Method of damping nutation motion with minimum spin axis attitude disturbance

In a method of and apparatus for damping nutation of a spinning spacecraft, spin axis attitude disturbances are substantially reduced by controlling at least one nutation damping gas thruster to fire with nonuniform gas pulses. During the beginning of a nutation control sequence, the duration of successive gas pulses is gradually increased (up pulsed) from zero to a predetermined maximum duration. The duration of successive pulses is then maintained constant for a time period. Finally, at the end of the nutation control sequence, the duration of successive gas pulses is gradually reduced to zero (down pulsed). Up pulsing of the gas thruster is initiated in response to a predetermined maximum nutation angle measured by an accelerometer. Down pulsing of the thruster is initiated in response to a predetermined minimum nutation angle

Circuit measures hysteresis loop areas at 30 Hz

Analog circuit measures hysteresis loop areas as a function of time during fatigue testing of specimens subjected to sinusoidal tension-compression stresses at a frequency of Hz. When the sinusoidal stress signal is multiplied by the strain signal, the dc signal is proportional to hysteresis loop area

Tensile behavior of unnotched and notched tungsten-copper laminar composites

Relations were studied between the tensile strengths of unnotched and of notched, and elastic moduli of unnotched laminar sheet or foil composites and the amounts of reinforcement. Tungsten was used as the reinforcement and copper as the matrix, and the tests were run at room temperature. Three thicknesses of tungsten (i.e., 0.00254, 0.0127, and 0.0254 cm (0.001, 0.005, and 0.010 in) were used and the nominal volume fraction of tungsten was varied from about 0.05 to 0.95. It was found that the tensile strength of the unnotched specimens could be related to the amount of reinforcement, as could the elastic moduli, and that these values could be predicted by use of the rule of mixtures. The tensile strengths of the notched laminar composites could be predicted by use of the rule of mixtures using strengths for notched constituents, provided notch effects did not predominate

Effect of discontinuities as a means to alleviate thermal expansion mismatch damage in laminar composites

An investigation of Nichrome/tungsten laminar composites showed that intentionally introduced discontinuities, such as perforations through or grooves on the surface of the matrix laminae, improved thermal expansion mismatch damage resistance. It was found that specimens having smooth matrix laminate surfaces were virtually destroyed by delamination in 21 or fewer fast cool cycles in which they were water quenched from 981 C. Specimens having interior matrix laminae with discontinuities and relatively thin, nondiscontinuous, surface matrix laminae resisted 50 similar cycles without evident delamination damage

Metal-metal reinforced laminar composites

Two prototype laminar composites have shown potential for high strength and high temperature applications. These composites might be made with less in-place anisotropy and be less expensive than comparable fiber composites

Active nutation controller

An apparatus is described for controlling nutation motion in a spinning body, comprised of an angular accelerometer with its input axis perpendicular to the spin axis of the body, a flywheel with an axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of the accelerometer and to the spin axis of the body, and a motor for driving the flywheel to attenuate or build nutation. The motor is controlled by circuitry that monitors the output of the angular accelerometer and drives the motor clockwise or counterclockwise during predetermined nutation angles synchronized to the zero crossover points of the accelerometer signal centered about the nutation peaks. The motor drive is phased to damp nutation motion to zero for stabilization. To increase the noise immunity of the system, when the output of the accelerometer falls below a threshold level, the circuitry operates in an open loop, beat mode where data representing the last accelerometer signal that exceeded that threshold level is stored, and the motor drive is controlled by the stored data. In a second version, the motor is controlled to supply a predetermined amount of nutation motion to a body undergoing testing on a spin table for energy dissipation evaluation. In each version, the use of an angular accelerometer rather than a linear accelerometer or gyro to monitor nutation enables placement of the nutation control apparatus at any location relative to the spin axis of the body requiring only crude orientation and no calibration

Self-protecting solid state isolated switch

Solid state switch has following capabilities: (1) Hybrid or IC from compatible with direct mounting on solar array substrate; (2) Continuous signal is not required to hold it in either on or off state; (3) Separate signal lines for on and off control; (4) Electrically isolated from input signals; and (5) Current surges will not cause switch failure

The Complex Links Between Governance and Biodiversity

We argue that two problems weaken the claims of those who link corruption and the exploitation of natural resources. The first is conceptual. Studies that use national level indicators of corruption fail to note that corruption comes in many forms, at multiple levels, and may or may not affect resource use. Without a clear causal model of the mechanism by which corruption affects resources, one should treat with caution any estimated relationship between corruption and the state of natural resources. The second problem is methodological: Simple models linking corruption measures and natural resource use typically do not account for other important causes and control variables pivotal to the relationship between humans and natural resources. By way of illustration of these two general concerns, we demonstrate that the findings of a well known recent study that posits a link between corruption and decreases in forests, elephants, and rhinoceros are fragile to simple conceptual and methodological refinements