Abstract: A hybrid propulsion system includes a housing, at least two electrodes, a solid-grain fuel material, a combustion chamber, an oxidizer port, and a nozzle. The housing has a first end and a second end and defines a cavity. The electrodes extend into the cavity. The fuel material is free of an oxidizer and is positioned in the cavity. The fuel material has a combustion surface and is exposed to the electrodes. The combustion chamber is defined between the combustion surface and the second end. The oxidizer port provides a flow of oxidizer to the combustion chamber. The nozzle is positioned at the second end. Combustion of the fuel material in the combustion chamber may be dominated by radiative heat transfer.

Abstract: A method for receiving an ADS-B message is disclosed including a synchronisation phase for detecting the start of the message and a decoding phase for recovering a bit stream corresponding to a block of data in the message. The synchronisation phase is based on determining a sequence of log-likelihood ratios having the greatest likelihood of corresponding to a sequence of symbols expected from a preamble of the message. Each log-likelihood ratio corresponds to a ratio between the respective probabilities that a symbol of the signal received corresponds to one of two possible values for a symbol. The decoding phase applies a belief propagation algorithm to a sequence of log-likelihood ratios respectively associated with the symbols in the block of data in the message, with an optimised parity matrix of the cyclic redundancy code of the message.

Abstract: Systems and methods for ease of installation of modular furniture are disclosed herein. Various embodiments include a method comprising: receiving a ceiling scan; mounting a rails system based on the ceiling scan; installing robots for machine control of the modular furniture using the rails system; and positioning the modular furniture using a positioning control system electrically connected to the robots.

Abstract: Systems and methods related to learning-based analyzers (both supervised and unsupervised) for mitigating latch-up in integrated circuits are provided. An example method includes obtaining latch-up data concerning at least one integrated circuit configured to operate under a range of temperature conditions, where the at least one integrated circuit comprises a core portion including at least a plurality of devices each having one or more structural features formed using a lithographic process, and an input/output portion. The method further includes training the learning-based system based on training data derived from the latch-up data and a first layout rule concerning a first spacing between the core portion and the input/output portion. The method further includes using the learning-based system generating a second layout rule concerning the first spacing between the core portion and the input/output portion, where the second layout rule is different from the first layout rule.

Abstract: A scalable signal processing system is disclosed that processes digitized spectrum received from a constellation of satellites (or other sources), extracting multiple digital signals from multiple sources through multiple acquisition sites that is virtualized with high availability. A system of one or more antennas can receive a range of frequencies of raw spectrum covering multiple visible orbit planes, where a single antenna can receive signals from multiple satellite concurrently. This can be particularly useful when establishing a constellation satellites, where a number of satellites can be grouped together within an antenna's field of view. A group of digitizers receive the signals from the antennas and creates raw samples to form a spectrum sample pool. The spectrum sample pool is stored in a raw frame archive, where the digitizers and raw frame archive can be co-located and can also be co-located with one or more of the antennas.

Abstract: Systems and methods for satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) artifact suppression for enhanced three-dimensional feature extraction, change detection, and/or visualizations are described. In some aspects, the described systems and methods include a method for suppressing artifacts from complex SAR data associated with a scene. In some aspects, the described systems and methods include a method for creating a photo-realistic 3D model of a scene based on complex SAR data associated with a scene. In some aspects, the described systems and methods include a method for identifying three-dimensional (3D) features and changes in SAR imagery.

Abstract: The present teachings is generally directed to systems and methods for facilitating communications with a satellite. In some embodiments, a request to communicate with a satellite may be received from a client device, and upon determining that a device identifier associated with the client device is associated with an account authorized to connect to one or more satellite ground stations, a schedule of activity for the account may be retrieved. The schedule of activity may indicate a time period that the client device is authorized to connect to the satellite ground station(s) such that data is communicated between the satellite and the client device, and the satellite ground station(s) may be configured to communicate with the satellite. At a start of the time period, a connection between the client device and the satellite ground station(s) may be generated, and via the connection, data may be provided to the client device.

Abstract: A wireless communication platform utilizes flexible bandwidth assignment to re-allocate bandwidth between spot beams. The platform may assign a first combination of frequency and polarization (FP) to a first spot beam and a second combination of frequency and polarization to a second spot beam that is adjacent and at least partially overlapping the first spot beam. The platform may assign to the first spot beam a reserved combination of frequency and polarization during a first time period, and at second time, assign the reserved combination to the second spot beam. The platform may also assign the reserved combination simultaneously to adjacent spot beams by managing user of the reserved combination by geographically isolated terminals in the spot beams. The platform may further assign different portions of the reserved combination to adjacent spot beams without geographical limitations.

Abstract: Described herein is a method of constructing a landing pad using a rocket engine while in-flight. Among other benefits, this method can reduce ejecta that otherwise would occur during landing on an unimproved surface. While a spacecraft is hovering over an unimproved surface, the spacecraft can inject particles into its rocket engine, after which the particles absorb heat from the engine and are projected at ballistic speeds toward the unimproved surface to create a landing pad. After constructing the landing pad and waiting for the landing pad to cool, the spacecraft can land on the landing pad. Also described herein are landing pads created from such particles as they impact the surface in a disc splat mode into the unimproved surface.

Abstract: A photo-catalyst (Ep) is regarded as an alternate method to replace the plasma chemical process and as an additional catalytic processing scheme on top of a micro- or nano-structured catalyst (Ec) and electro-catalyst (Ev). The potential energy reduction that results from the effect of photo-enhanced electro-catalyst (PEEC) is significant.

Abstract: A solar cell contact arrangement, having a semiconductor body with a top and a bottom, wherein the semiconductor body has multiple solar cell stacks and includes a support substrate on the bottom, and each solar cell stack has at least two III-V subcells arranged on the support substrate and at least one through-contact extending from the top to the bottom of the semiconductor body with a continuous side wall, wherein the through-contact has a first edge region on the top and a second edge region on the bottom, and the first edge region has a first section and a second, metallic section, and the second edge region has a first section and a second section, wherein the respective second sections completely enclose the respective first sections, and an insulating layer.

Abstract: An asymmetrically constructed radome for an aircraft and an aircraft having an antenna and a corresponding radome are described. The radome has a first layer with a first dielectric constant and a first layer thickness, and a second layer with a second dielectric constant and a second layer thickness. The first layer thickness and the second layer thickness are different from each other. The first layer includes a thermosetting material and the second layer includes a thermoplastic material. Such an asymmetrical radome structure improves the mechanical stability and electromagnetic transparency of the radome.

Abstract: A synchronization device and a synchronization method for synchronizing a first node and a second node are provided. The first node supports a first time protocol profile, and the second node supports a second time protocol profile. The synchronization method includes: providing a system operating time by a counter; communicating with the first node based on the first time protocol profile to obtain first synchronization information; calculating a time delay according to the first synchronization information, and correcting the system operating time according to the time delay to generate a corrected system operating time; and communicating with the second node based on the second time protocol profile so as to provide the second node with second synchronization information according to the corrected system operating time.

Abstract: A scandium-containing aluminium powder alloy, wires and materials including said alloy, and a method for producing the scandium-containing aluminium powder alloy, the wires and materials, the proportion of scandium in the scandium-containing aluminium powder alloy being elevated, are disclosed. At least one element is selected from the group consisting of the lanthanum group except for Ce, Y, Ga, Nb, Ta, W, V, Ni, Co, Mo, Li, Th, Ag.

Abstract: A payload dispenser for a launch vehicle including a plurality of panels, wherein at least one panel includes at least one payload mounted onto the panel. The panels are attachable to each other by means of attachment means in the form of at least one payload dispenser joint whereby a self-supporting dispenser is formed.

Abstract: A coupling system is utilized to form a multi-part rocket engine thrust compartment that maintains inner channels within walls of the thrust compartment for regenerative cooling. The coupling system includes an insert joint arranged between joint faces of a first segment and a second segment. The first segment and the second segment include inner edges that, when jointed together, form an inner wall. The joint insert is installed between the first segment and the second segment after the inner wall is formed and coupled to the first segment and the second segment. The joint faces of the first segment and the second segment include extending feature to form a flow passage along with cavities at least partially defined by the joint insert.

Abstract: Provided are a method for sharing a radio spectrum with high-orbit communication satellites, which comprise a geosynchronous satellite and operate in a near-equatorial orbit, on the basis of a beam constant offset, and a low-orbit communication satellite system.

Abstract: An energy conversion and transmission system includes a thermal energy converter configured to convert thermal blackbody radiation energy to thermal infrared (IR) energy and to output a thermal IR energy stream. The system further includes a transmission device configured to receive the thermal IR energy stream from the thermal energy converter at a first location and output the thermal IR energy stream at a second location. The transmission device supplies the thermal IR energy stream to a thermal IR energy destination at the second location.

Abstract: The present application provides a process for preparing a composite anode for a lithium ion cell comprising the steps of: (i) forming an anode slurry in a planetary mixing machine by mixing active materials, a binder and a solvent; (ii) coating the slurry over a copper foil substrate in a coating machine at a speed of 0.3-1.0 m/min; and (iii) calendering of the anode in a calendering machine at a temperature of 50-150° C. The lithium ion cell with the anode disclosed in this invention and a cathode exhibited a capacity retention of >80% at 100% depth-of-discharge at C/2-1C charge-discharge rate when tested for 2000 cycles.