Abstract: A passive non-ablating thermally protective structure body is disclosed. An improved-reliability heat pipe edge comprises a non-porous material formed into a wedge-shaped chamber, and a porous layer. The porous layer extends from interior surfaces of the non-porous material to provide capillary wicking.

Abstract: Methods and systems for attaching aircraft wings to fuselages are disclosed herein. An aircraft configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a fuselage and a wing. The wing includes a right wing portion extending outwardly from a right side portion of the fuselage and a left wing portion extending outwardly from a left side portion of the fuselage. In this embodiment, the right wing portion is fixedly attached to the left wing portion by a wing center section extending through at least a portion of the fuselage. The aircraft further includes a first pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the right side portion of the fuselage, and a second pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the left side portion of the fuselage.

Abstract: A floor to fuselage attachment structure incorporates a truss having an upper angled attachment engaging the floor proximate an edge and extending at an angle upward from the floor edge to attach to the fuselage. Additionally, the truss includes a lower angled attachment engaging the floor proximate the edge and extending at an angle downward to attach to the fuselage. The upper and lower angled attachments support the floor with the edge spaced from the fuselage and further have a plurality of apertures for providing airflow between a first volume above the floor and a second volume below the floor.

Abstract: Methods and systems for attaching aircraft wings to fuselages are disclosed herein. An aircraft configured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a fuselage and a wing. The wing includes a right wing portion extending outwardly from a right side portion of the fuselage and a left wing portion extending outwardly from a left side portion of the fuselage. In this embodiment, the right wing portion is fixedly attached to the left wing portion by a wing center section extending through at least a portion of the fuselage. The aircraft further includes a first pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the right side portion of the fuselage, and a second pivotable link structurally attaching the wing center section to the left side portion of the fuselage.