Previously published articles

Fire safety of structural composites in aircraft

Passenger safety aboard aircraft is the paramount concern of manufacturers and airlines alike.  For the past twenty years, fire safety programs have reduced the number of fire incidents aboard aircraft. However, the impact of hidden fires and post-crash fires must be reconsidered when analysing the next generation of aircraft due to the greater proportion of composite materials in their structure. Continue...

Large-scale power generationwith kites

Wind at higher altitude is a major source of renewable energy. However, this potential is far beyond reach for conventional wind energy systems using rigid tower structures. One of the possible solutions to capture high altitude wind energy is the use of kite power systems, such as the one developed by the research group of Delft University of Technology. Continue...

Duwind on the Wall of Fame

Delft University Wind Energy Research Institute (DUWIND) is a shining example of a multidisciplinary approach within the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering (AE) and TU Delft.  DUWIND works in close collaboration with interfaculty research groups in the field of energy-related themes. Through DUWIND, the faculty and TU Delft itself have gained worldwide acclaim as a university with a major and reputable research programme on wind energy. Continue...

Self-Healing coatings

In the Netherlands, and especially at the TU Delft, the self-healing concept has been applied to most industrially-relevant materials. The group NovAM at the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering is performing relevant research in the field of selfhealing coatings for aircraft applications with the objective of extending the lifetime of aircraft structures. Continue...

A Clean Era: reality of wishful thinking

Developing technologies for the aircraft of the future. The world has changed from the early days of aviation and will continue to change in the future. It is impossible to predict the future of aviation without looking at the environment the aircraft has to operate in. Due to changes in the world the goals of aircraft design are continuously changing. Continue...

Do Satellites see water in Tibet?

Human life and the entire ecosystem of South East Asia depend upon the monsoon climate, its link to land surface hydrology and its predictability. The headwater areas of the Yellow River, Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Irrawaddy, Brahmaputra and Ganges, are located in the Tibetan Plateau. Estimates of the Plateau water balance rely on sparse and scarce observations that cannot provide the required accuracy, spatial density and temporal frequency. Continue...

Shoot the moon

When the spacecraft, set to win the Google Lunar X PRIZE, lifts off in 2011 to escape the Earth’s gravity for a soft landing on the Moon, Delft University of Technology is expected to be part of the mission. Continue...

Faster, better, cheaper

During the past year, teams in the Netherlands and China have started with the development of a Dutch-Chinese university micro-satellite formation flying mission. The FAST (Formation for Atmospheric Science andTechnology) demonstration mission is a collaboration between TU Delft and Tsinghua University. Continue...

PIV-Based Experimental Aeroacoustics

Can we predict the level of noise generated by an airplane just by measuring the velocity of the ow around it? Can we determine the sound produced by a wind instrument just by "literally" looking at the air owing into it? The work carried out at the TU Delft provides surprisingly positive answers to these questions. Continue...

Active twist wing really takes off!

Recently structural engineers have developed a healthy interest in active structures that can change their shape depending on different requirements during a mission. Development of composite and smart materials has created opportunities to divert from the old-fashioned perception of aircraft structures, it now becomes possible to innovate with structures. Continue...

Space X and its Falcon family

A new era in Space is about to be launched. With the first successful launch of a privately developed rocket booster into space, commercialization of spaceflight has taken another leap to maturity. Continue...

Tragic accident with a Turkish Airline B737-800

The flight with the Turkish B 737-800 arrived at Schiphol airport without any problems. An on-time arrival with a good aircraft and three pilots on the flight deck. Route training was in progress, a standard airline procedure. Weather conditions, although not very beautiful, were excellent for landing. Runway 18 Right was in use. Continue...

Optical Non-Destructive Testing Laboratory

Starting from November 2008, the Faculty of Aerospace Engineering hosts the Optical Non-Destructive Testing Laboratory. Head of the laboratory is Dr Roger Groves, who was just awarded the SPIE Senior Membership 2010 for his achievements in Optics and Opto-Electronics. Continue...

Volcanic Activity in Iceland

Iceland lies on the rift between the Eurasian and North American plates, which are moving apart from each other by about 2 cm every year. It also lies above a mantle 'hot spot'? These two facts conspire to make it a highly volcanic land. Eruptions, which occur every few years with the latest occurring right now, can be hazardous both to people living in the area and to air traffic. Continue...

A passion for polymers

After working on the second generation reusable launch vehicles at NASA Langley Research Centre for five years, professor Theo Dingemans decided to move back to the academic world in 2003. He joined the Chair of Novel Aerospace Materials at the TU Delft to initiate a research and development group on high-performance polymers. Continue...

Composites on the drawing board

The last word in composite design has hardly been said. It would be safe to say we are only at the beginning. With the first full-blown composite wide-body passenger jet under way, interest in composite materials has surged. Continue...

Design, testing and commercialization of an aerodynamic aid to increase the fuel economy of a truck

Road transport by using trucks is still one of the most efficient transport solutions within the European context. This fact manifests itself in an increasing amount of trucks on the road and a increase of fuel consumption. The rising fuel prices force the transport companies to cut cost in order to stay competitive in this aggressive, fast changing and growing market. Continue...

Launch GOCE-satellite planned for March 16th 2009

The GOCE satellite was succesfully lanched on March 17, 2009. GOCE is the first in a series of Earth observation satellites called Earth Explorers. These small missions are developed in direct response to a range of Earth-science issues identified by the scientific community whilst demonstrating new technology in space. Continue...

The need for even more speed: drag redaction of a Formula One rear wing

In present Formula One (F1) racing, the continuous need for speed drives engineers to push both driver and car to the limit. Competing teams constantly introduce new features and technologies to gain a split second per lap, hoping to beat their rivals. Continue...

Stratos project

The Stratos project is the most extreme short-term project by DARE. The rocket will travel at almost twice the speed of sound to an altitude in excess of more than 15 kilometres! They are aiming to launch the rocket in March at Esrange in Sweden. Continue...

Eyes in disguise: Roboswift, a bio-inspired Micro Arial Vihicle, is ready for competition

Morphing wing technology, used to adjust the shape of the wing to different flight conditions, has been recognized by the aeronautical community as sensible means to increase aircraft efficiency. The technique is found in all aerial bird species and has now shown to be effective on micro aircraft as well. Continue...

The Open Jet Facility

The Faculty of Aerospace Engineering (AE) has various wind tunnel facilities at its disposal. The wind tunnels play an important role in both teaching and experimental scientific research for a vast range of subjects in aerodynamics. The wind tunnels are also used for research focused on the car industry and, for example, on industrial applications. Continue...