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Spacecraft design-for-demise strategy, analysis and impact on low earth orbit space missions
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
Uncontrolled reentry into the Earth atmosphere by LEO space missions whilst complying with stipulated NASA Earth atmospheric reentry requirements is a vital endeavor for the space community to pursue. An uncontrolled reentry ...
Application of the backward-smoothing extended Kalman filter to attitude estimation and prediction using radar observations
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
The Lincoln Attitude Estimation System (LAES), a new tool being developed for the Space Situational Awareness Group (SSAG) at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, integrates several existing hardware and software systems, with a ...
Experimental testbeds for real-time motion planning : implementation and lessons learned
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
A fundamental step in research on autonomous robotic systems is the actual development and test of experimental platforms, to validate the system design and the effective integration of hardware and real-time software. The ...
Optimal and receding-horizon path planning algorithms for communications relay vehicles in complex environments
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
This thesis presents new algorithms for path planning in a communications constrained environment for teams of unmanned vehicles. This problem involves a lead vehicle that must gather information from a set of locations ...
High-altitude, long-endurance UAVs vs. satellites : potential benefits for U.S. Army applications
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
Satellites have become a critical component of nearly every aspect of modern life. In addition to well-known civilian applications, military applications of space-based platforms include supporting mission operations through ...
Modeling and control of airport departure processes for emissions reduction
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
Taxiing aircraft contribute significantly to the fuel burn and emissions at airports. This thesis investigates the possibility of reducing fuel burn and emissions from surface operations through a reduction of the taxi ...
Emission spectroscopy for the study of electric propulsion plasmas
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
Typical electric propulsion devices rely on the acceleration of highly ionized plasmas to produce thrust at specific impulses unattainable with state-of-the-art chemical systems. This thesis examines the use of a miniaturized ...
A multisensory observer model for human spatial orientation perception
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
Quantitative "observer" models for spatial orientation and eye movements have been developed based on 1-G data from humans and animals (e.g. Oman 1982, 1991, Merfeld, et al 1993, 2002; Haslwanter 2000, Vingerhoets 2006). ...
Establishment of an experimental method for a grooved composite subjected to out-of-plane contact loading
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
A specimen and an experimental method to observe the behavior of a grooved composite subjected to out-of-plane contact loading is established and verified, and its response is examined. The specimen is designed so that the ...
Acoustic and thermal packaging of small gas turbines for portable power
(Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2009)
To meet the increasing demand for advanced portable power units, for example for use in personal electronics and robotics, a number of studies have focused on portable small gas turbines. This research is concerned with ...