Abstract: A rocket vehicle includes a controller that integrates operation of a variable-vector main thruster and attitude control thrusters. When the main thruster is firing and roll is commanded, the controller can provide roll moment by firing only a single attitude control thruster, while changing the thrust vector of the main thruster to offset any pitch/yaw moments induced by the firing of the single attitude control thruster. The single attitude control thruster may be a thruster on the leeward side of the rocket vehicle. Since there is a lower wall pressure on the leeward side of the rocket vehicle, the thruster efficiency is improved by accomplishing roll by use of a single thruster (which may be one of a pair of thrusters used to achieve roll in one direction). A significant reduction in fuel use may be accomplished.

Abstract: A suture cutter comprises a tip portion integrally formed with or detachably removable from a handle portion. The handle portion is sized and configured for manipulation by a human hand. The tip portion includes at least one cutting blade disposed within an interior thereof and which faces an opening formed in a tip perimeter. A probe portion is disposed on at least one side of the opening to engage a suture to be severed and removed. The cutting blade preferably has a slightly arcuate shape. The tip portion may further include a remover portion formed along the tip perimeter adjacent the opening and which is preferably sized and configured to grasp a suture for removal thereof following severing of the suture.