Abstract: In a method for adjusting the integrity alert threshold in a satellite navigation system, an alert message for a satellite is sent when an estimated signal error of the satellite signal emitted by the satellite is greater than a defined integrity alert threshold. According to the invention one or more parameters in a data stream emitted by the satellite are varied, and the integrity alert threshold is adjusted based on the changed parameters.

Abstract: A high-temperature pressure sensor element for power units includes a substrate, in which an interior space is developed, a deformable membrane, which separates the interior space from the exterior space in order to deform when the exterior pressure changes, and a strain measuring element, which is arranged on the membrane, for measuring the deformation of the membrane. The substrate, the membrane, and the strain measuring element are manufactured from the same high-temperature-stable material, such as an alloy. By way of example a nickel base alloy may be used. A component for a power unit, such as a turbine blade for an airplane or rocket engine, includes an integrated high-temperature pressure sensor element of this type.

Abstract: Extendible exhaust nozzle bell for rocket engine of aircraft or spacecraft includes a first part with smaller diameter fixedly arranged on motor of engine and a second part with larger diameter arranged in flexible manner with respect to first part. In a front stowed position, second part is located surrounding first part closer to the rocket motor and, in a rear operating position, first part is arranged further away from the rocket motor. A closed volume that can be acted on by a gaseous fluid causes an extension of the second part of the exhaust nozzle bell from the stowed position into the operating position. The closed volume is formed at least in part by a deformable rolling bellows arrangement coupled between the flexibly arranged second part of the exhaust nozzle bell and a fixed part of the rocket engine or of the aircraft or spacecraft.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for detecting optical spectra, two or more partial beams are generated from an incident beam, each of said partial beams being assigned to a different spectral region. The partial beams travel through a spectrometer lens system and are detected in a spatially separated manner. For this purposes, the partial beams generated from the incident beam are directed to respective spatially separated diffraction gratings that are virtually superimposed in the beam path, and are assigned to different spectral regions. After passing through the diffraction gratings, the spectrally separated partial beams are combined to a joint beam path traveling through the spectrometer lens system. Preferably, the partial beams comprising the different spectral regions can be spectrally separated after passing through the spectrometer lens system and can be detected in spatially separated detectors assigned to the different spectral regions.

Abstract: In a method of improving the integrity communication in a satellite navigation system which comprises a space segment having multiple satellites which emit navigation signals for the reception and evaluation by use systems for position determination, and a ground segment having several observation stations which monitor the satellites, an error budget for different observation stations or groups of observations stations is transmitted with the navigation signal of a satellite. The navigation signal is received and an error budget contained therein is evaluated by computing a scalar value from the error budget. The scalar value indicates the precision of the error estimate for the generation of the navigation signal.

Abstract: A method for monitoring the integrity of satellite navigation system includes a first detection of integrity problems, in which the same entity of a navigation signal from a particular satellite is received at different sites, and evaluated to estimate the error of the entity and the error made during the error estimation process. In a second detection, navigation signals received from a specific satellite are measured and evaluated to estimate the error of the entity and the error in the error estimation process. Finally, in a third detection, several navigation signals from different satellites are measured, and evaluated to estimate the error of the entity and the error made in the error estimation process.

Abstract: Microthruster includes a combustion chamber comprising a substrate material, a fuel inlet, and a gas outlet. A first resistance heater is arranged in the combustion chamber. A catalyst is structured and arranged to decompose fuel entering the combustion chamber. First substrate material sections are heated by the first resistance heater to at least one of a predetermined temperature and a predetermined temperature range. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: In a process for discharging a test mass that is free-floating in a surrounding electrode casing on board a satellite, the electrode casing is enclosed by a vacuum tank, and has one or more first electrodes for the application of electrostatic forces and/or moments to the test mass. In addition, the electrode casing also has one or more second electrodes for modulating alternating voltages (particularly, high frequency voltages) for measuring purposes onto the test mass as well as one or more light-emitting elements, which irradiate the test mass, the electrode casing and/or the electrodes particularly with ultraviolet light for generating a photoelectric effect. Automatically and iteratively, a test mass charge of the test mass is determined. A control operation for eliminating the determined test mass charge is carried out until the test mass charge has reached a defined target value.

Abstract: A terminal for satellite navigation services includes a first receiver for receiving navigation messages emitted by satellites; an output interface for the output of navigation information; and an activating unit. In response to a command signal contained in a navigation message, the activating unit changes an operating condition of the terminal.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically determining the position of transceivers of navigation signals using a utilization system for the navigation signals are provided. First, coarse calibration of the coordinates of the transceivers is performed. Next, a trajectory of the utilization system is estimated. Finally, fine calibration of the coordinates of the transceivers and the trajectory of the utilization system is performed.

Abstract: The invention describes a method for operating a data processing device while using compressed data, wherein a non-compressed boot program is loaded into a volatile working memory, which initiates a copying process of a compressed application program from a data memory into a volatile working memory with simultaneous decompression of the application program.

Abstract: A spacecraft with a yaw steering system performing yaw steering. The yaw steering includes steering the spacecraft to have a yaw angle (?) for all sun elevation angles (?) in accordance with a yaw steering guidance law that provides a yaw steering motion about a yaw axis which is smooth for all sun elevation angles (?). At least part of the guidance law comprises a smoothing function (f), which is a function of an orbital position parameter (?) of the spacecraft, the smoothing function (f) smoothing the yaw steering motion for values of the orbital position parameter (?) where high rotational rates {dot over (?)} or high rotational accelerations {umlaut over (?)} would occur without the smoothing function (f).

Abstract: A system and method for the efficient dissemination of information in a satellite navigation system is provided. The system includes a satellite system comprising a plurality of satellites, a network of observation stations for observing the signals of the satellites, one or more redundant central processing center(s) for evaluating the observations of the observation stations and for generating information, based on the observations, for the dissemination to utilization systems, and a communication network for transmitting the observations from the observation stations to the one or more redundant central processing center(s). The one or more redundant central processing center(s) send(s) the information to the selected satellites, and upon receiving the information, each of the selected satellites sends this information to the neighboring satellites.

Abstract: Method for the transmission of navigation data to user terminals of a satellite navigation system composed of navigation satellites and pseudolites. The method includes transmitting positional information for at least one of the pseudolites, as part of the navigation data, without the use of separate channels or protocols for the transmission of the positional information for the at least one pseudolite. The positional information is transmitted in the form of a model of a pseudolite trajectory in a reference coordinate system which the model accounts for orbit-divergent motions of the at least one pseudolite, and the positional information for the at least on pseudolite forms a part of the navigation data.

Abstract: A radio signal-based positioning device includes a receiver that receives a plurality of radio-transmitted positioning signals, a frequency determiner that determines a frequency of each of the plurality of positioning signals, a send time determiner that determines a send time of each of the plurality of positioning signals, and an evaluation unit that determines a position location from the determined frequencies and send times of the plurality of positioning signals.

Abstract: Systems and methods for a navigation satellite of a satellite positioning supplementary system are provided in which a unit generates a navigation signal with a signal strength being dimensioned in such a way that it is still possible to receive signals of other satellite navigation systems.

Abstract: A device of a supplementary navigation satellite is provided. The device includes a unit for generating navigation signals, the signal strength of the navigation signals being dimensioned in such a way that it is still possible to receive signals of other satellite navigation systems.

Abstract: A device for coupling ionization energy into an ion or electron source, which is excited inductively or inductively-capacitively is provided. The device includes: a discharge vessel for a gas, which is to be ionized; a coupling coil, which is wound around the discharge vessel and feeds in a high frequency energy, which is required for plasma excitation; a coupling capacitor, which is electrically coupled to the coupling coil; a high frequency generator, which is electrically coupled to the coupling coil. The high frequency generator forms, together with the at least one coupling capacitor, a resonant circuit. The high frequency generator includes a PLL controller for automatic impedance matching of the resonant circuit, so that the resonant circuit can be driven at a resonant frequency.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining protection levels in a satellite navigation system includes the following steps: (1) determining an integrity risk at the alert limit for a plurality of application situations—for example, starting from approaches in category I (Category I precision approach) up to the operation “oceanic enroute;” (2) determining an interval of the alert limits between the largest set of alert limits which produces too high an integrity risk, and the smallest set of alert limits which produces an acceptable integrity risk; and (3) carrying out an interval nesting for the interval of the alert limits that was determined in the previous step, the integrity risk between the horizontal and the vertical being divided in the same way as it is obtained from the relationship between these integrity risks in the largest set of alert limits.

Abstract: A positioning device for a satellite navigation system includes a receiver that receives atmospheric correction data and an evaluation unit that determines a position location and estimates its quality on the basis of a plurality of positioning signals, with inclusion of the atmospheric correction data.