公开(公告)号：US11685516B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US17395747

申请日：2021-08-06

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： Thomas G. Ivanco ,  Patrick S. Heaney ,  Charles Chiou

IPC: B64C13/18 ,  B64C5/10 ,  B64C3/50 ,  B64C13/16

CPC classification number: B64C13/18 ,  B64C3/50 ,  B64C5/10 ,  B64C13/16

Abstract: A passive gust load alleviation device for an aerodynamic panel includes a free-floating aerodynamic control surface connected to the panel via a revolute joint. A counterweight is connected to the control surface. Relative to a direction of ambient airflow, the counterweight has a center of gravity forward of the axis of rotation. The counterweight is configured to passively deflect the control surface about the axis to alleviate a gust load. A vehicle includes an aerodynamic panel connected to a body and extending into ambient airflow, and the control surface and counterweight. A method for alleviating the gust load on an aircraft panel includes connecting the control panel, via the revolute joint, along a trailing edge of the panel, and during a flight of an aircraft having the panel, passively deflecting the control panel about the axis in response to an incident wind gust.

公开(公告)号：US11685129B2

公开(公告)日：2023-06-27

申请号：US17112442

申请日：2020-12-04

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： Peter D. Juarez ,  Elizabeth D. Gregory

IPC: B29C70/38 ,  B29C70/54 ,  G01N21/88 ,  G01N21/93 ,  G01N21/84

CPC classification number: B29C70/382 ,  B29C70/545 ,  G01N21/8851 ,  G01N21/93 ,  G01N2021/8472 ,  G01N2021/8874

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are provided for the creation of predictable and accurate defects in a fiber tow of an Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) process, with such artificial defects being useful to support calibration of an in situ inspection system used in the AFP process. Various embodiments include methods for creating such artificial defects that support calibration of an in situ inspection system of an AFP system or process. Various embodiments may also include a defect stencils for an AFP system or process.

公开(公告)号：US20230123777A1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-20

申请号：US17725693

申请日：2022-04-21

Applicant: United States of America as Represented by The Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Joshua M. Weisberger ,  Brett F. Bathel

IPC: G01N21/45 ,  G01B11/25

Abstract: A real-time reference free background oriented schlieren system is provided. One embodiment includes a display device capable of generating an image pattern projected onto a retroreflective background. A beam splitter is used to transmit a portion of the projected image pattern towards a reference image sensor and another portion of the image pattern towards the retroreflective background and past a density object. The retroreflective background reflects the projected pattern back through the beam splitter and onto a signal imaging sensor. Collected data from the reference image sensor and the signal image sensor may be processed in real-time. The image pattern may be altered as necessary without requiring a new reference image, reducing the amount of time required to set up and adjust the system. A display device may be capable of switching between a schlieren visualization capability to a shadowgraph system allowing for the use of two different imaging techniques.

公开(公告)号：US11628636B2

公开(公告)日：2023-04-18

申请号：US17369109

申请日：2021-07-07

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： Robert G. Bryant

IPC: B29C70/38 ,  B29C70/54

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices of the various embodiments may provide Automated Tape (or Tow) Placement (ATP) systems including machine-based parts that support prepreg tape laying processes to build composite parts. Various embodiments may be applied to materials that may be consolidated during fabrication and/or may be used to fabricate parts that may require post processing steps.

公开(公告)号：US11622062B1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-04

申请号：US17222533

申请日：2021-04-05

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Jonathan Eugene Pryor ,  Jeremy Dwight Myers ,  Jarret Carl Bone ,  Brent L. Beabout

IPC: G03B17/56 ,  G03B15/00 ,  H04N5/225

Abstract: A ruggedized miniaturized infrared camera system for harsh environments has an infrared camera module that is connected to a ruggedized camera mount. The camera mount has a body and a lens clamp that clamps the camera lens to the body. The camera mount and military-spec fasteners cooperate to mechanically secure the camera module from vibrations. An interface bracket is attached to the camera mount and has a central opening. A signal connector is attached to the exterior side of the bracket and configured to carry USB2 signals. Conductive pins of the signal connector extend through the central opening and are electrically coupled to a circuit board that is adjacent to the interior side of the bracket. An electrically non-conductive spacer is within the central opening and interposed between the signal connector and circuit board. Heat-conductive epoxy secures the circuit board from vibrations and creates thermal bonds that passively remove heat.

公开(公告)号：US11618592B1

公开(公告)日：2023-04-04

申请号：US17023505

申请日：2020-09-17

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： James E. Fraction

IPC: B64G1/24 ,  G01S19/42 ,  G06F3/06 ,  G06F11/10 ,  G06F13/20 ,  G06F13/42 ,  G06F1/28

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular architecture for a resilient extensible SmallSat (MARES) command and data handling (C&DH) device used in a spacecraft, the modular architecture which conforms to a 1U CubeSat board area form factor, including: a C&DH processor card disposed on a backplane of the form factor; a C&DH processor card disposed on a backplane of the form factor; a fault tolerant field programmable gate array (FPGA) disposed on the C&DH processor card, the FPGA including an embedded fault tolerant memory controller, and a soft-core processor which runs core flight software on a real-time executive for a multiprocessor operating system; and a C&DH auxiliary card disposed on the backplane and used in conjunction with the C&DH processor card, to provide processing capability for the spacecraft, the auxiliary card which contains peripheral interface drivers and read electronics for monitoring a health and safety of the spacecraft.

公开(公告)号：US11581663B1

公开(公告)日：2023-02-14

申请号：US17319195

申请日：2021-05-13

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Victor Marrero Fontanez ,  Cornelis Du Toit ,  Aaron Dabrowski

IPC: H01Q21/30 ,  H01Q9/04 ,  H01Q15/00

Abstract: An apparatus for space and terrestrial communication applications includes a Ka-band horn combined with a S-band cross-polarization cup. The S-band cross-polarization cup is placed around a neck of the Ka-band horn in a form of a collar.

公开(公告)号：US11540381B1

公开(公告)日：2022-12-27

申请号：US16932023

申请日：2020-07-17

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Gabriel F. Benavides ,  Hani Kamhawi ,  Timothy R. Verhey

IPC: H05H7/04 ,  F03H1/00 ,  H01J27/02

Abstract: High propellant throughput Hall-effect thrusters (HETs) and components thereof are disclosed. A compact and high propellant throughput HET has an improved magnetic circuit that mostly shields the discharge chamber walls from high-energy ionized propellant, low-profile sacrificial pole covers to delay magnetic pole erosion, a unique discharge chamber subassembly, a mechanically crimped cathode emitter retainer to increase efficiency, a center-mounted hollow cathode, or a combination thereof. Such feature(s) may balance propellant throughput and thruster performance, minimize the volume of the thruster envelope, and/or simplify the thruster assembly.

公开(公告)号：US11503222B2

公开(公告)日：2022-11-15

申请号：US17001037

申请日：2020-08-24

Applicant: UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE ADMINISTRATOR OF NASA

Inventor： Brett F. Bathel ,  Stephen B. Jones ,  Joshua M. Weisberger

IPC: H04N5/235 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G03B15/05 ,  H04N5/225 ,  G06T11/00 ,  H04N7/18 ,  H04N5/247

Abstract: One aspect of the present disclosure is an imaging system including an optical sensor defining an optical axis. The system further includes a light source. The system may include an optical beam splitter, and may also include an optional diffusing lens that may be configured to diffuse and/or collimate light from the light source and direct light exiting the diffusing lens to the optical beam splitter. The optical beam splitter is configured to direct light from the light source along the optical axis of the optical sensor.

公开(公告)号：US11493602B1

公开(公告)日：2022-11-08

申请号：US16863255

申请日：2020-04-30

Applicant: United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA

Inventor： Guangning Yang ,  Jeffrey Chen

IPC: G01S7/481 ,  H01S3/109 ,  H01S3/00 ,  G01S17/88

Abstract: A photonic, integrated circuit chip can have a frequency comb laser configured to generate a plurality of wavelengths, a plurality of modulators, one respective modulator for each wavelength of the plurality of wavelengths, the plurality of modulators being aligned in series with each of the plurality of modulators being tuned to a respective one of the wavelengths of the plurality of wavelengths, a connector configured to convey a drive signal for each modulator of the plurality of modulators, a semiconductor optical amplifier configured to receive light exiting from the plurality of modulators, and a chip having present thereon the frequency comb laser, the plurality of modulators, and the semiconductor optical amplifier. The plurality of modulators can be configured to produce a single beam of time-interleaved, multiple-wavelength output laser light. A mobile system, such as a satellite, can also have the photonic, integrated circuit chip as a component thereof.