Abstract: One example includes a vapor cell. The cell includes a transparent enclosure and alkali metal atoms enclosed within the transparent enclosure. The alkali metal atoms can be configured to be stimulated from a first energy state to a second energy state in response to an optical beam provided through the vapor cell and to emit fluorescent light in response to energy of the alkali metal atoms decaying from the second energy state to the first energy state. The cell further includes a reflective coating that is provided on an exterior surface of the transparent enclosure to surround the vapor cell to provide a reflective interior surface with respect to the transparent enclosure of the vapor cell to reflect the fluorescent light. The reflective coating can include a detection window configured to facilitate escape of the fluorescent light from the vapor cell for optical detection.

Abstract: Spacecraft servicing systems include a spacecraft servicing device and at least one mission extension pod comprising at least one spacecraft servicing component. The spacecraft servicing device is configured to transfer the at least pod to a target spacecraft in order to service the target spacecraft with the at least one spacecraft servicing component of the at least one pod. Spacecraft servicing pods configured to be supplied to a spacecraft with a spacecraft servicing device include at least one spacecraft servicing component.

Abstract: One example includes an atomic optical reference system. The system includes an optical system comprising a laser configured to generate an optical beam. The system also includes a vapor cell comprising alkali metal atoms that are stimulated in response to a modulated beam corresponding to an amplitude-modulated version of the optical beam. The system also includes a detection system configured to monitor at least one detection signal corresponding to light emitted from or absorbed by the vapor cell and to generate at least one feedback signal in response to the at least one detection signal. The system further includes a beam modulator configured to amplitude-modulate the optical beam to generate the modulated beam and to frequency shift the optical beam to generate an output beam having a stable frequency in response to the at least one feedback signal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for evaluation of system-of-systems (SoS) architectures for cyber vulnerabilities. Architecture definition file (ADF) data can be generated based on received architecture and component description data. A model of a target SoS architecture for the SoS can be generated based on the ADF data. The target SoS architecture for the SoS can be evaluated to identify potential cyber-attack vectors with respect to the target SoS architecture, and a probabilistic analysis of the potential cyber-attack vectors can be executed to compute a probability for each cyber-attack vector indicative of a likelihood that a respective cyber-attack results in a mission failure by the SoS based on the target SoS architecture. Display data can be generated for visualization on an output device that includes each identified potential cyber-attack vector and associated computed probability.

Abstract: In some examples, an analyzer manager configured to select one of a program code analyzer, a static data analyzer, and an unused memory location analyzer for malware detection within memory of a system. The program code analyzer can be executed to evaluate instruction data for executing a computer program at a first set of memory locations within the memory for malware in response to being selected by the analyzer manager. The static data analyzer can be executed to evaluate static data for use by the computer program at a second set of memory locations within the memory for the malware in response to being selected by the analyzer manager. The unused memory location analyzer can be executed to evaluate null data indicative of unused memory locations at a third set of memory locations within the memory for the malware in response to being selected by the analyzer manager.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle includes a body and an antenna assembly mounted to the body. The antenna assembly includes a fairing component comprising a hollow body, a conductive coating formed on at least an inner surface of the fairing component, a plurality of antenna elements formed in the conductive coating, each antenna element including a first slot line defining a first transmission line and a second slot line defining a second transmission line, an insulator sleeve disposed within the fairing component, wherein an outer surface of the insulator sleeve at least substantially matches an inner surface of the fairing component, and a plurality of cable assemblies operably coupled to the plurality of antenna elements, wherein each cable assembly is coupled to a respective antenna element.

Abstract: A system for biology based anti-tamper and a method for detecting a tampering activity to an object using biological materials are provided. The system includes a biological medium that includes a biological member such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), ribonucleic acid (RNA), and/or live or hibernating organism. The biological medium is applied to a portion of an object that is required to monitor whether any tampering may have occurred. The biological member is engineered to change its state when exposed to a stimulus. Upon suspicion, the state of the biological member is examined to find if there is any change of state. The biological member is capable of being barcoded, which provides an extra security measure.

Abstract: One example includes an atomic sensor system. The system includes an optical source configured to provide an optical beam and a plurality of sensor cell systems. Each of the sensor cell systems includes sensing media enclosed in a volume therein. The system also includes optics configured to provide the optical beam to each of the sensor cell systems to provide interaction of the optical beam with the vapor in each of the respective sensor cell systems. The optical beam exiting each of the sensor cell systems is a respective detection beam. The system further includes a detection system comprising at least one configured to receive the detection beam from each of the sensor cell systems and to determine a measurable parameter based on an optical characteristic associated with the detection beam from each of the sensor cell systems.

Abstract: A method of making a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) is provided. The method comprises depositing a functional resist material layer over a substrate, disposing and pressing a stamp with a plurality of nanopatterns into the functional resist material for a period of time, and removing the stamp from the functional resist material to provide nanofeatures that are inverted versions of the nanopatterns, wherein the nanofeatures form one or more optical elements.

Abstract: A guided projectile having a nose portion, a body portion, a tail portion, and a central axis. In various embodiments the projectile includes a control support portion and a collar assembly pivotally mounted to the control support portion. In various embodiments the collar assembly includes a collar having an exterior sidewall with a plurality of fixed aerodynamic surfaces thereon for spinning the collar and a plurality of variable sweep wings for directional control of the projectile. In various embodiments the plurality of variable sweep wings each have a first end coupled to a wing actuator configured to rotate a second end portion between and including a first position, where the wings are oriented generally parallel to the central axis of the projectile to a second position, where the lengthwise wing axis of the plurality of wings are oriented generally perpendicular to the central axis of the projectile.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for providing a multi-body interaction among a plurality of qubits. A first persistent current qubit is galvanically coupled to a second persistent current qubit through a Josephson junction. A third persistent current qubit is galvanically coupled to one or both of the first persistent current qubit and the second persistent current qubit along a superconducting loop interrupted by the first persistent current qubit, the second persistent current qubit, the third persistent current qubit, and the Josephson junction.

Abstract: A mission plan module generates a mission plan for a deployed remote vehicle. The mission plan comprises a plurality of commands for the deployed remote vehicle. A burst upload module receives the mission plan and selects a given subset of the plurality of commands. The burst mode module transmits the given subset of commands to a data link interface (DLI) module over a network. The given subset of commands is transmitted with a burst mode operation based on burst rate parameters, causing the DLI module to transmit the given subset of commands to the deployed remote vehicle through a ground communication element. The burst mode module receives a set of response messages from the remote vehicle responsive to the given subset of commands and selects a next subset of the plurality of commands. The burst mode module transmits the next subset of commands to the DLI module over the network.

Abstract: An inlet manifold is for use in a laser powder bed fusion system having a build platform for carrying a powder bed and a pump or blower for supplying a gas flow in a direction relative to a surface of the build platform. The inlet manifold is made of a gas flow guide structure having a gas flow inlet to receive the gas flow and being comprised of a plurality of stacked gas flow guides, each being defined by top and bottom guide plates oriented downwards at an angle A relative to the direction of the gas flow for guiding the gas flow downwards towards a gas flow outlet. At least some of the top and the bottom guide plates have upwardly curved ends at the gas flow outlet to redirect the gas flow to be substantially parallel to the surface of the build platform.

Abstract: One example includes an underwater docking system. The system includes an underwater dock that includes a docking rod. The docking rod includes electrical contacts around a periphery of the docking rod. The system also includes a docking assembly mounted on an underwater vehicle. The docking assembly includes an actuator and a hook assembly that includes a docking arm and a jaw assembly. The docking arm physically guides the docking rod into the jaw assembly and the actuator closes the jaw assembly around the docking rod to provide electrical connection of brush contacts of the jaw assembly with the electrical contacts of the docking rod to provide electrical power from a power source via the electrical contacts to the underwater vehicle. Each of the electrical contacts and the brush contacts can be formed from a self-passivating material.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a vapor cell for an atomic physics-based sensor system. The vapor cell includes a cell wall formed from an approximately transparent material. The cell wall can enclose an alkali metal vapor and can include an inner surface and an outer surface. The vapor cell can also include at least one structural feature provided on at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface of the cell wall and extending along a portion of the respective at least one of the inner surface and the outer surface.

Abstract: An optical assembly including a plurality of metamirrors, where each metamirror includes a substrate, a reflective layer formed to the substrate, an array of optical metaelements extending from the reflective layer and an array of micro-actuators coupled to the substrate opposite to the reflective layer. The combination of the micro-actuators are controlled to control the orientation and bending of the metamirrors to set how the metaelements focus a light beam that is reflected off of the reflective layers.

Abstract: A reconfigurable solar array has a plurality of photovoltaic cells and an interconnect circuit including a plurality of switches for interconnecting the photovoltaic cells. A thermostatic feedback control circuit in communication with a temperature sensor is configured to produce a temperature signal that is proportional to a temperature of the photovoltaic cells. The thermostatic feedback control circuit is configured to cause at least one of the switches to change state at a preset temperature that is independent of supply voltage. When the temperature is above the preset temperature, the photovoltaic cells are arranged in a plurality of strings connected in parallel. When the temperature is at or below the preset temperature, at least one photovoltaic cell in each string is disconnected from a respective string and reconnected in series to each other to form a new string connected in parallel to the other strings.

Abstract: A machine for manufacturing tube elements comprised of tape strips. The machine includes a shaft, a disk mounted to one end of the shaft, a motor coupled to an opposite end of the shaft, and a plate mounted to the shaft. The plate includes a plurality of spools mounted to the plate, where a separate one of the strips is wound on each spool. In one embodiment, the machine further includes a rail positioned adjacent to the disk, a slide slidably secured to the rail and including an end support configured to hold ends of the tape strips, and an indexer configured to pull the slide on the rail away from the disk. The tape strips are unwound from the spools when the indexer pulls the slide in a manner so that the tape strips ride in a spaced apart manner around the disk to form the tube element.

Abstract: A multi-component structure includes a first hybrid metal composite structure, a second hybrid metal composite structure, and a joint structure. The first and second hybrid metal composite structures include layers, each layer comprising a fiber composite material structure including a fiber material dispersed within a matrix material and at least one metal ply located between layers of the layers. The joint structure extends between and connects the first hybrid metal composite structure and the second hybrid metal composite structure. Additionally, the joint structure exerts a clamping force on the first and second hybrid metal composite structures and to reduce gaps between the layers, between the layers and the at least one metal ply, and between the joint structure and the first and second hybrid metal composite structures to less than half a thickness of the at least one metal ply.

Abstract: One example includes a passive rotor pitch control system. The system includes a counterweights that are each associated with one of a respective plurality of rotors and can be arranged to have a center of mass configured to provide a pitch torque about a pitch axis associated with the respective one of the rotors in response to rotation of the rotors about a rotation axis. The system also includes a spring forcer comprising a pitch rod and a spring configured to provide a spring force on the pitch rod. The system further includes a pitch change assembly coupled to the counterweights and the pitch rod. The pitch change assembly can be configured to rotate a pitch of each of the rotors from a first pitch state to a second pitch state in response to a sum of pitch torques associated with the counterweights being greater than the spring force.