A method of recovery of optical fiber expended during a parabolic launch trajectory of a spacecraft is disclosed. An optical fiber adapted for transmission of high optical energy sufficient to launch the spacecraft is connected at one end to the spacecraft and is released during launching of the spacecraft. The optical fiber expended from the spacecraft is then engaged by a drum spooler following launch of the spacecraft and the fiber has been fully spooled out by the spacecraft. The optical fiber is then reeled in prior to the fiber contacting the Earth. The recovered optical fiber is then collected for processing, cleaning and rewinding for future use of subsequent series of launches for as many times as possible.

The present disclosure relates to an un-motorized coiling mechanism for cable handling in medical scanning. A medical scanner accessory system for a medical scanner is disclosed. The medical scanner accessory system comprises a base part; a drum part rotatably connected to the base part, the drum part having a rotation axis and configured for accommodating an electronic device; a coiling mechanism comprising a first coiling part and a second coiling part; an elastic cord with a first point attached to the base part and a second point attached to the drum part, wherein the elastic cord is coiled on the coiling mechanism; and a cable comprising a jacket, wherein the cable has a first connector at a first end and a second connector at a second end thereof, wherein the first connector is connectable to a movable part of the medical scanner and the second connector is connectable to the electronic device, wherein the cable is coiled on a first part of the drum part, wherein the elastic cord is configured to apply a force to the drum part for rotating the drum part in a coiling direction of rotation about the rotation axis thereby coiling the cable on the first part of the drum part.

A fiber optic system includes an enclosure and a mounting bracket that cooperate to define a mechanical coupling interface including a slide interface and a snap-fit interface. The slide interface allows the enclosure to mount to the bracket along a first dimension and retains the enclosure at the bracket along second and third dimensions that are transverse to the first dimension and transverse to each other. The snap-fit interface, once triggered, retains the enclosure at the bracket alone the first dimension.

A slickline that includes both electrically conductive and fiber optic capacity. The slickline includes a fiber optic thread or bundle of threads that may be surrounded by an electrically conductive member such as split half shells of copper elements. Further, these features may be disposed in a filler matrix so as to provide a cohesiveness the core of the slickline. So, for example, the line may be more effectively utilized in downhole applications such as coiled tubing operations, without undue concern over collapse or pinhole issues emerging in the line.

A fiber optic gyroscope inputs laser light into opposing ends of a fiber optic coil and detects light at the same ends of the optical fiber. A pulse-per-second signal is generated by determining the phase difference between the two opposing laser light signals, and generating electrical pulses based on this detected phase difference. The fiber optic gyroscope may become a source of one or more PPS signals used by a vehicle.

A cable introduction assembly that can include: a spool assembly including a spool having a first axis, the spool configured to retain a cable wound around the first axis in an undeployed mode; and a spool mount assembly configured to retain the spool and introduce the cable in a deployed mode into a conduit configured for a downhole environment, the conduit having a proximal end and a distal end, the cable in the deployed mode extending from the proximal end towards the distal end, wherein the spool assembly is configured to provide a handedness to the cable in the deployed mode.

Aspects and techniques of the present disclosure relate to handheld tools for assisting in routing optical fiber, and including advantageous features and methods usable with handheld tools. Disclosed features and techniques relate to: a splicing station, a spool, a groove plate; a substrate; a fiber management device; a tool; and flexible organizers.

An optical energy transfer and conversion system comprising a fiber spooler and an electrical power extraction subsystem connected to the spooler with an optical waveguide. Optical energy is generated at and transferred from a base station through fiber wrapped around the spooler, and ultimately to the power extraction system at a remote mobility platform for conversion to another form of energy. The fiber spooler may reside on the remote mobility platform which may be a vehicle, or apparatus that is either self-propelled or is carried by a secondary mobility platform either on land, under the sea, in the air or in space.

A submersible vehicle is provided which includes a housing, an optical fiber coupled with the housing and communicatively coupled with a data acquisition system, and a propulsion system. The propulsion system is configured to propel the submersible vehicle in a fluid at a velocity. The optical fiber is configured to be released at a release rate equal to or greater than the velocity of the submersible vehicle.

A method may include (1) coating a segment of fiber optic cable with an adhesive substance, (2) forming a coil of the segment of fiber optic cable, (3) deforming the coil into a noncircular shape defining a slot external to the coil while obeying a minimum bend radius requirement for the segment of fiber optic cable, and (4) activating the adhesive substance to stabilize the noncircular shape of the coil. Various other methods and apparatuses, such as those for performing the deforming operation, are also disclosed.