Algorithm of calculating the light airplane flight performance and rational design airscrew parameters at the preliminary design stage

A technique is proposed of calculating the characteristic flight velocities for an airplane with taking into account the nominal performance of a piston engine. We consider an algorithm of design calculation for the airscrew blade geometry (twist angle, chord and optimal angle of attack along blade). Feasible rational versions of design parameters are discussed.     

Statistical evaluation of GLONASS amplitude scintillation over low latitudes in the Brazilian territory

The ionospheric scintillation, generated by the ionospheric plasma irregularities, affects the radio signals that pass through it. Their effects are widely studied in the literature with two different approaches. The first one deals with the use of radio signals to study and understand the morphology of this phenomenon, while the second one seeks to understand and model how much this phenomenon interferes in the radio signals and consequently in the services to which these systems work. The interest of several areas, particularly to those that are life critical, has increased using the concept of satellite multi-constellation, which consists of receiving, processing and using data from different navigation and positioning systems. Although there is a vast literature analyzing the effects of ionospheric scintillation on satellite navigation systems, the number of studies using signals received from the Russian satellite positioning system (named GLONASS) is still very rare. This work presents for the first time in the Brazilian low-latitude sector a statistical analysis of ionospheric scintillation data for all levels of magnetic activities obtained by a set of scintillation monitors that receive signals from the GLONASS system. In this study, data collected from four stations were used in the analysis; Fortaleza, Presidente Prudente, São José dos Campos and Porto Alegre. The GLONASS L-band signals were analyzed for the period from December 21, 2012 to June 20, 2016, which includes the peak of the solar cycle 24 that occurred in 2014. The main characteristics of scintillation presented in this study include: (1) the statistical evaluation of seasonal and solar activity, showing the chances that an user on similar geophysical conditions may be susceptible to the effects of ionospheric scintillation; (2) a temporal analysis based on the local time distribution of scintillation at different seasons and intensity levels; and (3) the evaluation of number of simultaneously affected channels and its effects on the dilution of precision (DOP) for GNSS users are also presented in order to alert the timetables in which navigation will be most susceptible to such effects, as well as statistics on simultaneously affected channels. Relevant results about these statistical characteristics of scintillation are presented and analyzed providing relevant information about availability of a navigation system.     

Stress–strain analysis of a thin-shell part of fuselage using a triangular finite element with lagrange multipliers

We developed a triangular discretization element of the fuselage fragment in the form of a thin shell compatible with the adjacent elements based on Lagrange multipliers. Solution of several test problems showed a high efficiency of using the modification of a triangular finite element being proposed.     

Design,Development, Implementation,and On-orbit Performance of the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment Mission

Funded by the NSF CubeSat and NASA ELaNa programs, the Dynamic Ionosphere CubeSat Experiment (DICE) mission consists of two 1.5U CubeSats which were launched into an eccentric low Earth orbit on October 28, 2011. Each identical spacecraft carries two Langmuir probes to measure ionospheric in-situ plasma densities, electric field probes to measure in-situ DC and AC electric fields, and a science grade magnetometer to measure in-situ DC and AC magnetic fields. Given the tight integration of these multiple sensors with the CubeSat platforms, each of the DICE spacecraft is effectively a “sensor-sat” capable of comprehensive ionospheric diagnostics. The use of two identical sensor-sats at slightly different orbiting velocities in nearly identical orbits permits the de-convolution of spatial and temporal ambiguities in the observations of the ionosphere from a moving platform. In addition to demonstrating nanosat-based constellation science, the DICE mission is advancing a number of groundbreaking CubeSat technologies including miniaturized mechanisms and high-speed downlink communications.     

Trailing-edge scalloping effect on flat-plate membrane wing performance

This investigation studies the effect of trailing-edge scalloping on the lift and drag force coefficients of flat, membrane wings that vibrate at low Reynolds numbers (<61,000). A series of rigid, flat plate frames with moderate aspect ratio and repeating membrane cell structure were studied and compared to a rigid plate and a rigid scalloped plate. Lift and drag measurements were acquired using an external force-balance; flow fluctuation measurements were captured with a hot-wire. Results showed that the size and aspect ratio of the latex cell had a greater impact on lift than scalloping and that scalloping had a greater effect on drag than the cell aspect ratio. Compared to the solid wings, the membrane wings exhibited higher lift and drag coefficients, likely due to both effective cambering and dynamic interaction with the free shear layer. While trailing-edge scalloping decreased both the lift and drag coefficients relative to no scalloping, the greater effect was on drag, thus, increasing aerodynamic efficiency. The maximum lift-to-drag ratio was attained for a 25% scallop with a repeating cell aspect ratio of one. A unique nondimensional scaling of the membrane vibration peak frequency is also presented.