Complements of Aerospace Engineering

Basic competences CB6 To possess and understand knowledge that provides a basis or opportunity to be original in the development and / or application of ideas, often in a research context CB7 Students must know how to apply the knowledge acquired and their ability to solve problems in new or unfamiliar environments within broader (or multidisciplinary) contexts related to their area of study CB8 Students must be able to integrate knowledge and face the complexity of making judgments based on information that, being incomplete or limited, includes reflections on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge and judgments CB9 Students must know how to communicate their conclusions and the knowledge and ultimate reasons that sustain them to specialized and non-specialized audiences in a clear and unambiguous way CB10 Students must have the learning skills allowing them to continue studying in a way that will be largely self-directed or autonomous. General competences CG1 Capacity for the formulation, critical verification and defense of hypotheses, as well as the design of experimental tests for verification. CG2 Ability to make value judgments and prioritize in making conflicting decisions using systemic thinking. CG4 Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams in a cooperative way to complete work tasks CG5 Ability to handle the English, technical and colloquial language. Specific competences CE3 Ability to develop a complete system that meets the design specifications and the expectations of the interested parties. This includes the production of products; acquire, reuse or code products; integrate products in top-level assemblies; verify products against design specifications; validate the products against the expectations of the interested parties; and the transition of products to the next level of the system. CE9 Ability to understand and apply the knowledge, methods and tools of space engineering to the analysis and design of the propulsion subsystem of space vehicles.

1. INTRODUCTION TO IN-SPACE PROPULSION Propulsion figures of merit: thrust, specific impulse, efficiencies. Propulsive requirements in space missions. Rocket equation. Chemical versus electric propulsion 2. CHEMICAL PROPULSION IN SPACE Figures of merit in chemical rockets (nozzles): thrust coefficient, characteristic velocity, etcetera. Monopropellant rockets: cold gas and hydrazine-based rockets. Bipropellant rockets: analysis of fuels and oxidizers. Review of thermochemistry. 3. PLASMA PROPULSION PHYSICS Operation principles of Ion and Hall Thrusters. Maxwell and Fluid equations. Collisional processes. Quasineutrality, Debye sheaths, and plasma wall interaction. Dynamics of magnetized populations. 4. GRIDDED ION THRUSTERS Thruster elements and electrical configuration. Global model of the discharge chamber: current and power balances. Grid model: Child model and optimal perveance Model of expansion of the plasma jet. Performance laws and efficiencies. Physics of the hollow cathode: thermionic emission. Thruster lifetime. 5. HALL EFFECT THRUSTERS Plasma discharge structure and operational parameters. Global model: current and energy balances, efficiencies. Axial and radial fluid models: electron transport, interaction with walls. Technological aspects: chamber erosion, thermal loads, oscillations, magnetic circuit and topology. Alternative configurations. 6. PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS AND TESTING Vacuum facilities, and test bench. Physics of electrostatic diagnostics: Faraday probes and performance assessment Test plan and test report.

AF1 Theoretical class AF2 Practical classes AF3 Practices in computer classroom AF4 Laboratory practices AF6 Group work AF7 Individual student work AF8 Evaluation activities Code activity Nº Total hours Nº HoursPresencial % Student's presence AF1 103 103 100 AF2 45 45 100 AF3 28 28 100 AF4 14 14 100 AF6 67 0 0 AF7 400 0 0 AF8 24 24 100 TOTAL SUBJECT 682 215 32 Teaching methodologies that will be used in this subject MD1 Exhibitions in the teacher's class with support of computer and audiovisual media, in which the main concepts of the subject are developed and the bibliography is provided to complement the students' learning. MD3 Resolution of practical cases, problems, etc. raised by the teacher individually or in groups   MD5 Preparation of papers and reports individually or in groups