Expert system for on-board satellite scheduling and control

An Expert System is described which Rockwell Satellite and Space Electronics Division (S&SED) is developing to dynamically schedule the allocation of on-board satellite resources and activities. This expert system is the Satellite Controller. The resources to be scheduled include power, propellant and recording tape. The activities controlled include scheduling satellite functions such as sensor checkout and operation. The scheduling of these resources and activities is presently a labor intensive and time consuming ground operations task. Developing a schedule requires extensive knowledge of the system and subsystems operations, operational constraints, and satellite design and configuration. This scheduling process requires highly trained experts anywhere from several hours to several weeks to accomplish. The process is done through brute force, that is examining cryptic mnemonic data off line to interpret the health and status of the satellite. Then schedules are formulated either as the result of practical operator experience or heuristics - that is rules of thumb. Orbital operations must become more productive in the future to reduce life cycle costs and decrease dependence on ground control. This reduction is required to increase autonomy and survivability of future systems. The design of future satellites require that the scheduling function be transferred from ground to on board systems

The Effects of Research and Development Intensity on Managerial Compensation in Large Organizations

Agency theory, leading edge, and administrative life cycle perspectives all predict that organizations having high levels of Research and Development (R&D) intensity will follow different compensation strategies than organizations that are less R&D intensive. Using data from 110 organizations over a 5 year period, and controlling for organization differences in employee and job characteristics, we found support for this general prediction. Specifically, high R&D intensity organizations tended to have higher relative base pay, higher relative bonus pay, and greater relative eligibility for long-term incentive payments. We discuss the importance of further research into compensation decisions in R&D intensive firms, particularly the effects of such decisions on firms\u27 competitiveness

White Paper On Novel H1N1: Prepared for the MIT Center for Engineering Systems Fundamentals

This paper is an historical and policy primer for one to prepare for a severe flu pandemic - which is virtually guaranteed to happen at some time in the future. The paper provides actionable knowledge, gleaned from past flu pandemics and from recent science, to reduce the chance of you and your loved ones from contracting the flu. The paper discusses both the new novel H1N1 flu virus and the more lethal H5 N1 ("bird flu") virus. In discussing the future of H1N1, the author says, "Three of the preceding four pandemics, 1889, 1918, and 1957, show clear evidence of some fairly intense but sporadic initial local outbreaks scattered around the world. The novel H1N1 virus seems thus far to be following the pattern of those three pandemics, and it seems highly likely that it will return in full flower." The author projects that a full fledged global pandemic could cut global GDP by up to 4 to 6 percent, and that companies must now prepare for supply chain disruptions, even if only the milder H1N1 becomes the prevalent flu. An individual's behavioral changes with social distancing and hygienic steps can dramatically reduce the chance of contracting the flu

Characterization of 1.55-μm pulses from a self-seeded gain-switched Fabry-Pérot laser diode using frequency-resolved optical gating

The intensity and frequency chirp of picosecond pulses from a self-seeded gain-switched Fabry-Perot laser diode have been directly measured using the technique of frequency-resolved optical gating. Measurements over an output sidemode suppression ratio (SMSR) range of 15-35 dB show that higher SMSR's are associated with an increasingly linear frequency chirp across the output pulses. This complete pulse characterization allows the conditions for optimum pulse compression to be determined accurately, and indicates that transform-limited, pedestal free pulses can be obtained at an SMSR of 35 dB

Near-Field Microwave Microscopy on nanometer length scales

The Near-Field Microwave Microscope (NSMM) can be used to measure ohmic losses of metallic thin films. We report on the presence of a new length scale in the probe-to- sample interaction for the NSMM. We observe that this length scale plays an important role when the tip to sample separation is less than about 10nm. Its origin can be modeled as a tiny protrusion at the end of the tip. The protrusion causes deviation from a logarithmic increase of capacitance versus decreasing height of the probe above the sample. We model this protrusion as a cone at the end of a sphere above an infinite plane. By fitting the frequency shift of the resonator versus height data (which is directly related to capacitance versus height) for our experimental setup, we find the protrusion size to be 3nm to 5nm. For one particular tip, the frequency shift of the NSMM relative to 2 micrometers away saturates at a value of about -1150 kHz at a height of 1nm above the sample, where the nominal range of sheet resistance values of the sample are 15 ohms to 150 ohms. Without the protrusion, the frequency shift would have followed the logarithmic dependence and reached a value of about -1500 kHz.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figures (included in 6 pages

Characterization of nonlinear switching in a figure-of-eight fiber laser using frequency-resolved optical gating

The measurement technique of frequency-resolved optical gating is applied to determine the nonlinear switching characteristics of a passively modelocked figure-of-eight erbium-doped fiber laser. By completely characterizing the intensity and phase of the laser output pulses, the intracavity fields in the nonlinear amplifying loop mirror of the laser cavity are determined by numerical propagation using the nonlinear Schrodinger equation. Excellent switching of 95% can be achieved as a result of uniform phase characteristics developed by pulses propagating in the nonlinear amplifying loop mirror

Comments on the nonpharmaceutical interventions in New York City and Chicago during the 1918 flu pandemic

This commentary was originally published in CIDRAP News and it is here reported almost verbatim to allow divulgation through open access. The Editorial summarizes John Barry's concerns about the value of accurate historical reporting and its implications in public policy determination. This short abstract was written by the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Translational Medicine to introduce the Editorial

A Statement of Purpose

This document contains the statement of purpose of the first volume of The Bridge: A Yearbook of Judaeo-Christian Studies, which was edited by John M. Oesterriecher and Barry Ulanov