Abstract: A method of finding a vertical velocity of a vehicle by first forming two cost functions from three pulse return times. An independently determined approximate vertical velocity and a Fletcher-Powell estimation technique are used on the first cost function, to select a minimum velocity of the first cost function. The selected minimum velocity, two calculated velocities from the selected minimum velocity, and a Fletcher-Powell estimation technique are used on the second cost function, to select a minimum velocity of the second cost function. The selected minimum velocity of the second cost function is taken as the vertical velocity of the vehicle.

Abstract: A magnetically shielded circuit board having a conductive solenoid to repel high speed charged particles away from an integrated circuit chip. The conductive solenoid is embedded in the circuit board, or located around the circuit board, or located within an integrated circuit package, the integrated circuit package have been connected to the circuit board. The conductive solenoid is used for conducting an electrical current, the electrical current forming a magnetic field. The magnetic field will repel high speed charged particles away from the integrated circuit chip, the integrated circuit chip being within the integrated circuit package. The circuit board can be used in a space vehicle.

Abstract: A method for removing soldering flux residue from a substrate, such as soldering flux residue formed around solder joints between a chip package and a circuit board, the method including steps of placing the joined circuit board and chip package in isopropyl alcohol to solvate the soldering flux residue, agitating the isopropyl alcohol to break up the soldering flux residue, removing the joined circuit board and chip package from the isopropyl alcohol, drying broken soldering flux residue that is on the joined circuit board and chip package, and spraying the soldering flux residue, that is on the joined circuit board and chip package, with an aqueous cleaner that contains an alkaline compound, to remove broken soldering flux residue that is around the solder joints.

Abstract: An unbalanced force sensing apparatus for sensing an unbalanced force produced due to rotation of a cylindrical rotor, the apparatus including a shaft having gas passageways to convey a first gas against the inner surface of the rotor to support the rotor away from the shaft, a second gas for flowing over the outer surface of the rotor to rotate the rotor, and a force sensing means for sensing an unbalanced produced due to rotation of the rotor around the shaft.

Abstract: An electrically writeable, optically readable, ferroelectric memory cell for nonvolatilely storing a single bit. The memory cell has an optically polarizeable translucent ferroelectric layer located between first and second translucent metal layers. The metal layers are used to electrically write an optical polarization state into the translucent ferroelectric layer. A translucent insulator layer, wire grid polarizer, a second translucent insulator layer and light sensing diode region are, in turn, attached to the second translucent metal layer. A polarized light beam, from a light source, is shone onto the first translucent metal layer, in order to optically read out the optical polarization state of the translucent ferroelectric layer of the memory cell. Alternately, two such memory cells can be used together in order to store a single bit.

Abstract: A radiation hardened timer that keeps accurate time before, during and after passage through a radiation-containing environment, the radiation hardened timer having a first oscillator that is stable in a radiation-free environment, a second oscillator that is stable in a radiation-containing environment, and digital circuitry that interfaces the two oscillators.

Abstract: An antenna receiving system having an array of dual sense antenna elements for receiving both right hand and left hand circular polarized radiation from each of one or more targets, a right hand and a left hand polarized radiation attenuator and a right hand and a left hand polarized radiation phase shifter connected to each antenna element, a direction finding computer for controlling the attenuators and phase shifters connected to each antenna element and for processing outputs from selected pairs of phase shifters in order to find a direction to each of the one or more targets, and a beam forming computer for control the attenuators and phase shifters in order to select a cluster of antenna elements for each of one or more targets, each cluster for receiving data from a target.

Abstract: A method for producing an interferogram of an infrared translucent layer that is on a reflective substrate, comprising generating parallel infrared interferometer beams by means of an infrared interferometer, converging the parallel infrared interferometer beams into converging infrared interferometer beams, sending the converging infrared interferometer beams onto the infrared translucent layer to produce diffusely reflected infrared interferometer rays from above and below the infrared translucent layer, and making the diffusely reflected infrared interferometer rays into parallel reflected infrared interferometer rays.

Abstract: A combination of a carrier and cylindrical resistors, the carrier having a base that has a plurality of holding regions, two parallel rails for supporting a resistor in each holding region, each parallel rail having a non-ramped bottom surface, a ramped side surface and an arced surface between the non-ramped bottom surface and the ramped side surface, the two parallel rails being inward of two flexible tangs in each holding region, each of the two flexible tangs having an arm positioned for pushing on each of two wire conductors of each cylindrical resistor, to cause a body of each cylindrical resistor to be pushed against the arched surfaces of the parallel rails.

Abstract: A method of injecting a missile, having a solid fuel motor, into a satellite orbit. The method includes determining an along-track displacement and cross-track displacement with respect to the satellite orbit. The method also includes determining a velocity-to-be-gained for the satellite orbit, with respect to the current missile velocity. Along-track and cross-track wasting of the solid fuel motor are used to reach the satellite orbit, at the proper velocity for the satellite orbit, when the solid fuel motor burns out.

Abstract: A passive position fix system for a vehicle in which a gyro first provides a first gyro position of the vehicle, a map storage means which receives the first gyro position and in response thereto provides map-sets containing a set of gravity gradients and a gravity anomaly associated with geographic positions in the vacinity of the first gyro position, a gravity sensor for providing a GSS-set comprising a sensed set of gravity gradients values and a gravity anomaly at the position of the vehicle, a comparing means for sequentially receiving the map-sets so as to determine when there is a match between the GSS-set and a map-set and providing a displacement vector, and a processor for placing a second gyro position in the gyro based on the first gyro position and the displacement vector.

Abstract: A removable pin stabilizer for stabilizing carrier pins of an integrated circuit chip carrier before and during placement of the pins into sockets of a circuit board. The removable pin stabilizer includes a non-dissolvable plate, the non-dissolvable plate having parallel dissolvable sections traversing the plate, the parallel dissolvable sections being through the plate and having holes through the plate for receiving the carrier pins, the holes encompassing the parallel dissolvable sections, wherein the parallel dissolvable sections can be dissolved by a solvent after the chip carrier is mounted and positioned correctly to the circuit board. The resultant additional space created by such removal will allow an increased flow of air between the integrated circuit chip carrier and the circuit board.

Abstract: A radiation-hardened cable which has a central conductor and a first trap-electron reducer surrounding the central conductor. The first trapped electron reducer is an aluminum layer on a dielectric film whereby the aluminum layer is in electrical contact with the central conductor. A dielectric insulator surrounds the first trapped-electron reducer and a second trapped-electron reducer surrounds the dielectric insulator. The second trapped-electron reducer is an aluminum layer on a dielectric film which is in electrical contact with the dielectric insulator. A metal shield surrounds the second trapped-electron reducer and is in electrical contact with the aluminum layer of the second trapped-electron reducer.

Abstract: Apparatus that controls its cable on its cable take-up drum, the apparatus ncluding pressure rollers supported by flexible spring steel members, a flexible spring steel member around each end of the cable take-up drum, two ends of each flexible member being pulled together by a pair of adjustable links, the pressure rollers applying pressure on the cable as the cable is being wound on to or off of the cable take-up drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for holding a space vehicle at a constant temperature including llular sandwich on the outer surface of the space vehicle, the cellular sandwich having two outer layers and translucent cells between the two outer layers, the translucent cells containing phase change material, the outer layer that is more distant from the space vehicle able to transmit sunlight to the translucent cells and able to transmit radiation away from the translucent cells, the phase change material absorbing sunlight and radiating energy to maintain the space vehicle at a constant temperature in sunlight and darkness.

Abstract: A maneuver for minimizing perturbations on a released re-entry body due to ases exhausted from the nozzles of the post-boost control system in which after release of the re-entry body from a position compatible accomplishing with the maneuver, a flip turn is initiated in a near-nozzle-off configuration. The turn is preferably executed in a direction to the side of the direction of the velocity gain required for the platform to reach the next release location. The flip turn is stopped at a lateral escape angle, preferably after turning through an angle of 90 degrees or greater, by initiating an oppositely directed body-axis turn. After being accelerated for a lateral escape time, the platform is oriented in the direction of the required gain in velocity to reach the next release location and coarse thrust is activated. Prior to arrival at the release location, a body-axis turn is accomplished to orient the platform in the proper position for the next release event.

Abstract: A method for reliably locating the position of a submerged submarine with spect to a surface ship. A multiple number of transponders are placed at known locations near the sea floor, in the area of the ship and the submarine. One transponder has a dual function both as a response transponder and as a relay transponder. The other transponders have a single function as response transponders. Elapsed times between transmission of a first acoustic transmission pulse from the ship and receptions of first acoustic response pulses coming from the transponders, are measured at the ship. Elapsed times between transmission of a second acoustic pulse from the ship, its relay through the relay transponder, a response to the relayed signal by the submarine and then responses to the submarine's response pulse by the transponders, are also measured at the ship. These elapsed times are used to determine distances between the ship and the transponders, and distances between the transponders and the submarine.

Abstract: A backup navigation system that is failure resistant. The backup navigation ystem has a multiple member of navigation subsystems. The backup navigation system has the same multiple number of computers. Each computer has the same multiple number of computer processors. Each navigation subsystem is connected to only one computer processor of each computer. Each computer selects data from one of its computer processors in preference to data from any other of its computer processors. Each computer provides a navigation output. Each navigation output is sent into a control navigation computer. One of these navigation outputs is selected by the control navigation computer. A navigation output from one of the computers can also be selectively sent into a navigation interface buffer.

Abstract: A method of automatically determining attitude of a moving vehicle. Acceltion of the moving vehicle is measured with gyro stabilized accelerometers. The measurement is converted to a motion related vector in a first frame of reference. The coordinates are read into a computer. The cosine value and the sine value for an Euler rotation of the first frame of reference are read into the computer. The computer produces coordinates of the vector in a rotated frame of reference. The above two steps are repeated a number of times to arrive at a final frame of reference. The attitude of the vehicle is provided with respect to a final frame of reference with the aid of final produced coordinates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for calibrating translation equons of a gyro navigator of a submarine. A value of velocity and a value of position of the submarine are produced by using values of acceleration sensed by accelerometers in the navigation gyro. The value of velocity and position are produced with the aid of the translation equations. This value of velocity and value of position are compared with a value of velocity and a value position as produced by a more accurate and independent source. A comparison is made with the aid of Kalman filter. Any difference obtained during a comparison is used in order to calibrate the translation equations of the gyro navigator.