Sustainability in Space and Aerospace Technologies

Dear Colleagues,

There is currently a constantly evolving trend toward electrification in many industries—including the automotive and maritime industries—within the wider field of ​​renewable energy resources, particularly in aviation and space applications, referred to within the professional literature as ESARS (Electrical Systems for Aircraft, Railway, Ship Propulsion and Road Vehicles). This means that there have been rapid developments in the implementation of advanced electrical, electronic, and power electronic systems in various types of vehicles, particularly in the space and aerospace industries, for both civilian and defense applications.

Working toward sustainable development, which will be a key focus of the proposed Special Issue, the central idea of this technology comprises the replacement of classic types of energy (electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and mechanical), and the components associated with them, with one type of energy, electrical energy, for applications within the most advanced aircraft and MEA/AEA concepts.

It should be emphasized that the move toward sustainable development in space and aerospace transportation is one of the most important challenges in modern engineering and science. In this regard, and considering the growing problems of greenhouse gas emissions, environmental pollution, and the depletion of natural resources, it is crucial that we design modern technologies and solutions to play a key role in reducing the negative impacts on the planet.

Regarding the proposed theme of this Special Issue, it should be noted that the very concept of a partially/fully electrified MEA/AEA (more-/all-electric aircraft) was developed within the trend of sustainable development, to achieve solutions for improving the efficiency of the entire aircraft, increasing its reliability, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness.

Considering the above, in terms of the implementation of modern MEA/AEA and POA/MOET technologies, it should be emphasized that they are among the few existing possible solutions available that could achieve not only the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly advanced aircrafts, such as through the use of an ECS (environmental control system), but also solutions to the key challenge of saving electricity, thus reducing combustion levels and operating costs.

The main objective of the proposed Special Issue is to highlight the latest developments (including analyses, models, simulations, and experiments) and innovative technical approaches and methods in the field of ​​sustainable space and aerospace transport.

Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

1. Sustainable space transportation (techniques and methods resulting in a reduction in the carbon footprint of space missions; the disposal and reuse of key components of rockets and satellites; and the environmentally friendly design and operation of space stations);
2. The implementation of technologies in the aviation industry to improve sustainability (hybrid, electric, and MEE engines; the use of biofuels and synthetic fuels; and the implementation of modern materials in the construction and design of aircrafts to reduce fuel consumption);
3. Sustainable transport infrastructure in terms of applications in space and aerospace technologies (aircraft and space traffic management through the implementation of intelligent systems; modern airports and spaceports in line with the trend of sustainable development; and the concept of sustainable development in the field of logistics and the distribution process);
4. Sustainable transport development strategies (analysis of regulations and their impact on the space and aerospace industry; trends and developments in modern sustainable development policies; and international cooperation in relation to sustainable air and space transport).

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Lucjan Setlak
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• MEA/AEA concept
• sustainable development technologies
• decarbonization
• programs to support green technology development
• ECS
• greenhouse gas emissions