Abstract: A reusable spacecraft system having two substantially identically reusable return flight space vehicles, one of which is preferably a booster and the other an orbiter, each of which have identical flight control and propulsion systems and have identical but selectably installable components, such as thermal protection disposed on the orbiter but not on the booster. Each vehicle further includes identical payload bays for receiving mission specific payloads, that may be for example, a propellant tankage payload for the booster and a manned mission payload for the orbiter. The use of identical booster and orbiter vehicles reduces costs of development, production and reusable missions.

Abstract: Unambiguous carrier phase estimation for frequency hop signals of a frequency hopping Gaussian minimum shift keying (GMSK) communication system using coherent demodulation is enabled by channel zeroing bits and channel guard bits positioned between each pair a preceding data portion and a succeeding synch word, functioning as cumulative data phase zero forcing bits that force the accumulative data phase to zero at the end of the synch word for determining the carrier phase for subsequent data demodulation so that each synch word may be arbitrarily placed within a hop of the hopping signal having an unknown carrier phase for improved interference immunity.

Abstract: A process for forming a nanocrystal nanostructure is repeated for growing the nanostructure disposed on an electron beam resist layer that is disposed on a substrate for forming an electron beam shadowmask from the nanostructure on the electron beam resist layer prior to electron beam exposure for patterning the electron beam resist layer in advance of subsequent processing steps. The nanocrystals are semiconductor materials and metals such as silver. The nanostructure enable the creation of ultra-fine nanometer sized electron beam patterned structures for use in the manufacture of submicron devices such as submicron-sized semiconductors and microelectromechanical devices.

Abstract: An address element, including a polysilicon resistor functioning as a heating element and blocking diode preventing sneak current to unaddressed elements, is selectively addressed using row and column address lines in a thin film structure having a minimum number of address lines and a minimum number of layers. The resistor heater element is well suited for igniting a fuel cell such as a fuel cell in an array of fuel cells disposed in a thin film microthruster.

Abstract: A maximum power tracker maximizes the power deliverable from a power source, such as a solar array using increasing, decreasing and maintaining states controlled by a set point signal modulated by a dither signal for stabilized regular power tracking during under demand conditions and maximum power tracking during periods with over demand conditions of a load. For multiple power sources, respective multiple sets of parallel-connected converters and respectively maximum power trackers can be coupled in parallel using shared bus and control signals for fault tolerant equalized power conversion among the parallel-connected converters.

Abstract: An optical scanning inspection method projects a contrasting patterned image onto a specular mirror-like surface reflecting the contrasting patterned image to a camera that traverses through a range while scanning and recording the reflection that reveals defects and flaws on the specular surface. The defects cause distortion of the reflected pattern to enhance recognition and recording of the defects and flaws. The method is well suited for inspecting large solar cell arrays at a standoff distance.

Abstract: A generalized quadrature product subcarrier modulation system applies subcarrier modulation to quadrature modulated signals with constant envelope modulation suitable for efficient sinewave and squarewave subcarrier modulations. The quadrature subcarrier modulation enables the addition of new signals to the in-phase and quadrature phase signals with spectral isolation while maintaining a constant amplitude waveform.

Abstract: A predistortion method uses an extended Saleh model for linearizing the output of nonlinear high power amplifiers having inherent amplitude modulation to amplitude modulation distortion, and inherent amplitude modulation to phase modulation distortion, during conversions of an input signal to an output signal. A complex baseband linearizer provides predistortion at baseband for reducing spectral regrowth and improves bit error performance. The predistortion effects are matched to the amplifier distortions to cancel out the distortions to provide linearized conversions. The extended Saleh model provides a general solution using selected coefficients matched to distortion effects of a particular amplifier.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) switch is manufactured by independent processing and subsequent bonding together of a MEMS substrate in alignment with an RF substrate. The RF MEMS switch is designed so as to encapsulate a flexing diaphragm supporting a switch electrode used with electrostatic flexing potentials to move electrodes of the MEMS substrate up and down over an RF transmission line structure of the RF substrate. The bonded combined MEMS switch structure is used to create an encapsulated RF MEMS switch suitable for direct coupling, AC coupling, and direct modulation of RF signals. The resulting MEMS RF switch device provides a reliable, minimally distorting RF transmission line geometry, free of contamination for use in high speed RF signal switching applications well suited for advance communication RF switching requirements.

Abstract: A glass transition temperature Tg measurement system includes a probe point penetrating into a sample under test that has been heated by a heater to a temperature where the sample undergoes a phase change from a solid to a semisolid. A thermocouple is used to measure the temperature while a motion transducer is used to measure the amount of penetration. The penetration amount sharply increases at the glass transition temperature. A portable unit can be used in the field to test the Tg properties of various composite materials used, for example, in structures including buildings and bridges.

Abstract: A GMSK timing recovery loop in a receiver of a Gaussian Minimum Shift Keying (GMSK) link with a low channel Bit Signal-to-Noise Ratio (BSNR) and a small bandwidth-bit period BT product in a high bandwidth efficiency channel, includes a hard limiter for converting at baseband a GMSK demodulated received signal into a hard clocking signal clocking a conventional digital tracking transition loop generating the bit timing signal in closed loop control for stable time tracking performance for coherent demodulation of GMSK signals. The hard limiter provides the hard clocking signal at baseband having transitions at multiple bit periods adjusted by the bit timing error signal from the digital tracking transition loop for providing reduced jitter of the bit timing signal for accurate timing recovery and detection of communicated data.

Abstract: A tire pressure monitoring system includes plurality of sensor modules having respective motion switches and pressure sensors respectively attached to the tires of a vehicle. The sensor modules communicate, by RF broadcast transmission, tire pressure messages at staggered times so that the transmitted messages to a passenger compartment monitor do not interfere with each other for improve reliable reception of the messages.

Abstract: A clear thermal emissive coating, such as clear polyimide, is deposited directly upon a thin film solar cell forming a flexible thin film solar cell. The thin film solar cell can be deposited on another thermal emissive coating used as a substrate during thin film solar cell semiconductor processing so that resulting flexible thin film solar cell can be illuminated on the top side and eject heat from both sides suitable for forming a solar cell array over a curved surface such as a power sphere nanosatellite with thermal regulation.

Abstract: The method addresses and interrogates addressable cells having at least one element including a polysilicon resistor functioning as a heating element and blocking diode preventing sneak current to un addressed elements, for selectively addressing one of the cells using row and column address line in a thin film structure having a minimum number of address lines and a minimum number of layers. The resistor heating element can be used for igniting a respective fuel cell in an array of fuel cells disposed in a thin film microthruster. After ignition, the address lines are used to interrogate the cell location for verification of fuel cell ignition well suited for monitoring fuel burns and usage of the microthruster.

Abstract: A heater preferably having a plurality of equally spaced heating elements, such as heating lamps, provides a uniform heat radiation pattern for quickly and uniformly heating a large surface area using motor controlled wheels for translating the heater at a constant rate of speed across the surface of a structure in a desired pattern. The heater having a handle for operator manipulation for guiding and turning the heater in the desired pattern. The heater, having a wide lateral distance for radiating a wide uniform radiation pattern is suitable for thermographic application for imaging the heated surface and detecting subsurface defects in the structure, such as composite overwrapped concrete bridge and building structures subject where debonding of the composite/concrete interface is a concern.

Abstract: A power distribution system delivers power onto a regulated bus to a load from a plurality of individual indivisible DC power source devices and or DC energy storage devices each having a respective regulator for coupling the devices onto the bus. Respective storage device chargers for the DC energy storage devices enable charging of the DC energy storage devices when the DC power source devices provide power in excess of the demands of the load. The respective regulators and chargers continue to provide sufficient coupled power onto the bus even in the event of a failure of one or more of the devices thereby enabling graceful degradation of power delivery to the load for improved reliably of the power delivery.

Abstract: A pulse measurement method is applied to test devices such as high power FET transistors for measuring DC device parameters as well as for measuring S parameters during AC testing. The method uses an input gate bias tee for applying an accurately shaped pulsed input, a sensing bias tee for sensing terminal voltages, such as drain voltages for an FET, and a drive bias tee for coupling in a feedback signal provided by an active feedback circuit receiving AC coupled input error signal of the DC terminal voltage and for providing a drive signal as an error signal so as to maintain the applied DC test voltages at stable levels for improved accuracy.

Abstract: A maximum power tracker maximizes the power deliverable from a power source, such as a solar array using increasing, decreasing and maintaining states controlled by a set point signal modulated by a dither signal for stabilized regular power tracking during under demand conditions and maximum power tracking during periods with over demand conditions of a load. Multiple converters and respectively maximum power trackers can be coupled in parallel using shared bus control signal for fault tolerant equalized power conversion through the converters.

Abstract: An electrical conductive strap having two conductive wires is used to communicate power and signals to batteries and electronic devices attached to the strap using conductive snaps. The strap is embedded in clothing for attaching personal wearable electronic devices to the clothing are comfortable to wear as common articles of clothing such as blouses, pants, and belts. The strap is made of woven materials such as conductive webbings, which is incorporated durable electrical conductors directly into the conductive for closely integrating digital electronics with conventional clothing.

Abstract: A convolutional despreading method takes advantage of the algebraic structure of the spreading code and applies convolutional type decoding to received signal chip symbols to rapidly estimate code phase, preferably used for rapid acquisition of direct sequence spread spectrum signals. Modeled reduced-state structures having branchword transitions are used to reduce metric computations. The reduced state structures and algebraic structures provide additive constraints for modifying convolutional sequential metric searching for improved speed of code phase determination. The convolution despreading method preferably uses a modified convolutional sequential search algorithm, such as, a modified Fano Tree convolutional sequential search, or, a modified Viterbi trellis convolutional sequential search. The method can also directly determine a modulated data stream, when present, to provide demodulated data without necessarily performing conventional cross correlation despreading.