Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

As agile as a bird’s wing

New aircraft materials and structures can save fuel and weight. In the Aerospace Structures and Computational Mechanics research group, Dr Roeland De Breuker and his colleagues are developing the technologies, ensuring that they can be incorporated into the design, and testing them in the lab and in flight. “You have to demonstrate the extent of savings in a credible manner so that an aircraft manufacturer wants to move forward with you,” says De Breuker.

Being part of a DreamTeam: ‘This is a unique opportunity’

Aerospace Engineering student Paul Hulsman (23) is the Team Manager of the Eco-Runner Team Delft, one of the many DreamTeams at TU Delft. The team’s aim: to build the most fuel-efficient car possible. A new team is now being put together, and Paul reflects on his time with the Eco-Runner. ‘Not everyone at TU Delft realises it, but the D:DREAM Hall is a truly wonderful place’.

Earth evolving as seen from space

The trajectory calculations for satellite missions must be as accurate as possible – an area in which Dr Ernst Schrama and his colleagues have been experts for decades. They also use satellite data to monitor changes on the surface of the earth. And with new missions with cutting-edge measuring equipment soon to be launched, the challenges keep on coming.

Flying formation on a few drops of water

With the trend towards miniaturized satellites, the search is on for small-scale propulsion methods. The work of Dr Angelo Cervone in the department of Space Engineering (SpE) focusses on MEMS-based propulsion systems.

Higher up and further out

Dr Axelle Viré is Assistant Professor at the department of Aerodynamics, Wind Energy & Propulsion (AWEP). Her work focuses on the numerical modelling of floating wind turbines and airborne wind energy devices. “The future of wind energy lies in moving higher up into the sky and further out at sea. This will open up new markets and sites that are still left unexplored,” she says.

‘We want to build aircraft as well as design them’

Aerospace expert Joris Melkert involves students in building real aircraft: ‘Most of the problems facing the aerospace industry today concern the production side, so this is what we are going to focus on.’

PocketQubes offer much to scientific progress

In 2018 Jasper Bouwmeester hopes to add his small PocketQube-satellites to the 3.600 satellites currently orbiting the Earth.

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