LARES successfully launched in orbit: Satellite and mission description

On February 13th 2012, the LARES satellite of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) was launched into orbit with the qualification flight of the new VEGA launcher of the European Space Agency (ESA). The payload was released very accurately in the nominal orbit. The name LARES means LAser RElativity Satellite and summarises the objective of the mission and some characteristics of the satellite. It is, in fact, a mission designed to test Einstein's General Relativity Theory (specifically ‘frame-dragging' and Lense-Thirring effect). The satellite is passive and covered with optical retroreflectors that send back laser pulses to the emitting ground station. This allows accurate positioning of the satellite, which is important for measuring the very small deviations from Galilei–Newton's laws. In 2008, ASI selected the prime industrial contractor for the LARES system with a heavy involvement of the universities in all phases of the programme, from the design to the construction and testing of the satellite and separation system. The data exploitation phase started immediately after the launch under a new contract between ASI and those universities. Tracking of the satellite is provided by the International Laser Ranging Service. Due to its particular design, LARES is the orbiting object with the highest known mean density in the solar system. In this paper, it is shown that this peculiarity makes it the best proof particle ever manufactured. Design aspects, mission objectives and preliminary data analysis will be also presented.     

Design and numerical investigation of swirl recovery vanes for the Fokker 29 propeller

Swirl recovery vanes（SRVs） are a set of stationary vanes located downstream from a propeller, which may recover some of the residual swirl from the propeller, hoping for an improvement in both thrust and efficiency. The SRV concept design for a scaled version representing the Fokker 29 propeller is performed in this paper, which may give rise to a promotion in propulsive performance of this traditional propeller. Firstly the numerical strategy is validated from two aspects of global quantities and the local flow field of the propeller compared with experimental data, and then the exit flow together with the development of propeller wake is analyzed in detail.Three kinds of SRV are designed with multiple circular airfoils. The numerical results show that the swirl behind the propeller is recovered significantly with Model V3, which is characterized by the highest solidity along spanwise, for various working conditions, and the combination of rotor and vane produced 5.76% extra thrust at the design point. However, a lower efficiency is observed asking for a better vane design and the choice of a working point. The vane position is studied which shows that there is an optimum range for higher thrust and efficiency.     

激光推进中飞行器结构响应对聚焦性能的影响

利用ABAQUS软件对激光推进飞行器进行了单、多脉冲结构冲击响应的数值模拟;建立了变形抛物面焦点区域的数值计算方法,计算出结构变形后的焦点区域的变化程度:发现因结构变形引起的聚焦区域的变化不可忽视,是飞行器设计时必须考虑的因素。     

应用LDV研究二元管道内分离流动

应用二维激光多普勒仪测量了二元曲壁非对称扩张通道内的湍流附面层分离流动。得到了时均速度、雷诺应力、平均流动方向角及正反向间歇流动因子的分布。文中给出了所测结果的不确定度,并在激光测速的近壁测量上做了尝试。实验结果分析表明:间歇瞬时分离点对应于附面层内垂直压强梯度的最大值;Schofield的速度尺度和长度尺度可用于形成新的速度相似型;正反向间歇流动因子γpuo与平均流动方向角存在着简单的线性关系。     

抛物型激光推进光船构型设计与特性分析

以轴对称Navier-Stokes方程组为基础,将球面激光支持的爆轰波模型与流场控制方程组进行耦合求解,数值模拟了抛物型激光推进光船的工作过程。计算中对激光支持的爆轰波阵面进行实时追踪,以获得激光能量吸收源项,同时采用Gupta建立的高温平衡空气模型来计算工质的热力学参数和输运特性。并用所发展的数值模拟程序研究了不同构型设计光船的推进性能。最后分析了流场流动特性和推力生成机制。结果表明,推力面离焦点距离越近,光船获得的冲量耦合系数越大,而峰值推力越小。     

全方位旋转分离式激光推力器概念设计

为了更好的研究激光推进,提出了全方位360°可旋转的分离式激光推进发动机概念及其构型设计,其结构主要特点是:光学系统和推力系统彻底分离,光学系统只经过2次反射聚焦,结构简单;光学系统可以360°改变激光接收方向,以适应各种轨道条件;采用双光束、单/双发动机构型,可以降低单台激光器的功率,较平稳的实现激光器接力。对激光飞行器入轨轨道编制程序并进行数值计算。计算结果显示,为了更好的将飞行器推入近地轨道,则需采用较大冲量耦合系数的材料作为烧蚀工质,且比冲不宜过大。     

空间推进系统静动态特性仿真软件研究

基于特征线法进行了双组元挤压式空间推进系统动态过程仿真方法的研究,提出了在动态过程仿真模型基础上建立和求解静态特性仿真模型的方法。编制了静动态特性仿真软件,通过对某空间推进系统进行的调整工况、模拟故障时的静动态特性仿真,验证了所提出的静动态特性仿真方法的可行性和实用性,该方法可以减少仿真所需的工作量。通过扩充元件库,能够对其它类型推进系统进行仿真。     

大尺寸工件直线度视觉测量系统中摄像机标定的研究

根据大尺寸工件直线度激光视觉测量系统的现场标定需要,从分析点结构光传感器模型入手,推导了计算机像平面坐标系到世界坐标之间的映射关系,借助转轴实现系统旋转扫描测量;介绍了系统中摄像机坐标系、传感器坐标系、转轴坐标系、标定块坐标系及全局坐标系等各个坐标系的转换关系,结合测量系统特点设计了特有的靶标,提出了适于大尺寸工件视觉检测系统摄像机参数及全局标定方法。实验表明,该方法快速,可用于现场标定。     

分区扫描对激光沉积成形钛合金T型接头温度场与应力场的影响

从分区扫描可以有效降低激光沉积成形大尺寸结构残余应力的工程经验出发,采用热弹塑性有限元理论,建立可以模拟成形过程温度场与应力场的有限元模型,研究不同分区扫描方式对激光沉积成形钛合金T型接头温度/应力演变过程、监测点热循环曲线以及残余应力的影响。结果表明:热应力与残余应力最大值均出现在T型接头上缘条与基板接触的4个外角点上,与分区扫描方式无关;分区扫描对T型接头外角点与短边外面中点影响较小,对于内部节点、内角点与长边外面中点的热循环曲线及热应力曲线有一定的影响;分区扫描对残余应力分布影响较大,尤其是对沿指定截面残余应力分布规律与最大残余应力幅值有显著的影响。     

喷丸处理对铝锂合金激光焊接结构性能的影响

为解决铝锂合金焊后性能弱化问题,推进双激光束双侧同步焊接工艺在国产民用飞机壁板制造中的应用,研究了焊后喷丸、固溶时效热处理+喷丸处理两种共3组焊后强化工艺,通过静力拉伸、疲劳及表面应力状态测试分析,评估强化效果,探讨强化机制。结果显示:纯喷丸强化可显著提高疲劳性能,其中0.20mmN喷丸后细节额定疲劳强度截止值DFRcutoff较焊态提高27.8%,但静力拉伸性能与焊态相差不大;0.36mmN喷丸后DFRcutoff提高了118.5%,但抗拉性能明显下降;热处理+喷丸的组合强化工艺对静力拉伸及疲劳性能均有明显提升,抗拉强度较焊态提高32%,DFRcutoff较焊态提高21.9%,综合性能较好。