Abstract: A method of treating a commercially available ion plated graphite/aluminum composite with suitable hydroscopic liquid selected from the group consisting of methylene chloride, toluene, xylene and where such liquid treatment results in capillary action in the graphite fibers and subsequently heat treating the graphite/aluminum composite in a hot processing step where magnesium powder is sublime at a temperature in the range of 350.degree.-450.degree. C. and where such sublime magnesium vapor uniformly coats graphite and aluminum in the composite material so as to obtain a graphite aluminum composite coated with magnesium.

Abstract: A means for the measurement of the alignment error between a plurality of ordinate reference frames and a relatively absolute reference frame determines all three degrees of freedom utilizing a single beam of light with relatively narrow angular extent. The measurement means has a light source, collimator, a plurality of reflecting folding mirrors and a pair of retroreflectors rigidly fixed to each coordinate reference frame. As the collimated light beam strikes a folding mirror it is reflected toward the corresponding coordinate reference frame where it is reflected back by the retroreflectors. The angles of tilt, twist and rotation at which it is reflected are representative of the misalignment of the coordinate reference frame. The folding mirror then reflects the retroreflected beam back toward the source, where the beams are detected.