Abstract: The flight path of a two-staged rocket (1) is periodically calculated during flight, and the estimated impact point when a first-stage rocket body (11) or a fairing (15) is separated and discarded is periodically calculated from a second-stage rocket (13) at each passing scheduled point in the predicted flight path. As long as there is a passing scheduled point such that the estimated impact points of the first-stage rocket (11) and the fairing (15) are both within the safe area, a process is periodically performed to designate the passing scheduled point safe and nearest to ILL of the two-staged rocket (1) as the separate-and-discard point of the first-stage rocket body (11), and when the two-staged rocket (1) reaches this separate-and-discard point, the first-stage rocket body (11) or the fairing (15) is separated and discarded.

Abstract: A vibration damping apparatus includes a frame having a rail member and end plates at longitudinal ends of the rail member. The frame is a hollow box-shaped element or a hollow tubular element. The rail member defines a downwardly arcuate surface. The frame is fixed on a vibrant structure. A vibration damping body is movably located on the rail member such that it can naturally oscillate thereon upon vibrations of the structure. An energy of vibration of the structure is transferred to and absorbed by the damping body so that the vibration of the structure is attenuated. By appropriately determining a radius of curvature of the rail member, a natural period of the damping body is set to be equal to that of the structure. First and second magnets are mounted on the end plates and third and fourth magnets are mounted on opposite end faces of the damping body. The first and third magnets have the same polarity and the second and fourth magnets have the same polarity.

Abstract: An intake system includes two surge tanks for cylinders in first and second cylinder banks of a V-type internal combustion engine which are arranged side by side over one of the first and second cylinder banks in the lengthwise direction of its associated engine and, are preferably formed as one unit and includes intake passages arranged in series in the lengthwise direction, each intake pipe connecting the surge tank with each of the cylinders in the first and second cylinder banks. The outermost intake passages disposed at the opposite ends of the surge tanks extend outward of the surge tanks in the opposite directions and are bent back into a space between the first and second cylinder banks. The remaining intake passages for the cylinders in the first cylinder bank are of C-shaped passage and the remaining intake passages for the cylinders in the second cylinder bank cross inside the C-shaped intake pipes in the space.