Southwest Research Institute

Martin Peter Wuest

Joseph N Mitchell

A thermally actuated spectroscopic optical switch including reflective surfaces which are selectively moved into a position intersecting a beam of light by applying electrical or heat energy to a selected composite cantilever beam on which the reflective surface is mounted.

Thermally actuated spectroscopic optical switch

A large aperture particle detector integrated with an electromagnetic antenna. By combining functions of spacecraft subsystems into a single integrated system, a larger particle collector is achieved to provide greater particle measuring sensitivity and costs are reduced through consolidation of functions. The integrated subsystems include a conventional high-gain spacecraft dish antenna and a large aperture particle collector. The conventional high-gain spacecraft dish antenna reflects and focuses impinging electromagnetic radiation at an electromagnetic detector and source, and may comprise one or more reflecting and focusing surfaces. The antenna is used to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation. The large aperture particle collector is collocated with the electromagnetic antenna. The large aperture particle collector reflects and focuses impinging charged particles at a particle detector through the use of one or more electrostatic mirrors. The electrical potential applied to the electrostatic mirrors may be adjusted to select particles having a specific range of particle energies to be reflected and focused on the particle detector.

Growing community of inventors

San Antonio, TX, United States of America

Martin Peter Wuest