The Aerospace Corporation

Other

University of California

Eric Joseph Nemanick

Henry Helvajian

Andrea G Hsu

John H Schilling

Robert G Will

Brian Blaise Brady

Andrew C Cortopassi

Sarah H Tolbert

Adon Delgado, Jr

John D DeSain

Justin Stocker

Kevin Macdougall

Kristine L Ferrone

Michael R Hale

Yao Y Lao

Brian Shen

John Desain

Chris Byung-Hwa Kang

Andrew Brethorst

Joseph Z Fuerst

Ann L Chervenak

An isotope power source configured to act as a vehicle includes a plurality of radioisotope power sources encased around one or more elements therein to form a tile-shaped spacecraft.

Independent non-solar powered exploratory craft for orbital rendezvous and positioning framework

Scalable radioisotope power tiles that can provide heat, electrical power, or both, are disclosed. Unlike conventional radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) designs, the scalable radioisotope power tiles do not necessarily seek to minimize the RTG surface area. Rather, a planar design may be used to maximize the radiative surface to increase the temperature difference (ΔT) and increase system heat to electricity conversion efficiency where electrical power generation is desired. In addition, such a planar design can be one-sided or two-sided, allowing for flexibility in design. For instance, such power tiles may be deployed in a material like a solar sail, on the surface of a vehicle, in terrestrial systems, etc.

Scalable radioisotope power tiles

Solid rocket motors are provided herein. In certain embodiments, a solid rocket motor includes a housing containing thin layers of fuel and thin layers of an inert oxidizer, separated by a thin nonconductive layer. The housing has a nozzle at the end for gas release and channeling. Prior to use, the inert oxidizer is activated by electrochemical oxidation which can generate an active oxidizer and additional fuel. Ignition of the oxidizer and fuel can be triggered whereby the contents of the housing can ignite, generating hot gasses to be channeled out through the nozzle to generate thrust. Replacing current state solid rocket motors with embodiments described herein can improve cost, safety and increase capability. The disclosed embodiments can be safe to transport, store, and handle. Additionally, there can be no moving parts unlike hybrid or liquid rocket motors.

Electrochemical rocket motor

An apparatus for detecting leaks in a battery includes a plurality of cells, each which include a pair of conductive leads bracketing a polymer seal, and a wireless measurement and communication chip ('chip') configured to perform capacitive measurement, showing a change in capacitance when bridged by ionically conductive species or when a wick is suffused with an electrolyte.

Wireless battery leak detection

A self-regulating battery may generate a basis state for one or more modules using one or more system inputs. The system inputs comprise current, voltage, and battery degradation. The battery generates a family of weighted forecasts for future bus demands using usage and performance based weights. The battery generates one or more plans to support demand from the battery using the weighted forecasts. The battery scores the one or more plans based on efficiency of power extraction from the battery, and combines the scored one or more plans with an updated SoH value based on induced degradation from a usage plan. The battery generates the combined scored for each of the one or more plans, and transmits one of the combined scored to the battery management unit for execution.

Self regulating modular battery

An apparatus for monitoring health of one or more cells in a battery includes a health monitoring system configured to measure voltage on one or more cells when a waveform is injected into the one or more cells. The waveform is measured at an end of a pulse for each current.

Apparatus and method for wirelessly measuring battery state of health

A de-orbiting system for a space vehicle may include one or more lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries configured to release hot gases to be used for thrusting during de-orbiting of the apparatus. The system may also include one or more heaters surrounding each of the one or more Li-ion batteries, which are configured to send each of the one or more Li-ion batteries into a thermal runaway. The thermal runaway causes the one or more Li-ion batteries to release stored electrochemical energy within each of the one or more Li-ion batteries.

Lithium ion battery de-orbiter

Interconnects may be formed to an electronic device by creating a strong bond between a wire or lead, one or more nanomaterials, and a contacting area on the electronic device. The creating of the strong bond comprises triggering low power air plasma to activate a surface of the one or more nanomaterials forcing the one or more nanomaterials to bond to the surface of the contacting area.

Method of forming nanowire connects on (photovoltiac) PV cells

Describe herein is an energy storage system that includes a battery and a heat source. The battery harvests waste heat from the heat source to keep itself warm while storing electrical energy generated from a heat to energy transforming source. If the heat source is radioactive (e.g. radioisotope decay) a radiation hard battery is intimately connected to a waste heat source. The radiation hard battery harvests waste heat from the heat source to warm itself and to shield the radiation.

Radioisotope thermoelectric battery (RTB) system

An apparatus for detecting leaks in batteries may include an applicator, and an indicator comprising a chemical configured to detect a trace amount of leakage in the battery.

Leak detection for batteries

A lithium ion battery that incorporates an anode formed from a Group IV semiconductor material such as porous silicon is disclosed. The battery includes a cathode, and an anode comprising porous silicon. In some embodiments, the anode is present in the form of a nanowire, a film, or a powder, the porous silicon having a pore diameters within the range between 2 nm and 100 nm and an average wall thickness of within the range between 1 nm and 100 nm. The lithium ion battery further includes, in some embodiments, a non-aqueous lithium containing electrolyte. Lithium ion batteries incorporating a porous silicon anode demonstrate have high, stable lithium alloying capacity over many cycles.

Growing community of inventors

Santa Monica, CA, United States of America

Eric Joseph Nemanick