Jahresbericht 2017

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Aerospace
n The entire chain from concepts of operations down to system and component testing in the
aerospace field is mapped at the Department of Mechanical Engineering – everything from overall
aircraft design down to material and structural principles, propulsion and aerodynamics.
A hallmark of this research field is its integration in the
excellent research environment in Munich featuring indus-
trial partners such as Airbus, Airbus Helicopter, Airbus
Defence & Space, MTU Aero Engines, IABG, Liebherr
Aerospace, Kayser-Threde as well as Munich Aerospace,
a joint research and academic platform between TUM,
Universität der Bundeswehr (University of the German
Armed Forces) and the DLR.
First Flight of SAGITTA Technology Demonstrator in South Africa
Collaborative Research Center ‘Fundamental Technologies for the Development of Future
Space-Transport-System Components under High Thermal and Mechanical Loads’
In 2010 Airbus Defence & Space started its open inno-
vation project SAGITTA. In a joint research cooperation
scientists of multiple universities, DLR and industry have
teamed up to progress technologies for unmanned air
vehicles. After seven years the team carried out the first
flight of SAGITTA at the Overberg test range in South
Africa. Five institutes of Technical University of Munich
contributed to the demonstrator. Within the overall project
TUM researchers worked on overall design aspects,
detailed aerodynamic phenomena, novel flight control
devices, robust flight control algorithms and systems, the
propulsion system and novel structural concepts. In both
flights the air vehicle showed predicted behaviour and
performed fully automated missions, including automated
take-off and landing. The team showed its capability to
handle even highly complex systems like the 3m span
demonstrator in a collaborative environment. All partners
are now looking forward to further exploit the capabilities
that the demonstrator is able to provide as a test platform.
SAGITTA unmanned demonstrator in South Africa
The fourth biannual summer program of the TRR 40
Collaborative Research Center ‘Fundamental Technologies
for the Development of Future Space-Transport-System
Components under High Thermal and Mechanical Loads’
was held during the month of August 2017 at the Technical
University of Munich under the auspices of the German
Research Foundation (DFG). Fifteen research groups have
been created by researchers of the TRR 40 and visiting
researchers, based on proposals received from China,
France, Switzerland, lndia, Japan, Canada and the USA.
In an intense four-week period of activity, these groups
drove forward their projects and rigorously scrutinized their
process with intermediate and final project reviews. Project
work was accompanied by lectures and special subjects of
interest to the research delivered by distinguished lecturers:
■■Dr. Philipps Tran, ArianeGroup, Paris, France
■■Dr. Hendrik Riedmann, ArianeGroup, Munich, Germany
■■Dr. Sergey Frolov, Semenov Institut, Russia
Subjects of the research projects were focused on the
numerical prediction and experimental characterization of
physically complex flows, injection, reacting flows, com-
bustion instabilities and combustion modelling. Synergies
have been created by exchanging simulation models and
experimental techniques, making sophisticated computer
codes and experimental facilities available and by intense
exchange of scientific experience and knowledge. A
thematic focus on simulations of the model combustion
chamber in comparison with pre-existing experimental
results provided for by the group of Prof. O. Haidn are
part of the report series of 2017 followed by the individual
presentation of the results of the respective participating
groups.