Dr. Alexander Khotsianovsky, Pisarenko Institute of Problems of Strength of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Ukraine

Biography: Dr. Alexander Khotsianovsky is currently a senior research fellow at the Institute of Problems of Strength (IPS), Kiev, Ukraine. After receiving the Ph.D. degree in Mechanical Engineering and Fracture Mechanics at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 1990, he conducted research in the field of innovative spacecraft and aircraft applications in IPS, Ukraine, as an invited research fellow in German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR, Cologne,Germany,1993-1995), and Computer Control Solutions (CCS, Dublin, Ireland, 2001-2002). In 1996-2000, he was hired by USAID as a full-time technical consultant to six technical assistance projects financed by the USAID with the total budget of 5 mln USD in four CIS countries, including Ukraine (Kiev and ten more pilot cities), Russia (Irkutsk), Moldova (Cisinau) and Kazakhstan (Alma-Aty). His current research interests cover a wide range: from coatings, tribology, and fretting-fatigue of advanced space/aircraft materials to polymer-additive applications and numerical simulation of hydroelasticity problems for supercavitation high-speed underwater vehicles. He takes an active part in the advanced material development for spacecraft applications in Ukraine (IPS, Kiev) and ONR/DARPA international projects on drag reduction of superspeed underwater vehicles (2014-2017). He is the managing editor of the international journal Strength of Materials (Springer, US), guest editor in IOP Conference Series and other International Journals indexed in different databases. In the last five years, he participated as keynote speaker in one Global Conference on Polymer and Composite Materials (PCM 2016) and one International Conference on Material Strength and Applied Mechanics(MSAM2018) as well as four Global conferences on Materials Science and Engineering (CMSE2013, 2014, 2015, 2017).

Title: Comprehensive Strength Optimization of Spacecraft and Orbital Station Components: Outlook of Ukrainian State-of-the-Art and Off-Shelf Designs

Abstract: The current state of spacecraft development worldwide implies a rejection of earlier achievements like US Spaceshuttles and Russian Proton/Progress launchers. Meanwhile, even older developments in Mir and SkyLab orbital stations return to focus in new lunar projects. The overinflated prices of NASA (US) and Roskosmos (Russia) can no longer withstand the competition with aggressive commercial players like Space X, Arianespace, etc. At this transition period, niche players with decades of experience in the spacecraft development, like Ukraine, become instrumental for larger countries, like China, with ambitious space projects. Based on the long-term experience in testing and numerical calculations of spacecraft designs for the Mir orbital station, Buran analogue of US Spaceshuttles, and Mriya jumbo carrier, the author presents an outlook on the comprehensive strength optimization of spacecraft and orbital station components. The Ukraine state-of-the-art and off-shelf designs, Sea launch space program, and ongoing co-operation of the Pisarenko Institute of Problems of Strength with the Yuzhnoye State Design Office, which produces Zenit-3SL launch vehicles designed for transporting medium-weight payloads to various orbits, as well as the hot topics of the annual Chinese-Ukrainian forum on cooperation in space, are discussed in detail. The problem of linking the post-Soviet safety margin approach with a crack-arrest-based Western approach to the safety of highly loaded spacecraft components is examined by an example of the foldable truss structure for solar batteries of orbital stations, which has been successfully modified by the author as a subcontractor. Such issues as fretting-fatigue and laser welding under space conditions, and the lack of stress intensity threshold in certain Western superalloys used in the air- and spacecraft industries are critically covered. Conclusive remarks are made regarding the commercial revival prospects of Ukrainian off-shelf designs in the International/Chinese space projects based on technical and economic criteria.