Abstract: An apparatus includes a thermal battery, which includes a housing and one or more battery cells within the housing. Each battery cell includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte in each battery cell is configured to be in a solid state when the battery cell is inactive. The apparatus also includes a phase change material around at least part of the housing. The phase change material is configured to conduct external heat into the housing in order to melt the electrolyte in each battery cell and activate the battery cell. The phase change material is also configured to change phase in order to reduce conduction of the external heat into the housing.

Abstract: A system is used for additively manufacturing propellant elements, such as for rocket motors, includes partially curing a propellant mixture before extruding or otherwise dispensing the material, such that the extruded propellant material is deposited on the element in a partially-cured state. The curing process for the partially-cured extruded material may be completed shortly after the material is put into place, for example by the material being heated at or above its cure temperature, such that it finishes curing before it fully cools. The propellant material may be prepared by first mixing together, a fuel, an oxidizer, and a binder, such as in an acoustic mixer. After that mixing a curative may be added to the mixture. The propellant mixture may then be directed to an extruder (or other dispenser), in which the mixture is heated to or above a cure temperature prior to the deposition, and then deposited.

Abstract: A thruster has an additively-manufactured housing that includes an integrally-formed nozzle with a burst disk in it. The housing is part of a casing that surrounds and encloses a propellant that is burned to produce pressurized gases that burst the burst disk and produce thrust. The thruster may be placed in a receptacle that defines a recess for receiving the thruster. The receptacle also may be additively manufactured. The thruster and the recess both may be cylindrical, with the housing being closely fit with the cylindrical walls of the receptacle. This may allow some of the structural loads on the housing, such as loads produced by the combustion of the propellant, to be transferred to the adjoining walls of the receptacle. This enables the housing to have less structural strength than if it were to have to contain the pressure from the propellant all on its own.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a thermal battery, which includes a housing and one or more battery cells within the housing. Each battery cell includes an anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte. The electrolyte in each battery cell is configured to be in a solid state when the battery cell is inactive. The apparatus also includes a phase change material around at least part of the housing. The phase change material is configured to conduct external heat into the housing in order to melt the electrolyte in each battery cell and activate the battery cell. The phase change material is also configured to change phase in order to reduce conduction of the external heat into the housing.

Abstract: An electrical device has device electrical contacts that are initially shunted together, to prevent accidental triggering or damage to the device, such as by electrostatic forces. The device is configured to be inserted into a receptacle, with parts of the receptacle disengaging the shunt and making electrical connection within the receptacle, such as with a shunt cutter. The receptacle may also include a pair of receptacle electrical contacts the electrically connect to the device electrical contacts. The configuration, where the shunt is only cut as part of the installation process, enables safer handling of initially-shunted devices, and can also facilitate making blind electrical connections. Making blind connection directly with parts of the receptacle also avoids the need to thread wires through the electrical receptacle and make electrical connections in another way.

Abstract: A system is used for additively manufacturing propellant elements, such as for rocket motors, includes partially curing a propellant mixture before extruding or otherwise dispensing the material, such that the extruded propellant material is deposited on the element in a partially-cured state. The curing process for the partially-cured extruded material may be completed shortly after the material is put into place, for example by the material being heated at or above its cure temperature, such that it finishes curing before it fully cools. The propellant material may be prepared by first mixing together, a fuel, an oxidizer, and a binder, such as in an acoustic mixer. After that mixing a curative may be added to the mixture. The propellant mixture may then be directed to an extruder (or other dispenser), in which the mixture is heated to or above a cure temperature prior to the deposition, and then deposited.

Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing propellant elements, such as for rocket motors, includes partially curing a propellant mixture before extruding or otherwise dispensing the material, such that the extruded propellant material is deposited on the element in a partially-cured state. The curing process for the partially-cured extruded material may be completed shortly after the material is put into place, for example by the material being heated at or above its cure temperature, such that it finishes curing before it fully cools. The propellant material may be prepared by first mixing together, a fuel, an oxidizer, and a binder, such as in an acoustic mixer. After that mixing a curative may be added to the mixture. The propellant mixture may then be directed to an extruder (or other dispenser), in which the mixture is heated to or above a cure temperature prior to the deposition, and then deposited.

Abstract: A projectile, such as a railgun-launched projectile, includes a single-piece body that is additively manufactured. The single piece body includes fuel within it, and one or more cavities for receiving an oxidizer. The body also defines one or more combustion chambers therein for combustion of the fuel and oxidizer as part of a divert thruster system. Thus the projectile is able to fully contain the divert thruster system within the single-piece body without using any hot gas seals as part of the system. The body may also define a cavity for receiving a pressurized fluid, used as part of a cold-gas attitude control system of the projectile. The body may also define passages between the pressurized fluid cavity and other parts of the attitude control system, such as valves and/or nozzles that are outside of the body, for example being aft of the one-piece body.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes at least one SMM component fabricated from an SMM. The SMM component is configured to change shape in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is also configured to deploy from a device body of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way. A method implemented by a device is also provided. The method includes changing a shape of an SMM component of the device in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is fabricated from an SMM. The method also includes deploying the SMM component from a device body of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way.

Abstract: A method of making an electrical connection includes soldering using channels in a receptacle to direct hot air (or another hot gas) to effect soldering where the electrical connection is to be made. The connection may be made between device electrical contacts of an electrical device, and other contacts, such as receptacle contacts of the receptacle. The connection may be a blind connection, one in which the connected ends of the contacts are hidden or unable to be directly physically accessed, when the connection is made. The electrical connection may be made between device contacts of an electrical device that is inserted into the receptacle, and receptacle electrical contacts that are part of the receptacle. The channels for directing the hot gas to where the soldering occurs may be parts of the receptacle, for example being produced during additive manufacture of the receptacle.

Abstract: A thruster has an additively-manufactured housing that includes an integrally-formed nozzle with a burst disk in it. The housing is part of a casing that surrounds and encloses a propellant that is burned to produce pressurized gases that burst the burst disk and produce thrust. The thruster may be placed in a receptacle that defines a recess for receiving the thruster. The receptacle also may be additively manufactured. The thruster and the recess both may be cylindrical, with the housing being closely fit with the cylindrical walls of the receptacle. This may allow some of the structural loads on the housing, such as loads produced by the combustion of the propellant, to be transferred to the adjoining walls of the receptacle. This enables the housing to have less structural strength than if it were to have to contain the pressure from the propellant all on its own.

Abstract: A projectile, such as a railgun-launched projectile, includes a single-piece body that is additively manufactured. The single piece body includes fuel within it, and one or more cavities for receiving an oxidizer. The body also defines one or more combustion chambers therein for combustion of the fuel and oxidizer as part of a divert thruster system. Thus the projectile is able to fully contain the divert thruster system within the single-piece body without using any hot gas seals as part of the system. The body may also define a cavity for receiving a pressurized fluid, used as part of a cold-gas attitude control system of the projectile. The body may also define passages between the pressurized fluid cavity and other parts of the attitude control system, such as valves and/or nozzles that are outside of the body, for example being aft of the one-piece body.

Abstract: A method of making an electrical connection includes soldering using channels in a receptacle to direct hot air (or another hot gas) to effect soldering where the electrical connection is to be made. The connection may be made between device electrical contacts of an electrical device, and other contacts, such as receptacle contacts of the receptacle. The connection may be a blind connection, one in which the connected ends of the contacts are hidden or unable to be directly physically accessed, when the connection is made. The electrical connection may be made between device contacts of an electrical device that is inserted into the receptacle, and receptacle electrical contacts that are part of the receptacle. The channels for directing the hot gas to where the soldering occurs may be parts of the receptacle, for example being produced during additive manufacture of the receptacle.

Abstract: An electrical device has device electrical contacts that are initially shunted together, to prevent accidental triggering or damage to the device, such as by electrostatic forces. The device is configured to be inserted into a receptacle, with parts of the receptacle disengaging the shunt and making electrical connection within the receptacle, such as with a shunt cutter. The receptacle may also include a pair of receptacle electrical contacts the electrically connect to the device electrical contacts. The configuration, where the shunt is only cut as part of the installation process, enables safer handling of initially-shunted devices, and can also facilitate making blind electrical connections. Making blind connection directly with parts of the receptacle also avoids the need to thread wires through the electrical receptacle and make electrical connections in another way.

Abstract: A device is provided. The device includes at least one SMM component fabricated from an SMM. The SMM component is configured to change shape in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is also configured to deploy from a device body of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way. A method implemented by a device is also provided. The method includes changing a shape of an SMM component of the device in response to receiving a stimulus. The SMM component is fabricated from an SMM. The method also includes deploying the SMM component from a device body of the device allowing the device to change shape in an advantageous way.