Abstract: A light weight parallel plate polarizer (100) employs a sandwich construction design including a polarizer section (102) and a foundation section (104). The polarizer section (102) is formed from low dielectric constant, low density foam or honeycomb layers (112) alternating with polarizer panels (110). The foundation section (104), which supports the polarizer section (102), is formed from a low density, low dielectric constant foundation material. In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the light weight parallel plate polarizer employs a suspension design (400). The suspension design (400) includes individual sections of dielectric mesh (602) which support polarizer plates (402). The individual mesh sections (602) are suspended between first and second support posts (404, 406) and compression springs (410) may be provided for adjusting and maintaining the tension in the mesh sections (602).

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus (10) for isolating an operating device against multi-dimensional disturbances which includes a series of spring assemblies (12) that are affixed between a support platform (14) and an operating device (16). The series of spring assemblies are affixed to a support platform (14) and mounted in three paired units to provide global isolation of the operating device against forces that act in five directions. Each spring assembly is equipped with a first and second set of spring elements (20) and (22) which absorb disturbance forces acting in an axial direction. The spring element (22) is a damping unit (30) which dampens the lateral vibrational forces caused by dynamic imbalance of the vibration-generating source. Included with each spring assembly is a load diverter (50) which serves to insulate the operating device against the sudden high vibrational forces that might be incurred during the launch of a satellite during the first minutes of the launch.