Abstract: A coaxial valve for regulating and blocking a liquid or gaseous medium having a valve housing having at least one inlet opening, at least one outlet opening and a flow duct connecting the at least one inlet opening to the at least one outlet opening; a tubular valve sleeve disposed in an axially movable manner in a portion of the flow duct and having an inflow and an outflow opening for the medium, wherein the inflow and the outflow openings open into the flow duct; a closure member disposed in the valve housing and arranged coaxially with the valve sleeve and configured to close the inflow opening; and a drive configured to axially move the valve sleeve and having an electric servomotor and a transmission part coupled between the servomotor and the valve sleeve, the transmission part configured to transmit an axial movement to the valve sleeve.

Abstract: A device and method for orbit prediction of satellites are provided. An accelerometer measures non-gravity forces acting on a satellite. A processor receives measured non-gravity forces from the accelerometer, estimates the contributions of the measured non-gravity forces to the movement of the satellite, and predicts the orbit of the satellite based on the estimated contributions of the non-gravity forces to the movement of the satellite.

Abstract: A process for increasing the availability of a global navigation system that includes a plurality of spacecraft, each of which transmits information for determining the position of a terminal. From the plurality of spacecraft, a first subset, with at least one spacecraft, and a second subset are determined, the second subset being constituted by those spacecraft that are not included in the first subset. The integrity risk is determined for the information transmitted only by the second spacecraft. The first and the second subsets of spacecraft are determined such that the integrity risk, for information transmitted by the second subset spacecraft minimized relative to the integrity risk for information of all spacecraft included in the plurality of spacecraft.

Abstract: A process for improving continuity in a two-frequency navigation satellite system includes steps of i) observing the ionosphere by measurements in the two or more frequency bands; and ii) transmitting an alert message which informs user systems of a change of the ionosphere when at least one measurement indicates a change of the ionosphere that deviates from one or more predefined conditions.

Abstract: A method for calibrating an array antenna having a plurality of branches includes generating a test signal using a pseudo-random sequence assigned to one of the plurality of branches for each of the plurality of branches; adding the test signals to a useful signal of the antenna so as to form a summed signal emitted via the array antenna; receiving the summed signal with a receiver antenna; correlating the received summed signal with a replica of the pseudo-random sequence so as to produce a correlation result; estimating a characteristic of one of the plurality of branches by processing the correlation result; and calibrating the antenna based on the estimated characteristic.

Abstract: A method for regenerating an adsorber or absorber on board a submarine, wherein the adsorber or absorber is present in the interior of the submarine for binding metabolically generated CO2-containing harmful gases, and wherein the metabolically generated CO2-containing harmful gases are transferred outboard via a compressor. The thermal energy for regenerating the adsorber or absorber is generated by burning a hydrocarbonaceous energy carrier with oxygen, wherein at least one combustion product, together with the metabolically generated CO2-containing harmful gases, is transferred outboard via the compressor.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing a receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (RAIM) algorithm are provided. The RAIM algorithm is for determining an integrity risk in a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) by processing several ranging signals received from satellites of the GNSS. The algorithm involves determining several integrity risks at an alert limit for different fault conditions of the ranging signals, and determining an overall integrity risk at the alert limit from the determined several integrity risks.

Abstract: An apparatus for trapping high-speed particles, such as space debris, is provided. The apparatus includes a first front tapping surface and at least one rear trapping surface. The front and rear trapping surfaces are arranged substantially parallel to each other and are spaced apart from each other in the normal direction.

Abstract: For integrity communication, a navigation satellite system has a space segment with satellites that emit navigation signals for reception and analysis by user systems, and a ground segment with observation stations that monitor the satellites. The ground segment controls cause distribution of integrity information concerning the satellites to user systems with the navigation signals. The integrity information has a first SISMA value and a second broadcast SISMA value for the accuracy of the satellite monitored by the ground segment. The second broadcast SISMA value takes into account a failure of an observation station of the ground segment, and a threshold value for the second broadcast SISMA value is provided. The threshold value with the integrity information for a satellite is transmitted instead of the second broadcast SISMA value when the latter exceeds the threshold value and the first SISMA value is lower than the threshold value for the satellite.

Abstract: An ion drive for a spacecraft, including a high-frequency generator for generating an alternating electromagnetic field for the ionization of a propellant and an acceleration system for the charge carriers, is provided. The ion drive includes a voltage source with which the high voltages that are necessary for the acceleration system can be derived from the currents and/or voltages generated by the high-frequency generator for generating the alternating electromagnetic field.

Abstract: A tank arrangement includes a tank for storing a liquid such as fuel or oxidizer for operation of a spacecraft and a pressurized driving gas for conveying the liquid out of the tank, and a gas supply and extraction device. The device includes a housing shell and plural outwardly expanding passage bodies providing openings that communicate the interior space of the tank to the inner reservoir space of the device. A baffle plate shields the outer opening of each passage body. Deflector plates are arranged in each passage body. Capillary plates extend longitudinally along the inner wall of the housing shell. By a capillary effect, the plates separate liquid from gas entering the device, so that the gas can be extracted while the liquid is stored in a reservoir of the device until it is drained back into the tank during an accelerated operation phase of the spacecraft.

Abstract: A system for determining the position and orientation of a flying object such as a missile includes a ground segment having at least one pseudolite station located on the earth's surface which transmits into space a navigation signal that uniquely identifies the pseudolite station, and a user segment having at least one sensor which is situated in the missile and is designed to receive the navigation signal from the at least one pseudolite station and to determine its absolute position and orientation in space on the basis of the received navigation signal.

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 diplexer for a reflector antenna includes a common circular signal waveguide to transmit and receive signals. The signal waveguide includes first and second ends with a common port provided at the first end. A waveguide arrangement is disposed coaxially relative to the signal waveguide in the region of the second end of the signal waveguide. A cylindrical coupler section is disposed between the first and second ends of the signal waveguide, and connects the waveguide arrangement to the common signal waveguide. In order to create a first and second coaxial waveguide port, the waveguide arrangement includes a first circular waveguide, an inner conductor is disposed inside, in which a first signal can propagate when the diplexer is operating, and a second circular waveguide, surrounding the first waveguide, in which a second signal can propagate at a lower frequency than the first signal when the diplexer is operating.

Abstract: A method for screening of multi-junction solar cells to be operated in a high sun intensity and high temperature (HIHT) environment. An electroluminescence image of a homogeneous pn-junction at a predefined bias current is acquired for each of the solar cells. The spatial intensity distribution in the electroluminescence image is analyzed to determine whether there are local intensity variations that possibly dissipate power in a HIHT environment. The solar cells are sorted such that solar cells having no local intensity variations in their electroluminescence image are put into a first group and solar cells having at least one local intensity variation in their electroluminescence image are put into a second group cells for further screening. The solar cells of the first group are suitable for a HIHT environment and solar cells of the second group are assumed to be potentially critical in a HIHT environment.

Abstract: Device for damping oscillations of a combustion chamber that includes at least one resonator connected to a pre-chamber in a vibration-damping manner. The pre-chamber is connected to a combustion chamber in a vibration-damping manner via at least one passage channel. 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: A multi-junction solar cell includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface of a semiconductor body. A topmost pn-junction of a plurality of pn-junctions stacked on top of each other adjoins to the first main surface. A cell edge of the semiconductor body defines a shape of the first and the second main surfaces. An encapsulant on the first main surface provides an environmental protection of the semiconductor body. A mesa groove is provided on the first main surface and penetrates at least the topmost pn-junction. The mesa groove is located adjacent to the cell edge and is created around the circumference of the semiconductor body for providing an inner cell area and a mesa wall, the mesa wall being created between the mesa groove and the cell edge. The mesa groove is filled with the encapsulant.

Abstract: A gas supply and extraction device is arranged preferably on a tank lid or a tank wall in a tank for storing a pressurized driving gas and a liquid such as fuel or oxidizer for operation of a spacecraft. A device housing defines an interior reservoir space. Upper trumpet-shaped passage bodies and a lower trumpet-shaped passage body communicate from the interior reservoir space into the interior space of the tank. By capillary effects, baffle plates, deflector plates, capillary plates, a separation chamber and other components separate liquid from gas entering the device, so that the gas can be extracted while the liquid is stored in the reservoir space of the device until it is drained back into the tank during an accelerated operation phase of the spacecraft.

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: An information reproducing apparatus includes a display unit and processing unit. The information reproducing apparatus has a position determining device configured to determine the position and alignment of the apparatus and to supply a first signal representing the position and a second signal representing the alignment to the processing unit. The processing unit retrieves information on objects from a database and processes the information. The database includes a plurality of information on objects of locations within a predefined spatial environment. The processing unit determines information for the current alignment of the apparatus on objects in the direction of the alignment of the apparatus and the display unit displays the information.