Abstract: The invention concerns a method of providing a space extended reality service on earth, including: acquiring, by means of one or more acquisition systems/devices installed on a space platform, real-time data related to a surrounding space environment and/or to one or more astronauts in the space environment; generating, by means of a computer graphics processing device/system, based on the acquired real-time data and on synthetic data, a three-dimensional extended reality environment reproducing the space environment and one or more three-dimensional avatar(s) of the astronaut(s) reproducing movements and/or actions and/or facial expressions and/or voice of the astronaut(s), wherein the synthetic data digitally represent the space environment and/or the astronaut(s); and providing one or more users on earth with a space extended reality service based on the generated three-dimensional extended reality environment and avatar(s).

Abstract: A surface bio-contamination assay kit (1) comprising a disposable swab cartridge (2) comprising a swab (29); a sampler (3) designed to removably receive the cartridge (2) and to wipe the cartridge swab (29) on a surface to be collect a sampled, along a predetermined sampling path (4) designed to cover a predetermined surface area; and a bio-contamination meter (5) designed to removably receive the cartridge (2) after sampling and to measure bio-contamination of the collected sample on the cartridge (2).

Abstract: An optical flow odometer to determine the position of an object movable relatively to a surface is provided that includes a cluster of digital image sensors intended to be arranged on the movable object at respective reference positions and an electronic processing and control unit electrically connected with the digital image sensors and configured to: operate the digital image sensors in subsequent time instants during movement of the movable object so as to carry out a sequence of multiple digital image capture operations, in each of which the digital image sensors are operated to simultaneously capture respective digital images, and receive from the digital image sensors and process the digital images captured in the multiple digital image capture operations to compute either the positions of the individual digital image sensors or the position of the cluster of digital image sensors at one or more of the multiple digital image capture operations, and compute the position of the movable object at one or m

Abstract: A connection unit comprising two female connectors configured to be connected to respective circuit branches of a fluidic line and a coupling element for coupling the connectors together and establish a fluidic connection between the circuit branches, wherein the connectors are provided with first, normally closed sealing elements to define a sealing termination of the circuit branches when the connectors are disconnected from each other; the coupling element includes a double-male connector separable from the female connectors and provided with a pair of shanks that can be coupled to the respective female connectors and a control element movable between a first position where the coupling element can be coupled to the connectors in a mechanical pre-coupling condition without fluidic connection between the female connectors and a second position where the shanks of the double-male connector engage the respective female connectors and establish a fluidic connection therebetween.

Abstract: A release system for the release of satellites from a launch vehicle is provided that includes: (i) a torsion bar, having a first end which is fixed by means of support means to a launch vehicle and is locked in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar, and a second end which is connected by means of hinge means to the launch vehicle and is free to rotate around the longitudinal axis; (ii) at least one launch arm extending perpendicularly from the torsion bar and comprising (a) a torsion lever having a first end which is fixed to the torsion bar in an integral manner, and (b) a guide having a first end connected to a second end of the torsion lever, and a second free end; (iii) at least one slider which is fixed in an integral manner to a satellite to be launched and arranged to engage the guide in a sliding manner; and (iv) and a limit stop element designed to act upon the torsion lever to stop the rotation of the launch arm around the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A fully-reconfigurable coaxial filter is provided that includes coaxial resonators mounted such that both opposite ends are coupleable to corresponding tuners, first tuners made of dielectric material, each first tuner being slidably mounted at a first end of a corresponding coaxial resonator to be movable relative to the first end to form a dielectric of a capacitive load, and second tuners made of dielectric material, each second tuner being slidably mounted at a second end of a corresponding coaxial resonator to be movable relative to the second end to form a dielectric of a capacitive load associated with the second end of the corresponding coaxial resonator. The first and second tuners are movable relative to the corresponding coaxial resonator so as to tune the capacitive loads associated with the opposite ends of the coaxial resonator and, resultingly, a resonant frequency and mutual coupling coefficient of the coaxial resonator.

Abstract: An on-orbit servicing spacecraft includes an engagement system to engage a space vehicle or object to be serviced or tugged, so as to form a space system, and an electronic reaction control system to cause the spacecraft to rotate about roll, yaw, and pitch axes to control attitude and displacement along given trajectories to cause the spacecraft to carry out given maneuvers.

Abstract: A supporting frame for aerospace applications comprises a plurality of rods, which are arranged along two bases substantially parallel and opposite each other, and along two sides, which are substantially parallel and opposite to each other and are coupled to each other via the two bases; the rods are coupled to each other in a mutually rotating manner by nodes so as to be able to configure the supporting frame between a deployed operating condition and a compacted operating condition; the nodes are spaced apart from one another in the deployed operating condition and are each hinged to at least two of the rods; in the compacted operating condition, each of the nodes is placed side by side with two adjacent nodes so as to form, together, two supporting members arranged at opposite longitudinal ends of the supporting frame and each being ring-shaped.

Abstract: Optical unit for a projective optical metrological system, which receives a light signal coming from a light constellation comprising a number of light sources; the optical unit includes: an optoelectronic image acquisition system and a first and a second optical circuit, which receive the light signal and are traversed by a first and a second optical beam, respectively. The first and the second optical circuits direct, respectively, at least a first part of the first optical beam and at least a first part of the second optical beam on the optoelectronic image acquisition system, so as to cause the simultaneous formation of two different images of the constellation in the optoelectronic image acquisition system. The optical unit further includes an electronic processing unit coupled to the optoelectronic image acquisition system, which determines a number of quantities indicative of the position and/or attitude of the light constellation with respect to the optical unit, based on the two images.

Abstract: A localization method for locating a target that is coupled with a locator transponder associated with a permanent identification code permanently assigned to the locator transponder is provided.

Abstract: A connection unit comprising two female connectors configured to be connected to respective circuit branches of a fluidic line and a coupling element for coupling the connectors together and establish a fluidic connection between the circuit branches, wherein the connectors are provided with first, normally closed sealing elements to define a sealing termination of the circuit branches when the connectors are disconnected from each other; the coupling element includes a double-male connector separable from the female connectors and provided with a pair of shanks that can be coupled to the respective female connectors and a control element movable between a first position where the coupling element can be coupled to the connectors in a mechanical pre-coupling condition without fluidic connection between the female connectors and a second position where the shanks of the double-male connector engage the respective female connectors and establish a fluidic connection therebetween.

Abstract: A capacitive feedthrough hermetically sealable to a hybrid module for space applications is provided that includes a multilayer ceramic structure including, on the top face, a metallized top central region designed to receive an input electrical signal to be filtered, a dielectric top region extending around the metallized top central region, and a metallized top peripheral region extending around the dielectric top region up to joining the metallized external closed side walls to act therewith as electrical ground; and, on the bottom face, a metallized bottom central region designed to provide an output filtered electrical signal, a dielectric bottom region extending around the metallized bottom central region, and a metallized bottom peripheral region extending around the dielectric bottom region up to joining the metallized external closed side walls to act therewith as electrical ground.

Abstract: Optical unit for a projective optical metrological system, which receives a light signal coming from a light constellation comprising a number of light sources; the optical unit includes: an optoelectronic image acquisition system and a first and a second optical circuit, which receive the light signal and are traversed by a first and a second optical beam, respectively. The first and the second optical circuits direct, respectively, at least a first part of the first optical beam and at least a first part of the second optical beam on the optoelectronic image acquisition system, so as to cause the simultaneous formation of two different images of the constellation in the optoelectronic image acquisition system. The optical unit further includes an electronic processing unit coupled to the optoelectronic image acquisition system, which determines a number of quantities indicative of the position and/or attitude of the light constellation with respect to the optical unit, based on the two images.

Abstract: A Reference Time Scale Dissemination System (RTS-DS) is provided that includes a RTS Dissemination Data Provider (RTS-DDP) and a User Terminal. The RTS Dissemination Data Provider is equipped with a radio receiver designed to receive radio signals and to compute a RTS-DDP Computed Time Scale based on received radio signals. The User Terminal (UT) is equipped with a Radio Receiver designed to receive radio signals and to compute a UT Computed Time Scale based on received radio signals, and with a Clock Device designed to be locked to the UT Computed Time Scale and to provide a UT Local Time Scale resultingly locked to the UT Computed Time Scale.

Abstract: A release system for the release of satellites from a launch vehicle is provided that includes: (i) a torsion bar, having a first end which is fixed by means of support means to a launch vehicle and is locked in rotation around a longitudinal axis of the torsion bar, and a second end which is connected by means of hinge means to the launch vehicle and is free to rotate around the longitudinal axis; (ii) at least one launch arm extending perpendicularly from the torsion bar and comprising (a) a torsion lever having a first end which is fixed to the torsion bar in an integral manner, and (b) a guide having a first end connected to a second end of the torsion lever, and a second free end; (iii) at least one slider which is fixed in an integral manner to a satellite to be launched and arranged to engage the guide in a sliding manner; and (iv) and a limit stop element designed to act upon the torsion lever to stop the rotation of the launch arm around the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A passive cyclone separator to treat a fluid in a microgravity environment to separate a liquid phase of the fluid from a gas phase of the fluid, comprising a tubular body having a longitudinal axis and internally defining a separation chamber within which the gas phase of the fluid is separable, in use, from the liquid phase of the fluid; an inlet opening through which the fluid is injectable, in use, into the separation chamber along an injection axis; a liquid phase outlet opening, through which the liquid phase separated from the gas phase exits, in use, the separation chamber; and a gas phase outlet opening, through which the gas phase separated from the liquid phase exits, in use, the separation chamber; the injection axis is inclined towards the liquid phase outlet opening so as to define a non-zero fluid injection angle with a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An on-orbit servicing spacecraft includes an engagement system to engage a space vehicle or object to be serviced or tugged, so as to form a space system, and an electronic reaction control system to cause the spacecraft to rotate about roll, yaw, and pitch axes to control attitude and displacement along given trajectories to cause the spacecraft to carry out given maneuvers.

Abstract: The invention relates to an interconnection network for forward error correction encoders and decoders, including N input terminals, N output terminals, and M stages. Each stage includes switching elements having input pins and output pins. The input pins of the switching elements of the first stage are connected to the input terminals, and the output pins of the switching elements of the last stage are connected to the output terminals. The input and output pins of the switching elements of immediately successive stages are connected in a hardwired fashion so as to form a plurality of interconnection sub-networks for routing respective input values from respective output pins of the switching elements of the first stage to respective input pins of the switching elements of the last 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: An optical flow odometer to determine the position of an object movable relatively to a surface is provided that includes a cluster of digital image sensors intended to be arranged on the movable object at respective reference positions and an electronic processing and control unit electrically connected with the digital image sensors and configured to: operate the digital image sensors in subsequent time instants during movement of the movable object so as to carry out a sequence of multiple digital image capture operations, in each of which the digital image sensors are operated to simultaneously capture respective digital images, and receive from the digital image sensors and process the digital images captured in the multiple digital image capture operations to compute either the positions of the individual digital image sensors or the position of the cluster of digital image sensors at one or more of the multiple digital image capture operations, and compute the position of the movable object at one or m