International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1998 / Town & Country Resort Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / In support of the X-33 single-stage-to-orbit program, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center was selected to provide continuous range communications of the X-33 vehicle from launch at Edwards Air Force Base, California, through landing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, or at Michael Army Air Field, Utah. An extensive real-time range simulation capability is being developed to ensure successful communications with the autonomous X-33 vehicle. This paper provides an overview of the various levels of simulation, integration, and test being developed to support the X-33 extended range subsystems. These subsystems include the flight termination system, L-band command uplink subsystem, and S-band telemetry downlink subsystem.

This diploma thesis deals mainly with utilization of plasma in technological aplications. The introductory part is apllied to the theoretical description of plasma generated by the surfatron. This launcher works with the frequency of 2,45 GHz and it is able to excite the surface wave, that sustains plasma column in a quartz tube. Plasma generated by surfatron was used for modification of surface properties of polyethylen to change its surface energy. By changing of surface energy it was reached of higher hydrophilicity. Plasma generated by surfatron was diagnosed in detail during experiments in a continual regime as well as in a pulse one with a help of a single {--} probe and a double {--} probe Langmuir measurement. In this diploma thesis there is discussed influence of pressure, power and other experimental options.