The Aerospace Engineering Podcast

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Conversations with pioneers in industry and academia about the past and future of aerospace engineering

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Tuesday Oct 23, 2018

#19 – Manuel Schleiffelder on the Hound Project and metal matrix composites for rockets

Tuesday Oct 23, 2018

Today I am speaking to Manuel Schleiffelder, an aerospace engineer based in Vienna, Austria. Manuel has a background in designing and building experimental rockets with the student space team of the Technical University in Vienna, known as the Hound Project, and I spoke to him after he returned from a trip to the Black Rock Desert where the Vienna space team tested their newest two-stage experimental rocket. Manuel has a very broad background in space engineering having worked on projects varying from spacecraft design of lunar landers and systems engineering of rocket propulsion systems, to his newest research project in materials science.

In a classic rocket engine, the exhaust gases have a speed limit of exactly Mach 1—the speed of sound—at the narrowest portion of the nozzle; the so-called choking condition. Since the speed of sound increases with temperature, hotter combustion means the exhaust gases can be expelled from the rocket at greater velocity resulting in more thrust. While the speed of sound in air at room temperature is typically around 1200 km/hr (745 mph), the speed of sound in the hot exhaust gases can be more than 5 times this value. Even though we want our rocket engine to run as hot as possible, the ultimate temperature is limited by the ability of materials to withstand these extreme temperatures. For this reason, most rocket engines use some form of cooling to keep the material temperature within reasonable bounds. Manuel is currently developing metal matrix composite materials—carbon fibres embedded within a metal matrix—that are strong enough to withstand the extreme temperatures without the additional mass and complexity of a cooling system. In this episode, Manuel and I talk about

his background in aerospace engineering
the rockets that the Vienna student space team are building
and the advantages and challenges of developing metal matrix composites for rocket engines.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog. If you want to support the show then please leave a review; share it on social media with your friends and family; or support us directly on Patreon. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast is sponsored by SAMPE North America. SAMPE is a global professional society that has been providing educational opportunities on advanced materials for more than 70 years. SAMPE’s network of engineers is a key facilitator for the advancement of aerospace engineering by enabling information exchange and synergies between aerospace companies. To find out how SAMPE can help you learn more about advanced materials and process visit SAMPE's website, or consider attending one of SAMPE’s conferences, such as CAMX, the largest and most comprehensive composites and advanced materials event for products, solutions, networking, and advanced industry thinking.

This episode is also sponsored by StressEbook.com, which is an online hub for you if you are interested in aerospace stress engineering. StressEbook.com provides world-class engineering services and online courses on the stress analysis of aircraft structures, as well as a free ebook and blog. No matter if you’re a junior or senior structural analyst, stressEbook.com provides you with the skills and know-how to become a champion in your workplace.

Tuesday Oct 02, 2018

#18 – Prof. Wenbin Yu on the Structure Genome

Tuesday Oct 02, 2018

On this episode I am speaking to Wenbin Yu, who is a professor at the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics of Purdue University. Wenbin has achieved many accolades in both the academic world and in the private sector, and is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His specialty lies in multi-scale modelling of materials and structures, a topic that we delve into throughout this episode. Material scientists are increasingly inventing materials that are designed from the ground up, meaning they take some fundamental building block and then attempt to arrange this building block in an architected manner over multiple length scales.

The challenge with these multi-scale architected materials is that the global macro-scale behaviour is influenced by what happens at the micro-scale. And equally, macro-scale deformations can cause damage at the micro-scale. This means that modern computational models that are used to design aircraft need to account for what happens at the different length-scales. Traditionally, this is done by constructing different models for each of the length scales. The problem with these approaches is that they are computationally inefficient and it's not always obvious where each of the length-scales begins and ends. To overcome this, Prof. Yu has developed the structure genome, which allows engineers to compute mathematically where each length scale begins, and to then aggregate information of the smaller length scales into models at the greater length scales. In this episode, Prof. Yu and I talk about

the difference between a material and a structure
why multi-scale modelling is crucial for modern materials and structures
the structure genome
and how it is being applied to aircraft structures.

Tuesday Sep 11, 2018

#17 – Alba Orbital Engineer Andrew Dunn on PocketQubes

Tuesday Sep 11, 2018

On this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast I am speaking to Andrew Dunn who is an engineer at the satellite company Alba Orbital in Glasgow, Scotland. Alba Orbital is in the business of building PocketQubes, which are miniaturised satellites mainly used for space science, Earth imaging and space exploration. As the name suggests, PocketQubes are pocket-sized, usually around 5 cm (2 in) cubed and weighing no more than 180 grams. What is more, PocketQubes are typically assembled entirely from commercial off-the-shelf components, driven mostly by the miniaturisation of smartphone electronics, and this makes PocketQubes an ideal low-cost testbed for university labs and smaller startup companies. Traditional satellites of the last decades often took so long to develop that by the time they were launched into space, the technology was already out of date. Furthermore, their large size increased launch costs and most components were one-off designs that made them too expensive but for the largest companies. Alba Orbital is currently developing the Unicorn-2 PocketQube platform, which is a modular design that can host different payloads, such as optical equipment, deployable antennas or a radio module, but is built on a foundation of integrated electronics that can serve any need. In this episode, Andrew and I talk about:

the unique features of PocketQubes
their components and how they are manufactured,
and Alba Orbital’s future plans for the Unicorn-2 platform

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Wednesday Aug 22, 2018

#16 – Max Haot and Launcher's ten-year journey to deliver small satellites to orbit

Wednesday Aug 22, 2018

On this episode I am speaking to Max Haot, who is the founder of Launcher, a rocket startup based out of Brooklyn, NY. Launcher was founded in early 2017 and is on a ten-year journey to deliver small satellites to orbit. More specifically, Launcher plans to deliver payloads of up to 300 kg into low-earth orbit cheaper than anyone else in the growing small launcher market; a market specialising on small satellites that will deliver GPS, internet services and earth imaging in the near future.

The most difficult part of launching satellites into orbit is building a robust and reliable rocket engine. On top of that, the physics of the rocket equation dictate very stringent constraints on the mass of the rocket and payload. To launch a satellite into low-earth orbit, a typical liquid-oxygen/kerosene rocket is around 95% propellant on the launchpad. So any fuel savings from a more efficient rocket engine can go towards increasing the payload. Launcher has spent the last year working on their proof-of-concept engine, the E-1, and are now in the process of spending the next three years developing the 40x larger E-2 engine. Key to Launcher’s rocket engine is 3D printing and a staged combustion cycle. 3D printing allows for a reduction in parts, faster development times, and easier manufacturing of complex geometries such as integrated cooling channels, which all help to reduce costs. In a staged combustion cycle, a favourite of Soviet rocket engineers, propellant flows through two combustion chambers, a preburner and a main combustion chamber. The pressure produced by igniting a small amount of propellant in the preburner can be used to power the turbo pumps that force the remaining propellant into the main combustion chamber. The addition of the preburner leads to better fuel efficiency, but comes at the cost of greater engineering complexity.

One of the things I love about Launcher is that they face this daunting engineering challenge with the utmost humility, documenting many of their failures and successes online for everyone to see. In this way, anyone can get a glimpse of what it means to build a rocket company from scratch. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast you will learn:

how Max got into the space industry
the engineering details behind many aspects of the E-1 engine
the advantages of 3D printing and stage combustion
and Launcher’s current schedule for developing the full-size E-2 engine

Tuesday Jul 24, 2018

#15 – Nick Sills on contra-rotating electric propulsion

Tuesday Jul 24, 2018

On this episode I am speaking to Nick Sills who is the founder of Contra Electric Propulsion Ltd. Nick’s background is in developing underwater propulsion systems for the offshore oil and gas industry. He has designed products ranging from a hydraulically powered excavator for pipeline route trenching, to the world’s biggest deep water excavator. He received a Queen's Award for Technological Achievement for the "Jet Prop" tool, a 5 m diameter propeller that is powered by ejecting high pressure seawater from its propeller blades.

Nick founded his most recent company, Contra Electric Propulsion, to develop a contra-rotating propeller system for the light aircraft market. Contra-rotating propeller systems typically use two propellers mounted in series that spin in opposite directions. The fact that props are spinning in both directions alleviates many of the attitude and control problems when flying aircraft. Contra-rotation has rarely found its way onto modern, gas-powered aircraft because the variable-pitch requirement for efficient operation has made the system overly expensive, complex and maintenance intensive. By changing the power source from fossil fuels to electrons, however, many components of the modern aircraft can be designed differently. With new electric motors it is now possible to build a much simpler, fixed-pitch, contra-rotating propulsion system for light aircraft. As an aerobatic pilot, Nick immediately realised the massive advantages of instantaneous torque delivery and reversible thrust that electric motors can provide. That's why he believes that the next big advance in light aircraft propulsion will be a battery-powered, twin motor, contra-rotating system with fixed-pitch propellers. Since this has now become technically feasible, he is privately building one to prove it.

Tuesday Jul 10, 2018

#14 – Dufour Aerospace co-founder Thomas Pfammatter on the aEro2 VTOL electric aircraft

Tuesday Jul 10, 2018

On this episode I am speaking to Thomas Pfammatter, who is the co-founder of the Swiss electric aviation startup Dufour Aerospace. Dufour is currently designing an electric aircraft with vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) capabilities for the urban and rural transport market. The promise of their current aircraft, the aEro 2, is that with VTOL capabilities it can take-off and land pretty much anywhere, which can considerably reduce travel times, especially to places that are difficult to reach by car or train. There is a long-standing compromise in aviation between taking-off vertically, and being able to travel fast horizontally. Dufour Aerospace believes that with electric propulsion it is possible to combine these two worlds. To achieve this, Dufour are using a tilt-wing design fitted with two propellers. The wing and attached propellers can pivot around a hinge between the horizontal and vertical planes, and thereby provide exceptional lift, stability and control characteristics even in slow flight. Dufour have proven their electrical aviation ambitions with the aEro1 aerobatic aircraft and are currently in the process of developing the tilt-wing aEro 2 airplane. In this episode you will learn about many of the details behind Dufour’s technology such as:

the tilt-wing concept and the tail fan used for pitch control
the aerodynamic importance of the vortex ring state
the future of regional travel and how Dufour hopes to influence this space

Thursday Jun 21, 2018

#13 – Skyrora's lead engineer Robin Hague on Scotland's new satellite launch capability

Thursday Jun 21, 2018

Robin Hague is the Lead Engineer at the rocket startup Skyrora based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The goal of Skyrora is to provide a dedicated launch vehicle for small satellites. It has never been cheaper to build small satellites that provide imaging and communication services, and this sector of the space economy is expected to grow rapidly over the coming years. The UK is a world leader in the small satellite business—with Glasgow in Scotland building more satellites than any other city in Europe—but there is currently a shortfall of dedicated launchers for these satellite companies. Skyrora hopes to serve this market by launching rockets from Norther Scotland, which has great access to polar and sun-synchronous orbits. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering podcast Robin and I talk about:

the history of British rocketry (the Black Arrow)
the benefits of using hydrogen peroxide as a propellant
the role of 3D printing in modern rocket engines
and the future of Skyrora.

Tuesday Jun 05, 2018

#12 – The Perlan Project: soaring to the edge of space

Tuesday Jun 05, 2018

This episode features an in-depth look at the Perlan Project. The mission of the Perlan Project is to fly an engineless aircraft to the edge of space, in this case, by taking advantage of an aerodynamic phenomenon known as wave lift. Not only is soaring to 90,000 feet an audacious goal, but on top of that, the Perlan Project is a worldwide collaborative project run entirely by aviation enthusiasts, scientists, engineers and adventurous pilots. Noone has ever soared to the edge of space in a glider and so the Perlan engineers are venturing into unchartered aviation territory on their own. On this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast I speak to Project Manager Morgan Sandercock and Flight Test Engineer Alan Lawless about:

the genesis and history of the Perlan Project
how one goes about designing, manufacturing and testing a glider that is to fly to the edge of space
past success stories
and the team's future plans for breaking aviation records.

In case you personally want to support the Perlan Project as a donor, you can do so on the Perlan Project donor page.

Tuesday May 22, 2018

#11 – Dr Priyanka Dhopade on jet engine optimisation and women in engineering

Tuesday May 22, 2018

Priyanka Dhopade received her PhD from the University of New South Wales in Canberra, Australia and was the recipient of the Zonta Amelia Earhart Fellowship award, awarded annually to the 35 most outstanding female aerospace PhD students worldwide. Since 2013 she has been researching the thermodynamics of jet engines in the Osney thermofluids institute at Oxford University. Priyanka is an expert in computational fluid dynamics modelling of heat transfer, aerodynamics and aero-elasticity in jet engines. She is currently leading the modelling campaigns for various projects in collaboration with industry partners relating to turbine and compressor tip clearance control, turbine internal cooling and active flow control. In this episode, Priyanka and I talk about:

the challenges of improving the efficiency of current gas turbines
the intricacies of fluid dynamics modelling
and a topic particularly close to her heart, the diversity challenge in STEM fields.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog.

If you value the podcast and want to support it then please share it with your friends and family, or support it directly on Patreon, where patrons of this show receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening!

This episode is brought to you by KDC Resource—the experts in engineering recruitment for the aerospace and defence sector. For more than 15 years, KDC has been matching the very best engineers with the biggest names in the industry; from Airbus Group and GKN Aerospace, to Cobham and BAE Systems. KDC’s deep talent pool of aerospace engineers means they are perfectly poised to meet your particular needs with the ideal candidate. In a time of unprecedented engineering skills shortage, KDC Resource will give you an edge over your competitors in the recruitment market.

Tuesday May 08, 2018

#10 – Kitty Hawk roboticist Dr Mark Cutler on UAVs, machine learning and personalised flying

Tuesday May 08, 2018

Dr Mark Cutler has a PhD in Robotics and Autonomous Systems from MIT, and has researched multiple aspects of UAV technology—from designing and building his own novel quadrotor for aerobatic flight to developing machine learning algorithms for autonomous systems. He is currently working for the California-based startup Kitty Hawk backed by Google founder Larry Page. At Kitty Hawk, Mark is applying his expertise in rotorcraft to create the next generation of vehicles for everyday flight. Kitty Hawk are currently designing, testing and building all-electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles for work and play. Their first product, the Cora, is an air taxi that could one day bring us an Uber-like service for the sky, and Kitty Hawk is currently in the first stages of testing the Cora in New Zealand. In this episode of the Aerospace Engineering Podcast, Mark and I talk about:

his diverse background in UAV's
the explosion of hobbyist rotorcraft
the promises of machine learning for autonomous flight
and the future of personalised flying

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, then you can find show notes with links to more in-depth material on the aerospace engineering blog.

If you value the podcast and want to support it then please leave a review on Apple Podcasts; share it with your friends and family on social media; or support us directly on Patreon, where patrons of this show receive exclusive behind-the-scenes content and special episodes. Thanks a lot for listening!