Abstract: A method and apparatus comprises a first section, a second section, and a middle section. The first section is configured to be connected to a first structure. The second section is configured to be connected to a second structure. The first structure and the second structure are connected to each other at a joint. The middle section is located between the first section and the second section. The middle section has a length that is configured to change in response to a movement between the first structure and the second structure. The first section, the middle section, and the second section form a cover that is configured to form a seal for the joint.

Abstract: A method of generating orbital transfers for spacecraft. The method provides an innovative technique for transferring spacecraft from one Earth orbit to another Earth orbit using significant solar gravitational influences. In one particular implementation, the multi-bodies in the transfer determination are the Earth (about which the spacecraft is to orbit) and the Sun (e.g., the Earth and the Sun are the first and second celestial bodies providing multi-body dynamics). The transfer orbit or trajectory is determined to make use of efficient tangential maneuvers by leveraging solar gravitational influences to improve transfer performance. Based on the generated transfer orbit, the spacecraft is controlled to perform one or more maneuvers to achieve a transfer orbit that traverses into a regime where the spacecraft's trajectory is significantly affected by gravity from both the Sun and the Earth. The spacecraft performs a near-tangential orbit insertion maneuver to enter the final orbit.

Abstract: A wing box rib, joining an aircraft wing to the wing box and to the rest of the structure, extends advantageously over an adjacent part of the fuselage, having in particular an upper line situated above a junction line of the wing upper surface panel. The connection is simplified, as is the structure of the aircraft and its manufacture, a lightening is possible, and the transmission of stresses takes place in a more favorable manner.

Abstract: An aircraft nacelle comprising a power plant having a pipe with an aerodynamic surface, an air intake having an inside pipe with an aerodynamic surface, and an annular support of at least one measuring device having an aerodynamic surface, wherein the annular support is removably-inserted between the power plant and the air intake. In particular, the annular support is inserted downstream of the air intake and upstream of the power plant in a direction of flow of the stream of air, in such a way as to ensure continuity of the aerodynamic surfaces.

Abstract: Embodiments pertain to a flap adjusting system including a regulating flap mounted on an airfoil using at least two bearing devices and movable relative to the airfoil, and an adjusting device. The adjusting device includes an actuator and adjusting kinematics with a drive rod that couples the actuator to the regulating flap using a first and a second joint, as well as a load sensor. The adjusting kinematics are configured such that, at a maximum adjustment travel of the regulating flap, the second joint between the drive rod and the regulating flap is adjusted by an angle less than 50% of the angle by which the first joint is adjusted. The load sensor is arranged in at least one adjusting device and in the second joint, which couples the drive rod to the regulating flap. The load sensor is configured to measure the forces in this load path.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling air vehicle boundary layer airflow are disclosed. Representative methods can include applying electrical energy bursts and/or other energy bursts in nanosecond pulses in the boundary layer along a surface of an air vehicle. In a particular embodiment, electrical energy is discharged into the boundary layer to reduce the tendency for the boundary layer to separate and/or to reduce the tendency for the boundary layer to transition from laminar flow to turbulent flow. Representative actuators discharging the energy can be arranged in a two-dimensional array of individually addressable actuators.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for an aircraft empennage that utilizes two torque tube members to create opposing sides of the empennage. The torque tube members are connected using a bridging member that is attached at opposing ends to the top portions of the torque tube members. The torque tube members and bridging member provide structural support for access cut-outs within the aircraft skin between the torque tube members for access to a payload space within. The torque tube members may include any number of walls, any of which may provide a pressure barrier to the payload space.

Abstract: An aircraft for unmanned aviation is described. The aircraft includes an airframe, a pair of fins attached to a rear portion of the airframe, a pair of dihedral braces attached to a bottom portion of the airframe, a first thrust vectoring module and a second thrust vectoring module, and an electronics module. The electronics module provides commands to the two thrust vectoring modules. The two thrust vectoring modules are configured to provide lateral and longitudinal control to the aircraft by directly controlling a thrust vector for each of the pitch, the roll, and the yaw of the aircraft. The use of directly articulated electrical motors as thrust vectoring modules enables the aircraft to execute tight-radius turns over a wide range of airspeeds.

Abstract: An airplane provided with dual-flow turbojet engines having nacelles at least partially encased in the fuselage, wherein the air intake of each engine is connected to the fuselage by two boundary layer guiding walls, the walls extending towards the upstream side of the air intake and being spaced apart towards the upstream side.

Abstract: A motion of an object is controlled from a geostationary transit orbit (GTO) of an earth to an orbit of a moon. A first trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from an intermediate orbit of an earth to a neighborhood of a stable manifold of a first Lagrange point (L1). A second trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the GTO to the intermediate orbit. A third trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the neighborhood to the stable manifold to an L1 orbit, and a fourth trajectory of the motion of the object is determined from the L1 orbit to the orbit of the moon. A trajectory from the GTO to the orbit of the moon is determined based on a combination of the first, the second, the third, and the fourth trajectories.

Abstract: An aerodynamic lift structure includes a wing and at least one wing tip device at an outboard portion of the wing. A surface of each wing tip device has a recess that reduces flow impact at a junction of the wing and the wing tip device.

Abstract: An aircraft nacelle includes an air intake that makes it possible to channel the air in a pipe in the direction of a pipe of a power plant that is arranged in the extension of the pipe, whereby the pipe of the air intake includes at least one panel that integrates an acoustic treatment with an acoustically resistive porous layer that is in contact with the aerodynamic stream that enters into the nacelle, at least one alveolar structure, and a reflective or impermeable layer that forms the rear surface of the panel, a flange that ensures the connection between the air intake and the power plant including at least one wing that is connected to the air intake by a number of connecting elements, characterized in that some of the connecting elements have axes that are secant with the edge of the panel that delimits the pipe of the air intake.

Abstract: An attaching system for attaching two components together, such as an aircraft engine and a mounting pylon, includes front trunnions and rear trunnions for supporting the aircraft engine. In this attaching system, at least two of the front or rear trunnions are vibration damping type trunnions that include a suspension assembly with an elastic element and resonant mass. The suspension assembly is shaped as a bent arm carrying the resonant mass on a free end and associated with the elastic element on another end. The vibration damping type trunnions also include a shackle attached between the engine and the suspension assembly so that the vibration damping type trunnions minimize any vibrations and efforts that would otherwise be applied to aircraft structure via the pylon.

Abstract: A ducted fan for a helicopter includes a transverse duct and a counter-torque device supported within the duct. The counter-torque device includes a rotor rotatably mounted within the duct and a stator fixedly mounted within the duct downstream from the rotor. The rotor includes a rotor hub having a rotor axis, and rotor blades extending from the hub. The Rotor blades have a modulated angular distribution about the rotor axis. The stator includes a stator hub, and a plurality of stator vanes distributed around the stator hub. The stator vanes are angularly modulated around the stator hub.

Abstract: A rollable and accordion foldable refractive lens concentrator flexible solar array blanket structure assembly for a spacecraft/satellite application consisting of at least one or more rows of electrically interconnected solar cells and at least one or more rows of deployable elongated refractive lenses elevated and aligned from the top surface of the solar cells. The entire blanket assembly, inclusive of lenses and solar cell substrates, kinematically deploys by unrolling or unfolding the assembly for its stowed package configuration, and the final tensioning of the blanket assembly produces an aligned assembly where the solar cell substrate subassembly and the lens subassembly are coplanar. Deployment of the integrated blanket assembly (with refractive lenses) is directly coupled through the unrolling or the accordion unfolding deployment kinematics of the concentrator blanket assembly.

Abstract: An aircraft including a wing and a pylon, wherein the pylon provides an airfoil inverted for an airfoil of the wing, and an improvement and method for improved flight dynamics for 20 and 30 Series LEARJET® is provided. The improvement includes an increased distance between a leading edge of a wing and an intake of an engine of the aircraft, which reduces drag and increases lift for improved flight dynamics of the aircraft. The inverted airfoil of the pylon negates an influence of the pylon on flight dynamics for improved overall flight dynamics of the aircraft. The method includes steps of removing an original engine from an original pylon, removing the original pylon from the fuselage of the aircraft, and mounting a new pylon in a new location adjacent to the fuselage, wherein the new location is aft of the original location.

Abstract: Disclosed herein, in certain embodiments, is a method of altering the stability of unstable space debris. In some embodiments, the method further comprises changing the orbit of the unstable space debris.

Abstract: An aircraft fuselage may include a barrel section having a side region. The fuselage may include a first cutout and a second cutout formed in the side region in side-by-side relation to one another. The fuselage may provide a direct load path extending along the barrel section. The load path may extend substantially continuously from a lower portion of the side region generally under the first cutout to an upper portion of the side region generally over the second cutout.

Abstract: A foldable wing for use with a very high altitude aircraft capable of operating at an altitude at or above 85,000 feet is disclosed. The foldable wing may employ a spiral fold deployment, wherein a hinge between each segment of the foldable wing is slightly offset from the perpendicular. Successively positioned wing segments fold over one another. Alternatively, the hinges are substantially perpendicular so that each respective wing segment folds linearly against the next wing segment. An inflatable rib, with inflatable arms, can be inflated to provide a force against two adjacent arms, thereby deploying the wing segments through a full 180° of rotation.

Abstract: The invention comprises a triform fitting 1, essentially made from non-metallic composite materials including several strengthening cross ribs 4 for joining symmetrical flanges 3 and a longitudinal flange 2. The symmetrical flanges 3 include cross slots 8 for receiving the run-out 16 of the webs 11 of several T-shaped internal stringers 9 that form part of the torsion boxes 6. The feet 10 of the stringers 9 are joined along one of their faces to the skins 7 of the torsion boxes 6, while the end zones of the free faces of said feet 10 are placed against the outer face of the symmetrical flanges 3 of the triform fitting 1. This ensures that the symmetrical flanges 3 of the triform fitting 1 remain inside the torsion boxes 6. Alternatively, the fitting 1 may not include the cross slots 8.