Abstract: A solar sail includes a bus and a plurality of separate movable vanes coupled to the bus. Each movable vane includes a reflective surface for generating solar radiation pressure and propel the solar sail in space. Each vane may be movable relative to the bus in a fully deployed configuration such that an amount of thrust generated by solar radiation pressure on each vane is controllable.

Abstract: A solar sail includes a bus and a plurality of separate movable vanes coupled to the bus. Each movable vane includes a reflective surface for generating solar radiation pressure and propel the solar sail in space. Each vane may be movable relative to the bus in a fully deployed configuration such that an amount of thrust generated by solar radiation pressure on each vane is controllable.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a primary device, a secondary device, and an umbilical system. The umbilical system comprises an umbilical linking the primary device and the secondary device, and a control system configured alter a directionality of the umbilical during deployment of the secondary device away from the primary device by at least controlling a configuration of a shape memory material comprising the umbilical.

Abstract: A solar sail includes a bus and a plurality of separate movable vanes coupled to the bus. Each movable vane includes a reflective surface for generating solar radiation pressure and propel the solar sail in space. Each vane may be movable relative to the bus in a fully deployed configuration such that an amount of thrust generated by solar radiation pressure on each vane is controllable.

Abstract: A solar sail includes a bus and a plurality of separate movable vanes coupled to the bus. Each movable vane includes a reflective surface for generating solar radiation pressure and propel the solar sail in space. Each vane may be movable relative to the bus in a fully deployed configuration such that an amount of thrust generated by solar radiation pressure on each vane is controllable.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for spaceborne and airborne computing platforms. In one example, an airborne computing platform includes a plurality of airborne devices, with one or more of the airborne devices comprising specialized roles defined by at least one among software elements and hardware elements targeted to the specialized roles. Individual ones of the airborne devices are configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the specialized roles, determine one or more target devices to handle the tasks based at least in part on attributes of the target devices, and transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the target devices for performing the tasks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne devices. In one example, a satellite device includes one or more sensor systems, a communication interface, and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information to employ the one or more sensor systems and establish imaging data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for spaceborne and airborne computing platforms. In one example, an airborne computing platform includes a plurality of airborne devices, with one or more of the airborne devices comprising specialized roles defined by at least one among software elements and hardware elements targeted to the specialized roles. Individual ones of the airborne devices are configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the specialized roles, determine one or more target devices to handle the tasks based at least in part on attributes of the target devices, and transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the target devices for performing the tasks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing quality of service for data communications on a satellite of a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite obtains a plurality of packets to be transmitted to a second system of the satellite platform. Once obtained, the satellite prioritizes the transmission of the plurality of packets based on a quality of service associated with each of the packets, and transmits the plurality of packets based on the prioritization.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying software payloads to satellite devices, such as when a satellite device is in orbit. In one example, a satellite device includes a communication interface configured to receive one or more software payloads, and a storage system configured to store the one or more software payloads on the satellite device. The satellite device also includes a payload execution system configured to execute the one or more software payloads as one or more virtual nodes.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for computing platforms. In one example, a computing device is configured to maintain attribute scoring metrics that rate target computing devices in competency among at least a portion of roles defined at least by presently provisioned software elements and hardware elements. The computing device is configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the roles, and based at least in part on the attribute scoring metrics, determine one or more target computing devices that satisfy the one or more of the roles to handle the tasks. The computing device is configured to transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the one or more target computing devices for performing the tasks using at least one among the presently provisioned software elements and hardware elements associated with the one or more of the roles.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying software payloads in satellite systems. In one example, a satellite device comprises a communication interface configured to receive software payloads for execution, and an execution system configured to execute ones of the software payloads as associated virtual nodes that share resources of the satellite device to at least perform activities using one or more on-board systems of the satellite device. The execution system is configured to transfer state information related to execution of ones of the virtual nodes to at least another device over the communication interface, wherein the state information comprises data related to the activities.

Abstract: Various enhanced operations and orbital techniques for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, a method of operating an orbital satellite platform is provided. The method includes establishing relative distances between a plurality of satellite devices, and performing temporary adjustments to the relative distances between the satellite devices. The method also includes directing at least communication processes among the satellite devices based at least in part on the temporary adjustments to the relative distances.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying communication networks in clusters of satellite devices. In one example, a first set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a first orbital configuration, and a second set of satellite devices is configured to orbit in a second orbital configuration. A communication network is formed among the satellite devices and is configured to selectively exchange communications among satellite devices in the first orbital configuration and satellite devices the second orbital configuration based at least in part on an operational status of the communication network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne devices. In one example, a satellite device includes one or more sensor systems, a communication interface, and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information to employ the one or more sensor systems and establish imaging data.

Abstract: Various enhanced power supply configurations for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, satellite device includes a chassis and a power control module. The satellite device also includes an array of polygonal-shaped power units combined into a geometric arrangement by disposing the polygonal-shaped power units around the power control module within the chassis. In some examples, the polygonal-shaped power units comprise a rhomboid chassis or enclosure that provides arrangement into a hexagonal array when coupled to eight further rhomboid power units. Other polygonal arrays can be formed using arrangements of the repeating polygonal-shaped power units.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne systems, among others. In one example, an airborne or spaceborne physical node comprises a communication interface configured to receive software payloads, and logistical control elements of the physical node. The physical node further comprises a virtualized execution system configured to execute ones of the software payloads deployed on the physical node as associated virtual nodes that share resources of the physical node.

Abstract: Various enhanced operational and communication handling techniques for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, a method of operating an orbital satellite device of a satellite cluster is provided. The method includes identifying operational status information for at least a peer satellite device in communication range of the satellite device. Based at least on the operational status information, the method includes selecting a quality of service level for communications to be transferred to the peer satellite device, and applying the quality service level to transmit data packets to the peer satellite device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for spaceborne and airborne computing platforms. In one example, an airborne computing platform includes a plurality of airborne devices, with one or more of the airborne devices comprising specialized roles defined by at least one among software elements and hardware elements targeted to the specialized roles. Individual ones of the airborne devices are configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the specialized roles, determine one or more target devices to handle the tasks based at least in part on attributes of the target devices, and transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the target devices for performing the tasks.

Abstract: Various enhanced operational and communication handling techniques for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, a method of operating an orbital satellite device of a satellite cluster is provided. The method includes identifying operational status information for at least a peer satellite device in communication range of the satellite device. Based at least on the operational status information, the method includes selecting a quality of service level for communications to be transferred to the peer satellite device, and applying the quality service level to transmit data packets to the peer satellite device.