This research project, SPACE-FML-PROTECTION, focuses on the creation of new fiber-metal laminates (FML) to improve spacecraft protection against hypervelocity impacts (HVI). The project focuses on improving the performance of traditional monolithic aluminum bumpers while maintaining the same overall thickness and weight. To do so, it will investigate the use of aluminum alloys combined with high-performance fibers such as Xtegra® fabrics, which exhibit auxetic properties. These fabrics will be arranged in an optimized layer sequence within the FML structure to minimize dispersion and improve energy absorption during impact. To ensure the success of the project, advanced numerical simulations using a hybrid Finite Element Method-Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (FEM-SPH) framework will be employed to model and analyze the behavior of the FMLs under HVI conditions. Experimental validation will be carried out using a gas gun and a hypervelocity impact facility to validate the numerical models and optimize the FML designs. The results will be used to develop a ballistic limit equation to predict the critical debris size that the armor can withstand. In addition, a whole life cycle assessment (LCA) will be conducted to evaluate the environmental impact of new FMLs compared to existing shielding systems. This multidisciplinary approach is expected to result in a new generation of lightweight and effective shielding materials for spacecraft, improving their protection from space debris while minimizing environmental impact. The results of the project will have important implications for the aerospace industry, potentially reducing manufacturing costs and improving the safety and longevity of space missions.

Taking advantage of the underlying quantum features of the natural world to design new technologies is the principle at the root of the Second Quantum Revolution. Quantum control theory provides the mathematical substrate to this principle by establishing precise conditions under which a system can be manipulated to reach any desired state in a finite time, and developing systematic methods for accomplishing this goal in an optimal way. This is a formidable task especially for systems with infinitely many degrees of freedom, for which advanced mathematical techniques are needed. The standard approach to quantum control relies on the use of external fields. A significant byproduct of such schemes is the possible loss of quantum correlations between the components of the system resulting from this interaction. An alternative route is achieving control by exploiting boundary effects, that is, manipulating the boundary conditions of the system. This is the idea at the core of Quantum Control at the Boundary (QCB), a promising yet underdeveloped paradigm. The aim of the project is to investigate the feasibility and shortcomings of QCB, laying the foundations to a systematic theory of boundary control schemes. By adopting and improving known results from infinite-dimensional control theory, the project will elucidate the conditions under which specific QCB schemes, including thick quantum graphs and cavities with moving boundaries, are controllable. The problem of optimal control and the practical implementation of such schemes will also be studied. The project draws ideas and techniques from different areas of mathematics and physics, by also requiring familiarity with the laws of Quantum Mechanics. This reflects the scientific background of the applicant. It will involve a significant transfer of knowledge to the host institution, and the training of the researcher from a scientific and a managerial point of view.