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Developing Sky Plots Of Rocket Launches From GPS Scintillation Data
Get PDFSky plots displaying GPS satellite and rocket launch trajectories are developed to determine the spatial correlation between satellites that display ionospheric scintillations and heavy thrust-producing rockets. The trajectories of three major Falcon Heavy and Artemis 1 rocket launches are used within this paper. Python code is utilized to compute and plot Ionospheric Pierce Point (IPP) coordinates which are then used to produce satellite trajectories from the receiver\u27s point of view. Rocket latitude, longitude, and altitude data is integrated within the code to provide extensive detail into the location of the rocket in relation to GPS satellites that displayed scintillations from prior high-rate data collected during launch time. The corresponding plots show scintillation-displaying GPS satellites to be in close latitudinal and longitudinal proximity to the rocket trajectory. The spatial proximity of such satellites indicates that major rocket launches can incur disruptions in the signals of local satellites
1941 George Hogarth by Stearman PT-17 at 5BFTS Riddle Field, Clewiston
No full text1941. WW2 RAF Cadet George Hogarth, Course 3 5BFTS, standing by a Stearman PT-17 at Riddle Field, Clewiston, Florida. This is the plane used for Primary Training. George is to the right and John Penman (another Course 3 cadet) is to the left.https://commons.erau.edu/bfts-george-hogarth-images/1004/thumbnail.jp
External Ballistics: Parameter estimation using POD-RBF
Get PDFWhen studying the dynamics of a bullet’s trajectory, multiple variable effects can be measured to attain predictive depiction of the bullet’s behavior. Much of this data has been studied and tested with proven success of limited predictive value. The goal of this paper is to create a reliable model for estimating the trend of how the speed of the bullet affects the drag acting on the bullet and using that inferred data to gain a rough estimate of where the bullet will hit on a given target. The idea behind this is the application of Proper Orthogonal Decomposition and Radial Basis Function to gain a prediction with limited error of where the bullet will end. What was learned through this process is that this combined process does in fact predict the trend the bullet takes with little error and does this process at a fraction of the traditional predictive time
Hybrid Hierarchical Swarm Robotics for Planetary Exploration
Get PDFThis project proposes a novel approach to planetary exploration utilizing a hybrid hierarchical swarm robotic system inspired by social insect colonies. The project will develop a centralized \u27queen\u27 robot that provides high-level direction to a team of semi-autonomous \u27worker\u27 robots, each capable of making local decisions while following the queen\u27s strategic guidance. This structure aims to enhance adaptability and efficiency by balancing centralized coordination with distributed execution. The approach aligns with NASA\u27s CADRE mission, which uses coordinated rovers to map the lunar surface. By combining simulation in ROS2/Gazebo with physical testing on lunar regolith simulant, this research will evaluate how hierarchical swarms can improve exploration coverage, communication reliability, and energy efficiency compared to traditional approaches. The anticipated outcomes aim to advance robotic exploration methodologies for planetary environments while offering insights applicable to search-and-rescue, environmental monitoring, and other domain
Enhancing Runway Safety through Integrated Management Systems and Design
Get PDFRunway incursions and ground collisions have been a continuing concern in aviation and often result from various reasons such as a lack of situational awareness, airport design, and engineering deficiencies. Incidents like this often pose major safety risks, making it of paramount importance to implement effective mitigation strategies. To help mitigate these risks, we have a proposed solution to combine data streams from existing systems and present them on the flight deck with predictive warning systems for flight crews. The PRISM (Predictive Radar for Incident & Surface Monitoring) software will enhance aircraft safety by combining data in real time from ASDE-X and SURF-A. The system will consist of five sensors around the aircraft. They will function as predictive radar. The sensors will be located on the nose of the aircraft, both wingtips, the tail, and underbelly. The system will predict the aircraft\u27s path ahead and continuously update in 15 to 30 second intervals. If an imminent ground collision is detected, a visual and audible warning will be given on the flight deck to avoid the collision. This will aid in reducing the overall risk of aircraft ground collisions, which can be greatly reduced. Enhancing runway safety requires integrating real-time data streams into the flight deck. The PRISM software combines data from ASDE-X, SURF-A, and other systems to provide predictive warnings, reducing air traffic control workload and mitigating ground collision risks
Evaluation of a Biologically-Inspired Multi-Agent System Consensus Algorithm to Develop Application Insights
Get PDFMulti-agent systems are becoming heavily relied upon as the complexity of the world increases. The effectiveness of these systems depends on consensus algorithms; however, the presence of faulted agents can compromise the security and reliability of these consensus algorithms. Therefore, it is crucial to develop robust consensus methods to maintain system security and reliability. Biologically-Inspired Design previously led to the Synchronous Hatching Consensus Algorithm which proved to be robust even with up to 20% of faulted agents reporting false positives. This work aims to provide insights for when the Synchronous Hatching Consensus Algorithm can be applied. This is achieved through three methods: comparing robustness to faulted agents reporting false negatives, performing an uncertainty analysis, and performing a sensitivity analysis. First, an agent-based ANYLOGIC model was tested with 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20 faulted agents reporting false negatives (out of at total population of 100). The model was applied to four separate environments. Robustness to faulted agents was measured by how consistent the hours was to reach 66% consensus across any percentage of faulted agents or environments. A total of 650 iterations were run per faulted agent and environment combination, totaling in 15,600 runs. The model was deemed not robust to faulted agents reporting false negatives. The total probability for a run failing to reach consensus was 59%. The slower changing environments most contributed to the probability a run would fail. The percentage of faulted agents had the second highest impact. The findings indicate that the algorithm should be implemented in an environment which quickly reaches its decision threshold and that when a fault occurs consensus should be assumed, because the model is more robust to false positive faults
Variability of the Femoral Neck Axis Through Three-Dimensional Measurements in Infant Femur
Get PDFIntroduction: Quantifying the femoral neck axis in pediatric populations is crucial for diagnosing pathological conditions in the hip joint [1], such as hip dysplasia in infants or cerebral palsy in older children [2]. Precisely defining the position and orientation of the femoral neck axis is crucial for measuring the femoral neck-shaft angle (NSA) and the femoral anteversion (FAV).
Clinically, these metrics are obtained using two-dimensional measurements from radiographs, which may vary depending on the positioning of the patient. We hypothesized that volumetric measurements would minimize the errors associated with two-dimensional measurements using radiographs and may allow for more detailed, repeatable measurements. For this study, we investigated the variability of the femoral neck axis in the infant femur using medical images through two measurements: the NSA and FAV.
Materials and Methods: For our study, we developed anatomical volumetric models using computed tomography (CT) images from a small historical collection of post-mortem infant specimens with an average age of 5 months. All measurements were performed using Simpleware ScanIP (Synopsys), a commercial medical image processing software. The NSA was computed as the angle between the femoral neck and femoral shaft axes [3]. The femoral neck axis was defined by a line connecting the centers of the femoral head (FHC) and the center of the femoral neck (FNC). The femoral shaft axis was defined as the line connecting the center of two spheres created along the femoral shaft (FS1 & FS2). The FAV was computed as the angle between the femoral neck axis and the posterior condylar axis of the knee. The femoral neck axis created for the NSA was maintained for the FAV. The posterior condylar axis was defined by two points denoting the most posterior points on the medial (ME) and lateral condyles (LE). The angles were measured by two observers who followed the same protocol.
Results: In this study, a total of 8 femurs (4 left, 4 right) were used to test the variability in the femoral neck axis. A total of 10 measurements were taken for each femur (20 per decedent) for the NSA and FAV. The average NSA for all femurs was 128 +/- 4.92 degrees. The average FAV for all femurs was 35.56 +/- 11.68 degrees. The NSA values were consistent with those found in literature between 115 and 140 degrees for second- and third-trimester fetuses [1], [4]. The FAV findings also align with those reported in [5] of 35.8 +/- 6.5 degrees.
Conclusion: Our study investigates the repeatability of pediatric metrics using volumetric data and provides a comparison against the “gold-standard” two-dimensional measurements. Isolating this region of interest is challenging in infant populations where the femoral neck has not yet developed or is still developing. Overall, our findings align with existing literature values and demonstrate the accuracy and reliability of our 3D methodology. Future work includes potential application to infant musculoskeletal models. Learning how to effectively take these measurements can allow us to investigate the effects of femoral geometry on infant biomechanics when developing infant musculoskeletal models
Entrepreneurs make you fly: The Business of Private Aviation
Get PDFRelying on entrepreneurship theory, we are investigating the private aviation industry to discover how it proposes value to its consumers. To do so, we rely on secondary sources (news, interviews and others) as well as on primary ones coming from interviews with individuals working in the industry. In the first quarters of 2025, we interviewed over twenty individuals involved in different parts of this industry – airports, private flight brokers, private jet companies, original equipment manufacturers, maintenance companies, avionics developers, software developers, fixed based operators, and more - and its value proposition chain. We find that the private aviation industry is a mix of a few larger organizations with a multitude of smaller companies guided by entrepreneurs. The industry relies on these organizations’ specialization through division of labor and coordination to create a spider-web of interconnected companies and present their value propositions. Companies in the industry must deal with constant changes in the market, in technology and in the regulatory environment to keep their businesses afloat. We see the private aviation industry as an insightful proxy to understand entrepreneurship in general and how the market works
Implementation of Semi-Living Composite Hinges in Origami-Inspired Deployable Structures
Get PDFThis study investigates the application of composite materials in deployable architecture, focusing on reducing stress in load-bearing origami structures, a persistent challenge in the field. By integrating origami-inspired designs with composite hinges, this approach enables complexity reduction in deployable systems without compromising strength or flexibility. Virtual load testing was conducted on several simulated origami structures, composed of facet panels reinforced with stringers and honeycomb core materials, connected by composite hinges. These simulations identified the most effective folding patterns and established the minimum hinge strength required for structural integrity. To validate material performance, composite hinge coupons were fabricated using novel manufacturing techniques, with variations in lay-up parameters and resin-uptake prevention methods. Testing confirmed that Kevlar was the most effective flexible hinge material, while vegetable-based shortening successfully prevented resin infiltration, exhibiting strong resistance to deformation under tensile loading. Further testing determined the optimal hinge layup configuration, with the best-performing samples withstanding over fifteen times the maximum operational stress while maintaining ±180° flexibility. A scaled-down physical prototype of the origami structure was subsequently constructed to demonstrate real-world flexibility, leading to refinements in hinge modeling to better align with physical performance. These findings highlight the potential of this system for applications in extraterrestrial habitats and microgravity environments, including deployable solar arrays and thermal radiators. Future research will focus on refining manufacturing processes, optimizing material selection, and improving resin-uptake prevention techniques to enhance overall performance and reliability