Patents Assigned to Astrium GmbH
  • Patent number: 8013778
    Abstract: The invention relates to a high-resolution synthetic aperture radar device (10) comprising at least one transmitting antenna (TX1-TX3) for producing and emitting radar pulses for scanning an object (12), a receiving antenna (14) for receiving the radar beams (20, 22, 24) emitted and reflected by an object, wherein the receiving antenna (14) has several sub-apertures (RX1-RX17) arranged along elevation, which form a minimum of azimuth apertures, wherein the high-resolution synthetic aperture radar device is embodied such that pulse signals (18) are emitted at irregular time intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Bernhard Grafmueller, Christoph Schaefer
  • Patent number: 8009369
    Abstract: An apochromatic lens with an aperture and exclusively refractive optical elements, comprising a plurality of lenses arranged in lens groups along an optical axis, wherein lenses of different materials are provided and wherein the lenses respectively comprise one of the following listed materials: calcium fluoride (CaF2), synthetic quartz (SiO2) or another radiation-resistant optical material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfgang Holota, Gerald Mathe
  • Patent number: 8001844
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Soeren Fricke, Gerhard Mueller, Alois Friedberger, Eberhard Rose, Thomas Ziemann, Ulrich Schmid, Dimitri Telitschkin, Stefan Ziegenhagen
  • Publication number: 20110198446
    Abstract: A device for eliminating space debris in orbit, the device including a covering that when struck by an object of space debris breaks this up into multiple pieces of predetermined size, and captures and binds at least many of the pieces. The covering includes at least one layer of deformable fabric that encloses a spatial volume of the device, wherein a foam material is disposed inside the at least one layer for the purpose of retaining shape, the initial volume of the foam material being able to be changed into a final volume that is larger relative to the initial volume, wherein the device has its specified shape and function once the foam material attains its final volume.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Ulrich Knirsch, Amrei Temming
  • Publication number: 20110192936
    Abstract: A towing apparatus for a spacecraft when in orbit is provided. The towing apparatus includes a cable, the first end of which is intended to be permanently connected to a spacecraft that must potentially be towed, and the second end of which is provided to be at least temporarily connected to a towing spacecraft for the purpose of towing. An attachment piece is disposed on the second end of the cable for mechanical attachment to a complementary attachment piece of the towing spacecraft, and a positioning aid is disposed to allow for simplified detection of the attachment piece by the towing spacecraft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Ulrich KNIRSCH
  • Publication number: 20110192137
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a regeneratively cooled nozzle extension of a rocket combustion chamber, the nozzle extension including a first wall and a second wall arranged coaxially to each other and between which a number of cooling channels is configured that are laterally delimited by cooling channel webs. The first wall and the second wall are connected to each other by a positive fit by cooling channel webs of the first wall engaging with corresponding recesses of the second wall for forming the positive fit. The positive fit is produced by a forming process in the region of the cooling channels of the second wall having the recesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 11, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Chris Udo MAEDING
  • Patent number: 7992348
    Abstract: A high-frequency measuring enclosure for measuring large test objects is formed by an air-supported membrane or textile construction of a spherical or ellipsoidal contour, which is substantially pervious to electromagnetic radiation. For absorption of residual electromagnetic radiation that may be reflected by the interior of the surface, the floor is covered with absorber material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Torsten Fritzel, Hans-Juergen Steiner
  • Patent number: 7994972
    Abstract: A satellite navigation system generates a smooth and flexible parameterization of satellite orbits and/or clock corrections. The satellite orbit(s) and/or the satellite clock corrections, are described by a first function system of advancing differentiable functions having a high approximation quality and long range of influence. Satellite orbits and/or clock corrections parameterized from the first function system are transmitted from a central ground processing unit to satellite(s) and then to a user device. (Alternatively, transmission may be effected via only a ground infrastructure.) In addition, a second advancing function system of at least continuous functions of moderate approximation quality and a very short range of influence may be provided, which permits a conversion to the first function system, particularly via the user terminal. Thus, the time required to determine the first navigation information (the time to the first fix) can be significantly shortened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Harald Frankenberger
  • Patent number: 7996119
    Abstract: In a system for determining the position of a spacecraft based on vector determinations, a direction vector is measured in a body-fixed coordinate system; a reference direction vector is determined within a reference coordinate system based on the path position of the spacecraft and an orbit model; the overall spin vector of the spacecraft is determined within the body-fixed coordinate system; and a reference overall spin vector of the spacecraft is determined within a reference coordinate system by time propagation of known initial values of the overall spin of the spacecraft or by time tracking of a reference model. The position of the spacecraft is determined based on the four vectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Horst-Dieter Fischer, Joachim Chemnitz
  • Publication number: 20110187594
    Abstract: A method for self-calibration of frequency offsets in a measurement equipment of an interference monitoring system is provided. The method involves sampling I/Q data using the interference monitoring system measurement equipment and acquiring satellite navigation signals from the I/Q data. A carrier frequency of the satellite navigation signal is estimated and an expected carrier frequency of the satellite navigation signal is calculated. The expected carrier frequency of the satellite navigation signal is compared with the estimated carrier frequency of the satellite navigation signal and a frequency offset value is calculated as the difference between the expected and estimated carrier frequencies of the satellite navigation signal. The frequency offset value is stored in a memory and used to compensate the frequency offset of at least one subsequent measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Jan WENDEL
  • Publication number: 20110169693
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to a method for integrity communication in a satellite navigation system having a space segment with several satellites transmitting navigation signals for reception and evaluation by use systems for position determination, and a ground segment with several observation stations that, in their totality, monitor the satellites and their signals, and including at least one transmitting station.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: ASTRIUM GMBH
    Inventor: Hans L. TRAUTENBERG
  • Publication number: 20110157731
    Abstract: A mirror module for fastening to a structural element, comprises a mirror arrangement that includes at least one mirror stack and a first receiving device for holding the mirror arrangement. Each of the at least one mirror stack comprises at least one individual mirror made of a first material. The first receiving device is made of a second material which has a coefficient of thermal expansion adapted to the first material. For fastening the mirror module to the structural element, a second receiving device made of Invar is provided which holds the first receiving device of the mirror module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Michael KERSTEN, Guenther Kling, Peter Weimer
  • Patent number: 7956522
    Abstract: An ignition anode for an ignition device of a reignitable rocket combustion chamber. The anode includes an ignition anode body having an ignition anode frontal area. The ignition anode frontal area has a plurality of edges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Dieter Unrath
  • Publication number: 20110120271
    Abstract: A screw prestressing device having a piston and a draw pin structured and arranged to be disconnectably coupled to an element and movable, via the piston, to apply a defined prestressing force in the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2010
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: ASTRIUM GmbH
    Inventor: Peter WEIMER
  • Publication number: 20110115683
    Abstract: A high-frequency measurement setup for measuring a high-frequency test object, in particular, an antenna is provided. The setup includes one or more reflectors for high-frequency signals, a laser tracker, retrotargets for laser beams of the laser tracker that are disposed on the reflectors and are provided to orient the high-frequency test object, and a measuring unit that is designed to actuate the laser tracker in such a way that the high-frequency test object and one or more reflectors are measured in terms of their propagation of high-frequency signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Joerg HERRMANN
  • Patent number: 7943891
    Abstract: In a method and apparatus for simultaneous detection and analysis of at least two electromagnetic signals, at least one of which is a radiation image signal, using a common detector, the input radiation image is divided into at least two partial images. The partial images are projected onto a radiation detector, such that the radiation intensities of the partial images are projected from the image center of the input radiation image to the edge of the radiation image on the detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: EADS Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Christopher Kuehl, Markus Melf
  • Publication number: 20110102277
    Abstract: A method for measuring a radiation field in the direct vicinity of a measured object is provided. One or more antenna measurement probe(s) are moved in any desired fashion within the radiation field, and a number of high-frequency measurement points is thus recorded. During the movement of the antenna measurement probe, a position determination of a respective antenna measurement probe is conducted simultaneously with or in close temporal proximity to the capture of a respective high-frequency measurement point, in order to assign a position to each high-frequency measurement point so as to generate a spatially defined measurement point cloud. Finally, radiation patterns at any distance from the measured object may be determined from the spatial measurement point cloud by means of a field transformation method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Applicant: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Thomas EIBERT, Torsten Fritzel, Carsten Schmidt, Hans-Juergen Steiner
  • Patent number: 7924221
    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. Integrity problems which are detectable in the first and second detections are taken into account only if it is probable that they occur during the third detection, and have not been discovered during the first and second detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Hans L. Trautenberg
  • Patent number: 7920650
    Abstract: In a system for characterizing a satellite clock in a satellite, the satellite has a transmitting device that emits a transmission signal at a transmission frequency indicative of a state of the satellite clock, and a receiver clock which has a higher precision than the satellite clock. A receiving device is configured to receive the transmission signal and to determine a received signal therefrom, as well as a received signal frequency and/or phase, using the receiver clock. Finally, an evaluation device is configured to determine a frequency offset, drift, and/or an Allan deviation of the transmission frequency from the received signal frequency and/or the received signal phase. The evaluation device determines the stability of the satellite clock, or the validity of its time indication, from the determined frequency offset, frequency drift, and/or the Allan deviation, to thereby characterize the satellite clock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventors: Alexandre Mudrak, Hans L. Trautenberg
  • Patent number: 7916073
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Astrium GmbH
    Inventor: Hans L. Trautenberg