Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods that provide an accurate angle measurement of a rotatable mirror. An example method includes receiving, from a detector device, a reflected light signal. The reflected light signal is indicative of primary reflection light and secondary reflection light. The primary reflection light corresponds to a first portion of emission light that reflects directly from the reflective surface of the rotatable mirror toward the detector device. The secondary reflection light corresponds to a second portion of emission light that: 1) reflects from the reflective surface of the rotatable mirror toward a secondary mirror surface; 2) reflects from the secondary mirror surface toward the reflective surface of the rotatable mirror; and 3) reflects from the reflective surface of the rotatable mirror toward the detector device. The method also includes determining, based on the reflected light signal, the rotational angle of the rotatable mirror.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ring-synchronized separation adapter for separating a payload in a space environment, and more specifically, to a ring-synchronized separation adapter for separating a payload in space environment, in which the ring-synchronized separation adapter has a configuration in which a plurality of segmented clamp portions are simultaneously fastened or unfastened by rotating a drive member making contact with all of the plurality of segmented clamp portions, so that accuracy in separation of the payload is improved, explosion is not utilized, and stability of the ring-synchronized separation adapter is improved as a whole.

Abstract: The present disclosure presents systems, apparatuses, and methods of active flow controls for dissipating tip vortices. In this regard, a method comprises positioning one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators on an end surface of a tip of one or more airfoils of an aircraft, wherein the fan-shaped plasma actuators are surface compliant with the surface of the tip of the one or more airfoils; and activating the one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators during a flight of the aircraft, wherein at least one tip vortex generated by a flight of the aircraft is reduced by an introduction of one or more vortices generated by the one or more fan-shaped plasma actuators on the end surface of the tip of the one or more airfoils of the aircraft. Other systems, apparatuses, and methods are also presented.

Abstract: Provided are a subminiature drone including a rotary artificial muscle motor and a method of operating the same. The subminiature drone includes the rotary artificial muscle motor repeatedly twisted and untwisted according to whether a voltage is applied to generate a rotational force so that a coaxial inverted rotor structure including a subminiature propeller can be easily driven, and a subminiature drone can be provided.

Abstract: A satellite constellation forming system (600) forms a satellite constellation which is composed of a satellite group that cooperatively provides a communication service, and has a plurality of orbital planes in each of which a plurality of satellites fly at the same orbital altitude. Each satellite of the satellite group includes inter-satellite communication means and satellite-ground communication means. A satellite constellation forming unit (11) forms the satellite constellation which has ten or more orbital planes with different normal directions, and in which at least one relative angle in an azimuth direction of adjacent orbital planes of the plurality of orbital planes is arranged to be uneven and satellite-ground communication means of satellites flying in orbital planes spaced unevenly have a communication range that achieves complete ground coverage above the equator.

Abstract: An assembly including a wing with a pressure-side panel and a suction-side panel through which two bores pass, an engine pylon including a blade with three bores and two fastening lugs, each of which has a sixth bore, two first shackles fastened between the blade and the suction-side panel, two second shackles fastened between the blade and the suction-side panel and two fittings, which are fastened beneath the pressure-side panel and each have a female clevis for housing a fastening lug therein.

Abstract: A satellite apparatus is disclosed, including a housing having first and second opposing walls, and a support structure inside the housing spanning the first and second walls. The support structure is structurally connected to the housing only at the first and second walls, and an end portion of the support structure is configured for connection to a launch vehicle by a separation system.

Abstract: A wing system is provided for an air vehicle, the air vehicle having a fuselage including a fuselage longitudinal axis. The wing system includes a set of wings, configured for transitioning between a stowed configuration and a deployed configuration. The set of wings includes a first said wing having a first wing tip, a first wing longitudinal axis, and a first pivot axis; and a second said wing having a second wing tip, a second wing longitudinal axis, and a second pivot axis. The first pivot axis and the second pivot axis are non-coaxial. In the stowed configuration, the first wing and the second wing are in overlying relationship such that at least a majority of a pressure surface of one wing is facing a suction surface of the other wing, and the first wing tip is spaced from the second wing tip by a first lateral spacing.

Abstract: A drive system of an aircraft, including a fuel cell, which can be supplied with hydrogen from a hydrogen tank and with air from a blower, the fuel cell being configured to provide drive power for operational flight after takeoff and before landing dependent on a hydrogen mass flow supplied by the hydrogen tank and dependent on an air mass flow supplied by the blower, and an electrical energy store, which is configured to provide additional drive power for takeoff and landing, wherein an additional hydrogen tank and an air or oxygen tank are configured to interact with the fuel cell such that the fuel cell can be supplied with an additional hydrogen mass flow and with an additional air or oxygen mass flow, thereby compensating at least partially for a loss of the additional drive power provided by the electrical energy store for landing.

Abstract: A method for transferring a spacecraft (10), such as an artificial satellite, from an initial elliptical orbit (30) to a final geostationary orbit (50), the spacecraft taking at least one intermediate elliptical orbit (40) propelled by electric propulsion means (12, 13), the method includes: when the spacecraft is in an intermediate orbit, a nominal thrust step (410) in which the propulsion means generate nominal thrust while the spacecraft is on at least part of a first orbital arc (41) passing through the apogee A of the intermediate orbit, and a minimum thrust step (420), in which the propulsion means are partly stopped or slowed while the spacecraft is on at least part (43) of a second orbital arc (42) passing through the perigee P of the intermediate orbit, the two orbital arcs being complementary.

Abstract: A Hold Down Release Mechanism, HDRM, interface for attachment of a spacecraft to an adjacent structure of a launch vehicle or another spacecraft, wherein the HDRM interface is configured for forming part of a single or multi-point releasable attachment of the spacecraft to said adjacent structure. The HDRM interface includes first and second connector parts, wherein one of the first and second connector parts is fastened to said adjacent structure, and other is fastened to the spacecraft; wherein the first connector part has a tapered projection with a non-circular external surface; wherein the second connector part has a tapered recess with a non-circular interior surface configured for form-lockingly receiving the tapered projection, for enabling transfer of torsion and shear load between the first and second connector parts, when the tapered projection is inserted in the tapered recess and the first and second connector parts are pressed together.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems, and articles of manufacture are disclosed. An example locking assembly for an arresting hook system includes a track coupled to a frame of an aircraft. The track includes a forward end and an aft end opposite the forward end. The track includes a first lock positioned at the forward end and a second lock positioned at the aft end. The locking assembly includes a guide coupled to a hook shank of the arresting hook system. The guide is to move along at least a portion of the track, engage the first lock when the hook shank is in a stowed position, and bypass the second lock as the hook shank moves from the stowed position to a deployed position.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for determining and compensating a proportion of stray light of a measuring beam of a 3D laser scanner by which a 3D point cloud of an object to be detected can be generated via phase-based distance measurement including a first sequence by which first parameters of a proportion of stray light can be determined independently of the 3D point cloud and/or a second sequence by which second parameters of the proportion of stray light dependent on the generated 3D point cloud and a step can be determined. The proportion of stray light can be compensated as a function of the first parameters and/or the second parameters.

Abstract: A hinge assembly for connecting a door to a fuselage of an aircraft includes a hinge arm having a fuselage fitting pivotably coupled to a fuselage rotatable interface and a door fitting pivotably coupled to a door rotatable interface. The hinge assembly includes a programmable gear assembly coupled to the hinge arm allowing the hinge arm to pivot around the fuselage fitting when the door is moved from a door closed position to a door open position and causing the door to maintain in a generally parallel orientation relative to the fuselage between the door closed position to the door open position. The programmable gear assembly includes a fuselage gear coupled to the fuselage fitting, a door gear coupled to the door fitting, and a rack operably coupled between the fuselage gear and the door gear.

Abstract: Stacked satellite dispensing systems are described herein. The disclosed systems have diagonal struts that stabilize satellite stacks horizontally and vertically without adding performance-reducing mass. The diagonal struts increase the number of bracing points and improve stability. The improved stability can allow for the satellite stack to be made heavier and taller, such as by having more satellites than a dispensing system with vertical struts. The diagonal struts, which provide the improved stability, can also allow for sub-stacks to be used. The sub-stacks include batches of satellites retained by the stacked satellite dispensing system. Therefore, the stacked satellite dispending system can release single satellites batches at once, rather than all the satellites at once.

Abstract: A linear actuator driven flap mechanism for an aircraft wing is contained within a wing support and fairing of the aircraft wing. The rib frame of the flap mechanism is attached to the wingbox structure of the aircraft wing at a first and second point. The rib frame of the flap mechanism defines a width with a first and second web. A linear actuator and a motion linkage are positioned with the width between the first and second webs of the rib frame. The linear actuator is not mechanically driven rotary actuation or mechanically driven linear actuation. As a result of the compact construction, the flap mechanism can be employed in thinner, smaller aircraft wings being designed today.

Abstract: An actuator is disclosed including an actuator body mounted for movement over a range of motion, the range of motion including a first part and a second part, the first part being the range of motion extending between an end position and the second part. The actuator includes a motor coupled to the actuator body to move the actuator body in the first direction and a controller configured to control the supply of current to drive the motor. The mechanical resistance to movement of the actuator body in the first direction is higher in the first part of the range of motion than in the second part of the range of motion. The controller is configured such that any additional current supplied to the motor when the actuator body is in the first part of the range of motion is limited thereby causing the speed of the actuator body to reduce as the actuator body approaches the end position.

Abstract: A satellite constellation (200) comprises three artificial satellites (210A to 210C) that monitor a target area of the Earth (101). Each artificial satellite circulates on elliptical orbits having sun-synchronization and an orbit inclination angle. A long axis of each elliptical orbit forms an equal angle with each long axis of two adjacent elliptical orbits in a latitude direction.

Abstract: An example system for extraterrestrial deployment of a flexible membrane surface includes a flexible membrane having a periphery and an interior. The flexible membrane is rolled about a roll axis into a cylindrical geometric shape in an undeployed state. A payload base has extendable radial booms, wherein the distal end of each extendable radial boom is attached to the periphery of the flexible membrane and the interior of the flexible membrane is free of attachment to the extendable radial booms. The payload base and the extendable radial booms are positioned to one side of the flexible membrane along the roll axis. The extendable radial booms are configured to extend orthogonally to the roll axis from the payload base to unroll the flexible membrane about the roll axis to form the flexible membrane surface in a deployed state, wherein the roll axis is substantially orthogonal to the flexible membrane surface.

Abstract: A flexible coupling includes a first flange having an outer edge, a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface, and a first plurality of passages. A second flange including an outer edge section, a first surface section, a second surface section opposite the first surface section, and a second plurality of passages. A connecting element extends between and connecting the first flange and the second flange through one of the first plurality of passages and one of the second plurality passages. The connecting element includes a connecting member having a first stop element and a second stop element. A compliant component is arranged on the connecting element. The compliant component is positioned on the connecting member between one of: the first stop element and the first surface; the second stop element and the second surface section; and between the second surface and the first surface section.