Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems, methods, and storage media for controlling and simulating spacecraft maneuvers, where the method comprises requesting, using a pilot vehicle interface, a view of the on-orbit operations, wherein the view comprises at least one object; receiving, from a simulation engine executing on a virtual machine, scenario data describing a status of the on-orbit operations; receiving object information about how the at least one object interacts with the on-orbit operations; integrating the scenario data with the object information to obtain the on-orbit operations; and providing, via the pilot vehicle interface, the view of the on-orbit operations.

Abstract: An apparatus for digitizing an optical signal comprises: an optical detector to detect an optical signal and to generate an electric signal corresponding to the optical signal; an envelope curve detector to determine the amplitude of the electric signal or a modified electric signal resulting from the electric signal, and to supply an amplitude signal corresponding to the amplitude; an analog to digital converter to digitize the amplitude signal and to supply a corresponding digitized amplitude signal; and a variable voltage source to calibrate the envelope curve detector.

Abstract: An apparatus for the spatially resolved measurement of a physical quantity comprises a first optical fiber for the spatially resolved measurement and a first laser light source for generating laser pulses. The apparatus is configured such that the laser pulses are coupled into the first optical fiber, the laser pulses in the first optical fiber generate signals which are usable for measuring the physical quantity by backscattering and/or reflection, and the signals generated are coupled out of the first optical fiber. The apparatus further comprises an evaluation device configured to determine the physical quantity to be measured in a spatially resolved manner from the signals coupled out, and a second laser light source for generating pump laser radiation in continuous-wave operation. The pump laser radiation causes amplification of the laser pulses and/or of the signals generated in the first optical fiber.

Abstract: A distributed sensing apparatus based on Optical Time Domain Reflectometry, OTDR, including an optical source; an optical splitter in optical communication with the optical source, the optical splitter having first and second outputs; a sensing fibre in optical communication with the first output of the optical splitter; a combining unit arranged to combine a reference signal derived from the second output of the optical splitter with a backscattered signal derived from the sensing fibre, wherein the combining unit comprises one or more 3×3 fused fibre couplers; and a signal processing unit configured for processing information derived from the combining unit so as to provide distributed sensing data. The combining unit includes a polarization diversity arrangement including one or more polarization sensitive elements.

Abstract: A sensor system for detection and localisation of changes in or values for at least one environmental condition includes a source of pulses of electromagnetic radiation, wherein the source is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of different wavelengths, an optical fibre in optical communication with the source of pulses, wherein the optical fibre includes a fibre Bragg grating having a reflectance and/or transmittance which varies in dependence on the at least one environmental condition, and a detection unit for detecting electromagnetic radiation which has been reflected or transmitted by the fibre Bragg gratings, wherein the detection unit is configured for detecting electromagnetic radiation at the plurality of wavelengths, such that a spectral response can be determined for different spatial regions along the optical fibre, wherein a change in or value for the environmental condition at a spatial region may be determined by monitoring the respective spectral response.

Abstract: An apparatus for digitizing an optical signal comprises: an optical detector to detect an optical signal and to generate an electric signal corresponding to the optical signal; an envelope curve detector to determine the amplitude of the electric signal or a modified electric signal resulting from the electric signal, and to supply an amplitude signal corresponding to the amplitude; an analog to digital converter to digitize the amplitude signal and to supply a corresponding digitized amplitude signal; and a variable voltage source to calibrate the envelope curve detector.

Abstract: A distributed sensing apparatus based on Optical Time Domain Reflectometry, OTDR, including an optical source; an optical splitter in optical communication with the optical source, the optical splitter having first and second outputs; a sensing fibre in optical communication with the first output of the optical splitter; a combining unit arranged to combine a reference signal derived from the second output of the optical splitter with a backscattered signal derived from the sensing fibre, wherein the combining unit comprises one or more 3×3 fused fibre couplers; and a signal processing unit configured for processing information derived from the combining unit so as to provide distributed sensing data. The combining unit includes a polarization diversity arrangement including one or more polarization sensitive elements.

Abstract: A sensor system for detection and localisation of changes in or values for at least one environmental condition comprises a source of pulses of electromagnetic radiation, wherein the source is configured to emit electromagnetic radiation at a plurality of different wavelengths, an optical fibre in optical communication with the source of pulses, wherein said optical fibre includes one or more fibre Bragg gratings having a reflectance and/or transmittance which varies in dependence on the at least one environmental condition, and a detection unit for detecting, at a plurality of different times, electromagnetic radiation which has been reflected or transmitted by at least one of the fibre Bragg gratings, wherein the detection unit is configured for detecting electromagnetic radiation at the plurality of different wavelengths, such that a spectral response can be determined for different spatial regions along the optical fibre, wherein a change in or value for the environmental condition at a spatial region may

Abstract: Device for spatially resolved measurement of temperature, strain, or both by Brillouin scattering, with a laser light source (1) for generating a laser radiation, an optical fiber (5) used for the measurement, into which the laser radiation can be coupled in and from which Brillouin signals generated by Brillouin scattering can be coupled out, sensors for detecting the coupled-out Brillouin signals, evaluators for determining spatially resolved from the detected Brillouin signals the temperature, strain, or both of sections of the optical fiber (5), a polarization beam splitter (10, 11) capable of splitting the coupled-out Brillouin—signals into two components (12, 13) having mutually different polarizations, and an optical coupler (16, 17) for admixing a laser radiation to the Brillouin signal.

Abstract: Device for spatially resolved measurement of temperature and/or strain by Brillouin scattering, with a laser light source (1) for generating a laser radiation, an optical fiber (5) used for the measurement, into which the laser radiation can be coupled in and from which Brillouin signals generated by Brillouin scattering can be coupled out, sensors for detecting the coupled-out Brillouin signals, evaluators for determining spatially resolved from the detected Brillouin signals the temperature and/or strain of sections of the optical fiber (5), a polarization beam splitter (10, 11) capable of splitting the coupled-out Brillouin-signals into two components (12, 13) having mutually different polarizations, and an optical coupler (16, 17) for admixing a laser radiation to the Brillouin signal.