Abstract: A pistol with buffer has a frame defining an upper horizontal slide plane, having a forward muzzle end, and defining a receptacle, a slide rail module removably received in a rear portion of the frame receptacle and having a front face, a cross pin engaging the slide rail module to the frame, a buffer received in the frame receptacle and having a rear face abutting the front face of the slide rail module, and a retention portion of the slide rail module configured to contact the buffer to prevent extraction of the buffer when the slide rail module is received in the frame receptacle. The retention portion may be positioned above a selected portion of the buffer to prevent removal of the buffer from the frame when the slide rail module is engaged to the frame by the cross pin. The slide rail module may define a vertical front surface.

Abstract: A rocket engine comprising a rotating detonation rocket engine and three propellants. The propellants comprise of at least one of an oxidizer and at least one fuel. A third propellant, a fuel, oxidizer or inert fluid, may be injected to control the detonation characteristics. The rocket engine may further include wan additional rocket engine wherein a pump provides pressure for multiple engines. The rocket engine may further include multiple turbopump shafts for independent control of the propellants.

Abstract: A rocket engine system having a heating system configured to heat an oxidizer; a combustion section having a flow path from an upstream inlet section through a restricted throat section to a downstream outlet section, the combustion section configured to accelerate the heated oxidizer as an oxidizer stream within the flow path in response to flow dynamics to supersonic speed; and a fuel system configured to introduce a fuel into the flow path to mix supersonically with the heated oxidizer to define a combined fuel and oxidizer stream at a first supersonic speed. The combined fuel and oxidizer stream undergoes a deflagration to denotation transition in the combustion section defined by an oblique shock wave and a normal shock wave that interact to achieve a standing detonation wave generally at an upstream portion of the restricted throat section configured such that combustion exits the downstream outlet section to provide thrust.

Abstract: A rocket engine system including a thrust chamber including walls that define an interior surface and a combustion section which is fluidically coupled to an output section. A coolant source containing a coolant. A means of heating the coolant. At least one port configured to apply the coolant to the interior surface to achieve a film cooling of the interior surface and wherein the coolant source is fluidically coupled to the means of heating and the at least one port.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for forming a catalyst bed for catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, which uses 3-D printing techniques to form a porous metal backbone and treating the surface of the metal backbone to activate the surface, wherein the metal backbone is formed of a noble metal or a manganese complex. Also disclosed is a rocket engine having a 3D printed catalyst for catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, a fuel store, an oxidizer store, and a rocket engine, wherein the oxidizer is a stabilized solution of hydrogen peroxide, and a 3D printed catalyst bed.

Abstract: A pistol with buffer has a frame defining an upper horizontal slide plane, having a forward muzzle end, and defining a receptacle, a slide rail module removably received in a rear portion of the frame receptacle and having a front face, a cross pin engaging the slide rail module to the frame, a buffer received in the frame receptacle and having a rear face abutting the front face of the slide rail module, and a retention portion of the slide rail module configured to contact the buffer to prevent extraction of the buffer when the slide rail module is received in the frame receptacle. The retention portion may be positioned above a selected portion of the buffer to prevent removal of the buffer from the frame when the slide rail module is engaged to the frame by the cross pin. The slide rail module may define a vertical front surface.

Abstract: A rocket configured to employ superheated water as a propellant, includes a photon reactor including a photon generator configured to generate UV light to superheat water.

Abstract: A rocket engine system including a coolant source containing a coolant fuel. The coolant source for providing the coolant fuel to a first surface of a wall partially defining a combustion chamber of a rocket engine, and the coolant fuel provides film cooling of the first surface of the wall. An oxidizer source for providing an oxidizer to a second surface of the wall. A monitor configured to control flow of the coolant fuel and the oxidizer, and to ensure that a stoichiometry of a combination of the coolant fuel and the oxidizer, after the coolant fuel has completed the film cooling of the first surface of the wall, is appropriate for generating a combustion of the combination of the coolant fuel and the oxidizer.

Abstract: A pistol with buffer has a frame defining an upper horizontal slide plane, having a forward muzzle end, and defining a receptacle, a slide rail module removably received in a rear portion of the frame receptacle and having a front face, a cross pin engaging the slide rail module to the frame, a buffer received in the frame receptacle and having a rear face abutting the front face of the slide rail module, and a retention portion of the slide rail module configured to contact the buffer to prevent extraction of the buffer when the slide rail module is received in the frame receptacle. The retention portion may be positioned above a selected portion of the buffer to prevent removal of the buffer from the frame when the slide rail module is engaged to the frame by the cross pin. The slide rail module may define a vertical front surface.

Abstract: An improved rocket engine system including a rotating detonation rocket engine, and three propellants. The propellants consist of at least one oxidizer and at least one fuel. A third propellant, a fuel or oxidizer or inert fluid, is injected to control the detonation characteristics. The improved rocket engine system may further include at least one additional rocket engine (pump provides pressure for multiple engines). The improved rocket engine system may further include multiple turbopump shafts for independent control of the propellants.

Abstract: A method of performing analog to digital conversation of an analog signal Vin(t), the method including the steps of: utilizing both of the complementary arms of an electro-optic modulator to recover the analog input signal Vin(t), while using only one time-stretch element and one ?-demultiplexer after the electro-optic modulator. The single time-stretch element and one ?-demultiplexer serve to stretch and demultiplex the signals from both of the complementary output arms of the electro-optic modulator thereby improving and simplifying post-processing algorithms used to correct for static distortions and nonlinearities that originate from imperfect photonic hardware. Double-balanced photoreceivers are preferably coupled to outputs of the single ?-demultiplexer. The single time-stretch element is preferably implemented by a chirped fiber grating. Apparatus for carrying out the method is described.

Abstract: An improved, temperature-compensated piezoelectric force motor features greater dynamic range and robustness as compared to previous motor designs. By implementing positive and negative expanding elements, the overall motor length is held constant over temperature. A central stretching member removes the PZT element from the load path of the motor when the motor is relaxed, thereby preventing damage to the element during assembly and deployment. When the piezoelectric element is powered, the central structural member also improves the failure strength of the assembly to further increase the robustness of the motor design. The invention finds applicability in various commercial products including, but not limited to, scientific etalons, nanopositioning systems, custom fiber optic assemblies, and custom CCD detectors.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an x-ray target by positioning an x-ray target having an alloy surface and a graphite surface in a sputtering chamber is disclosed. The x-ray target is then coated over the graphite surface with non-hydrogenated amorphous carbon.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an x-ray target by positioning an x-ray target having an alloy surface and a graphite surface in a sputtering chamber. The x-ray target is then coated over the graphite surface with non-hydrogenated amorphous carbon.

Abstract: A Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation comprising two satellite subconstellations. Each of the two satellite subconstellations comprises three cross-linked satellites. The cross-linked satellites of both subconstellations lay within or near the equatorial plane, and follow a substantially circular orbit. Individual ones of the satellites within each respective subconstellation are offset from each of two adjacent satellites of at least one of the other subconstellations by a predetermined angle. Each of the satellite subconstellations relays communications between a terrestrial node and at least one mission platform in a manner that minimizes the number of satellite links necessary for relaying the communications. At least one satellite from each respective subconstellation is always within a view of the terrestrial node.

Abstract: A method of balancing a display panel substrate for a backlit illuminated display includes providing a transparent display panel substrate having a front surface, a back surface, and side surfaces, the substrate being coated with a diffuse reflective layer and overcoated with an opaque layer on the back surface and side surfaces, and having recesses in the back surface to receive lamps to provide illumination to the display; coating the substrate on the front surface with a diffuse translucent layer of defined thickness; illuminating the substrate by lamps positioned within the recesses in the back surface of the substrate; forming an image indicative of the brightness at each point of the front surface of the illuminated substrate and determining from the image the additional thickness of diffuse translucent layer to be added to each point on the front surface of the substrate to produce a uniform brightness of a desired intensity at each point of the front surface when that layer is added and the substrate

Abstract: A Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellite constellation comprising two satellite subconstellations. Each of the two satellite subconstellations comprises three cross-linked satellites. The cross-linked satellites of both subconstellations lay within or near the equatorial plane, and follow a substantially circular orbit. Individual ones of the satellites within each respective subconstellation are offset from each of two adjacent satellites of at least one of the other subconstellations by a predetermined angle. Each of the satellite subconstellations relays communications between a terrestrial node and at least one mission platform in manner that minimizes the number of satellite links necessary for relaying the communications. At least one satellite from each respective subconstellation is always within a view of the terrestrial node.

Abstract: A high power RF transmitter that uses high power modulators that perform quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) on a carrier signal after power amplification that is performed in the RF carrier source. The present invention transposes the locations of the modulators and power amplifier, and thus directly modulates a high power carrier signal. An RF carrier source generates a high power RF carrier signal that is split by a power splitter. A lookup table containing 2.sup.B words by K bits receives transmit data and mapping data and generates K-tuple modulating data. A plurality of phase key modulators are respectively coupled to outputs of the power splitter and to the lookup table and phase key modulate each of the signal components of the carrier signal using the K-tuple modulating data. A power combiner is coupled to outputs of the phase key modulators for outputting a high power QAM constellation from the transmitter.

Abstract: An equalizer that mitigates both linear and nonlinear distortions for amplitude phase keyed signals that are processed thereby. Algorithms employed in the equalizer are based on correcting received signals based on symbol transitions between successive symbols. The linear portion of the equalizer is programmable and can use any available algorithm. Programmable linear taps of the equalizer may be programmed in a nonlinear manner by using the lookup tables as amplitude dependent equalizers that are used to process one symbol at a time. In the equalizer, each amplitude level has it's own correction factor by using amplitude dependent coefficients. The equalizer can implement both linear and nonlinear equalization. Equalizer corrections are implemented using predetermined values stored in lookup tables. The equalization corrections are determined in an external computer and are loaded into the lookup tables for each amplitude level of the received signals.

Abstract: A high gain Cassegrain reflector antenna system is disclosed for use in a RF signal receiving application. In one embodiment of the invention the antenna is a single parabolic reflector antenna having a plurality of feeds, while in another embodiment the RF signal is received by a number of parabolic reflector antennas. Each received RF signal component is separately amplified to produce corresponding individual amplified signals which are then summed to produce a summation signal. A phase difference between the summation signal and each individual amplified signal is determined, and each individual amplified signal is then phase adjusted until it is in a substantially coherent phase relationship with the summation signal. The phase adjustment compensates for phase displacement errors occurring due to, by example, an effective sector displacement error of a primary reflector of the Cassegrain antenna assembly.