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Meet us @SciTech in Orlando (6-10 January 2025)

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We have to fly less. And make flying climate-neutral.

Read more We have to fly less. And make flying climate-neutral.

The women of Aerospace Engineering

Read more The women of Aerospace Engineering

Watch our Sustainable Aviation virtual lab tour video

Read more Watch our Sustainable Aviation virtual lab tour video

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

Faculty of Aerospace Engineering

News

Green light for two new subprojects ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’

The green light has been given for the ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’ subprojects Flying Vision Accelerator and DASAL. Through roadmaps and model-based simulations and scenarios, the projects will pool the necessary knowledge for a solid and underpinned foundation for making aviation more sustainable. Flying Vision Accelerator is being led by TU Delft. The project leadership of DASAL lies with Royal NLR. The grants for both subprojects have been agreed and can now really start. ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’ is a programme of the Dutch National Growth Fund.

TU Delft team winner in Airbus-BMW Quantum Computing Challenge

The QAIMS team at TU Delft have won the Golden Application prize ‘pushing the boundaries of quantum tech for mobility’ in the prestigious Airbus-BMW Global Quantum Computing Challenge. Team leader Boyang Chen, Associate Professor from the Department of Aerospace Structures and Materials, accepted the award on behalf of the team in Silicon Valley today.

Student Team ‘Da Vinci Satellite’ secures contract with ESA for CubeSat mission

TU Delft’s student team Da Vinci Satellite (DSV) has reached a significant milestone by signing a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for their upcoming CubeSat mission. As part of this agreement, DVS is now officially included in ESA’s ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ program. This collaboration propels the teams ambitious project to design, build, launch and operate a nanosatellite that directly connects school children with space.

PRELIFE consortium receives NWA funding to investigate the origin of life

The interdisciplinary research consortium PRELIFE has been awarded an NWA grant by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to investigate the origin of life on Earth and in the universe, one of science’s greatest unsolved puzzles. The consortium will receive €6.7 million to explore this question and comprises scientists from sixteen universities and research institutes across the Netherlands.

What trees teach us about sustainable production of materials

Trees are excellent teachers when it comes to making materials for load-bearing structures with as little resources and energy as possible. One of their secrets? When a tree grows, the direction of the wood grain adapts itself to fit the load that part of the tree is going to bear.

TU Delft jointly wins in XPRIZE Rainforest competition in Brazil

On November 15, 2024, after five years of intensive research and competition, the ETHBiodivX team, which included TU Delft Aerospace researchers Salua Hamaza and Georg Strunck, achieved an outstanding milestone: winning the XPRIZE Rainforest Bonus Prize for outstanding effort in co-developing inclusive technology for nature conservation.

A new display for a special object in the faculty’s heritage: the F-104 Starfighter ejection seat

On 24 October conservator Cormac Duggan from the TU Delft Tailor-Made heritage team carries out a conservation cleaning on the F-104 Starfighter plane ejection seat next to the service desk in the Fellowship. Cormac and his colleagues are currently making an inventory of the faculty’s collection of heritage objects with the aim to conserve them and present some throughout the faculty. The ejection seat is part of the collection.

TU Delft innovations on a stamp

PostNL has released a stamp sheet on the occasion of international Stamp Day featuring two innovative and sustainable means of transport developed at TU Delft. The stamps feature alongside King Willem-Alexander, the WASP, a wind-assisted cargo ship and the Flying-V, an energy-efficient aircraft design for long distances.

Assistant Professor Wind Energy Dries Allaerts passed away

We are very sad to have to inform you that our colleague Dries Allaerts passed away on 10th October. Dries was Assistant Professor Wind Energy.

> More news

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

The ground truth: airport operations for hydrogen-powered aviation

It is not only aircraft that must be prepared for flying on hydrogen, ground operations at the airport need to run very smoothly too. Quite a challenge when considering the fuelling, space, and safety requirements. The models and simulations developed by Alexei Sharpanskykh, Assistant Professor Operations & Environment, help shape this future.

Mastering fuel flow in hydrogen-powered airplanes

Airplanes powered by liquid hydrogen are expected to play a key role in creating low-emission aviation. But once safely stored on board, an even greater challenge is to control the hydrogen flow and have it reach the engines at the required temperature and pressure. Chiara Falsetti, Assistant Professor in Heat Transfer and Thermal Management for Sustainable Aviation, wants to fully understand how hydrogen flows through airplane fuel pipes.

Cracking and tracking – ultrasonics for hydrogen-powered aviation

Monitoring and ensuring the safety of hydrogen storage tanks over tens of thousands of airplane refuellings presents a unique challenge on the road towards low-emission aviation. Nan Yue, Assistant Professor in the Aerospace Structures and Materials Department, develops ultrasonic technology for detecting the very early signs of cracks appearing in the tank hull.

Flame on for hydrogen-powered aircraft propulsion

Flying on hydrogen eliminates CO2 emissions but comes with challenges in flame stability, NOx emissions and reliability, especially given the strict aviation standards. Francesca De Domenico, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion, sees this as an opportunity to radically re-think and innovate combustion systems for aviation. Her experimental research lays the groundwork for addressing these issues and advancing sustainable flight.

Flying on (liquid) hydrogen: Outstanding challenges and solutions

With zero CO2 emissions, flying on hydrogen offers the compelling prospect to help decarbonise aviation. But major technical, economical and practical challenges remain. Can hydrogen realistically power the future of air travel? Can we risk neglecting an innovation that could not only transform aviation but also drive advancements across energy and transport sectors? Arvind Gangoli Rao, Professor Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion, and Peter Lucas, Innovation Manager Hydrogen, share their insights.

TU Delft student team designs a self-supporting lunar village

Dream Team ‘Space Oasis Delft’ has designed a lunar village for 150+ residents. The dwellings have elements of biomimicry, contain a self-sustaining biosphere and simulate a day-night cycle as well as seasons. Smart design choices safeguard not only the occupants' safety but also their mental well-being.

Open data is taking off in aviation – thanks to BlueSky

Why would you buy or sell software commercially if you can get the data from public sources too and can make the tools available to the public? BlueSky, an open-source tool for creating air-traffic simulations, came about some ten years ago in answer to this question. Since then, BlueSky has grown into a community of users from around the world.

This clever slipper with holes in it makes wind turbines significantly quieter

Wind turbines provide one of the cleanest forms of energy in the world, but they have an annoying drawback: noise. Researchers and entrepreneurs at TU Delft have come up with a solution they’ve called MuteSkin®. It’s a clever add-on that can be slipped on a wind turbine blade like a flip-flop and that can dramatically reduce the noise it produces. Now the team is about to take this ‘crazy’ idea from the wind tunnels to the wind farms. Daniele Ragni, Bieke von den Hoff, and Friso Hartog explain how they and their colleagues are tackling this, together with industry partners.

Finding the path of least resistance

Reducing aerodynamic drag can unlock significant fuel savings in the aviation industry. To reduce the drag of an aircraft, it is important to maximise the extent of laminar air flow around it and minimise turbulent air flow. Thanks to a revolutionary, and unex-pected discovery, the research group of Professor of Flow Control Marios Kotsonis managed to extend laminar flow on swept wings. Will this unexpected research result lead to a breakthrough for climate neutral aviation?

How the aviation industry can leave behind fewer climatic trails

It is widely known that aircraft with their CO₂ emissions contribute to climate change, however less attention is paid to the effects of the condensation trails they leave behind. Those trails have a significant impact on the greenhouse effect. Assistant professor Feijia Yin is investigating how the formation of persistent condensation trails can be better predicted, so that aircraft can avoid areas in which they occur.

'Elderly' first Dutch nanosatellite celebrates fifteenth birthday

She is affectionately referred to as "the old lady". After 15 years in space, she can safely be called very elderly. Few of her peers are still operational at her age. But the old lady is also hard of hearing and barely understandable. This month, the self-proclaimed adventurers who built her, celebrate her birthday but fear it will be her last. Proud father of the very first hour Chris Verhoeven (Faculty of EEMCS) and current caretaker Stefano Speretta (Faculty of AE) describe the Delft nanosatellite Delfi-C3 that exceeded all expectations.

Is there life elsewhere in our solar system?

A grand odyssey of exploration is about to begin. Humankind’s next bold mission to the outer solar system. ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice), is poised to explore giant planet Jupiter and its largest moons. After years of preparations, Juice will be launched into space on April 13 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission, in which TU Delft plays a leading role in the experiment PRIDE, is diving into orbit of a moon other than Earth's for the first time. Something the Americans, Japanese and Chinese have never succeeded in doing before.

> All Stories of AE

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Faster to carbon-free aviation

Technological roadmap: how to accelerate the path towards carbon-free aviation

January

Doctoral defence E. De la Torre Castro

Doctoral defence S.L. Fayolle

February

TU Delft NXTGEN Innovation Days

March

Open Campus Days

Calendar

Green light for two new subprojects ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’

The green light has been given for the ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’ subprojects Flying Vision Accelerator and DASAL. Through roadmaps and model-based simulations and scenarios, the projects will pool the necessary knowledge for a solid and underpinned foundation for making aviation more sustainable. Flying Vision Accelerator is being led by TU Delft. The project leadership of DASAL lies with Royal NLR. The grants for both subprojects have been agreed and can now really start. ‘Luchtvaart in Transitie’ is a programme of the Dutch National Growth Fund.

TU Delft team winner in Airbus-BMW Quantum Computing Challenge

The QAIMS team at TU Delft have won the Golden Application prize ‘pushing the boundaries of quantum tech for mobility’ in the prestigious Airbus-BMW Global Quantum Computing Challenge. Team leader Boyang Chen, Associate Professor from the Department of Aerospace Structures and Materials, accepted the award on behalf of the team in Silicon Valley today.

Student Team ‘Da Vinci Satellite’ secures contract with ESA for CubeSat mission

TU Delft’s student team Da Vinci Satellite (DSV) has reached a significant milestone by signing a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) for their upcoming CubeSat mission. As part of this agreement, DVS is now officially included in ESA’s ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ program. This collaboration propels the teams ambitious project to design, build, launch and operate a nanosatellite that directly connects school children with space.

PRELIFE consortium receives NWA funding to investigate the origin of life

The interdisciplinary research consortium PRELIFE has been awarded an NWA grant by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) to investigate the origin of life on Earth and in the universe, one of science’s greatest unsolved puzzles. The consortium will receive €6.7 million to explore this question and comprises scientists from sixteen universities and research institutes across the Netherlands.

More news

Join us for a lab tour

Join us on a virtual lab tour to get to know some of our people and experience the labs they work in.

Stories of Aerospace Engineering

The ground truth: airport operations for hydrogen-powered aviation

It is not only aircraft that must be prepared for flying on hydrogen, ground operations at the airport need to run very smoothly too. Quite a challenge when considering the fuelling, space, and safety requirements. The models and simulations developed by Alexei Sharpanskykh, Assistant Professor Operations & Environment, help shape this future.

Mastering fuel flow in hydrogen-powered airplanes

Airplanes powered by liquid hydrogen are expected to play a key role in creating low-emission aviation. But once safely stored on board, an even greater challenge is to control the hydrogen flow and have it reach the engines at the required temperature and pressure. Chiara Falsetti, Assistant Professor in Heat Transfer and Thermal Management for Sustainable Aviation, wants to fully understand how hydrogen flows through airplane fuel pipes.

Cracking and tracking – ultrasonics for hydrogen-powered aviation

Monitoring and ensuring the safety of hydrogen storage tanks over tens of thousands of airplane refuellings presents a unique challenge on the road towards low-emission aviation. Nan Yue, Assistant Professor in the Aerospace Structures and Materials Department, develops ultrasonic technology for detecting the very early signs of cracks appearing in the tank hull.

Flame on for hydrogen-powered aircraft propulsion

Flying on hydrogen eliminates CO2 emissions but comes with challenges in flame stability, NOx emissions and reliability, especially given the strict aviation standards. Francesca De Domenico, Assistant Professor in Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion, sees this as an opportunity to radically re-think and innovate combustion systems for aviation. Her experimental research lays the groundwork for addressing these issues and advancing sustainable flight.

Flying on (liquid) hydrogen: Outstanding challenges and solutions

With zero CO2 emissions, flying on hydrogen offers the compelling prospect to help decarbonise aviation. But major technical, economical and practical challenges remain. Can hydrogen realistically power the future of air travel? Can we risk neglecting an innovation that could not only transform aviation but also drive advancements across energy and transport sectors? Arvind Gangoli Rao, Professor Sustainable Aircraft Propulsion, and Peter Lucas, Innovation Manager Hydrogen, share their insights.

TU Delft student team designs a self-supporting lunar village

Dream Team ‘Space Oasis Delft’ has designed a lunar village for 150+ residents. The dwellings have elements of biomimicry, contain a self-sustaining biosphere and simulate a day-night cycle as well as seasons. Smart design choices safeguard not only the occupants' safety but also their mental well-being.

Open data is taking off in aviation – thanks to BlueSky

Why would you buy or sell software commercially if you can get the data from public sources too and can make the tools available to the public? BlueSky, an open-source tool for creating air-traffic simulations, came about some ten years ago in answer to this question. Since then, BlueSky has grown into a community of users from around the world.

This clever slipper with holes in it makes wind turbines significantly quieter

Wind turbines provide one of the cleanest forms of energy in the world, but they have an annoying drawback: noise. Researchers and entrepreneurs at TU Delft have come up with a solution they’ve called MuteSkin®. It’s a clever add-on that can be slipped on a wind turbine blade like a flip-flop and that can dramatically reduce the noise it produces. Now the team is about to take this ‘crazy’ idea from the wind tunnels to the wind farms. Daniele Ragni, Bieke von den Hoff, and Friso Hartog explain how they and their colleagues are tackling this, together with industry partners.

Finding the path of least resistance

Reducing aerodynamic drag can unlock significant fuel savings in the aviation industry. To reduce the drag of an aircraft, it is important to maximise the extent of laminar air flow around it and minimise turbulent air flow. Thanks to a revolutionary, and unex-pected discovery, the research group of Professor of Flow Control Marios Kotsonis managed to extend laminar flow on swept wings. Will this unexpected research result lead to a breakthrough for climate neutral aviation?

How the aviation industry can leave behind fewer climatic trails

It is widely known that aircraft with their CO₂ emissions contribute to climate change, however less attention is paid to the effects of the condensation trails they leave behind. Those trails have a significant impact on the greenhouse effect. Assistant professor Feijia Yin is investigating how the formation of persistent condensation trails can be better predicted, so that aircraft can avoid areas in which they occur.

'Elderly' first Dutch nanosatellite celebrates fifteenth birthday

She is affectionately referred to as "the old lady". After 15 years in space, she can safely be called very elderly. Few of her peers are still operational at her age. But the old lady is also hard of hearing and barely understandable. This month, the self-proclaimed adventurers who built her, celebrate her birthday but fear it will be her last. Proud father of the very first hour Chris Verhoeven (Faculty of EEMCS) and current caretaker Stefano Speretta (Faculty of AE) describe the Delft nanosatellite Delfi-C3 that exceeded all expectations.

Is there life elsewhere in our solar system?

A grand odyssey of exploration is about to begin. Humankind’s next bold mission to the outer solar system. ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice), is poised to explore giant planet Jupiter and its largest moons. After years of preparations, Juice will be launched into space on April 13 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The mission, in which TU Delft plays a leading role in the experiment PRIDE, is diving into orbit of a moon other than Earth's for the first time. Something the Americans, Japanese and Chinese have never succeeded in doing before.

> All Stories of AE

January

Doctoral defence E. De la Torre Castro

Doctoral defence S.L. Fayolle

February

TU Delft NXTGEN Innovation Days

March

Open Campus Days

Calendar

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Climate neutral aviation? Now boarding!

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