Events Delft 2023

The use of low-thrust propulsion in interplanetary missions can increase payload while posing a complex planning challenge. This thesis explores the impact of different feature space compositions and target choices on the performance of artificial neural networks. The dataset consists of Earth-Mars transfer trajectories generated through indirect optimization. It highlights the importance of properly scaled data and examines the influence of other choices on performance, particularly the choice of target.

The Netherlands National Open Science Festival offers researchers the chance to explore the advantages of Open Science practices and connect with peers and policymakers who support these principles. The upcoming edition will feature sessions on institutional, national, and international policies, as well as skill development and community involvement in promoting Open Science. Livestreaming will be available for plenary sessions and the Open Science Together session.

Teaching and Learning Services at TU Delft has introduced Vevox as the new polling tool solution for the campus. Vevox was chosen after a selection process and is accessible to all staff and participants on different devices. It offers various features, including the ability to create polls, quizzes, surveys, and QA. The use of Vevox also adheres to strict privacy measures to protect data according to organizational standards.

The need for smaller radial pumps has been expressed in various fields, including rocket propulsion. This has led to research on optimizing these pumps. Design recommendations in the literature aim to mitigate the effects of low Reynolds regimes. In this study, some of these recommendations are applied to a small, high-speed turbopump used in the Navier rocket engine. A sensitivity analysis is conducted on the pump's outlet pressure and efficiency to assess the effectiveness of the design changes. The analysis reveals that the impeller outlet width has the greatest impact on pressure, while the pump's inlet diameter is most influential on efficiency. Based on the sample points generated in the analysis, a regression is performed to create a surrogate model. This model is then used in a simple optimization routine to obtain an improved version of the Navier pump. The optimized pump meets the engine's requirements for outlet pressure and demonstrates increased overall efficiency.

Harry den Hartog defended his PhD thesis titled 'Tensions and opportunities at Shanghai's waterfronts: Laboratories for institutional strategies towards sustainable urban planning and delta design transitions'.