The webinar deals with an introduction to the world of flight simulators employed as research platforms and not exclusively as training tools. The main simulator levels, recognized by the EASA, European Union Aviation Safety Agency, will be firstly described focusing on FFS (Full Flight Simulator). Then, the main research contexts, taking advantage of flight simulators, will be presented with some referenced research activities. This will be followed by the description of research topics concerning the human factor and comfort in the simulated environments of cockpit and cabin.

Firstly, the objective and subjective techniques used to evaluate the aeronautical human factor will be described. Next, the main subjective tests for real-time and post-tasks are given, evaluating the main advantages and drawbacks. Then, objective measurement based on existing technologies will be introduced, particularly sensors exploitable inside the aircraft. Also, for these techniques, the main advantages and drawbacks will be shown. Finally, a brief overview of the mathematical correlation tools that can relate the two types of measurement data will be presented with reference to some experimental study cases.

In the second part of the course, the research topic of aviation comfort will be introduced. First, the human body’s biodynamic modelling techniques will be described with an overview of the models employed in the aeronautical framework, followed by experimental results. Finally, the analytical and numerical modelling will be shown with examples of evaluation on the human body’s comfort indexes with aeronautical manufacturers’ restrictions.

Learning objectives: Simulator classification, standards, and experimental research activities; Human Factors in cockpit and cabin environment; Human Body Comfort for pilot and passenger.

Target audience: doctoral students, non-academic professionals, and undergraduate students.

> Download Course Brochure

Participation

There are no registration fees for AIDAA members. In case you are not an AIDAA member, please register here.

This webinar introduces the design of orbits for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) nanosatellites and nanosatellite’s constellations to maximise local transmission or coverage capacity with a limited number of satellites. It will describe the main drivers in determining orbital evolution in Low Earth Orbit considering the perturbed two-body problem of Keplerian orbital dynamic and deriving the expression for repeated ground track and revisit time considering different coverage or visibility conditions with multiple ground stations. Finally, the webinar will present the application of orbit analysis investigations to maximise the visibility of single satellites from multiple ground stations and optimise local coverage patterns using special architectures for regional constellation design (Walker and flower constellations) aimed at continuous optical and SAR monitoring of large infrastructures.

Learning objectives:

• Classical and perturbed two-body orbital flight dynamics;
• Repeated ground track orbits and revisits time calculation;
• Regional constellation design.

Target audience: doctoral students interested in Earth orbit nanosat constellations design, engineers who aspire to a deeper understanding of applied orbital dynamics, technical or non-technical professionals new to the space industry who need an introduction to the problem of orbital design in LEO.

> Download Course Brochure

> Download Presentation

Deliver robotic platforms and, in the next future, human missions on a planetary body with an atmosphere is a significant technological challenge. Onboard data acquired during Entry Descent and Landing (EDL) mission phases are typically used to verify the engineering system performances. Nevertheless, such data carry out much information of great scientific value. This webinar introduces the post-flight analysis of EDL mission data with a particular focus on the reconstruction of atmospheric profiles building upon the experience with past missions such as Huygens end ExoMars-2016 and presenting real-world case studies.

Topics:

• Introduction to entry, descent and landing technologies with related onboard instrumentation. Overview of past and future planetary exploration missions.
• Basic aerodynamics of aeroshells and parachute systems, guidance, navigation and control issues.
• Entry and descent phase modelling and simulation. Case study: ExoMars-2022 entry and descent simulation.
• Methods and algorithms for the reconstruction of trajectory and atmospheric profiles from onboard data. Bayesian techniques for data assimilation. Case study: ExoMars-2016 Schiaparelli data analysis.

Learning objectives:

• Understand EDL challenges and current technologies.
• Understand aeroshell and parachute aerodynamic, dynamical modelling and entry and descent phases simulation issues.
• Implement methods and algorithms to reconstruct both the vehicle trajectory and the atmospheric structure from inertial data.
• Application of Bayesian techniques for data assimilation and multi-sensor fusion.

Target audience: doctoral students, non-academic professionals, and undergraduate students.

> Download Course Brochure

> Download Presentation

Small satellites are the new dominant platforms in the new space economy. Thanks to the very high capabilities of the electronic systems, small satellite, especially if working within the frame of a constellation, can provide innovative services with a cost not achievable from big satellites. However, to fully exploit their huge potential such a platform has specific need both in term of access to orbit and movement in space.

Regarding orbit access, most of the platforms fly as piggy bag on big launcher. This mean that they cannot choose the right orbit and they must fly within a schedule which is not based on their need. Around the world several companies are developing micro launchers to provide a dedicated access to space to small platforms. Micro launchers require the development of innovative propulsion systems capable to combine high performances with reasonable costs.

Once in orbit micro satellites need to reach the right altitude, the right phasing within the orbit and to maintain its position. To do it they do require an onboard propulsion system. These thrusters need to be designed to respect the reduced size of such a platform and to allow low recurring costs. Moreover, innovative missions, such as for example very low earth orbit (VLEO) require dedicated thruster to accomplish the specific mission, in VLEO for example a thruster capable of performing continuous drag compensation is required. These new scenarios open new challenges and opportunities for new innovative technology capable of reaching the right compromise between costs and performances.

Object of this webinar is to provide an overview of the ongoing market scenario related to small platforms than to provide an overview of the most innovative micro launchers developed or currently under development, and finally to provide an overview of the most promising propulsion systems suitable for small satellites developed or currently under development.

Learning objectives: market scenario, micro launchers, small thrusters.

Target audience: doctoral students, non-academic professionals, and undergraduate students.

> Download Course Brochure

Participation

There are no registration fees for AIDAA members. In case you are not an AIDAA member, please register here.