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Space & Aeronautics (SA)

Space & Aeronautics (SA)

Space & Aeronautics (SA)

Multidisciplinary design optimization of hybrid rocket composite propulsion.


Goals

  • Breakthrough developments in the design, manufacturing and experimental testing of structural components for rockets.
  • Contribution to the establishment and use of the spaceport in Azores.


Key Tasks

  • Multidisciplinary design optimization of hybrid rockets.
  • Design of lightweight cryogenic propellant advanced composite tanks.
  • Systems design of lightweight composite space launchers.


Outputs

  • New high-performance thermoplastic matrices, to provide enhanced toughening and opening the possibility to have demisable cryogenic tanks.
  • Integration of carbon-based nanomaterials, for enhanced mechanical properties, and self-sensing, for SHM systems.
  • New experimental testing capabilities of novel COPVs under cryogenic conditions.
  • A multidisciplinary design optimization framework and an optimal conceptual design of a N2O-paraffin wax hybrid rocket, focused on maximizing the specific impulse and minimizing the total rocket weight.

Featured Publications

Musso, G. et al. A Multidisciplinary Optimization Framework for Ecodesign of Reusable Microsatellite Launchers (2024) Aerospace, 11 (2), 126.
DOI: 10.3390/aerospace11020126
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Gonçalves, P. T., et al. Micro-mechanical analysis of the effect of ply thickness on curing micro-residual stresses in a carbon/epoxy composite laminate (2023) Composite Structures, 319: 117158.
DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2023.117158
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Gonçalves, P. T., et al. Thermal induced stress analysis in type V CFRP pressure vessels for cryogenic applications (2023) Revista Materiales Compuestos.
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Gonçalves, P. T., et al. Microresidual stress analysis for transverse crack initiation in CFRP pressure vessels (2023) Proceedings of the 17th European Conference on Spacecraft Structures, Materials and Environmental Testing (ECSSMET), Toulouse, France, 28-30 March 2023.
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Morgado, M. et al. Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Framework for the Conceptual Design of Hybrid-propulsion Suborbital Rockets (2022) 8th Edition of Space Propulsion Conference, Lisbon, Portugal
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Souza, A. et al. On the multidisciplinary analysis and design optimization of hybrid rocket launchers (2022) 5º Encontro de Jovens Investigadores do LAETA (5EJIL), Lisbon, Portugal
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Gonçalves, P. T. et al. Numerical Analysis of Micro-Residual Stresses in a Carbon/Epoxy Polymer Matrix Composite during Curing Process (2022) Polymers, 14(13), 2653.
DOI: 10.3390/polym14132653
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De Souza, A. G. et al. Comparison of the Satellite Attitude Control System Design using the H method and H8/MLI with pole allocation considering the parametric uncertainty (2021) WSEAS Transactions on Circuits and Systems, 20, 88-95.
DOI: 10.37394/23201.2021.20.12
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Morgado, M. Development of a Multidisciplinary Framework for Hybrid Rockets (2021) MSc Thesis, IST. Supervisors: F Afonso and and A. Suleman.
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Teixeira, P., Akhavan‐Safar, A., Carbas, R. J. C., & da Silva, L. F. M. (2021). Influence of the cure state on mechanical properties of an epoxy‐based adhesive: Experimental characterization and numerical simulation. Polymers for Advanced Technologies.
DOI: 10.1002/pat.5589
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