Abstract: A vehicle motion arresting mechanism for arresting the motion of a vehicle is provided. The mechanism includes a pendant for engaging an engagement member of the vehicle; a first tension limiting member attached to a first end of the pendant, the first tension limiting member having a first shear pin; a second tension limiting member attached to a second end of the pendant, the second tension limiting member having a second shear pin; a tension adjusting member attached to the first tension limiting member and for adjusting an at-rest tension of the pendant; a first anchoring member for anchoring the tension adjusting member to the ground; and a second anchoring member for anchoring the second tension limiting member to the ground.

Abstract: A payload ejection system is provided for ejecting a payload from a transport vehicle. The system has an ejector mechanism for applying an ejection force to the payload to urge the payload away from the transport vehicle, and a release mechanism for releasing the payload from a restrained state. The release mechanism has a payload mounting bolt for holding the payload in the restrained state, and an actuator that fractures the mounting bolt. The actuator has a shape memory alloy, and an activator that transforms the shape memory alloy from a compressed state to an elongated state. The actuator fractures the mounting bolt as the shape memory alloy transforms into the elongated shape.

Abstract: A gyroscopic system for translating parallel and non-parallel lines between a reference line and a device to be aligned with respect to the reference line is provided. The system includes a first inertial sensor configured to be substantially stationary, the first inertial sensor comprising a first three-axis gyroscopic sensor configured to produce an output signal and a reflector. A second inertial sensor is configured to be portable so as to be positionable adjacent to the first inertial sensor and comprises a gimbal restricted to two physical axes, a gimbal drive system, an electromagnetic energy beam generator, a second three-axis gyroscopic sensor configured to generate an output signal, and a collimator. The collimator is operable to determine an angle between a beam projected by the beam generator and a beam reflected from the reflector and to generate an output signal indicative of the determined angle.