Abstract: Systems and methods for a fully reusable upper stage for a multi-stage launch vehicle are provided. The reusable upper stage uses an aerospike engine for main propulsion and for vertical landing. A heat shield can include a plurality of scarfed nozzles embedded radially around a semi-spherical surface of the heat shield, wherein inboard surfaces of the plurality of scarfed nozzles collectively define an aerospike contour. The heat shield can be actively cooled to dissipate heat encountered during reentry of the upper stage.

Abstract: A tapered trunking bus for carrying electricity from a row of solar panel arrays to a safety switch. The trunking bus includes a number of combiner and junction boxes connected in series. Each successive combiner and junction box combines the output of the previous combiner and junction box, received on a conductor of a first cross-sectional area, with electrical current received from a pair of solar panel arrays and outputs a higher current on a conductor of higher cross-sectional area. The cross-sectional area of each conductor is chosen to match the current to be carried and to account for the distance to the next combiner and junction box. For lower current segments of the trunking bus, cables or wires in conduits, of increasing gauges, can be used between combiner and junction boxes. For higher-current segments, metal bus bars of increasing cross-sectional area can be used between combiner and junction boxes.

Abstract: A ground clip for a PIU of a busway system has a two part assembly made with two different materials, a first hard material designed to remove dielectric coating on the busway section and a second highly conductive material to establish necessary electrical contact, cooperating together as the PIU is installed on the busway case to establish a reliable ground automatically and without tools.

Abstract: A ground clip for a PIU of a busway system has a two part assembly made with two different materials, a first hard material designed to remove dielectric coating on the busway section and a second highly conductive material to establish necessary electrical contact, cooperating together as the PIU is installed on the busway case to establish a reliable ground automatically and without tools.

Abstract: A tapered trunking bus for carrying electricity from a row of solar panel arrays to a safety switch. The trunking bus includes a number of combiner and junction boxes connected in series. Each successive combiner and junction box combines the output of the previous combiner and junction box, received on a conductor of a first cross-sectional area, with electrical current received from a pair of solar panel arrays and outputs a higher current on a conductor of higher cross-sectional area. The cross-sectional area of each conductor is chosen to match the current to be carried and to account for the distance to the next combiner and junction box. For lower current segments of the trunking bus, cables or wires in conduits, of increasing gauges, can be used between combiner and junction boxes. For higher-current segments, metal bus bars of increasing cross-sectional area can be used between combiner and junction boxes.

Abstract: An electrostatic precipitator is disclosed which is provided with a plurality of gas jets which upon activation repulses the normal gas flow through the electrostatic precipitator during cleaning to create a quiescent condition to reduce further dispersion of the loosened particulate layer into the outlet stream. A control system for operating the jets and the discharge and collector plate rappers is shown.