Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods provide for a zero-moment fitting for securing a fluid conduit to a structure. According to various embodiments, a fitting may include a spherical bearing and a bearing housing. The spherical bearing may include a conduit aperture for receiving a fluid conduit through the spherical bearing. The bearing housing may be configured to encompass and retain the spherical bearing within the bearing housing, allowing for rotation of the spherical bearing within the bearing housing. The bearing housing may be fixedly attached to the structure to secure the fitting to the structure.

Abstract: A hinged panel operation system is provided having a mechanical linkage assembly coupled between a fixed structure and a trailing edge device. The mechanical linkage assembly has a first link operatively coupled to the trailing edge device, a second link pivotably connected at a first end to the first link and pivotably connected at a second end to a third link, and an eccentric attachment connecting the second link to the third link. The hinged panel operation system further has a hinged panel positioned forward of the trailing edge device and being operatively coupled to the mechanical linkage assembly. The hinged panel is movable by the mechanical linkage assembly between a stowed position and a drooped position. The mechanical linkage assembly provides a load path to the hinged panel.

Abstract: In one embodiment a method to evaluate a shielding effectiveness of an enclosed structure, comprising collecting synthetic aperture data from an electromagnetic transmission originating from within the enclosed structure to generate a synthetic aperture dataset, performing angular spectrum processing on the synthetic aperture dataset to generate an angle of arrival dataset and determining a shielding effectiveness parameter from the angle of arrival dataset. Other embodiments may be described.

Abstract: An energy absorbing device including a housing having a first end and a second end longitudinally opposed from the first end, a crushing member positioned proximate the first end, a stopping member longitudinally spaced apart from the crushing member, an energy absorbing member positioned between the crushing member and the stopping member, and a linking member connected to the crushing member.

Abstract: A system including a context-entity factory configured to build a data model defining an ontology of data objects that are context-aware, the model further defining metadata tags for the data objects. The system further includes a storage device storing the data objects as stored data objects, the device further storing associated contexts for corresponding ones of the stored objects. The system further includes a reduction component configured to capture a current context value of a first data object defined in the ontology, the component further configured to compare the current context value of the first data object with stored values of the associated contexts, and wherein when the current context value does not match a particular stored value of a particular associated context, the component is further configured to remove a corresponding particular stored data object and the particular associated context from the stored data objects.

Abstract: A system including an associative memory. A first input device in communication with the associative memory is configured to receive comparison criteria associated with a first entity stored in the associative memory. A search engine is configured to acquire, using a processor in conjunction with the associative memory and also using the comparison criteria, an attribute category of the first entity and an attribute value of the first entity. A second input device is configured to input, using the processor in conjunction with the associative memory, the attribute category and the attribute value into a worksheet of the associative memory. A comparator is configured to compare, using the processor in conjunction with the associative memory, the first entity and a second entity. The comparator is further configured to apply the worksheet as part of comparing the first entity and the second entity.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and system for improving the angular resolution of an image. A plurality of photon beams originating from a scene are received at a sensor system. Each of the plurality of photon beams is interfered with a corresponding source photon beam in a plurality of source photon beams to form a plurality of interference beams. Each of the plurality of source photon beams has a non-classical state. Fluctuations in a photon-number of the each of the plurality of source photon beams are reduced to within selected tolerances. An output signal is formed based on the plurality of interference beams. The output signal is configured for use in generating an image of the scene.

Abstract: Bushings include a tubular body that defines a through-bore for receiving a fastener for mounting a component to an object. The tubular body includes end regions and a plurality of spring elements spaced circumferentially around the tubular body and extending longitudinally along the tubular body between the end regions. Also disclosed are apparatus that include bushings, such as aircraft, and associated methods of utilizing bushings and of manufacturing bushings.

Abstract: An aircraft comprises an aircraft body, and apparatus, carried by the body, for discharging a persistent vapor of bird repellant into an elevated airspace.

Abstract: A temperature emulator may include a stack assembly having a pair of end plates positioned at an uppermost and lowermost location of the stack assembly, a plurality of heat sink plates disposed between the pair of end plates, each of the heat sink plates having a plurality of heat sink cutouts, a plurality of shim plates separating adjacent pairs of the end plates and the heat sink plates, each of the shim plates having a shim cutout, an open cavity formed by a plurality of adjacent heat sink cutouts and shim cutouts, thermal insulation disposed within the cavity, and at least one temperature sensor coupled to at least one of the plurality of heat sink plates.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for the reinforcement of various components of an aircraft utilizing vertically-oriented circumferential stringers. According to embodiments described herein, barrel skin of an aircraft fuselage may be reinforced using stringers that are vertically-oriented and circumferential. According to additional embodiments, the wing stringers of a wing can be aligned with circumferential stringers. According to further embodiments, the wing may also have one or more wing spars having an elliptical aperture. The shape of the elliptical may be configured for attachment to a fuselage so that an outer surface of the aperture is disposed proximate to an inner surface of the fuselage.

Abstract: An air vehicle having a bilaterally asymmetric configuration may include a body having a longitudinal axis. The air vehicle may further include longitudinally offset engine nacelles, asymmetrically lengthened engine nacelles, and/or longitudinally offset protruding aerodynamic surfaces.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods provide for the construction of wing sections having multi-box wing spars. According to one aspect of the disclosure provided herein, an aircraft wing may be constructed by applying one or more layers of composite material onto a plurality of wing mandrels. The wing mandrels, when placed together, form the shape of the wing. After the layers of composite material are applied to each individual mandrel, the mandrels are abutted together. Thereafter, the mandrels are compressed using wing surface tooling applied to the plurality of wing mandrels. The composite material is thereafter cured. After curing, the wing surface tooling and mandrels are removed, resulting in a wing having multi-box wing spars and skin.

Abstract: A method for locating an interferer is provided. The method includes determining, from a time delay of arrival (TDOA) signature between signals received from the interferer at two satellites, a first curve on which the interferer lies, determining, from direction of arrival information generated using signals received from the interferer at a plurality of elements of a linear array, a second curve on which the interferer lies, and determining, based on an intersection between the first and second curves, the location of the interferer.

Abstract: Forming and depositing a high temperature inorganic coating on a polymeric composite substrate surfaces having deposited thereon an interlayer, and articles produce therefrom. Methods of providing functional properties to said composites are also disclosed.

Abstract: An interlayer configured for a composite substrate surface, the interlayer having a higher concentration of at least one first chemical element at the interface of the substrate surface and the innermost interlayer surface and a higher concentration of at least one second chemical element at the outermost interlayer surface is disclosed. Methods of forming the interlayer and providing functional properties to said composites are disclosed.

Abstract: A joining surface formed of a composite structure having at least one ply and a peel ply cured to an outer surface of the composite structure, the peel ply including a plurality of microcapsules each filled with a joining material, wherein upon removal of the peel ply from the outer surface of the composite structure, the microcapsules fracture and release the resin to form an uncured surface for joining.

Abstract: A method of refining a mesh includes selecting an existing coarse element having existing nodes and existing indices, inputting a quantity of refined elements to be created along an element edge, and generating a parametric grid on the existing coarse element. The method may further include placing refined nodes at parametric grid locations wherein the refined nodes have subindices linked to the existing indices. The method may additionally include deleting the existing coarse element, and creating refined elements having subindices linked to the existing indices of the existing coarse element.

Abstract: A gridded ion propulsion system comprising two power controllers, four ion thrusters, and two switch assemblies. One switch assembly is connected to the two power controllers and to two of the four ion thrusters. The other switch assembly is connected to the two power controllers and to the other two ion thrusters. Each switch assembly has first and second switching states which can be selected to enable either power controller to supply power to any one of the four ion thrusters. Each switch assembly comprises a respective movable body and a respective multiplicity of switches which change state in unison when the movable body changes position. For example, the movable body may be a rotatable hollow shaft driven by a stepper motor.

Abstract: A system and methods for coordinating positioning of vehicles in motion is disclosed. The method graphically presents displayed synchronization parameters on a display screen such that a user determines a planned position of a first vehicle on a planned path in order to arrive at a predetermined position at a correct time. The method further synchronizes the first vehicle with the planned position on the planned path using the displayed synchronization parameters and performs a rendezvous between the first vehicle and a second vehicle.