Abstract: A piezoelectric field disturbance sensing system includes a piezoelectric element for generating mechanical energy when electrically excited and for generating electrical energy when mechanically deformed. A mass is coupled to the piezoelectric element. A signal generator is coupled to the piezoelectric element for applying electrical energy thereto for a fixed period of time. As a result, the piezoelectric element undergoes mechanical deformation and the mass reverberates in response to such mechanical deformation. A charge monitor is coupled to the piezoelectric element for monitoring electrical energy generated thereby during a time period subsequent to the fixed period of time.

Abstract: A durable bond pad structure is described that facilitates highly durable electrical connections to semiconductor microelectronics chips (e.g., silicon carbide (SiC) chips) to enable prolonged operation over very extreme temperature ranges.

Abstract: A photonic switch device accepts a data modulated RF signal and outputs the data modulated RF signal or a frequency converted version thereof at one or more outputs of the switch device. Tunable laser(s) is/are controlled to cause peak wavelength(s) of the optical signal(s) emitted therefrom. An EOM receives the accepted data modulated RF signal and optical signal(s) produced using the tunable laser(s), and the EOM outputs an optical data signal modulated to include the data modulated RF signal. A WDM receives the optical data signal output by the EOM and the optical data signal received by the WDM demultiplexer is output at one or more outputs thereof based on peak wavelength(s) of the optical data signal. Photodetectors optically coupled to respective outputs of the WDM demultiplexer convert optical signals back to electrical signals. Related methods and system are also described herein.

Abstract: A multimode directional coupler is provided. In some embodiments, the multimode directional coupler is configured to receive a primary signal and a secondary signal at a first port of a primary waveguide. The primary signal is configured to propagate through the primary waveguide and be outputted at a second port of the primary waveguide. The multimode directional coupler also includes a secondary waveguide configured to couple the secondary signal from the primary waveguide with no coupling of the primary signal into the secondary waveguide. The secondary signal is configured to propagate through the secondary waveguide and be outputted from a port of the secondary waveguide.

Abstract: A spacecraft, configured to be operated in a geosynchronous orbit includes a power subsystem, including a battery, and a battery charge controller. The spacecraft is configured to have a power demand, during an eclipse season of the geosynchronous orbit, of ‘P’ kilowatts and the battery is sized to have a nominal capacity, measured in kilowatt-hours, smaller than 1.2*P/0.85. In some implementations, the battery has a rated charge voltage corresponding to the nominal capacity and the battery charge controller is configured to execute a battery charge management strategy that charges the battery to an above-rated charge voltage during selected portions of the eclipse season.

Abstract: A passive beamforming rectenna includes a plurality of antennas, a plurality of terminal port rectifying circuits, and a beamforming network. The beamforming network includes (a) a plurality of antenna ports connecting to the plurality of antennas, and (b) a plurality of terminal ports connecting to the plurality of terminal port rectifying circuits. The beamforming network further includes a microwave lens or any of a variety of other structures. The beamforming rectenna is characterized by a plurality of radiation distribution patterns. Electromagnetic power is received through the plurality of antennas.

Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing and processing digital data comprising a plurality of infra-red (IR) video images acquired by a pulse thermography system are used to compute video data from the raw and smoothed video data acquired for the performance of non-destructive evaluation. New video data types computed may include but are not limited to contrast evolution data such as normalized contrast, converted contrast and normalized temperature contrast. Additionally, video data types computed comprise surface temperature, surface temperature rise and temperature simple contrast.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-spar torsion box structure comprising a plurality of spars of composite material arranged to form a multi-cell structure with two or more cells extending longitudinally along the torsion box, and upper and lower skin covers formed of composite material and joined to upper and lower surfaces of the multi-cell structure, respectively. The structure further comprises at least one belt-like reinforcing element extending around the outer perimeter of the torsion box, and fixed to the upper and lower surfaces of the multi-cell structure, and transversely arranged with respect to the longitudinal direction of the torsion box. The belt-like reinforcing element is made of a metallic or a composite material. The disclosed torsion box can advantageously be used in the manufacture of aircraft lifting surfaces, such as horizontal tailplanes (HTP) or wings.

Abstract: A roll-out solar array includes a first mandrel having first and second ends and a second mandrel having first and second ends. A hinge extends between the first and second mandrels, such that the roll-out solar array can transition between a stowed position where the mandrels are in a substantially parallel configuration and a deployed position where the mandrels are in a series configuration. A latch may be provided to lock the roll-out solar array in the stowed configuration.

Abstract: Novel aromatic polyimides are disclosed with sufficient physical properties to be useful in 3D printing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for detecting an Equivalent Isotropically Radiated Power (EIRP) degradation of a satellite radio frequency (RF) transmitter being in a repeating ground track orbit. Sets of signal-to-noise (C/N0) and satellite orbit data are obtained from first and second sources. Each data set is associated with the satellite and one of several receivers. Computing temporal information on an elevational and azimuthal satellite direction for each receiver location. A temporal information based time interval is determined for a single ground track. Determining, for each receiver, one of a first plurality of differences between a first time point data set value and a second time point data set value. The two time points differ by the time interval. A first average of the first plurality of differences is computed and compared with a predetermined threshold. A signal is triggered when the computed first average is larger than the threshold.

Abstract: Pertaining to hospital bed, development provides comfortable lavatory services to bedridden patients with mobility difficulties. The novelty introduced here is integration of a hospital bed with a bed-level sliding disposable pan at midsection of the bed to allow patients who endure immobility to perform in-bed toileting with no physical pressure and less psychological challenges while remaining clean and sanitized. This invention would best be useful for hospitals, home health care or other health care facilities and settings.

Abstract: A two-way microwave power divider (the “power divider”) may include an input port and two output ports. The power divider may also include a junction that is configured to split a feedline from the input port into a first transmission line and a second transmission line. One or more resistors may be placed along the first transmission line and the second transmission line to provide isolation between the two output ports.

Abstract: A lenslet based integral field spectrograph (IFS) may have a design that makes better use of the detector pixels by placing adjacent spectra next to each other rather than staggering the spectra. Such a design maintains the main compactness and simplicity of prior lenslet array based IFSs, but improves the detector efficiency, which is rather low in conventional lenslet array based IFSs.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for providing a redundant telemetry transmission path on a spacecraft. The spacecraft includes a telemetry (TLM) transmitter having a modulation input coupled by a commandable switch with a signal source. The TLM transmitter is configured to receive an output from the signal source when the commandable switch is closed. The computer is configured to encode TLM data bits onto a TLM downlink signal by actuating the commandable switch, such that a signal from the signal source received by the TLM transmitter is temporally varied between an on condition and an off condition.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present invention describe a battery including a plurality of master-less controllers. Each controller is operatively connected to a corresponding cell in a string of cells, and each controller is configured to bypass a fraction of current around the corresponding cell when the corresponding cell has a greater charge than one or more other cells in the string of cells.

Abstract: Methods for control of post-design free form deposition processes or joining processes are described that utilize machine learning algorithms to improve fabrication outcomes. The machine learning algorithms use real-time object property data from one or more sensors as input, and are trained using training data sets that comprise: i) past process simulation data, past process characterization data, past in-process physical inspection data, or past post-build physical inspection data, for a plurality of objects that comprise at least one object that is different from the object to be fabricated; and ii) training data generated through a repetitive process of randomly choosing values for each of one or more input process control parameters and scoring adjustments to process control parameters as leading to either undesirable or desirable outcomes, the outcomes based respectively on the presence or absence of defects detected in a fabricated object arising from the process control parameter adjustments.

Abstract: A method for controlling the orbit of a satellite in earth orbit. The orbit of the satellite is controlled by commanding, according to a maneuver plan, a propulsion system having at least one thruster and a transporter to move the propulsion system. The maneuver plan includes at least two orbit-control maneuvers. The thrust powers of the propulsion system during the two orbit control maneuvers have respective thrust directions that are not parallel in an inertial frame of reference. Each thrust power is determined to simultaneously control the inclination and the position of the orbit of the satellite as well as to form a momentum that is suitable for unloading a device for storing angular momentum of the satellite in a plane orthogonal to the direction of thrust of the thrust power.

Abstract: A spacecraft includes a 3-D closed truss structure including at least four coupling nodes and at least six strut elements, attached together by a plurality of joints, each coupling node including at least two legs, each strut element disposed between and attached with a respective pair of the plurality of coupling nodes. Each coupling node is attached, at respective ones of the plurality of joints, with at least two strut elements. Each strut element is attached at a first end with a first leg of a first coupling node and is attached at a second end with a second leg of a second coupling node, the first leg being substantially longer than the second leg.

Abstract: Cloud mask image data is obtained by a secondary imaging payload disposed on a communications or broadcast satellite operating in geosynchronous orbit. The obtained cloud mask image data is provisioned for use, in near real time, by one or more low earth orbit imaging satellite systems. Provisioning the obtained cloud mask image data may include collecting the data on the ground and making it available to one or more operators of the one or more LEO imaging satellite systems and/or transmitting the data from the communications or broadcast satellite to at least one spacecraft in the one or more LEO imaging satellite systems.