Lockheed Martin (Canada)

A comparative study of linear and non-linear topology optimization was conducted on a UAV bulkhead featuring a stiffened thin web configuration. Both optimization workflows employed Abaqus as the finite element solver coupled with Tosca for topology optimization. The linear optimization converged to a design that removed half of the material from the web design space and satisfied most constraint criteria; however, subsequent full non-linear verification analysis revealed a loss of stability under the applied load cases, rendering the design unsuitable. In contrast, the non-linear optimization also removed half of the material from the web design space while fulfilling all constraint requirements. Non-linear verification analysis of the non-linear optimized result confirmed a robust solution that met the targeted performance objectives. Comparisons of the optimization results indicated that both optimized designs redistributed material to similar regions, yet the linear approach failed to capture critical load path interactions fully. The final non-linear optimized design was reconstructed into a manufacturable part using conventional milling processes. Evaluation of the reconstructed machined part demonstrated compliance with initial cost, performance, and durability benchmarks and achieved a 15 % reduction in total part weight relative to the baseline part.

The Augmentation System Port Interface (ASPIN) is a standardized docking interface designed to enable and secure on-orbit servicing and augmentation missions. The latest iteration, ASPIN-C, supports augmentation of larger Client systems in Low Earth Orbit to Geostationary Earth Orbit using SmallSAT Servicer vehicles. The interface provides unidirectional power transfer up to 100W, a bidirectional ethernet data link up to 1Gbps and is compatible with a range of Servicer vehicles up to 150kg and a wide range of Client vehicles. The ASPIN-C mechanical interface is a non-androgynous docking port that incorporates long-range electro-permanent magnets (LR-EPM) to facilitate docking and undocking, reducing the level of relative navigation and control performance needed for reliable docking. The development of ASPIN-C is motivated by the growing demand for advanced on-orbit servicing and augmentation capabilities and is poised to make a significant contribution to the evolution of a more sustainable and resilient space ecosystem, ultimately enabling the USSF to maintain a more effective, efficient, and adaptable constellation of space-based assets. With a highly qualified technological readiness level 6, ASPIN-C is positioned to deliver on the promise of serviceable satellite architectures

Abstract Predicting the location of magnetopause reconnection remains a major challenge. Existing models often fail to predict the location of the reconnection line seen in global MHD simulations, particularly under northward IMF. This work presents a new X‐line model that identifies a dominant reconnection line by maximizing the reconnection rate on both local and global scales. First, it determines the orientations at the magnetopause that locally maximize the rate and then finds the global path with the highest integrated rate. Across four global MHD simulations with diverse dipole tilts and IMF orientations, the new model was consistently more accurate than both the maximum magnetic shear and the global rate maximization models in predicting the location of the magnetic separator in between the magnetospheric cusps. Crucially, it succeeds for a challenging northward IMF case where previous models have failed. This model suggests the X‐line's location is determined by a fundamental principle of maximizing the conversion of magnetic to plasma energy.

Thermoplastic composites were applied to one of the more challenging and highly loaded fittings in aircraft structures, bathtub fittings. Bathtub fittings with multiple intersecting walls were designed using finite element analysis and special purpose software and were subsequently manufactured using press-forming of pre-heated flat blanks with varying thickness. Non-destructive Computed Tomography (CT) scans were used to evaluate the quality of the resulting parts. Subsequent static tests demonstrated strength 5% lower than the design strength and in close agreement with analysis predictions. Fatigue tests showed excellent performance with the failure mode not caused by the out-of-plane stresses in radius regions. A recently developed methodology for fatigue predictions based on the amount of energy dissipated per cycle was applied and was in very good agreement with the test results.

Migrant domestic work in the Middle East is known for high rates of exploitative labour. Despite this fact, many women from Africa pursue this work as a gendered familial expectation or means of financial gain, among other motivations. In this article, we centralise how personal social networks—family, friends, peers, and communities—act as motivating factors for prospective migrant domestic workers in Ethiopia looking to travel for work in the Middle East. The analysis of 100 in-depth interviews with women migrant domestic workers seeking employment in the Middle East demonstrates that social networks and gender influence migration decisions in complicated, multifaceted, and sometimes contradictory ways. Social networks also play an important role in facilitating entry into domestic work for Ethiopian women and in seeking help when they experience exploitative conditions in the Middle East.

Background: Color therapy, also known as chromotherapy, is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes visible light within the electromagnetic spectrum to promote health and well-being. With historical roots in ancient healing traditions, modern scientific advancements have refined its application in phototherapy, photobiomodulation, and low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Colors are believed to interact with biological systems at the cellular level, influencing physiological and psychological functions. Despite increasing interest, limited studies have systematically assessed the therapeutic efficacy of color therapy devices. This study investigates the impact of a newly developed portable color therapy torch, the Azeemi Chroma Torch, on mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and pain relief.Materials and Methods: We designed the Azeemi Chroma Torch as a safe and portable colour therapy device incorporating seven interchangeable colored acrylic sheets to deliver targeted light therapy. The study involved a six-week pilot intervention with 100 participants, each receiving 30-minute sessions three times per week. The torch emitted specific wavelengths corresponding to therapeutic colors, and treatment protocols were customized for conditions Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Patient responses to different colors were recorded based on mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and pain relief. Standardized exposure protocols were followed to ensure safety and efficacy.Results: The intervention yielded significant therapeutic benefits across multiple parameters. 80% of participants reported an improvement in overall mood. Sleep quality improved in 70%, suggesting potential modulation of circadian rhythms. Psychological benefits included a 60% reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms. The observed benefits align with the hypothesized mechanisms of chromotherapy including neurohormonal regulation.Conclusion: The findings confirm that the Azeemi Chroma Torch is an effective intervention for improving mood, energy levels, sleep quality, and pain relief. The results support its clinical application for treating SAD and related conditions, highlighting its potential as an accessible, non-invasive therapy. A dose-response relationship suggests that longer exposure enhances therapeutic effects, though individual variability necessitates personalized treatment protocols. Future research should explore the effects of color therapy across diverse populations, investigate its impact on cognitive functions, and examine its potential in modulating inflammation at a molecular level. These insights could inform the development of targeted light-based therapeutic interventions for broader clinical applications

Abstract Despite recent increases in females entering male-typed job domains, women are more likely to exit these jobs than men, leading to a “leaky-pipeline” phenomenon and contributing to continued occupational gender segregation. Extant work has demonstrated that women are less likely to reapply to employers who previously rejected them for jobs in male-typed job domains. However, these studies leave unexamined whether women will reapply to other employers in those job domains and, if so, whether this pattern differs in female-typed job domains, hampering our confidence in the contribution of these patterns to gender segregation. This paper investigates whether employer rejection dampens women’s job-seeking persistence more than men’s for all employers and across male versus female job domains. Regression analyses of more than 700,000 applications for over 200,000 job postings by roughly 70,000 freelancers in an online contract labor market demonstrate that women are more likely than men to reduce job-seeking activity from all employers following rejections in the male-typed IT and programming job domain. Women are also more likely than men to seek jobs in other domains outside IT and programming following job-seeking rejection. By contrast, female freelancers in female-typed writing and translation jobs do not exhibit similar gendered behavior patterns. Implications for research on gender segregation, careers, and hiring are discussed.

Impact of laminar-turbulent flow transition to hovering rotor performance is assessed using both model- and full-scale rotors. Helios is used for all simulations using OVERFLOW as a near-body solver. The Langtry-Mentor transition model is validated against Hover Validation and Acoustic Baseline (HVAB) rotor test data using industry best practice modeling approach. The same modeling approach is validated with model-scale production design rotor to assess its applicability to different blade design including different airfoils, twist, and planform shape. The validated modeling approach is then used for full-scale rotor to assess impact of transition for high Reynolds-number full-scale rotor performance. The full-scale rotor performance is also compared with whirl-tower test data. For all three rotors, rotor figure of merit is compared for range of thrust against test data. Transition locations and blade loading distributions are also compared. Sensitivity studies were also performed including facility impact, control system stiffness effect, and wind impact. The current transition modeling approach showed very good correlation with both model-scale test data in integrated figure of merit. However, differences with test data were observed in detailed blade loading and surface suction pressure at outboard region where blade-vortex interaction occurs. The full-scale rotor simulation also showed reasonably good correlation in performance but with simulation results being slightly optimistic in both fully turbulent and transition model, with transition model being little more optimistic. The laminar-turbulent flow transition trend from model- to full-scale seems reasonable, although, with more uncertainties in the full-scale test results, it was hard to determine quantitative transition model impact validation. Findings from current study is used to guide future hover performance simulations, and to understand model- and full-scale rotor performance difference.