Spaceborne centrifugal relays for spacecraft propulsion

Acceleration using centrifugal relays is a recently discovered method for the acceleration of spaceborne payloads to high velocity at high thrust. Centrifugal relays are moving rotors which progressively accelerate reaction mass to higher velocities. One important engineering problem consists of accurately tracking the position of the projectiles and rotors and guiding each projectile exactly onto the appropriate guide tracks on each rotor. The topics of this research are the system kinematics and dynamics and the computerized guidance system which will allow the projectile to approach each rotor with exact timing with respect to the rotor rotation period and with very small errors in lateral positions. Kinematics studies include analysis of rotor and projectile positions versus time and projectile/rotor interactions. Guidance studies include a detailed description of the tracking mechanism (interrupt of optical beams) and the aiming mechanism (electromagnetic focusing) including the design of electromagnetic deflection coils and the switching circuitry.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Ouzidane, Malika

Contributors dc:contributor

• Singer, Clifford E.
• Bergman, Lawrence A.

• Engineering, Aerospace
• Engineering, Electronics and Electrical

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1993 Ouzidane, Malika

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9411740
(UMI)AAI9411740

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/18987