The Aerospace Corporation

Patrick Lawrence Smith

Charles C Wang

Matthew Phillip Ferringer

Steven M Beck

Systems and methods for providing a prioritization of the focus and allocation of available resources and/or funding for due diligence analyses of a variety of candidate projects competing for limited funding are disclosed. Various methods may also determine a confidence level metrics associated with the information and/or estimates associated with the candidate projects. Evolutionary algorithms may be applied to perform multi-objective optimization of objectives based, at least in part, on currently available information and/or estimates associated with the candidate projects. A priority score, for the purpose of allocating due diligence attention and resources to increase confidence levels in assumptions associated with candidate projects, may be determined for a particular project based, at least in part, on the current confidence level associated with that particular project and the percentage of non-dominated projects within which the particular project is included. The optimization may be performed multiple times, such as once for every stakeholder that may have provided information and/or estimates associated with the candidate projects, to identify a plurality of non-dominated solutions to the optimization problem.

Systems and methods for prioritizing funding of projects

One or more embodiments of the present invention pertain to a system, method, and apparatus that accurately measures concentration of a greenhouse gas in narrow atmospheric columns above multiple sites utilizing a network of autonomous low-cost beacons that turn on for short unannounced time intervals and point to a receiving satellite. For example, each beacon can activate for short time intervals and transmit a laser beam at eye-safe low transmission power levels to a receiving satellite. The receiving satellite includes a sensor configured to receive the laser beam from one or more activated beacon and generate raw greenhouse gas concentration data based on measurement of the received laser beam intensity at selected wavelengths.

System and apparatus for monitoring concentration of greenhouse gas

A geolocation method is applied for accurate targeting of a target using an airborne beacon as a pseudo star generated by a high altitude vehicle, and using optical sensors by a low altitude vehicle for imaging the beacon and target for generating accurate relative GPS positioning of the target for improved the geolocation of the target preferably for precise delivery of a payload to the target. The method is applicable to military and civilian needs for accurate delivery of a payload to a target, such as for precise delivery of humanitarian aid or weapon munitions.

GPS Airborne target geolocating method

GPS airborne target geolocating method

A charge controlled adaptive-optics system is disclosed for correcting phase distortion in a wavefront of a propagating optical wavefront in real time. In a preferred embodiment a selectively deformable piezoelectric mirror receives an incoming distorted optical wavefront and reflects it to a lenslet array optical sensor. The sensor generates a large plurality of focused light points, the offset positions of which represent wavefront tilts at a plurality of locations on the distorted wavefront. A misalignment calibration system calculates a plurality of calibration signals representing aberrations in the mirror surface and the sensor, and converts the signals into a plurality of representative light rays of varying intensity. The light ray are then superimposed on the light points to form a plurality of calibrated light points, which are then input to an electron-beam generating system. The generating system generates a plurality of electron beams of varying intensity that operate to supply and remove electrical charges from electrodes mounted within the piezoelectric mirror. The local electric fields induced by the charges result in a selective deformation of the piezoelectric mirror that corrects the distortion in the reflected wavefront.

Growing community of inventors

Manhattan Beach, CA, United States of America

Patrick Lawrence Smith