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We have to fly less. And make flying climate-neutral.

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The women of Aerospace Engineering

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Watch our Sustainable Aviation virtual lab tour video

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Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

News

Milestone for TU Delft OPEN Publishing with 100th book release

Underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn moon Titan

Measurements from the Cassini satellite indicate an underground ocean of water and ammonia in Saturn's moon Titan. Scientists from NASA and TU Delft have made a new analysis of precise measurements of the satellite's velocity as it flew past Titan. The speed is affected by small changes in the moon's oblateness. It was then deduced from the calculated flattening that the ocean has a lower density than previously thought and may contain a small proportion of ammonia. The antifreeze effect of ammonia may explain why the ocean is not yet frozen. The work is based partly on an internship and graduation theses by two now-graduated former Aerospace Engineering students at TU Delft. Today the research paper on the work is published in Nature Astronomy.

Juan Garcia Bonilla and Elise Scheers recognised for outstanding master thesis

During the VSV symposium: ‘Defying the dark’ in March 2024, two students were honored with awards for their exceptional master's theses. Juan Garcia Bonilla received the Heinz Stoewer Space award 2024 for his research on solar sails, while Elise Scheers received the NVvL Hans Wittenberg Prize 2024 for her work on integrating hybrid-electric aircraft design with strategic airline planning. Both students receive a certificate and €1000 in recognition of their achievements.

Advancing wind turbine blade reliability through innovative monitoring and digital twin technology

A Dutch collaboration comprising TNO, Shell, TU Delft, Suzlon, Tarucca and Fibersail has started the ReliaBlade2-NL project supported by the GROW-programma. The project aims to significantly enhance the reliability of wind turbine blades by monitoring their structural health throughout their lifespan.

ERC Grant awarded to Daniele Ragni for research on predicting aeroacoustics

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Daniele Ragni will receive an ERC Consolidator Grant for his research on noise caused by the interaction of rotors with airframe components. The ERC Consolidator grant is aimed at researchers with 7 to 12 years of post-PhD experience and spans a duration of five years, providing ample support for groundbreaking research endeavors.

Using 3D printing to mimic the mechanical properties and design freedom of biological matter

Materials made by living organisms have remarkable mechanical properties. For example, wood can exhibit stiffness predominantly along one direction, yet it remarkably resists fracture, especially at intricate interfaces such as those with branches. Scientist Caroline Houriet from TU Delft has found an approach to replicate the complex microstructures found in nature using 3D printing techniques. This opens up new possibilities for designing and fabricating lightweight parts with high mechanical performance while also being recyclable. The team present their new insights in Advanced Materials.

NWO Vici grants for Guido de Croon and Marios Kotsonis)

The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded Vici funding of up to 1.5 million euros to three Delft scientists. Two of them are colleagues from the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering: Prof Guido de Croon and Prof Marios Kotsonis.

ERC grants for Coen de Visser and Marios Kotsonis

The European Research Council (ERC) has announced that Marios Kotsonis and Coen de Visser will receive an ERC Consolidator Grant. The ERC Consolidator grant is aimed at researchers with 7 to 12 years of experience since their PhD, promising results and an excellent research proposal and has a duration of 5 years.

How social science can make the energy transition more fair

‘People living near an airborne wind energy test site in Germany experience noise, ecological and safety impacts from the airborne wind energy system similar to those from the nearest regular wind farm. The airborne system did score better on visual impacts.’ These are the main conclusions from a pioneering study into the social impacts of airborne wind energy conducted by Helena Schmidt, a PhD candidate at TU Delft in collaboration with Medical School Hamburg.

> More news

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

This clever slipper with holes in it makes wind turbines significantly quieter

Wind turbines provide one of the cleanest forms of energy in the world, but they have an annoying drawback: noise. Researchers and entrepreneurs at TU Delft have come up with a solution they’ve called MuteSkin®. It’s a clever add-on that can be slipped on a wind turbine blade like a flip-flop and that can dramatically reduce the noise it produces. Now the team is about to take this ‘crazy’ idea from the wind tunnels to the wind farms. Daniele Ragni, Bieke von den Hoff, and Friso Hartog explain how they and their colleagues are tackling this, together with industry partners.

Finding the path of least resistance

Reducing aerodynamic drag can unlock significant fuel savings in the aviation industry. To reduce the drag of an aircraft, it is important to maximise the extent of laminar air flow around it and minimise turbulent air flow. Thanks to a revolutionary, and unex-pected discovery, the research group of Professor of Flow Control Marios Kotsonis managed to extend laminar flow on swept wings. Will this unexpected research result lead to a breakthrough for climate neutral aviation?

How the aviation industry can leave behind fewer climatic trails

It is widely known that aircraft with their CO₂ emissions contribute to climate change, however less attention is paid to the effects of the condensation trails they leave behind. Those trails have a significant impact on the greenhouse effect. Assistant professor Feijia Yin is investigating how the formation of persistent condensation trails can be better predicted, so that aircraft can avoid areas in which they occur.

'Elderly' first Dutch nanosatellite celebrates fifteenth birthday

She is affectionately referred to as "the old lady". After 15 years in space, she can safely be called very elderly. Few of her peers are still operational at her age. But the old lady is also hard of hearing and barely understandable. This month, the self-proclaimed adventurers who built her, celebrate her birthday but fear it will be her last. Proud father of the very first hour Chris Verhoeven (Faculty of EEMCS) and current caretaker Stefano Speretta (Faculty of AE) describe the Delft nanosatellite Delfi-C3 that exceeded all expectations.

Is there life elsewhere in our solar system?

A grand odyssey of exploration is about to begin. Humankind’s next bold mission to the outer solar system. ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice), is poised to explore giant planet Jupiter and its largest moons. After years of preparations, Juice will be launched into space on April 13 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission, in which TU Delft plays a leading role in the experiment PRIDE, is diving into orbit of a moon other than Earth's for the first time. Something the Americans, Japanese and Chinese have never succeeded in doing before.

Mars is not a back-up option

What can planetary science on the bone dry Mars teach us? What happened to its atmosphere? And, are there possible fall-back options for humankind on Earth? In context of the National Climateweek, we spoke with Sebastiaan de Vet, planetary scientist at TU Delft.

Climate neuroscience for aviation

There is a knowledge gap when it comes to how non-CO2 emissions of aviation affect global warming. Jin Maruhashi modeled the global transport patterns of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and then used a neuroscience machine learning algorithm to find patterns in these data. It landed him the award for Best Climate Action Paper of the TU Delft.

The women on a mission to reduce space debris

Over a million objects larger than one centimetre are orbiting the environment around Earth, threatening space operations and the future of space exploration. With their start-up Ecosmic, Gaia Roncalli, Benedetta Cattani and Mireia Leon Dasi are on a mission to tackle the rapidly increasing space debris issue. Roncalli, the recipient of the 2022 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, and the all-female Ecosmic leadership team are contributing to a sustainable future and inspiring others along the way.

Revolutionary simulation model prevents disasters in space

Over six million kilogrammes of space debris are circling around the Earth at tremendous speed and is posing a danger to the functioning of satellites and thus to things like our data traffic. Mireia Leon Dasi designed a revolutionary simulation model to very precisely predict, and hence prevent, crashes of space debris. This earned her the title of Best Graduate 2022 at the Faculty Aerospace Engineering. Using the NWO subsidy granted to her start-up, she is now further developing her idea for use in practice.

Climate research: the inestimable value of space

Research from space provides us with valuable insights on climate change. Jérôme Loicq, associate professor in Space Instrumentation, researches and develops tools that allow us to accurately study changes in vegetation on Earth and greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. "Space is invaluable for climate research."

Learning to lead as a young woman in aviation

It takes guts to pursue your dreams, but having good role models and mentors can make a difference. These are things that have helped Leanne van Dam, a master’s student at TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, on her journey to becoming a leader. A recipient of the 2021 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, she hopes her example will inspire others to follow their dreams.

The success of the Aerospace Innovation Hub: ‘It’s fantastic to see companies take off’

From satellites that are launched into outer space from an aeroplane to predicting ticket prices based on an algorithm: the companies that are part of the Aerospace Innovation Hub (AIH) at the TU Delft Campus are developing groundbreaking innovations in the area of aviation and aerospace. Femke Verdegaal, a member of management with shared responsibility for the growth of the initiative, talks about bringing together industry, science, start-ups, and students with the aim of promoting innovation in aviation and aerospace. ‘We really function as a springboard.’

> All Stories of AE

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Faster to carbon-free aviation

Technological roadmap: how to accelerate the path towards carbon-free aviation

May

SHErobots Cafés: Medical Robotics

Doctoral defence W.L.A. van der Maden

e-Refinery National Symposium on Electrochemical Conversion

SHErobots Cafés: Soft Medical Robots & Soft Maritime Robots

Calendar

Milestone for TU Delft OPEN Publishing with 100th book release

The open textbook: From theORy to application TU Delft OPEN Publishing , the pioneering university publisher, proudly commemorates the launch of its 100th book. The 100th book represents a significant milestone in TU Delft OPEN Publishing's journey, symbolizing its dedication to pushing the boundaries of scholarly communication. The landmark publication, " From theORy to application learning to optimize with Operations Research in an interactive way ," is written by Alessandro Bombelli from Aerospace Engineering , Stefano Fazi and Doris Boschma from Technology, Policy and Management and Bilge Küçük Atasoy , Mechanical Engineering. This text book stands as a testament to the institution's commitment to advancing knowledge and fostering open access to scholarly works. Delving into Operations Research From theory to application provides a comprehensive guide to Operations Research (OR), covering fundamental mathematical principles, precise modelling techniques, and practical solution methods. Alessandro Bombelli, Bilge Atasoy, Stefano Fazi and Doris Boschma explore various applications such as assignment problems, network problems, and routing problems common in logistics, offering practical insights. Each model is accompanied by detailed examples and hyperlinked codes accessible through an open repository. Additionally, the book includes hyperlinks to three serious games replicating key OR models, creating an engaging and educational experience for readers. From Aerospace Engineering: Stefano Fazi, Alessandro Bombelli, Bilge Atasoy. From TU Delft Open Publishing: Just de Leeuwe. Picture by: Jan van der Heul Empowering Scholarly Communication Since 2019, TU Delft OPEN Publishing has served as the university's publisher for high-standard publications. Operating as a community-driven and open access communication platform, it places TU Delft scholars at the heart of its services. TU Delft OPEN Publishing act as a diamond open access publisher as which they ensure that there will be no costs for readers and for authors or editors. Furthermore, it actively explores innovative forms of scholarly communication, and provides itself as an innovative and trusted home for journals, books and textbooks. Want to know more about Allessandro Bombelli's team? Read the article on An interactive take on learning Operations Research . Curious about the publication possibilities? Visit the the TU Delft Open Publishing webpage , or get in contact through publishing-lib@tudelft.nl . Other news 30 January 2024 Interactive Environments Minor students bring the Library's Collection Wall back to life Several projects being led by or involving IDE researchers have secured kick-starter grants from the Convergence’s Resilient Delta Initiative. 23 February 2023 Call: Would you like to contribute with your XR experiences in education and research? Closing date is Friday the 17th of March. 01 February 2023 Short Scientific work at TU Delft From 1 February 2023, the TU Delft Short Scientific Work Scheme will come into force as part of TU Delft's Open Access policy. 23 February 2023 Call: Would you like to contribute with your XR experiences in education and research? Closing date is Friday the 17th of March. 01 February 2023 Short Scientific work at TU Delft From 1 February 2023, the TU Delft Short Scientific Work Scheme will come into force as part of TU Delft's Open Access policy. 12 January 2024 New policy on Open Access publishing New TU Delft policy and guidelines of Open Access publishing are effective by February 1, 2024. The current policy that dates from 2016 no longer reflects the current practice as much has changed in the open access landscape. The new policy and guidelines bring together all of TU Delft’s Open Access components.

Underground ocean of water and ammonia on Saturn moon Titan

Measurements from the Cassini satellite indicate an underground ocean of water and ammonia in Saturn's moon Titan. Scientists from NASA and TU Delft have made a new analysis of precise measurements of the satellite's velocity as it flew past Titan. The speed is affected by small changes in the moon's oblateness. It was then deduced from the calculated flattening that the ocean has a lower density than previously thought and may contain a small proportion of ammonia. The antifreeze effect of ammonia may explain why the ocean is not yet frozen. The work is based partly on an internship and graduation theses by two now-graduated former Aerospace Engineering students at TU Delft. Today the research paper on the work is published in Nature Astronomy.

Juan Garcia Bonilla and Elise Scheers recognised for outstanding master thesis

During the VSV symposium: ‘Defying the dark’ in March 2024, two students were honored with awards for their exceptional master's theses. Juan Garcia Bonilla received the Heinz Stoewer Space award 2024 for his research on solar sails, while Elise Scheers received the NVvL Hans Wittenberg Prize 2024 for her work on integrating hybrid-electric aircraft design with strategic airline planning. Both students receive a certificate and €1000 in recognition of their achievements.

Advancing wind turbine blade reliability through innovative monitoring and digital twin technology

A Dutch collaboration comprising TNO, Shell, TU Delft, Suzlon, Tarucca and Fibersail has started the ReliaBlade2-NL project supported by the GROW-programma. The project aims to significantly enhance the reliability of wind turbine blades by monitoring their structural health throughout their lifespan.

More news

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

This clever slipper with holes in it makes wind turbines significantly quieter

Wind turbines provide one of the cleanest forms of energy in the world, but they have an annoying drawback: noise. Researchers and entrepreneurs at TU Delft have come up with a solution they’ve called MuteSkin®. It’s a clever add-on that can be slipped on a wind turbine blade like a flip-flop and that can dramatically reduce the noise it produces. Now the team is about to take this ‘crazy’ idea from the wind tunnels to the wind farms. Daniele Ragni, Bieke von den Hoff, and Friso Hartog explain how they and their colleagues are tackling this, together with industry partners.

Finding the path of least resistance

Reducing aerodynamic drag can unlock significant fuel savings in the aviation industry. To reduce the drag of an aircraft, it is important to maximise the extent of laminar air flow around it and minimise turbulent air flow. Thanks to a revolutionary, and unex-pected discovery, the research group of Professor of Flow Control Marios Kotsonis managed to extend laminar flow on swept wings. Will this unexpected research result lead to a breakthrough for climate neutral aviation?

How the aviation industry can leave behind fewer climatic trails

It is widely known that aircraft with their CO₂ emissions contribute to climate change, however less attention is paid to the effects of the condensation trails they leave behind. Those trails have a significant impact on the greenhouse effect. Assistant professor Feijia Yin is investigating how the formation of persistent condensation trails can be better predicted, so that aircraft can avoid areas in which they occur.

'Elderly' first Dutch nanosatellite celebrates fifteenth birthday

She is affectionately referred to as "the old lady". After 15 years in space, she can safely be called very elderly. Few of her peers are still operational at her age. But the old lady is also hard of hearing and barely understandable. This month, the self-proclaimed adventurers who built her, celebrate her birthday but fear it will be her last. Proud father of the very first hour Chris Verhoeven (Faculty of EEMCS) and current caretaker Stefano Speretta (Faculty of AE) describe the Delft nanosatellite Delfi-C3 that exceeded all expectations.

Is there life elsewhere in our solar system?

A grand odyssey of exploration is about to begin. Humankind’s next bold mission to the outer solar system. ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice), is poised to explore giant planet Jupiter and its largest moons. After years of preparations, Juice will be launched into space on April 13 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission, in which TU Delft plays a leading role in the experiment PRIDE, is diving into orbit of a moon other than Earth's for the first time. Something the Americans, Japanese and Chinese have never succeeded in doing before.

Mars is not a back-up option

What can planetary science on the bone dry Mars teach us? What happened to its atmosphere? And, are there possible fall-back options for humankind on Earth? In context of the National Climateweek, we spoke with Sebastiaan de Vet, planetary scientist at TU Delft.

Climate neuroscience for aviation

There is a knowledge gap when it comes to how non-CO2 emissions of aviation affect global warming. Jin Maruhashi modeled the global transport patterns of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and then used a neuroscience machine learning algorithm to find patterns in these data. It landed him the award for Best Climate Action Paper of the TU Delft.

The women on a mission to reduce space debris

Over a million objects larger than one centimetre are orbiting the environment around Earth, threatening space operations and the future of space exploration. With their start-up Ecosmic, Gaia Roncalli, Benedetta Cattani and Mireia Leon Dasi are on a mission to tackle the rapidly increasing space debris issue. Roncalli, the recipient of the 2022 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, and the all-female Ecosmic leadership team are contributing to a sustainable future and inspiring others along the way.

Revolutionary simulation model prevents disasters in space

Over six million kilogrammes of space debris are circling around the Earth at tremendous speed and is posing a danger to the functioning of satellites and thus to things like our data traffic. Mireia Leon Dasi designed a revolutionary simulation model to very precisely predict, and hence prevent, crashes of space debris. This earned her the title of Best Graduate 2022 at the Faculty Aerospace Engineering. Using the NWO subsidy granted to her start-up, she is now further developing her idea for use in practice.

Climate research: the inestimable value of space

Research from space provides us with valuable insights on climate change. Jérôme Loicq, associate professor in Space Instrumentation, researches and develops tools that allow us to accurately study changes in vegetation on Earth and greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. "Space is invaluable for climate research."

Learning to lead as a young woman in aviation

It takes guts to pursue your dreams, but having good role models and mentors can make a difference. These are things that have helped Leanne van Dam, a master’s student at TU Delft’s Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, on her journey to becoming a leader. A recipient of the 2021 International Aviation Women's Association (IAWA) scholarship, she hopes her example will inspire others to follow their dreams.

The success of the Aerospace Innovation Hub: ‘It’s fantastic to see companies take off’

From satellites that are launched into outer space from an aeroplane to predicting ticket prices based on an algorithm: the companies that are part of the Aerospace Innovation Hub (AIH) at the TU Delft Campus are developing groundbreaking innovations in the area of aviation and aerospace. Femke Verdegaal, a member of management with shared responsibility for the growth of the initiative, talks about bringing together industry, science, start-ups, and students with the aim of promoting innovation in aviation and aerospace. ‘We really function as a springboard.’

> All Stories of AE

May

SHErobots Cafés: Medical Robotics

Doctoral defence W.L.A. van der Maden

e-Refinery National Symposium on Electrochemical Conversion

SHErobots Cafés: Soft Medical Robots & Soft Maritime Robots

SHErobots Level Up: Film Workshop

Calendar

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