Abstract: Pressure sensors are disclosed that may perform health monitoring in-situ in harsh operating environments. The pressure sensors may be based on a Clapp-type oscillator that includes one or more resistors, one or more inductors, capacitors, a sensor, and a transistor. Such pressure sensors may be particularly well-suited various applications, such as gas turbine engines, oil and gas extraction, vehicle engines, and exhaust monitoring.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a blackbody calibration target having a textured silicon substrate comprising a base comprising a plurality of needle like structures extending away from the base and having a total emissivity of greater than 99.5% from an electromagnetic radiation source having a wavelength greater than or equal to about 400 nanometers and less than or equal to about 1 mm. The disclosure is further directed to a blackbody calibration target system, and instrument which includes the blackbody calibration target, and a method of calibrating an instrument.

Abstract: One or more substitutional elements may be used to reduce the solution treatment temperature and required quench rates for hardening of 60-NITINOL. The advantages of modified NITINOL include that less energy is consumed during the heat treatment process, the material is subjected to less thermal distortion, and less machining is required. Modified NITINOL may have adequate hardness for bearing applications and may display highly elastic behavior.

Abstract: An aerogel and process of making the aerogel is provided. The aerogel is a polyimide aerogel having polyamide cross-links formed using a triacid chloride cross-linker.

Abstract: Aerogels, aerogel composites and methods of making the same are discussed. One example method can include the act of creating a Boehmite colloid and adding a hydrolyzed silicon precursor to form a sol. A reinforcement can be infused with the sol, gelled to form a gel, then dried to form an aerogel composite. Such a method can also include the acts of performing one or more solvent exchanges and subjecting the gel composite to supercritical drying. Additionally, such a method can include the act of heat treating the aerogel composite. The aerogel composite can be used in high temperature, flexible seals capable of withstanding temperatures, pressures, and compression levels associated with aerodynamic heating generated during flight and in aerospace applications. The aeorogel composite also can be used in thermal protection systems designed for fire protection for structures or in personnel fire protective equipment.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable storage devices for providing an interface for an analytic service for Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) datasets. An example system for providing the service includes a data analytics platform of an assemblage of compute and storage nodes that provide a compute-storage fabric upon which high-performance parallel operations are performed over a collection of climate data stored in a distributed file system, a sequencer that transforms the climate data, a desequencer that transforms serialized block compressed sequence files between data formats. The system includes a services library of applications that dynamically create data objects from the data as reduced final results, and a utilities library of software applications that process flat serialized block compressed sequence files. The system also includes a service interface through which a client device can access the climate data via the data analytics platform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Lidar surveying instrument, which is capable of detecting and discriminating laser-induced particle fluorescence of any biological or non-biological atmospheric particles. The present astrobiology sensing instrument can remotely sense and discriminate, in real-time, the bio-indicator aerosol material signatures and environmental interferents that exist in an extraterrestrial environment, such as Mars, in order to expand the search for signatures of extraterrestrial life from the planetary soil to the planetary ground level atmosphere, by performing atmospheric volume scans of hundreds of meters in a radial direction around a planetary vehicle or a spacecraft. The Lidar instrument technology of the present invention employs real-time aerosol particle detection and discrimination based on two physical variables: particle fluorescence and particle size in the bio-discrimination space.

Abstract: A seal assembly is provided that includes a protective shroud to protect a sealing element from hazardous elements and/or a hazardous environment.

Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing and processing digital data comprising a plurality of infra-red (IR) video images acquired by a pulse thermography system are used to compute video data from the raw and smoothed video data acquired for the performance of non-destructive evaluation. New video data types computed may include but are not limited to contrast evolution data such as normalized contrast, converted contrast and normalized temperature contrast. Additionally, video data types computed comprise surface temperature, surface temperature rise and temperature simple contrast.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with fuel cell power management. According to one embodiment, a fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells producing electric potentials. An electric potential of a fuel cell is measured as a fuel cell voltage. The fuel cell stack further includes a plurality of connection points including a ground, a first connection point, and a second connection point. The first connection point draws a first voltage based on combined fuel cell voltages of a first set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells. The second connection point draws a second voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages of a second set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to Frequency Diversity Pulse Pair (FDPP) methods and technology implemented by, alternating the order of the pulse pair transmitted or order of the group of multiple pulses transmitted, the pulses differentiated based on the center frequency of each transmitted pulse. For example, where a pair of transmitted pulses have center frequencies f1 and f2, the pulses transmitted in pairs such that the first pair may be f1 followed by f2 and the second pair are a different order, such as f2 followed by f1.

Abstract: A thermo-acoustic engine and/or cooler is provided and includes an elongated tubular body, multiple regenerators disposed within the body, multiple heat exchangers disposed within the body, where at least one heat exchanger is disposed adjacent to each of the multiple regenerators, multiple transducers axially disposed at each end of the body, and an acoustic wave source generating acoustic waves. At least one of the acoustic waves is amplified by one of the regenerators and at least another acoustic wave is amplified by a second one of regenerators.

Abstract: A dual band infrared imaging system self-contained to fit within a small spacecraft is provided. The imaging system uses a detector array cooled by a mini cryocooler, and includes telescope optics and two bandpass filters for fire detection and thermal and evapotranspiration Earth science.

Abstract: The present invention proposes an automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) architecture and process, in which priority aircraft and ADS-B IN and radar traffic information are included in the transmission of data through the telemetry communications to a remote ground control station. The present invention further proposes methods for displaying general aviation traffic information in three and/or four dimension trajectories using an industry standard Earth browser for increased situation awareness and enhanced visual acquisition of traffic for conflict detection. The present invention enable the applications of enhanced visual acquisition of traffic, traffic alerts, and en-route and terminal surveillance used to augment pilot situational awareness through ADS-B IN display and information in three or four dimensions for self-separation awareness.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a relative deflection detector may include at least two structural arcs, and a predetermined number of means for measuring position capable of determining the relative deflection in a first component. The at least two structural arcs may be for example, comprised of a first and second structural arc whereby the first and second structural arcs are attached to the first component at respective first and second predetermined locations and whereby each arc is comprised of a respective sequence of indicators, such as, for example, codes inscribed on the outer circumference of each arc. The first and second structural arcs may be positioned in concentric and coplanar relationship with each other.

Abstract: A microsensor and its method of manufacture are disclosed based on templated metal or metal oxide nanostructures. The microsensor includes an electrode that in one embodiment may be configured as a first sawtooth patterned electrode having a series of first peaks and first valleys and a second electrode that by be configured as a second sawtooth patterned electrode having a series of second peaks and second valleys where the second peaks generally align with the first peaks of the first electrode. A plurality of templated metal or metal oxide nanostructures connect on one side to the first electrode and on another side to the second electrode, where an electrical property of the microsensor changes in response to exposure to an environment to be monitored.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of wirelessly powering an aerospace vehicle while the vehicle is on the ground is provided to solve a problem of supplying electric power for aircraft while idling on taxiways. Present systems typically require fuel-driven auxiliary power units (APU's) to generate electricity. Running APU's to power aircraft while idling requires over 443 million gallons of jet fuel annually at a cost of $1.3 billion dollars. This results in an estimated 4.7 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. At the gate, shore power is provided via hardline connection.

Abstract: A high efficiency secondary signal combiner may include a frequency division multiplexer that is configured to receive two or more signals and produce a combined signal. The combined signal may include the two or more signals, and each of the two or more signals may be in different Nyquist zones. The combiner may also include a wideband analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that is configured to frequency shift the combined signal by sub-sampling the two or more signals to produce a sub-sampled signal in a Nyquist zone that is different from the Nyquist zones of the two or more signals.

Abstract: A propellant distributor or anode includes a plenum chamber and a plurality of outlets. The at least one plenum chamber is configured to receive a flow of propellant from an inlet, and the plurality of outlets are configured to distribute the flow of propellant into an inner channel wall and an outer channel wall of a discharge channel.

Abstract: A piezoelectric field disturbance sensing system includes a piezoelectric element for generating mechanical energy when electrically excited and for generating electrical energy when mechanically deformed. A mass is coupled to the piezoelectric element. A signal generator is coupled to the piezoelectric element for applying electrical energy thereto for a fixed period of time. As a result, the piezoelectric element undergoes mechanical deformation and the mass reverberates in response to such mechanical deformation. A charge monitor is coupled to the piezoelectric element for monitoring electrical energy generated thereby during a time period subsequent to the fixed period of time.