Cycle: 36°
Curriculum: Aerospace Engineering
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alberto-sarritzu/
Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1258-0850
Contact:
Title of the PhD Project: Design solutions for green propellants-based multi-purpose Orbital Transfer Vehicles
Supervisor: Prof. Angelo Pasini
Abstract of the PhD project:
The PhD project, part of the Horizon 2020 project ASCenSIon, explores the relevance of a new class of upper stages commonly referred to as Orbital Transfer Vehicles (OTVs) or Kick-Stages, and the importance of green propellants in the development of such systems.
Orbital Transfer Vehicles are currently developed for diverse applications by many entities and are expected to have a major impact in the future of space missions and overall space sector. Such systems are commonly connected to the topic of On-Orbit Servicing with the promise of unlocking new missions, including active space debris removal, multi-payload to multi-orbit delivery, in-orbit experiments, in-orbit refuelling and other generic services. Green propulsion is an increasingly prevalent trend in the space industry that has experienced significant growth in recent decades with the main objective of identifying suitable alternatives to commonly used, toxic liquid propellants for in-space applications. The project investigates the synergies between the two themes, underlining the advantages that a widespread use of green technologies could bring to the overall sector, but also examining the final benefits to the system design of OTVs.
Due to the numerous and challenging propulsive system requirements associated with these systems, green technologies are analysed and further developed, studying and testing various critical components and models.
Periods abroad:
8 months at German Aerospace Agency, DLR Lampoldshausen
5 months at D-Orbit, Italy
Publications
Articles:
- Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A., Merz, F., Werling, L., Lauck, F. Experimental investigation of combustion performance of a green hypergolic bipropellant based on hydrogen peroxide. Acta Astronautica, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.03.030
- Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A. Performance comparison of green propulsion systems for future Orbital Transfer Vehicles, Acta Astronautica, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2024.01.032
- Sarritzu, A., Blondel-Canepari, L., Gelain, R., Hendrick, P., Pasini, A. Analytical Hierarchy Process-based trade-off analysis of green and hybrid propulsion technologies for upper stage applications, International Journal of Energetic Materials and Chemical Propulsion, 2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1615/IntJEnergeticMaterialsChemProp.2023047590
Oral presentations at conferences:
- Sarritzu, A., Pesante, M. R., La Luna, S., Pasini, A. Review and Perspectives of “Green” Self-Pressurizing Propellants for In-Space Propulsion and their Applicability to Orbital Stages, SciTech 2024. Orlando (FL), USA
- Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A. Performance comparison of green propulsion systems for future Orbital Transfer Vehicles. Ascension Conference 2023. Dresden, Germany.
- Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A., Merz, F., Werling, L., & Lauck, F. Experimental Investigation of Combustion Performance of a Green Hypergolic Bipropellant based on Hydrogen Peroxide. Ascension Conference 2023. Dresden, Germany.
- Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A., Teuffel, P., & Lauck, F. Cold-Flow Testing of Various Injector Designs for a Novel Hypergolic and Green Propellant Combination Developed at DLR Lampoldshausen. EUCASS 2023. Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Sarritzu, A., Lauck, F., Werling, L., & Pasini, A. Assessment of Propulsion System Architectures for Green Propellants-based Orbital Stages. 73rd International Astronautical Congress, 2022. Paris, France.
- Sarritzu, A., Blondel-Canepari, L., Gelain, R., Hendrick, P., & Pasini, A. (2022). Trade-off study of green technologies for upper stage applications. Space Propulsion Conference 2022. Estoril, Portugal.
- Ruiz, I. A., Blondel-Canepari, L., Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A., Lavagna, M. Sensitivity Analysis of Propulsion System Parameters on GNC Strategies for Multi-Orbit Deliveries. EUCASS 2023. Lausanne, Switzerland.
- Calabuig, G. J., Miraux, L., Wilson, A. R., Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A. Eco-design of future reusable launchers: insight into their life cycle and atmospheric impact. EUCASS 2022. Lille, France.
- Blondel-Canepari, L., Ruiz, I. A., Fernández, L. A., Gelain, R., Glaser, C., Valles, L. O., Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A. Conceptual study of technologies enabling novel green expendable upper stages with multi-payload/multi-orbit injection capability. 72nd International Astronautical Congress, 2021. Dubai, Emirates.
- Gulczyński, M. T., Vennitti, A., Scarlatella, G., Calabuig, G. J., Blondel-Canepari, L., Weber, F., Sarritzu, A., Pasini, A.. RLV applications: challenges and benefits of novel technologies for sustainable main stages. 72nd International Astronautical Congress, 2021. Dubai, Emirates.