Abstract: A space vehicle includes one or more magnetorquers operable to change an attitude of the space vehicle in an external magnetic field, each magnetorquer comprising a coil, and a switching circuit for short-circuiting the coil of at least one of the magnetorquers so that a closed electric circuit comprising said coil is formed, for damping tumbling motion of the space vehicle in the external magnetic field. The switching circuit is configured to short-circuit the coil of the at least one magnetorquer upon occurrence of a condition indicative of end-of-life or failure of the space vehicle. The application further relates to a corresponding method of operating a space vehicle.

Abstract: A method for streaming sensor data from a set of radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags includes determining an initial communication approach to be performed with respect to each RFID tag. The method also includes managing access to the RFID tag by refining the initial communication approach based on records of successes and failures of the initial communication approach. A radio-frequency identification (RFID) system is also disclosed, the system comprising one or more processors and a memory system comprising one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions that, when executed by at least one of the one or more processors, causes the system to perform operations for streaming sensor data from one or more RFID tags to one or more RFID readers.

Abstract: A cantilever table is configured to attach to a vehicle cargo area. The cantilever table includes a first portion slidably engaged with a second portion in a manner that allows the first portion to be stored beneath the second portion when the table is not in use. The first portion includes a handle at the proximal end, a hook fastener configured to engage a closure latch in the vehicle cargo area, a first adjustable support configured to extend vertically downward from the lower surface, and a second adjustable support comprising a pair of independently adjustable supports configured to extend downwardly at an angle toward a bumper in the vehicle cargo area. Generally, cantilever tables provide a compact storage configuration for transportation in a vehicle. Inventive tables can be easily assembled and supported solely from the vehicle during use.

Abstract: A LIDAR arrangement comprising a laser transmitter for transmitting pulses of a laser radiation to a measurement object, and a receiver for receiving pulses of the laser radiation backscattered from the measurement object, wherein the laser transmitter is configured to transmit a pulse sequence in which successive pulses respectively comprise a particular optical frequency shift to each other and wherein the receiver either includes a dispersive element for separating the pulses in time depending on the optical frequency by a frequency-based deflection, and a position resolution optical matrix transmitter on which the pulses separated in time by the dispersive element are mapped, or includes a frequency analyzer for the frequency-based separation of the pulses by superimposition with a reference radiation.

Abstract: An energy management system for an aircraft, wherein the energy management system comprises a fuel cell configured to convert chemical energy into electric energy, at least one energy source configured to provide electric energy, at least one electrical load, an electric bus electrically coupled to the fuel cell, the at least one energy source, and the at least one electrical load, and a controller configured to control the at least one electrical load in such a manner that a minimum load to the fuel cell is ensured. Furthermore, an aircraft comprises such energy management system. A method for managing energy in a system comprises electrically coupling a fuel cell, at least one energy source, and at least one electrical load by an electric bus, and controlling at least one electrical load in such a manner that a minimum load to the fuel cell is ensured.

Abstract: The method involves sequentially encoding the plurality of data packets, which involves, for a data packet, obtaining a reference data packet, obtaining a mask packet indicative of which of the bits in the data packet are predictable and which of the bits in the data packet are not predictable obtaining change history data indicative of previously changed bits of the mask packet, determining an updated mask packet based on the mask packet, the data packet, and the reference data packet, determining updated change history data based on the change history data, the mask packet, and the updated mask packet, determining, as unpredictable bits, all those bits of the data packet that are indicated as not predictable by the updated mask packet, and generating an encoded data packet including a representation of the updated change history data and a representation of values of the unpredictable bits of the data packet.

Abstract: A deployable reflector for an antenna is disclosed. The deployable reflector comprises a deployable membrane configured to adopt a pre-formed shape in a deployed configuration, and an electrically conductive mesh disposed on a surface of the membrane wherein the electrically conductive mesh is configured to permit relative lateral movement between the electrically conductive mesh and the membrane during deployment of the reflector. In the deployed configuration, the conductive mesh adopts the shape of the membrane and forms a reflective surface of the reflector. A method of manufacturing the deployable reflector is also disclosed.

Abstract: A test device for testing a solar generator of a satellite or solar drone, the solar generator includes an array of solar cells, each junction being capable of converting photons of a respective wavelength band into electric current, the test device includes: an array of light sources including at least one row of light sources, wherein each light source emits light in each of the electrical conversion wavelength bands of the junction(s) of the solar cells, and a control unit for the array of light sources, and capable of controlling the turning on and off of each of the light sources of the array individually, wherein the array of light sources selectively illuminates each solar cell of the solar generator by turning on one or more light sources of the array, with the solar cell receiving an irradiance that is greater than at least 130W/m2.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive alternator configured to convert pressure waves into electrical energy is provided. It should be appreciated that the magnetostrictive alternator may be combined in some embodiments with a Stirling engine to produce electrical power. The Stirling engine creates the oscillating pressure wave and the magnetostrictive alternator converts the pressure wave into electricity. In some embodiments, the magnetostrictive alternator may include aerogel material and magnetostrictive material. The aerogel material may be configured to convert a higher amplitude pressure wave into a lower amplitude pressure wave. The magnetostrictive material may be configured to generate an oscillating magnetic field when the magnetostrictive material is compressed by the lower amplitude pressure wave.

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: Methods and systems are provided for an improved three-dimensional graphical user interface. In one embodiment, the method generally comprises: receiving an input from an end user and capturing computing output from at least one computer source in response to the received end-user input. The computing output can be presented as two or more objects within a three-dimensional virtual space displayed to the end user. In one embodiment, the method further comprises mapping an interaction with one of the objects to a corresponding function, the function being used to alter the appearance of the object.

Abstract: A unidirectional communication system to allow the sending of alerts and notification to remote operators while relieving the problem of the protection of a secured network against cyberattacks when the secured network has a need to communicate information from the secured network to a public network. In practice, the solution is based on the use of a data diode (also known under the name of network diode) to allow unidirectional transmission of information from the secured network to a public network, which makes a computer attack on the secured network from the public network impossible. Further, because of a commanded data diode, no sensitive information can leak from the secured network via the system according to the invention. The transmission of the message is only done after the message to be sent has been cleaned of sensitive information and then encrypted.

Abstract: A spatial indexing system receives a video that is a sequence of frames depicting an environment, such as a floor of a construction site, and performs a spatial indexing process to automatically identify the spatial locations at which each of the images were captured. The spatial indexing system also generates an immersive model of the environment and provides a visualization interface that allows a user to view each of the images at its corresponding location within the model.

Abstract: A plurality of shape memory alloy tubes (SMTs) of one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) types is configured as an element in a rotary actuator system in a nested manner. In various configurations, the nested SMTs provide one or more modes of multiplication (torque output or angular displacement), rotation reversibility and bias loading. The innovation provides for leveraging the modes for reductions in the rotary actuator system size, weight, or complexity or combinations thereof, or providing improved and more stable actuation capabilities in a given envelope.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a first metal housing portion having a metal housing connecting edge, the first metal housing portion having a triangular side profile, and a second non-metal housing portion having a non-metal housing connecting edge, the non-metal housing connecting edge being complimentary to the metal housing connecting edge of the first metal housing, the second non-metal housing portion having a triangular side profile. A first and second dipole antenna are printed on a circuit board positioned in the non-metal housing portion. The first and second dipole antennas are configured such that the direction of the first and second dipole currents are approximately normal to a plane defined by the metal housing connecting edge.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate satellites using a Software-Defined Radio (“SDR”) system. In one example, a geostationary (GEO) satellite includes an antenna system including multiple antennas, each configured to provide a spot beam having an adjustable throughput for a terrestrial coverage area while the antenna is in an active state and the satellite is in orbit above the Earth, a front-end subsystem communicatively coupled to the antenna system having an input side including an input filter and an analog-to-digital converter, and an output side including an output filter and a digital-to-analog converter, and a software defined radio (“SDR”) communicatively coupled to the antenna system via the front-end subsystem. The SDR, in response to a surge modification request, modifies a throughput of each active antenna by increasing or decreasing a share of a satellite power budget allotted to the antenna by deactivating or activating a previously active or previously inactive antenna, respectively.

Abstract: This disclosure provides an integrated system and method for producing purified water, hydrogen, and oxygen from contaminated water. The contaminated water may be derived from regolith-based resources on the moon, Mars, near-Earth asteroids, or other destination in outer space. The integrated system and method utilize a cold trap to receive the contaminated water in a vapor phase and selectively freeze out water from one or more volatiles. A heat source increases temperature in the cold trap to vaporize the frozen contaminated water to produce a gas stream of water vapor and volatiles. A chemical scrubber may remove one or more volatiles. The integrated system and method utilize ionomer membrane technology to separate the water vapor from remaining volatiles. The water vapor is delivered for crew use or delivered to an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

Abstract: An object identification unit contains an artificial neural network and is designed to identify human faces. For this purpose, a face is divided into a number of triangles. The relative component of the area of each triangle in the total of the areas of all triangles is ascertained to ascertain a rotational angle of the face. The relative component of the area of each triangle in the total of the area of all triangles is then scaled to a rotation-invariant dimension of the face. The scaled area of the triangles is supplied to the artificial neural network in order to identify a person.

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.