Abstract: A spacecraft having a movable structure which is held in a preselected location by a holding mechanism substantially free of microdynamic noise. The holding mechanism comprises two mechanical members in physical contact with each other and movable with respect to each other. The unintentional movement of the two mechanical members with respect to each other generates microdynamic noise. The two mechanical members are secured together to provide joinder of the two mechanical members when the movable structure is located in the preselected position to prevent long-term unintentional movement between the two mechanical members.

Abstract: A compact delay stage for phase delaying a light signal to provide increased amounts of phase delay to a light signal. A plurality of reflective structures are configured to provide a delay path to the light signal. One of the reflective structures is configured to accept the light signal and direct the light signal between the reflective structures a predetermined selectable number of times until the light signal has completed the delay path thereby translating the light signal into a delay signal. One of the reflective structures is configured to provide egress to the delayed signal to exit the compact delay stage.

Abstract: A system for and a method of controlling the temperature of an object (22). Temperature sensors (30) are placed on the object (22) in abutting zones (24) substantially covering a surface of the object (22), so as to detect a temperature in each of the respective zones (24). Temperature adjusting elements (28) are spaced from and thermally coupled to the object (22), to adjust the temperatures of corresponding ones of the respective zones (24). Temperature control circuits (32, 34, 36), responsive to temperatures detected by respective ones of the temperature sensors (30), control the corresponding ones of the temperature adjusting elements (28) to maintain the temperatures of the respective zones (24) within a preset temperature range. When the object (22) is in a cold environment and is to be maintained at a warmer temperature, the temperature adjusting elements (28) are heating elements.

Abstract: A method that allows a space vehicle to determine navigation information represented by the contents of a state vector. The method includes the steps of intermittently receiving navigation signals, initializing the state vector with an estimate of the navigation information, and generating a predicted state vector that represents the predicted values for the navigation information after a predetermined time increment in the future. The method further determines whether a navigation signal has been received within a predetermined window of time from a navigation beacon. If a navigation signal has been received, the method updates the state vector and the contents of the state vector are propagated forward in time to provide an estimate of the navigation information after a predetermined time increment. In some instances, however, a navigation signal is not received within the predetermined window of time.