Abstract: Method for installing a thermo-optical patch on an outer satellite wall; the patch consists of a metal sheet that includes a coat of electrically conductive adhesive on one of its sides and a coat of paint with predefined thermo-optical properties on its other side. A satellite that includes a patch applied to an outer side of a wall of the satellite is also described.

Abstract: A method for producing a composite mirror. It comprises the steps of providing a glass blank with low coefficient of expansion, machining a convex shape (4) in the glass blank, laying a front skin (6) impregnated with resin over the convex shape (4) of the glass blank (2), machining in a rear supporting structure (8) a concave shape matching the convex shape machined in the glass blank (2), gluing the concave shape (10) of the supporting structure (8) onto the convex shape of the glass blank (2), machining a convex shape in the supporting structure, laying a rear skin (14) impregnated with resin on a mould, gluing the rear skin (14) onto the convex shape of the supporting structure (8), turning over the assembly so that the blank (2) lies in the upper portion of the assembly, machining and polishing a mirror in the glass blank (2).

Abstract: A method for calibrating a threshold for selecting a transmission format, from a plurality of transmission formats, in order to exchange data packets over a radio-frequency propagation channel, referred to as the “channel” (L,1,L2,L3) between a transmitting device and a receiving device of a satellite telecommunications system, includes: calculating a calibration table for the threshold, which associates transmission statistics, representative of an amount of estimated errors for a plurality of data packets received by the receiving device, with a plurality of values of the instantaneous channel quality; and updating the threshold, which, according to the calibration table, is a value of the instantaneous channel quality enabling a predefined value of the transmission statistics to be provided. A threshold calibration module, which can be included in a terrestrial terminal (2), and/or a satellite (3), and/or, more generally, in a satellite telecommunications system, is also described.

Abstract: To analyze an electronic component, this component is exposed to a focused laser beam. The information provided by the laser mapping relating to the position and to the depth of the sensitivity zones of the component is used as input parameter in prediction codes for quantifying the sensitivity of the mapped component to ionizing particles in the natural radioactive environment. The prediction codes are used to determine the occurrence of malfunctions in the electronic component. Determination of the risks associated with the radiative environment imposes two aspects: one, probabilistic, takes into account the particle/matter interaction and the other, electrical, takes into account the charge collection inside the electronic component.

Abstract: A method increases the toughness of a material obtained by curing a composition that includes at least one vinyl ester monomer. The method includes the incorporation into the composition of a sulfonated polyaromatic thermoplastic polymer, which is achieved by dissolving the vinyl ester monomer and the thermoplastic polymer in a reactive diluent in which they are both soluble. The resulting curable composition includes at least one vinyl ester monomer, and very high toughness materials can be made from it. A curable composition can include at least one vinyl ester monomer, a sulfonated polyaromatic thermoplastic polymer and a N-vinyl lactam. The compositions can be used in the aeronautical, space, railway, nautical, automotive industries, arms and other industries.

Abstract: An actuator device for varying the attitude of a spacecraft includes a reversible conversion chain of electrical energy to mechanical rotation energy of a flywheel. The electrical energy is stored in a capacitive element that may be a supercapacitor. The actuator device also includes an electrical power converter, connected, on one hand, to the capacitive element and intended to be connected, on the other hand, to the spacecraft power bus. The converter makes it possible to compensate for losses to keep a total energy of the actuator device constant.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process that makes it possible to improve the mechanical strength of bonds between substrates when these bonds are produced by means of an adhesive that comprises a resin that can be cured by chain polymerization, and in particular a resin that can be cured under the effect of ionizing or light radiation. This process is characterized in that it comprises the grafting of groups capable of acting as chain transfer agents during the polymerization of said resin to the surface of the substrates, before the latter are brought into contact with the adhesive. Applications: assembling of structural, engine, passenger compartment or bodywork parts in the aeronautical, space, railway, ship-building and automotive industries.

Abstract: A system includes a mother probe forming a carrier space vehicle (1) and a plurality of daughter probes (2a, 2b, 2c) aligned in a longitudinal axis (A) of the mother probe, in which the attachment of the daughter probes to the mother probe is carried out by a plurality of probe-supporting annular segments (5a, 5b, 5c) each provided with an annular collar (3a, 3b, 3c) for attaching a daughter probe.

Abstract: A device for controlling heat flow in a spacecraft which always has the same face facing towards the earth, a pair of mutually parallel opposed North and South faces perpendicular to the North-South axis of the earth and two pairs of mutually parallel opposed East/West and Earth/Anti-earth faces, heat-dissipating or -transmitting equipment being provided on the internal walls of the North and South faces, this device comprising a plurality of heat pipes connecting the North and South faces of said craft to another pair of opposed faces of said craft and forming a heat-pipe loop in thermal-conduction contact with one another.

Abstract: The device comprises at least three isolating modules each having two rigid pieces, one of which is fastened to the carrier structure and the other of which is fastened to the support for the vibrating equipment, these pieces being linked by at least one isolating stud made of an elastomer, which attenuates the transmission of low-amplitude vibrations from the equipment to the structure, the deformation of at least one stud in tension-compression and in shear being limited by three flexible stops each mounted on only one of the pieces and the free end of which is facing the other of said pieces and not in contact with it, at rest. Each stop comprises an elastomer element coming into contact with the facing other piece during deformations of sufficient amplitude of the isolating stud, the stiffness of the elastomer of the stop being greater than that of the stud. Application to the isolation of vibrating equipment on a satellite carrier structure.

Abstract: A device for reducing the aerodynamic drag of a vehicle includes at least one masking element for at least one part of a nozzle of the vehicle's engine, the masking element having a resorbable material designed to be eliminated in the nozzle's flow once the engine is ignited. A space craft includes the nozzle attached to the fuselage of the space craft.

Abstract: A satellite system includes a satellite operating in an orbit around the Earth and a satellite operating in another orbit around the Earth. The satellite points a fixed beam at least temporarily to a zone above the Earth's surface through which the satellite passes.

Abstract: A landing system of a body and a space probe provided with such a system for landing on a bearing ground. The landing system includes landing legs (5), each with a footpad (6) at the end thereof, intended for braking the landing impact of the body when coming into contact with the ground and for supporting the body on the ground after landing. The footpads (6) are not coplanar.

Abstract: Method for estimating shifts of line images obtained by an airborne or spaceborne scanning sensor. The invention relates to a method for estimating shifts in line images of an image, referred to as a “composite image”, made up of the juxtaposition of J line images. The line images show portions of a scene on the surface (S) of a celestial body that are different and successively acquired by a row of sensitive cells of a sensor (10) on board a vehicle flying over the celestial body. The shifts in the line images are induced by sighting errors of the sensor (10) during the acquisition of the line image Lj. The lateral and/or longitudinal shift of a line image Lj relative to a line image Li, where j is different from i, is estimated according to a local model of lateral and/or longitudinal variation of the similarity between different line images.

Abstract: A device for assembling sections of wind-turbine blades provided with casings, including at least one tie including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being a portion for assembly with a casing of a first section and the second portion being a portion for mounting with a complementary tie supported by a casing of a second section, wherein the first portion includes at least one composite/metal shear link provided with a continuous fitting element on at least one surface of the casing which receives one end of the aformentioned surface of the casing, provided with attachment pins passing through the fitting and the end of the surface.

Abstract: A method of making a mechanical multishear link includes sizing the multishear link by breaking down a system comprised by the link into as many subassemblies as there are simple shear interfaces, defining the subassemblies around each shear interface, describing each shear by its stiffness, and applying the mechanical relationships to achieve a system of equations for a computer-assisted resolution by applying the Huth method to each shear interface.

Abstract: Temporary connection and pyrotechnic separation device with a longitudinal axis (X) comprising a pyrotechnic expansion tube (14) mounted in a space (11) formed in a connection zone between a first (2) and second assembly (4) to be separated, the second assembly (4) being formed of a stack of plies (12.1, 12.2) bonded together, the two assemblies (2, 4) being connected to each other by two metal parts (10.1, 10.2), said metal parts being fixed onto the first assembly and bonded onto the outer plies (12.1) of the second assembly (4), the bonding area between said outer ply (12.1) and the adjacent inner ply (12.2) is less than the bonding area between two inner plies (12.2) forming a fuse ply, such that, when the pyrotechnic expansion tube (14) is used, the outer ply (12.1) separates from the adjacent inner ply.

Abstract: A device for smooth linear separation between a first part and a second part. The first part is linearly connected to the second part. The device includes a heat source applied onto the first part that applies a heat stimulus to the first part so as to separate the first part from the second part by thermal deformation of the first part.

Abstract: A space probe including a descent module with a mobile exploration vehicle, wherein the descent module is a landing module inside which the mobile exploration vehicle is fastened, the landing module being provided with landing legs which can be deployed under the lower level of the mobile exploration vehicle.

Abstract: It relates to the use of curable resins containing a prepolymer based on glycidyl (meth)acrylate for making composite materials for use in space and, more particularly to composite materials entering the composition of structures intended to be deployed in space and to be stiffened after deployment.