Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Finite element models are proposed to the micromechanical analysis of a representative volume of composite materials. A detailed description of the meshes, boundary conditions, and loadings are presented. An illustrative application is given to evaluate stress amplification factors within a representative volume of the unidirectional carbon fiber composite plate. The results are discussed and compared to the numerical findings.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract The motion of an artificial satellite is studied considering geopotential perturbations and resonances between the frequencies of the mean orbital motion and the Earth rotational motion. The behavior of the satellite motion is analyzed in the neighborhood of the resonances 15:1. A suitable sequence of canonical transformations reduces the system of differential equations describing the orbital motion to an integrable kernel. The phase space of the resulting system is studied taking into account that one resonant angle is fixed. Simulations are presented showing the variations of the semi-major axis of artificial satellites due to the resonance effects.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract researching in weightlessness above the atmosphere needs a payload to carry the experiments. To achieve the weightlessness, the payload uses a rate control system (RCS) in order to reduce the centripetal acceleration within the payload. The rate control system normally has actuators that supply a constant force when they are turned on. The development of an algorithm control for this rate control system will be based on the minimum-time problem method in the state space to overcome the payload and actuators dynamics uncertainties of the parameters. This control algorithm uses the initial conditions of optimal trajectories to create intermediate points or to adjust existing points of a switching function. It associated with inequality constraint will form a decision function to turn on or off the actuators. This decision function, for linear time-invariant systems in state space, needs only to test the payload state variables instead of spent effort in solving differential equations and it will be tuned in real time to the payload dynamic. It will be shown, through simulations, the results obtained for some cases of parameters uncertainties that the rate control system algorithm reduced the payload centripetal acceleration below µg level and keep this way with no limit cycle.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract Over the last two decades, many routes have been proposed to synthesize ammonium dinitramide (ADN). However, most of them lie in routes in which reactants are too expensive for large-scale production. In this sense, the use of ordinary reactants is of paramount importance in this case. The aim in this synthesis consists on nitrating a starting reactant in a reaction known as nitration. Both the nitrating agent and the starting reactant should preferably be ordinary, narrowing the possibility of having realistic options for them. The most ordinary nitrating agent consists of a mixture of sulfuric and fuming nitric acids. Therefore, the breakthrough must come from the suitable choice of the starting reactant. However, so far, the only viable reaction relies on the use of sulfamate salts. Even though the process with this kind of salt has been largely commercially developed, only few information are available in the literature to properly address issues emerged from it. In this study, an attempt is made to enlighten some effects on the product caused by modifications in the route conditions. Characterization of the resulting products was confirmed by FT-IR in the region of MIR and NIR. The characteristic bands employed to identify ADN in the region of middle infrared were: 3129 and 1384 cm-1 (NH4+); 1537, 1344, 1209, and 1177 cm-1 (NO2); 1032, 954 cm -1 (N3); 828, 762 and 732 cm-1(NO2). The near infrared analysis pointed out few bands at 5185 and 4672 cm-1 in NH combination bands region. The resulting middle infrared spectrum was compared to the reference found in the literature for this product. The results show excellent agreement with the expected product.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: Titanium thin films with nanometer thicknesses were deposited on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using the triode magnetron sputtering technique. It was observed that the titanium thin film-polymeric substrate set attenuates the energy of the incident electromagnetic wave in the frequency range of 8 to 12 GHz. This result allows to consider this set as a radar absorbing material, which may be employed in automobile, telecommunication, aerospace, medical, and electroelectronic areas. Results of the reflectivity show that the attenuation depends on the thin film thickness, as a determining factor. Thin films with 25 to 100 nm thickness values show attenuation of the electromagnetic wave energy from around 20 to 50%. Analyses by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry provided information about the thickness of the thin films studied. Hall effect analyses contributed to better understand the influence of the thin film thickness on the electron mobility and consequently on absorption properties.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: The remote detection of a vehicle requires that some kinds of its emissions are tracked and detected. Usually, electromagnetic emissions are used in the form of radar (electromagnetic waves in the range of radiofrequency and microwaves). Different types of antennas are used as sensors, tailored to the signal frequency band and its polarization, as well as to the target distance (higher gain antennas used for low amplitude signals). For the specific case of radars, the use of computational methods to address the electromagnetic signature (spatial pattern of the scattered energy from the object) has become widespread, given the high costs and complex equipment associated with these respective measurements. Therefore, the use of computer simulation is ideally suited for creating a realistic database of targets and its respective signatures. The same computer-created signatures database can also be used for the thermal range, enabling a complete technology solution for the signature and design of stealth vehicles, with reduced emissions.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: This paper presents the method to analyze the sensitivity of airport noise using computer simulation with the aid of Integrated Noise Model 7.0. The technique serves to support the selection of alternatives to better control aircraft noise, since it helps identify which areas of the noise curves experienced greater variation from changes in aircraft movements at a particular airport.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: This paper presents a methodology that employs the electrostatic field variations caused by thundercloud formation or displacement to generate lightning warnings over a region of interest in Southeastern Brazil. These warnings can be used to prevent accidents during hazardous operations, such as the manufacturing, loading, and test of motor-rockets. In these cases, certain equipment may be moved into covered facilities and personnel are required to take shelter. It is also possible to avoid the threat of natural and triggered lightning to launches. The atmospheric electric field database, including the summer seasons of 2007/2008 and 2008/2009 (from November to February), and, for the same period and region, the cloud-to-ground lightning data provided by the Brazilian lightning detection network - BrasilDAT - were used in order to perform a comparative analysis between the lightning warnings and the cloud-to-ground lightning strikes that effectively occurred inside the area of concern. The analysis was done for three areas surrounding the sensor installation defined as circles with 5, 10 and 15 km of radius to determine the most effective detection range. For each area it was done using several critical electric field thresholds: +/- 0.5; +/- 0.8; +/- 0.9; +/- 1.0; +/- 1.2; and +/- 1.5 kV/m. As a result of the reduction of atmospheric electric field data provided by the sensor installed in area of concern and lightning provided by BrasilDAT, it was possible, for each of the areas of alert proposals, to obtain the following parameters: the number of effective alarms; the number of false alarms; and the number of failure to warning. From the analysis of these parameters, it was possible to conclude that, apparently, the most interesting critical electric field threshold to be used is the level of 0.9 kV/m in association with a distance range of 10 km around the point where the sensor is installed.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: The Pilot Transonic Wind Tunnel of the Institute of Aeronautics and Space has conducted the first test campaign of a sounding vehicle, Sonda III. The campaign is part of a project whose activities and final results are presented in this paper. During the test campaign, many activities were performed to increase the productivity and accuracy of the tunnel. These activities included calibration procedures, corrective and preventive trials, development of auxiliary devices, and theoretical and experimental analysis. Two tasks are described in details: the development and tests performed with the static pressure probe and the automatic re-entry flap actuation system. Several tests were carried out with the Sonda III at Mach numbers ranging from 0.3 to 1.0, at stagnation pressures of 70, 94, and 110 kPa. Experimental results include global aerodynamic coefficients (using internal balance) and pressure distribution over essential regions of the test article (using pressure sensitive paint technique).

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: The VSB-30 vehicle is a two-stage, unguided, rail launched sounding rocket, consisting of two solid propellant motors, payload, with recovery and service system. By the end of 2010, ten vehicles had already been launched, three from Brazil (Alcântara) and seven from Sweden (Esrange). The objective of this paper is to give an overview of the main characteristics of the first ten flights of the VSB-30, with emphasis on performance and trajectory data. The circular 3σ dispersion area for payload impact point has around 50 km of radius. In most launchings of such vehicle, the impact of the payload fell within 2 sigma. This provides the possibility for further studies to decrease the area of dispersion from the impact point.

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract: The Brazilian deep space mission ASTER, as temporarily named, plans to send a small spacecraft to encounter and investigate the triple asteroid 2001-SN263. The launch is scheduled (initially) to occur in 2015, arriving in 2018. The main motivation of the mission is the development of technology and expertise to leverage the national space sector. Within the scientific goals, the investigation of the still unknown asteroid 2001-SN263. The main project guideline is to aggregate the widest possible Brazilian involvement in the platform, the development and operation of subsystems, integration, payload, as well as in the tracking, navigation, guidance and control of the probe. To meet this guideline, among others, the decision for the development of a laser altimeter in Brazil to fly in the mission was taken. This effort is currently coordinated by a group of researchers from the aerospace engineering personnel of UFABC. This article presents the preliminary development plan for the design of this instrument, which was called ALR (ASTER Laser Rangefinder).