize unwanted pressure oscillations and ton, completed a series of tests to evaluate the maximize performance, including the Mach suitability of continuous detonation rocket en- number distribution from a typical three-dimen- gines (CDRE) for space applications. The test sional numerical simulation of an RDE with a program measured performance over a wide converging-diverging nozzle.

46 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

SpaceX reaffirms commitment to reusability Artist’s concept of the spaceplane being designed for DARPA by Northrop Grumman, with help from by Adam Dissel its Scaled Composites company and Virgin Galactic. Northrop Grumman and Barry Hellman

The Reusable Launch nterest in reusable launch systems and space- Falcon Heavy configuration is planned to fly Vehicles Program Committee Icraft continues to sustain multiple commer- in 2016 and will eventually feature the ability brings together experts cial and governmental development efforts, to recover and reuse all three first stage cores. to focus on leading-edge many of which are scheduled to achieve sig- Swiss Space Systems continues to make programs and developments nificant milestones in the coming year. progress on the Soar three-stage launch sys- in this area. DARPA has been actively working the Ex- tem. Activities completed include wind tun- perimental Spaceplane (XS-1) program with nel testing in Europe, improved aerodynam- the main objective to mature aircraft-like op- ics through coupled analysis and test, thermal erations for a launch vehicle with a reusable protection optimization and analog software first stage. There are three prime contractors simulations on replica hardware. Soar devel- working the program: Boeing, Masten Space opment is expected to progress toward major Systems and Northrop Grumman. The pro- program milestones in the coming year. gram has completed a year-long preliminary XCOR, based in Mojave, California, contin- design phase, and DARPA has decided to ues to make progress on its Lynx suborbital continue to mature the designs for another spaceplane and has completed a significant year before moving into the critical design, portion of the vehicle build. The Lynx Mark build and fly phases. 1 is scheduled to begin flight testing in 2016. The launch vehicles are designed to put Generation Orbit of Atlanta is proceeding at least 3,000 pounds of payload into low- with the development of the GO Launcher 1 Earth orbit and support hypersonic testing. suborbital vehicle that is air launched from a The program’s flight testing will include fly- business-jet-class aircraft. The company has ing the first stage 10 times over 10 consec- completed several captive flight tests with utive days, launching at least a 900-pound representative hardware and is planning to payload into LEO. reach system preliminary design review in Reaction Engines of Oxfordshire, U.K., 2016. The GO Launcher 1 is intended as a continues to make progress on developing flight test platform and is capable of achiev- the pre-cooling heat exchanger and other ing a wide variety of test conditions. components of the Synergetic Air Breathing Virgin Galactic concluded the investiga- Rocket Engine (SABRE). This engine has the tion of the October 2014 flight test accident potential to enable a horizontal takeoff hyper- of the suborbital SpaceShipTwo and imple- sonic access to space launch system. Reaction mented changes to correct the premature Engines has been collaborating with the U.S. activation of the vehicle’s wing feather sys- Air Force Research Laboratory and the U.K. tem. Construction on the next SpaceShipTwo Defence Science and Technology Labora- airframe is advancing rapidly. Additionally, tory to explore applications of the pre-cooler Virgin Galactic is continuing development of heat exchanger. SABRE was expected to be the LauncherOne small spacelift system. awarded 60 million pounds ($92 million) from In February, the European Space Agency the British government to move to the next flew the Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle. phase of development. In October, Reaction The IXV features a lifting-body design and Engines announced a 20 million pound ($30 a ceramic matrix composite thermal protec- million) investment from BAE Systems. tion system. Launched by the Vega rocket SpaceX has reaffirmed its commitment into LEO, the IXV successfully demonstrated to reusability as an essential element of the atmospheric entry from orbital velocity and company’s vision for the future of spacelift. descended under chutes to an ocean splash- Following several attempts to recover its Fal- down. The configuration and material tech- con 9 first stage, SpaceX officials expect a nologies demonstrated are relevant to future successful recovery within the next year on reusable systems and ESA plans future IXV the company’s downrange drone ship. The flights that will be recovered on land.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 47 PROGRAM COMMITTEES

Next-gen OES-R, the first of four planned The Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-R Gnext-generation Geostationary being prepared for transport from the clean room weather Operational Environmental Satellites, to the vacuum chamber for satellites completed thermal vacuum testing environmental testing. this year at Lockheed Martin Space complete Systems near Denver. Supporting thermal teams from NASA, NOAA, and five instrument facilities completed the vacuum testing two-month test in which the satel- lite was exposed to the harsh vac- by Brian O’Connor uum and temperature environment The Space Environmental of space. Systems Program Committee The primary goal was to per- focuses on environmental form repeated system-level testing at and thermal control extreme temperatures and to dem- technologies for aircraft, onstrate thermal subsystem perfor- spacecraft and space missions. mance, including the spacecraft’s Lockheed Martin more than 100 heat pipes, multilayer insulation, coatings and heater circuits. Post- graph instrument. Industry studies are currently test thermal model correlation is underway underway to determine which organizations and was expected to be completed before the will provide the spacecraft bus and Wide Field end of the year. Launch is scheduled for Oc- Instrument. While the thermal designs for the tober from Kennedy Space Center. existing telescope and the coronagraph instru- NASA’s Space Launch System completed ment are passive, the initial design of the Wide its critical design review this year. The SLS will Field Instrument will incorporate a reverse be the most powerful rocket ever built and Brayton cycle cryocooler with a neon fluid will enable astronauts in the Orion spacecraft loop to actively cool the two channels of the Japan’s Mercury Magnetospheric to travel deeper into the solar system. The re- instrument to below 100 kelvins (-173° Celsius). Orbiter is unboxed in April at the view provided an evaluation of the thermal The Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter, built European Space Research and Technology Centre near Amsterdam. design and analysis, including thermal envi- by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ronments, integration and interfaces (JAXA) for the BepiColombo mission, passed models verification and validation its thermal-vacuum test and was shipped to the plans. This included assessments of mission partner, the European Space Agency the thermal environments on shared (ESA). Each agency has developed separate compartments environments across orbiters that will be launched together. ESA’s the vehicles due to aerodynamic orbiter is called the Mercury Planetary Orbiter. and engine plume heating. The re- JAXA’s orbiter required new thermal control view led to design changes to re- technologies for the high temperature environ- duce risks and improve plans for ment that it will be exposed to in orbit around models verification and validation. Mercury. This includes a high temperature insu- With pre-phase A and risk re- lation that consists of layers of titanium foil sep- duction activities completed for the arated by layers of ceramic fibers. Additionally, Wide Field InfraRed Survey Tele- a high temperature resistant and high thermal European Space Agency scope using Astrophysics Focused conductive honeycomb panel was also devel- Telescope Assets (WFIRST-AFTA), the mission oped for the solar array installed side panels. concept review was scheduled to take place Another thermal-vacuum test done by before the end of the year. The spacecraft will JAXA was for its Astro-H mission. The tele- use a repurposed telescope from the National scope will conduct X-ray astronomy and in- Reconnaissance Office. The spacecraft will be a cludes instruments developed by NASA and serviceable observatory for imaging the near in- the Canadian Space Agency. The chamber that frared sky, measuring dark energy, and search- the spacecraft was tested inside was 13 meters ing for exoplanets. WFIRST-AFTA is planned as in diameter and four-stories tall. The telescope a joint mission between NASA’s Goddard Space and its instruments employ advanced thermal Flight Center in Maryland and the Jet Propul- control technologies, including many heat sion Laboratory. Precise roles and responsibili- pipes for transporting heat around, two 4.5 ties are still being determined, but GSFC will kelvins (-268° Celsius) Joule-Thomson coolers, manage the mission and integration and testing and a two-stage adiabatic demagnetization re- of the spacecraft. JPL will provide the corona- frigerator that can go down to 50 millikelvin.

48 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 PROGRAM COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

his was a banner year for solar-system of the RS-25 engine that will power the SLS Solar-system Texploration with missions to two dwarf were conducted at Stennis Space Center. A planets and a comet. five-segment solid rocket booster was also exploration After traveling for 10 years and three bil- tested in Utah. The critical design reviews marks banner lion miles, the New Horizons spacecraft’s for both SLS and Orion were completed in historic flyby of Pluto on July 14 completed October. year an initial survey of all planets in the solar SpaceX conducted a successful pad abort by Chris Moore system. New Horizons captured spectacular test of their Dragon capsule for NASA’s Com- images of mountain ranges and frozen plains mercial Crew Program. In June, a SpaceX The Space Exploration on Pluto’s surface, and of its five known Falcon 9 rocket failed during launch on a Program Committee brings moons. mission to resupply the ISS. Blue Origins together experts on topics After leaving the asteroid Vesta in 2012, launched its New Shepard rocket on its first relevant to future human and the Dawn mission entered orbit around the suborbital flight test, reaching an altitude of robotic exploration missions. dwarf planet Ceres and discovered several over 300,000 feet. bright spots of unknown origin. In August, NASA decided to pursue a mission con- the European Space Agency’s Rosetta mis- cept for its Asteroid Redirect Mission that will sion watched Comet 67P/Churyumov– use a robotic spacecraft to capture a boulder Gerasimenko release streamers of gas as it from the surface of a near-Earth asteroid and warmed during its approach to perihelion. place the boulder into a stable lunar orbit for Intermittent contact was reestablished with exploration by astronauts. ARM will also test the wayward Philae lander. techniques for deflecting the asteroid to dem- The Kepler spacecraft discovered its onstrate planetary defense capabilities. Work 1,000th con- is progressing firmed extra- on development solar planet, of the solar elec- including a tric propulsion planet 60 per- system, rendez- cent larger than vous sensors, Earth that orbits and autono- within the hab- mous robotic itable zone of manipulators for a Sun-like star. the mission. This planet, In space ex- called Kepler- ploration tech- 452b, is 1.5 bil- nology, Big- lion years older elow Aerospace than Earth. delivered an In human inflatable mod- space explora- ule for launch tion, American to ISS. Deploy- astronaut Scott ment and struc- Kelly and Rus- tural integrity sian cosmonaut of the module Mikhail Ko- will be dem- NASA/Johns Hopkins University rnienko were Applied Physics Laboratory/ onstrated dur- launched to the Southwest Research Institute ing its two-year International mission on ISS Pluto, as seen through blue, red, and infrared images taken on July 14 by Ralph, Space Station a multispectral imaging camera aboard NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft. to aid in the de- in March to sign of future begin a one-year mission to investigate the deep space habitats. NASA conducted a sec- medical and psychological effects of long- ond test of a low-density supersonic decel- duration spaceflight on the crew’s health and erator for landing heavier payloads on Mars. performance. The knowledge gained from The test vehicle was dropped from a high this mission will help NASA develop plans altitude balloon, but the supersonic para- for sending humans to Mars on missions last- chute failed during deployment. NASA also ing more than 1,000 days. completed human-in-the-loop testing of a Development on NASA’s Space Launch portable life support system for an advanced System continued its progress. Several tests space suit.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 49 PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Electric power ignificant 2015 milestones in aerospace NASA this year discontinued work on the Spower systems included the New Ho- Advanced Stirling Radioisotope Generator, shines in rizons spacecraft’s flight through the Pluto ASRG, for flight application because of bud- New Horizons, system in July. That journey came after a get constraints. NASA continues to recognize very long cruise that began with the probe’s the need for high-efficiency Stirling power Messenger launch in 2006. The spacecraft was powered conversion for radioisotope power systems missions by a general-purpose heat source radioiso- and continues investment in the technology tope thermoelectric generator producing including production of the Advanced Stir- By Barbara McKissock about 200 watts at the time of the encounter ling Convertor ASC-E3 design by Sunpower and Gregory Carr with Pluto. New Horizons is performing well Inc. of Athens, Ohio. and sending data to Earth while on its way to The ASRG configuration featured a pair The Aerospace Power the next target in the Kuiper Belt. The Johns of ASC convertors mounted dual-opposed. Systems Technical Hopkins University Applied Science Physics In total, NASA Glenn Research Center has Committee focuses on the analysis, design, test Laboratory designed, built, and operates the tested over 40 Stirling convertors under the or application of electric spacecraft for NASA. Radioisotope Power Systems Program, ac- power systems or elements NASA’s Messenger mission came to an end cumulating over 760,000 hours of opera- of electric power systems when the APL-built spacecraft impacted the tion. The Stirling generator would use only for aerospace use. planet Mercury on April 30 as planned. Mes- one-quarter of the plutonium dioxide fuel senger was launched in August 2004 and went needed by comparable radioisotope ther- into orbit around Mercury in March 2011. The moelectric generators to produce a similar spacecraft was powered by a high-temperature amount of power, thus extending the limited solar array that survived the extreme tempera- national supply of plutonium-238. ture and radiation environment. The tempera- Work continued on a non-nuclear tech- tures on the array reached a maximum above nology demonstration of a large 200 degrees Celsius as the fission reactor power system spacecraft orbited closer for human exploration using a

NASA

NASA and Sunpower are developing a 12-kilowatts-electric power conversion unit for use in the non- nuclear technology demonstration of a fission reactor power system.

12-kilowatts-electric Stirling Power Conver- to the surface of the planet. sion Unit under development by Sunpower. NASA released the Nuclear Power Assess- The Power Conversion Unit features a ment Study in June, a report on a sustain- unique sodium-potassium heat exchanger able strategy for safe, reliable, and affordable that allows it to be integrated with an elec- nuclear power systems for space explora- trically heated reactor simulator developed tion. After examining the agency’s goals for by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in the next 20 years, NASA concluded that there Alabama that includes a pumped sodium- will be a need for radioisotope power systems potassium heat transfer loop. The power and their development well into the 2030s. conversion unit is comprised of two, 6-kilo- The study also considered the extensibility of watts-electric free-piston Stirling engines. the technology to human exploration and op- The unit was delivered in August 2015 and eration mission goals. testing was completed.

50 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

t’s been a year of diverse research, innova- to supply XR-5s to Orbital ATK for its all-electric Another Ition and operations in the field of electric GEOStar 3 satellites. European Space Propul- propulsion. sion is to qualify the XR-5E European variant. busy year Japan’s Hayabusa-2 asteroid explorer, NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Ohio and for electric propelled by four microwave discharge ion the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California con- engines, completed its first maneuver in tinue to develop the 12.5 kilowatt Hall Effect propulsion March, setting the stage for the spacecraft to Rocket with magnetic shielding propulsion sys- collect a sample from asteroid 1999JU3 and tem. Testing verified magnetic shielding over by John Dankanich return it to Earth. Also, NASA’s Dawn space- 2000-3000 seconds specific impulse. Integrated The Electric Propulsion craft achieved orbit around the dwarf planet thruster Power Processing Unit testing operated Technical Committee works Ceres. Dawn’s Ion Propulsion System has at 12.5 kilowatts and up to up to 800 volts. to advance research, operated for over 47,000 hours and used 395 NASA awarded a cost-share contract development and application kilograms of xenon to deliver approximately to build two NASA Evolutionary Xenon of electric propulsion for 11 kilometers/second of Delta-V, or change Thruster systems and power processing units satellites and spacecraft. in velocity, to the spacecraft. as part of a commercial transition project. NASA’s Space Technology 7 demonstra- The hardware has been offered as govern- tion is scheduled for launch in December ment furnished equipment for the latest Dis- on the European Space Agency’s LISA Path- covery Mission opportunity. finder Spacecraft to test eight colloid thrust- NASA Glenn, the Aerospace Corp. ers made by Busek Space and Propulsion and the University of Michigan contin- Systems of Massachusetts. Also, the Air Force ued maturation of the annular ion en- Research Laboratory, the service’s Space and gine for high thrust-to-power operation Missile Systems Center and its Rapid Capabili- over a broad power and specific im- ties Office collaborated to host a Hall thruster pulse range. Tests of the 65 centimeter experiment this year aboard the X-37B to thruster demonstrated uniform plasma characterize performance improvements rela- and broad throttling range with flat car- tive to previous units on board the Advanced bon grids. Extremely High Frequency spacecraft. The University of Stuttgart demon- In the area of small-spacecraft propulsion, strated a spherical inertial electrostatic con- a micro-cathode arc thruster developed by finement system with anode outlet trigger- George Washington University was launched ing a jet of both electrons and ions with in May. The thruster reduced the initial tum- high kinetic energy with potential high ble rates from 30 degrees/second to 1.5 de- impulse low-power thruster. grees/second within 48 hours of deployment. At the component level, New Jersey- Also, the Missouri University of Science and based Marotta continues to characterize its Technology is developing a multi-mode sys- multi-function valve and completed testing tem that integrates electrospray with catalytic with the Sitael (Alta) 5 kilowatt Hall effect microtube propulsion. thruster. Also, VACCO Industries of Califor- Iodine technology continues to gain mo- nia and Alabama delivered custom iodine mentum as the iodine Satellite (iSat) proj- proportional flow control valves for iSat ect heads toward critical design review at and completed the qualification of propor- NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Ala- tional flow control module options. bama. The spacecraft will demonstrate the Electrospray work included three BHT-200-I Hall thruster. Also, Busek’s BIT-3 Game Changing Development awards to RF ion thruster was selected for flight on the mature 100 micronewton systems to tech- Lunar IceCube mission. nology readiness level 5 with MIT, JPL and The PPS 5000 Hall effect thruster from Busek Co. Busek also delivered electronics Snecma will be delivered for flight on the Air- for its BET-1 (1 millinewton) 100 watt elec- bus Eurostar E3000 Electric Orbit Raising (EOR) trospray thruster system. Busek/NASA/MIT satellite in 2016 and is scheduled for flight on At high power, NASA NextSTEP pro- Miniaturized electrospray thrusters Eutelsat’s E172B in 2017. Space Systems Loral pulsion grants were awarded to a team from from, top, Busek Space Propulsion awarded flight sets of PPS 1350-E Hall thrusters, Aerojet Rocketdyne, University of Michigan and Systems, Jet Propulsion with 2.5 kilowatt discharge power. and JPL to demonstrate a 100 kilowatt Hall Laboratory (3-centimeters-wide thruster) and the Massachusetts Aerojet Rocketdyne in June announced an system; to Ad Astra Rocket of Texas for high Institute of Technology. agreement to supply its 5 kilowatt XR-5 Hall power, long duration testing of its variable thruster subsystems for Lockheed Martin’s mod- specific impulse magnetoplasma rocket; and ernized A2100. A few months earlier, in Febru- to MSNW of Washington for its electrodeless ary, Aerojet Rocketdyne announced agreement Lorentz force thruster.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 51 PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Adaptive-cycle evelopment and testing of advanced million-euro research program to test turbine Dengine technologies is a staple in the technologies that will go into its future en- engine design gas turbine industry. In the forefront were gine design, UltraFan. UltraFan will offer at continues collaborative efforts for advanced materials, least 25 percent improvement in fuel burn improved production and maintenance ca- and emissions compared with first genera- to mature pabilities, affordability and development of tion Rolls-Royce Trent engines. Rolls-Royce new research facilities. also participates in Clean Sky 2, a public/pri- by Michael G. List GE and the U.S. Air Force Research Labo- vate Joint Technology Initiative that brings ratory tested the world’s first three-stream, together Europe’s industrial aeronautics lead- The Gas Turbine Engines Technical Committee works adaptive-cycle engine under the Adaptive ers, public research organizations and subject to advance the science Versatile Engine Technology, or ADVENT, matter experts to develop and demonstrate and technology of aircraft program. ADVENT recorded the highest breakthrough technologies for the civil aero- gas turbine engines combined turbine and compressor tempera- space market, reducing emissions and noise and engine components. tures to date. The engine also featured the and securing the continued competitiveness industry’s most expansive use of ceramic of the European aviation industry. In March, matrix composites, or CMCs, in the hot sec- Rolls-Royce also opened an advanced repair tion. GE continues to mature its adaptive facility for components of the LiftSystem for cycle design with the the F-35 Lightning 2 aircraft. The LiftSystem, Air Force through the which provides the vertical-lift capability for Adaptive Engine Tech- the F-35B, is comprised of a LiftFan, 3-Bear- nology Development ing Swivel Module, a roll post under each program. Through the wing, and a shaft connected to the aircraft’s program, GE tested the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. world’s first rotating The University of Notre Dame and several CMC blades in the low- public and private partners have been develop- pressure turbine. In ing a Turbomachinery Facility in Ignition Park addition, GE Aviation in South Bend, Indiana. The facility will in- will spend $500 million clude numerous test cells for full-scale, engine- in 2015 on technology condition compressor and turbine rigs as well maturation testing for as substantial computing capabilities. The ex- Rolls-Royce the new GE9X engine perimental and computing resources will spur The Trent XWB powered for the Boeing 777X. Tests include the CMC collaboration with industrial, government, and the first service flight demonstration testing, high-pressure com- academic partners in the aircraft, power, and oil of the Airbus A350 XWB in January. pressor testing and the first demonstration and gas industries. core test. The $2 million Air Force Prize kicked off in GE and the U.S. Army continue to make May, a first-ever attempt by the service to use progress with the Future Affordable Turbine a prize award to spur development of a new Engine, with rig testing this year and engine type of turbine engine. The winner, the first en- testing scheduled for early 2016. gine to pass all testing requirements, is meant On the commercial front, testing continues to combine the fuel efficiency of a piston en- on CFM International’s new Leading gine and the lightness and durability of Edge Aviation Propulsion en- a turbine engine. gine. The LEAP engine will Collaboration on cru- power the Airbus A320neo, cial technologies impact- COMAC C919 and Boe- ing materials, produc- ing 737 MAX aircraft. tion and maintenance, Rolls-Royce joined and affordability has GE Aviation’s GEnx engine (center) Airbus and Qatar Air- yielded impressive is tested as part of development ways to mark the results for the gas for the GE9X engine, which will be the company’s most first Airbus A350 turbine engine com- fuel-efficient engine. XWB to enter ser- munity. Current and vice in January, future products have powered by Trent been based upon de- XWB engines, the cades of development, world’s most efficient and the trend of prod- large civil aero engine. uct improvement through To continue development, development of new testing Rolls-Royce is supporting a 43 GE Aviation capabilities continues.

52 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

fter flying its X-51A WaveRider demon- Project at NASA Glenn. “The next step is to Busy year Astrator to a top speed of Mach 5.1 in put live propulsion into the CCE inlet hard- 2013, the Air Force Research Laboratory con- ware and test mode transition.” of scramjet ceived a promising program to advance su- To define CCE test parameters, Glenn is research personic-combustion ramjet propulsion even investigating the feasibility of utilizing a com- further. This High Speed Strike Weapon, or mercial off-the-shelf turbine for a flight dem- by Dora E. Musielak HSSW, program will demonstrate hypersonic onstration vehicle. This should reduce the and Bayindir H. Saracoglu missile technologies for striking heavily de- cost of the demonstration program. fended targets from standoff ranges. In August, a scramjet was launched from The High-Speed Air Meanwhile, DARPA’s Hypersonic Air- the Andøya Rocket Range in Norway on the Breathing Propulsion breathing Weapon Concept, or HAWC, pro- seventh mission under the joint Australia-U.S. Technical Committee works to advance gram will pursue flight demonstration of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Exper- the science and technology critical technologies for effective and afford- imentation, or HIFiRE, program. “The scramjet of systems that enable able air-launched hypersonic cruise missiles, commenced during reentry after completing a supersonic and hypersonic including hydrocarbon scramjet-powered pro- suborbital flight, while the payload accelerated air vehicle propulsion. pulsion to enable sustained hypersonic cruise. to over Mach 7,” says Michael Smart, the sci- The Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion ence lead at the University of Queensland for Branch at NASA’s Langley Research Center the HIFiRE 7 flight. “The acquired data showed in Virginia continues to support AFRL’s me- that the vehicle was functioning perfectly, fly- dium-scale critical components, HSSW, the ing on the correct trajectory, and supersonic large-scale Scramjet engine test technique and airflow was established in the combustor.” The DARPA’s HAWC programs. HIFiRE program is intended to determine Langley’s Arc-Heated Scramjet Test Facil- scramjet start at high altitudes and to mea- ity is “undergoing final upgrades to increase its sure engine thrust at lower altitudes. test capability,” says NASA’s Richard Gaffney, The International Space Plane Hy- head of the Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion personic Systems and Technologies Branch. The Direct-Connect Supersonic-Com- Conference was held in Scotland in July. bustion Test Facility was brought back online Adam Siebenhaar, a retired Aerojet ex-

in June after being dormant for several years. ecutive and conference chairman, says: NASA Glenn Research Center Another effort is underway at Langley to design “The unexpected high conference at- and construct a new water-cooled Mach-6 noz- tendance refreshingly reflects a revived zle for the 8-Foot High Temperature Tunnel. global interest and investment in hyper- In April, NASA Glenn Research Center and sonic technologies.” AFRL began phase-three testing of the Com- Development of the Sabre4 engine bined Cycle Engine-Large Scale Inlet Mode that will propel the single-stage-to-orbit Transition Experiment C in the 10-by-10-foot Skylon D1 continues after a success- Phase 3 tests began in April Supersonic Wind Tunnel. The combined-cy- ful precooler and frost control demonstration in the 10’×10’ Supersonic Wind cle engine, CCE, project aims to demonstrate in 2012. “Development includes technology Tunnel for the NASA/Air Force closed-loop control to enable smooth and programs addressing intake and nozzle aero- Research Laboratory’s combined- cycle engine — large scale inlet stable inlet operation throughout mode tran- dynamics, durable combustion chambers, and for mode transition experiment. sition without unstart for turbine-based com- lightweight heat exchangers,” says Richard bined cycle propulsion. Varvill, technical director at Reaction Engines “NASA has demonstrated mode transition in Oxfordshire, U.K. of the CCE inlets at Mach 3+,” says Paul Bar- In Japan, Aoyama Gakuin University simu- tolotta, deputy manager of the Hypersonics lated a rotating detonation engine fueled with gaseous JP10-air. Researchers obtained mix- ture-based specific impulse data by using a two-step reaction mechanism. Russia’s Central Institute of Aviation Motors developed a scramjet module for the European Space Agency’s High-Speed Experimental Fly Vehicles International demonstrator. The pro- gram aims to advance high-speed civil aircraft. Comprised of fixed-geometry inlet, elliptical expanding combustor, two-stage fuel injection

Lockheed Martin system with flame stabilizers and axisymmetric nozzle, the scramjet was successfully tested at The High Speed Strike Weapon demonstrator will test technologies for a standoff missile. conditions simulating Mach 7.4 flight.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 53 PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Expanding he field of hybrid propulsion marked brid design that utilizes an altering-intensity, T2015 with several notable accomplish- swirl-oxidizer type flow. This design en- the global ments, global collaborations and geographi- hances performance through continuous, footprint of cal expansions. thrust-independent control of the oxidizer- After six years of development, a group of fuel ratio. The concept featured both axial hybrid rocketry German students from Technische Universität and tangential oxidizer injectors that permit- München brought hybrid rocketry to Brazil ted adjusting the oxidizer swirl intensity in- by Joseph Majdalani in May by launching a self-pressurizing 225 dependently of the throttle setting. The dem- pound-force WARR-EX 2 motor to an altitude onstration indicated that the performance of The Hybrid Rockets of 4.3 kilometers off the country’s Natal coast. such rockets could be improved by optimiz- Technical Committee studies techniques applied WARR, the German Scientific Workgroup for ing the oxidizer-fuel ratio over the course of to the design and testing Rocketry and Space Flight, has been actively the burn. The majority of this improvement of rocket motors using promoting hybrid propulsion across Europe. manifested itself in the form of increased hybrid rocket systems. Also in May, SystemsGo, the nonprofit combustion efficiency and reduced un- STEM education program based in Freder- burned fuel slivers relative to a conventional icksburg, Texas, that specializes in promot- swirl-oxidizer-flow-type rocket. ing hybrid rocketry in high schools, finished The Aerospace Systems Research Group testing nearly 100 Tsiolkovsky and Oberth at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa has developed a successor to the Phoenix-1A hybrid rocket, which was launched from the Denel Over- berg Test Range in South Africa late in 2014. Phoenix-1B will employ the same ground support equipment deployed for the 1A launch, includ- ing the mobile launch platform. As the workhorse vehicle for the South African Hybrid Sounding Rocket Program, 1B features a revised sil- ica phenolic/graphite nozzle. When Phoenix-1A was flown near the Western Cape, its nozzle failed, lead- ing to off-design performance. None- theless, the vehicle still attained an apogee of 2,500 meters and a maxi- mum speed of 250 meters per sec- ond during its 55-second flight. The first Phoenix-1B launch is planned for next July. The Advanced Propulsion Re- search Group at Auburn University developed a working model of the quadrupole vortex hybrid rocket engine. The QpV motion leverages SystemsGo an innovative rotary concept that is capable of driving high regression In July, Texas students traveled to White Sands Missile Range rockets from sites in Texas. These vehicles rates in cylindrically-shaped grain configura- in New Mexico to test their aim to either lift one pound of payload one tions. Auburn’s work builds upon previous rockets. Left: A rocker from mile high, or break the sound barrier. Sys- research into the effectiveness of quadru- Houston’s Booker T. Washington High School; right: San Antonio’s temsGo so far has trained 85 new teach- pole vortex configurations in heat transfer Alamo High School. ers to implement its sequenced, four-year applications and draws inspiration from its aeroscience curriculum. The group has also use as an efficient mechanical drill in the pe- launched all six Goddard-level vehicles, troleum industry. The combination of these targeting an altitude of nearly 30 kilome- characteristics gives rise to regression rate ters, from the White Sands Missile Range in improvements on par with other swirl-driven New Mexico. hybrids while at the same time offering the Researchers at JAXA, the Japan Aero- additional benefits of greatly increased mix- space Exploration Agency, simulated a hy- ing, heat transfer and combustion stability.

54 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

ommercial space continued to be the domi- The Ariane 6 main stage will be based on a Commercial Cnant focus of liquid propulsion develop- streamlined Ariane 5 design. The upper stage ments in 2015. In June, SpaceX completed a will be new and include the re-ignitable space drives critical design review for an upgraded Merlin Vinci rocket engine. The new vehicle is be- advances engine for later Falcon 9 flights. Orbital ATK ing developed by Airbus Safran Launchers, continues with efforts to return the Antares a joint venture encompassing the launcher in liquid rocket to flight following the October 2014 mis- activities of Airbus Defence and Space and propulsion hap with the CRS-3 resupply mission. Orbital is the propulsion activities of Safran. upgrading the Antares with new RD-181 first- The return of crew transportation capabil- by David Ransom stage engines for greater payload and better re- ity to the U.S. is looming closer. SpaceX com- liability. Certification tests were completed with pleted a pad abort test this May and NASA, The Liquid Propulsion seven hot fire tests and a return to flight is an- ULA and Aerojet Rocketdyne completed Ex- Technical Committee ticipated in 2016. ploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1) in December works to advance reaction Other boost-propulsion developments 2014. The pad-abort test was conducted us- propulsion engines employing liquid this year include the completion of prelimi- ing the SuperDraco propulsion system on- or gaseous propellants. nary design review of Blue Origin’s 2,447- board the Dragon spacecraft. Each Super- kN (kilonewton) BE-4 engine with ongoing Draco is powered by nitrogen tetroxide and testing of its main injector, preburner, tur- monomethylhydrazine and produces 71 kN of bopump and valves. In September, ULA an- thrust. EFT-1 was performed using the ULA nounced development plans for its Vulcan Delta 4 Heavy vehicle powered by Aero- launch system to be powered by the BE-4 jet RS-68A engines for the boost stage In April, a liquid-hydrogen as main propulsion. ULA is maintaining the (3,123 kN thrust each) and one RL10B-2 fueled BE-3 engine lifted Aerojet Rocketdyne AR-1 engine as a backup engine for the upper stage producing 110 Blue Origin’s New Shepard option. Aerojet also completed a 535-second kN of thrust. vehicle through Mach 3 and an altitude verification test of the RS-25 engine that will Orbital Technologies, Aerojet, ULA of 307,000 feet power NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS), and XCOR Aerospace report making during its first taking astronauts deeper into space. progress in upper stage propulsion de- developmental flight. Meanwhile, the Stennis Space Center B-2 velopment. Orbital scaled the vortex test stand continues to be upgraded to sup- thrust chamber assembly to the 133 kN port SLS stage testing. Blue Origin’s BE-3 489- thrust level and demonstrated that the kN thrust engine performed flawlessly while chamber can be readily transitioned be- powering the maiden flight of the company’s tween various hydrocarbons with only New Shepard space vehicle on April 29. minor changes to the injector elements. International highlights include the Japan In December 2014, the first AR RL10C-1 Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) de- engine flew aboard the Atlas V. The velopment of the H-3 launch vehicle, which RL10C-1 delivers 102 kN of thrust for Blue Origin will be propelled by new LE-9 engines, and the Atlas second stage using LO2/LH2, the European Space Agency’s decision to de- offering reduced life cycle costs for the fu- velop a new launch vehicle, the Ariane 6. ture. ULA also continues to work with XCOR on a novel, low cost 111 kN class LO2/LH2 engine, initi- The Aerojet Rocketdyne-designed ating hot fire testing of a 10 RS-25 engine for the Space percent thrust technology Launch System underwent a 535-second test in August. demonstrator version of the engine. Airbus Safran Launch- ers is preparing a reusable liquid oxygen/liquid methane thrust chamber demonstrator in the 400-kN class for hot fir- ing at DLR/Lampoldshausen. JAXA has researched the use of electron beam melting for the manufacture of cold gas thrusters that could be used for attitude control during re- entry. Performance tests are in progress with qualification NASA tests in the near future.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 55 PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Initial steps n 2015, the research in nuclear and future Previously, NASA’s Glenn Research Center, Iflight propulsion investigated nuclear pro- the U.S. Department of Energy and industry for nuclear pulsion in many forms and configurations. partners outlined a preliminary plan for design, thermal rocket These nuclear propulsion systems are best development, test, and engineering for NTR suited for interplanetary travel. While there stages for NASA headquarters that involved design is always hope for breakthroughs, no practi- significant system-level demonstration projects. cal ideas for fast interstellar flights within a Included were ground test demonstrations at by Bryan Palaszewski human lifetime are showing promise. Studies the Nevada National Security Site, followed point to nuclear fusion as one important op- by a flight test demonstration mission. To The Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion Technical tion, but the power levels needed for such reduce development costs, the demonstra- Committee works to advance propulsion systems are far beyond our grasp tion tests use a small, low-thrust-level (7,500 the implementation with our current investments. pound or 16,500 pound) engine. Both engines and design of nonchemical, A team from the University of Connecti- use graphite composite fuel and a “common” high-energy propulsion cut, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and fuel element design that is scalable to higher- systems other than the University of Michigan assessed laser- thrust, 25,000-pound engines by increasing the electric thruster systems. heated pellet pulse propulsion, LHPPP, number of elements in a larger diameter core which has the potential to compete with that can produce greater thermal power out- near-term deep space propulsion systems. put. To keep the FTD mission cost down, a LHPPP’s ultimate potential, however, is in simple “1-burn” lunar flyby mission was con- pulsed fusion propulsion. This evolution- sidered along with maximizing the use of exist- ary approach makes LHPPP very attractive ing and flight-proven liquid rocket and stage for development today. Systems for attitude hardware (e.g., from the RL10-B2 engine and control and orbital correction of geosynchro- Delta Cryogenic Second Stage) to further en- nous satellites would provide the experience sure affordability. The planning would lead necessary to begin the development. to the flight of a small NTR engine and stage NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne are de- within a 10-year time frame. signing nuclear thermal rockets, NTR, for In July, NASA Glenn for the first time pre- near-term applications. Nuclear testing op- sented detailed analyses of elements of aerial tions were assessed by NASA Stennis Space transportation for atmospheric mining in the Center and Aerojet-Rocketdyne engineers. outer solar system. The paper also focused Testing of the simulated nuclear fuel ele- on an outer planet exploration with gas core ments is underway at the NASA Marshall and fusion propulsion applications, includ- Space Flight Center. Small NTR stages for in- ing interstellar missions. space testing were assessed. Helium 3 and deuterium would be the fuels wrested from the planets’ at- mospheres with a closed cycle gas core nuclear rocket mining aero- spacecraft. Subsequently, the fuels RL10 Fuel Retracted Turbopump Length would be transported to an outer 194.1 (in) planet moon for processing. Sizing 493 (cm) of several transportation vehicles Core and their related systems was pre- Core Length sented: moon base propellant fac- PV Dia. 35 (in) Total tories, moon base landers, and or- 34.5 (in) 88.9 (cm) Length 87.7 (cm) 243.7 (in) bital transfer vehicles. Preliminary 619 (cm) mission planning and optimiza- tions for atmospheric mining were detailed and travel times for or-

Regenerative bital transfer vehicles from Uranus and Retracted and Neptune to their respective Radiation-cooled Length ISRU moon bases were presented. Nozzle Retractable 194.1 in 493 cm Radiation-cooled Preliminary optimization results of Section Exit Dia. the transportation system pointed 49.6 (in) 52.1 (in) toward at 10 megawatt nuclear 126 (cm) 132.3 (cm) electric orbital transfer vehicle and a 200 metric ton propellant-pay- NASA load, oxygen-hydrogen propulsion NASA is assessing a small nuclear thermal rocket engine and stage for in-space testing. moon lander.

56 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

wo divisions within the U.S. Air Force’s tests were carried out at duplicated hyper- Exploring TAerospace Systems Directorate — High sonic flight conditions in the JF-12 hypersonic Speed Systems and Turbines Engines — col- shock tunnel. This Chinese facility is about combustion laborated to demonstrate the utility of an 275 meters in length with a nozzle exit diam- Nd:YAG burst-mode laser system to inter- eter of 2.5 meters, and is capable of reproduc- and supersonic rogate the ignition transient within a cavity ing air flows of more than 100 millisecond test flow flameholder (fueled with ethylene, C2H4) in duration for Mach numbers from 5-9 at 25 to a Mach-2 crossflow. 50 kilometer altitude to meet the requirement by Joanna Austin For this purpose the burst-mode laser was of full scale integrated hypersonic vehicle and Yiguang Ju set up in the Research Cell 19 Supersonic Flow tests and study of high temperature gas dy- The Propellants and Facility and configured to excite formaldehyde namics. Scramjet tests were completed with Combustion Technical using the frequency-tripled output (355 nano- the performance test engine, which is 2.2 me- Committee works to advance meter) of the laser. The output laser beam was ters long and consists of an inlet, a combustor the knowledge and effective formed into a probe sheet (about 50 millimeter and an expansion nozzle. The combustor is use of propellants and high by 0.3 millimeter thick) that was positioned made with two cavities and fuel injections are combustion systems for 10-millimeter from the leading edge of the cav- distributed between the cavities for heat re- military, civil and commercial aerospace systems. ity. The burst-mode laser was fired at 50 or 100 lease control. The nozzle is two-dimensional kilohertz, and so either 500 or 1000 pulses were and 1.5 meters in length. The test flow is delivered within the laser’s 10-millisecond burst time; total energy per burst was limited to about 40 joules, and thus at 50 kilohertz the pulse en- ergy was 80 millijoule. An intensified complementary metal- oxide-semiconductor camera (framing at either 50,000 or 100,000 frames per second) was posi- tioned adjacent to the tunnel to capture CH2O planar laser-induced fluorescence (PLIF), us- ing a Schiempflug mount for off-axis imaging — during the cavity’s ignition transient. These measurements clearly show the time evolution of cavity ignition (via the CH2O PLIF images) and indicate a strong correlation between fuel- ing rate and the delay between the onset of ignition and stable combustion (roughly 5 ms with spark ignition). Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences/Zonglin Jiang More importantly, the work, involving A section of China’s JF-12 high-bandwidth laser diagnostics, shows that Mach 7 with total temperature of 2200 kelvin hypersonic shock tunnel, the span-wise propagation rate and structure and dynamic pressure of 50 kilopascal. Two which was built to replicate of the flame is highly dependent on both the operation modes were found for the test en- flight conditions for air-breathing fueling rate and ignition source. gine. In one mode, the pressure profile mea- hypersonic vehicles. At the Institute of Mechanics of the Chi- sured by distributed pressure transducers is nese Academy of Sciences, full-scale scramjet flat with slight perturbations indicating stable combustion. In the other mode, periodical pressure oscillations at about 200 hertz were observed. The equivalence ratio is only the difference between the two tests. This im- portant phenomenon could be defined as the engine surging and is a critical issue for scramjet operation control. High speed im- ages show that the high-temperature gas is not observable when a shock wave is di- gested from the inlet. Most of the scramjet tests were conducted in combustion-based test facilities so that the experimental data at

Institute of Mechanics, duplicated hypersonic flight condition would Chinese Academy of Sciences/Zonglin Jiang be of fundamental importance for explor- Pressure variations recorded in a combustor; top image ing coupling of combustion, supersonic flow shows stable combustion at ER=1.06 and the other shows and shock dynamics. unstable combustion at ER=1.10.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 57 PROPULSION AND ENERGY

Solids rockets his year saw several notable flight tests wider regions. The mission, Control Test Ve- Tand milestones of technology advance- hicle-01, evaluated the SM-3 Block 2A’s nose for space and ments and sustained production in solid cone performance, steering control section missile defense rockets. function, booster separation, and second and Lockheed Martin demonstrated its multi- third stage rocket motor separation. by Barbara Leary, mode Joint Air-to-Ground Missile engaging In a first-of-its-kind test, the U.S. Navy Rob Black, two laser-designated stationary targets dur- in July fired a Raytheon Standard Missile-6 and Agostino Neri ing government-led flight tests at Eglin Air Dual 1, intercepting and destroying a short- Force Base in Florida. The U.S. Army and the range ballistic missile target at sea. The test The Solid Rockets Technical Javelin Joint Venture, comprising Raytheon showed that a modified SM-6 can eliminate Committee works to advance and Lockheed Martin, conducted live-fire Jav- threat ballistic missiles in their final seconds the art, science and elin missile engagements against tank targets of flight. engineering of solid rocket propulsion, and to foster from different launcher and platform configu- The launch-systems area also recorded dissemination of new rations, displaying extended range and versa- significant progress this year. NASA’s Ex- knowledge in this field. tility. In addition, the 40,000th Javelin missile ploration Flight Test-1 launched from Cape system was delivered to the U.S. Army. Canaveral, and jettisoned the Lockheed Mar- In June the U.S. Navy and Raytheon com- tin-built spacecraft using the Orion jettison pleted operational testing and evaluation live motor built by Aerojet Rocketdyne. fires of the AIM-9X Sidewinder Block 2 infra- Vega, the European launch system de- red air-to-air missile. Testing and evaluation veloped by the Italian company ELV and consisted of 16 planned shots against a mix operated by Arianespace, performed three of full-scale and sub-scale targets. flights maintaining the objectives of the 2015 Aerojet Rocketdyne delivered the 200th launch manifest. Vega is composed of three booster motor and Divert and Attitude Con- solid propulsion stages manufactured by trol System for the Terminal High Altitude Avio Spazio: P80, Zefiro 23 and Zefiro 9. Area Defense weapon system. Aerojet Rock- Ariane 5 launch system, using two solid etdyne supplies both propulsion systems. propellant boosters built by Europropulsion The U.S. Navy and Missile Defense — a joint venture between Avio and Airbus Agency conducted the first flight test of the Safran Lanceurs — continued to prove to Raytheon Standard Missile-3 Block 2A in- be a robust and reliable workhorse, reach- terceptor. The interceptor has larger rocket ing more than 65 consecutive successful motors to add increased kill capability over missions. In addition, following the deci- sions of the 2014 European Space Agency’s The European Space Agency’s Ministerial Conference, the development of Intermediate Experimental Vehicle atop a Vega rocket. A new Zefiro two high-performance solid rocket motors, 40 solid rocket motor will propel namely P120C and Zefiro 40, that will power the second stage of a more the new Ariane 6 and Vega Consolidated powerful version of Vega now (Vega C) launch vehicles, has begun. in development. Orbital ATK, formed by the merger of Orbital Sciences and the Aerospace and De- fense Groups of Alliant Techsystems in Feb- ruary, supported a GPS 2F-9 satellite launch on board a Delta 4 medium-plus rocket in a configuration featuring two commercial GEM-60 solid rocket motors. These were the 43rd and 44th GEM-60s to fly. This year was the 25th anniversary of the first flight of the Pegasus air-launch rocket. To date, Pegasus has conducted a total of 42 space launches, including 28 consecutive successes over the past 18 years. Orbital ATK conducted the first qualifi- cation test of the five-segment solid rocket motor that will be used for NASA’s heavy-lift Space Launch System. The motor produced 3.6 million pounds of thrust and burned for just over two minutes. The rocket is the larg- European Space Agency est human-rated rocket built today.

58 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

dditive manufacturing is a frontier tech- amenable to additive manufacturing. EBM, a Energy Anology that could revolutionize the way Mölndal, Sweden-based company that makes energy-system components are designed and metal additive-manufacturing equipment, engineering fabricated. Recent innovation in additive man- recently established new methods to help with frontier ufacturing processes for metal, such as laser set parameters for working with novel high- and electron beam melting, have opened ways temperature super alloys. additive to produce novel components. They include Researchers at the University of Texas at manufacturing highly geometric, complex parts such as fuel El Paso have outlined several challenges — injectors and pumps made in one step. This mostly materials-related — that still need to be by Ahsan Choudhuri year, NASA tested the first-ever 3D-printed overcome in order for electron-beam melting and Ryan Wicker turbopump with liquid hydrogen propellant to become a mainstream additive technique and the FAA certified the first 3D-printed com- and possibly the technique of choice for fab- The Terrestrial Energy ponent for commercial jet engines. ricating parts aimed at functioning under en- Systems Technical Metal additive manufacturing processes vironmental extremes of most energy systems. Committee works to advance the application of engineering pose the innovation in design renaissance for First, the range of raw-powder materials sciences and systems layer-by-layer fabrication of complex, custom commonly used to make metal parts through engineering to the production, metal or alloy energy system components additive manufacturing is limited to just a storage, distribution and impossible to achieve by more conventional few metals and alloys. Secondly, the effect conservation of energy for processing of wrought or cast. Additionally, of the processing parameters, raw powder terrestrial uses. metal AM processes allow embedding or in- characteristics and post-processing treatment tegrating sensors in complex energy system on the structural, chemical and mechanical components without the modification of the properties of the part and its ability to with- component post-production. In addition, metal additive man- ufacturing has made possible wholly new approaches to component de- sign. One example is the ability to integrate parts with sensors for monitoring aircraft health and per- formance. The lack of assembly re- quirements, along with virtually un- limited possibilities for geometrical complexity, make additive manufac- turing methods particularly attractive for fabricating multi-functional parts that can operate under extreme en- vironments, whether high tempera- tures or pressures, as well as highly reducing or oxidizing atmospheres. Investigators of the W. M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation and NASA MIRO Center for Space Exploration Technology Research, both based at NASA/MSFC/David Olive the University of Texas at El Paso, are developing complex combustor NASA engineers prepare a 3D-printed turbopump for a test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. components with embedded sen- sors using metal additive manufacturing. The stand extreme environments are not well UTEP group this year embedded piezoelec- established. There is an apparent need for tric sensors in an additively-manufactured exploring alternative metal AM materials via component by using a stopping-and-restart- novel syntheses and powder modification ing process with electron-beam melting. processes, as well as for comprehensive in- To take full advantage of the unique ca- vestigations based on computer-simulation pabilities of the technique, components have predictions validated by processing-charac- to be designed within the constraints and terization experiments. Investigations should abilities of the 3D-build process. Various de- be aimed at understanding and eventually signs of energy-system components, such as controlling the parameters that dictate the fuel injectors with intricate internal cavities, properties of the parts fabricated by metal have to be carefully evaluated to make them additive manufacturing.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 59 SPACE AND MISSILES

Eating lettuce he NASA Advanced Exploration Systems TLife Support Systems team is addressing grown in space environmental control and life system technol- ogy gaps, the goal being to improve reliability by Joe Chambliss and further close the air and water recovery The Life Sciences and loops. The team is also advancing toward in- Systems Technical Committee tegrated ground testing and ISS testing. Mile- advances technologies stones completed this year include a spacecraft required to keep people atmosphere monitor systems requirements re- healthy and safe as they view; alternate sorbent and desiccant selection explore space. and testing for CO2 removal; cascade distilla- tion system critical design review; validation and advancement of a combustion products monitor; and incorporation of autonomous controls in life support subsystems. NASA’s test of the Amine Swing Bed for Google executive Alan Eustace made carbon dioxide removal continued on ISS. history with his The one-year mission began on ISS with parachute jump from the stratosphere. the March 25 launch and docking of a Soyuz Paragon Space capsule carrying crew members Scott Kelly and Development Corp. Mikhail Kornienko. In-flight data collection in support of human research program investiga- tions is underway. A space human factors and will deploy a plant production facility to the habitability study will systematically review German Neumayer 3 Antarctic station in 2017 how microgravity and gravitational transitions which will include both an ISS full-rack plant affect crew members’ fine motor skills. growth demonstrator as well as a larger com- The first successful human tests of Porta- partment representative of early planetary sur- ble Life Support System (PLSS) 2.0, for future face systems. The project will provide overwin- space suits were completed marking the first tering crews with fresh produce. It will advance time a NASA-developed PLSS has been built the technology readiness of controlled environ- using advanced technologies, packaged into a ment agriculture technologies and biological representative volume, and tested with a hu- life support operational procedures for flight. man in the loop since the 1970s. Tests demon- The ISS crew was given approval this year strated that PLSS 2.0 and supporting test sys- to consume a lettuce crop grown on the sta- tem can maintain a safe environment in the tion in a compact, low-power chamber called Mark 3 space suit. Veggie. On August 10, Scott Kelly, Kjell Lind- NASA’s Johnson Space Center, which man- gren and Japanese astronaut Kimiya Yui en- ages research on new spacesuit designs, com- joyed space-grown red romaine lettuce, which pleted the fourth and final suited evaluation in was the first produce grown on ISS that the the 2015 Vacuum Pressure Integrated Suit Test crew was allowed to eat, much to their delight. in March. Four suited events evaluated the inte- Veggie advances knowledge of space horti- grated performance of Orion’s vehicle environ- culture by developing low-energy, simple meth- mental control and life support system hardware ods to grow a variety of crops with the goal of under flight-like conditions in the Building 7 11- supplementing astronaut diets with variety and One small bite for man, one giant foot vacuum chamber. The Orion ECLSS system keeping our explorers connected to Earth. leaf for future space explorers. was the sole provider of life support to two test The suit Google executive Alan Eustace Astronauts this year grew — and ate — lettuce in the International subjects, providing 100% oxygen and carbon di- wore for his record-setting dive from a para- Space Station. oxide removal. chute from near the stratosphere in October NASA hosted a planetary pro- 2014 was accepted by the Smithsonian Na- tection workshop in March at Ames tional Air and Space Museum. The self-con- Research Center. Since the last work- tained, 5.3-pounds-per-square-inch-absolute shop in 2005, the capability of ge- pressurized spacesuit was custom made by nomic sequencing now allows thor- ILC Dover; its PLSS and spin stabilization sys- ough characterization of microbes. tem designed by Paragon Space Development The European Union ISS Ant- Corp., and the parachute system was devel- arctic Greenhouse Module Project oped by United Parachute Technologies. started in March with 13 partners The dive was a finalist for the 2015 Col- NASA from across Europe. The project lier Prize.

60 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

n July, the European Space Agency cludes efforts in theoretical and numerical Levitation study Ilaunched the Materials Science Labora- modeling for estimating burning rates, flame tory Electromagnetic Levitator to the In- standoff ratios and extinction diameters for starts on space ternational Space Station, where it is oper- the droplet configuration.Ketohydroperox - station ating in the European Columbus laboratory. ides have been identified as the key inter- Electromagnetic levitation provides a unique mediate reaction species that determines the by Michael P. SanSoucie, way to study electrically conducting samples, chemical kinetic pathway during combustion Robert D. Green such as metals and semiconductors, free of straight chain alkane fuels. and Michael C. Hicks from the influences of surface contacts. The Insights from this year’s experiments and The Microgravity and Space MSL-EML uses copper coils to levitate and analyses are being used to formulate test pa- Processes Technical heat samples without the interference of a rameters for a follow-on ISS experiment, the Committee encourages container or data-gathering instrumentation. cool flame investigation. This will investigate the advancement and public This will allow the formation of free float- a range of other fuels, including biofuels, to awareness of low-gravity ing liquid droplets over a wide range of tem- better understand low-temperature chemistry studies in physics, materials, peratures, above and below the material’s and its relation with recent observations of biological sciences and related fields. melting point, providing access to physical the cool flame phenomenon. states otherwise impossible to achieve in 1-G In the fluid physics discipline, further cap- environments. illary flow experiments — 2 operations were For example, undercooling — an impor- performed on the space station with tant non-equilibrium state in material science the vane gap 1 vessel. This ex- studies when the material remains in the perimental unit consists of a liquid phase at temperatures below its melt- perforated rotating vane ing point — can be achieved at lower tem- inside an elliptical peratures for longer. This containerless type cross-section test of processing will allow for precise, undis- chamber with turbed measurements of the thermophysical 10 centistoke properties of molten metals; such properties silicone oil as include surface tension, viscosity, density the working and conductivity of the material over a wide fluid. When range of temperatures. the vane is Droplet combustion experiments per- rotated, the formed in the flammability and extinguish- silicone oil ment experiment (FLEX) continued on the “wicks” up ISS. Single droplet experiments with decane, the vane at a constituent of gasoline, provided the first the intersection visual evidence of a cool flame, or barely of the vane and perceptible flames that burn at a third to half test chamber wall the temperature of normal flames and which at certain critical have far reaching implications for a number angles. These critical European Space Agency of combustion technologies. Recent drop- vane angles are a function let experiments showed that it is possible of both the angle and the gap to directly ignite a cool flame without going between the wall and the vane, and through a progression from hot flame to ra- whether the vane perforations are open or The Materials Science diative extinction to cool flame — something filled with fluid. In this year’s investigation, Laboratory Electromagnetic previously believed necessary. Additional these critical vane angles were characterized Levitator is operating in the European Columbus laboratory experiments involving binary droplet arrays for several “patterns” of open and filled vane at the International Space also exhibit cool flame burning. These ex- perforations. The CFE-2 experiments have Station. periments result in a large “envelope flame” shed significant light on moving capillary surrounding the two droplets. Because of the boundary conditions, passive capillary migra- larger flame structure, a higher radiative loss tion, passive bubble separation, and critical causes a radiative extinction to occur at much geometric wetting, and find application in smaller droplet sizes. This promotes an earlier fluids management aboard spacecraft includ- transition into the cool flame regime and has ing passive phase separations, urine collec- interesting implications with spray combus- tion systems, and condensing heat exchang- tion. ers — for both NASA and the U.S. commercial The FLEX experiments have renewed in- aerospace industry. Terrestrial applications in- terest in the combustion community in low- clude microfluidics for bio-sensing, medical temperature combustion processes. This in- tubing and even candle wicks.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 61 SPACE AND MISSILES

Air and missile his year saw continued advancement of Tseveral missile technologies, particularly defense make in air and missile defense systems. strides Significant improvements to the U.S. air- to-air missile inventory came when Raythe- by Jeff Scott, on’s AIM-9X Block 2 reached initial opera- Edward Eiswirth tion capability in March and the AIM-120D and Mark Friedlander achieved the same in April. The AIM-120D advanced medium range U.S. Navy The Missile Systems air-to-air missile has 50 percent greater range Technical Committee and improved navigation than its predecessor, A Tomahawk cruise missile hits a moving target after receiving focuses on technologies position updates from surveillance aircraft. associated with the design, thanks to a new rocket motor and addition of development, operations, GPS. These upgrades plus a two-way datalink and utilization of strategic and improved high off-boresight capability of the U.S. Navy’s integrated air and missile and tactical missile systems. increase no-escape boundaries and enhance defense strategy, SM-6 and the Lockheed Mar- probability of kill. tin Aegis Combat System are able to identify AIM-9X Block 2 enhances the Side- and destroy threats from beyond the radar ho- winder air-to-air-missile with improvements rizon. Powered by Aerojet first- and second- in seeker performance, infrared stage rocket motors, SM-6 can also engage counter-countermeasures, kine- land targets using GPS. matics and lock-on after launch Overseas, Australia demonstrated a wing supported by a datalink for be- kit for Boeing’s Joint Direct Attack Munition. yond-visual-range engagements. This extended range variant triples the range Further enhancements are un- of the GPS-guided bomb by adapting technol- derway in the Block 3 program ogy from Boeing’s Small Diameter Bomb in- to replace the rocket motor and crement 1. SDB 1 itself has been heavily used warhead for increased range and by the U.S. Air Force during the air campaign lethality. The missile is being in- in Iraq and Syria. tegrated onto a variety of aircraft, The year also saw continued anti-ship including the F-35, for the U.S. Air missile development. Navy engineers dem- Force and the Navy, as well as for onstrated new applications for the Toma- international customers. hawk cruise missile by modifying existing The U.S. Army is also testing datalinks and sensors to communicate over AIM-9X Block 2 with its multi-mis- the same network. During a January test, a sion launcher. Successful launches ‘synthetically guided’ Tomahawk launched against an unmanned aircraft at the from USS Kidd off California. While the White Sands Missile Range in New missile was in flight, a surveillance aircraft

U.S. Navy Mexico in April and over the Navy’s transmitted real-time location data of a mov- China Lake test range in California ing ship to China Lake, California, which re- A Raytheon Standard Missile in August demonstrated AIM-9X’s capabilities layed the information to the Tomahawk via SM-6 Dual 1 variant was test fired from the USS John Paul Jones to as a ground-based air defense system. The its existing two-way satellite datalink. The intercept a ballistic missile in the multi-mission launcher, a modular launcher for test demonstrated the missile’s ability to alter final phase of flight. up to 16 interceptors, has been further tested course and hit a moving target without an with Lockheed’s Miniature hit-to-kill vehicle to onboard seeker, using only position updates demonstrate a low-cost counter-rockets, artil- from the surveillance plane. lery and mortars capability. Meanwhile in strategic systems, June At the other end of the air-defense spec- marked the 45th anniversary of Minuteman 3 trum lies the challenge of defeating ballistic operations. Among the Air Force operational missiles. In July, the U.S. Missile Defense evaluations performed in 2015, prime con- Agency launched the latest variant of Raythe- tractor Boeing supported testing of an un- on’s Standard Missile-6, called Dual 1. This armed Minuteman 3 launched from Vanden- “dual mission capable” variant can engage berg Air Force Base in California, as directed relatively low speed targets like aircraft and by crewmembers aboard an E-6B Airborne cruise missiles as well as ballistic missiles. The Command Post aircraft. The intercontinen- test demonstrated Dual 1’s active seeker and tal ballistic missile traveled 4,200 miles to its improved targeting software to identify, track target in the Pacific, verifying accuracy and and kill a ballistic warhead descending from reliability to ensure Minuteman remains an the upper atmosphere at extreme speed. Part effective deterrent.

62 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

etween 1950 and the early 1990s NASA ins derived from the modular system can fit Expandable Binvestigated several inflatable or ex- into the Space Launch System Orion “trunk” pandable space structures, most notably the or can be mounted with mobility systems to space habitats Transit Habitat (Transhab) module. Follow- function as pressurized rovers, in-space taxis, ready for launch ing its cancellation, Bigelow Aerospace pur- ascent stage cabins or propellant tanks. Larger chased the rights to this technology. To date, volumes could also be created using inflatable by Maria Joao Durao, Bigelow Aerospace has flown two pathfinder elements for long-duration deep space mis- Barbara Imhof, Donald spacecraft and — after a roughly two and a sions, and planetary surface outposts. Barker, Mark Kerr, half year development, fabrication, and test- This year marks the conclusion of the and Sandra Haeuplik- Meusburger ing cycle — has developed the Bigelow Ex- Self-Deployable Habitat for Extreme Envi- pandable Activity Module. ronments, SHEE, project, a three-year effort The Space Architecture BEAM, now being prepared for launch at developed under the European Commission’s Technical Committee focuses Kennedy Space Center, will be transported Seventh Framework Program. Space architec- on the architectural design to the International Space Station within the ture companies, LIQUIFER Systems Group of of the environments where trunk of the upcoming SpaceX CRS-8 resup- Austria and Space Innovations of the Czech Re- humans will live and work ply flight. Once berthed to the ISS, BEAM will public, helped develop the project along with in space, including facilities, deploy to provide 16 cubic meters of volume five other European institutions and compa- habitats and vehicles. and act as a technology demonstration plat- nies. SHEE is the form for validating material and structural in- first deployable teractions in the space environment. BEAM, habitat simulator the first expandable space structure used for to be designed long-duration human habitation in space, will and constructed remain on orbit for a minimum of two years. in Europe and Bigelow Aerospace has grander plans for is now available space structures, including their B330 module; to the larger re- encompassing a volume of 330 cubic meters search commu- it will support a crew of six. Additionally, in nity for conduct- July, NASA and Bigelow Aerospace signed up ing simulations. to cooperatively develop concepts for using Distinctive fea- the B330 in support of crewed missions to the tures of the SHEE Moon and even Mars. project include In an effort to explore human missions on its easy trans-

Mars, habitation options were explored under portability with a Bigelow Aerospace the NASA Human Spaceflight Architecture flatbed truck and Evolvable Mars Campaign. In particular, a its capacity to automatically deploy — increas- An artist’s rendering shows the Bigelow Expandable Activity modular habitation system was devised that ing the size of the habitat and usable space Module attached to the can be applied to planetary surface and deep to accommodate a crew of two. The habitat International Space Station. space human exploration missions. Small cab- is outfitted with interior furnishings permitting different usage and activity by crew members, including sleeping cabins, a work area, a multi-functional common area, hygiene compartment and small workshop. SHEE’s environmental control and life support system can sus- tain a two-person crew for two weeks. The SHEE habi- tat can be placed in various environments for simulation testing ranging between Ant- arctica (-60 Celsius) and in the desert (50 Celcius). The habitat is ideal for conducting scientific research on the af- SHEE Consortium fects of confinement and for The Self-Deployable Habitat for Extreme Environments, SHEE, the first deployable testing space-related systems habitat simulator to be designed and constructed in Europe, concludes and technologies. a three-year project in 2015.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 63 SPACE AND MISSILES

Robotic pace automation and robotics continued to Smake steady technical and in-space demon- refueling stration progress throughout 2015. displays The Satellite Servicing Capabilities Of- fice (SSCO) at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight new tools Center made strides in technology develop- for satellite ment in 2015. On orbit, the second phase of Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM2) operations servicing took place during April and May on the In- ternational Space Station. by Gardell Gefke, First, two new RRM2 task boards were Kate Stambaugh and David Spangler robotically transferred and installed onto the RRM module. Once this hardware was in The Space Automation place, RRM2 demonstrated the Visual Inspec- NASA and Robotics Technical tion Poseable Invertebrate Robot (VIPIR), a The Visual Inspection Poseable Invertebrate Robot was Committee works to advance multi-capability inspection tool. VIPIR carries operated during the second phase of the Robotic Refueling the development of these an 8mm-24mm optical motorized zoom lens, Mission on the International Space Station. technologies and their as well as a 1.2mm camera mounted on the applications, is for satellites to self-assemble applications to space programs. end of an extendable, articulating borescope. from an efficiently stowed state while in orbit RRM2 science operations were conducted in with a focus on the installation and reconfigura- October and are scheduled to be completed tion of large radio frequency antenna reflectors. in December. Since its launch in 2011, RRM DARPA’s Phoenix geosynchronous Earth has been demonstrating new tools, technolo- orbit (GEO) servicing program continues to gies and techniques for satellite servicing, us- advance robotic technologies in three main ing the space sta- areas: Advanced GEO serving robotics for tion as a testbed. assembly repair and asset life extension; In June, the satlets, independent modules with essential SSCO received the satellite functionalities, which can indepen- first engineering dently or in aggregate accomplish a wide design unit (EDU) range of satellite missions; and the Payload of the NASA Ser- Orbital Delivery System as a standard way to vicing Arm system, safely carry separable mass elements to orbit, a 2-meter class, particularly GEO. seven-degree of NASA Langley continues to advance the freedom robot arm Tendon-Actuated Lightweight In-Space MA- that can be used on Nipulator (TALISMAN) long-reach robotic ma- missions as diverse nipulator architecture concept. TALISMAN uses as on-orbit satellite tendon actuation, which can be semi- or fully- servicing and aster- antagonistic, with major components being the oid capture. link, spreader, lightweight cables, motors and In late summer, gearboxes. These increase joint stiffness due to a new robotic ser- tendon architecture, and produce lightweight vicing development joints enable the number of joints to be opti- center was estab- mized to achieve desired packaging efficiency, lished at Goddard. range-of-motion and dexterity. The architecture The facility will fo- has potential applicability to the ARRM and cus on maturing other large in-space satellite assembly concepts. the technologies re- SkyFire was selected in April 2015 by quired for success- NASA’s NextSTEP program (Next Space NASA GSFC SSCO ful in-space robotic Technologies for Exploration Partnerships) In June, the Goddard Space Flight operations, includ- and awarded a contract to Lockheed Martin Center received the first engineering ing dedicated robotic work cells for EDU robot space systems. As proposed, the nanosatellite design unit of a robotic arm for on-orbit satellite servicing and arm development, autonomous grasp, asteroid spacecraft would fly by the Moon and collect asteroid capture. retrieval and satellite servicing. surface spectroscopy and thermography. Its In August, DARPA awarded a contract to purpose is a GEO technology demonstration Space Systems/Loral for the Dragonfly pro- using low-cost 6-unit cubesat spacecraft. The gram. The Dragonfly concept, which is de- cubesat would include deployable solar ar- signed to have both military and commercial rays and have a total mass of about 14 kg.

64 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

any good steps were taken in 2015 to- SpaceX and Boeing are making prog- Unified paths Mward expanding the human economy ress toward restoration of U.S. capability to throughout cislunar space. Although we launch astronauts to ISS, through the Com- to future space have yet to see unified planning of inte- mercial Crew Program. Test flights remain settlements grated infrastructure components to enable scheduled for 2017. future space settlement, paths to developing Commercialization of ISS services coming to bits of infrastructure that can help achieve through the nonprofitCenter for the Ad- clearer focus that goal are becoming more apparent. vancement of Science in Space has made ISS The International Space Station remains more valuable as a national laboratory, in- by Anita Gale, Ron Kohl the main focus of commercialization. Mul- cluding launches of cubesats from an airlock and Mike Snyder tiple vehicles are delivering cargo, and the on board. SpaceX Dragon capsule enables return of Cubesats are proliferating way beyond The Space Colonization experiment results and hardware. SpaceX at- what most of the industry would have pre- Technical Committee promotes the development tempted soft landings of launch vehicle first dicted only a few years ago. Miniaturiza- of advanced concepts, stages in order to enable reusability and re- tion of electronics and instruments enables science, and technology duce costs. Both SpaceX and Orbital ATK these tiny independent satellites to perform to enable and enhance suffered launch failures this year. a variety of tasks and services. These can be permanent human presence ISS was staffed with only three crew for launched “piggyback” with primary payloads in space. several months in order to conserve sup- on large launch vehicles, or can be lofted to plies; a full crew of six was restored in or- orbit with smaller and less expensive launch der to better understand effects of long-term vehicles. Their relative low costs, speed of spaceflight on the human body. The Com- development and versatility are attracting mercial Resupply Services contracts for nontraditional customers. SpaceX and Orbital are ending soon, and In August, NanoRacks of Texas and Made NASA requested bids for the CRS2 contract. In Space of California announced a partner- Several challengers to the incumbents sub- ship to assemble cubesats on the ISS for mitted proposals; announcement of contract commercial clients. Interest in Solar Power awards is pending. Satellites continues to grow, with tracks of sessions at major conferences, and interna- tional meetings specifically on this topic. The surface of Ceres composed of images captured In September, Made In Space, along with by NASA’s Dawn spacecraft in February from a distance of nearly NASA, launched the first additive manufac- 46,000 kilometers. turing device off planet. The machine com- pleted its initial mission phase by uplinking a part from the ground and producing it on the ISS in a matter of hours. A major step toward cooperation between space technical and ad- vocacy organizations was made with the founding of the Alli- ance for Space to advocate for increased human pres- ence in space. The Space Frontier Foundation and the National Space Society are the two key members. The most spectacular achievements in space in 2015 were flybys of dwarf planets Ceres in the asteroid belt, and Pluto on the inner fringes of the Kuiper belt. Each destination provided an abun- dance of surprises in bizarre and unexpected terrain, providing hope- ful signs that venturing to more places NASA in the solar system can find surprises that include unexpected new resources, too.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 65 SPACE AND MISSILES

Space his has been an interesting year if one Tlooks back to past predictions for the predictions field of space operations. start to In 2006, for instance, the U.S. Army is- sued plans for space operations for 2015 and come true beyond. A number of concepts were raised, including the need for much stronger joint- by Franz Newland agency operations, the use of commercial and Paul Douglas space assets, and the potential for small, re- The Space Operations sponsive spacecraft to meet operational needs. and Support Technical Nine years later (relatively brief time in Committee focuses the space industry) all three concepts have NASA/Bill Ingalls on operations and relevant largely been borne out. In June, the U.S. De- Members of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics technology developments partment of Defense agreed to set up a joint Laboratory flight operations team and guests count down for manned and unmanned space center that would track both military in July to New Horizons’ approach to Pluto. missions in Earth orbital and planetary operations. and spy satellites for the first time. Mean- while, commercial space operation activities who will train with their commercial col- marked a number of significant firsts this leagues for the Dragon and CST-100 vehi- year, including NASA’s announcement of its cles. In parallel, Congress passed the Spur- first commercial crew astronauts. ring Private Aerospace Competitiveness and This year saw the long-awaited arrival of Entrepreneurship Act this year, which up- the New Horizons mission at Pluto after more dated a number of elements of commercial than 3,400 days in transit. This unusually long space law, including extending security for flight time constitutes a record for a mission to U.S. companies against any third-party losses reach its primary target and certainly a triumph after a catastrophic launch failure and lim- for the flight operations team at Johns Hopkins iting FAA regulation around the still infant University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. commercial human spaceflight industry. “Operationally, one of the major challenges Internationally, Japan also started consider- was the long round trip light time delays at ing legislation in 2015 to allow private space- A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and encounter — nine hours — that forced us to flight initiatives. Commercial space endeav- Dragon spacecraft break apart institute a great deal of autonomy aboard the ors also led the way in remote sensing, with shortly after liftoff at the Cape spacecraft,” says Alan Stern, the mission’s prin- DigitalGlobe providing full access to their 30 Canaveral Air Force Station on cipal investigator. cm imagery, U.K.’s Surrey Satellite Technol- June 28. Stern’s flight team ogy launching its DMC3 spacecraft to provide guided the spacecraft 1 meter resolution imagery from a smallsat through multiple encoun- platform and Canada’s Urthecast providing ters and hibernation cycles incredible HD video from the space station. throughout its long journey, Surrey Satellite also opened its new spacecraft and in that time, the only operations center, expanding its commercial major upset was a brief slip spacecraft operations services, and Analytical into safehold mode, from graphics’ Commercial Space Operations Cen- which they recovered after ter, which provides a commercial space situ- only one hour and twenty ational awareness, SSA, service, was awarded minutes. Of all the records its first contract to provide SSA data to Boe- this mission has set so far, ing for launch and early operations activities the marathon leading to for its all-electric propulsion geostationary Pluto’s arrival is the most satellites. Such capabilities demonstrate the striking from the opera- potential for commercial innovation in space tions perspective and may operations. well remain the pinnacle The commercial space story in 2015 achievement for decades to would not be complete without mention- come, with no future mis- ing the SpaceX Falcon 9 failure. The longer- sions slated for the outer term effects of this, if any, are still unknown. solar system currently. However, as Congress’ actions regarding the On the commercial SPACE Act earlier this year appear to recog- operations front, NASA nize, this commercial industry is young, and named its first four com- still trying to strike the right balance between Associated Press mercial crew astronauts, acceptable and unacceptable risks.

66 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

hile NASA and industry pursue a do- In the small-satellite industry, firmer plans Preparing Wmestic crew-transportation capability for emerged for several proposed low-Earth-orbit low-Earth orbit, advances have been made in constellations. In June, OneWeb announced for manned exploration-mission planning and launch-ve- that Airbus will build more than 900 satellites and unmanned hicle and spacecraft development for manned for its planned constellation of broadband sat- and unmanned systems. ellites, with the first to be launched in 2018. space In July, experts from around NASA com- OneWeb also placed the largest commercial exploration pleted an 11-week-long critical design review launch order to date, contracting with Ariane- of the Space Launch System launch vehicle at space and Virgin Galactic for a combined to- by William G. Tomek Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The tal of 60 satellite launches worth about $500 and Daniel W. Kwon review focused on SLS Block 1, the version of million. That same month, Seattle-based Black- the rocket that will launch an Orion crew cap- Sky Global announced plans for a 60-satellite The Space Systems sule on Exploration Mission-1, an unmanned Earth imaging system, with the first launches Technical Committee fosters the development, flight to demonstrate the seamless integration planned for late 2015. In July, Planet Labs ac- application, and operation of the crew spacecraft and rocket. A key SLS quired BlackBridge of Berlin, Germany, and its of space systems and milestone was achieved in March, when a test RapidEye constellation of satellites to accelerate addresses emerging issues version of the vehicle’s solid rocket motor its growth in the Earth observation market. in the field. roared to life in the desert scrub of Orbital The emerging marketplace for commer- ATK’s Promontory, Utah, facility. Orbital ATK cially operated weather satellites saw San Fran- disassembled and inspected the rocket, called cisco-based Spire send four cubesats to orbit in Qualification Motor-1, and declared the static September to detect automatic-identification- test a “resounding success.” system beacons from ships under the compa- Progress continued on the liquid-hydro- ny’s plans to deliver maritime services, includ- gen-fueled RS-25 engines for SLS. Test firings ing weather data. on an initial version of these upgraded space While early planning con- shuttle engines were conducted at Stennis tinued for a human journey Space Center in Mississippi in anticipation of to Mars in the 2030s, NASA the first ground tests with flight engines. managers are analyzing pos- In the world of commercial launch vehi- sible interim missions between cles, SpaceX tried a second time to land a Fal- low-Earth orbit and Mars. To con 9 first stage on a platform in the Atlantic set the stage for more detailed Ocean. The company planned to make a third Mars exploration, the Curiosity attempt once the Falcon 9s were cleared to fly rover continued ground-break- again after the June failure of a cargo mission ing science on the surface of to the space station. In April, United Launch the planet. Those findings will NASA Alliance announced development of a new sharpen planning for future robotic sample re- NASA’s Space Launch System is undergoing wind-tunnel rocket to be called Vulcan, whose Blue Origin- turn missions and manned missions after that. tests, including at the Langley provided BE-4 engines eventually will be re- On the Asteroid Redirect Mission, NASA Unitary Plan Supersonic Wind covered and reused. Airbus this year unveiled chose to capture a boulder off a large aster- Tunnel in Virginia. plans to return rocket engines to Earth inside oid and deliver it to a lunar retrograde orbit for a winged vehicle to be called Adeline. Aero- rendezvous with a subsequent human mission jet Rocketdyne and Blue Origin conducted via the SLS and Orion. research toward allowing the U.S. to launch A study is underway on a possible un- rockets independently of Russian technology. manned mission to Jupiter’s moon Europa, whose icy exterior is thought to cover an ocean of liquid water that could harbor a sim- ple form of life. After traveling The March ground test of Orbital ATK’s five-segment through space for al- rocket motor, known as QM-1, most 10 years, the New was a key milestone for Horizons spacecraft NASA’s Space Launch System. flew by Pluto and its moon, gathering images and data that will con- tinue to arrive well into NASA/Orbital ATK 2016.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 67 SPACE AND MISSILES

Preparing for he space tethers community this year Concepts program, Tethers Unlimited inves- Tbegan preparing in earnest for several tigated the use of tethered nanosatellites to a busy 2016 for upcoming missions while continuing to de- capture and de-spin asteroids and space de- space tethers velop new technologies and explore mission bris to reduce the risks and costs associated concepts. with NASA’s Asteroid Redirect Mission and ac- Sven G. Bilén JAXA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration tive debris removal. Through detailed physics- Agency, is planning a late 2016 flight dem- based simulations, the company demonstrated The Space Tethers onstration of an electrodynamic tether (EDT) that the deployment of a tether can be con- Technical Committee called the Konotori Integrated Tether Ex- trolled to accomplish stable, well-behaved de- focuses on the development periment, or KITE. KITE will be integrated on spin of space objects, even those with multi- and use of tether-based an H-2 Transfer Vehicle to demonstrate key axis spins, at much lower masses relative to technology for space systems. technologies for active debris removal using conventional thruster-based techniques. electrodynamic tethers. A zenith-deployed NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, 700-meter-long, bare tether will collect elec- under a separate advanced-concepts grant, trons from the ambient space plasma, and a is studying a propellantless electrostatic field-emission cathode on the transfer vehicle tether propulsion system concept, the He- will emit 10 milliamperes of current to pro- liopause Electrostatic Rapid Transit System vide propellant-free deorbit propulsion. KITE (HERTS), for deep-space missions to outer NASA is studying the Heliopause is currently in the flight-model testing phase. planets, the heliopause and beyond. HERTS Electrostatic Rapid Transit Sys- In Februray and May, Tethers Unlimited propels a spacecraft by employing momen- tem, a propellantless electro- static tether propulsion concept, delivered several Nanosatellite Terminator tum exchange from naturally occurring solar to propel spacecraft to the edge Tether (nTT) modules for missions sched- wind protons that interact with an array of of the solar system. uled to launch positively-biased wires that extend outward in 2016. Those 20 km from a rotating (one revolution per missions include hour) spacecraft. In January, researchers pre- Georgia Tech’s sented results showing that HERTS can propel PROX-1, the Na- a scientific spacecraft to distances of 100 as- val Postgraduate tronomical unit — 100 times the distance be- School’s NPSat tween Earth and sun — in less than 10 years. and Colorado- Star Technology and Research’s Electro- based Surrey Sat- Dynamic Delivery Express, a spacecraft for ellite Technology propellantless low-Earth orbit change, has US’s orbital test found interest from Surrey, which plans to bed mission. The use it as the upper stage to take its Feath- nTT modules will erCraft-SS to sun-synchronous orbit from the Tethers Unlimited deploy conduc- space station’s NanoRacks launches. tive tapes at mis- Several universities are pursuing advances sion conclusion in tether concepts. The University of Michi- to generate electrodynamic drag and enhance gan’s Miniature Tether Electrodynamics Ex- aerodynamic drag to ensure deorbit well periment CubeSat demonstration mission was within the 25-year period required by orbital selected in February for flight through NASA’s debris mitigation standards. CubeSat Launch Initiative. The experiment The Naval Research Laboratory plans to will investigate the ability for a short, 10-me- launch its Tethered Electrodynamic Propul- ter-long electrodynamic tether to overcome sion CubeSat Experiment (TEPCE) spacecraft atmospheric drag and boost femtosat-sized through the U.S. Air Force’s Satellite Test spacecraft, described as those weighing less Program in late 2016. It’s designed to dem- than 100 grams and using less than 1 watt. onstrate electrodynamic propulsion in low U.K.’s University of Sheffield is exploring ar- Earth orbit. With body-mounted solar cells, a chitectures for Earth–moon freight missions. 1-kilometer-long tape tether and tungsten-fil- North Carolina State University is exploring a ament cathodes, TEPCE will change its orbit concept called the Solar Wind Ion Focusing by 1 km a day from a nominal 300- to 860- Thruster, which uses long positively-charged km orbit during a one-month test. TEPCE car- wires oriented in a cone shape to gather fuel ries GPS receivers to help characterize tether from the solar wind for an ion thruster. The deployment and dynamics and plasma elec- focused, higher-density plasma in the base tron density sensors to provide knowledge of of the cone is connected to an ion accelera- Earth’s plasma. tion stage, which accelerates protons out the As part of a NASA’s Innovative Advanced small end of the cone.

68 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 TECHNICAL COMMITTEES PRESENT THE YEAR IN REVIEW

espite significant space transportation NASA and its contractors completed critical Rebounding Daccomplishments, 2015 proved again design review (CDR) and key propulsion test- “launch is hard.” ing for the Block 1 Space Launch System, and from launch The failures of the Russian Progress and kicked off CDR for the Orion crewed space- setbacks SpaceX Falcon cargo missions destroyed hard- craft to fly atop SLS. After the December 2014 ware bound for the International Space Station Exploration Flight Test 1 on a Delta 4 Heavy, by Jim Knauf and reduced onboard reserves. The incidents in which Orion reentered the atmosphere — coming at the heels of the October 2014 An- at almost 9 kilometers per second, engineers The Space Transportation tares cargo mission failure — were significant, closely examined the recovered spacecraft and Technical Committee but not urgent, setbacks. Progress flights re- telemetry data to improve aerophysics models works to foster continuous improvements to civil, sumed in July. SpaceX has targeted late 2015 for future spacecraft in this flight regime. First commercial and military for the Falcon’s next flight, pending investiga- SLS/Orion launch is anticipated in 2018. launch vehicles. tion of the earlier failure. NASA’s Launch Services Program initiated Newly-merged Orbital ATK was anticipat- the venture-class launch services program for ing a December cargo mission on an Atlas 5 small science satellites and experiments, using and is replacing the Antares booster engines smaller rockets than currently available. with the Russian RD-181. Japan launched its A Russian Proton fifth H-2 Transfer Vehicle to the ISS in August. rocket suffered its sixth At Cape Canaveral, Florida, Boeing built failure in 43 flights since the Starliner CST-100 structural test article in a December 2010, but re- former shuttle orbiter processing facility, while sumed flight in August. United Launch Alliance built an Atlas 5 launch The Proton and Prog- tower for pad access to the capsule. SpaceX ress losses and ongo- completed a pad abort test of its Crew Dragon ing issues completing a spacecraft. Hedging against potential commer- new eastern launch site cial crew delays, NASA extended its agreement indicated continuing with Russia for Soyuz crew flights, of which challenges in the Rus- Virgin Galactic there were four in 2015. sian space industry. After the 2014 breakup of Amid a continuing unprecedented string of OneWeb announced the largest commer- SpaceShipTwo, Virgin Galactic successful ULA Atlas and Delta missions, the cial rocket acquisition, more than 65 rock- modified its second SpaceShipTwo. U.S. Air Force certified Falcon 9 for national ets, including Arianespace Soyuz rockets and security missions and initiated studies as initial 39 Virgin Galactic LauncherOnes. Europe steps toward its first competitions for launches approved development of Ariane 6 and its since 2006. ULA submitted to the Air Force its launch complex, and an upgrade to the Vega intent to certify its Vulcan launcher. ULA and small launcher. The Airbus Safran Launchers the Air Force faced congressional pressure to joint venture began operations. end reliance on the Atlas V’s Russian engine. India’s Geosynchronous Satellite Launch NASA completed Falcon 9 certification for the Vehicle completed its second consecutive suc- Jason-3 science mission. cessful mission with an indigenous cryogenic In early attempts at first stage recovery, Fal- upper stage. China launched its new Long con 9 hit its target drone ship but the stages March 6 rocket in September. did not survive. ULA and Airbus announced The National Transportation Safety Board plans to recover Vulcan and Ariane 6 booster cited pilot error in the 2014 breakup of Vir- engines, respectively. gin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo, but also faulted its builder, Scaled Composites, for failing to “consider and protect against the possibil- ity that a single human error could result in a catastrophic hazard.” The company modified its second SpaceShipTwo under construction in preparation for completion of flight test and start of commercial service. Blue Origin completed its first suborbital test flight of its New Shepard launch vehicle. Astronauts on Reaction Engines announced that the Air the space station Force Research Laboratory analysis confirmed photographed the H-2 transfer vehicle feasibility of the Synergetic Air-Breathing on its arrival in Rocket Engine concept to be used for the NASA August. Skylon reusable space plane project.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 69 Statement of Ownership

Contributions of our Engineers Make a dedicated profession will prove critical to how we World of Difference thrive on our shared planet.

AIAA is pleased to partner with Boeing and SAE International as co-chairs for the 65th Annual Engineers Week: 21–27 February 2016.

Please join us as we inspire, inform and embolden the next generation of aerospace leaders by sharing our time and passion.

www.aiaa.org Event Co-Chairs www.discovere.org

16-940

70 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 2O16 25–27 JULY 2016 SALT LAKE CIT Y, UTAH CALL FOR PAPERS Every move forward in our exploration of the world, and the universe, is enabled by new technologies coming 25-27from the researchers JULY and engineers 2016 who will participate SALT LAKE CITY, UT in the AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition 2016. Test your ideas, develop your skills, and build your reputation as you present your research to others from around the world.

Topics Include: Additive Manufacturing for Propulsion Systems ITAR Topics Advanced Engine Control and Intelligent Systems Liquid Propulsion Advanced Propulsion Concepts Nuclear and Future Flight Propulsion Advanced Vehicle Systems Propellants and Combustion Air Breathing Propulsion Systems Integration Propulsion and Power Systems of Aircraft Electric Propulsion Unmanned Systems Electric Propulsion Propulsion Education Electricity Delivery, Grid and Energy Storage Technologies Small Satellite Technologies & Missions Energetic Components and Systems Solid Rockets Energy Conversion Device Technology Space and Earth-to Orbit Vehicle Systems Energy-Efficient and Renewable Energy Technologies Spacecraft and Aircraft Power System Technologies Fossil-Fuel Power Technologies Gas Turbine Engines High Speed Air Breathing Propulsion Hybrid Rockets

Submit your abstracts: aiaa-propulsionenergy.org

15-885 25 Years Ago, December 1990 of Aeronautical Research at NACA, then later became its director. In 1958 he was Dec. 2 Toyohiro Akiyama named the first deputy administrator of the newly created NASA. Aviation Week, becomes the first December 6, p. 36; Washington Sunday Star, December 5, p. B2. Japanese to travel in space. Akiyama Dec. 3 The Soviet Union launches its 3,422-pound Luna 8 spacecraft toward is a journalist for the moon to soft-land there. However, the spacecraft’s retro-propulsion system TBS, a Japanese fires too late and the craft crashes on the moon’s surface while coming in too television station fast. David Baker, Spaceflight and Rocketry, p. 187. that paid $12 milion to place him on Soyuz TM-11 for Dec. 4 The Gemini 7 spacecraft, carrying astronauts Frank its trip to the Mir space Borman and James A. Lovell, Jr., is launched by a Titan 2 station. TM-11 is flown byby cosmonautscosmonauts booster to orbit for a 14-day mission, primarily for the purpose Musa Manarov and Viktor Afanasyev. of gathering medical data on weightlessness. It is the longest Akiyama returns on TM-10 after making U.S. space flight to date. The crew also conducts Earth pho- several broadcasts from space. NASA, tography and radiometry experiments. Borman and Lovell Astronautics and Aeronautics 1986- perform five orbital maneuvers. They make a re-entry and 1990, p. 340. recovery on December 18 after their record-breaking flight. David Baker, Spaceflight and Rocketry, p. 187. 50 Years Ago, December 1965 Dec. 2 Hugh Dryden, NASA’s deputy Dec. 6 A NASA all-solid-propellant Scout vehicle launches a second 135-pound administrator who had previously FR-1 French satellite, from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. This satellite is served as the director of the National designed to study the propagation of very low frequency radio waves and also Advisory Committee for Aeronautics to measure electron densities within the vicinity of the satellite. David Baker, (NACA), NASA’s predecessor, dies at Spaceflight and Rocketry, p. 187; New York Times, December 6, p. 42. 67 in Washington, D.C. Dryden also was a noted pioneer in aerodynamics Dec. 12 Dr. W. Randolph Lovelace, the director of space medicine for NASA and from 1920 headed the Aero- and a pioneer in aviation, is killed in the crash of a private twin-engine Beechcraft dynamics Section of the Bureau of aircraft near Aspen, Colorado, while en route to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Back Standards. In 1924, he helped conduct in 1940, Dr. Lovelace had shared the coveted Collier’s Trophy for his role in helping some of the earliest to conceive the oxygen mask that became standard in World War II. In 1942, studies of airfoil then an Army flight surgeon with the Army Medical Corps Reserve, he was also characteristics near awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his research in high-altitude bailout the speed of sound. procedures. In 1958, he was appointed the chairman of the NASA Special His main interests Advisory Committee on Life Science and played a key role in the selection of were in turbulence astronauts chosen for the coming Project Mercury missions. In April 1964, he and control of the was named the director of NASA’s space medicine programs. Aviation Week, boundary layer, and December 20, p. 188; New York Times, December 14, p. 51, and December 18, p. 16. in 1938 he delivered the Dec. 15 The Gemini 6-A is launched for America’s first space rendezvous mission. Wright brothers lecture on these topics Piloted by Walter M. Schirra, Jr., and Thomas before the Institute of the Aeronautical P. Stafford, the spacecraft succeeds in coming Sciences. In World War II, he served on as close as one foot from the Gemini 7 technical groups advising the armed spacecraft, and the two craft could have forces on aviation matters and guided docked had they been equipped to do so. missiles. He also led the development During the mission, the Gemini craft also fly of America’s first and only guided in formation, keeping within 20 to 100 feet missile successfully used in combat, of each other. All four astronauts take turns the radar-homing Bat. An example in maneuvering their spacecraft. Schirra and may be seen at the Udvar-Hazy Center Stafford make a precise landing on December of the National Air and Space Museum. 16. David Baker, Spaceflight and Rocketry, In 1947, Dryden resigned from the p. 188; New York Times, December 16, Bureau of Standards to become director pp. 1, 28-30 and December 24, p. 1.

72 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 Dec. 16 NASA launches its Pioneer 6 satellite by a of the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1944 Thrust-Augmented Improved Delta vehicle from Cape Kennedy and 1945. Peter Bowers, Curtiss Air- (now Cape Canaveral) on what is the first Earth-escape mission craft Since 1907, pp. 424-431. for the Delta rocket. The 140-pound satellite carries scientific experiments to measure solar winds, solar magnetic fields, Dec. 22 Lockheed-Vega employees interactions between charged particles and magnetic fields, present a Lockheed Hudson bomber to and other phenomenon. Aviation Week, December 20, p. 26; the people of Great Britain in special David Baker, Spaceflight and Rocketry, p. 188. ceremonies at the Union Air Terminal, Burbank, California. Immediately Dec. 16 Eight aviation pioneers are added to the Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, thereafter, the plane is flown to England Ohio. They are: Eddie Rickenbacker of World War I fame; Alexander Graham Bell by way of Canada. U.S. Air Services, for his 1890s aerodynamic lift experiments; Charles E. Taylor who built the first February 1941, p. 29. successful airplane engine, used by the Wright brothers in their 1903 flight; A. Roy Knabenshue, builder and flyer of steerable balloons, in 1904-1905; Thomas Dec. 29 London experiences its second E. Selfridge, the first American to die while testing an experimental aircraft, in great fire since the reign of Charles II 1908 on an aircraft piloted by Orville Wright; Eugene B. Ely for his work on the when the city undergoes heavy bombing first aircraft take offs and landings from carrier ships, in 1910-1911; Alfred A. by German aircraft. The destruction Cunningham, first aviator of the Marine Corps, in 1912; and Albert C. Read, includes the famous Guildhall, seven for his role in the first successful trans-Atlantic flight in 1919, commanding the of Christopher Wren’s churches, and Curtiss NC-4. New York Times, December 17, p. A4. many other buildings. St. Paul’s Cath- edral is saved, though at one point it is 75 Years Ago, December 1940 menaced by flames. Londoners spend Dec. 14 The USS Hornet is launched at Newport, Rhode Island, as the Navy’s approximately 1,180 hours under alerts seventh aircraft carrier, joining the Saratoga, Lexington, Ranger, Yorktown, Enterprise in 1940 during the start of the Battle and Wasp. The Hornet makes the Navy equal of Britain, and the sirens sounded over in strength in aircraft carriers to Japan. During 400 times. Flight, January 9, p. 23. World War II, the Hornet serves briefly, though gallantly. In April, Lt. Col. Jimmy 100 Years Ago, December 1915 Doolittle’s Raiders are launched from its deck to attack Tokyo and other Japanese cities. In June, the ship participates in the defeat of the Japanese fleet at the Battle of Midway, and in October she is sunk during the Battle of Santa Cruz. Interavia, December 23, p. 17.

Dec. 18 Germany’s radio-controlled rocket-powered Hs 293A bomb, made by Dec. 12 The first all-metal full- the Henschel firm, makes its first flight. The Hs 293 is about 11 feet 8 inches cantilever-wing monoplane, the long, has a wing span of 9 feet 6 inches, and weighs about 1,700 pounds. It is Junkers J-1, undergoes flight trials at one of the few German missiles to become operational. It goes into service in Dessau, Germany. It is powered by a August 1943, and is credited with destroying a number of Allied merchant ships 120-hp Mercedes engine. Its designer, and severely damaging several warships during the Italian campaign. W. Ley, Hugo Junkers, is one of the most Rockets, Missiles, and Space Travel, pp. 241-242. significant aeronautical engineers in history, having been awarded the first Dec. 18 The Curtiss XSB2C-1 Helldiver makes its first flight. Helldiver is a carrier- patent for a cantilevered wing in 1910 based scout-bomber that subsequently sees and also for his pioneering work in service in the Pacific. Plagued by design developing and promoting all-metal problems and difficult to fly, the Helldiver, aircraft. Junkers also is an early nevertheless eventually replaces the veteran advocate for flying wing designs. Douglas SBD Dauntless throughout the Eugene M. Emme, ed., Aeronautics U.S. Pacific Fleet by 1944. It has twice the and Astronautics 1915-60, p. 4; bombload as its predecessor and goes on Francis K. Mason and Martin Windrow, to play a decisive role on the destruction Know Aviation, p. 18.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 73 Career Opportunities

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING AND MECHANICS Chair UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA Department of The Department of Aerospace Engineering Mechanical and Mechanics seeks to fill faculty positions in aerospace systems. Applications are invited Engineering in all areas of aerospace systems, particularly Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science invites applications for those that complement current research activities the position of Chair of Mechanical Engineering. The new Chair will communicate a clear vision for the future of education and research to a in the department. These research activities constituency that includes academia, government, industry and alumni. The include but are not limited to mathematical successful candidate will hold an earned doctorate in Mechanical Engineering modeling of aerospace vehicles or systems; or a closely related field, and will demonstrate proven leadership, research control system analysis and design; state achievement, excellent teaching, a commitment to professional activities, and estimation; multi-sensor fusion; and guidance, outstanding English communication skills. The Department Chair reports to the Dean of the School and will be tenured as Professor of Mechanical navigation and control of aircraft, spacecraft Engineering. and autonomous aerial vehicles. The department Baylor’s ABET accredited ME program now has 13 tenured/tenure-track has close ties with other departments and faculty members and 4 lecturers/senior lecturers with the plan to grow to 27 on-campus multidisciplinary centers and strong total faculty by 2023. The faculty are internationally recognized in access to experimental and computational Biomechanical Experimentation, Design, and Simulation; Thermal and facilities. Information about the department Energy Engineering; and Advanced Materials Engineering. Mechanical Engineering faculty conduct research in well-established laboratories and is available at http://www.aem.umn.edu/ consortia housed within the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative The successful candidate will participate (BRIC) (see www.baylor.edu/bric). The department offers B.S., M.S., and in all aspects of the Department’s mission, Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering. Jointly with the Department of including teaching undergraduate and graduate Electrical and Computer Engineering, the department also teaches Pre- courses in aerospace engineering mechanics Engineering majors and offers B.S. in Engineering, M.S. in Biomedical Engineering and Master of Engineering degrees. Current enrollment is 265 and aerospace systems; supervision of pre-engineering, 400 undergraduate, and 28 graduate students. Additional undergraduate and graduate students; service information is available at http://www.ecs.baylor.edu/mechanicalengineering/. responsibilities; and developing an independent, The mission of the program is to educate students within a caring Christian externally funded research program. environment in the discipline of Mechanical Engineering. Our graduates are Applicants must have an earned doctorate to be equipped with the fundamental technical, communication, and in a related field by the date ofappointment. teamwork skills to succeed in their chosen careers. They are to be empowered by innovative problem-solving creativity and an entrepreneurial The intent is to hire at the assistant professor mindset, and motivated by Christian ideals and a vocational calling to rank. However, exceptional applicants may be improve the quality of life worldwide. considered for appointment at the rank of To receive full consideration, please submit a cover letter and the following: associate professor with or without tenure. 1) A current curriculum vitae It is anticipated that the appointment will begin 2) A vision statement for the growth of our new PhD program while Fall 2016. maintaining excellence in undergraduate education 3) An individualized statement of teaching and research interests related to Baylor's programs To apply for this position, candidates must go to 4) A statement describing an active Christian faith http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/employment/index.html 5) Contact information for at least three professional references and search for Job ID no.: 304466; key word Application review begins January 4, 2016 and will continue until the position search: Aerospace or visit: http://z.umn.edu/z97 is filled. Please submit materials to http://apply.interfolio.com/31180. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, Baylor University is the oldest *If searching for the Job ID no. or key word, it university in Texas and the world’s largest Baptist university. It is a member may be necessary to broaden the ”Jobs Posted of the Big XII Conference and holds a Carnegie classification as a “high- research” institution. Baylor’s mission is to educate men and women for Within” range.* worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community. New faculty will have a Please attach your: 1) cover letter, 2) detailed strong commitment to the classroom and to discovering knowledge as Baylor resume, 3) names and contact information of aspires to become a top tier research university as described in Pro Futuris three references, and 4) a statement of (http://www.baylor.edu/profuturis/). teaching and research interests as one PDF. Baylor University is a private not-for-profit university affiliated with the Baptist General Convention of Texas. As an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, Baylor is committed to compliance with all applicable anti-discrimination Application Deadline: The initial screening of laws, including those regarding age, race, color, sex, national origin, marital applications will begin on December 1, 2015; status, pregnancy status, military service, genetic information, and disability. As a applications will be accepted until the position religious educational institution, Baylor is lawfully permitted to consider an applicant’s religion as a selection criterion. Baylor encourages women, minorities, is filled. veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.

74 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 Faculty Position in Cyber-Physical Systems (All Ranks) Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering University of virginia

The University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science has launched a multi-million dollar initiative to create a collaborative world class center of research excellence in Cyber-Physical Systems. The initiative includes an international search for 8 new faculty members across 5 different departments. More information about these positions and the initiative can be found online (http://linklab.virginia.edu). As part of this initiative, the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering is seeking candidates at all ranks working in fields related to Cyber-Physical Systems for one or more tenured/tenure-track faculty positions. All areas of mechanical and aerospace engineering will be considered, including but not limited to:

● Robotics, autonomous drones and/or underwater vehicles ● Crash avoidance to fully automated vehicles and intelligent transportation systems ● Advanced manufacturing systems ● Digital communication and control of mechanical systems ● High-impulse autonomous launch system ● Counter terrorism and homeland security applications ● Other areas related to cyber-physical systems

Successful candidates will find a vibrant research culture and an abundance of collaboration opportunities with other departments that have strengths in cyber-physical systems. The department is widely recognized for its active interdisciplinary research and superior education programs and has built up strong thrusts in biomechanics, automobile safety, high-speed propulsion and bio-inspired propulsion, rotating machinery, multi-scale heat transfer, and advanced manufacturing. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. Furthermore, the university is an active dual career employer, and is an NSF ADVANCE institution, and is committed to enhancing a culturally diverse community. The University of Virginia is rated as one of the top 3 public universities in the nation and in the top 30 among all universities, public and private. Charlottesville is frequently cited as one of the best cities in which to live and work. More information about the town, the school, faculty benefits, and other topics can be found at the Faculty and Candidate Guide: http://uvacharge.virginia.edu/guide.html

Candidates must have a record of excellence in research, as appropriate for the candidate’s rank, and a commitment to teaching excellence. Applicants should expect to have a PhD in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or a closely related discipline by the appointment start date. Candidates will be expected to engage in funded research, to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and to perform service for the institution and professional organizations.

To apply, candidates must submit a Candidate Profile through Jobs@UVA (https://jobs.virginia.edu), search on posting number 0617535. Applicants should submit a cover letter, CV, teaching statement, research statement, and names and contact information for 3 references. In the research statement, applicants should explicitly discuss any experiences with or plans for collaborative or cross-cutting research. We will begin reviewing applications on December 1, 2015 and will continue to review applications as they are received until the positions are filled. For questions about this position, please contact Jackie Slaughter-Scott at [email protected].

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 75 FACULTY POSITION AIR FORCE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, DAYTON OH

The Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics seeks applicants for a tenure-track Aerospace Engineering faculty position (preferably at the assistant or associate professor level). The departmentÕ s most urgent needs are in the following areas: Propulsion, Controls, or Aerodynamics. In addition to an earned Ph.D. in Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering or a related field, the candidate should have a demonstrated or a potential ability in teaching at the graduate level and in conducting independent research for the Air Force and other government agencies. Good communication skills, both oral and written, are essential. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and must currently possess or be able to obtain/maintain a SECRET clearance. If selected, applicants must produce proof of citizenship at time of appointment. Link to full posting can be found at https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/416590500

The Department offers both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Space Systems and Materials Science. The Department has several state-of-the-art computer and experimental laboratories. Interested candidates should send a resume and the names of three references to:

Dr. Brad S. Liebst Professor and Head Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics Air Force Institute of Technology AFIT/ENY 2950 Hobson Way Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7765 Phone: (937) 255-3069 e-mail: [email protected]

The Air Force Institute of Technology is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

A Clinical Faculty Position in Aerospace Engineering The Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at The Ohio State University invites applications from outstanding individuals for a clinical faculty position in aerospace engineering. Employment could begin as early as January 1, 2016 but applicants must be able to start by August, 2016 at the latest.

Quali�cations: Candidates with an earned doctoral degree in aerospace or mechanical engineering are preferred, however individuals with an MS degree (in aerospace or mechanical engineering) and significant aerospace work experience will also be considered. The new clinical faculty member will be expected to teach three to four undergraduate courses each semester (autumn and spring). Primary consideration will be given to those with experience and interest in teaching the following subject areas: spacecraft design, dynamics and control of aerospace vehicles, and sophomore-level Introduction to Aerospace Engineering I and II courses. Applicants with a minimum three years teaching experience are preferred, and should have a strong record of design experience and familiarity with modern design tools. Recent aerospace engineering practice is desired, specifically in the areas of spacecraft structural design and dynamics and control of aerospace vehicles. Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Interested candidates should email a dossier including curriculum vitae, a 2-page summary of teaching philosophy and experience, and the names and addresses of four references to:

Dr. Jeffrey Bons Chair, Clinical Faculty Search Committee [email protected] (only electronic submissions please)

The Ohio State University is an affirmative/equal opportunity employer. Women, minorities, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply and build a diverse workplace. Columbus is a thriving metropolitan community, and the University is responsive to the needs of dual career couples.

76 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 Tenure-Track Faculty Positions in Mechanical Engineering

The Department of Mechanical, Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering at The University of Toledo is seeking outstanding candidates for multiple tenured or tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant or Associate Pro- fessor levels. Candidates with strong qualifications in any area of mechanical engineering will be considered, but preference will be given to candidates with research expertise in experimental thermal/fluids, mechanical design, and materials. The department currently has 18 tenure track or tenured faculty members and an enrollment of more than 800 undergraduate students and 90 graduate students pursuing B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees. The faculty conduct funded research in excess of $4M per year‐ across a broad range of areas. The department has a large number of experimental and computational facilities including a well instrumented subsonic wind tunnel, a small turbine engine laboratory, and flow visualization facilities. There has been a long history of collaboration with the region- al automotive, energy, and glass related industries, as well as the NASA Glenn Research Center. More infor- mation about the department can be found at: http://eng.utoledo.edu/mime. All successful candidates are expected to contribute to and play a leadership role in advancing research and teaching in their respective areas of expertise and to contribute to the diversity of the University’s academic community. The University of Toledo is a comprehensive public metropolitan research university established in 1872. In addition to the College of Engineering, other professional colleges include Business Administration, Law, Medicine, Natural Sciences and Mathematics, and Pharmacy providing abundant opportunities for collabo- rative education and research within the University. Applicants must have an earned doctoral degree in mechanical engineering or a related field and are expected to teach undergraduate and graduate level courses in their fields of expertise, supervise graduate student research, and develop and grow a strong, externally funded research program. Interested applicants should submit a detailed curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, and names and contact information of at least four professional references. All applicants for this position are required to complete the application online at The University of Toledo’s web site: https://jobs.utoledo.edu and submit all supporting application materials, prepared in PDF format, online. Review of applications will begin December 2015 and will continue until the positions are filled. The University of Toledo is an equal access, equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and educator

The Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering at USC is seeking applications for tenure-track or tenured faculty candidates. We seek outstanding candidates for a position at any rank. The Viterbi School of Engineering at USC is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and welcomes applications from women, underrepresented groups, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. We invite applications from candidates knowledgeable in all fields of aerospace and mechanical engineering, for example in computational engineering, mechanics, thermofluids and reacting flows, robotics and autonomous systems, bio-inspired engineering, and engineering in extreme environments. Applications are also encouraged from more senior applicants whose accomplishments may be considered transformative. Outstanding senior applicants who have demonstrated academic excellence and leadership, and whose past activities document a commitment to issues involving the advancement of women in science and engineering may also be considered for the Lloyd Armstrong, Jr. Endowed Chair, which is supported by the Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Program endowment. Applicants must have earned a Ph.D. or the equivalent in a relevant field by the beginning of the appointment and have a strong research and publication record. Applications must include a letter clearly indicating area(s) of specialization, a detailed curriculum vitae, a concise statement of current and future research directions, a teaching statement, and contact information for at least four professional references. This material should be submitted electronically at http://ame-www.usc.edu/facultypositions/. Applications should be submitted by January 4, 2016; any received after this date may not be considered.

USC is an equal-opportunity educator and employer, proudly pluralistic and firmly committed to providing equal opportunity for outstanding persons of every race, gender, creed and background. The University particularly encourages members of underrepresented groups, veterans and individuals with disabilities to apply.

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 77 ACHIEVE

MORE The Department of Aerospace & Mechanical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame is seeking outstanding candidates to fill three open faculty positions in the THE AIAA CAREER CENTER – With area of Experimental Fluid Dynamics. Of particular interest are candidates that thousands of job postings, it’s your best will both complement and expand selected signature research areas within the source for finding the ideal job. And now, Notre Dame Institute for Flow Physics and Control (FlowPAC). These areas include its expanded services make it your best Turbo-machinery, Environmental Fluid Dynamics, High-speed Reacting Flows and source for career advice and development: Combustion, and Unsteady Aerodynamics and Aero-acoustics. Applicants at both CAREER TIPS – Free access to articles on the Assistant and Associate Professor rank are sought. Exceptionally qualified indi- job hunting, interview and negotiation viduals at the rank of Full Professor may also be considered. Candidates must hold techniques, networking, work-life balance, an earned doctorate in an appropriate field and are expected to establish an exter- and other career-related topics. nally funded research program as well as contribute fully to both undergraduate and graduate instruction. Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifica- PROFESSIONAL RESUME WRITING – Hire a professional writer to critique, create, tions and experience. or enhance your resume and cover letter. The University of Notre Dame is a US News and World Report top-20 national research university that CAREER COACHING – Work with an offers a unique opportunity for professional growth in an environment that experienced certified career coach to plan, values scholarship, education and community. Current research at Notre Dame has develop, and manage your career goals. a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary science that bridges traditional groups and SOCIAL NETWORKING/PROFILE even departmental boundaries, with clear ties to significant aerospace or mechani- DEVELOPMENT – For a professional cal applications. Notre Dame is dedicated to becoming a leading research univer- presence on LinkedIn, Plaxo, and Twitter. sity and is investing millions of dollars in state-of-the-art facilities, including the new Stinson-Remick Engineering building and the Center for Research Computing. REFERENCE CHECKING/ EMPLOYMENT VERIFICATION – The city of South Bend and surrounding counties have a vibrant and diverse econ- Identify questionable references before omy, excellent school systems, and close proximity to Chicago and Lake Michigan. they speak with prospective employers. Further information about the University and the Department can be found at: http://www.nd.edu/~ame/. DISCOUNT TEST PREP SERVICES/ Interested persons should apply online at http:// apply.interfolio.com/32430. PRINCETON REVIEW TEST PREP – For full consideration, applications should be received by December 20, 2015. Work with the industry leader to prepare The University of Notre Dame seeks to attract, develop, and retain the highest for the SAT, ACT, MCAT, LSAT, GRE, or GMAT. quality faculty, staff and administration. The University is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to building a culturally diverse workplace. We strongly encourage applications from female and minority candidates and those candidates attracted to a university with a Catholic identity. Moreover, Notre ACHIEVE MORE Dame prohibits discrimination against veterans or disabled qualified individuals, and requires affirmative action by covered contractors to employ and advance vet- WITH THIS erans and qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with 41 CFR 60- VALUABLE 741.5(a) and 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). MEMBER BENEFIT TODAY! careercenter.aiaa.org

78 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 CONNECT When you join AIAA, you gain countless OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT WITH MORE THAN 30,000 OTHERS in the field of aerospace science, engineering, technology, management, education, and policy. ACHIEVE AIAA connections and educational programs provide a LIFETIME OF OPPORTUNITIES for you to ADVANCE PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY and to BE RECOGNIZED FOR YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS. INSPIRE AIAA membership helps you SHARE IDEAS, SPARK INSIGHTS, MEET YOUR HEROES, AND BUILD ENTHUSIASM FOR AEROSPACE WITH THE NEXT GENERATION. When you join, you become part of AIAA’s mission to ADVANCE THE STATE OF AEROSPACE SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGICAL LEADERSHIP. JOIN AIAA PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP An investment in AIAA membership provides the professional development resources and contacts to advance your career … expand your potential impact on the future of aerospace … and keep you at the forefront of aerospace technology. www.aiaa.org

8-10 MARCH 2016 LAUREL, MD

AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 79 Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach Department of Aerospace Engineering Faculty Position The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona New Releases in Beach, Florida has an ambitious agenda for the next five years focused on expanding graduate AIAA’s Progress in programs, research capabilities, facilities, and recruiting highly talented faculty. An exciting Astronautics and plan for a new state-of-the-art engineering building housing research laboratories including a new wind tunnel and supporting facilities has been approved and will be completed by Aeronautics spring of 2017 in support of this agenda. The Department invites applications for a faculty position at the Assistant or Associate Professor rank, although an appointment at the Professor level may be considered. Successful candidates for the Assistant Professor rank should demonstrate a potential to establish and grow a strong research program and to excel at teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students. Applicants for the Associate rank should have an exemplary record of teaching and scholarly activities including externally funded research. Appointment at the Professor rank may be considered for individuals with exceptional qualifications and national recognition. We intend to fill the position starting in August 2016. The preferred area of expertise is Dynamics and Control, with specialization in Astronautics and Space Applications. However, applicants in all areas of Aerospace Engineering will be considered. Turbine Aerodynamics, An earned doctorate in Aerospace Engineering or a closely related field is required. Heat Transfer, Materials, and Applicants must submit a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, a detailed research and teaching plan, Mechanics and the names of at least three references to the ERAU web site http://eraucareers.erau.edu, or to: Tom I-P. Shih and Vigor Yang AE Faculty Search AIAA MEMBER PRICE: 89.95 c/o Human Resources LIST PRICE: $129.95 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ISBN: 978-1-62410-263-9 600 S. Clyde Morris Blvd., Daytona Beach, FL 32114

Computational Intelligence in Aerospace Sciences

Massimiliano Vasile and Victor M. Becerra The Department of Aerospace Engineering at Auburn University invites applications for AIAA MEMBER PRICE: $94.95 multiple tenure track faculty positions at the assistant or associate professor rank. Exceptional candidates may be considered for the prestigious Walt and Virginia Woltosz LIST PRICE: $134.95 Professorship. Applicants with expertise in all areas related to aerospace engineering are invited ISBN: 978-1-62410-260-8 to apply. Applicants must have an earned doctorate in aerospace engineering, mechanical engineering, or a closely related field. They will be expected to fully contribute to the department’s mission and the development of a strong, nationally recognized, funded research program. Check out AIAA’s Applicants can login and submit a cover letter, CV, research vision, teaching philosophy, and Progress in three references at: http://aufacultypositions.peopleadmin.com/postings/1247 Astronautics Cover letters may be addressed to: Dr. Joseph Majdalani, Faculty Search Committee Chair, 211 and Aeronautics Davis Hall, Auburn, AL 36849. The applicant review process will begin December 14, 2015 and Publications Now! continue until successful candidates are identified. Candidates may continue to apply until the search has ended. The candidates selected for these positions must be able to meet eligibility requirements to work in the U.S. at the time of appointment and continue working legally for the arc.aiaa.org proposed term of employment. Excellent communication skills are required. Additional information may be found at: http://www.eng.auburn.edu/aero/ Auburn University is an EEO/Vet/Disability employer.

15-656-C

80 AEROSPACE AMERICA/DECEMBER 2015 AIAAAIAABulletinBulletin DECEMBER 2015 AIAA Meeting Schedule B2 AIAA News B5 AIAA Courses and Training B15 Program

The AIAA Tucson Section’s Kid Club, which combines STEM Plus Art (STEAM), has offered sessions ranging from aviation, optics, planetary science, rocketry, and systems engineering. See more information about the AIAA Tucson Section STEM endeavors on page B11.

AIAA Directory

AIAA HEADQUARTERS To join AIAA; to submit address changes, mem- 12700 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 200 ber inquiries, or renewals; to request journal fulfill- Reston, VA 20191-5807 ment; or to register for an AIAA conference. www.aiaa.org Customer Service: 800/639-AIAA†

Aerospace America / Greg Wilson, ext. 7596 AIAA Bulletin / Christine Williams, † U.S. only. International callers Other Important Numbers: should use 703/264-7500. ext. 7575 AIAA Foundation / Karen Thomas, ext. 7520 Book Sales / 800.682.AIAA or 703.661.1595, Dept. 415 Communications / John Blacksten, ext. 7532 Continuing Education / Megan Scheidt, ext. 7511 Corporate Members All AIAA staff can be reached by / Tobey Jackson, ext. 7570 Editorial, Books and Journals / Heather Brennan, ext. 7568 Exhibits and Sponsorship email. Use the formula first name / Tobey Jackson, ext. 7570 Honors and Awards / Carol Stewart, ext. 7538 International Affairs / Betty Guillie, ext. last [email protected]. Example: [email protected]. 7573; Emily Springer, ext. 7533 Journal Subscriptions, Member / 800.639.AIAA Journal Subscriptions, Institutional / Online Archive Subscriptions / Michele Dominiak, ext. 7531 Media Relations / Duane Hyland, ext. 7558 Public Policy / Addresses for Technical Steve Sidorek, ext. 7541 Section Activities / Chris Jessee, ext. 7517 Standards, Domestic / Hilary Woehrle, ext. 7546 Committees and Section Chairs can be found on the AIAA Web Standards, International / Nick Tongson, ext. 7515 Student Programs / Rachel Dowdy, ext. 7577 Technical Committees site at http://www.aiaa.org. / Betty Guillie, ext. 7573 We are frequently asked how to submit articles about section events, member awards, and other special interest items in the AIAA Bulletin. Please contact the staff liaison listed above with Section, Committee, Honors and Awards, Event, or Education information. They will review and forward the information to the AIAA Bulletin Editor. DATE MEETING LOCATION ABSTRACT (Issue of AIAA Bulletin in DEADLINE which program appears)

2016 2–3 Jan 2nd AIAA CFD Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop San Diego, CA 2–3 Jan Guidance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles San Diego, CA 2–3 Jan Systems Requirements Engineering San Diego, CA 3 Jan Structural Dynamics of Rocket Engines Tutorial San Diego, CA 4 Jan AIAA Associate Fellows Recognition Ceremony and Dinner San Diego, CA 4–8 Jan AIAA SciTech 2016 San Diego, CA 2 Jun 15 (AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition) Featuring: 24th AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference 54th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 15th Dynamics Specialists Conference AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference AIAA Information Systems—Infotech@Aerospace Conference AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 18th AIAA Non-Deterministic Approaches Conference 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference 9th Symposium on Space Resource Utilization 3rd AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference 34th Wind Energy Symposium 25-28 Jan† Annual Reliability and Maintainability Symposium (RAMS) Tucson, AZ (Contact: Sean Carter, [email protected], www.rams.org) Feb–Jun Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics Home study course Feb–Jun Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics Home study course Feb–Jun Computational Fluid Turbulence Home study course Feb–Jun Spacecraft Design and Systems Engineering Home study course 14–18 Feb† 26th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics Meeting Napa, CA (Contact: Ryan Russell, 512.471.4190, [email protected], www.space-flight.org/ docs/2016_winter/2016_winter.html) 8–10 Mar AIAA DEFENSE 2016 Laurel, MD 8 Oct 15 (AIAA Defense and Security Forum) Featuring: AIAA Missile Sciences Conference AIAA National Forum on Weapon System Effectivenss AIAA Strategic and Tactical Missile Systems Conference 5–12 Mar† 2016 IEEE Aerospace Conference Big Sky, MT (Contact: Erik Nilsen, 818.354.4441, Erik.n.nilsen@jpl.nasa.gov, www.aeroconf.org) 16 Mar AIAA Congressional Visits Day Washington, DC 19–21 Apr† 16th Integrated Communications and Surveillance Herndon, VA (Contact: Denise Ponchak, 216.433.3465, (ICNS) Conference [email protected], http://i-cns.org) 5 May Aerospace Today ... and Tomorrow—An Executive Symposium Williamsburg, VA 16–20 May† SpaceOps 2016: Daejeon, Korea 30 Jul 15 14th International Conference on Space Operations 30 May–1 Jun† 22nd AIAA/CEAS Aeroacoustics Conference Lyon, France 9 Nov 15 30 May–1 Jun† 23rd Saint Petersburg International Conference on Saint Petersburg, Russia (Contact: Ms. M. V. Grishina, Integrated Navigation Systems +7 812 499 8181, [email protected], www.elektropribor.spb.ru) 13–17 Jun AIAA AVIATION 2016 Washington, DC 5 Nov 15 (AIAA Aviation and Aeronautics Forum and Exposition) Featuring: 32nd AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology and Ground Testing Conference 34th AIAA Applied Aerodynamics Conference AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 8th AIAA Atmospheric and Space Environments Conference

B2 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 DATE MEETING LOCATION ABSTRACT (Issue of AIAA Bulletin in DEADLINE which program appears)

16th AIAA Aviation Technology, Integration, and Operations Conference AIAA Flight Testing Conference 8th AIAA Flow Control Conference 46th AIAA Fluid Dynamics Conference 17th AIAA/ISSMO Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization Conference AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 47th AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference 46th AIAA Thermophysics Conference 15 Jun Aerospace Spotlight Awards Gala Washington, DC 16–17 Jun 6th AIAA CFD Drag Prediction Workshop Washington, DC 5–8 Jul† ICNPAA 2016 Mathematical Problems in Engineering, University of La Rochelle, France (Contact: Prof. Seenith Aerospace and Sciences Sivasundaram, 386.761.9829, [email protected], www. icnpaa.com) 25–27 Jul AIAA Propulsion and Energy 2016 Salt Lake City, UT 12 Jan 16 (AIAA Propulsion and Energy Forum and Exposition) Featuring: 52nd AIAA/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference 14th International Energy Conversion Engineering Conference 13–16 Sep AIAA SPACE 2016 Long Beach, CA (AIAA Space and Astronautics Forum and Exposition) Featuring: AIAA SPACE Conference AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics Specialist Conference AIAA Complex Aerospace Systems Exchange 25–30 Sep† 30th Congress of the International Council of the Daejeon, South Korea 15 Jul 15 Aeronautical Sciences (ICAS 2016) (Contact: www.icas.org) 25–30 Sep† 35th Digital Avionics Systems Conference Sacramento, CA (Contact: Denise Ponchak, 216.433.3465, [email protected], www.dasconline.org) 26–30 Sep† 67th International Astronautical Congress Guadalajara, Mexico (Contact: http://www.iafastro.org/ guadalajara-to-host-iac-2016) 17–20 Oct† 22nd KA and Broadband Communications Conference Cleveland, OH (Contact: Chuck Cynamon, 301.820.0002, and the 34th AIAA International Communications Satellite [email protected]) Systems Conference 2017 9–13 Jan AIAA SciTech 2017 Grapevine, TX (AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition) Featuring: 25th AIAA/AHS Adaptive Structures Conference 55th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference AIAA Information Systems — Infotech@Aerospace Conference AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control Conference AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technologies Conference 19th AIAA Non-Deterministic Approaches Conference 58th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics, and Materials Conference 10th Symposium on Space Resource Utilization 4th AIAA Spacecraft Structures Conference 35th Wind Energy Symposium

For more information on meetings listed above, visit our website at www.aiaa.org/calendar or call 800.639.AIAA or 703.264.7500 (outside U.S.). †Meetings cosponsored by AIAA. Cosponsorship forms can be found at https://www.aiaa.org/Co-SponsorshipOpportunities/. AIAA Continuing Education courses.

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B3 AIAA – WHERE MEMBERSHIP MATTERS!

HERE ARE THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN START MAKING YOUR PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIP WORK FOR YOU:

• AIAA Daily Launch — Stay informed on • Enhance Your Leadership Skills — Our the latest industry reports that affect your technical programs provide opportunities to day-to-day work present technical papers and research • Aerospace America — • Use Our Career Center — The ladder to Get in-depth insight on the subject matter your next success that is shaping the aerospace industry with this monthly publication • Discounted Fees — To AIAA forums and professional development seminars • Participation is Power — AIAA forums provide you with the opportunity to network • Discounts — On books and technical papers with a community of collaborative and • Free Access — To AIAA standards documents innovative members who are your lifelong link to the aerospace community • Discounted Subscription Rates — Aviation Week and Space Technology • Local Section Events — Meet colleagues and network with engineers and aerospace professionals near you

You took the first step; now take a giant leap for your career! www.aiaa.org/you

15-893 ADAPT, EVOLVE, AND SUCCEED

Jim Maser, AIAA President-Elect

I am privileged and honored to be the next President of AIAA, and as I prepare to take on this role, I am looking forward to serving during such a dynamic time in the aerospace industry. As the business continues to evolve in diverse ways each year, posing new opportunities and chal- lenges, we must be able to adapt in order to remain relevant. With the rebound of the world’s economies coupled with the rise of emerging markets, commercial aviation is experiencing an unprecedented boom. Airlines are ordering record numbers of aircraft, with Indigo Airlines topping the list at 250 aircraft in a single order. Boeing and Airbus together have more than 10,000 aircraft on order alone. Suppliers such as engine makers are therefore facing some of the largest production ramp ups in history. New engine technologies are revolutionizing the industry, enhancing efficiencies in fuel burn, maintenance, and environmental impact. It is no surprise that global airline revenues are projected to reach a record $29.3 billion this year. New international actors have the potential to be players as the Russian Irkut MC-21, the Chinese COMAC C919, and the Bombardier CSeries aircraft enter the market in the next couple of years. It will be interesting to see the global airline industry’s reaction to these products and how their success or failure will affect this segment of the market. As commercial aviation expands to new heights, the defense industry is facing a more constrained environment. Military budgets are under constant scrutiny by the government, driving the demand for more information and the requirement for greater affordability. This financial pressure restricts opportunities to compete for research and development (R&D) contracts, resulting in less overall platforms. Long-term strategic planning to determine allocation of scarce budget money is key to oper- ating in this current environment. This poses a significant challenge in the face of the world’s growing military powers such as China. Their defense investment is estimated to be around 30 percent of the world’s military spending and is projected to continue to increase. Facing limited and uncertain government funding, the U.S. space industry has been experiencing a proliferation of commer- cial actors. Much like commercial aviation, which moved toward independent R&D after initial federal government leadership in the early days, the space industry is moving away from a solely government-led R&D infrastructure to become more self- sufficient. This development allows NASA to transfer some responsibilities to this growing segment of the industry and plan for more targeted, strategic, and ambitious missions and research. This move is even more important when considering the roles of China and Russia as influential international players in the future. China is estimated to grow its investment at a rate of 10 percent per year. On the other hand, the Russian space program has been experiencing delays and launch failures—leading experts to say their industry could be in decline. The opportunities and challenges in the ongoing trends in the commercial aviation, defense, and space segments demon- strate the need for us to examine our own AIAA organization to move successfully with the industry. We are already taking action by evaluating the structure of our governance, which will allow us to be not only more flexible, but also relevant to the aerospace community writ large. To evaluate what it means to be “relevant” today, AIAA’s Institute Development Committee is establishing a dedicated “Study Group” to determine who our customers are—and should be—and what it means to be rel- evant, and valuable, to those different customers and market segments. Another area of consideration is how should we mea- sure success? What are the metrics we put in place so we know if we are “moving the needle” toward true relevance and effec- tiveness? Most importantly, we must build these fundamentals upon a foundation of agility. To be flexible is to be successful in this industry. We will regularly take the pulse of members and nonmembers alike to drive these changes. Thank you again for allowing me to serve the Institute during such a significant time. I look forward to working with you.

Registration Now Open for Congressional Visits Day Make a difference in the future of aerospace at AIAA Congressional Visits Day (CVD; http://www.aiaa.org/ CVD) on 16 March 2016. This event brings together passionate aerospace professionals and students in Washington, D.C., for a day of advocacy and awareness with lawmakers. Join us and let your voice be heard by your state's congressional delegation and staff on key policy issues that matter most. To register, go to http://www.aiaa.org/CVD2016.

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B5 AIAA TO RECOGNIZE CLASS OF 2016 ASSOCIATE FELLOWS IN JANUARY

AIAA formally will honor and induct the Class of 2016 Associate Fellows at its AIAA Associate Fellows Recognition Ceremony and Dinner on Monday, January 4, 2016, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, San Diego, California, in conjunction with the AIAA Science and Technology Forum and Exposition 2016 (AIAA SciTech 2016), 4–8 January 2016. “I sincerely congratulate the Class of 2016 Associate Fellows,” said AIAA President Jim Albaugh. “Each of these individuals has shown extraordinary commitment to furthering the advancement of science and technology in the aerospace community, and I look for- ward to helping to celebrate their achievements this January in San Diego. AIAA thanks them for their efforts, and we are excited to see the ongoing results of their continued efforts to shape the future of aerospace.” The grade of Associate Fellow recognizes individuals “who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or sci- entific work, or who have done original work of outstanding merit, or who have otherwise made outstanding contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.” To be selected as an Associate Fellow an individual must be an AIAA Senior Member in good standing, with at least twelve years professional experience, and be recommended by a minimum of three current Associate Fellows. The Class of 2016 Associate Fellows are:

Daniel Alazard, ISAE-SUPAERO Thomas Hancock, SAIC Michael Anderson, U.S. Air Force Academy Shahab Hasan, LMI Leandro Barajas, Dynetics, Inc. Darin Haudrich, The Boeing Company David Beale, Aerospace Testing Alliance James Heidmann, NASA Glenn Research Center David Bearden, The Aerospace Corporation Gregory Hiemenz, InnoVital Systems, Inc. Kamran Behdinan, University of Toronto George Hindman, Keystone Aerospace Jeff Bingham, United States Senate Commerce, Science and Keith Hollingsworth, University of Alabama in Huntsville Transportation Committee Staff (retired) John R “Rick” Hooker, Lockheed Martin Corporation Eric Blades, ATA Engineering, Inc. Michael Houts, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Robert Breidenthal, University of Washington Patricia Hynes, New Mexico State University Andrew Brown, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Dana Keoki Jackson, Lockheed Martin Corporation Daniel Brown, Air Force Research Laboratory Zonglin Jiang, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences Philip Burkholder, Rolls-Royce Corporation Michael Johnson, NASA Kennedy Space Center Steven Bussolari, U.S. Air Force Anya Jones, University of Maryland Michael Butler, Johns Hopkins University/Applied Physics Laboratory John Karas, Lockheed Martin Corporation Samuel Butler, The Boeing Company Shawn Keshmiri, University of Kansas Jason Cassibry, University of Alabama in Huntsville Sergey Kravchenko, The Boeing Company Haixin Chen, Tsinghua University Miroslav Krstic, University of California, San Diego Peter Chen, Intelligent Automation Inc. Ira Kuhn, Directed Technologies Inc. Sergey Chernyshev, TsAGI Philippe Lavoie, University of Toronto Kimberley Clayfield, CSIRO Phillip Ligrani, University of Alabama in Huntsville Stephen Cook, The MITRE Corporation Chao-An Lin, National Tsing Hua University Craig Cooning, The Boeing Company Tianshu Liu, Western Michigan University Victoria Cox, Veracity Engineering Andrew Lovejoy, NASA Langley Research Center Agamemnon Crassidis, Rochester Institute of Technology Byron Lowry, Lockheed Martin Corporation Brian Danowsky, Systems Technology, Inc. Haoxiang Luo, Vanderbilt University Andrew Dawdy, The Aerospace Corporation Luca Maddalena, University of Texas at Arlington Michael Deitchman, Department of the Navy (SES Retired) Balasubramanyam Madhanabharatam, Consultant Edward DiGirolamo, Lockheed Martin Corporation Brant Maines, Lockheed Martin Corporation Kenneth Dorsett, Lockheed Martin Corporation Faure Joel Malo-Molina, Raytheon John Doty, University of Dayton Arif Masud, University of Illinois David Driver, NASA Ames Research Center Jehanzeb Masud, Air University Daniel Dumbacher, Purdue University Ralf Mayer, The MITRE Corporation David Eccles, The Aerospace Corporation Craig McLaughlin, University of Kansas “J.R” Reginald Edwards, Lockheed Martin Corporation Jack McNamara, The Ohio State University William Emrich, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Pamela Melroy, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Daniel Erwin, University of Southern California Richard Miller, Clemson University Thomas Fanciullo, Aerojet Rocketdyne Marc Millis, Tau Zero Foundation Hector Fenech, Eutelsat SA Kristi Morgansen, University of Washington Lawrence Fink, The Boeing Company John Mulholland, The Boeing Company Roger Franzen, Australian National University James Nabity, University of Colorado Susan Frost, NASA Ames Research Center Eliahu Niewood, MIT Lincoln Laboratory Gregory Gatlin, NASA Langley Research Center Hiroaki Nishikawa, National Institute of Aerospace Thomas Giel, ERC/Jacobs ESSSA Team, Marshall Space Flight Donald Nixon, Moog, Inc. Center Scott Norwood, Lockheed Martin Corporation Anouck Girard, University of Michigan Allison O’Connor, Moog, Inc. James Gregory, The Ohio State University Dennis O’Donoghue, The Boeing Company Norman Wayne Hale, Special Aerospace Services, LLP Gregory Olsen, Mississippi State University David Hall, DHC Engineering Irewole Orisamolu, Pratt & Whitney Neil Hall, Lockheed Martin Corporation Eric Paterson, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Tucker Hamilton, U.S. Air Force Jeremy Pinier, NASA Langley Research Center Jae-Hung Han, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology Marcia Politovich, National Center for Atmospheric Research

B6 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 Alexander Povitsky, University of Akron Carolyn Slivinski, Space Telescope Science Institute Gregory Power, Aerospace Testing Alliance Michael Smart, The University of Queensland Adam Przekop, NASA Langley Research Center Thomas Smith, The Boeing Company Michael Raftery, The Boeing Company (retired) Jack Sokhey, Rolls-Royce Corporation Venkatramanan Raman, University of Michigan Jared Squire, Ad Astra Rocket Company Wayne Rast, Texas Space Alliance Thomas Starchville, The Aerospace Corporation Aloysius Reisz, Reisz Engineers Scott Starin, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Darrell Ridgely, Raytheon Ephraim Suhir, Portland State University/ERS Company Gary Roberge, Pratt & Whitney Brian Thurow, Auburn University Luke Roberson, NASA Kennedy Space Center Charles Tinney, University of Texas at Austin Shann Julie Rufer, NASA Langley Research Center Lawrence Townsend, University of Tennessee William Schneider, Lockheed Martin Corporation Robert Tramel, Kord Technologies Inc. Gregory Scott, Naval Research Laboratory Colin Tucker, U.S. Air Force Jürgen Seidel, U.S. Air Force Academy Bruce Underwood, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Alex Selvarathinam, Lockheed Martin Corporation Wayne Van Lerberghe, The Aerospace Corporation Prasenjit Sengupta, Optimal Synthesis Inc. Ian Walker, Clemson University Scott Seymour, Aerojet Rocketdyne Xiaowen Wang, Air Force Research Laboratory Joseph Sheeley, Aerospace Testing Alliance Frank Wazzan, University of California, Los Angeles Zach Sherman, Lockheed Martin Corporation Julien Weiss, École de Technologie Supérieure Jaiwon Shin, NASA Headquarters Thomas Wendel, The Boeing Company Gopalakrishnan Srinivasan, Indian Institute of Science Bruce Willis, Jacobs Technology, Inc. Uri Shumlak, University of Washington Michael Woronowicz, Stinger Ghaffarian Technologies, Inc. Michael Sievers, Jet Propulsion Laboratory Jong-Shinn Wu, National Chiao Tung University Christopher Singer, NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Patrick Yee, The Aerospace Corporation Puneet Singla, University at Buffalo—The State University of Renato Zanetti, NASA Johnson Space Center New York John Joseph Zipay, NASA Johnson Space Center

For more information on the AIAA Associate Fellows Program, please contact Patricia A. Carr at [email protected] or 703.264.7523.

AIAA Celebrating the Class of 2016 Each year, the Institute recognizes exemplary professionals for their accomplishments in engineering or scientific work, outstanding merit Associate Fellows and contributions to the art, science, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics.

Recognition Ceremony The Class of 2016 Associate Fellows will be officially recognized during the Associate Fellows Recognition Ceremony and Dinner, and Dinner to be held in conjunction with AIAA SciTech 2016 on Monday evening, 4 January 2016, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in San Diego, California.

For a complete listing of the Class of 2016 Associate Fellows, please visit www.aiaa.org/2016AssociateFellows/

Please support your colleagues, and join us for the induction of the 2016 Associate Fellows. Tickets to this celebrated event are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be purchased for $100 via the AIAA SciTech 2016 registration form, 2016 Associate Fellows Dinner event registration form, or onsite (based on availability).

Business attire/semi-formal attire is requested. For more information, please contact Patricia A. Carr, Program Manager, Membership Advancement Program, at [email protected] or 703.264.7523. On the web, please visit www.aiaa-SciTech.org/Recognition. 15-888

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B7 FREITAG AWARD GIVEN IN SEPTEMBER

On 14 September 2015, Carsten Spooner was presented with the AIAA Joseph Freitag, Sr. Award at the Daimler Training School in Stuttgart, Germany. Spooner completed his appren- ticeship preparing him to take a technician position in any part of the Daimler automobile manufacturing process. He was selected for the award by the school’s faculty because he had completed his studies a year early, had high grades, exhibited social and leadership qualities, and has been accepted to the University of Stuttgart to pursue a Bachelor Degree in Mechanical Engineering. In addition to his academic achievements Mr. Spooner was noted for his outside interests in marathon running, cross coun- try bicycle competitions, restoring cars and equipment, piano playing, and volunteering sailing lessons and organizing events for younger people. and contributing to his community. Upon completion of his studies, he intends to apply for a position at Daimler in the Research and Development field. Michael Lachnit, who was the third person to receive this award, presented Mr. Spooner with this year’s award. Mr. Lachnit completed his Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering and is now employed by Daimler, setting up production lines in other countries that provide sub-assemblies to Daimler. He spoke about the inspiration he got from the life of Joseph Mr. Spooner, left, receives the certificate and award check from Mr. Freitag Sr., who graduated from the Daimler School in 1922 Lachnit. and became a noted designer for the Sperry Gyroscope Company. Mr. Freitag Sr. lived to 102, and attributed his suc- cation. The Freitag Award was established by his family and cess to the best thing he got from Germany – the Daimler edu- friends and managed by AIAA.

If you know someone who deserves to join an elite class of AIAA members, let us know. Nominate them today! Bolster the reputation and respect of an outstanding peer—throughout the industry. All AIAA Members who have accomplished or been in charge of important engineering or scientific work, and who have made notable valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, or technology of aeronautics or astronautics are eligible for nomination. Now accepting nominations for outstanding contributions to the aerospace industry. ASSOCIATE FELLOW HONORARY FELLOW Accepting Nomination Packages: Accepting Nomination Packages: 15 December 2015 – 15 April 2016 1 January – 15 June 2016 Reference Forms due:15 May 2016 Reference Forms due:15 July 2016 FELLOW SENIOR MEMBER Accepting Nomination Packages: Accepting Online Nominations 1 January – 15 June 2016 monthly. Reference Forms due:15 July 2016

Criteria for nomination and For additional questions, contact additional details can be found Patricia A. Carr at [email protected] at: www.aiaa.org/Honors or 703.264.7523.

15-886

B8 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 CALL FOR PAPERS FOR JOURNAL OF GUIDANCE, must be leveraged from other fields or targeted for development, CONTROL, AND DYNAMICS and 3) what sensors, phenomenology, sensor tasking, or addi- Special iSSue on Space Domain awareneSS tional data are needed to support the SDA mission. Existing research and technology focus largely on collecting The Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics (JGCD) is observables, identification of physical states and parameters, devoted to the advancement of the science and technology of and determining functional characteristics. Selected examples guidance, control, and dynamics through the dissemination of include extracting observations and new information from non- original archival papers disclosing significant technical knowl- traditional sensors, improving track association and initiation edge, exploratory developments, design criteria, and applica- using admissible regions, using finite set statistics methods to tions in aeronautics, astronautics, celestial mechanics, and relat- improve detection and tracking, and classifying space objects ed fields. The journal publishes qualified papers on dynamics, using ontology and taxonomy approaches. Substantial recent stability, guidance, control, navigation, optimization, electronics, progress on these topics has been presented at the AIAA/AAS avionics, and information processing related to aeronautical, Spaceflight Mechanics Meetings and AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics astronautical, and marine systems. Specialist Conferences over the past decade. Space Domain Awareness (SDA) is the actionable knowledge The special issue on SDA will consolidate the latest results required to predict, avoid, deter, operate through, recover from, and key accomplishments of research performed to date in and/or attribute cause to the loss and/or degradation of space addressing this important and difficult problem, and will include capabilities and services. The only purpose for SDA is to pro- the following topics: vide decision-making processes with a quantifiable and timely body of evidence of behavior(s) attributable to specific space Fundamental theoretical results that directly support SDA threats and/or hazards. SDA encompasses all activities of infor- efforts mation tasking, collection, fusion, exploitation, quantification, Novel application of methods, techniques, or technologies and extraction to end in credible threat and hazard identification from other fields to the SDA problem and prediction. Understanding the synergy between the space Investigation of wholly new methods to achieve desired SDA environment, the interaction of this space environment with outcomes objects (astrodynamics), the effects of this space environment on objects (operational and not), and the available sensors and More information about this special issue as well as guide- sources of information are critical to meaningful SDA. Included lines for preparing your manuscript can be found in the full in the SDA purview is collecting raw observables, identify- Call for Papers on the journal website in Aerospace Research ing physical states and parameters (e.g., orbit, attitude, size, Central (http://arc.aiaa.org/loi/jgcd). shape), determining functional characteristics (e.g., active vs passive, thrust capacity, payloads), inferring mission objectives Deadline: Submissions are due by 15 May 2016, with prior (e.g., communications, weather), identifying behaviors, and pre- approval of the Guest Editor dicting specific credible threats and hazards. Intuitively, SDA is a Contact Email: Ping Lu, Editor-in-Chief of JGCD (plu@ natural “big data” problem, drawing from a surfeit of existing and iastate.edu) potential metadata and data sources. The problem at hand is 1) Guest Editors: Moriba Jah ([email protected]) and how these articulated needs can be rigorously addressed using Marcus J. Holzinger ([email protected] ) first-principles, 2) what methods, techniques, and technologies

AIAA NEW ENGLAND SECTION STUDENT CHAPTERS GATHER AT MIT

Representatives from every active Student Branch in the New England Section gathered at MIT on 29 September to meet students from other branches and section members. Each branch discussed their interests, accomplishments, and planned activities. The exchange opened up several areas of cooperation and common interest. The 36 attendees were hosted by Ceili Burdhimo from MIT, and presentations were given by Mehmet Akbulut from Boston University; Jamie Davidson and Mike Sola from Daniel Webster College; Ceili Burdhimo, Andrew Buggee, and Greg Allan from Northeastern University; Sarah Buono and Evan Brown from the University of Massachusetts Lowell; Brian Stafford and Kazimir Sheputa from Wentworth Institute of Technology; and Matias Abad from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In addition, Charles Wilson described Section activities and how students may get involved on the New England Council, Regional Committees, and National Boards. Professor John Blandino discussed the opportunities and requirements for funding of student branch activities by the New England Council.

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B9 JOIN THE INSTITUTE’S PUBLIC POLICY ACTIVITIES Forum Integration Working Group Co-Chairs: Sandy Coleman and Justin Kugler AIAA’s Public Policy Committee (PPC) recently has under- The Forum Integration Working Group (FIWG) is responsible gone a significant reorganization in an effort to become more for ensuring that AIAA messages, themes, and key issues relat- efficient, more relevant, and better positioned. The new PPC ing to public policy are most effectively integrated into the annual is now composed of six outcome-based working groups, forums. Working group members will coordinate with each each led by two co-chairs appointed by the Vice President Forum Organizing Committee to: of Public Policy. The working groups (descriptions follow) will focus on Key Issue Development, the Congressional Recommend and recruit relevant plenary speakers Visits Day Program, Forum Integration, States Advocacy, Invite relevant policy experts & policymakers as forum participants Engagement Activities, and Honors & Awards. This structure Design Forum 360 sessions that incorporate public policy thought provides every AIAA member with an opportunity to partici- leadership pate in our public policy activities at a variety of levels and as Highlight ongoing public policy activities outside the forums their ability to participate allows. AIAA members interested in serving on one or more of the working groups should contact The FIWG co-chairs will assign each working group member Steve Sidorek at [email protected]. an appropriate forum to focus on (with one member designated as the active lead for each upcoming event), provide guidance on key issues and other relevant AIAA themes and messages, Key Issue Development Working Group and report on the activities of the working group to the PPC. Co-Chairs: Matt Angiulo and Samantha Magill Current and past Forum Organizing Committee members are Each year the PPC establishes public policy key issues (KI) highly encouraged to join the FIWG to ensure continuity and that become the focal points of the Institute’s engagement with knowledge sharing from year to year. congressional decision makers, the administration, and state and local officials. Our KIs provide the supporting pillars of the States Advocacy Working Group Congressional Visits Day program, drive panel sessions at our Co-Chairs: Kim Hicks and Steve Justice annual forums, underpin our state-level advocacy efforts, and The States Advocacy Working Group (SAWG) is responsible form the basis of a number of smaller focused events and activi- for enhancing and expanding AIAA’s public policy activities to ties. In recent years the PPC has created a tighter matrix for KIs the state and local levels. To do so, the SAWG will: and with fewer, concise KIs the Institute can direct clearer asks and actions of lawmakers. Engage and educate members of Congress during the congres- The Key Issue Development Working Group (KIWG), with sional recess to enhance national efforts input from the Technical Activities Committee and AIAA mem- Engage and educate local and state decision makers on the bers through key issue development workshops, is responsible important role of the aerospace industry both locally and nationally for identifying, consolidating, and focusing on the critical politi- Engage more AIAA members in public policy activities cal issues that affect the aerospace industry as a whole. The Specifically, we plan to strengthen local section public policy KI themes and relevant issues will be reviewed and determined activities by: annually by the PPC and presented to the AIAA Board of Directors each January for approval. The KIWG duties include: Identifying a State PP Coordinator for those states with multiple AIAA Sections Reviewing, editing, and updating the KI matrix/summary Establishing a “State Delegation Visits Day” as a partner event to Holding key issue development workshops at annual forums the established Congressional Visits Day at local congressional Identifying and development of new KIs offices during recess times Developing, reviewing, editing, and updating the KI supporting Partnering with other aerospace groups to hold State Aerospace information papers Days to connect local AIAA members with their local leaders Identifying, categorizing, and monitoring “Watch Items” Supporting other section-developed events Gathering best practices from the sections and providing “how to” Congressional Visits Day Program Working Group resource materials to help the sections grow local public policy Co-Chairs: Tim Dominick and Bob Stuever activities Providing access to national & state-level aerospace industry data Every year at Congressional Visits Day (CVD), AIAA members – engineers, scientists, researchers, students, educators, and To accomplish these goals the SAWG needs a dedicated technology executives – travel to Washington, DC, to meet with group of volunteers consisting of the Regional Deputy Directors, national decision makers to discuss critical industry issues in civil State Coordinators, and AIAA Section Public Policy Chairs. If aeronautics, civil astronautics, and defense. Through face-to-face you have a passion for public policy and want to educate local meetings CVD raises awareness of the long-term economic and leaders on the key role of the aerospace industry in your com- security value that aerospace brings to the United States. The munities, then the SAWG is for you! CVD Program Working Group (CVDWG) plans and conducts the entirety of the CVD experience, which includes training activities Engagement Activities Working Group for the participants, drafting outreach documents for dissemina- Co-Chairs: Kristen Bloschock and Phil Hattis tion to congressional staff, establishing the agenda for the day, The Engagement Activities Working Group (EAWG) will work and facilitating follow-up activities with congressional offices. across multiple mediums and forums to educate AIAA members, Join the CVDWG and play a big part in the success of the the public, elected officials, and other key stakeholders about the program. Your contribution will be relevant and important, and breadth of the aerospace profession and what it accomplishes, the experience provides unprecedented professional develop- as well as to focus attention on issues important to sustaining ment opportunities beyond the normal AIAA technical or program progress and advances in the profession. Among the paths for committees or section leadership. It is a great chance to network, the EAWG’s outreach are: particularly with AIAA corporate members and the AIAA staff, and to understand and gain a perspective of the inner workings Use of online and social media to provide policy alerts, viewpoint of planning a major event in the congressional environment. exchange, newsletters, and blogs

B10 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 Webinars addressing focused topics Seminars & roundtables that engage, educate, & solicit viewpoints Sessions, forums, and in-person outreach activities at non-AIAA events that enable direct interaction and dialogue with the public and elected officials Events that facilitate information and knowledge exchange with government stakeholders, educators, and students To accomplish these EAWG goals requires the active involve- As the year comes to an end, we count our blessings ment by AIAA members that seek to be effective outreach lead- and think about giving back to those organizations that ers. Because successful engagement activities require strategies have helped us grow and prosper in our profession. that vary by target audience, the EAWG needs participation by AIAA members of all ages from across its areas of interest. Please join the AIAA Foundation Board of Trustees and many other AIAA members, who have already Honors & Awards Working Group donated to the AIAA Foundation. Your support is critical Co-Chairs: Dennis Granato and Stephanie Van Y to continuing to enhance and offer the educational pro- grams, conferences, and competitions that underpin our The Honors & Awards Working Group (HAWG) within the long-standing legacy to attract, educate, and support PPC has been established to focus efforts in nominating excep- tomorrow’s aerospace leaders so that they can shape tional candidates for the annual policy and public services the future of aerospace. related awards, including the Public Service Award, the Durand The Institute strongly believes in the importance of Lectureship, and the Section Awards. The HAWG is responsible our educational programs and will match individual and for soliciting nominees from AIAA membership, technical com- corporate donations up to $1 million dollars (of unre- mittees, and sections; evaluating those nominees; and making recommendations to the PPC. If you would like to facilitate the stricted funds). To learn more and to donate, please honoring of exceptional individuals in our industry we would visit www.aiaafoundation.org. enjoy having you as part of the team.

AIAA K–12 STEM ACTIVITIES experts to offer hands-on seminars, covering a variety of STEM plus Art topics, creating STEAM. The Arizona/NASA Space Supriya Banerjee and Angela Diggs, AIAA K–12 STEM Section Engage- Grant has been a tremendous partner in providing space for the ment and Best Practices Committee sessions at the University of Arizona, as well as session materi- als. During the past year, Kids Club has offered sessions includ- The AIAA Foundation recently established the K–12 STEM ing aviation, optics, planetary science, rocketry, and systems Committee; the committee has several working groups engineering. Finding local partners in academia and industry for focused on various aspects of K–12 STEM programming each event helps keep the activities fresh and interesting to stu- across AIAA. The Section Engagement Working Group’s dents, and simplifies the execution and planning for the section. role is to maintain awareness of K–12 STEM activities in In addition to local STEAM partners participating, Kids Club the sections and communicate those activities to sections/ is a great outlet for showcasing aerospace-related subjects that regions to promote strong K–12 STEM programming across section members are passionate about. One popular annual AIAA. Each month we will highlight an outstanding K–12 event is the Engineering/Art session mimicking a real-life experi- STEM activity; if your section would like to be featured, ence in conjunction with a competitive art project to develop, please contact us directly. design, and execute a unique rendition of the four forces of Tucson Kids Club Builds STEM Connections flight, and orate their final design in order to win. Tucson Section Elishka Jepson and Michelle Rouch member Michelle Rouch uses art as tool to simulate a mini-engi- neering acquisition program. Another session that captivates the Despite the vast research in STEM, little effort is being focused student’s attention year after year is rocket building. The session on an artistic angle to approach kids with a vehicle to draw leader, Steve Lubliner, is a Tucson engineer who knows how to their attention to aviation and aerospace sciences. Children are communicate the complexity of rocketry at a kid’s level. There is creative by nature. Children are born scientists and by catching nothing more exciting than seeing a rocket you created launch them early, we can focus their energy to harvest their instinctive high into the air! If the kids can conceive it, they can build it. nature to create. AIAA Kids Club gives these kids the tools that they thirst for in The AIAA Tucson Section established Kids Club in 2004; since learning. The Kids Club concept can be applied to any section. then, the section has built a challenging, yet fun program for A good starting point would be to build a partnership with local 4th–6th graders. Each month during the school year, the Tucson clubs that have similar objectives in creating a strong technical Section partners with local engineers, scientists, and other community. By working together, the goal of bringing STEAM to students can be achieved faster than by working alone. If your local AIAA sec- tion is interested in starting a Kids Club, or are looking for STEAM activities to inspire children’s interest in aerospace engineering, feel free to con- tact Elishka Jepson, Region VI STEM K–12 Outreach Deputy Director, at elishka.jepson@ raytheon.com.

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B11 The 2015 Reuben H. Fleet Scholarship recipients (left to right): Man-Yeung Tsay (University of California, San Diego [UCSD]), Laura Andersen (UCSD), Haley Antoine (Academy of Our Lady of Peace), Bryan Martin (Otay Ranch High School), Brianna MacNider (UCSD), Rachel Rybarczyk (UCSD/San Diego State University [SDSU]), Benjamin Martin (UCSD), Enrico Santarpia (SDSU), Adrienna Yan (UCSD), Sean Davis (SDSU), Alex Fleet (Grandson of Reuben H. Fleet), Deepak Atyam (UCSD) (not pictured).

REUBEN H. FLEET SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY THE SAN DIEGO SECTION

The AIAA San Diego Section awarded the Reuben H. Fleet Scholarships at the AIAA San Diego Honors and Awards Banquet on 5 May 2015. Since 1983, 176 students have received the scholarship, which is made possible by the Reuben H. Fleet Foundation at The San Diego Foundation.

SANDY MAGNUS: EASE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS FOR GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES

In early November, The Washington Post ran an opinion piece by Sandy Magnus (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/loos- en-the-strings-on-travel/2015/11/01/f6a85464-7ce9-11e5-b575-d8dcfedb4ea1_story.html?postshare=1681446466964997), which explained how onerous restrictions on federal workers’ travel to pertinent meetings have consequently diminished collaboration with their private sector peers. The op-ed included stories from a few AIAA members illustrating the benefits of scientific conferences to their research and the advancement of their careers. It also described the Institute’s continued advocacy efforts calling on Congress to ease travel restrictions on federal employees attending science and technology conferences. We encourage all members positively impacted by scholarly conferences to contribute to this effort by visiting www.aiaa.org/yourstory.

OBITUARIES of Mechanical Engineers, Royal Aeronautical Society, and The Royal Academy of Engineering. AIAA Fellow Yates Died in August AIAA Fellow Taylor Died in October Ivan Yates died on 2 August 2015. He was 86 years old. Mr. Yates studied Mechanical Engineering at Liverpool Richard “Dick” Taylor died on 4 October at age 93. He was University before joining the English Electric Company as an best known for his work on extended-range twin-engine opera- apprentice. While at English Electric he worked on research on tional performance standards (ETOPS). emerging new problems posed by high-speed flutter and vibra- After receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering tion during high-speed flight. In 1954, he was placed in charge from Purdue University, Mr. Taylor joined Boeing in 1946 after of all flutter and vibration work, and three years later he was serving in World War II as a U.S. Army artillery spotter pilot. He responsible for the aerodynamic work on a project that became worked as a flight-test engineer in many positions, among them the basis for the TSR2 aircraft. as test pilot on the B-47 Stratojet and the KB-29 aerial tanker. After the TSRS’s cancellation, Mr. Yates worked on the devel- Over the years, Mr. Taylor held a number of Boeing manage- opment of supersonic fighter aircraft for his company, which had ment positions, including chief of flight test, director of engi- become the British Aircraft Corporation. He lead the develop- neering at the Wichita Division, director of engineering for the ment of the Jaguar aircraft and then managed the Tornado pro- 737 and vice president of product development at the Renton gram. After being promoted to the board of what was now British Division. He retired from Boeing in 1991. Aerospace he continued to promote the development of the next Beyond his work at Boeing, Taylor served as a director at generation of fighter aircraft, including the Typhoon. the Museum of Flight in Seattle and at the Experimental Aircraft Mr. Yates retired from BAe in 1979, and was honored Association, and he set nine world speed records in his Piper with the CBE in 1982 for his work in the aviation industry. In Aerostar. 1991, he became a visiting professor in the Department of Besides being an AIAA Fellow, he was also a fellow of Engineering at the University of Cambridge. Among his other the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He received the FAA honors, he was awarded with a Gold Medal from the Royal Distinguished Service Award, the 1992 National Aeronautics Aeronautical Society, and the 1990 AIAA Wright Brothers Association Elder Statesman of Aviation Award, and the Lectureship in Aeronautics. He was also a fellow of the Institute 2010 Aviation Week Phillip J. Klass Lifetime Achievement

B12 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 Laureate Award. He also was awarded the 1998 William Stanford University, which he earned in 1969. Littlewood Memorial Lectureship. From 1969 to 1990, Dr. Farquhar worked for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA Headquarters, holding a number Former AIAA President Mueller Died in October of positions that included studies of post-Apollo lunar exploration concepts, the lunar shuttle transportation system, and key man- George E. Mueller, who led NASA’s human spaceflight agement positions for numerous satellite projects. efforts through the first moon landing, died on 12 October. He In 1990, Dr. Farquhar began working for Johns Hopkins was 97. University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL). He used his design Mr. Mueller earned his bachelor of science in electrical skills and space mission experience to support APL’s role in engineering from the Missouri School of Mines in 1939 and a NASA’s Discovery Program. He was the flight director for the masters of science from Purdue University in 1940. After work- Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission to 433 Eros, ing at Bell Laboratories, Mr. Mueller became a professor of which became the first spacecraft to observe and land on an electrical engineering and systems engineering at The Ohio asteroid. He also worked on other projects such as the Comet State University (OSU) in 1946, where he established a vacuum Nuclear Tour, and the MESSENGER mission to Mercury. Dr. tube laboratory and headed up the university’s communication Farquhar was the first mission manager for the New Horizons engineering group. He also worked on his doctorate in physics, project. which he obtained in 1951. Dr. Farquhar wrote or contributed to many papers and In 1953, Mr. Mueller took a sabbatical from OSU to work books, including Analog Studies of the Limit Cycle Fuel for the Ramo-Wooldridge Corporation (now part of TRW Consumption of a Spinning Symmetric Drag Free Satellite Corporation), where he was involved with radar designs for the and Fifty Years on the Space Frontier: Halo Orbits, Comets, Titan missile. He joined Ramo-Wooldridge full-time in 1957 to Asteroids, and More. He was honored with the 1981 AIAA direct the firm’s Electronic Laboratories, before joining NASA in Mechanics & Control of Flight Award for unique and sustained 1963 to oversee the Apollo project. contributions to the technology of the control and application of During his time on the Apollo project, Mr. Mueller instituted libration-point satellites resulting in the successful flight of the several reforms to NASA’s internal structures, establishing the world’’s first libration point mission. Office of Manned Space Flight (OMSF), and consolidating three of NASA’s centers, the Manned Spacecraft Center (now the Former President of the American Rocket Society Died in Johnson Space Center), the Marshall Space Flight Center, and October the Kennedy Space Center, under the OMSF – allowing for more streamlined operations that took into account each center’s Frederick C. Durant III, who was president of the American particular competency and strengths. Mueller also employed Rocket Society (which merged with the Institute of the his “all-up” theory that reduced cost overruns and delays in the Aerospace Sciences to create AIAA) from 1953 to 1954, died on project. Instead of certifying each state of the rocket separately 21 October. He was 98 years old. this plan involved examing all parts to be checked at one. This Mr. Durant graduated from Lehigh University in 1939. He theory was greeted with skepticism, but it was later embraced enlisted in the U.S. Navy as an aviator during World War II, and making it the testing standard for the remainder of the program. taught pilots how to land on and takeoff from aircraft carriers. In 1965, Mr. Mueller established the Apollo Applications After the war, Mr. Durant joined Bell Aircraft as a test pilot, test- Program to find ways to use Apollo technology and lessons- ing some of the first fighter jets in the U.S. inventory. During the learned to advance the U.S. space program. This program Korean conflict, he returned to military service, serving as a U.S. helped to produce Skylab, America’s first space station. Mr. Navy test pilot. Mueller was also a staunch advocate for a reusable space After returning from the Korean conflict, Mr. Durant became transportation system, and some experts considered him to be one of the nation’s most respected advisors on aerospace tech- the “father” of the space shuttle program. nology – working with a number of organizations, including Bell Mr. Mueller resigned from NASA in 1969, four months after Aircraft Corp., the Everett Research Lab, the Naval Air Rocket the first moon landing. He served as General Dynamics senior Test Station, and the Maynard Ordnance Test Station. In 1953, vice president and as chairman and chief executive officer for he served on a panel organized by the CIA for the purposes System Development Corp. (SDC). His desire to develop a lowe of investigating if extraterrestrial spacecraft existed, helping to cost method to access space, led him to Kistler Aerospace, a author the committee’s report, which found “no evidence that commercial spaceflight company, where he worked from 1995 the phenomena indicate a need for the revision of current scien- to 2004. tific concepts.” Additionally, during the same period Mr. Durant In addition to his professional positions, Mr. Mueller, an AIAA became a staunch advocate for manned spaceflight, penning Honorary Fellow, served as the president of AIAA and the presi- an article for Aviation Week magazine arguing that not only dent of the International Academy of Astronautics. His many was spaceflight feasible, it was time for the U.S. to invest in a other honors included the 2011 National Air and Space Museum manned spaceflight program. His advocacy attracted the notice Trophy, the 2002 National Space Trophy, the 1986 AIAA Elmer of Dr. Wernher von Braun, who recruited Mr. Durant for his Sperry Award, the 1983 AIAA Goddard Astronautics Award, and Project Orbiter program, with the goal of putting a U.S. civilian the 1971 National Medal of Science in Engineering. satellite into orbit around the Earth. The program led to the cre- ation of the Explorer I satellite, launched in 1958. AIAA Fellow Robert Farquhar Died in October The Smithsonian Institution hired Mr. Durant in 1964 to lead its efforts to add an aerospace component to the Institution’s muse- Robert W. Farquhar, a retired NASA astrodynamicist, died ums. Serving as assistant director of astronautics at the National on 18 October. He was 83 years old. Air And Space Museum until 1981, his efforts ensured that the After serving in the U.S. Army and being deployed to Korea Smithsonian became the official repository for all of NASA’s inthe early 1950s, Dr. Farquhar earned a bachelor’s degree in spacecraft and equipment. The museum opened in 1976. aeronautical engineering in 1959 from the University of Illinois, After retiring from the Smithsonian, Mr. Durant was a con- and a master’s degree in engineering from the University of sultant and historian with Intelsat. He was president of the California at Los Angeles in 1961. He worked at Lockheed International Astronautical Federation from 1953 to 1956 and Missiles and Space Company while working on his Ph.D. from former governor of the National Space Club in 1961.

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B13 CALL FOR NOMINATIONS Missile Systems Award — Technical Award is presented for a significant accomplishment in developing or using technol- Recognize the achievements of your colleagues by nominating ogy that is required for missile systems. them for an award! Nominations are now being accepted for the following awards, and must be received at AIAA Headquarters Missile Systems Award — Management Award is pre- no later than 1 February. sented for a significant accomplishment in the management of Any AIAA member in good standing may serve as a nomina- missile systems programs. tor and are urged to read award guidelines to view nominee eli- gibility, page limits, letters of endorsement, etc. Please note that Propellants and Combustion Award is presented for out- the nomination form, related materials and the three required standing technical contributions to aeronautical or astronautical AIAA member letters of endorsement must be submitted to combustion engineering. AIAA by the nomination deadline. Nominators are reminded that the quality of information is most important. Space Automation and Robotics Award recognizes leader- AIAA members may submit nominations online after logging ship and technical contributions by individuals and teams in the into www.aiaa.org with their user name and password. You will field of space automation and robotics. (Presented odd years) be guided step-by-step through the nomination entry. If pre- ferred, a nominator may submit a nomination by completing the Space Science Award is presented to an individual for dem- AIAA nomination form, which can be downloaded from http:// onstrated leadership of innovative scientific investigations asso- www.aiaa.org/OpenNominations/. ciated with space science missions. (Presented even years) Awards are presented annually, unless otherwise indicated. However AIAA accepts nomination on a daily basis and applies Space Operations and Support Award is presented for to the appropriate award year. outstanding efforts in overcoming space operations problems and assuring success, and recognizes those teams or individu- Aerospace Power Systems Award is presented for a signifi- als whose exceptional contributions were critical to an anomaly cant contribution in the broad field of aerospace power systems, recovery, crew rescue, or space failure. (Presented odd years) specifically as related to the application of engineering sciences and systems engineering to the production, storage, distribution, Space Processing Award is presented for significant con- and processing of aerospace power. tributions in space processing or in furthering the use of micro- gravity for space processing, (Presented odd years) Air Breathing Propulsion Award is presented for meritori- ous accomplishment in the science of air breathing propulsion, Space Systems Award recognizes outstanding achieve- including turbomachinery or any other technical approach ments in the architecture, analysis, design, and implementation dependent on atmospheric air to develop thrust, or other aero- of space systems. dynamic forces for propulsion, or other purposes for aircraft or other vehicles in the atmosphere or on land or sea. von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management recognizes outstanding contributions in the The industry-renowned Daniel Guggenheim Medal was management of a significant space or space-related program established in 1929 for the purpose of honoring persons who or project. make notable achievements in the advancement of aeronautics. AIAA, ASME, SAE, and AHS sponsor the award. The William Littlewood Memorial Lecture, sponsored by AIAA and SAE, perpetuates the memory of William Littlewood, Durand Lectureship for Public Service, named in honor of who was renowned for the many significant contributions he William F. Durand, recognizes for notable achievements by a sci- made to the design of operational requirements for civil transport entific or technical leader whose contributions have led directly to aircraft. Lecture topics focus on a broad phase of civil air trans- the understanding and application of the science and technology portation considered of current interest and major importance. of aeronautics and astronautics for the betterment of mankind. Nominations should be submitted by 1 February to SAE at http://www.sae.org/news/awards/list/littlewood/. Energy Systems is presented for a significant contribution in the broad field of energy systems, specifically as related to the Wright Brothers Lectureship in Aeronautics commemo- application of engineering sciences and systems engineering to rates the first powered flights made by Orville and Wilbur Wright the production, storage, distribution, and conservation of energy. at Kitty Hawk in 1903. The lectureship emphasizes significant advances in aeronautics by recognizing major leaders and con- George M. Low Space Transportation Award honors the tributors. (Presented odd years) achievements in space transportation by Dr. George M. Low, who played a leading role in planning and executing all of the Wyld Propulsion Award recognizes outstanding achievement Apollo missions, and originated the plans for the first manned in the development or application of rocket propulsion systems. lunar orbital flight, Apollo 8. (Presented even years) For further information on AIAA’s awards program, please Haley Space Flight Award is presented for outstanding contact Carol Stewart, Manager, AIAA Honors and Awards, car- contributions by an astronaut or flight test personnel to the [email protected] or 703.264.7538. advancement of the art, science, or technology of astronautics. (Presented even years) To submit articles to the AIAA Bulletin, contact your Section, J. Leland Atwood Award recognizes an aerospace engi- Committee, Honors and Awards, Events, Precollege, or neering educator for outstanding contributions to the profes- Student staff liaison. They will review and forward the infor- sion. AIAA and ASEE sponsor the award. Note: Nominations mation to the AIAA Bulletin Editor. See the AIAA Directory on should be submitted to ASEE (www.asee.org) no later than page B1 for contact information. 15 January.

B14 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 Upcoming AIAA Continuing Education Courses

Courses at AIAA Science and Technology Forum 2016 (AIAA SciTech 2016) www.aiaa-scitech.org/CoursesWorkshops 2–3 January 2016

2nd AIAA Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (Organized by the AIAA Structural Dynamics Technical Committee) How well do modern computational aeroelastic tools predict flutter? How well do they predict unsteady aerodynamic phenomena? How do choices of spatial and temporal parameters and turbulence model affect the solution? How does the presence of sepa- rated flow influence the accuracy of the calculations? These are questions being addressed in the 2nd AIAA Aeroelastic Prediction Workshop (AePW-2). AePW-2 will focus on assessing the state of the art of computational methods for predicting unsteady flow fields and aeroelastic response. The goals of the workshop are to:

Provide an impartial forum to evaluate the effectiveness of existing computer codes and modeling techniques Identify computational and experimental areas needing additional research and development

Systems Requirements Engineering (Instructor: John C. Hsu, Ph.D.,P.E., AIAA Fellow, INCOSE ESEP) Requirements analysis and specification development are the most important contribution at the onset of a program/project. It will set a corrective direction to guide the program/project preventing redesign and rework later on. This course will help familiarize you with an effective method for defining a set of requirements of a system. The focus is on the initial problem of space definition, defining user needs, concept of operations, systems, segment, subsystem requirements, and architecture. Gain an understanding of the following requirements of engineering activities: elicitation of requirements, system requirements analysis, requirements integration, interface requirements and control, functional analysis and architecture, requirements management, and verification and validation of require- ments. Learn about the principles and characteristics of organizing well-written requirements and specifications.

Key Topics Requirements elicitation and analysis leading to concept of operations Systems requirements analysis and requirements fundamentals Requirements integration and management Specification development Functional analysis and architecture Interface requirements and control

Guidance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (Instructor: Dr. Rafael Yanushevsky) This course presents a rigorous guidance theory of unmanned aerial vehicles. It can be considered as the further development and gen- eralization of the missile guidance theory presented in the author’s book, Modern Missile Guidance (2007). Guidance of the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) differs from missile guidance. Its goal is different. Moreover, since UAVs can perform variety of functions, the goal depends on a concrete area of their application. To address a wide class of guidance problems for UAVs, a more general guidance problem is formulated and a class of guidance laws is developed. In addition, the obstacle avoidance problem for UAVs is discussed and avoidance algorithms are considered.

Key Topics Generalized guidance laws for UAVs Waypoint guidance problem Rendezvous problem Conditional rendezvous problem Guidance of a swarm of UAVs Obstacle avoidance algorithms

3 January 2016 Structural Dynamics of Rocket Engines Tutorial (Instructor: Andy Brown, Ph.D.) Structural dynamics plays a key role in the design, test, and operation of rocket engines. This talk will discuss some of the types of analyses that are required, such as the Campbell Diagram in turbomachinery, the “side-loads” fluid/structure interaction problem in over- expanded rocket nozzles, and the necessity of a system loads model for the generation of interface design loads. The role of modal and hot-fire test for verification will also be discussed. As structural dynamics is frequently a root cause in failure investigations, we’ll be able to see some spectacular video of these failures as well.

AIAA Home Study Courses https://www.aiaa.org/homestudy Home study courses let you work at your own pace while still providing interface with the instructor. Students receive instructions for completing the course, along with a course notebook, problem sets, and accompanying texts. Over five months, they follow a proven curriculum of reading and homework assignments, and forward completed homework assignments to the instructor for review and comment via mail, email, or fax. The instructor will also answer questions

AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 B15 by email or phone. The time required varies depending on the course and the student’s prior knowledge, but in general, amounts to about 20 hours of work per month. Course completion certificates are awarded upon satisfactory completion of all homework assignments. These are self-paced courses.

1 February–30 June 2016 Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics (Instructor: Klaus A. Hoffmann) This introductory course is the first of the three-part series of courses that will prepare you for a career in the rapidly expanding field of computational fluid dynamics. Completion of these three courses will give you the equivalent of one semester of undergraduate and two semesters of graduate work. The courses are supported extensively with textbooks, computer programs, and user manuals. You can use the computer programs to develop your own code, or you may modify the existing code for assigned applications.

Key Topics Classification of partial differential equations (PDEs) Finite-difference equations Parabolic equations Stability analysis Elliptic partial differential equations Hyperbolic partial differential equations Scalar representation of the Navier-Stokes equations Incompressible Navier-Stokes equations

Advanced Computational Fluid Dynamics (Instructor: Klaus A. Hoffmann) This advanced course is the second of the three-part series of courses that will prepare you for a career in the rapidly expanding field of computational fluid dynamics. Completion of these three courses will give you the equivalent of one semester of undergraduate and two semesters of graduate work. The courses are supported extensively with textbooks, computer programs, and user manuals. You can use the computer programs to develop your own code, or you may modify the existing code for assigned applications.

Key Topics Grid-generation-structured grids Transformation of the equations of fluid motion from physical space to computational space Euler equations Parabolized Navier-Stokes equations Navier-Stokes equations Grid-generation-unstructured grids incompressible Navier-Stokes equations Finite volume schemes

Computational Fluid Turbulence (Instructor: Klaus A. Hoffmann) This advanced course is the third of the three-part series of courses that will prepare you for a career in the rapidly expanding field of computational fluid dynamics with emphasis in fluid turbulence. Completion of these three courses will give you the equivalent of one semester of undergraduate and two semesters of graduate work. The courses are supported extensively with textbooks, computer programs, and user manuals. You can use the computer programs to develop your own code, or you may modify the existing code for assigned applications.

Key Topics Introduction to turbulence and turbulent flows Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations parabolic equations Turbulence models Compact finite difference formulations Boundary conditions Large eddy simulation Direct numerical simulation

Spacecraft Design and Systems Engineering (Instructor: Don Edberg) This course presents an overview of factors that affect spacecraft design and operation. It begins with a historical review of unmanned and manned spacecraft, including current designs and future concepts. All the design drivers, including launch and on-orbit environ- ments and their effect on the spacecraft design, are covered. Orbital mechanics is presented in a manner that provides an easy under- standing of underlying principles as well as applications, such as maneuvering, transfers, rendezvous, atmospheric entry, and interplan- etary transfers.

Key Topics History Design drivers Orbital mechanics and trajectories Systems engineering Design considerations Mass, power, and cost estimation

B16 AIAA BULLETIN / DECEMBER 2015 2O16 13–16 SEPTEMBER 2016 LONG BEACH, CA Featuring CALL FOR PAPERS AIAA SPACE Conference The technical program for AIAA SPACE 2016 features the best papers from researchers around the world. AIAA/AAS Astrodynamics When you present your work at AIAA SPACE 2016, your Specialist Conference paper will be archived in AIAA’s Aerospace Research Central (ARC), where it will gain exposure to more AIAA Complex Aerospace than 2 million visitors each year from more than 200 countries around the world. Systems Exchange (CASE) Now accepting papers in the following areas: Astrodynamics Atmospheric and Space Environments Complex Aerospace Systems Exchange Human Space Exploration, Architecture, and Colonization National Security Space Reinventing Space Small Satellites Space and Earth Science Space Exploration Space History, Society, and Policy Space Logistics and Supportability Space Operations Space Robotics and Automation Space Systems Space Systems Engineering and Space Economics Space Transportation and Launch Systems SUBMIT YOUR ABSTRACTS BY 25 FEBRUARY 2016 aiaa-space.org/callforpapers 16-948 To Ka band and beyond! The future is Ka band. Now, there’s a rugged, dependable handheld designed to deliver precise, lab-grade measurements up to 50 GHz. At only 7.1 lbs., it’s an all-in-one cable and antenna tester (CAT) + vector network analyzer (VNA) + spectrum analyzer and more. Which means, now you get comprehensive system performance insight at higher frequencies. Plus with easy upgrades and multiple confi gurations, you’ll be ready to go where no handheld has gone before — today and beyond.

Keysight FieldFox Handheld Analyzers 6 new models to 50 GHz MIL-PRF-28800F Class 2 rugged Agrees with benchtop measurements CAT + VNA + spectrum analyzer

Explore FieldFox. Get app notes, webcasts & more. www.keysight.com/find/KaAndBeyond

USA: 800 829 4444 CAN: 877 894 4414

© Keysight Technologies, Inc. 2015. Photo courtesy of INTELSAT.