{"title":"Real-time CFD in the simulation of aerial firefighting","authors":"Oyedoyin Dada , George Barakos","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110980","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110980","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Aerial firefighting is crucial in the combat of wildfires, as the speed, range, and payload (water, fire-retardant, crew) advantages provided by aircraft enable much easier access to remote areas and faster response to active fires than ground vehicles. However, the challenging mission scopes and flight conditions, including low-altitude operations, smoke-induced low visibility, fire-induced turbulence, and complex terrain, encountered during these operations place the pilot and crew under high workload and at considerable risk of accidents. With the increased frequency and intensity of wildfires seen in recent years due to climate change and other factors, research into safer and more efficient aerial firefighting techniques, strategies, and training is essential. This paper presents a high-fidelity simulation environment, leveraging real-time computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the loop and capable of evaluating different aerial platforms and firefighting techniques.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 110980"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266489","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nolan L. Coulter, Sebastian Leon-Serna, Hever Moncayo, Rocio Jado Puente
{"title":"Model-free fault detection framework for spacecraft health monitoring","authors":"Nolan L. Coulter, Sebastian Leon-Serna, Hever Moncayo, Rocio Jado Puente","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Subsystem failures in spacecraft can lead to significant performance degradation and compromised mission safety if not addressed promptly. To mitigate such risks, this paper introduces a model-free fault detection framework aimed at enhancing onboard health monitoring without relying on detailed system models. The proposed approach integrates a support vector machine with a bio-inspired negative selection algorithm for effective <em>self</em>/<em>nonself</em> classification, while a clonal selection algorithm dynamically optimizes the model’s hyperparameters to improve adaptability under uncertain conditions. The framework is validated on a spacecraft attitude determination and control system testbed, where a series of fault scenarios are simulated. Results show that the proposed architecture outperforms a traditional standalone negative selection data-driven method by achieving higher overall efficiency in detecting anomalous behaviors. Specifically, the proposed method achieved a 10.5 % reduction in fault activation time, an 82.5 % decrease in execution time, and a 5.4 % improvement in accuracy for capturing deviations from nominal conditions. These findings highlight the value of bio-inspired machine learning in supporting the development of autonomous and fault-tolerant aerospace systems capable of operating reliably in complex environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111012"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265916","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Research on modeling and dynamic characteristics of floating-poppet thrust vector control valve","authors":"Chujiu Huang, Zhijun Wei, Zhixing Tian, Ziqing Gao","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The floating-poppet valve is primarily utilized in solid-propellant attitude and orbit control rocket engines that require rapid response capabilities, offering advantages such as fast actuation and stable, reliable operational performance. Consequently, reducing the dynamic response time of the floating-poppet valve represents a critical research objective for enhancing its overall performance. This study established a mathematical model and an experimental system to investigate the dynamic characteristics of the floating-poppet valve. Numerical simulations of the valve were conducted and validated through experimental comparisons. The simulations captured the poppet displacement, velocity, and pressure variations in the upper and lower chambers. Key factors influencing the valve’s response time were analyzed, including the size ratio of the poppet stem to head, stem dimensions, jet-to-pilot orifice area ratio, and lower chamber volume. Optimal design criteria were derived and generalized for practical applications. The results indicate that the dynamic mathematical model of the floating-poppet valve aligns well with experimental observations, and the working mechanism of the valve is clarified. The generalized design parameters for the floating-poppet valve are determined as follows: the area ratio between the poppet stem and head is 1, the stem dimensions match the nozzle throat size of the valve, the jet-to-pilot orifice area ratio ranges from 0.5 to 0.6, and the initial lower chamber volume is set to zero.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111025"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145228950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xiangbing Wu , Jieliang Zhao , Tonghui Fan , Xuemei Chen , Junlan Li , Wenzhong Wang , Shaoze Yan
{"title":"Morphing nose cone with integrated deformation-locking design for aerospace vehicle inspired by honeybee abdomen","authors":"Xiangbing Wu , Jieliang Zhao , Tonghui Fan , Xuemei Chen , Junlan Li , Wenzhong Wang , Shaoze Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Active adjustment of aerodynamic shape by morphing mechanisms is an effective means to improve the environmental adaptability and maneuverability of aerospace vehicles. In this paper, inspired by the deformation mechanism of honeybee abdomen, a series-parallel morphing nose cone (MNC) mechanism that can realize deformation motions in four levels (2 levels of stretching and 2 levels of bending) and two directions (<em>z</em>-direction and <em>x</em>-direction) is designed. A deformation-locking integrated design method is innovatively proposed to achieve the locking of MNC at any position. Based on the screw theory, the branch-chain synthesis and degree of freedom (DOF) analysis of the mechanism are completed. The kinematics and dynamics models of the proposed mechanism are constructed, and its motion characteristics and working space are analyzed. Aiming at the problem with the heavier driving burden in the starting stage, the driving torque in the initial stage was designed to be compensated. Compensated start-up torque is significantly reduced, and the torque curve is smoother. Finite element analysis confirmed that the design of the locking chains and the force self-locking mechanism greatly enhances the axial stiffness of the MNC. A functional prototype of MNC is manufactured and the deformation experiments are conducted. The prototype can achieve eight independent morphing configuration processes and stable locking at any position, with a maximum bending angle of 19.65°, a maximum stretching of 79.55 mm, a maximum stretching rate of 14.75 %, and a motion deviation of <3 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111023"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kai Yang, Fei Li, Linshan Jiang, Yihang Li, Tao Jiang, Ning Wang, Yu Pan, Taotao Zhan
{"title":"Effect of shock/expansion wave on ignition and combustion characteristics of supercritical kerosene with cavity in supersonic flow","authors":"Kai Yang, Fei Li, Linshan Jiang, Yihang Li, Tao Jiang, Ning Wang, Yu Pan, Taotao Zhan","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shock wave and expansion wave are typical flow structures in supersonic combustion chamber, which have a direct effect on the fuel mixing and chemical reaction process, especially for supercritical kerosene with unique characteristics of evaporation and mixing. Based on the experimental platform of a direct-connected model engine, the effects of shock/expansion wave on the ignition and combustion characteristics of supercritical kerosene were investigated under the conditions of incoming-flow with Mach number 2.52, total temperature 1486 K and total pressure 1.6 MPa. The experimental results show that the triple-wave structure consist of shock waves and expansion wave induced by wedge has a significant effect on kerosene ignition. Due to the difference in fuel evaporation and mixing characteristics, the expansion wave generated on the middle wedge compresses the recirculation zone of the cavity, leading to the failure of supercritical kerosene ignition, while the shock wave generated on the upstream wedge elevates the jet wake, leading to the ignition failure of liquid kerosene. After the flame is stabilized, the intensity of the shock wave decreases significantly, and the main effect of the wedge in subsonic combustion field is to constrict and choke the flow path, which has a limited effect on the combustion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111021"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Real-time flight trajectory optimization for TF/TA using an enhanced RBF-LSTM network with attention mechanisms","authors":"Zhida Xing , Runqi Chai , Ming Xin , Jinning Zhang , Antonios Tsourdos , Yuanqing Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110941","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110941","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this paper, we present a real-time three-dimensional flight trajectory optimization method for fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to achieve terrain-following-terrain-avoidance (TF-TA) capabilities in mountainous flight scenarios. This approach employs an innovative dual-layer structure that combines discrete trajectory optimization with an enhanced radial basis function-long short-term memory (RBF-LSTM) network for real-time trajectory planning. The designed network is obtained by introducing a multi-head attention mechanism into the classical LSTM network and utilizing the pre-planned trajectories from the RBF network as the initial input sequence for the LSTM network. At the upper layer, the method generates an optimal trajectory dataset for fixed-wing UAVs during specific tasks, encompassing the state and control of the trajectory. In the lower online planning layer, the pre-generated trajectory dataset is utilized to train the enhanced RBF-LSTM network, ensuring that the resulting network can accurately represent the mapping relationship between the state and control within the optimal trajectory. This enables its application in the optimal real-time feedback control of the vehicle system. The reliability of the proposed real-time flight trajectory planning approach is validated through Monte Carlo (MC) experiments. Furthermore, the optimality and real-time performance of the designed dual-layer framework are verified through comprehensive simulation studies. Finally, an explanation regarding the generalization ability of the proposed network is provided.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 110941"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Peng Guan , Changxu Liu , Jianwen Xie , Bo Guan , Xinyu Liu
{"title":"Study on applicability simulation of blade thermal shock test conditions and the consistency of life","authors":"Peng Guan , Changxu Liu , Jianwen Xie , Bo Guan , Xinyu Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111014","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111014","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Spray cooling is commonly used in thermal shock tests of turbine blades to accelerate the testing process by creating high-temperature and low-temperature cycling conditions. Although spray cooling can improve efficiency and reduce costs, it significantly reduces the thermal fatigue resistance of the blades. Moreover, the life assessment under spray cooling conditions differs from the actual operating conditions of aeroengines, making it difficult to quantify its impact on blade life. This paper establishes a multi-field coupling simulation model under thermal shock conditions. Based on the Manson-Coffin formula, it proposes a modified life prediction model for predicting the thermal fatigue life of a typical turbine blade with K417G material suffered to thermal shock. The reliability of the model is validated with thermal fatigue test data, and the impact of spray cooling on the thermal fatigue life of the blades is quantitatively evaluated. The simulation results show that during spray cooling, the blade trailing edge experiences an abrupt temperature gradient change, leading to localized thermal stress concentration. The maximum thermal strain reaches 2.88 × 10⁻³, and the peak thermal stress reaches 540.84 MPa. Using the modified life prediction model, the thermal fatigue life under this working condition is calculated to be 4714 cycles, which is consistent with the test results. The study validates the feasibility of spray cooling in simulating engine thermal cycle cooling process, providing theoretical support for accelerating thermal shock test design and life assessment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111014"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Junwei Sun , Xinrui Wang , Xianhe Cheng , Hexuan Shi , Rundong Ding , Qigang Han , Chunguo Liu
{"title":"Prediction of nonlinear mechanical behaviour of the corrugated flexible composite skin for morphing wing via PCA-enhanced deep learning method","authors":"Junwei Sun , Xinrui Wang , Xianhe Cheng , Hexuan Shi , Rundong Ding , Qigang Han , Chunguo Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Tensile curves of corrugated flexible composite skin (FCS) significantly represent morphing wings’ mechanical properties, from which critical mechanical descriptors such as tensile stiffness, strength, and toughness are defined. This study aims to develop an efficient surrogate model that predicts the tensile load-displacement (T-D) curves of corrugated FCS with varied geometry and stacking sequences. A database of T-D curves was generated via finite element analysis (FEA) for different structural parameters; these parameter sets serve as DNN inputs, and their corresponding curves as outputs. The accuracy of the FEA results based on the Hashin-Puck progressive failure criteria was verified by mechanical tests and the proposed analytical model. T-D data were projected into a lower-dimensional space to reduce dimensionality via principal component analysis (PCA). Key DNN hyperparameters were then optimized using a Bayesian Optimization and HyperBand algorithm. As a result, the proposed PCA-DNN data-driven approach predicts T-D curves for various FCS designs within a fraction of a second, achieving high accuracy. Mean absolute errors for key descriptors remain below 5 % of the range of values in the dataset. Finally, we extended the model via transfer learning to accurately predict compressive behavior using minimal additional data, demonstrating strong generalization across different loading modes. Owing to the universality of its construction principles, the method has broad applicability in morphing wings with different corrugated structures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111018"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145266518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Safety-critical control for multiple spacecraft close-proximity inspection","authors":"Zijie Lin , Baolin Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.110938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper investigates the control problem for multiple spacecraft in an on-orbit inspection mission. The spacecraft swarm consists of a tumbling target and multiple chasers that are commanded to approach and inspect the target. The primary control objective is to maintain the chaser hovering above the tumbling target while steadily pointing towards it. The approach process must adhere to several safe motion constraints: 1) avoid collisions among chasers and target; 2) prevent chasers from occluding each other’s camera field of view; 3) ensure that sunlight does not invade the field of view. To achieve this, a novel control scheme is proposed, which includes two components: a robust tracking controller based on fully actuated system approach, and a safety-critical control framework that uses control barrier function with quadratic programming. This strategy separates the control system into two layers: the former for tracking stability and the latter as a safety control correction to satisfy constraints. First, the models of fully actuated systems for relative motion and attitude on SO(3) are derived. Then, a fixed-time disturbance observer is applied to the tracking controller. Subsequently, six-degree-of-freedom multiple motion constraints are modeled. The backup control barrier function method is utilized in safety-critical control framework, considering spacecraft high-order dynamics and limited inputs. Finally, the comparative simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme in a multispacecraft inspection scenario.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 110938"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145219712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhen Wang , Qi Yuan , Yi Zhu , Wenbin Gu , Xingbo Xie
{"title":"Innovative design of rotor blades for coaxial UAVs based on simulations and experiments","authors":"Zhen Wang , Qi Yuan , Yi Zhu , Wenbin Gu , Xingbo Xie","doi":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ast.2025.111020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The rational design of three-dimensional (3D) rotors plays a crucial role in enhancing the flight efficiency of coaxial dual-rotor unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Currently, the overall design methodology from the generation of two-dimensional (2D) airfoils to the design of 3D rotors is not clearly defined. In light of this, this paper puts forward a comprehensive whole-process design approach that integrates airfoil generation, 3D rotor construction, and performance testing of physical blades. This approach is founded on rigorous simulation performance analysis and comparative experiments. Specifically, a mathematical model of 3D rotor dynamics has been established. Systematically optimizing the aerodynamic performance of the 3D rotor is achieved by taking into account key parameters such as the lift-to-drag ratio, twist angle, and length. The strength of the composite material layered rotor is verified through fluid-structure coupling calculations using the rotor composite material layering technology, and the safe elastic deformation range of the rotor is determined. The performance of the designed blades is experimentally compared with that of conventional blades of the same size. Under the same dimensional constraints, the mass of the designed blades is reduced by 19.29%, the average rotational noise drops by 2.3%, and the total current consumption decreases by 18.53%. The experimental results conclusively demonstrate that the proposed 3D composite rotor design approach, predicated on 2D optimized airfoils, significantly enhances the overall flight efficiency of the coaxial dual-rotor UAV. This innovative method not only furnishes a dependable and efficient means for designing the rotors of such vehicles but also offers valuable insights and a significant reference framework for the rapid and high-performance design of coaxial dual-rotor UAV rotors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":50955,"journal":{"name":"Aerospace Science and Technology","volume":"168 ","pages":"Article 111020"},"PeriodicalIF":5.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145265528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}