✈️Super lightweight rockets and the Singapore Airlines incident

Welcome to the 21st edition of IE’s Aerospace newsletter. This week, a new development from Tianjin University has the potential to revolutionize rocket design. A team of scientists developed an innovative heat-resistant aluminum alloy that could lead to super lightweight rockets.

We also dive into the details of this week’s Singapore Airlines turbulence incident, which tragically led to a fatality, as well as several injuries. How did the incident occur and what could be done to prevent a similar scenario in the future?

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AEROSPACE ENGINEERING SPOTLIGHT

New material could pave the way for super lightweight rockets

A team of researchers from Tianjin University in China has developed a new method for increasing the heat resistance of aluminum.

This could have widespread implications for the aerospace industry, where reducing weight is a neverending pursuit. If reports are to be believed, the new material could pave the way for super lightweight rockets.

The new material is an oxided-dispersion-strengthened aluminum alloy. It addresses a critical limitation of traditional aluminum alloys.

Traditional aluminum alloys are very lightweight. They also have high specific strength and incredible resistance to corrosion. One of the few drawbacks to these materials is the fact that they are not robust enough to withstand temperatures exceeding 400 degrees Celsius. At those temperatures, all of the benefits of aluminum alloys go out the window.

This is why they have not traditionally been used for certain applications in rocket engineering and for other types of transportation.

The Tianjin University researchers’ new material could change all that. Their material is reportedly capable of withstanding temperatures up to 500 degrees Celsius, meaning it could be a real game changer.

The scientists produced the new material by introducing high-density, ultrafine, and uniformly dispersed nanoparticles into an aluminum alloy. According to the team behind the innovation, their method greatly improves the alloy’s high-temperature resistance.

They tested the strength of their material at high temperatures and found that it was able to maintain a tensile strength exceeding 200 megapascals at 500 degrees Celsius.

Impressively, the team also claims their nanoparticle method can be utilized on a wide variety of metals, meaning it has great potential across many industries.

AERO BULLETIN

Key facts about the Singapore Airlines incident

This week on Tuesday, May 21, Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 experienced severe turbulence. Tragically, one passenger died while 30 others were injured.

Personal accounts from passengers speak of people doing somersaults and banging the ceiling as the plane moved around violently. The flight was diverted to Thailand, Bangkok, with the pilot citing a medical emergency. Here are some of the key facts about the incident.

What exactly happened?

Altitude data from FlightRadar24 shortly after the incident showed that the aircraft was jolted up and down violently during the worst period of turbulence.

The data shows that the aircraft’s vertical speed quickly shifted to 1,664 feet per minute before suddenly jolting in the other direction and going to -1,536 feet per minute. All of this occurred in as little as three seconds.

Essentially, the Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 aircraft was quickly lifted from its 37,000 ft cruising altitude before plummeting back down to its rough initial altitude.

How rare are severe turbulence incidents?

Incidents of severe turbulence resulting in injuries are exceedingly rare. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data, 163 people were seriously injured by turbulence between 2009 and 2022. That’s an average of roughly 12 people a year.

To put that into perspective, billions of passengers take to the skies every year. Deaths are exceedingly rare, and the death of flight SQ321 passenger Geoff Kitchen, 73 was the first since 2011. It was reportedly due to a heart attack and Kitchen is believed to have had a heart condition.

How can these types of incidents be prevented?

The Singapore Airlines incident serves as a reminder of how important it is to wear a seatbelt. In fact, as incidents of clear air turbulence are on the rise due to climate change, experts are increasingly advising passengers to wear a seatbelt at all times when seated.

Pilots typically avoid turbulence by communicating with other pilots via air traffic control. If an aircraft passes through turbulence, the pilot can report it to air traffic control. It is then flagged to other approaching airliners.

Some companies, such as Turbulence Solutions, claim they want to eradicate turbulence using novel technologies. However, these likely won’t be widely used for a long time.

What is Singapore Airline's safety record?

Singapore Airlines has a very strong safety record, and it consistently ranks amongst the world’s safest airlines. In January this year, aviation safety agency AirlineRatings ranked Singapore Airlines as the 13th safest out of a list of 385 airlines worldwide.

Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 was aboard a Boeing 777-300ER airliner. Boeing has had several high-profile safety issues in the recent past. However, there is no indication so far that any type of aircraft malfunction was to blame for the incident.