Multi-objective differential evolution optimization of ion beam analysis spectra

n the rapidly evolving semiconductor industry, precise material characterization is crucial. This thesis focuses on enhancing Ion Beam Analysis (IBA), a pivotal tool in semiconductor characterization, through the integration of differential evolution optimization. This research proposes a single and multi spectra optimization algorithm approach...

Solar Sail Trajectory Design for a Martian Moon Sample-return Mission

With a dedicated mission to the Martian moons, Phobos and Deimos, set to launch soon, there is a growing interest in further exploring these moons using low-thrust propulsion. This paper investigates the trajectory design for a sample-return mission from Deimos using fuel-free solar sail propulsion technology, aiming to maximize operational time...

Photon-sail periodic orbits around the Lagrange points of the Alpha-Centauri system

The first mission proposals to visit the Alpha Centauri system use photon-sail acceleration as a mode of propulsion to reach this stellar system closest to our own Solar System. To prepare for a future mission, the photon-sail dynamics in the system is investigated. Planar Lyapunov orbits around the colinear classical Lagrange points are...

Multi-objective Aerodynamic Assessment and Optimization of Winglets for the Flying-V Aircraft Configuration

The Flying-V is a disruptive flying wing aircraft configuration that was realized at the Airbus Future Projects Office (FPO), with research and development continuing at TU Delft. Preliminary findings have indicated that the Flying-V is 25\% more aerodynamically efficient than the state-of-the-art Airbus A350. To further reap the benefits of...

Online Surrogate Models for the Constrained Optimization of Interplanetary Low-Thrust Trajectories

The optimization of interplanetary, low-­thrust trajectories is a computationally expensive aspect of preliminary mission design. To reduce the computational burden associated with it, surrogate models can be used as cheap approximations of the original fitness function. Training the surrogate models in a fully online manner can be done to...

A comparison of 3 dimensional acoustic localization methods based on global optimization and neural networks

The past years there has been a significant increase in the popularity and commercial availability of consumer drones.

Orbital Averaging and Control Parametrization for Many-Revolution Low-Thrust Transfer Trajectory Optimization: With an Application to Active Debris Removal

With the increase in the use of Solar Electric Propulsion for Earth-centered applications, comes an additional challenge in the field of low-thrust spacecraft trajectory optimization. This MSc project implements a hybrid optimization approach, using control parametrization to reduce the number of optimization parameters and orbital averaging to...

Design and Optimization of a Small Reusable Launch Vehicle Using Vertical Landing Techniques

Recent years have seen a drastic increase in the number of small satellites launched per year, as these systems weighing less than 1000 kg have become less expensive alternatives to obtaining scientific data compared to satellites weighing multiple tons. A current drawback with these systems is their price to orbit, often reaching over $100k ...

Optimization of Solar Sailcraft Trajectory for a Comet Sample Return Mission

Comets, the sporadic visitors from the outer edges of the Solar System, are considered to hold the key for understanding the formation of planets and the origin of life on Earth. Having spent the majority of time away from the radiative environment of the inner Solar System, the chemistry of the comets has remained unaltered, making them the...

Optimal stimulation waveform for efficacious high-frequency block of the pudendal nerve with minimized electrochemical damage: A computer simulation optimization approach

"The use of high-frequency stimulation for conduction block of the pudendal nerve has potentially high benefits for patients suffering from non-neurogenic urinary retention. Special care has to be put in the design of stimulation parameters to ensure safe operation and prevent electrode and tissue damage. While high-frequency conduction block...

Optimization of semi-controlled low-thrust de-orbit strategies to reduce human casualty risk

Currently, an increasing amount of debris is floating in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) endangering space operations. To limit the contribution of non-operational satellites to the space debris problem a semi-controlled end-of-life de-orbit strategy can be employed. In this strategy the satellite is controlled from the end-of-life orbit down to low...

Contrail Mitigation through Flight Planning

Condensation trails, or contrails in short, are the white lines that can often be seen trailing high-altitude jet aircraft. Due to their interference with the local energy balance of the atmosphere they contribute to anthropogenic climate change. Research has shown strategies with great contrail mitigation potential at relatively small fuel and...

Optimisation Strategies for Galilean Moon Tours: Low-Thrust Multiple Gravity-Assist Trajectory Design for GTOC6

Around 1610 Galileo Galilei made his discovery of the four large moons orbiting Jupiter which are referred to now as the Galilean moons. The moons Europa and Ganymede attract a significant amount of scientific interest due to potential present subsurface oceans. As consequence, the design of missions to go there and explore the moon system are...

Design of a Combinatorial Tool for Preliminary Space Mission Analysis, applied to the GTOC2 Problem

In recent years, space missions to asteroids have been a focus of research. This type of mission has introduced a new challenge in space mission analysis: target selection. Indeed, given the large number of small Solar System bodies and their various orbital and physical characteristics, selecting a specific target is a rather complex task. This...

Sediment characterization by geo-acoustic inversion of marine seismic data received on a towed hydrophone array

Improving Global Optimization Methods for Low-Thrust Trajectories

Optimization of spacecraft trajectories is an interesting area of research, where a lot of development takes place: in the past years, an optimizer called OPTIDUS was implemented at the chair of Astrodynamics at Delft Univierstiy. This tool is able to do optimization of spacecraft trajectories (and other problems) using an evolutionary algorithm...