Offers “Airbus”

Expires soon Airbus

Master Thesis within Engineering: LISA Thruster Actuation

  • Doktorarbeit
  • Friedrichshafen (Verwaltungsgemeinschaft Friedrichshafen)
  • Design / Civil engineering / Industrial engineering

Job description



Airbus Defence and Space GmbH

Airbus is a global leader in aeronautics, space and related services. In 2018 it generated revenues of € 64 billion and employed a workforce of around 134,000. Airbus offers the most comprehensive range of passenger airliners. Airbus is also a European leader providing tanker, combat, transport and mission aircraft, as well as one of the world's leading space companies. In helicopters, Airbus provides the most efficient civil and military rotorcraft solutions worldwide.

Our people work with passion and determination to make the world a more connected, safer and smarter place. Taking pride in our work, we draw on each other's expertise and experience to achieve excellence. Our diversity and teamwork culture propel us to accomplish the extraordinary - on the ground, in the sky and in space.

Description of the job

Are you looking for a master thesis? Would you like to discover the work of a Aerospace Engineering? Then apply now! We look forward to you joining us.

Location: Friedrichshafen
Start: October/November

Tasks & accountabilities

LISA is the first space mission to establish the new field of gravitational wave astronomy, observing highly energetic events within the entire event horizon of our universe. As the instrument is distributed over a constellation of three spacecraft with ultra high relative measurement precision needs, LISA is among the most ambitions missions ever flown. Nevertheless, developments for ground based observatories, a long mission formulation phase as well as the very successful precursor mission LISA Pathfinder, have pushed this observatory into the range of today’s technical capabilities.

In the main science mode, the three individual spacecraft are controlled by the so-called drag-free and attitude control system (DFACS). Its main objective is to ensure free fall of the test masses in dedicated degrees of freedom by shielding the test mass from all external disturbances along the sensitive axes of the constellation. In order to detect the changes along the sensitive axes of the constellation caused by gravitational waves, any non-gravitational disturbances have to be minimized in the frequency band of interest.

The main objective of the thesis is to develop and test an algorithm to distribute a given force and torque command vector to the individual thrusters in an optimal manner while taking into account the micro-propulsion system (MPS) constraints and performance requirements. The algorithm distributing the command vector to the single thrusters shall yield a fuel-optimal behaviour.

The activity will include literature research of external and in-house thruster actuation algorithms, select a baseline algorithm, implementing and testing of the selected baseline algorithms, and to document the work performed.

This job requires an awareness of any potential compliance risks and a commitment to act with integrity, as the foundation for the Company’s success, reputation and sustainable growth.

Required skills

You offer:
- Enrolled Master student (d/m/f) as Aeronautical Engineering or Control Engineering
- Extensive experience with Matlab and Simulink.
- Good level in control engineering would be an asset.
- Languages: English is mandatory, German would be an asset.

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