Abstract: Pneumatically supported towers for low gravity applications are disclosed herein. In one aspect, an inflatable tower for use in vacuum environments can have a membrane configured to support a load when inflated with an inflation gas to a pressures less than 100,000 pascals and greater than 0.01 pascal. The inflation gas can be chosen to have a sufficiently low boiling temperature at the inflation pressure of the membrane that the gas will not condense to a liquid or solid within a defined range of temperatures in which the tower is designed to operate. The membrane can be configured to be packaged for transport in deflated condition and rolled onto cylinders from which the membrane can be later unfurled and inflated as part of the tower inflation process.

Abstract: An assembly for shielding an aircraft from electromagnetic energy may include a window mounting configured to be conductively coupled to an aperture in a fuselage of an aircraft. The window mounting may include a window pane having an electromagnetically-reflective coating for reflecting electromagnetic energy. The window pane may remain electrically isolated from the fuselage prior to the electromagnetic energy exceeding a frequency of approximately 1 GHz. The window mounting may further include a capacitive gasket capacitively coupling the window pane to the fuselage after the frequency of the electromagnetic energy reflected by the window pane exceeds approximately 1 GHz.

Abstract: An assembly for shielding an aircraft from electromagnetic energy may include a window mounting configured to be conductively coupled to an aperture in a fuselage of an aircraft. The window mounting may include a window pane having an electromagnetically-reflective coating for reflecting electromagnetic energy. The window pane may remain electrically isolated from the fuselage prior to the electromagnetic energy exceeding a frequency of approximately 1 GHz. The window mounting may further include a capacitive gasket capcaitively coupling the window pane to the fuselage after the frequency of the electromagnetic energy reflected by the window pane exceeds approximately 1 GHz.

Abstract: A system for shielding an aircraft from electromagnetic energy includes a fuselage, aperture, window mounting, and window plug. The fuselage provides an electrically conductive envelope. The aperture is disposed in the fuselage. The window mounting spans the aperture. The window plug spans the aperture. The window mounting and the window plug are electrically coupled to the fuselage and provide an electrical path spanning the aperture.

Abstract: A system for shielding an aircraft from electromagnetic energy includes a fuselage, aperture, window mounting, and window plug. The fuselage provides an electrically conductive envelope. The aperture is disposed in the fuselage. The window mounting spans the aperture. The window plug spans the aperture. The window mounting and the window plug are electrically coupled to the fuselage and provide an electrical path spanning the aperture.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for increasing useable space within a mobile platform compartment, such as an aircraft lavatory, which is adjacent a predetermined area, such as a passenger doorway area, of the mobile platform. The apparatus generally includes a turntable module rotatably coupled to supporting structure within the mobile platform. The turntable module can be rotated to a first angular position in which the turntable module is substantially within the compartment but outside the predetermined area. The turntable module can also be rotated to a second angular position in which the turntable module is substantially within the predetermined area but outside the compartment. The turntable module supports at least one item, such as a lavatory sink, which is accessible from within the compartment when the turntable module is in the second angular position.