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- Housekeeping System for Suborbital Vehicles: VIRIATO Mock-Up Vehicle Integration and TestingPublication . Rodrigues, Geraldo; Arribas, Beltran; Melício, Rui; Gordo, Paulo; Valério, Duarte; Casaleiro, J.; Silva, AndréThe work presented in this paper regards the improvement of a housekeeping system for data acquisition of a suborbital vehicle (VIRIATO rocket or launcher). The specifications regarding the vehicle are presented and hardware is chosen accordingly, considering commercial off-the-shelf components. Mechanical and thermal simulations are performed regarding the designed system and a physical prototype is manufactured, assembled and programmed. Functional and field test results resorting to unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as the system’s integration within VIRIATO project’s mock-up vehicle, are presented. These tests demonstrate the viability of this system as an independent data acquisition system, and simulation results show that commercial off-the-shelf components have the capability of surviving expected launch environments.
- Heuristic Global Optimization for Thermal Model Reduction and Correlation in Aerospace ApplicationsPublication . Castanheira, João Pedro Conceição ; Arribas, Beltran; Melício, Rui; Gordo, Paulo Romeu Seabra; Silva, André Resende Rodrigues daThis study addresses the challenge of accurately correlating detailed and reduced thermal models in aerospace applications by using heuristic global optimization methods. In the context of increasingly complex thermal systems, traditional manual correlation methods are usually a time-consuming task. This research employs a series of numerical simulations using methods such as Genetic Algorithms, Cultural Algorithms, and Artificial Immune Systems, with an emphasis on parameter tuning to optimize the reduced thermal model correlation. Results indicate that these heuristic methods can achieve high-accuracy correlations, with transient simulations exhibiting temperature differences below 3 °C, thereby validating the hypothesis that heuristic methods can effectively navigate complex parameter optimizations. Moreover, a comparative analysis of fitness function performance across various optimization methods underscores both the potential and computational challenges inherent in these approaches. The findings suggest that while heuristic global optimization provides a robust framework for thermal model reduction and correlation, further refinement—particularly in scaling to larger, more complex models and adaptive parameter tuning—is necessary. Overall, this work contributes to the theoretical understanding and practical application of advanced optimization strategies in aerospace thermal analysis, paving the way for improved predictive reliability and more efficient engineering processes.
- Dual-Purpose Star Tracker and Space Debris Detector: Miniature Instrument for Small SatellitesPublication . Beltran Nadal Arribas; Maia, João G.; Castanheira, João Pedro Conceição ; Filho, Joel Alves Costa ; Melício, Rui; Gordo, Paulo Romeu Seabra; Onderwater, Hugo; Duarte, Rui; Silva, André Resende Rodrigues daThis paper presents the conception, design and real miniature instrument implementation of a dual-purpose sensor for small satellites that can act as a star tracker and space debris detector. In the previous research work, the authors conceived, designed and implemented a breadboard consisting of a computer laptop, a camera interface and camera controller, an image sensor, an optics system, a temperature sensor and a temperature controller. It showed that the instrument was feasible. In this paper, a new real star tracker miniature instrument is designed, physically realized and tested. The implementation follows a New Space approach; it is made with Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) components with space heritage. The instrument’s development, implementation and testing are presented.