A foldable 4.27 meter (14 foot) spacecraft antenna

The problems and solutions associated with the design, fabrication, and testing of a large, lightweight, radial-rib, folding, spacecraft antenna reflector are discussed. The antenna reflector was designed as a highly efficient communications system for outer-planet missions extending as far as approximately 59.839 x 10 to the 11th power meters (40 astronomical units) from the sun. The methods used to obtain a lightweight precision rib surface, the evaluation and fabrication of the metallic reflector mesh surface, and the surface-evaluation techniques used on the assembled antenna reflector are included

Traumatic brain injury in New Zealand: a silent epidemic?

In 2008 I was fortunate enough to be invited to be part of a research team on a large population based project focusing on the incidence and outcome of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in New Zealand (led by Professor Valery Feigin National Institute of Stroke and Applied Neurosciences, AUT University). At the time I knew little about TBI or population based research, but the last five years have changed that. My involvement in the project has led to on-going collaborations and friendships, and continues to provide me with on-going challenges as a researcher. More importantly, however, thanks to those who participated in our research, it has given me an enormous appreciation of the daily challenges faced by those affected by TBI and the desire to do research that ultimately will make a difference for them and other TBI survivors

Education for Democratic Citizenship: a review of research, policy and practice 1995-2005

This paper provides a synthesis of the scholarly literature on education for democratic citizenship (EDC) in the school sector in England since 1995. Following the publication of the Crick Report (QCA, 1998), citizenship education was introduced to secondary schools in 2002 as a statutory subject. Primary schools are also required to show, through inspection, how they are preparing learners for citizenship. The implementation of citizenship as a national curriculum subject in England is taking place during a period of constitutional reform and was the most significant innovation of curriculum 2000. Recent parallel initiatives in EDC are taking place elsewhere in the UK, in Europe and internationally. In both established democracies and newlyestablished democratic states, such as those of Eastern and Central Europe and Latin America, there is a recognition that democracy is essentially fragile and that it depends on the active engagement of citizens, not just in voting, but in developing and participating in sustainable and cohesive communities. The paper examines the role of EDC in responding to these political challenges, setting national policy developments in both European and international contexts and exploring the growing international consensus on human rights as the underpinning principles of EDC. It identifies some key themes within the research, such as diversity and unity; global and cosmopolitan citizenship; children as citizens; democratic schooling; students’ understandings of citizenship and democracy; the complementary roles of schools and communities; European citizenship; and the practicalities of implementing EDC at school level. It identifies some gaps in the research literature and concludes by proposing an on-going agenda for research

THE MEXICAN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY: A U.S. PERSPECTIVE

International Relations/Trade,

Initial test bed concentrator characterization

The operational characteristics and the mirror alignment technique of the test bed concentrator control system are highlighted. The final design of the TBC control system provided one axis of fast slew capability so that either the Sun acquisition or emergency off-Sun mode could be obtained in a minimum time. The procedure for getting on and off Sun is to run the elevation axis up to the approximate elevation of the Sun for the particular time of acquisition and then slew the concentrator on Sun in azimuth. The automatic Sun-acquisition system is controlled by two Sun sensors, one for each axis; each has a 2deg acquisition cone angle within which the concentrators are programmed to point. The mirror alignment technique chosen utilized a semi-distant incandescent light source which produced a reflected image on the focal point target. The concentrator was boresighted to the light by moving the concentrator while sighting along the cross hairs and through the apertures in the disks to the light source resulting in a maximum point error of 0.11 deg. Test plans to install a solar flux mapper to characterize the solar spot and to measure the size, shape, and intensity of the Sun's image are outlined