Abstract: An electronically scanned antenna may include a plurality of space-fed, contiguous subarrays arranged in an annular region, each subarray including an inner set of radiating elements facing inwardly, an outer-facing set of radiating elements, and a feed system for illuminating the inner set of radiating elements. A plurality of RF amplifiers are coupled through a commutation switch matrix to selected ones of the subarray feed horn systems to illuminate a desired sector with RF energy.

Abstract: A slot impingement cooler is formed of a plurality of sets of foils in a stacked and registered array. In each set of foils, a first foil has supply slots that direct a flow of coolant, a second foil has a plurality of effective light-trap cavities, a third foil has return slots that return the flow of coolant, and an optional fourth foil has a plurality of effective light-trap cavities. The foils have registered supply manifold openings and registered return manifold openings therethrough.

Abstract: This invention uses a real-time holographic medium to record the amplitude and phase information collected from a moving platform at the aperture plane of a side-looking optical sensor over the collection time. A back-scan mirror is used to compensate platform motion during the synthetic aperture integration time. Phase errors caused by a nonlinear platform motion are compensated by controlling the phase offset between the illumination beam and the reference beam used to write the hologram based on inertial measurements of the flight path and the sensor line-of-sight pointing angles. In the illustrative embodiment, a synthetic aperture ladar (SAL) imaging system is mounted on a mobile platform. The system is adapted to receive a beam of electromagnetic energy; record the intensity and phase pattern carried by the beam; and store the pattern to compensate for motion of the platform relative to an external reference. In the illustrative embodiment, the image is stored as a holographic image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting gamma-rays is provided, wherein the gamma-ray detector apparatus includes a plurality of detector elements arranged in a stacked configuration. Each of the plurality of detector elements may include, a detector wafer having at least one anode separated from a cathode via a wafer material, wherein the wafer material includes a wafer material thickness d, and a wafer interface, wherein the wafer interface is electrically connected to the at least one anode.

Abstract: A method for calibrating a sensor in a vehicle, such as a space capsule or other space borne apparatus, uses an expandable integrating sphere. A sensor in the vehicle measures the energy from an electromagnetic energy source within the integrating sphere through a calibration window. The expandable fluid impermeable integrating sphere expands when filled with a fluid, such that when filled with the fluid, its interior is viewable through the calibration window. The system includes a source of fluid to fill the integrating sphere and a fluid regulator coupled to the vehicle to determine when to supply the fluid to the integrating sphere to maintain an appropriate gas pressure level with the integrating sphere.

Abstract: A system for setting the bias of a device. The novel bias setting system includes a first system for determining a ratio between noise at an operating gain of the device and noise at a reference gain of the device, and a second system for adjusting the bias until that ratio is equal to a predetermined factor Z. The reference gain is the unity gain or reach-through gain of the device. In an illustrative embodiment, the first system is adapted to measure the noise at operating gain by determining an operating gain threshold, and measure the noise at the reference gain by determining a reference gain threshold. The second system then adjusts the bias until the ratio of the operating gain threshold to the reference gain threshold is equal to the predetermined factor Z.

Abstract: A system and method for vacuum bag assembly fabrication via the vacuum bag method which reduces the amount of trapped air. The inventive system includes a chamber adapted to contain a vacuum bag and first and second evacuating mechanisms. The first evacuating mechanism serves to evacuate the bag and vent to atmosphere. The second evacuating mechanism serves to evacuate and vent the chamber to atmosphere. Thus, generally, the inventive method includes the steps of placing a vacuum bag lay up in an air tight chamber; and evacuating the vacuum bag lay up and the air tight chamber at the same time. In practice, the assembly would consist of at least two components and a heat curable composition. The components can be parts to be bonded together or layers of cloth to be made into a laminate. In this case, the heat curable composition would be a catalyzed adhesive or resin.

Abstract: A dynamic weight generator. The inventive generator includes a first memory for storing a PN code; a second memory for storing a plurality of weights, the second memory being coupled to the first memory whereby data output by the first memory is used to address data stored in the second memory; and a correlator for multiplying an input signal by data output by the second memory. In the illustrative embodiment, the weights are finite impulse response filter correlation coefficients. The correlator includes two multipliers. The first of the multipliers is coupled to a source of an in-phase component of the input signal. The second of the multipliers is coupled to a source of a quadrature component of the input signal. The outputs of the multipliers are summed. In the illustrative application, the input signal is a GPS signal. For this application, the inventive teachings are implemented in a signal processing system adapted to receive a GPS signal and provide in-phase and quadrature signals in response thereto.

Abstract: A true-time-delay feed network for a continuous transverse stub antenna array includes a plurality of feed levels, each comprising one or more rails, the feed levels arranged in a spaced configuration. An open parallel plate region is defined between adjacent ones of the feed levels. The rails of the plurality of feed levels are arranged to form a power divider network unencumbered with septums or wall portions protruding into the open region.

Abstract: A multi-telescope imaging system includes a first telescope and a second telescope, each telescope having an input line of sight, a ray path that is incident upon a focal surface imaging location at a non-normal angle of incidence, and a shutter lying on the ray path. A single common sensor lies at the focal surface imaging location, such that the first-telescope ray path and the second-telescope ray path are alternatingly incident upon the same focal surface imaging location of the sensor. A shutter controller alternatingly opens and closes the two shutters, so that the sensor alternatingly views the scenes imaged by the two telescopes.

Abstract: A compact multilayer signal processing system. In the illustrative embodiment, the system is adapted for use with microwave signals. The system includes a first mechanism for receiving an input signal and selectively routing the input signal onto a first signal path. A second mechanism routes the input signal along the first signal path vertically through one or more layers to a first circuit component. The first circuit component outputs an adjusted signal in response to receipt of the input signal. A third mechanism directs the adjusted signal to the output of the system. In a specific embodiment, the one or more layers include one or more groundplane layers. In this embodiment, the first mechanism includes an input switching network in communication with a controller. The switching network is positioned on a switching layer and communicates with one or more controllers to facilitate selectively switching the input signal onto one of plural input signal paths.

Abstract: A phase shifter comprises a substrate, a ground plane formed on a first surface of the substrate, a support structure positioned on a second surface of the substrate opposite the first surface, three parallel, non-co-planar microstrip lines supported by the support structure above the second surface of the substrate, a ferrite element supported by the support structure between the second surface of the substrate and the three non-co-planar microstrip lines, and means for applying a magnetic field to the ferrite element.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods and apparatus for implementing a true-time-delay wideband digital beamformer. In true-time-delay wideband digital beamformers of the present invention, improved control over beam properties formed by the combination of the beamformer and a multi-element antenna coupled to the beamformer is achieved through finer control of delays imparted to data signals. In beamformers of the present invention, data is delayed using a coarse control that provides a delay in whole increments of a clock cycle of a digital clock reference and a fine control that provides a delay corresponding to a fraction of a whole clock cycle of the digital clock reference. In the true time delay method of the present invention, transmission and reception across a wide frequency band is accommodated. In the true time delay method of the present invention, multiple simultaneous beams are formed independently, beam-to-beam, across a wide frequency band.

Abstract: An optical cable backshell connector for an optical cable having a plurality of optical fibers and a protective jacket. The novel backshell connector includes a backshell housing secured to the protective jacket and a mechanism disposed within the housing for converting optical signals from the optical fibers into electrical signals. In an illustrative embodiment, the backshell includes a plurality of receiver subassemblies, each receiver subassembly adapted to receive an optical signal from one of the optical fibers and convert the optical signal to an electrical signal. The backshell also includes an electrical output connector adapted to output the electrical signals to an electronics module. In a preferred embodiment, each receiver subassembly includes a photodiode and a matching circuit integrated into a single package. An optical ferrule is attached to each fiber for coupling the fiber to the receiver subassembly.

Abstract: A position estimation system including a first arrangement for providing an image with a known target in a known reference frame. A second arrangement correlates the image with a stored image. The correlation is used to compute an error with respect to a position estimate. In a specific embodiment, the error is referenced with respect to first (x), second (y) and third (z) directions. A target location error is computed with respect to a stored image provided by a target image catalog. The target image catalog includes target geo-locations and digital terrain elevation data. In an illustrative application, the image data is provided by synthetic aperture radar and forward-looking infrared systems. An observation model and a measure noise matrix are Kalman filtered to ascertain a position error in navigation data generated by an integrated inertial navigation and Global Positioning system.

Abstract: A high extraction efficiency laser system. The novel laser system includes a master oscillator for providing a laser beam, an amplifier adapted to amplify the laser beam, and an aberrator for aberrating the laser beam to prevent the formation of caustic intensity patterns within the amplifier. In an illustrative embodiment, the laser system also includes a depolarizer disposed between the master oscillator and the amplifier to reduce the contrast of speckle intensity patterns in the amplifier, and a mechanism adapted to rotate or otherwise move the aberrator to time-vary the aberrations in the beam in order to increase the spatial homogenization of saturation and extraction patterns in the amplifier. In a preferred embodiment, the coherence length of the beam is also shortened to reduce interference fringes in the amplifier.

Abstract: An ultra-low heat laser that does not rely on florescence cooling. Generally, the inventive laser includes a pump source operable at a pump frequency and a gain medium disposed to receive energy from the source and lase at a frequency close to the pump frequency. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser is a solid state laser having a gain medium which is resonantly pumped to lase at a frequency within 5% of the pump frequency. However, in the best mode and in accordance with the present teachings, the gain medium lases at a frequency within 1% of the pump frequency. In the illustrative embodiment, the laser gain medium ion has a rich Stark energy level structure and the laser active gain medium has oscillator strengths at transitions wavelengths that allow an ultra-low quantum defect operation. The pump source has a wavelength output centered to correspond to a predetermined pump band and an emission band subtended by an absorption bandwidth thereof.

Abstract: A system for scanning an antenna array of the present invention. The system includes a first mechanism for modulating a desired signal on an optical carrier signal. The first mechanism includes a frequency-tunable optical oscillator with a phase shifter for changing an output frequency of the optical oscillator. A second mechanism employs the optical carrier signal to derive signals having predetermined phase relationships. A third mechanism receives the feed signals and radiates corresponding transmit signals in response thereto to the antenna array to steer the array. In more specific embodiment, the desired signal is a Radio Frequency (RF) signal, and the phase shifter is an electrically controlled optical RF phase shifter. The optical carrier signal includes a first optical carrier signal and a second optical carrier signal.

Abstract: A two-channel spectrometer has a shared objective and a pair of slits at a common image plane. Each of the slits receives a portion of the output beam of the shared objective and is optimized for transmitting different wavelengths. A shared double-pass reflective triplet receives the output beams of the slits. The output of the reflective triplet is incident upon a beamsplitter, which sends a collimated first reflective triplet output of a first wavelength to a first dispersive element, and a collimated second reflective triplet output of a second wavelength to a second dispersive element. The outputs of the dispersive elements are directed back to the beamsplitter and the reflective triplet to imaging detectors located at two different locations of the common image plane.

Abstract: A mapping application relies on a modified affine transformation algorithm to provide near real-time navigation of imagery, track-up capability and integration of segment and picture data. The affine transformation is modified to map a “world space” comprised of a plurality of pixel maps onto a view port. The pixel data for the maps is preferably stored in vertical strips of memory to reduce the likelihood of cache misses. The mapping application is most useful for rendering pixel imagery on a platform with limited processing power, limited memory and small display sizes, e.g., “hand held devices” such as a GPS handset, or Pocket PC.