Abstract: A method of forming a nanodiamond article includes forming a continuous film on a substrate using electrophoretic deposition. The continuous film includes greater than 50% nanodiamond concentration by volume. A nanodiamond article includes a continuous film on a substrate having greater than 50% nanodiamond concentration by volume.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing device may include a laser source configured to generate a laser beam, a build material holder configured to hold an additive build material, a controllable deflector having a first scan rate, an AOD having a second scan rate faster than the first scan rate, and a controller. The controller may be configured to control the controllable deflector and the AOD to scan the laser beam relative to the build material holder to additively manufacture a workpiece in successive layers from the additive build material.

Abstract: A sealing retainer may be coupled between a chassis and an electronic module. The sealing retainer includes a retainer body to be coupled to the chassis and a first cooling gas passageway that may be aligned with a chassis cooling gas passageway. A gas seal body has a second cooling gas passageway aligned with the first cooling gas passageway and coupled to the retainer body and movable between a retracted position that permits insertion and removal of the electronic module and an extended position that seals against the electronic module.

Abstract: An electronic assembly may include a chassis having electronic module mounting positions and respective electronic modules received in each electronic module mounting position. A respective retainer may be coupled between the chassis and each electronic module. Each retainer may include a retainer body coupled to the chassis, and a liquid coupling body carried by the retainer body and movable between retracted and extended positions permitting insertion and removal of the electronic module. The liquid coupling body may have a retainer liquid outlet and a retainer liquid inlet configured to engage a module liquid inlet and module liquid outlet, respectively, when moved from the retracted position to the extended position.

Abstract: An Automatic Identification System (AIS) for tracking a plurality of maritime vessels may include a ground AIS server and a constellation of Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites in communication with the ground AIS server. Each LEO satellite may include an AIS payload configured to receive AIS messages from the plurality of maritime vessels and determine therefrom reported vessel position data, determine an actual frequency of arrival (FOA) for each of the AIS messages, determine an expected FOA for each of the AIS messages based upon the reported vessel position data for each AIS message, determine a potential spoofing maritime vessel based upon a difference between a corresponding expected FOA and actual FOA for a given AIS message, and send a potential spoof alert to the ground AIS server.

Abstract: An optical system for use with a vacuum chamber may include a target to be positioned within the vacuum chamber, a laser source, and an optical assembly to be positioned within the vacuum chamber between the target and the laser source. The optical assembly may include a housing, a frame, a lens carried by the frame, and spiral flexures each having a respective proximal end coupled to the frame. In addition, the optical assembly may include a plurality of flexure actuators, where each flexure actuator is coupled between the housing and a distal end of a respective spiral flexure.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a connector having a connector body and conductive pins extending outwardly from the connector body, and a circuit board having a dielectric layer, and spaced apart female contacts extending therein. Each female contact may include a conductive tubular via, a core within the conductive tubular via, and a conductive cup having a lower end abutting and joined to the conductive tubular via and an upper end defining a recess receiving a corresponding conductive pin of the connector. The conductive cup may have an outer diameter greater than an outer diameter of the conductive tubular via.

Abstract: An antenna may include rigid antenna ribs, a flexible antenna reflector layer, and a flexible support member extending behind the flexible antenna reflector layer between adjacent antenna ribs and having first and second sets of openings therein. A drawstring may extend through the first set of openings between adjacent ribs and a rear support cord is behind the flexible support member between adjacent ribs. Tie cords may extend between the flexible antenna reflector layer and the rear support cord and pass through respective ones of the second set of openings. A biasing member may maintain tension in the drawstring as adjacent antenna ribs move between first and second positions so that the flexible support member defines a pleated support body for the flexible antenna reflector layer.

Abstract: A communications device includes an RF device, and an antenna coupled to the RF device. The antenna includes a conductive ground plane, an elongate support extending from the conductive ground plane, a helically wound conductive strip carried by a proximal end of the elongate support, and spaced apart conductive elements carried by a distal end of the elongate support to define an RF lens for the helically wound conductive strip.

Abstract: A DAS system may include an OTDR, and acoustic-sensing optical fibers coupled to the OTDR. The acoustic-sensing optical fibers may have known relative positions within an acoustic wave transmitting medium. The DAS system may also include a processor cooperating with the OTDR to determine a propagation direction of an acoustic wave from an acoustic event in the acoustic wave transmitting medium based upon the known relative positions of the acoustic-sensing optical fibers.

Abstract: A method for making a nanodiamond article includes applying an adhesion promoting layer to a substrate, and electrophoretically depositing a nanodiamond film on the substrate with the adhesion promoting layer thereon in a solution to make the nanodiamond article. The nanodiamond article may include a substrate, a nanodiamond film over the substrate, and the adhesion promoting layer between the substrate and the nanodiamond film.

Abstract: A pyrolysis injector includes a feeder unit with a first inlet for particulate polymeric material and a second inlet for oil, wherein said first inlet and said second inlet lead to a reservoir arranged for mixing said particulate polymeric material and oil into oil-wet particulate polymeric material, and with one or more feeding auger arranged in a feeder gutter portion of said reservoir, the feeder gutter portion leading to a narrowing pipe portion about an end portion of the one or more feeder auger arranged for compacting the oil-wet particulate polymeric material for form a compacted oil-wet particulate polymeric material, the narrowing pipe portion leading to a compacting pipe which is arranged for feeding the compacted oil-wet particulate polymeric material to a third inlet of a pyrolysis reactor, the pyrolysis reactor provided with at least one first outlet for pyrolysis fluids in gaseous form, one or more first heating elements arranged for heating the reservoir with the oil-wet particulate polymeric

Abstract: Systems and methods for making and/or using a hybrid laminate composite tube structure. The methods comprise: wrapping a plurality of lamina layers around a male cylindrical tool (e.g., mandrel); treating the lamina layers with heat/pressure to form the hybrid laminate composite tube structure; and assembling a structure by adhesively bonding the hybrid laminate composite tube structure to a metallic fitting. The lamina layers comprise: at least one first lamina layer formed of a first material having a first CTE; and at least one second lamina layer formed of a second material different from the first material and having a second CTE different than the first CTE. The hybrid laminate composite tube structure has at least one property that is different in the axial direction than the hoop direction. An axial CTE of the hybrid laminate composite tube structure is tailored to provide a net zero CTE for the assembled structure.

Abstract: An optical device may include at least one optical fiber, and a phase change material (PCM) layer on the at least one optical fiber. The PCM layer may include GexSey, where x is in a range of 20-40, and y is in a range of 60-80.

Abstract: A wireless communication system may include a mobile wireless communications device and a wireless accessory device to be paired with it. The wireless accessory device may have a wireless transceiver and an antenna coupled to the wireless transceiver. The wireless transceiver and the antenna may be operable in an initial mode and an operational mode after successful pairing. The initial mode may have a shorter range than the operational mode. The mobile wireless communications device may exchange pairing tokens with the wireless accessory device using the initial mode, and communicate with the wireless accessory device using the operational mode after successful pairing.

Abstract: An electronic assembly may include a chassis, and electronic modules mounted within the chassis. Each electronic module may include a printed circuit substrate, heat-generating electronic components mounted on the printed circuit substrate, and a heat sink body mounted to the printed circuit substrate and having a plurality of heat pipe receiving passageways extending between opposing side edges and overlying corresponding heat-generating components. A respective elongate, passive, heat pipe may extend within each heat pipe receiving passageway and be removably fastened to at least one end to the heat sink body for enhanced conductive heat transport.

Abstract: A spectrographic system includes a space-borne spectrometer in communication with a ground-based processor. The space-borne spectrometer may include an interferometer, a detector array downstream from the interferometer, and a spectrometer controller configured to cooperate with the detector array to collect Fourier Transform Spectral (FTS) data, generate Principle Component Analysis (PCA) scores from the collected FTS data, generate an approximate interferogram based upon the PCA scores and the collected FTS data, generate residuals based upon the approximate interferogram, and generate compressed FTS data based upon the PCA scores and residuals to be sent to the ground-based processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-domain consensus using an immutable ledger. The methods comprise: receiving, by a First Computing Device (“FCD”) of a Data Provider (“DP”), an information request for information from a Second Computing Device (“SCD”) of a Data User (“DU”) (the information request including a total number of data curations for certain data); communicating a curation request from FCD to a Third Computing Device (“TCD”) of a Data Curator (“DC”); receiving, by FCD, a curation result message that indicates whether DC determined that the certain data meets a level of accuracy and precision; determining, by FCD, whether a consensus exists between DP and/or DC(s) that the certain data meets a level of accuracy and precision based on contents of the curation result message(s); and creating a transaction block in the immutable ledger responsive to a determination that a consensus exists.

Abstract: A quantum communications system may include a transmitter node, a receiver node, and a quantum communications channel coupling the transmitter node and receiver node. The transmitter node may include a pulse transmitter, a pulse divider downstream from the pulse transmitter, and at least one first waveplate upstream from the pulse divider and configured to alter a polarization state of pulses travelling therethrough. The receiver node may include at least one second waveplate being a conjugate of the at least one first waveplate, a pulse recombiner upstream from the at least one second waveplate, and a pulse receiver downstream from the at least one second waveplate.

Abstract: An underwater communications network may include spaced apart nodes on a bottom of a body of water. The underwater communications network may also include fiber optic cabling connecting the spaced apart nodes. Each node may include a frame, a node short-range navigation device carried by the frame, and an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) carried by the frame after delivering a fiber optic cable along a navigation path from an adjacent node. The UUV may be configured to cooperate with the node short-range navigation device during an end portion of the navigation path adjacent the frame.