Special Issues

Aerospace publishes Special Issues to create collections of papers on specific topics, with the aim of building a community of authors and readers to discuss the latest research and develop new ideas and research directions. Special Issues are led by Guest Editors, who are experts on the topic and all Special Issue submissions follow MDPI's standard editorial process. The journal’s Editor-in-Chief and/or designated Editorial Board Member will oversee Guest Editor appointments and Special Issue proposals, checking their content for relevance and ensuring the suitability of the material for the journal. The papers published in a Special Issue will be collected and displayed on a dedicated page of the journal’s website. Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies and Guest Editor responsibilities can be found here. For any inquiries related to a Special Issue, please contact the Editorial Office.

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Advanced Design for Lightweight Space Materials and Structural Systems
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 12218 | Submission Open
Keywords: new space paradigm; lightweight; structural design; advanced material
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
AI-Enabled Signal Processing for Space–Air–Ground Integrated Networks
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3593 | Submission Open
Keywords: Space– Air– Ground networks; signal processing; SAGIN
Modeling, Simulation, and Control of Launch Vehicles
edited by Pedro Simplicio, Paul Acquatella and Diego Navarro-Tapia
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 3541 | Submission Open
Keywords: launcher (sub)system modeling and identification (SysID); uncertainty modeling and estimation; wind and aerodynamics estimation; flexibility and sloshing (reduced order) modeling and simulation; multiphysics; multibody; acausal modeling and simulation; applied control synthesis and analysis; control/structure co-design; control/trajectory co-design; control allocation methods; fault-tolerant methods
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Selected Papers from the 11th Edition of the “AEROSPATIAL” Conference (AEROSPATIAL 2024)
edited by , Marilena D. Pavel, , Jochen Wild, Daniela Enciu and Ionuţ Bunescu
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3313 | Submission Open
Keywords: aerospace sciences; aerodynamics; aerospace structures; materials for aeronautics and aerospace; systems and control in aeronautics; aerospace management
Advanced Flow Diagnostic Tools (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 2193 | Submission Open
Keywords: laser-based optical methods; surface flow visualization; transition detection; microfluidics/nanofluidics; combustion flow; multiphase flow; wind tunnel and/or flight tests; heat transfer flow; boundary layer; compressible flow
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
New Concepts in Spacecraft Guidance Navigation and Control
edited by Carmine Giordano, and Iosto Fodde
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1334 | Submission Open
Keywords: spacecraft GNC; miniaturized satellites; autonomous space systems; spacecraft trajectory optimization; deep space navigation; adaptive control systems; artificial intelligence in spacecraft GNC; space distributed systems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Aerodynamics and Aeroacoustics of Unsteady Flow
edited by Teng Zhou, Wangqiao Chen and Jingwen Guo
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 456 | Submission Open
Keywords: computational fluid dynamics; unsteady flow; rotor– rotor interaction; fluid structure interaction; experimental aerodynamics/aeroacoustics; computational aeroacoustics; wing noise; rotor noise
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Operational Requirements for Urban Air Traffic Management
edited by Isabel C. Metz and
submission deadline 30 Apr 2025 | Viewed by 393 | Submission Open
Keywords: air traffic management; airspace integration; CONOPS; operations; urban air traffic management; vertiports
(This special issue belongs to the Section Air Traffic and Transportation)
Advanced Composite Materials in Aerospace
edited by Liu Liu, George Kardomateas and Jinrui Ye
submission deadline 10 May 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 3927 | Submission Open
Keywords: advanced composites; lightweight materials; carbon fiber composites; ceramic matrix composites; aerospace applications; aircraft structures; composite manufacturing; structural analysis; mechanical properties; damage detection; damage tolerance; multifunctional composites; smart materials; multiscale modeling; molecular dynamics simulation; finite element method; discrete element method
Space Mechanisms and Robots
edited by Yan Xu, and
submission deadline 30 May 2025 | 6 articles | Viewed by 6678 | Submission Open
Keywords: space mechanisms; space robots; deployable antennas; inflatable habitats; solar sails; motion planning; multifunctional robots; autonomous robots; tactile feedback control; trustworthy robots; artificial intelligence
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Formation Flight of Fixed-Wing Aircraft submission deadline 30 May 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 622 | Submission Open
Keywords: formation flight; fixed-wing UAV; swarm; drones; unmanned aerial vehicle; guidance; obstacle avoidance; obstacle detection; dynamics; trajectory computation; path planning; simulation; experimental; testing; campaign; fixed-wing aircraft; multi-UAV; multi-aircraft; cooperative; coordination; flocking; multi-agent; distributed sensor; observer; formation flight mission; mission planning; performance; collective conscience; cellular; leader-follower; leader; wingman; formation optimization
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Advances in UAVs: Design Methods, Performance Enhancement Techniques and Technologies submission deadline 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 176 | Submission Open
Keywords: UAVs; design and synthesis; innovative layouts; aerodynamics; optimization; flow control; alternative energy sources; solar energy; flight planning; structures; materials; airworthiness
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Dynamics, Guidance and Control of Aerospace Vehicles
edited by , Wenbin Yu and
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 9643 | Submission Open
Keywords: analytical dynamic models; aerospace vehicle dynamics; trajectory planning; entry guidance; multi-constraint guidance; cooperative guidance; dynamics and control of formation flying; trajectory optimization; optimal control of aerospace vehicles
Green Propellants for In-Space Propulsion
edited by Christoph Kirchberger, Angelo Pasini and Ulrich Gotzig
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6200 | Submission Open
Keywords: rocket propulsion; space propulsion; in-space propulsion; satellite propulsion; lander propulsion; advanced propellants; green propellants; hydrazine replacement; non-toxic fuels; less-toxic fuels; hydrogen peroxide; high-test peroxide; H2O2; nitrous oxide; N2O; water propulsion; catalyst; ionic liquids; energetic ionic liquids; EIL; nitromethane; hypergolic; ammonium dinitramide; ADN; LMP-103S; ASCENT; AF-M315E; hydroxylammonium nitrate; HAN; SHP163; Life Cycle Analysis  (LCA); sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Advances in Thermal Fluid, Dynamics and Control
edited by Yuguang Bai, , Pan Wang and
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 4995 | Submission Open
Keywords: thermal fluid; fluid– structure interaction; structure dynamics; aero-elasticity; advanced engine design and analysis; wind tunnel experiments; dynamic and control
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
New Developments in Aeroacoustics Research: From Fundamentals to Applications
edited by Zamir Koshuriyan and
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4901 | Submission Open
Keywords: aeroacoustics; turbulence modelling; statistical analysis
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Overall Aircraft Design for New Airframe Technologies, New Energy Systems and New Operations
edited by Yaolong Liu, Mingqiang Luo and
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4811 | Submission Open
Keywords: overall aircraft design; aircraft technology integration; EVTOL; MDAO (Multidisciplinary Design Analysis and Optimization); MBSE (Model-Based Systems Engineering); hybrid electric propulsion; laminar flow control; formation flight; trajectory optimization
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Space Robotics and Embodied Intelligence: Advancing Autonomous Exploration
edited by Deshan Meng, and Linqi Ye
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 2624 | Submission Open
Keywords: space robotics; space manipulators; embodied intelligence; innovative design; trajectory optimization; perception and manipulation; intelligent control; human– robot interaction; on-orbit servicing; autonomous exploration
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Integrated Guidance and Control for Aerospace Vehicles
edited by Bin Zhao, Tuo Han, Pengyu Wang and Wei Dong
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1659 | Submission Open
Keywords: integrated guidance and control; guidance and control modelling; constrained guidance and control; field-of-view limit; terminal impact constraint; actuator saturation; intelligent control
Aircraft Thermal Management Technologies
edited by Yongqi Xie and
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 1311 | Submission Open
Keywords: thermal management; thermal transport; environmental control; active/passive cooling; thermoelectric conversion; waste heat recovery; heat exchanger; energy storage; hybrid cooling systems
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Electric Power Systems and Components for All-Electric Aircraft (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 196 | Submission Open
Keywords: all-electric aircraft; power systems; circuit breakers; power cables; motors; batteries; fuel cells; supercapacitors; converters; storage resources; low pressures; arc; arc tracking; partial discharges
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Physical Interaction of Floating-Base Robotics for Advancing Aerospace Technologies
edited by Matteo Fumagalli
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 158 | Submission Open
Keywords: floating-base manipulation; aerial and space robotics; underwater; legged and humanoid robotics methods for aerospace applications; dynamics and control of floating-base systems; robot physical interaction
Anti/De-Icing by Novel Actuators
edited by Xuanshi Meng
submission deadline 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 125 | Submission Open
Keywords: anti-icing; de-icing; actuator; in-flight
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Scientific and Technological Advances in Hydrogen Combustion Aircraft
edited by Paul Palies
submission deadline 15 Jun 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 574 | Submission Open
Keywords: combustion; hydrogen; mixing; turbulence; swirl; premixed; partially premixed; stratified; flame displacement speed; cryogenic; cryogenic distillation; separation; aviation; aircraft; swirler; heat exchanger; injector; combustor; jet engine; fluid mechanics; flame stabilization; acoustics; combustion instability; fuel burn
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Application of Multidisciplinary Optimization and Artificial Intelligence Techniques to Aerospace Engineering (Volume II)
edited by
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 17093 | Submission Open
Keywords: aerospace engineering; multidisciplinary optimization; artificial intelligence; machine learning; data science; UAVs
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
UAV System Modelling Design and Simulation
edited by and Miha Brojan
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 13362 | Submission Open
Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicle; drones; electric propulsion; simulation; numerical modelling
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
On-Board Systems Design for Aerospace Vehicles (2nd Edition) submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 8009 | Submission Open
Keywords: on-board systems design; aerospace systems engineering; systems modelling and simulation; systems verification
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Recent Advances in Flight Testing submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 6556 | Submission Open
Keywords: flight test; civil aircraft; guidance; navigation; control; flight safety; mission planning
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Advances in UAV Technology: Dynamics, Guidance, Navigation, and Control of Transformative Aerial Vehicles
edited by Sergio Esteban, Guilherme V. Raffo, Daniel Neri Cardoso and Marcelo Alves Dos Santos
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 4792 | Submission Open
Keywords: unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); innovative UAV design; UAV dynamics; guidance systems; navigation technologies; control mechanisms; convertible UAVs; bio-inspired UAVs; unmanned underwater and aerial vehicles; eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing); unmanned aircraft system traffic management (UTM); distributed UAV networks; UAV path planning; mathematical modeling in UAVs; UAV applications; localization and mapping
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Aircraft Design and System Optimization
edited by , and Susan Liscouët-Hanke
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 6 articles | Viewed by 4668 | Submission Open
Keywords: aircraft design optimization; aircraft Subsystem optimization; integrated design frameworks; model-based systems engineering (MBSE); advanced optimization algorithms; high-fidelity simulations; surrogate modeling; metaheuristic optimization; uncertainty quantification; multidisciplinary design analysis and optimization; innovative aircraft configurations; environmental sustainability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Artificial Intelligence in Aerospace Propulsion
edited by
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 3 articles | Viewed by 2839 | Submission Open
Keywords: artificial intelligence; machine learning; data-driven; digital twin; chemical propulsion; electric propulsion; rocket engine; plasma propulsion
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Advanced Aircraft Technology (2nd Edition)
edited by Jun Huang
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1853 | Submission Open
Keywords: multidisciplinary design optimization; green energy aircraft; distributed electric propulsion; new-concept aerodynamic configuration; survivability
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Advances in Landing Systems Engineering
edited by and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1834 | Submission Open
Keywords: landing gear systems; mechanical engineering; novel materials; optimization; multiphysics; interdisciplinary; noise; systems engineering; prognostics and health management
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Structural Dynamics Modelling, Aeroelastic Analysis and Experimental Verification Methods for Aircraft Systems
edited by Weizhe Feng, and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 1559 | Submission Open
Keywords: structural dynamic modeling; structural dynamic optimization; aeroelastic stability; aeroservoelastic stability; computational aeroelasticity; ground vibration test; wind tunnel test; data-driven virtual test techniques
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Space System Design
edited by Ed Kruzins and Edwin Peters
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 1000 | Submission Open
Keywords: advanced mission design; spacecraft subsystem innovations; modular and scalable space architectures; AI and ML in space system design; sustainability in space; integration of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Design, Characterization and Operations of Lighter-than-Air Flying Vehicles submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 699 | Submission Open
Keywords: lighter than air; airship; design; UAV; unmanned; sizing; hydrogen; helium; energy harvesting; mission design; MDAO; dynamic modeling; buoyancy; characterization; wind tunnel; testing; simulation; control; guidance; stabilization; electronics; actuators; motors; docking; maneuvers; ground infrastructure; land infrastructure; airship operations; operation research; operation cost; cost of manufacture; production cost; profitability; cost model; air transport economics; air transport system; airspace; case study; experimental campaigns
Intelligent Perception, Decision and Autonomous Control in Aerospace
edited by Jianbin Qiu, Chanying Li and
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | Viewed by 283 | Submission Open
Keywords: intelligent perception; pose estimation; intention recognition; orbit planning; intelligent reasoning; orbital game; attitude/orbit control; mission planning; performance optimization; resource allocation
Development of Novel Orbital Debris Protection Systems
edited by Igor Telichev
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | Viewed by 160 | Submission Open
Keywords: micrometeoroids and orbital debris (MMOD); hypervelocity impact testing and modelling; MMOD protection; shields; bumpers
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Progress in Turbomachinery Technology for Propulsion (2nd Edition)
edited by and Marco Casoni
submission deadline 30 Jun 2025 | Viewed by 155 | Submission Open
Keywords: turbomachinery; gas turbine engines; propulsion system design and integration; hybrid-electric propulsion; inlet distortion; boundary layer ingestion; computational fluid dynamics (CFD); aeroacoustics; supersonic flight; digital twin; advanced manufacturing; urban air mobility; wind tunnel testing
Aerospace Human–Machine and Environmental Control Engineering
edited by and Chen Ding
submission deadline 20 Jul 2025 | 10 articles | Viewed by 11451 | Submission Open
Keywords: aerospace man– machine– environment system engineering; aerospace environmental control; aerospace thermal management and energy utilization; aerospace human– machine– environment efficiency monitoring and evaluation; aerospace human– machine interaction and interface design; aerospace human machine function allocation
Recent Advances in Icing Studies and Energy-Efficient De-Icing/Anti-Icing Technologies
edited by , Wenqiang Zhang, Dongyu Zhu and Ningli Chen
submission deadline 25 Jul 2025 | 1 articles | Viewed by 404 | Submission Open
Keywords: icing; de-icing; anti-icing; SLD; ice crystal; icing physics; icing thermodynamics; phase change; heat/mass transfer; icing wind tunnel; icing detection; CFD
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Aerodynamics, Flight Dynamics and Control of Advanced Air Mobility Vehicles
edited by and Flavio J. Silvestre
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 8 articles | Viewed by 16577 | Submission Open
Keywords: advanced air mobility; multi-disciplinary design; unmanned aircraft systems; urban air mobility; flight dynamics; simulation; control; aerodynamics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Spacecraft Orbit Transfers
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 6 articles | Viewed by 9662 | Submission Open
Keywords: orbit transfers; space propulsion; space trajectory; trajectory optimization; guidance; navigation; and control; interplanetary missions
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Flight Dynamics, Control & Simulation (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 7 articles | Viewed by 8867 | Submission Open
Keywords: flight dynamics; performance analysis; flight simulation; advanced controls; new aircraft concepts; innovation; multidisciplinary optimization; flight mechanics
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Current Trend of High Temperature and Pressure Materials in Hypersonic Vehicles
edited by and
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 4 articles | Viewed by 5734 | Submission Open
Keywords: shock waves; high-temperature material; hypersonic flow; material– environment interaction
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
New Trends in Aviation Development 2024–2025 submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 3340 | Submission Open
Keywords: aeronautics and aerospace technologies; dual-use applications; aircraft design; maintenance and services; certification; UAV/UAS; photogrammetry and GIS; avionics; aeronautical meteorology; aerodynamics; vibroacoustic issues; space systems; sensors; application of superconducting technology in astronautics; numerical modelling; multicriteria decision processes; big data; aeronautics education and training; human factors and performance; reliability; safety and security; risk assessment
(This special issue belongs to the Section Aeronautics)
Laser Propulsion Science and Technology (2nd Edition)
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1947 | Submission Open
Keywords: beamed energy propulsion; debris removal; directed energy propulsion; laser ablation; laser arrays; laser debris removal; laser-electric propulsion; laser launch; laser momentum coupling; laser orbital debris removal; laser propellant; laser propulsion; laser sails; laser thermal coupling; laser thermal propulsion; laser thrusters; lightsails; microwave propulsion
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Thermal Protection System Design of Space Vehicles
edited by
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1527 | Submission Open
Keywords: TPS design and technology for re-entry missions; TPS design and technology for interplanetary missions; high-temperature innovative materials for TPS applications (CMC; ablative … ); reusable launch vehicles (RLSs); TPS modelling techniques
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Asteroid Impact Avoidance
edited by Mingtao Li and Qingbo Gan
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | 2 articles | Viewed by 1327 | Submission Open
Keywords: near-earth asteroids; planetary defense; sky survey; asteroid characterization; orbit deflection; asteroid disruption; orbit determination; risk assessment; hazards evaluation; space debris modeling; mitigation; and remediation
(This special issue belongs to the Section Astronautics & Space Science)
Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods for Aerospace Science and Technology
edited by Juan Miguel Sánchez-Lozano and Eloy Peña-Asensio
submission deadline 31 Jul 2025 | Viewed by 167 | Submission Open
Keywords: decision matrix; prioritization; multi-criteria; fuzzy logic; space mission; planetary exploration; aerospace engineering; space science
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