The Boeing Company

Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

James P Grady

Donald L Edberg

Gary E Miller

Sperry H Goodman

Jeffrey D Fukushima

A method for manipulating a window system in a platform is provided. A biasing system may be removed that biases a retention frame toward a support frame while the support frame and the retention frame hold a window pane. The retention frame may be removed after removing the biasing system. The window pane may be removed.

Removable window system for space vehicles

A window system for a platform comprising a window pane, a retention frame, and a biasing system. The window pane may be configured to contact a sealing system. The retention frame may be configured to contact the sealing system and hold the window pane against the support frame. The biasing system may be configured to bias the retention frame toward the support frame while the support frame and the retention frame are in a configuration that holds the window pane. Removal of the biasing system may cause the retention frame and the window pane to be removable.

A lateral acceleration force isolator that forms a part of an attachment fitting for a payload, such as a spacecraft or satellite, and launch vehicle assembly. An upper portion of the isolator is designed to be attached to the payload and a lower portion is designed to be attached to a launch vehicle. Flexures are positioned in an array between the upper and lower portions to accommodate lateral displacement in the payload attachment fitting, thereby isolating lateral acceleration forces.

Passive lateral vibration isolation system for a spacecraft launch

A method for determining the phase delay of microwave energy passing through a dielectric material, and for determining values related to the dielectric constant for microwave circuit boards. Phase delay is determined by positioning a pair of transducers adjacent different surfaces of the dielectric material, and injecting microwave energy at a certain frequency along a path through the material from the first transducer to the second transducer. The frequency of microwave radiation is that frequency at which S.sub.11 and S.sub.22 for the transducers are both less than a selected amount. Where the dielectric material is a conductively surfaced microwave circuit board, the path through the material is from one edge of the board to another edge through the plane of the board. Microwave circuit boards may be tested by determining values related to the dielectric constant for a plurality of such paths through the board, the paths consisting of a first group of mutually parallel paths and a second group of mutually parallel paths oriented to intersect the paths of the first group. For each path, measurements are made at the frequency or frequencies determined as described above. Iterative methods are also provided for estimating such values for areas of the microwave circuit board consisting of the intersection of one path from each group.

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Irvine, CA, United States of America

James P Grady