Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, an antenna assembly includes a patch antenna array including an upper patch antenna layer, a lower patch antenna layer, and a spacer therebetween, wherein the spacer includes a plurality of apertures defined by cell walls, wherein the each aperture aligns with an upper patch antenna element and a lower patent antenna element from the patch antenna array.

Abstract: An integrated signal chain includes a waveguide network defined by first and second waveguide layers forming a waveguide stack. A first transmit waveguide channel (WGC) is configured to communicate first transmit electromagnetic signals from a first transmit port to an antenna feed port, and a first receive WGC is configured to communicate first receive electromagnetic signals from the antenna feed port to a first receive port. A transmit module is attached to an exterior side of the first waveguide layer, and the first transmit WGC couples the transmit module to the antenna. A receive module is attached to the exterior side of the first waveguide layer, and the first receive WGC couples the antenna to the receive module. A modem may be included. A thermal management assembly can be configured to dissipate heat from the modem, the receive module, and/or the transmit module.

Abstract: An arc detection system for an aircraft high voltage and direct current electrical circuit which includes a sensor sensing high-frequency magnetic fields created by current pulses, a signal conditioning block, a database including a time threshold, status signals of events occurring in aircraft normal operation procedures, a processing unit configured to calculate a statistical dispersion of the high-frequency magnetic fields of the current pulses of the signals measured by the sensor, calculate a threshold under no-arc conditions as a function of the previous measured signals, check if the signals measured by the sensor are above the threshold under no arc-conditions during the time threshold, if positive, check if any status signal of events due to normal operation procedures has been activated, and if negative, activate the operation of an electrical protection.

Abstract: A method of communicating between a rotary wing platform and a ground terminal via a satellite. The method comprises, at the rotary wing platform, receiving a forward link signal transmitted by the satellite; on the basis of the received forward link signal, estimating at least one obstruction characteristic associated with obstruction of a signal transmission path between the rotary wing platform and the satellite by one or more blades of the rotary wing platform; determining a plurality of time periods during which the at least one obstruction characteristic indicates that the signal transmission path will not be obstructed by the one or more blades of the rotary wing platform; and transmitting to the satellite a bursted carrier return link signal comprising a plurality of bursts, wherein each burst in the plurality of bursts is transmitted during one of the determined time periods.

Abstract: An aggregated communication network includes one or more communication networks and a plurality of network nodes arranged in a plurality of hierarchical layers, the network nodes including a central node at a highest layer and a remaining network nodes being arranged, as part of the one or more communication networks, in layers below the highest layer, with one or more spatially distributed network nodes at each layer below the highest layer. The network nodes in each communication network are interconnected in a tree-like structure via communication links, with respective sub-branches extending from the network nodes via network nodes in lower layers. The one or more communication networks are connected to the central node in a star-like structure via respective communication links between the central node and respective network nodes in a next-to-highest layer. The communication links between network nodes in a lowest layer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional Bragg grating may include a single colloidal crystal that includes a plurality of repeated layers of material having different refractive indexes. A sample cell for producing a volume Bragg grating may include an internal shape that forms at least one capillary cell having a flat surface and rounded edges. A method of producing a three-dimensional Bragg grating may include: suspending insoluble particles in a host fluid to form a suspension; and exposing the suspension to a sustained microgravity environment.

Abstract: A filter unit is provided to retrofit within signal lines that couple analog cockpit gauges to transducers in rotorcraft systems. The filter unit may include a housing assembly and an electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter assembly housed therein. The filter assembly may include a printed circuit board (PCB) having conductive PCB traces and a signal line input connector configured to connect to multiple transducer signal lines. The filter assembly may also include a signal line output connector configured to connect to multiple analog cockpit gauge signal lines and a plurality of common mode chokes electrically connected between the signal line input connector and the signal line output connector. Each common mode choke may be positioned on the PCB so that it does not electrically/magnetically interfere with the other common mode chokes of the plurality of common mode chokes.

Abstract: A device for deploying and pointing an equipment item is disclosed including a mobile platform for receiving the equipment item, a carrier integrally secured to a wall of a spacecraft, and three identical linear actuators which connect the carrier to the mobile platform and are suitable for moving the platform in translation along one axis and for orienting the platform in rotation about two axes. Each linear actuator including a first portion connected to the platform by a universal joint, a second portion connected to the carrier by a pivot connection, a motor, and a screw/nut joint interconnecting the two portions, each universal joint being suitable for preventing the screw/nut joint from rotating about the axis, such that driving the motor causes a translational movement between the first and the second portion.

Abstract: Examples described herein include methods and computing systems which may include examples of calculating risk scores for certain natural disasters perils based on machine learning model outputs. For example, a machine learning model may weight each of the pixels of a map in accordance with the set of weights associated with a structure, to calculate a risk score for a particular natural disaster peril associated with that structure. A plurality of risk selections may be provided to a user computing device for selection by a user, with those risk selections being associated with that risk score. Advantageously, the computing system facilitates the interaction of datasets with different measurement parameters in a machine learning model. In normalizing datasets before providing the datasets to input nodes of a machine learning model, a computing system may efficiently provide hazard and vulnerability outputs of the machine learning model.

Abstract: A spacecraft chassis includes a chassis body defined by first and second opposing sides bound by a perimeter, wherein at least one heat-generating component is configured to be secured directly to the chassis body, and at least one heat dissipating feature configured to radiate heat generated from the at least one heat-generating component into outer space.

Abstract: A stacked multijunction solar cell having a dielectric insulating layer system, a germanium substrate, which forms an underside of the multijunction solar cell, a germanium subcell and at least two III-V subcells, which follow each other in the specified order, the insulating layer system includes a layer sequence made up of at least one bottom insulating layer, which is integrally connected to a first surface section of the multijunction solar cell and a top insulating layer forming an upper side of the insulating layer system, and a metal coating of the multijunction solar cell is integrally and electrically conductively connected to a second surface section abutting the first surface section of the multijunction solar cell and is integrally connected to a section of the upper side of the insulating layer system, and the top insulating layer comprises amorphous silicon or is made up of amorphous silicon.

Abstract: An outer space-based reusable manufacturing and assembly system including at least one joint that comprises at least one receiver component, at least one strut that engages the at least one receiver component on the at least one joint and a joining element that provides for engaging and disengaging the at least one joint with at least the at least one strut so that either the at least one joint and the at least one strut are usable for another mission. Two other systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method may measure or calculate motor acuity in a person playing a computer game by determining, for a number of different target types, speed of the player and one of precision, accuracy and variability of the player; and determining or calculating motor acuity based on the relationship between speed of the player and the precision, accuracy or variability (e.g. in movement or shots). The calculation may be using a statistical analysis; and may be by creating a best-fit line in a comparison of speed and variability; and transforming the best-fit line to a curve in a comparison of player speed and player precision.

Abstract: An adjustable mount for mounting a component subjected to dynamically-varying loads decouples position adjustment of one axis from position adjustment along the other. The mount includes a frame between base and top plates. The frame has apertures for receiving positioners. The positioners abut sides that extend inward from the plates and into the frame. Actuating a positioners causes it to push its corresponding side. This causes relative motion between the frame and the positioner's corresponding plate. Movement interfaces guide these movements during adjustment and locking interfaces lock the frame and the corresponding plate into position after completion of adjustment.

Abstract: A method for structuring an insulating layer on a semiconductor wafer, at least comprising the steps of: Provision of a semiconductor wafer with a top, a bottom and comprising multiple solar cell stacks, wherein each solar cell stack is a Ge substrate, which forms the bottom of the semiconductor wafer, a Ge subcell and at least two III-V subcells, in the above order, and at least one passage opening, which extends from the top to the bottom of the semiconductor wafer and has a connected side wall, an insulating layer two-dimensionally deposited on the top of the semiconductor wafer, on the side wall of the passage opening and/or on the bottom of the semiconductor wafer, and the deposition of an etch-resistant filling material by means of a printing process on an area of the top which comprises the passage opening, and into the passage opening.

Abstract: A method of roll steering of a spacecraft to align an aspect of the spacecraft, such as the surface of solar arrays carried by the spacecraft, to the sun, is described. The roll steering occurs only when the sun is at an angle (?) relative to the orbital plane of the spacecraft and when the spacecraft is not eclipsed by a body it is orbiting. This dayside-only roll steering of the spacecraft increases the power efficiency of the spacecraft. A spacecraft may include a controller which causes an attitude control subsystem to steer the spacecraft about a roll axis to position the surface of the solar array such that an axis normal to the surface of the solar array is aligned with the direction to a sun when the sun is visible to the spacecraft, and maintain a fixed orientation of the spacecraft about the roll axis when the sun is not visible to the spacecraft.

Abstract: A surface heating device and related method includes a heater assembly having a layer of dielectric material, thermal insulation material positioned adjacent to the heater assembly, an encapsulation layer surrounding the thermal insulation material and connected to the heater assembly, and a controller configured to control power delivered to the heater assembly to activate the dielectric material to generate heat.

Abstract: An Array-Fed Reflector (AFR) antenna assembly is provided comprising an AFR antenna comprising a feed array a reflector, and a mechanism for moving a position of the reflector relative to a position of the feed array such that a focal region of the reflector is movable with respect to the position of the feed array.

Abstract: A system for managing resources and scheduling is disclosed. The system includes a client computer, software executable by the client computer for providing a user interface, a server in data communication with the client computer, a database for storing data in a hierarchical data structure, and a data fusion engine executing on the server. The hierarchical data structure includes a parent node and child nodes linked to the parent node. The data fusion engine is configured to log a workflow to at least one of the child nodes based on user input received via the user interface. A related method and software is also disclosed.