Watt Linkage–Based Legged Deployable Landing Mechanism for Reusable Launch Vehicle: Principle, Prototype Design, and Experimental Validation

The reusable launch vehicle (RLV) presents a new avenue for reducing cost of space transportation. The landing mechanism, which provides landing support and impact absorption, is a vital component of the RLV at final stage of recovery. This study proposes a novel legged deployable landing mechanism (LDLM) for RLV. The Watt-II six-bar mechanism is adopted to obtain the preferred configuration via the application of the linkage variation approach. To endow the proposed LDLM with advantages of large landing support region, lightweight, and reasonable linkage internal forces, a multi-objective optimization paradigm is developed. Furthermore, the optimal scale parameters for guiding the LDLM prototype design is obtained numerically using the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) evolutionary algorithm. A fully-functional scaled RLV prototype is developed by integrating the gravity-governed deploying scheme to facilitate unfolding action to avoid full-range actuation, a dual-backup locking mechanism to enhance reliability of structure stiffening as fully deployed, and a shock absorber (SA) with multistage honeycomb to offer reliable shock absorbing performance. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed LDLM is capable of providing rapid and smooth deployment (duration less than 1.5 s) with mild posture disturbance to the cabin (yaw and pitch fluctuations less than 6°). In addition, it provides satisfactory impact attenuation (acceleration peak less than 10g (g is the gravitational acceleration)) in the 0.2 m freefall test, which makes the proposed LDLM a potential alternative for developing future RLV archetype.

Efficient heavy metal recycling and water reuse from industrial wastewater using new reusable and inexpensive polyphenylene sulfide derivatives

Heavy metal(HM)pollution is a serious environment problem.Recovering HM from industrial wastewater by efficient adsorbents is a sustainable method due to recycling HM and acquiring reusable water.However,popular efficient adsorbents are usually expensive or non-reusable.In this paper,methods of efficient HM recycling and water reuse from industrial wastewater were developed using efficient adsorbents,new polyphenylene sulfide derivatives,which are recyclable and stable in an acidic,alkaline or oxidative aqueous solution.Moreover,they can efficiently and quickly adsorb HM ions.The maximum adsorption capacities of these adsorbents for HM ions are at the range from 51.3-184.2 mg·g^(-1).The adsorption equilibrium times of them for HM ions are at the range from 10 to 80 min.Therefore,this paper suggests sustainable methods of HM recovery and water reuse from industrial wastewater.

A Footpad Structure with Reusable Energy Absorption Capability for Deep Space Exploration Lander:Design and Analysis

The footpad structure of a deep space exploration lander is a critical system that makes the initial contact with the ground,and thereby plays a crucial role in determining the stability and energy absorption characteristics during the impact process.The conventional footpad is typically designed with an aluminum honeycomb structure that dissipates energy through plastic deformation.Nevertheless,its effectiveness in providing cushioning and energy absorption becomes significantly compromised when the structure is crushed,rendering it unusable for reusable landers in the future.This study presents a methodology for designing and evaluating structural energy absorption systems incorporating recoverable strain constraints of shape memory alloys(SMA).The topological configuration of the energy absorbing structure is derived using an equivalent static load method(ESL),and three lightweight footpad designs featuring honeycomb-like Ni-Ti shape memory alloys structures and having variable stiffness skins are proposed.To verify the accuracy of the numerical modelling,a honeycomb-like structure subjected to compression load is modeled and then compared with experimental results.Moreover,the influence of the configurations and thickness distribution of the proposed structures on their energy absorption performance is comprehensively evaluated using finite element simulations.The results demonstrate that the proposed design approach effectively regulates the strain threshold to maintain the SMA within the constraint of maximum recoverable strain,resulting in a structural energy absorption capacity of 362 J/kg with a crushing force efficiency greater than 63%.

Robust and Reusable Fuzzy Extractors from Non-Uniform Learning with Errors Problem

Afuzzy extractor can extract an almost uniformrandom string from a noisy source with enough entropy such as biometric data.To reproduce an identical key from repeated readings of biometric data,the fuzzy extractor generates a helper data and a random string from biometric data and uses the helper data to reproduce the random string from the second reading.In 2013,Fuller et al.proposed a computational fuzzy extractor based on the learning with errors problem.Their construction,however,can tolerate a sub-linear fraction of errors and has an inefficient decoding algorithm,which causes the reproducing time to increase significantly.In 2016,Canetti et al.proposed a fuzzy extractor with inputs from low-entropy distributions based on a strong primitive,which is called digital locker.However,their construction necessitates an excessive amount of storage space for the helper data,which is stored in authentication server.Based on these observations,we propose a new efficient computational fuzzy extractorwith small size of helper data.Our scheme supports reusability and robustness,which are security notions that must be satisfied in order to use a fuzzy extractor as a secure authentication method in real life.Also,it conceals no information about the biometric data and thanks to the new decoding algorithm can tolerate linear errors.Based on the non-uniform learning with errors problem,we present a formal security proof for the proposed fuzzy extractor.Furthermore,we analyze the performance of our fuzzy extractor scheme and provide parameter sets that meet the security requirements.As a result of our implementation and analysis,we show that our scheme outperforms previous fuzzy extractor schemes in terms of the efficiency of the generation and reproduction algorithms,as well as the size of helper data.

An Overview of Bearing Candidates for the Next Generation of Reusable Liquid Rocket Turbopumps

There is a consensus in the aerospace field that the development of reusable liquid rockets can effectively reduce the launch expense.The pursuit of a long service life and reutilization highly depends on the bearing components.However,the rolling element bearings(REBs)used in the existing rocket turbopumps present obvious and increasing limitations due to their mechanical contacting mode.For REBs,high rotational speed and long service life are two performance indexes that mutually restrict each other.To go beyond the DN value(the product of the bearing bore and rotational speed)limit of REBs,the major space powers have conducted substantial explorations on the use of new types of bearings to replace the REB.This review discusses,first,the crucial role of bearings in rocket turbopumps and the related structural improvements of REBs.Then,with the prospect of application to the next generation of reusable liquid rocket turbopumps,the bearing candidates investigated by major space powers are summarized comprehensively.These promising alternatives to REBs include fluid-film,foil,and magnetic bearings,together with the novel superconducting compound bearings recently proposed by our team.Our more than ten years of relevant research on fluid-film and magnetic bearings are also introduced.This review is meaningful for the development of long-life and highly reliable bearings to be used in future reusable rocket turbopumps.

Robust Attitude Control for Reusable Launch Vehicles Based on Fractional Calculus and Pigeon-inspired Optimization

In this paper, a robust attitude control system based on fractional order sliding mode control and dynamic inversion approach is presented for the reusable launch vehicle(RLV)during the reentry phase. By introducing the fractional order sliding surface to replace the integer order one, we design robust outer loop controller to compensate the error introduced by inner loop controller designed by dynamic inversion approach. To take the uncertainties of aerodynamic parameters into account,stochastic robustness design approach based on the Monte Carlo simulation and Pigeon-inspired optimization is established to increase the robustness of the controller. Some simulation results are given out which indicate the reliability and effectiveness of the attitude control system.

Covalently anchored sulfonic acid on silica gel(SiO_2-R-SO_3H)as an efficient and reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes under solvent-free conditions

A highly efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes under solvent-free conditions catalyzed by sulfonic acid covalently anchored onto the surface of silica gel is reported. All types of aldehydes, including aromatic, unsaturated, and heterocyclic, are used. The silica gel/sulfonic acid catalyst （SiO2-R-SO3H） is completely heterogeneous and can be recycled.

Hierarchical structured robust adaptive attitude controller design for reusable launch vehicles

Reentry attitude control for reusable launch vehicles （RLVs） is challenging due to the characters of fast nonlinear dy- namics and large flight envelop. A hierarchical structured attitude control system for an RLV is proposed and an unpowered RLV con- trol model is developed. Then, the hierarchical structured control frame consisting of attitude controller, compound control strategy and control allocation is presented. At the core of the design is a robust adaptive control （RAC） law based on dual loop time-scale separation. A radial basis function neural network （RBFNN） is implemented for compensation of uncertain model dynamics and external disturbances in the inner loop. And then the robust op- timization is applied in the outer loop to guarantee performance robustness. The overall control design frame retains the simplicity in design while simultaneously assuring the adaptive and robust performance. The hierarchical structured robust adaptive con- troller （HSRAC） incorporates flexibility into the design with regard to controller versatility to various reentry mission requirements. Simulation results show that the improved tracking performance is achieved by means of RAC.

Six-DOF trajectory optimization for reusable launch vehicles via Gauss pseudospectral method

To be close to the practical flight process and increase the precision of optimal trajectory, a six-degree-offreedom（6-DOF） trajectory is optimized for the reusable launch vehicle（RLV） using the Gauss pseudospectral method（GPM）. Different from the traditional trajectory optimization problem which generally considers the RLV as a point mass, the coupling between translational dynamics and rotational dynamics is taken into account. An optimization problem is formulated to minimize a performance index subject to 6-DOF equations of motion, including translational and rotational dynamics. A two-step optimal strategy is then introduced to reduce the large calculations caused by multiple variables and convergence confinement in 6-DOF trajectory optimization. The simulation results demonstrate that the 6-DOF trajectory optimal strategy for RLV is feasible.

Reusable Component Technology in the Development of Agile Supply Chain Management System

Agile Supply Chain Management (ASCM) is one of the ke y techniques, which support dynamic enterprise alliance and realize agile manufa cturing. But the optimal run of ASCS depends on a good-constructed Agile Supply Chain Management System (ASCMS), so that the materials flow, information flow a nd funding flow in the supply chain are used with high efficiency. The requireme nts of ASCMS are constantly changeable, which requires that ASCMS has dynamical reuse, integration and open interface. Reusable components theory is one of the most important directions of software engineering. It’s a feasible approach to solve software crisis and to increase software productivity and quality. ASCMS d eveloped with reusable components can easily be re-constructed, and has good op en interfaces. It will also sharply shorten the development life circle of syste m, and avoid unnecessary errors that result from the process of re-developing t hose components. In order to develop ASCMS based on reusable components quickly, the first thing we need to do is to construct the framework for ASCMS called system architecture . The framework referred in this context is not only a reference system of ASCMS , but also the operation system (including run-time library and communication p rotocols), which the ASCMS determined. So we can abstract logic units of the sys tem (they are the logic base of the ASCMS components), and the relationships amo ng them. And the operation system and communication protocols provide these comp onents with a running platform. Of course, the most important thing is to constr uct an abundant components depository. Components in the depository should h ave some properties such as: (1) Components should be built upon a specific oper ation system (e.g., windows) and standard communication protocols (e.g., IIOP in CORBA’s specification); (2)Self-containment, that shows it’s unnecessary to include other components when some component is reused since that component cont ains the needed relevant components in itself; (3) Identification, components ha ve to be clearly identifiable, that shows components are contained in a file rat her than spread over other systems and intermixed with other modules of soft ware; (4) Functionality, that shows components have a clearly specified function ality; (5)Open interface; (6) Comprehensive and brief documentation Moreover, it ’s necessary to classify these components properly so as to manage the deposito ry efficiently. Thus in this paper, we will firstly describe in detail the basic reusable model of SCMS and also the properties and depiction methods of business objects an d business components in SCMS. And then we will establish the 5-layer model of business components in SCMS and discuss the methods to get and store the reusabl e components. Based on those introduced, we will provide an assembling method fo r the constructing of SCMS, making use of component technology and an applicatio n is presented.

Fabrication of a High-Performance and Reusable Planar Face Mask in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic has caused a surge in demand for face masks,with the massive consumption of masks leading to an increase in resource-related and environmental con-cerns.In this work,we fabricated meltblown polypropylene(mb-PP)-based high-performance planar face masks and investigated the effects of six commonly used disinfection methods and various mask-wearing periods on the reusability of these masks.The results show that,after three cycles of treatment using hot water at 70℃ for 30 min,which is one of the most scalable,user-friendly methods for viral disinfection,the particle filtration efficiency(PFE)of the mask remained almost unchanged.After mask wearing for 24 h and subsequent disinfection using the same treatment procedures,the PFE decreased to 91.3%;the average number of bacterial and fungal colonies was assessed to be 9.2 and 51.6 colony-forming units per gram(CFU∙g^(-1)),respectively;and coliform and pyogenic bacteria were not detected.Both the PFE and the microbial indicators are well above the standard for reusable masks after disinfection.Schlieren pho-tography was then used to assess the capabilities of used and disinfected masks during use;it showed that the masks exhibit a high performance in suppressing the spread of breathed air.

Representation and Adaptive Transformation of Reusable Software Components

The key ingredient for promoting software reuse in a repository base integrated development environment, is to provide support for the software developer who wants to search the repository to locate and retrieve suitable software components for reuse. This paper presents that reusable software components form a base to provide a flexible representation of component adaptability to any repository with a specific classification. As an alternative, it proposes to automatically identify and convert the component source code with all its information into a standard form, so that components can be transferred from one type of library to another.

The Optimal Inventory Policy for Reusable Items with Random Planning Horizon Considering Present Value

We discuss five areas of inventory model, including reusable raw material, EPQ model, optimization, random planning horizon and present value. In the traditional EPQ model, the stock-holding cost of raw material was not counted as a part of relevant cost. We explored the possibility of reducing a company’s impact on the environment and increasing their competitiveness by recycling their repair and waste disposal. The products are manufactured with reusable raw material. Our analysis takes into account the time value, and the present value method is applied to determine the optimal inventory policies for reusable items with random planning horizon. Results show how the heuristic approach can achieve global optimum. Numerical examples are given to validate the proposed system.

Effect of Fuselage Cross Section on Aerodynamic Characteristics of Reusable Launch Vehicles

An experimental study on examining aerodynamic characteristics of fuselage cross sections for RLVs (Reusable Launch Vehicles) was conducted at Mach number 0.3, 0.9 and 4.0 in the wind tunnel of ISAS (Institute of Space and Astronautical Science), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency). Three bodies, having the same projected area and length, with and without a set of fins, were tested. Their cross sections are a circle, a square and a triangle with rounded corners. The results showed that the fuselage cross sections had large effects on aerodynamic characteristics in subsonic and transonic flow. The lift coefficient of the model having the triangular cross section with a set of the fins was larger than that of the others in high angles of attack region due to contributions of the separation vortices generated from the fuselage expanding to the wing surface.

Development of a Novel Reusable Real Time Monitoring Glucose Sensor Based on Nanostructured Conducting Polyaniline (NSPANI)

A novel mediatorless reusable glucose biosensor with a remarkable shelf life has been fabricated on electrodeposited film of chemically synthesized nanostructured polyaniline (NSPANI) on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass plates using cyclic voltammetry. Glucose oxidase has been covalently immobilized on electrodeposited NSPANI film to fabricate a glucose bioelectrode (GOx/NSPANI-SDS/ITO). The results of linear sweep voltammetry and the high value of heterogeneous rate constant as obtained using Laviron equation indicates that GOx/NSPANI-SDS/ITO bioelectrode can detect glucose in the range of 0.5 to 10.00 mM with high sensitivity of 13.9 μA?mM?1 with a fast response time of 12 seconds. The linear regression analysis of bioelectrode reveals standard deviation and correlation coefficient of 6 μA and 0.994, respectively. The low value of Michaelis-Menten constant (Km) estimated as 0.28 mM using Lineweaver-Burke plot indicates high affinity of glucose oxidase enzyme to glucose and transfer rate. The GOx/NSPANI-SDS/ITO bioelectrode exhibits uniform activity for 12 weeks under refrigerated conditions;however the study is further going on. Attempts have been made to utilize this electrode for estimation of glucose in blood serum and results are found to be within 11% error. The unique features of this novel electrode lie on its reusability, real time monitoring, reproducibility and remarkable shelf life apart from the wide linear range, high sensitivity, low Km value, high heterogeneous electron-transfer constant etc.

An injectable,self-healable,and reusable PEDOT:PSS/PVA hydrogel patch electrode for epidermal electronics

Injectability empowers conductive hydrogels to transcend traditional limitations,unlocking a realm of possibilities for innovative medical,wearable,and therapeutic applications that can significantly enhance patient care and quality of life.Here,we report an injectable,self-healable,and reusable hydrogel obtained by mixing the concentrated poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)doped with polystyrene sulfonate(PEDOT:PSS)suspension(~2 wt.%solid content),polyvinyl alcohol(PVA),and borax.Leveraging the presence of reversible borax/hydroxyl bonds and multiple hydrogen bonds,this PEDOT:PSS/PVA hydrogel exhibits notable shear-thinning behavior and self-healing capabilities,enabling it to be injected as a gel fiber from a syringe.As-prepared injectable hydrogel also demonstrates an ultra-low modulus(~2.5 MPa),reduced on-skin impedance(~45%of commercial electrodes),and high signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)(~15-22 dB)in recording of electrocardiography(ECG),electromyography(EMG),and electroencephalogram(EEG)signals.Furthermore,the injectable hydrogels can be remolded and reinjected as the reusable electrodes,maintaining nearly identical electrophysiological recording capabilities and brain-computer interface(BCI)performance compared to commercial wet electrodes.With their straightforward fabrication,excellent material properties and electronic performance,ease of cleaning,and remarkable reusability,our injectable PEDOT:PSS/PVA hydrogels hold promise for advancements in BCI based electronics and wearable bioelectronics.

Highly efficient and green synthesis of 14-aryl(alkyl)-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthene and 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthene derivatives catalyzed by reusable zirconyl triflate[ZrO(OTf)_2]under solvent-free conditions

An efficient, convenient and green method has been introduced for the preparation of 14-aryl（alkyl）-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthene and 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthene derivatives by the reaction of aldehydes with 2-naphthol and 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, respectively, in the presence of ZrO（OTf）2 as a reusable catalyst under solvent-free conditions. In addition, very short reaction times, excellent yields, straightforward procedure, and relatively non-toxicity of the catalyst are other noteworthy advantages of the present method.

Optimization design containing dimension and buffer parameters of landing legs for reusable landing vehicle

For the landing legs with single air chamber in the buffer structure of the reusable landing vehicle,the geometric topological models and the dynamic model associated with the hard points of the landing legs are established.The geometric constraint relationship in the design of the landing legs is also obtained.The whole vehicle dropping test is conducted,and the test results agree well with that of the simulation model,which validates the dynamic model.Based on the verified model,the effect of hard point positions on the performance of the landing system is analyzed.The multidisciplinary collaborative optimization algorithm and archive-based micro genetic algorithm(CO-AMGA)are used to optimize the design parameters that contain the hard points and the damper.Compared with artificial iteration,the maximum landing impact acceleration response of the vehicle and the buffer struct maximum force are reduced by 30.70%and 14.51%respectively,and the maximum length of retractable pillar decreases by 8.54%while the design margin increases by 69.11%.The proposed optimization method is efficient and can greatly facilitate the design of landing legs.

Smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode control for reusable launch vehicles

Purpose–The purpose of this paper is to present a sliding mode attitude controller for reusable launch vehicle(RLV)which is nonlinear,coupling,and includes uncertain parameters and external disturbances.Design/methodology/approach–A smooth second-order nonsingular terminal sliding mode(NTSM)controller is proposed for RLV in reentry phase.First,a NTSM manifold is proposed for finite-time convergence.Then a smooth second sliding mode controller is designed to establish the sliding mode.An observer is utilized to estimate the lumped disturbance and the estimation result is used for feedforward compensation in the controller.Findings–It is mathematically proved that the proposed sliding mode technique makes the attitude tracking errors converge to zero in finite time and the convergence time is estimated.Simulations are made for RLV through the assumption that aerodynamic parameters and atmospheric density are perturbed.Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy is effective,leading to promising performance and robustness.Originality/value–By the proposed controller,the second-order sliding mode is established.The attitude tracking error converges to zero in a finite time.Meanwhile,the chattering is alleviated and a smooth control input is obtained.

Tungsten Blue Oxide as a Reusable Electrocatalyst for Acidic Water Oxidation by Plasma-Induced Vacancy Engineering

In contrast to alkaline water electrolysis,acidic water electrolysis remains an elusive goal due to the lack of earth-abundant,efficient,and acid-stable water oxidation electrocatalysts.Here,we show that materials with intrinsically poor electrocatalytic activity can be turned into active electrocatalysts that drive the acidic oxygen evolution reaction(OER)effectively.This development is achieved through ultrafast plasma sputtering,which introduces abundant oxygen vacancies that reconstruct the surface electronic structures,and thus,regulated the surface interactions of electrocatalysts and the OER intermediates.Using tungsten oxide(WO_(3))as an example,we present a broad spectrum of theoretical and experimental characterizations that show an improved energetics of OER originating from surface oxygen vacancies and resulting in a significantly boosted OER performance,compared with pristine WO_(3).Our result suggests the efficacy of using defect chemistry to modify electronic properties and hence to improve the OER performance of known materials with poor activity,providing a new direction for the discovery of acid-stable OER catalysts.