Abstract: A method and system for separating and releasing component parts of a payload of a floating platform in response to a high collision probability is disclosed. The method includes, determining if an in-flight aircraft is within at least a safety zone associated with a floating platform, wherein the floating platform comprises releasably-coupled component parts; and activating, responsive to a determination that the in-flight aircraft is within at least the safety zone, a release mechanism, wherein the release mechanism is configured to uncouple the component parts.

Abstract: A method for suppressing a spurious signal in a payload signal supplied by a receiving antenna of a payload of a satellite. The satellite also includes an array of measurement antennas supplying measurement signals. The measurement signals are combined with the payload signal. Reference weighting coefficients for weighting the measurement signals are determined as a function of the combined signals. A reference beam is formed by combining the measurement signals weighted based on the reference weighting coefficients. Anti jamming weighting coefficients for weighting the payload signal and the reference beam are determined. An anti jammed beam is formed by combining the payload signal and the reference beam weighed based on the corresponding anti jamming weighting coefficients.

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 ground based subsystem for inclusion in an optical gateway and for use in transmitting an optical feeder uplink beam to a satellite. The subsystem can include a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) multiplexer configured to receive optical data signals from optical network(s) external to the ground based optical gateway, and configured to combine the optical data signals into a wavelength division multiplexed optical signal. The subsystem can also include an optical amplifier to amplify the wavelength division multiplexed optical signal, and transmitter optics to receive the amplified wavelength division multiplexed optical signal and transmit an optical feeder uplink beam to the satellite in dependence thereon. In certain embodiments, the ground based optical gateway does not perform any modulation or demodulation of the optical data signals received from the optical network(s) external to the ground based optical gateway before they are provided to the WDM multiplexer.

Abstract: A method for producing a thin substrate layer having a thickness of at most 100 ?m by detaching a substrate layer from the ingot by producing a tensile stress induction on an ingot, and wherein the tensile stress induction is effected by a stressor layer structure integrally bonded to a first surface of the ingot. The stressor layer structure and the ingot have different thermal expansion coefficients, and the stressor layer structure is removed from the substrate layer after detachment of the substrate layer from the ingot. The stressor layer structure has at least one layer sequence with a first titanium-containing layer and a nickel-containing layer. The titanium-containing layer adjoins with a bottom side a first surface of the ingot and the nickel-containing layer adjoins with a bottom side a top side of the titanium-containing layer.

Abstract: Techniques for deorbiting a satellite include executing an orbit transfer maneuver that transfers the satellite from an operational orbit to an interim orbit. The operational orbit is substantially geosynchronous and has (i) an inclination of greater than 70 degrees; (ii) a nominal eccentricity in the range of 0.25 to 0.5; (iii) an argument of perigee of approximately 90 or approximately 270 degrees; (iv) a right ascension of ascending node of approximately 0; and (v) an operational orbit apogee altitude. The interim orbit has an initial second apogee altitude that is at least 4500 km higher than the first apogee altitude, and the interim orbit naturally decays, subsequent to the orbit transfer maneuver, such that the satellite will reenter Earth's atmosphere no longer than 25 years after completion of the orbit transfer maneuver.

Abstract: A system for determining the position of a transmitting unit has an arrangement of at least four transmitting units. A first transmitting unit is designed to emit a first transmission signal to each of the three remaining units, each of which is designed to receive the first transmission signal and, thereafter, to return a first response signal to the first unit. The three remaining units each have stored position data relating to desired positions of the arrangement. The first unit is designed to: determine its relative position data relative to the three remaining units based on the returned first response signals, obtain the stored position data relating to the desired positions from the three remaining units, and assign the determined relative position data to the obtained position data relating to a single desired position to determine the position of the first unit within the arrangement based on the assignment.

Abstract: In the context of half-duplex communications in a communication network composed of a plurality of sub-networks associated respectively with supernode devices, a supernode device receiving a floor request: transmits a floor pre-grant message; determines a timer duration according to a distribution law f?(t) for time period between a floor release and the next floor control, and a network-latency distribution law f?(d), so that the probability of subsequent dismissing of the floor control is below a predefined threshold; and broadcasts the data transmitted in the context of the floor control, when the timer has elapsed. When a floor request with higher priority is detected before the expiration of the timer, the supernode device does not broadcast the data and notifies that the floor control is finally refused.

Abstract: An information record/reproduction apparatus includes logical volumes that can be used as a variable-length record/reproduction area and a physical volume that has been divided into a plurality of fixed-length areas and is not subjected to record or reproduction. Allocation to the logical volume is made by combining the divided fixed-length physical volumes by a management unit, and the size of the information storage area can be set depending upon, for example, a category of information to be recorded. If the amount of information of high priority exceeds a size of a predetermined logical volume corresponding to the information while no unused physical volume is available, then the management unit detaches part of a logical volume in which information of low priority has been recorded, allocates the detached part to the logical volume corresponding to the information, and thus records the exceeding amount of information.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for draping on a form, which includes a step of deposition on the form of a first fold support in the form of one or more polymer nonwoven fabrics. The invention further relates to a thermoplastic nonwoven material manufactured with a nonwoven fabric of polymer fibers.

Abstract: A modular Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) has first and second flight configurations, and includes an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) parent module and a plurality of UAV child modules. The parent module may have a fuselage, forward and aft wings connected to the fuselage, and a first plurality of flight propulsion devices. The child modules have a corresponding second plurality of flight propulsion devices. Each child module docks wingtip-to-wingtip with the parent module or an adjacent edge of a child module using the docking mechanisms. The child modules undock and separate from the forward wing and each other, and achieve controlled flight independently of the parent module while in the second flight configuration. A method for controlling the modular UAS is also disclosed.

Abstract: A satellite network comprises networks nodes including multiple satellites, multiple gateways, additional servers and a mobile vehicle (e.g., an aircraft). All of (or a subset) of the network nodes include switches. The network implements a software defined network that includes a mobility manager as part of the management plane, a network controller as part of the control plane, and the switches on the network nodes as the data plane. In one embodiment, the switches communicate using an Open Flow communications protocol and make routing decisions based on flow tables. The mobility manager communicates with, and manages, the switches via the network controller. The mobility manager proactively generate updates to flow tables based on satellite ephemeris data for the multiple satellites and itinerary data for the aircraft, and pushes the updates to the switches in response to determining that the aircraft needs to be handed off between satellites.

Abstract: A multiport distribution network is provided that supports N inputs and N outputs, where N>1, the multipart distribution network providing an independent distribution path extending from each input to each output, each path being formed from a sequence of at least two fundamental units. Each fundamental unit comprises a circuit formed of multiple resonator cavities and having n input ports for receiving respective input signals, and n output ports for outputting respective output signals, where n>1, and wherein the circuit is configured to: (i) at each input port, split an input signal received at that input port into n equal signal components and provide each of the n signal components to a respective output port of the circuit; and (ii) at each output port, combine the signal components received from the n input ports to form an output signal for that output port. The multipart distribution network is configured to apply the same filter transfer function along each independent distribution path.

Abstract: Described are solid-state electrochemical energy storage devices and methods of making solid-state electrochemical energy storage devices in which components of the batteries are truly solid-state and do not comprise a gel. Nor do they rely on lithium-containing electrolytes. Electrolytes useful with the solid-state electrochemical energy storage described herein include, for example, ceramic electrolytes exhibiting a crystal structure including voids or crystallographic defects that permit conduction or migration of oxygen ions across a layer of the ceramic electrolyte. Disclosed methods of making solid-state electrochemical energy storage devices include multi-stage deposition processes, in which an electrode is deposited in a first stage and an electrolyte is deposited in a second stage.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a release system (1, 2, 3, 4, 5), that includes a segmented structural element (10) comprising: a first segment (10a) designed to be coupled to a first structure, a second segment (10b) designed to be coupled to a second structure, and a solder joint (11) joining respective ends of said first (10a) and second (10b) segments, thus holding down the first and second structures with respect to one another; wherein said solder joint (11) is electromagnetically heatable and includes a solder alloy having a predefined melting temperature.

Abstract: A propeller arrangement for an aircraft, and an aircraft having a propeller arrangement of said type, are specified. The propeller arrangement has a first propeller blade and a second propeller blade, and a propeller mount on which both the first propeller blade and the second propeller blade are mounted. The propeller arrangement furthermore has a drive shaft with a holding unit, and a first connecting unit. The first propeller blade is rotatable about a first axis of rotation and the second propeller blade is rotatable about a second axis of rotation. The propeller mount is pivotable about a pivot axis. The first connecting unit is coupled to the first propeller blade and to the holding unit, such that, in the event of a pivoting of the propeller mount about the pivot axis, the first propeller blade is set in rotational motion about the first axis of rotation.

Abstract: A system for controlling a distribution of propellant in a propellant tank assembly for a spacecraft comprises a body for containing the propellant, a plurality of thermal tomography elements, including a plurality of temperature-control elements and a plurality of temperature sensors, disposed around the body for detecting the distribution of the propellant inside the body; and a tomography element control module arranged to control the plurality of temperature-control elements to redistribute the propellant inside the propellant tank body by heating and/or cooling the propellant. In an embodiment, the propellant tank body includes a propellant management device inside the body and the tomography elements are disposed in proximity to the propellant management device. Tomography data can be obtained from the plurality of tomography elements, and a distribution of propellant within the propellant tank body can be determined based on the obtained tomography data.

Abstract: Method and systems are disclosed for training state-classifiers for classification of cognitive state. A set of multimodal signals indicating physiological responses of an operator are sampled over a time period. A depiction of operation by the operator during the time period is displayed. In response to user input selecting a cognitive state for a portion of the time period, the one or more state-classifiers are trained. In training the state-classifiers, the set of multimodal signals sampled in the portion of the time period are used as input to the one or more state-classifiers and the selected one of the set of cognitive states is used as a target result to be indicated by the one or more state-classifiers.

Abstract: A method of mapping pixel locations of a detector array includes measuring a location on the detector array, initiating a frame readout of the detector array, measuring a location of one or more metrology targets on the detector array, analyzing the frame readout to identify a pixel at the location on the detector array, and defining a location of the identified pixel with respect to the location of the one or more metrology targets. Subsequent measurement of the metrology targets alone by another metrology system allows one to infer the six degree of freedom alignment of the detector array in space.

Abstract: An elastically deployable panel structure for space solar array applications includes a support structure having a first stowed configuration and a second deployed configuration. The stowed configuration has elastic strain energy that powers deployment of the support structure. The elastically deployable panel structure does not include a boom. Longitudinal edges of the support structure may be curved downward to form an open cylinder when in the deployed configuration. The support structure is configured to be operable as a mounting surface for solar cell arrays.