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In the future, a scalable and flexible air traffic management system capable of handling changing traffic is expected. The fundamentals are based on aircraft trajectory management, which will allow airspace users to choose their preferred trajectories, carrying passengers and cargo on time as economically and efficiently as possible. This Final Degree Project (TFG) has been carried out within the framework of the 5th Call of the Scholarship Competition for the development of ideas related to Research, Development and Innovation (R&D) in the field of ATM proposed by CRIDA. The aim of this project is to estimate the fuel consumption inefficiencies of several representative sets of aircraft trajectories, focusing on the analysis of flown (radar track) and planned (flight plans) trajectories that run partially or totally within Spanish airspace in order to compare the fuel consumption between the real trajectory and an optimised trajectory; either by optimising the vertical profile alone, optimising the route using the available airway structure or optimising the route assuming a full Free Route mode. To reach such objectives, in this TFG, two tools (DYNAMO and FARM), provided by the ICARUS research group of the UPC, are used. DYNAMO is able to optimise a flight plan (or trajectory in general) to minimise fuel and CO2 consumption or operating cost taking into account meteorological factors and airspace constraints. FARM allows estimating fuel consumption from an input trajectory (a flight plant or radar track). On the other hand, CRIDA has provided all relevant support and data to the study such as flown and planned trajectories. In order to carry out the study, we have analysed the flights that cross the FIR of Barcelona and the FIR (Flight Information Region) of Madrid on the following dates: from 17 to 23 January 2019, from 1 to 7 April 2019 and from 28 July to 3 August. In order to find the causes of the inefficiencies in the flight, 3 scripts (Large Scale Simulatio, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum Responsables, Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::17 - Aliança per a Aconseguir els Objetius

The main objective of this final degree project is to enhance the maturity level of the trajectory simulation software suite developed by the Icarus UPC research group. Consequently, the advancements made in this project aim to adapt the software to provide a more realistic interpretation of the simulation scenarios and, therefore, yield more accurate and faithful results, compliant with real flight operations. To accomplish this objective, the planning and design of a novel functionality are undertaken. This report begins by describing the conception of the implementation within an aeronautical context, thereby establishing the guidelines to fulfill the requirements of the software upgrade. Additionally, the report provides a comprehensive outline of the implementation's architecture, along with a detailed explanation of the operational aspects of the various logical blocks that conform the functionality. This initial section of the report further describes the integration of this implementation within the main software architecture. Afterwards, this report provides details regarding the verification process conducted to ensure the proper operation of the logic. This process encompasses the planning of a particularly interesting scenario, comprising various sub-cases in which the implementation is thoroughly tested. Moreover, the results produced by the software are meticulously analyzed and conclusions about the applied logic are drawn. In addition to the previous verification, another validation process of a more realistic situation is presented. This procedure allows for a meticulous examination of the system's performance and effectiveness within a real-world application scenario. Finally, the results are subjected to an in-depth analysis. This detailed study provides a deeper understanding of the outcomes, yielding valuable insights and potential improvements for the future development of the software.

El proyecto presentado en este documento se ha llevado a cabo en el marco de la 4ª Convocatoria del Concurso de Becas para el desarrollo de ideas relacionadas con la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (I+D+i) en el ámbito ATM propuesta por CRIDA, The project presented in this document was carried out within the framework of the ¿4ª Convocatoria del Concurso de Becas para el desarrollo de ideas relacionadas con la Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación (I+D+i) en el ámbito ATM¿ proposed by CRIDA. The main objective of the project is to develop a tool that automates the calculation of flight efficiency indicators by comparing the fuel consumption of various planned flight paths (flight plans) or flown paths (radar traces) with the fuel consumption of optimal paths generated considering factors such as meteorology and aircraft performance models. The methodology followed in the project is based on comparing the fuel consumption of two trajectories. First, trajectory "A" represents the estimated fuel consumption of the actual route obtained using the Farm program. Second, trajectories "B" represent the fuel consumption of three types of optimal trajectories obtained using the Dynamo program: without airway restrictions (free route); considering the airways network (structured route) and fixing the flight plan route while optimizing only the vertical profile (direct route). To conduct the study, fuel consumption data from specific flight plans on two specific days (February 6, 2019, and July 18, 2019) provided by CRIDA were analyzed. Given that this involved working with a large volume of flight paths, the Meta program was used to perform massive simulations automatically. In order to filter potential errors in the data used in the simulations, a script called "Data Sanitizer" was created. Subsequently, to carry out the simulations, it was necessary to develop and integrate software into existing programs such as Farm and Meta. Finally, a program called "Fuel Script" was created to calculate fuel efficiency indicators and facilitate the analysis of the results. It is important to note that, after analyzing the results, it was observed that both case studies yielded very similar results, showing inefficiencies in

Nowadays, sound designers must hard-code any acoustic effect in their video game, because there is not any module that automatizes the real audio behavior depending on the physical environment. That is what NoPhysicsLibrary is: a C++ library that allows developers to create their own world, apply realistic physics to it, and play sfx that change depending on the environment. The report shows a detailed description of the physics module, which explains the iteration methods and integration calculations. Also, is included a detailed explanation of the formulas used to calculate the real-time effects that will be applied to the played audio files, such as spatialization, volume attenuation, sound occlusion, frequential attenuation, pitch variation, and time delay. Finally, an overview of the audio system's functionality is presented. The resulting library is published on a github repository and several stand-alone test scenarios are provided. Two demonstration videos are also presented as part of this work, featuring all the acoustic effects covered by NoPhysicsLibrary.

This document delivers a comprehensive report of the final degree project, which had as its primary goal, the design, developing, and testing a full-stack web service to facilitate user-friendly interaction with a trajectory computation software called Dynamo. The crux of this project lies in taking an existing, complex software and making it more accessible and simpler to use for a broad user base through the development of a web service. By leveraging a wide array of technologies - Python, Flask, Vue.js, Tailwind, and MongoDB - and following modern software development methodologies like Agile, a backend server, frontend interface, and a database structure were meticulously designed and implemented. In addition, secure authentication and an efficient system for error handling and validation were integrated to ensure a secure and user-friendly experience. A key aspect of this project was the need to understand how Dynamo functions, even though we did not go into the intricate operational details of the software itself. The main focus remained on its configuration process, providing the basis for developing a web service that allows users to intuitively configure, run, and monitor their simulations. This facilitates a more straightforward way for users to leverage the power of the Dynamo software, regardless of their technical proficiency. For this reason, a web service requirements capture was carried out with researchers from the ICARUS research group, thus ensuring that the developed web service adapts to their needs. All aspects of this project, from understanding Dynamo's configuration process to the development of the backend and frontend of the web service, were tackled systematically and are detailed in this document.

This paper presents an optimisation framework to compute the altitude and speed profiles of a trajectory in the execution phase of the flight, such that the expected total cost (ETC) of the operation is minimised (i.e. modelling the expected cost of delay and fuel – including arrival uncertainties – at the arrival gate). This is achieved with a two-stage optimisation strategy: a trajectory optimiser that minimises a generalised direct operating cost function, for a given cost index; and an upper-level optimiser, which obtains the best cost index that minimises the ETC. Several case studies are presented for different departure delays, while considering the impact of two different weather forecast updates too: a region with relative high head-winds appearing half way across teh flight; and a cold atmosphere scenario, with a tropopause altitude lower than standard conditions. ETC savings with respect to following the operational flight plan increase with departure delay, as expected. Due to the non-linearity of the cost function, however, the benefits of considering the weather update depend on the actual value of the departure delay, showing the convenience of integrating the proposed approach into a crew decision support tool in order to avoid sub-optimal decisions., This work has been performed as part of Pilot3 innovation action which has received funding from the Clean Sky 2Joint Undertaking (JU) under grant agreements No 863802. The JU receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and the Clean Sky 2 JU members other than the Union., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

This deliverable aims to describe the evaluation activities of the SIMBAD project. The document contains the results of WP6, whose objective is to demonstrate and evaluate the SIMBAD performance modelling network. This involves the evaluation of the three main technical WPs of the project; namely WP3, WP4 and WP5. The document is divided in three main parts, one for each WP. In each section, the methodological approach and the evaluation results are described. References to previous deliverables of the project are present along the document, since those documents are an important source of information, both for the methodology description and for the results of each WP. The evaluation activities have been successfully accomplished. For each WP, the results obtained have been compared with the results obtained by the simulation tools or the ATM experts. The validation results confirm that the proposed machine learning techniques are able to accurately capture the behaviour of the air traffic system, while reducing the computational cost. Even considering the training costs, one can realize that the computational costs are considerably reduced, but if only the execution costs are considered, the costs are further reduced., This document is part of a project that has received funding from the SESAR Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No 894241 under European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Aircraft crew are aware of the delay they have experienced at departure. However, uncertainties ahead, and in particular holdings at arrival, can have an impact on the final performance of their operations. When optimising a trajectory the expected cost at the arrival gate should be considered. Consequently, taking into account potential congestion and extra delay at the arrival airspace is paramount to avoid taking sub-optimal decisions at the early stages of the flight. This paper presents a framework to optimise trajectories in the execution phase of the flight considering expected delays at arrival. A flight from Athens (LGAV) to London Heathrow (EGLL) is used as illustrative example, systematically exploring a range of departure delays and expected holdings at arrival., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Performing orbital insertion around Mars using aerocapture instead of a propulsive orbit insertion maneuver allows the saving of resources and/or the increase of the payload mass fraction. Aerocapture has never been employed to date because of the high uncertainties in the parameters from which it depends, mainly related to atmospheric density modeling and navigation errors. The purpose of this work is to investigate the feasibility of aerocapture at Mars with an innovative deployable drag device, whose aperture can be modulated in flight, and to assess the effects of the main uncertainties on the success of the maneuver. This paper starts with the presentation of a parametric bidimensional analysis of the effectiveness of aerocapture, for which a wide range of uncertainty levels in the atmospheric density and the ballistic coefficient are considered. Then, an application to a real mission scenario is carried out, including the error of the targeting maneuver performed at the limit of the sphere of influence of the planet. The analyses show the strong influence of the uncertainties in the atmospheric density and the ballistic coefficient, which significantly narrow the solution space and limit its continuity. However, viable solutions for aerocapture can still be identified, even in the worst conditions., This work has been supported by Khalifa University of Science and Technology’s internal grants FSU-2018-07 and CIRA-2018-85. J. Peláez and E. Fantino acknowledge also the support provided by the project entitled “Dynamical Analysis of Complex Interplanetary Missions,” with reference ESP2017-87271-P sponsored by Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) of Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (MINECO) and by European Fund of Regional Development (FEDER). The work was also supported by the internal grants of the Department of Engineering of the University of Naples., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

The Tisserand graph (TG) is a graphical tool commonly employed in the preliminary design of gravity-assisted trajectories. The TG is a two-dimensional map showing essential orbital information regarding the Keplerian orbits resulting from the close passage by one or more massive bodies, given the magnitude of the hyperbolic excess speed () and the minimum allowed pericenter height for each passage. Contours of constant populate the TG. Intersections between contours allow to link consecutive flybys and build sequences of encounters en route to a selected destination. When the number of perturbing bodies is large and many levels are considered, the identification of all the possible sequences of encounters through visual inspection of the TG becomes a laborious task. Besides, if the sequences are used as input for a numerical code for trajectory design and optimization, an automated examination of the TG is desirable. This contribution describes an automatic technique to explore the TG and find all the encounter paths. The technique is based on a tree search method, and the intersections between contours are computed using the regula-falsi scheme. The method is validated through comparisons with solutions available in the open literature. Examples are given of application to interplanetary mission scenarios, including the coupling with a trajectory optimizer., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Although they normally go together, the world of environmental monitoring and water monitoring often go their separate ways. There are sensor arrays that do one of two things, but the options are greatly reduced if we talk about the latter. In addition,they are usually very expensive and complex devices to use. This document seeks to create a project that includes water monitoring and environmental monitoring with the premises that it is inexpensive, simple to use and that it is widely used in order to gaina foothold in the market for several applications like in farms, water treatment plants or fish factories, for example.The proposed system consists of simulating a matrix of 9 sensors that monitor waterand the environment in real time and send the data to a smartphone application createdfor the purpose of the project to be able to control the systems remotely. The projecthas a notification system that notifies the user if there is a problem so that a solution can be applied quickly. The smartphone app is by far the most accomplished goalof the project and could be used as a graphical interface for any other monitoring project.Furthermore, being a simulation, the project identifies alternatives to the different sensors and focuses on a main stage, a treatment plant in Burkina Faso. From there, all the values and sensors can be changed by others that are named in the job depending on the situation in which you want to apply the project.The project also tries to offer the highest quality in the data received without jeopardizing the safety of the devices or operators and also looking for a balance between cost and quality of the product.

The return of the idea of going to the Moon throughout the last years has motivated the development of studies related with the design of lunar manned missions. This thesis covers di erent aspects related with the choice of the proper mission architecture and the manoeuvres performed during the journey, based in the approach followed by the Apollo missions. Firstly, the main alternatives presented during the development of the program and the decision criteria are explained in order to justify the election of the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous mode and discuss how this choice would have changed if it had to be taken nowadays. On the other side, an study of the main phases, using the Patched Conics Approximation to analyse the di erent orbital manoeuvres, is performed. Also, the lunar descent and ascent, and the re-entry into the atmosphere of the Earth are introduced in this study. Finally, all this results are validated using the real parameters of the mission Apollo 11

In these days it seems that, in another context, a new space race has began withthe objective of reaching Mars with humans on board for the first time. Exempli-fied by various agencies and private companies’ efforts, such as NASA orSpaceX,at this same moment their projects are mainly focused on developing the necessarymeans to reach the red planet as soon as possible. For this reason, this study aimsto develop the necessary tools to analyse every phase of an Earth to Mars missionfocusing on NASA’s proposed mission architecture. So, would it be feasible to bringhumans to Mars using the suggested timelines and technologies?To try to answer to this question, this thesis attempts to develop a series of soft-ware gadgets using numerical methods, with the purpose of obtaining a set of dataregarding the existent launch opportunities to travel from Earth to Mars througha specified date range. The study also includes the design of a series of graphicalinterfaces to support the analysis of the manoeuvres to be performed in a missionof this characteristics. Thus, with the initial obtained information and with theassistance of the developed tools, two mission timelines including the analysis ofevery manoeuvre to be performed have been defined and presented in this report;one of them according to NASA’sDesign Reference Architecture, while the otherone suggests an architecture aimed to create a one million population city on Mars’soil.The results obtained indicate that a powerful analysis tool for inspecting the pre-liminary phases of a space mission design has been developed in this thesis, fulfillingthe mandatory requirements and being useful to study any space mission to Marsin the future

Space is going through a new evolution, where the objectives are much more ambitious than before thanks to the new technologies. The possibilities that arise from these new achievable projects are grateful, such as creating human stations in satellites, oreven building cities for human being in other planets. In order to achieve these goals, the biggest problematic currently is the transport method, that is to say, how to reach distant celestial bodies in a viable way, focusing on both the feasibility for the human life and the economic aspects, and the first proposal is to reach Mars.To do so, a patched conic approximation will be performed so as to analyse the Earth to Mars interplanetary transfer. By using a Newton-Raphson iterative process, which includes a continuation method with a differential corrector, the Lambert problem will be solved in order to obtain the main results. It will also be done a main-materials estimation for the Mars society competition, defined as a case study of the project.On the other hand, the privatization of the space sector is adding new players to the game, and as a result of this, a new space race is taking place. The most outstanding players nowadays are NASA, on the side of government agencies, and SpaceX, from the private space sector. Both companies have presented strategies to reach the red planet, and this study is focused on the architecture analysis of the SpaceX mission, in order to analyse each of its phases, to compute the trajectory and to develop a preliminary study of the re-entry manoeuvre. Furthermore, due to the current situation, in which the interest of the manned interplanetary journeysis booming, it is important to define the suitability of the whole mission. Because of the high investment required for conducting a Mars’ colonization process, a preliminary materials budget and a first iteration of the total cost of the program will be conducted, trying to roughly quantify the amount necessary to develop the pr

Despite the fact that renewable energies are progressing, the present reality shows us that conventional methods of energy generation are more efficient just as contaminating. It leads to find not only new greener methods, but systems capable of improving the efficiency of the renewable energies. This is just what Sun-tracking solar panels try to do. In this project, an azimuth/ elevation mount for Sun-tracking in Burkina Faso with specific space, transport and power requirements is designed. The document includes an initial study of solar geometry, the state-of-the-art of the solar technology, the design decision from several options and the structural analysis. The final result is a preliminary design of a Sun-tracking solar panel

Interplanetary travel is a difficult task due to the high fuel mass required to reach other planets. Minimizing the cost of the manoeuvres (and, in turn, the fuel mass) is the objective preliminary mission design. During this phase, a large number of potential solutions must be evaluated quickly in search of feasible trajectories. This means computationally fast but simple models are preferred over accurate but slow models. Additionally, the process demands for an automatic execution due to the vast amount of solutions that must be evaluated. One of the major improvements regarding space travel was the discovery of the gravity assist, where a spacecraft uses the gravitational pull of a flyby planet to change its velocity with respect to the Sun. This allows reducing the amount of fuel mass, which in turn increases the science payload available for the mission. This thesis deals with the optimization of interplanetary trajectories with gravity assist. From an engineering approach, the thesis aims at producing an automatic optimizer of interplanetary trajectories with gravity assist manoeuvres aimed to preliminary mission design applications. From a scientific approach, the thesis aims at identifying key issues in the literature that allow for improvement and presenting novel implementations. Finally, the thesis has a strong educational component: the code and tools are specially focused towards an easy understanding and analysis of the underlying methods rather than producing a computationally efficient code. The result from this work is an automatic optimizer of multi gravity-assist interplanetary trajectories. The tool is fully modular and works with a double-loop approach: an outer loop obtains feasible sequences of planets using the Tisserand graph and an inner loop finds the best trajectory for each sequence using a hybrid heuristic optimizer and a patched conics method. Five key issues have been investigated and improved upon during the thesis: we provide an im, Los viajes interplanetarios poseen un alto grado de dificultad debido a la elevada masa de combustible necesaria para alcanzar otros planetas. Minimizar el coste de las maniobras orbitales (y, por extensión, la masa de combustible) es el objetivo del diseño preliminar de misión. Durante esta fase se deben evaluar rápidamente un gran número de soluciones potenciales en busca de trayectorias factibles. Esto implica que modelos rápidos y simples son preferibles a modelos precisos pero lentos de ejecutar. Adicionalmente, el proceso demanda una ejecución automática debido a la gran cantidad de soluciones que deben ser evaluadas. Una de las revoluciones más importantes en cuanto a los viajes interplanetarios fue el descubrimiento de las maniobras de asistencia gravitatoria, en las que una nave espacial utiliza el campo gravitatorio de un planeta para modificar su velocidad respecto al Sol. Esto permite reducir la masa de combustible, a la vez que se incrementa la masa de carga útil disponible para la misión. Esta tesis trata sobre la optimización de trayectorias interplanetarias con asistencia gravitatoria. Desde una visión ingenieril, la tesis tiene como fin de producir una herramienta automática para la optimización de trayectorias interplanetarias con asistencia gravitatoria enfocada a un uso de diseño preliminar de misión. Desde un punto de vista científico, la tesis trata de identificar temas clave en el estado del arte que se presten a mejora y posteriormente desarrollar implementaciones novedosas de los mismos. Finalmente, la tesis tiene un fuerte componente académico: el código y las herramientas producidas se encaran a facilitar la comprensión y el análisis de los métodos subyacentes más que a producir un código con una alta eficiencia computacional. El resultado de esta tesis es un optimizador automático de trayectorias interplanetarias con asistencia gravitatoria múltiple. La herramienta es completamente modular y funciona mediante un enfoque de doble bucle: un, Postprint (published version)

The Tisserand graph is a graphical method used for interplanetary trajectory design. Nowadays the graph is used by expert hand to manually select feasible solutions, so the automatisation of the selection process is desired. This study aims to:- Identify potential automatisation procedures to find solutions on the Tisserand graph.- Analyse the suitability of the proposed procedures and selection of the optimal one., Interplanetary missions have awoken the interest of space agencies with the objective of discovering and analyzing distant planets. Distant targets become impractical to explore due to the large amount of propellant that is needed, and therefore saving fuel becomes of great use in such missions. The use of gravity-assist saves fuel by using the gravitational field of planets in order to modify the heliocentric velocity of a spacecraft or probe. The Tisserand graph is a useful tool that can be used to find sequences of gravity-assists in order to reach a target planet, and for that reason it becomes a powerful tool in preliminary mission design. In this thesis, a method to find paths in a complete automatic manner on the Tisserand graph is described and developed. The outcome of this study is an algorithm that can find all possible sequences of planets in order to reach a goal planet. The algorithm aims to be as general as possible, so it can be applied to multiple orbital systems.

The optimisation of interplanetary trajectories is a challenging field. Nowadays many optimisation techniques rely on the islands model, but few analysis about the performance of such technique have been carried out. The goals of this study are:- Analysis of the performance of the islands model optimisation algorithm applied to several interplanetary trajectories scenarios.- Parametric optimisation of the islands model configuration parameters., The study of interplanetary trajectories is a field with many difficulties due to the complexity of the problem at hand. Finding a trajectory that fulfils all the position, time and fuel consumption requirements is a complicated task. In order to find good trajectories, this study uses a multi-gravity assist based approach, coupled with an island model optimiser that executes in parallel some variants of genetic algorithm, differential evolution and particle swarm optimisers. On this thesis, the algorithm will be applied to three different scenarios: a fictional Earth-Mars direct launch and the Mariner 10 and Voyager 2 missions. These have been selected to represent a broad range of scenarios: a direct launch between two planets, a mission towards the inner planets of the Solar System and a mission directed towards the outer ones. The first goal of the study is to determine whether using an island model improves the performance of the genetic algorithm, differential evolution and particle swarm algorithms executed stand-alone (without the island model). Then, we analyse whether mixing algorithms (heterogeneous island model) provides any benefits to the simple island model. Ultimately, a parametric performance analysis is carried out to determine the behaviour of the island model parameters. The results show that using an island model in an algorithm improves its performance in most cases. Both methods find the same optimal regions, but the island model offers more accurate results. Additionally, mixing algorithms in the island model helps achieving a higher stability, but, at the same time, it lowers the probability of finding the best solution. The island model, in a general fashion, shows an improvement when the number of islands is equal or inferior to 10. It also usually needs a minimum of 20 global generations to find the best solution, while the heterogeneous island model shows better results with less than five global generations. The use of the migration ope

Sending spacecrafts to any other planet or satellite within the Solar System is a difficult task. To be able to reach it at a precise time, it is crucial to know at which position the target planet is going to be, as well as a good study of the trajectory that the spacecraft is going to follow, which shall not be too close to any other object in the Solar System. It must be also be taken into account that the spacecrafts have a limited fuel capacity. In order to avoid using a high amount of fuel, multi-gravity assist trajectories are useful to provide additional manoeuvering to the spacecrafts without consuming fuel. Given an arbitrary sequence of planets for the swing-by manoeuvres, the next step is to determine when the spacecraft must be launched and how long will it take to it to perform the transfer trajectory. In this preliminary stage of the mission analy-sis, optimization algorithms can be used to obtain the most efficient trajectory, for instance, the trajectory at which the spacecraft requires the least amount of fuel to reach its destination. From the wide variety of heuristic optimization algorithms, in this Master’s thesis four of them have been chosen (Genetic Algorithm, Differential Evolution Algorithm, Particle Swarm Algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm). The aim of this thesis is to perform a hyperparameter optimization, that is, finding whether a certain combination of parameters for each optimizer works properly for different trajecto-ries’ scenarios: a direct launch to an outer planet and a multi-gravity assist scenario to outer planets as well as to inner planets. The results show that it exists a region of parameters for the Genetic Algorithm and the Differential Evolution Algorithm where the best solutions can be found. Simulated Annealing Algorithm shows a dependance on the scenario, as well as some parameters of the Particle Swarm Algorithm.

The Tisserand graph allows to find feasible interplanetary transfers in the frame of the multi-gravity assist trajectory design. An optimisation technique relying on this tool would allow for an automatic planetary sequence selection, which would then be used in a more general inteplanetary optimisation method. This study aims at the:- Implementation of an automatic path-finding method using the Tisserand graph.- Assembly of the previous method into an established multi-gravity assist optimiser., Nowadays, technology advances have given us the chance to achieve things that a couple generations ago could not even dream of. Space exploration is one of those achievements and space mission designing is a vital part of it. Since the firsts space missions, the methods used to design them have been increasingly evolving and sophisticating with time. Scheduling a space mission is a complex task that takes time and effort to achieve. A crucial factor to determine a space mission trajectory is cost, which is basically reflected in the fuel used to accomplish the mission. In order to reduce the quantity of propellant used in a mission, multi-gravity assists provide the capability to the spacecraft of altering its speed and path. Throughout this process, analysis to optimize the path of the mission are done. To do so, the optimizers need a list of planet sequences to start analyzing. A first approach to obtain viable lists of planets is using Tisserand graphs. The Tisserand graph is a graphical tool developed to aid in searching for paths for a space mission. The aim of this bachelor’s thesis is to implement a code that uses a tree search algorithm to find viable multi-gravity-assist trajectories from a Tisserand graph in an automatic manner. Several versions of the code have been implemented until reaching a definitive version that fulfills the requirements of the thesis. The final version uses a depth-limited search algorithm to explore a search tree generated automatically in an iterative process from a Tisserand graph, storing in the process all the found flybys sequences.

The gravitational assist manoeuvre is a key component of modern interplanetary trajectory design. It allows to save a great amount of fuel, which makes it an extremely appealing option as a design choice. The goals of this study are: Investigate the mechanics of the natural gravity assist. Develop a strategy using natural gravity assist manoeuvres in the workframe of an interplanetary trajectory mission., In recent years space exploration has become more and more prolific. Its nature has changed, from a public state-funded (rather unusual) activity with a main goal of challenging human and physical barriers to a private industry that has seen the opportunity to take advantage of resources outside Earth. An industry that could provide the solution for the unsustainable demand in energy and basic resources generated by an exponentially increasing population. Certainly, space exploration is nowadays far away from overtaking long ago established industries such as fossil fuels. Why chasing an asteroid when you could dig oil out on Earth and at lower costs? The answer is simple: one day no resources will be left. Several companies dedicated to space exploration and exploitation do have scheduled projects for the years to come, and mission design is key for success. Natural Gravity Assist is just one of the many different approaches a space mission can implement, depending on the size of the payload (so, consequently the spacecraft), the trajectory and celestial bodies that affect it, or even its primary goal: a satellite probe for a first scientific scanning or a two-way mission involving launches and landings? Nevertheless, implementing the Natural Gravity Assist manoeuvre is a paramount contribution: using the gravitational field of other planets allows to shape the trajectory and even more remarkable, it saves fuel. One can find a huge amount of research papers and literature dealing with the Natural Gravity Assist problem and formulation, however, those solutions are predominantly in the form of scalar equations, crowded with angles and impossible to intuitively imagine the geometry. In this paper a new analytic model is proposed relying on vector algebra making it more robust, concise and elegant. This method is tested with benchmark runs reproducing the well-known Voyager 1 mission and later on obtaining by optimization (again) Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and Mariner 10. E

Lambert's problem is the two-point boundary-value problem resulting from a two-body orbital transfer between two position vectors in a given time. It lies at the very heart of several fundamental astrodynamics and space engineering problems and, as such, it has attracted the interest of scientists over centuries. In this work, we revisit the solution of Lambert's problem based on Levi-Civita regularization developed by Carles Simó in 1973. We offer an exhaustive derivation of the theory, including proofs of all the results and the formulae employed, and we extend the algorithm to deal with multi-revolution transfers. Then, after investigating a range of initial guess search techniques and testing different numerical methods to approximate the solution, we propose a procedure in which the initial guess is assigned very efficiently by querying a pre-defined interpolating table. Then, in order to achieve both speed and robustness, we combine Newton-Raphson with safety checks to avoid out of boundary deviations to approximate the solution. We validate the method through several tests and applications, and we assess its convergence and performance. The algorithm presents no singularities, converges in all realistic scenarios and its computational cost is comparable with state of the art algorithms., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

The objective of this work is the computational analysis of the in-flight deformation of a commercial paraglider wing and its impact on the aerodynamic performance. Particular emphasis will be given to the so-called ovalization of the wing cells, which changes the airfoil shape between ribs and the aerodynamic response of the sections. The study will be carried out using the software PARACHUTES, which is a low-order coupled simulation software designed for fast practical analysis., The goal of this work is to compute the performance of a paragliding wing taking into account thein-flight shape deformation. To this end, a fluid-structure solution approach combining inviscidaerodynamics with viscous corrections is adopted. The computer program Parachutes (basedon a Panel Method) is used to find the potential lift distribution. Then, this value is correctedusing the 2D viscous polars of each airfoil section across the span. Since the wing pressure can deform the geometry the airfoil sections change along the span. Thus, an extrapolationtechnique is developed to predict the polar curves of the deformed sections taking as a reference the undeformed (original) shape. To do so, a parametric study is carried out in order to find the most common deformation mechanisms and the effects they have on the airfoil aerodynamics.

The Small Mars System is a proposed mission to Mars. Funded by the European Space Agency, the project has successfully completed Phase 0. The contractor is ALI S.c.a.r.l., and the study team includes the University of Naples “Federico II”, the Astronomical Observatory of Capodimonte and the Space Studies Institute of Catalonia. The objectives of the mission are both technological and scientific, and will be achieved by delivering a small Mars lander carrying a dust particle analyser and an aerial drone. The former shall perform in situ measurements of the size distribution and abundance of dust particles suspended in the Martian atmosphere, whereas the latter shall demonstrate low-altitude flight in the rarefied planetary environment. The mission-enabling technology is an innovative umbrella-like heat shield, known as IRENE, developed and patented by ALI. The mission is also a technological demonstration of the shield in the upper atmosphere of Mars. The core characteristics of SMS are the low cost (120 M€) and the small size (320 kg of wet mass at launch, 110 kg at landing), features which stand out with respect to previous Mars landers. To comply with them is extremely challenging at all levels, and sets strict requirements on the choice of the materials, the sizing of payloads and subsystems, their arrangement inside the spacecraft and the launcher's selection. In this contribution, the mission and system concept and design are illustrated and discussed. Special emphasis is given to the innovative features and to the challenges faced in the development of the work., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (author's final draft)

Lambert’s problem is the orbital boundary-value problem constrained by two points and elapsed time. It is one of the most extensively studied problems in celestial mechanics and astrodynamics, and, as such, it has always attracted the interest of mathematicians and engineers. Its solution lies at the base of algorithms for, e.g., orbit determination, orbit design (mission planning), space rendezvous and interception, space debris correlation, missile and spacecraft targeting. There is abundance of literature discussing various approaches developed over the years to solve Lambert’s problem. We have collected more than 70 papers and, of course, the issue is treated in most astrodynamics and celestial mechanics textbooks. From our analysis of the documents, we have been able to identify five or six main solution methods, each associated to a number of revisions and variations, and many, so to say, secondary research lines with little or no posterior development. We have ascertained plenty of literature with proposed solutions, in many cases supplemented by performance comparisons with other methods. We have reviewed and organized the existing bibliography on Lambert’s problem and we have performed a quantitative comparison among the existing methods for its solution. The analysis is based on the following issues: choice of the free parameter, number of iterations,generality of the mathematical formulation, limits of applicability (degeneracies, domain of the parameter, special cases and peculiarities), accuracy, and suitability to automatic execution. Eventually we have tested the performance of each code. The solvers that incorporate the best qualities are Bate’s algorithm via universal variables with Newton-Raphson and Izzo’s Householder algorithm. The former is the fastest, the latter exhibits the best ratio between speed, robustness and accuracy., Postprint (author's final draft)

The human exploration of Mars belongs to the current plans of NASA and ESA. Getting the astronauts to Mars and returning them safely to Earth imposes several engineering challenges. In particular, creating the conditions for living on the Martian surface requires in the first place a thorough understanding of the Martian environment. Installing a manned base would require the implementation of life support systems including the appropriate means to provide food to the astronauts. The word “appropriate” in this context suggests the idea of “plant cultivation”. This study is a reconstruction of the environment and climate of Mars. It develops through a review of the observation and in-situ data collected over 50 years of study and exploration. The review is followed by the study, understanding, revision and implementation of the models based on such data and on the physics of the main processes that affect the environment and the climate. The final objective is to provide a solid basis for selecting one or more candidate sites for the installation and operation of a greenhouse. Such candidates should undergo further analyses concerning the geological and engineering issues inherent to the realization of such an ambitious project. These analyses are out of the scope of this work, which focuses on the physics of the environment and the climate of the red planet. It should also be noted that the implications of this project go much beyond the specific proposed application because they have a clear scientific value and an intrinsic originality. As a matter of fact, this work has implied collecting, understanding, organizing and elaborating data and models which are often heterogeneous and dispersed. The result is the first global model of the Martian environment. As such, this study can be of considerable help in the feasibility studies of future missions to Mars, be them manned or robotic.