A solid-state thermochromic device and method for producing the device, the device including: a stack successively including, from a rear face to a front face exposed to solar radiation: a) a solid substrate of an inorganic material resistant up to a temperature of 550 C.; b) an infrared-reflective layer of an electronically conductive material; c) electronically insulating interface layers; d) an electronically insulating inorganic dielectric layer transparent to infrared radiation, of cerium oxide CeO2, with a thickness between 400 and 900 nm; e) electronically insulating interface layers; f) a layer of an infrared-active thermochromic material, an n-doped VO.sub.2 vanadium oxide, and crystallized in a monoclinic or rutile phase, with a thickness between 30 and 50 nm; and g) a solar-protective coating, transparent to infrared radiation.

A near space aircraft pod, including a pod body and a covering piece, where a heat dissipation part is disposed on the pod body for dissipating heat inside the pod body; and the covering piece is connected to the outside of the pod body in a movable manner, for covering the heat dissipation part or keeping a pre-designed distance from the heat dissipation part. According to the near space aircraft pod provided in the embodiments, the covering piece can adjust a distance from the heat dissipation part in time or cover the heat dissipation part based on a temperature change. Therefore, a heat dissipation speed of the pod can be effectively controlled, so that temperature inside the pod is kept in a proper range, and it is ensured that electronic devices in the pod operate under a good temperature environment.

Coatings and materials that are atomic oxygen resistant and have an atomically smooth surface that can reduce drag are disclosed. The coatings and materials can be used on at least a portion of a spacecraft intended to operate in harsh environments, such as stable Earth orbits at about 100 km to about 350 km.

A method of deploying a plurality of spacecraft includes coupling the plurality of spacecraft in a stack to a payload adaptor, the stack extending along a longitudinal axis; launching the payload adaptor into an orbit; and decoupling an entirety of the stack from the payload adaptor after the payload adaptor reaches the orbit.

A multi-layer radiation reflector/emitter includes first and second materials. The first material is transparent to radiation in a wavelength spectrum ranging from approximately 0.2 microns to at last 6 microns. The first material is a self-supporting arrangement of randomized particles having an average dimension in a range of approximately 0.2 microns to approximately 0.4 microns and defining a fill factor of approximately 0.1 to approximately 0.5. The second material reflects radiation having a wavelength greater than approximately 2 microns.

Articles having a hydrophobically-coated region and processes of using such articles are disclosed. The article includes a substrate material and a hydrophobically-coated region on the substrate material, the hydrophobically-coated region being contacted or configured for contact with a fluid. The hydrophobically-coated region is configured to repulse the fluid from the article while the article is moving through the fluid. The process includes using the article by moving the article through the fluid wherein the hydrophobically-coated region repulses the fluid from the article.

A protective assembly comprises a first region formulated and configured to provide protection from alpha, beta, and electromagnetic radiation and comprising a composite of particles and polymer; a second region formulated and configured to provide protection from ballistic impact and comprising a composite of fibers and polymer; and a third region formulated and configured to provide protection from thermal radiation and comprising a composite of particles, fiber, and polymer. The protective assembly may be provided on an aerospace structure. The protective assembly may be formed on the aerospace structure body using a co-curing process.

A coated structure is provided that has a highly concentrated coating of carbon nanotubes so as to provide integrated thermal emissivity, atomic oxygen (AO) shielding and tailorable conductivity to the underlying surface, such as the surface of an aerospace vehicle, a solar array, an aeronautical vehicle or the like. A method of fabricating a coated structure is also provided in which a surface is coated with a coating having a relative high concentration of carbon nanotubes that is configured to provide integrated thermal emissivity, AO shielding and tailorable conductivity to the surface.

An electronic device on a spacecraft that is enclosed by a conformal coating that is transparent and sufficiently conductive to conduct accumulated charge on the electronic device. The coating includes an intrinsic conducting polymer, such as PEDOT:PSS, dissolved, for example, in an organic solvent, and mixed with a polyurethane, such as Arathane 5750 or 5753.

A metallic waveguide tuned to an infrared region of interest provides spectral and spatial control over emitted/absorbed thermal radiation. The ratio of the depth of the waveguide to the smallest lateral dimension thereof is such that that the lateral dimension provides spectral selectivity and that the waveguide is deep enough for a fixed lateral dimension to establish directionality but is not so deep that it incurs severe ohmic losses. A panel with an array of such waveguides directs thermal radiation from a body in a specific direction and with a spectral response that is the result of the physical dimensions of the individual waveguides that make up the waveguide array and the arrangement of the waveguides in the array. The waveguide axis may be obliquely oriented with respect to the substrate normal so as to impart non-normal directionality to the emitted radiation with respect to the substrate normal surface.