An aerospace bracket designed by thermo-elastic topology optimization and manufactured by additive manufacturing

Combination of topology optimization and additive manufacturing technologies provides an effective approach for the development of light-weight and high-performance structures. A heavy-loaded aerospace bracket is designed by topology optimization and manufactured by additive manufacturing technology in this work. Considering both mechanical forces and temperature loads, a formulation of thermo-elastic topology optimization is firstly proposed and the sensitivity analysis is derived in detail. Then the procedure of numerical optimization design is presented and the final design is additively manufactured using Selective Laser Melting (SLM). The mass of the aerospace bracket is reduced by over 18%, benefiting from topology and size optimization, and the three constraints are satisfied as well in the final design. This work indicates that the integration of thermo-elastic topology optimization and additive manufacturing technologies can be a rather powerful tool kit for the design of structures under thermal-mechanical loading.     

Tumbling object deorbiting using spaceborne laser engagement – A CubeSat case study

This paper demonstrates active space debris removal using spaceborne laser systems. The laser beam and the surface of the target are discretised into multiple rays and finite elements, respectively, for laser-target interaction modelling, in which the laser ablation process is investigated. A high-fidelity attitude/orbit propagator tool is developed to account for both the linear impulse and angular impulse induced by the laser engagement and other perturbations. The laser system is activated only when three switch criteria are satisfied. In numerical simulations, laser pulses from international space station are generated to deorbit a 3U CubeSat with initially tumbling modes. The results validate the effectiveness of deorbiting tumbling CubeSats using spaceborne laser engagement, with the perigee height lowered by approximately $2.4\mathrm{km}$ in around $30\min$ after $2\mathrm{h}$ propagation. It is also found that the laser engagement becomes more effective for an initially faster rotating object.     

Simulation of long-term rotational dynamics of large space debris: A TOPEX/Poseidon case study

Accurate knowledge of the rotational dynamics of a large space debris is crucial for space situational awareness (SSA), whether it be for accurate orbital predictions needed for satellite conjunction analyses or for the success of an eventual active debris removal mission charged with stabilization, capture and removal of debris from orbit. In this light, the attitude dynamics of an inoperative satellite of great interest to the space debris community, the joint French and American spacecraft TOPEX/Poseidon, is explored. A comparison of simulation results with observations obtained from high-frequency satellite range measurements is made, showing that the spacecraft is currently spinning about its minor principal axis in a stable manner. Predictions of the evolution of its attitude motion to 2030 are presented, emphasizing the uncertainty on those estimates due to internal energy dissipation, which could cause a change of its spin state in the future. The effect of solar radiation pressure and the eddy-current torque are investigated in detail, and insights into some of the satellite’s missing properties are provided. These results are obtained using a novel, open-source, coupled orbit-attitude propagation software, the Debris SPin/Orbit Simulation Environment (D-SPOSE), whose primary goal is the study of the long-term evolution of the attitude dynamics of large space debris.     

PIV,LDV在螺旋桨尾流测试中的比对应用

为验证粒子图像测速仪（PIV）技术在螺旋桨尾流场测试应用中的精度,在空泡水筒中,针对同一螺旋桨,在同一工况,同一时段,对螺旋桨尾流场开展了PIV和激光多普勒测速仪（LDV）比对测试研究.试验结果表明:两种测试技术在流场宏观量显示上得到了比较一致的结果,PIV技术同样可以捕捉到沿周向仅有8°的速度突跳,只是突跳值较LDV测试值小.PIV数据均值与LDV有2%～3%的偏差,进一步分析表明:提高PIV测试系统的定位精度可以缩小这种偏差.      

Investigation on Mechanism of Altitude Characteristic for Air-breathing Pulsed Laser Thruster

Altitude characteristic is of great importance for studying when an air-breathing pulsed laser thruster works in the dense atmosphere condition of 0-30 km altitude. The experimental findings all over the world show that the similar relationship between impulse coupling coefficient and altitude. According to strong explosion theory and an ideal gas model, a dimensionless factor indicating energy law of similitude is introduced, and formula of impulse coupling coefficient is deducted. Then theoretical study of altitude characteristic is carried out and mechanism of altitude characteristic is further explained. The results indicate that there is a maximum value of impulse coupling coefficient if the dimensionless factor equals to 0. 41 in theory, and whether the phenomena of maximum appear or not depends on the range of the dimensionless factor related to altitude. As to a conical nozzle with the fixed length of 120 mm, the relationship between the sonic velocity and the dimensionless factor causes the maximum phenomenon at the altitude of about 12. 5 km, and maximum theoretical impulse coupling coefficient is also found in the experimental investigations. The mechanism of altitude characteristic for air-breathing pulsed laser thruster is discovered in this article, which will provide reference for further research on altitude characteristic.     

一种全光纤激光干涉测速仪的研究

应用全光纤激光干涉测速原理,搭建了一套由单模光纤和光纤耦合器组成的全光纤测速仪。通过与激光测振仪的比对实验得到了相对偏差小于1.4%的测速结果,实验利用Hopkinson杆冲击产生标准速度源,提供20.86 m/s瞬时标准参考速度时,实测速度为20.57 m/s。验证了全光纤激光干涉测速仪的可行性。     

激光探潜系统中杂散光抑制措施分析

杂散光会引起像质模糊和对比度下降,降低像面的信噪比,严重影响了光学系统的成像质量,必须进行消除。针对激光探潜系统中红外光和蓝绿光分离的光学系统,分析了红外系统中杂散辐射和蓝绿光系统中杂散光来源,给出了相应的杂散辐射和杂散光的抑制措施,为激光探潜系统光学系统的进一步优化设计提供了参考,展望了消杂光技术未来的发展趋势。     

强激光对靶材烧蚀效应的数值模拟研究

强激光烧蚀是一个复杂的物理化学过程,包括质量迁移、相变、运动边界等诸多复杂因素。如果靶为复合材料,烧蚀机理更加复杂,而且很难找到共性规律,这对数值计算方法提出了较高的要求。文章介绍了强激光烧蚀的理论基础、烧蚀模型以及对强激光烧蚀进行数值模拟的无网格方法（光滑粒子动力学方法,即SPH方法）。采用了SPH方法对典型靶的激光烧蚀进行了数值模拟,并给出了单层铝靶和环氧树脂/铝双层靶在激光辐照下的烧蚀形貌与温度场。计算结果表明,在不同材料的交界面,烧蚀将沿径向发展。     

激光跟踪仪水平与垂直角对 测量精度影响的试验研究

激光跟踪仪是一种高精度测量设备,对于总装精测过程中大体积及复杂形面的航天器测量具有广阔应用前景。文章介绍了激光跟踪仪的测量原理,并通过激光跟踪仪水平角与垂直角在不同位置时对测量精度的影响进行试验分析,给出了激光跟踪仪最佳测量角度并得出相应结论。     

激光陀螺实时抖动解调方法研究

为了实现激光陀螺实时抖动解调,与陀螺输出信号同步采样抖动反馈信号,并设计算法将两个信号的抖动分量相位和幅度对准,然后执行抖动剥除运算。这种实时解调算法不仅计算量小,而且没有附加相位延迟。