Publications by Volker Gass | EPFL Graph Search

Multi-scale and multi-energy non-destructive X-ray analysis of the European Retrievable Carrier (EURECA)

The reduction in costs for space travel and scientific experiments in microgravity raises the question of equipment reusability. This goal can only be achieved if the space travel associated system degradations are fully understood. Non-destructive analysi ...

2025

Modelling and Optimisation of High Temperatures Heat Pipe Radiators for Nuclear Electrical Propulsion (NEP) Applications

Volker Gass

International Astronautical Federation (IAF)2024

An Empirical and Subjective Model of Upper Extremity Fatigue Under Hypogravity

Volker Gass, Claude Nicollier, Tatiana Maillard

In the context of extra-terrestrial missions, the effects of hypogravity (0 < G < 1) on the human body can reduce the well-being of the crew, cause musculoskeletal problems and affect their ability to perform tasks, especially during long-term missions. To ...

FRONTIERS MEDIA SA2022

Investment casting of periodic aluminum cellular structures using slurry-cast table salt moulds

Andreas Mortensen, Volker Gass, Florian Thibaut Gallien

A process is presented for the production of periodic cellular structures based on investment casting of Al-12 wt%Si alloy within a mould that is made of table salt (NaCl) packed around a sacrificial PLA polymer template. Moulding begins by pouring salt gr ...

2022

Use of space analog missions as an educational tool in primary schools

Volker Gass

Space exploration is a field that inspires a wide range of people, from children to university students, including the general public. With a return to the Moon planned for 2024 and the rapid expansion of the private industry, educating the next generation ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2022

Can automotive MEMS be reliably used in space applications? An assessment method under sequential bi-parameter testing

Volker Gass, Maxime Auchlin, Olha Sereda

Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) automotive inertial measurement units were subjected to severe accumulative stress conditions: thermal shocks (high temperature gradients), temperature cycling (low gradients) and mechanical vibration are combined in an A-th ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2020

X-ray pulsar-based GNC system for formation flying in high Earth orbits

Volker Gass, Camille Sébastien Pirat

In this paper, comprehensive pulsar-based Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system is designed and applied to satellites formation flying. The complete autonomy of the X-ray pulsar navigation technology provides both absolute and relative positioning ...

PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD2020

H∞ and μ-Synthesis for Nanosatellites Rendezvous and Docking

Volker Gass, Camille Sébastien Pirat

In this brief, the nanosatellite rendezvous and docking problem is tackled. It was never attempted for small spacecraft, as critical technologies, such as six-degree-of-freedom (DoF) micropropulsion systems, have only recently become available due to advan ...

2019

Small satellites for space science A COSPAR scientific roadmap

Volker Gass, Jie Wu, Maurice Borgeaud

This is a COSPAR roadmap to advance the frontiers of science through innovation and international collaboration using small satellites. The world of small satellites is evolving quickly and an opportunity exists to leverage these developments to make scien ...

ELSEVIER SCI LTD2019

Vision Based Navigation for Autonomous Cooperative Docking of CubeSats

Camille Sébastien Pirat, Volker Gass

A realistic rendezvous and docking navigation solution applicable to CubeSats is investigated. The scalability analysis of the ESA Autonomous Transfer Vehicle Guidance, Navigation & Control (GNC) performances and the Russian docking system, shows that the ...

2018