Flight Mechanics Lab
Flight Mechanics Lab
Flight Mechanics Lab is dedicated to Prof. Michele Dicran Sirinian and is devoted to the design, manufacturing and testing of scaled models of aerospace vehicles.
Scaled aircraft design and testing
Scaled models are designed, manufactured and able to flight. From the flight data recorded on-board (gyros, accelerometers, altimeters, pitot tubes, magnetometers) the aerodynamic properties (stability derivatives) of the vehicles are derived. The following scaled modes are in the Flight Mechanics Lab: (i) Dicran aircraft (original design), a 1/5 scaled model of an aircraft able to flight over Mars, (ii) Cessna (accurate reproduction of a 1/5 scaled model), (iii) C130 J (accurate reproduction of a 1/10 scaled model).
Scaled rocket design and testing
Rocket design, manufacturing and launch is a part of the course “Flight Mechanics of Launch and Reentry Systems”. Many scaled rockets have been designed through the years and several units are available in the Flight Mechanics Lab, with apogee capability ranging from 200 to 2000 meters of altitude. All rockets are endowed with navigation and attitude sensors (gyros, pitot tubes, altimeters, accelerometers, magnetic sensors, GPS antenna, microcamera). The rocket propellant is produced in-house and tested outdoor (watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCUPcT8BGYI)