E-ELT project: European - Extremely Large Telescopecontracted by ESO: European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern HemisphereStructural FEA team and control system analysis

Systems engineer for aerospace and mechanical systems.Involved in the following projects:- definition of the parameters and analysis of a control system for a telescope with equatorial mouting. A Simulink model system was designed. The aim of the telescope is the tracking of Near Earth Objects;- programmatic modeling of Simulink systems with high number of inports and outports;- writing of proposals in response to invitations to tenders of the European Space Agency;- design of Matlab and Simulink models for the predictive diagnostic analysis of subsystems of heavy-duty vehicles;- validation of algorithms for the telemetry checking of ESA interplanetary probes.

I collaborated with the researchers and PhD students of the CISAS Space Propulsion Group to develop and analyse a thrust stand with a counter-balanced pendulum designed for electric thrusters testing. As to accomplish the experimental characterisation of prototypes, calibration and thrust measurement methods were designed to achieve the measurement of thrusts on the order of micro Newtons. We verified the instrument linearity range, the data noise intensity as function of the chosen sensibility and, finally, various methods for the mitigation of the thermal expansion influence, both preventive and in the raw data post-processing.An Helicon Plasma Thruster was tested and optimised through over 11 configurations, at different antenna electric power inputs.

- Coordinated technical (chassis, powertrain, suspension, brake system, electronics) and business & marketing divisions the team is composed of- Assured design, manufacturing and development timeline compliance with the deadlines- Final review of spreadsheets, datasheets and reports to be supplied to the Formula SAE/Formula Student organising committees- In charge of the communications with the University and the Faculty Advisor.

- CAD design and structural FEM analysis of a steel tubular spaceframe, using PTC Creo 2.0 and ANSYS 15 softwares. Goals: maximum weight and intertia reduction while minimum stiffness requirements are fulfilled.Cockpit ergonomics study, volumes and accessibility assessment for subsystems assembly, checking dimensions compliance with competition rules.Numerical calculation of the torsional and flexural stiffness of the structure, both global stiffness and local stiffness near the suspension anchorage points, the engine, seat and seatbelts.- Lay up and finishing of composite material parts (CFRP and GFRP), both structural and non-structural for the on-board instrumentation support.Contributed to the manufacturing of the bodywork, the seat and of a scaled prototype of a composite material monocoque. Techniques and technologies which were used: resin infusion, in- and out-of-autoclave prepregs lamination.- Vehicle dynamics fundamentals acquired, participated in the racecar development on-track.Attended the OptimumG 30-hours seminar on Advanced Vehicle Dynamics. Examined on-track data collected by on-board sensors.- Manufacturing of small magnesium and aluminium alloy parts by material-removing processes (among which milling).

Experimental analysis of resin infused composite laminates structural stiffness.The objective of the thesis was to measure the material properties of carbon and glass fiber reinforced polymers produced by resin infusion technique. Specimen were manufactured and uniaxial tensile tests were performed following ASTM D3039.