Abstract: A failsafe piston retention assembly, and related components, systems, and methods are disclosed. A failsafe piston retention assembly comprises a head comprising a head body having a first surface. The assembly also includes a piston having second surface, the piston slidably coupled with respect to the head. The piston has a retracted configuration and an unretracted configuration. In the retracted configuration, the second surface is fixed with respect to the first surface by a magnetic force. One advantage of this arrangement is that the piston is retained in its retracted configuration in the event of an operational failure of the piston mechanism. For example, for a hydraulically controlled piston, the magnetic force retains the piston in a retracted configuration even in the event of a loss of hydraulic pressure.

Abstract: An electromagnetic interference (EMI) shield is disclosed. The EMI shield includes an electrically conductive sleeve configured to surround a connector. The electrically conductive sleeve includes a restriction configured to contact a metal perimeter of the connector and includes a connection member configured to be electrically coupled to a circuit board.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne devices. In one example, a satellite device includes one or more sensor systems, a communication interface, and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information to employ the one or more sensor systems and establish imaging data.

Abstract: A wind prediction system is provided that can be implemented in an air-traffic decision tool or a wind turbine system. An air-traffic decision tool may incorporate a wind prediction system to generate prevailing wind direction predictions and determine a time at which to re-configure runway directions. A wind turbine system may incorporate a wind prediction system to predict power output of a wind turbine.

Abstract: A turret system includes a base subassembly and a turret subassembly. The base subassembly includes a base housing and a first turret mounting interface coupled to the base housing. The base subassembly also includes a first antenna configured to wirelessly transmit an electrical power signal. The turret subassembly includes a turret housing and a second turret mounting interface coupled to the turret housing. The second turret mounting interface is configured to rotate with respect to the first turret mounting interface, thereby rotating the turret housing with respect to the base housing. The turret subassembly further comprises a second antenna configured to wirelessly receive the electrical power signal from the first antenna.

Abstract: An apparatus for use as part of, or attached to, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to intercept and entangle a threat unmanned aerial vehicle, includes a flight and payload control system for controlling power to the UAV and for controlling maneuvering of the UAV. A host-side mount may be coupled to the UAV and is in communication with the flight and payload control system. A payload-side mount is removably attached to the host-side mount and includes a power interface and a control interface between the payload-side mount and the host-side mount. A counter-UAV system is coupled to the payload-side mount and includes a deployable chute net having a cross-sectional area sized for intercepting and entangling the threat unmanned aerial vehicle; and a deployment mechanism for mounting to the unmanned aerial vehicle.

Abstract: An exhaust plume cooling device for cooling an exhaust gas plume to reduce deleterious heat effects on impinged and surrounding surfaces. The device is supportable in a position downstream of an exhaust nozzle of an exhaust gas plume-producing engine and configured to periodically interrupt the flow of exhaust gases by injecting fluid into the exhaust plume zone.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a device for conditioning a flow of air includes a casing with an inlet and an outlet. The device has a flow conditioner disposed within the casing and concentrically aligned with the casing. The flow conditioner has a cylindrical portion and a domed end portion capping the cylindrical portion. The flow conditioner forms an annulus region between the flow conditioner and the casing. The flow conditioner also forms a mixing chamber interior to the flow conditioner. The flow conditioner also has a plurality of holes throughout the flow conditioner that are configured to permit air to pass from the inlet of the casing and the annulus into the mixing chamber. The device also has a flow straightener located at the outlet of the casing configured to straighten the airflow as it flows from the mixing chamber out of the device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein manage the initiation of applications in a system of physical nodes. In one example, a control system may identify a triggering event to initiate an application in the system based on sensor data obtained from at least a subset of the physical nodes. In response to the triggering event, the control system may identify a physical node with an image to support the execution of the application, initiate execution of the application associated with the image, and allocate or provide state information to the executing application.

Abstract: The embodiments implement polarization-based disturbed earth identification. At least one sensor apparatus comprising a plurality of detector elements receives polarized electromagnetic radiation (EMR) in a first waveband from a scene of an area of a surface of the earth and polarized EMR in a second waveband from the scene, the polarized EMR in the first waveband having a first polarization orientation and the polarized EMR in the second waveband having a second polarization orientation. The sensor apparatus outputs sensor information that quantifies EMR received by each detector element of the plurality of detector elements. A computing device processes the sensor information to generate an image or a classification image of the scene based on an amount of polarized EMR received by each detector element, and presents the image on a display device.

Abstract: A coherent optical system includes an optical transmit (Tx) path, a coherent optical receive (Rx) path, and a multi-channel optical path coupled to the optical Tx path and the coherent optical Rx path. The multi-channel optical path includes a number of parallel-connected channels and a formatting optics block having an optical beam directed to a target. Each channel includes an optical amplifier, and the optical Tx path, the coherent Rx path, and the multi-channel optical path are realized as a photonic integrated circuit (PIC).

Abstract: An AM continuous welding system (AMCWS) is provided. The AMCWS includes a feedstock dispenser that configured to emit feedstock at a designated location, and a heat source configured to heat the feedstock. The AMCWS also includes a first eddy current sensor array that is configured to generate a first plurality of sensor signals while in current-sensing proximity of a re-solidified feedstock segment. A controller is coupled to the first eddy current sensor array and is configured to determine, based on the first plurality of sensor signals, a first characteristic of the re-solidified feedstock segment. The controller determines that the first characteristic is a first undesirable characteristic, and initiates an action based on the first undesirable characteristic.

Abstract: A fusion reactor includes a fusion plasma reactor chamber. A magnetic coil structure is disposed inside of the fusion plasma reactor chamber, and a structural component is also disposed inside of the fusion plasma reactor chamber. The structural component couples the magnetic coil structure to the fusion plasma reactor chamber. A superconducting material is disposed at least partially within the structural component. A plurality of cooling channels are disposed at least partially within the structural component. An insulating material is disposed at least partially within the structural component.

Abstract: An apparatus that includes a plurality of heat sources; a heat sink coupled to the plurality of heat sources; a heat-exchange-fluid flow path for heat-exchange fluid to flow through such that heat is removed from the heat sink, wherein the flow path includes: a heat-exchange-fluid inlet, a first branch that includes a plurality of segments including a first and second segment, wherein each of the plurality of segments includes an upstream end and a downstream end, wherein a first portion of the heat-exchange fluid flows through the first segment in a first direction and the first portion of the heat-exchange fluid flows through the second segment in a second direction, opposite the first direction, and a second branch, wherein a second portion of the heat-exchange fluid flows through the second branch such that the second portion of the heat-exchange fluid mixes with the downstream end of the second segment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein manage the deployment of applications across multiple provisioning layers. In managing the applications, a management service may monitor resource usage by the applications that are executing in a first provisioning layer, wherein the first provisioning layer comprises physical nodes such as airborne or spaceborne nodes. While monitoring the resource usage, the management service may determine when the resource usage by the applications satisfies migration criteria and, when the applications satisfy the migration criteria, select one or more of the applications to be offloaded to another provisioning layer. Once selected, the management service may initiate deployment of the one or more applications in the other provisioning layer.

Abstract: An air flow channeling yaw control device includes a vane cover, a vane array, and an actuator. The vane array includes a plurality of vanes, each of the plurality of vanes comprising a first edge and a second edge, the first edge being hingedly coupled to the vane cover and the second edge being hingedly coupled to a wing of an aircraft. The wing includes a leading edge and a trailing edge. The actuator is configured to move the plurality of vanes from a retracted position into a deployed position. The plurality of vanes, when moved into the deployed position, are configured to direct a flow of air flowing over the leading edge of the wing through channels created by the plurality of vanes. The plurality of vanes, when moved into the retracted position, are configured to retract within the wing.

Abstract: A strut-and-node truss design that is applicable to all space frame structure designs can be made with using robotic (semi-autonomous and/or fully autonomous) or telerobotic assembly/joining. Nodes can include a 2-dimensional weld path in an effort to reduce the complexity of having to weld in 3-dimensions. Furthermore, each strut to node connection can be concentrated in a small area where each weld can be performed robotically from a fixed position that only requires the robotic weld head to swivel in a small operating window to reach each joint.

Abstract: A circuit card assembly release tool is disclosed. The tool includes a body and two flanges extending outward from the body at an end of the body. The tool is structured and arranged such that the two flanges are adapted to simultaneously apply a force to two ejectors that are pivotally connected to a seated circuit card assembly when the tool is urged in a direction relative to the seated circuit card assembly.

Abstract: Devices and methods for identifying and destroying cancer cells are disclosed. Devices and methods may relate to techniques of imaging and/or irradiating cells bearing a plurality of surface-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) therein. Imaging can be realized with a magnetic imaging device that generates an imaging magnetic field. A magnetic field associated with the SPION-bearing cancer cells and resulting from imaging, can be detected with a detection device. Irradiation can be realized with a magnetic field emission device that generates an irradiation magnetic field such that the SPIONs in the SPION-bearing cells are heated as a result of said magnetic field, thereby killing the SPION-bearing cells. The magnetic imaging device may be used as the magnetic field emission device. The magnetic fields produced for imaging and/or irradiating, as well as the associated magnetic field, can be focused using one or more magnetic metalens devices.