A spacecraft includes an additive manufacturing (A/M) subsystem and one or both of a thermal control arrangement and a contamination control arrangement. The A/M subsystem includes an A/M tool, feedstock and a workpiece and is configured to additively manufacture the workpiece using material from the feedstock. The thermal control arrangement is operable, in an on-orbit space environment characterized by near vacuum pressure and near zero-g force, to maintain temperature of at least one of the A/M tool, the feedstock, and the workpiece within respective specified ranges. The contamination control arrangement is operable, in the on-orbit space environment, to control outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

A spacecraft includes an additive manufacturing (A/M) subsystem and one or both of a thermal control arrangement and a contamination control arrangement. The A/M subsystem includes an A/M tool, feedstock and a workpiece and is configured to additively manufacture the workpiece using material from the feedstock. The thermal control arrangement is operable, in an on-orbit space environment characterized by near vacuum pressure and near zero-g force, to maintain temperature of at least one of the A/M tool, the feedstock, and the workpiece within respective specified ranges. The contamination control arrangement is operable, in the on-orbit space environment, to control outgassing of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

An object is to assist an appropriate avoidance action when a collision between space objects in outer space is foreseen in advance. A storage unit (140) stores orbit forecast information (51), which is a forecast value of an orbit of each of a plurality of space objects. An alert control unit (120) determines whether space objects whose locations at the same time are in a dangerous relationship exist as danger-anticipated objects among the plurality of space objects, based on the orbit forecast information (51). When it is determined that the danger-anticipated objects exist, the alert control unit (120) outputs a danger alert indicating existence of the danger-anticipated objects. When the danger alert is output, an avoidance decision unit (150) decides an avoidance space object, which is a space object to perform an avoidance operation, out of space objects included in the danger-anticipated objects.

Ruggedized avionics assemblies for use on kinetically launched space vehicles are disclosed. The avionic assemblies are able to maintain structural integrity and functionality under high acceleration forces generated during kinetic launch, including acceleration forces of >5,000 times Earth's gravity in a single direction of loading. The avionics assembly is ruggedized to withstand this level of acceleration force during launch via a plurality of constraining elements to constrain a plurality of printed circuit boards aligned in parallel to an acceleration vector. Further, a high specific strength and stiffness composition of the plurality of constraining elements aids in supporting the printed circuit boards and preventing them from bending and dislodging electronic components mounted to the printed circuit boards.

The present disclosure describes autonomous flight safety systems (AFSSs) that incorporate an autonomous flight termination unit (AFTU) enabling AFSS monitoring for various termination conditions that are used to activate a flight termination system (e.g., in the event a termination condition is detected). Such termination conditions include boundary limit detection (e.g., whether a vehicle position is outside or projected outside a planned flight envelope), as well as body instability detection (e.g., whether a pitch rate and yaw rate exceed some threshold indicative of vehicle instability). For instance, an AFTU may incorporate a three-axis gyroscope sensor and may implement instability detection processing based on information obtained via the sensor. Instability detection processing may include, for example, a BID algorithm that may be implemented by an AFTU to monitor angular rates of the vehicle, to determine if the vehicle is no longer under stable control, and to issue termination commands when termination conditions are detected.

A flying body, which prevents others from measuring precise position of the flying body and allows friends to measure precise position of the flying body, is provided. The flying body (10) is provided with a reflector (100), a controller (300) and an anti-reflection section (200). The reflector (100) is provided with a reflective surface, arranged in an aperture, which reflects a radiated laser. The controller (300) generates a control signal on a basis of a state of the flying body. The anti-reflection section (200) prevents a reflection of the laser by the reflective surface on a basis of the control signal.

Methods and systems for operating internal systems of a vehicle are provided. Aspects include providing a field programmable gate array (FPGA), the FPGA including a communication channel port, wherein the communication channel port is operable to connect to one or more systems through a communication channel, and wherein the FPGA is configured to operate in one or more control modes, receiving a communication channel input to the communication channel port of the FPGA, based at least in part on the communication channel input, determining a control mode from the one or more control modes, and operating the FPGA in the control mode, wherein the control mode is associated with one system of the one or more systems.

Methods and systems for operating internal systems of a vehicle are provided. Aspects include providing a field programmable gate array (FPGA), the FPGA including a communication channel port, wherein the communication channel port is operable to connect to one or more systems through a communication channel, and wherein the FPGA is configured to operate in one or more control modes, receiving a communication channel input to the communication channel port of the FPGA, based at least in part on the communication channel input, determining a control mode from the one or more control modes, and operating the FPGA in the control mode, wherein the control mode is associated with one system of the one or more systems.

A system carried on a satellite in orbit around the earth is configured to detect an object on a collision or near collision course with the satellite, to determine that the object is a hostile attacker and, if so, to timely deploy one or more countermeasures to defeat, deflect, or destroy such an attacker autonomously.

A system carried on a satellite in orbit around the earth is configured to detect an object on a collision or near collision course with the satellite, to determine that the object is a hostile attacker and, if so, to timely deploy one or more countermeasures to defeat, deflect, or destroy such an attacker autonomously.