公开(公告)号：US10648806B2

公开(公告)日：2020-05-12

申请号：US15623889

申请日：2017-06-15

申请人： The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Scott V. Hesh ,  Taylor A. Green ,  Joshua T. Yacobucci

IPC分类号： G01C5/06 ,  G05B11/01

摘要： A microcontroller controlled altimeter includes a microcontroller, a digital altitude pressure sensor with a pressure indicating output coupled to the microprocessor, and at least one Form A solid state relay coupled to the microcontroller, where the microcontroller is configured to provide control signals to the at least one Form A solid state relay to provide an open circuit between normally open and common terminals of the at least one Form A solid state relay if the digital altitude pressure sensor output is less than, or equal to, a setpoint for the at least one Form A relay, and provide continuity between the normally open and common terminals of the at least one Form A solid state relay if the digital altitude pressure sensor output is greater than the setpoint for the at least one Form A relay.

公开(公告)号：US10377916B2

公开(公告)日：2019-08-13

申请号：US15254354

申请日：2016-09-01

申请人： The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Christopher J. Wohl, Jr. ,  Joseph G. Smith, Jr.

IPC分类号： C09D163/00 ,  C08G59/50

摘要： Embodiments provide ice adhesion mitigating surface coatings and methods for generating the same. Embodiments may provide anti-icing coating with at least one monomeric species exhibiting molecular flexibility. The molecular flexibility in the monomeric species may be imparted through an aliphatic or heteroaliphatic chain that may exist as a portion of the monomer backbone, as a pendant group, or as both the portion of the monomer backbone and the pendant group. In various embodiments epoxy coatings including an epoxy resin and an amine-terminated hardener may be generated. At least a portion of the amine-terminated hardener may include at least a monomeric species that exhibits molecular flexibility arising from an aliphatic chain or heteroaliphatic chain that may be within the polymer backbone and/or may persist as a pendant group.

公开(公告)号：US10343131B1

公开(公告)日：2019-07-09

申请号：US14996914

申请日：2016-01-15

申请人： The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Frances I. Hurwitz ,  Haiquan Guo

IPC分类号： B01J13/00 ,  C09K5/00

摘要： Aerogels, aerogel composites and methods of making the same are discussed. One example method can include the act of creating a Boehmite colloid and adding a hydrolyzed silicon precursor to form a sol. A reinforcement can be infused with the sol, gelled to form a gel, then dried to form an aerogel composite. Such a method can also include the acts of performing one or more solvent exchanges and subjecting the gel composite to supercritical drying. Additionally, such a method can include the act of heat treating the aerogel composite. The aerogel composite can be used in high temperature, flexible seals capable of withstanding temperatures, pressures, and compression levels associated with aerodynamic heating generated during flight and in aerospace applications. The aeorogel composite also can be used in thermal protection systems designed for fire protection for structures or in personnel fire protective equipment.

公开(公告)号：US10320015B1

公开(公告)日：2019-06-11

申请号：US14640866

申请日：2015-03-06

申请人： The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Kenneth A. Burke

IPC分类号： H01M8/249 ,  H01M8/2465 ,  H01M8/2404 ,  H01M8/24 ,  H01M8/04537

摘要： Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with fuel cell power management. According to one embodiment, a fuel cell stack includes a plurality of fuel cells producing electric potentials. An electric potential of a fuel cell is measured as a fuel cell voltage. The fuel cell stack further includes a plurality of connection points including a ground, a first connection point, and a second connection point. The first connection point draws a first voltage based on combined fuel cell voltages of a first set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells. The second connection point draws a second voltage based on the combined fuel cell voltages of a second set of fuel cells of the plurality of fuel cells.

公开(公告)号：US10293481B1

公开(公告)日：2019-05-21

申请号：US15378790

申请日：2016-12-14

申请人： The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space

发明人： Roger Rovekamp ,  Adam H. Parsons ,  Nicolaus A. Radford ,  Carolynn J Kanelakos ,  Peter Neuhaus ,  Joshua S. Mehling

IPC分类号： G01L3/08 ,  B25J9/12 ,  B25J9/10 ,  B25J13/08 ,  F16H55/14 ,  F16H55/17 ,  G01D5/347 ,  G01L3/14 ,  G01L3/12 ,  G01L3/10

摘要： In an embodiment, a relative deflection detector may include at least two structural arcs, and a predetermined number of means for measuring position capable of determining the relative deflection in a first component. The at least two structural arcs may be for example, comprised of a first and second structural arc whereby the first and second structural arcs are attached to the first component at respective first and second predetermined locations and whereby each arc is comprised of a respective sequence of indicators, such as, for example, codes inscribed on the outer circumference of each arc. The first and second structural arcs may be positioned in concentric and coplanar relationship with each other. The predetermined number of sensors may be comprised of a first and second optical encoder sensor each positioned in proximate and coplanar relationship with the first and second structural arcs so as to read the first sequence of codes, second sequence of codes, or both, and thereby detect positions of each structural arc (e.g., a first position corresponding to the first structural arc and a second position corresponding to the second structural arc). The first and second positions may be used to calculate and thereby determine a relative deflection of the first component.

公开(公告)号：US10249929B1

公开(公告)日：2019-04-02

申请号：US15010195

申请日：2016-01-29

申请人： The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Rainee N Simons ,  Edwin G Wintucky

IPC分类号： H01P1/10 ,  H01P5/12 ,  H01P5/18

摘要： A multimode directional coupler is provided. In some embodiments, the multimode directional coupler is configured to receive a primary signal and a secondary signal at a first port of a primary waveguide. The primary signal is configured to propagate through the primary waveguide and be outputted at a second port of the primary waveguide. The multimode directional coupler also includes a secondary waveguide configured to couple the secondary signal from the primary waveguide with no coupling of the primary signal into the secondary waveguide. The secondary signal is configured to propagate through the secondary waveguide and be outputted from a port of the secondary waveguide.

公开(公告)号：US10243412B1

公开(公告)日：2019-03-26

申请号：US15247562

申请日：2016-08-25

申请人： The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Patrick W. Fink ,  Gregory Y. Lin ,  Timothy F. Kennedy ,  Phong H. Ngo ,  Haley C. Boose

IPC分类号： H01F27/42 ,  H02J50/27 ,  H04B7/06 ,  H04B7/04 ,  H04B7/0456 ,  H02J7/02

摘要： A passive beamforming rectenna includes a plurality of antennas, a plurality of terminal port rectifying circuits, and a beamforming network. The beamforming network includes (a) a plurality of antenna ports connecting to the plurality of antennas, and (b) a plurality of terminal ports connecting to the plurality of terminal port rectifying circuits. The beamforming network further includes a microwave lens or any of a variety of other structures. The beamforming rectenna is characterized by a plurality of radiation distribution patterns. Electromagnetic power is received through the plurality of antennas. The beamforming network directs the received electromagnetic power, in substantial portion, to a subset of the plurality of terminal ports associated with particular radiation distribution patterns whose amplitudes, in the direction from which the electromagnetic power was received, are large relative to the amplitudes, in the same direction, of other radiation distribution patterns associated with other terminal ports.

公开(公告)号：US10228465B2

公开(公告)日：2019-03-12

申请号：US15622861

申请日：2017-06-14

申请人： The United States of America, as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Guangning Yang ,  Jeffrey R. Chen

IPC分类号： G01S17/66 ,  H04B10/112 ,  G02B27/10 ,  G02B23/02

摘要： An apparatus for improving a pointing capability of an optical pointing system includes a star tracker attitude control system for maintaining an alignment between the optical pointing system and a target, a beam steering mirror controlled by the star tracker attitude control system to direct an optical signal to impinge on the target, a fixed optical assembly configured to direct a portion of the optical signal from the bean steering mirror into a field of view of a star tracker telescope of the star tracker attitude control system, and a detector array for detecting the portion of the optical signal superimposed over a location in a current star scene in the star tracker telescope field of view, where the star tracker attitude control system is configured to operate the beam steering mirror to maintain the optical signal on the target by maintaining the superimposed signal on the location in the star scene.

公开(公告)号：US10193228B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-29

申请号：US14520863

申请日：2014-10-22

申请人： The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Kenneth L. Dudley ,  George N. Szatkowski ,  Chuantong Wang ,  Laura J. Smith ,  Larry A. Ticatch ,  Sandra V. Koppen ,  Truong X. Nguyen ,  Jay J. Ely

IPC分类号： H01Q7/00 ,  H01Q9/27 ,  H01Q1/36 ,  H01Q1/38

摘要： An antenna includes a first electrical conductor that is shaped to form a spiral between its first and second ends that remain electrically unconnected such that the first electrical conductor so-shaped is maintained as an unconnected single-component open-circuit having inductance and capacitance. In the presence of a time-varying electromagnetic field, the first electrical conductor so-shaped resonates to generate a harmonic electromagnetic field response having a frequency, amplitude and bandwidth. A second electrical conductor includes a loop portion overlapping at least a portion of the spiral. The second electrical conductor is electrically isolated from the first electrical conductor. A radio frequency transceiver capable of transmitting and receiving electromagnetic energy is electrically coupled to the second electrical conductor.

公开(公告)号：US10191163B2

公开(公告)日：2019-01-29

申请号：US15176921

申请日：2016-06-08

申请人： The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

发明人： Phillip Coulter ,  Raymond Ohl ,  Timothy Madison

IPC分类号： G01T7/00 ,  G01M11/00 ,  G01S17/88 ,  H04N17/00 ,  H04N5/225

摘要： A method of mapping pixel locations of a detector array includes measuring a location on the detector array, initiating a frame readout of the detector array, measuring a location of one or more metrology targets on the detector array, analyzing the frame readout to identify a pixel at the location on the detector array, and defining a location of the identified pixel with respect to the location of the one or more metrology targets. Subsequent measurement of the metrology targets alone by another metrology system allows one to infer the six degree of freedom alignment of the detector array in space.