47th AEROSPACE MECHANISMS SYMPOSIUM

May 15 – 17, 2024

Hosted by NASA Langley Research Center and Lockheed Martin Space.
Organized by the Mechanisms Education Association.

SYMPOSIUM OBJECTIVES

This symposium is concerned with the problems of design, fabrication, test, and operational use of aerospace mechanisms. Emphasis is on hardware developments. The symposium provides a social and technical forum for personnel active in the field of mechanisms technology, as well as providing a source of information for others interested in this field. The symposium rotates among eight NASA Centers and attracts papers and attendees from all over the world.

SYMPOSIUM LOCATION

The Virginia Beach Convention Center is the site for all technical sessions. Check in and technical sessions will be on the second floor, and lunches and reception will be on the first (ground) floor.

Virginia Beach Convention Center

1000 19th Street

Virginia Beach, Virginia 23451-5674 USA

SYMPOSIUM ACTIVITIES

The planned technical and social activities provide an opportunity for attendees to become professionally and personally acquainted. Dress attire is business casual unless otherwise noted.

MECHANISMS COURSES

On Monday and Tuesday, May 13 and May 14, three separate courses will be offered at the convention center. Registration for the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium is not included in any class price.

Space Mechanisms Course (May 13-14)

Launchspace is providing a special edition of its Space Vehicle Mechanisms course. This course explores the technologies required for successful space mechanisms design and offers a detailed look at many of the key components common to most mechanisms. The materials necessary to achieve high performance are discussed. Examples of the many types of mechanisms are included for illustration. In addition, the mechanisms relationships and interfaces with other vehicle systems are explored. The course includes design and analysis examples to demonstrate principles involved in understanding how mechanisms should work and how design margins should be evaluated during the evolution of a program.
Register at: www.launchspace.com
The price for this course is $795.

Compliant Mechanisms Design (May 13-14)

Traditional rigid-body mechanisms consist of rigid links connected at movable joints. A compliant mechanism is a mechanism that gains at least some of its mobility from the deflection of flexible members rather than from movable joints only. This two-day course focuses on the basics of compliant mechanisms, modeling and simulation, materials selection, failure prevention and design.
Register at: www.launchspace.com
The price for this course is $795.

Rolling-Element Bearings: Fundamentals and Mechanics (May 13-14)

Examine fundamental geometry, kinematics, Hertzian contact mechanics, internal load distributions, preloading, stiffness and various nonlinear relationships of rolling-element bearings. Explore how system performance characteristics are affected by both internal bearing parameters and various bearing row configurations. Learn about boundary influences, such as fit-ups and relative thermal expansions, and gain knowledge related to the design, sizing, analysis and troubleshooting of rolling-element bearings. A minimum of 10 attendees is required to hold the course. Lunch and refreshments provided.
Register at: www.halpinengineeringllc.com
The price for this course is $1250.

Check-In

On Tuesday evening, May 14, from 6:00-8:00 PM, check in and registration will be in the Suite 1 Atrium, in the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Symposium materials will be available along with light refreshments.

Reception

On Wednesday evening, May 15, a reception will be held in Ballroom One in the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Supplier displays and poster papers will be exhibited during the evening along with demonstrations by a local school robotics team. A buffet dinner will be served. The reception is open for the enjoyment of all attendees and guests.

Symposium Banquet

On Thursday evening, May 16, the symposium dinner open to all attendees and guests will be in the Military Aviation Museum. The museum is home to one of the world’s largest collections of flying vintage military aircraft. The facility includes over 50 aircraft from the World War I and World War II-era and a wide range of exhibits.

Facility Tours

On Friday afternoon, May 17, there will be an opportunity to tour NASA Langley Research Center or the USS Wisconsin. Transportation is provided with symposium registration. The NASA Langley tour is a private tour open to only U.S. citizens and is limited to 50 persons; the USS Wisconsin is open to all attendees and guests.

Guest Activities

Virginia Beach is a resort city with miles of beaches and hundreds of hotels, motels, and restaurants along its oceanfront. Nearby are historical places to visit such as Colonial Williamsburg and Jamestown. Virginia Beach is a 4-hour drive from Washington, D.C.

Presenters’ Meetings

Presenting authors are required to attend a complimentary breakfast on the day of their presentation. (Note – only the presenters, not all authors of the paper.) This gathering gives the session participants an opportunity to meet their Session Chair and each other, and to review the session arrangements. The Symposium AV help will be available to discuss presentation requirements.

SYMPOSIUM INFORMATION

Registration

Advance registration is requested to facilitate planning and commitments. Please register on www.aeromechanisms.com. The registration fee is $775 ($350 for full time educators, $300 for students, $250 for retirees). Registrants will obtain access to the proceedings as soon as they are available. NOTE: If the registration payment is received after 11:59pm EDT (GMT-4) April 15, 2024, the registration fee is $875. Also, any registrations started but unpaid before this deadline will also be revised to the late registration fee of $875. This fee covers all sessions, transportation as noted, reception and banquet and early access to the proceedings.

Refund Policy

If a registration is cancelled, the Mechanisms Education Association will refund all fees paid less $50, if cancelled by May 1, 2024. After May 1, no refunds are given. Alternatively, a registration may be transferred to another employee at the same company if the original registrant cannot attend if the request for the transfer is done prior to the symposium by contacting our registration point of contact (Ron Mancini, MEA Treasurer).

Hotels

There is no official symposium hotel; there are numerous hotel choices in Virginia Beach, particularly along the beach. Searching the region “Oceanfront” on this site will give you options (or use your favorite hotel search engine).

Dr. George Herzl Award

At each symposium, an award is given to the author(s) of the “Best Paper.” The award is based on paper content, presentation delivery, and visual aids. This award was established in honor of Dr. George Herzl of Lockheed Martin, a co-founder of the Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium.

Dr. Charles Coale Grant

Each year the Mechanisms Education Association sponsors high school and junior high school robotics teams in honor of Dr. Charles Coale of Lockheed Martin. Dr. Coale was the leader of the symposium for more than 20 years and had a special interest in helping children.

SYMPOSIUM PROGRAM AND TIMETABLE

Day 1
Session 1
RELEASE
MECHANISMS
Session 2
MATERIALS MEET
MECHANISMS
Session 3
DRILLING
MACHINES
Session 4
POSTER SESSION
PREVIEW
Day 2
Session 5
DEPLOYMENT
MECHANISMS
Session 6
INSTRUMENTS
Session 7
GIMBALS
Day 3
Session 8
THE STU LOEWENTHAL
TRIBOLOGY SESSION
TimePaper TitlePresenting Author / Co-Authors / Session Chair and Affliliations
Tuesday May 14, 2024
18h00 - 20h00CHECK-IN – Meeting Room 2B, Suite 1 Atrium
DAY-1: Wednesday May 15, 2024
07h00 PDTPresenters' Breakfast - Meeting Room 2A
08h00CHECK-IN - Meeting Room 2B
08h15INTRODUCTORY REMARKSEd Boesiger, General ChairmanLockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, CA
Benjamin Nickless, Host ChairmanNASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
Clayton Turner, Center DirectorNASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
Session I: RELEASE MECHANISMSDavid EddlemanNASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, ALTop Of Page
08h30Caging and Release Mechanism Design for the Simplified Gravitational Reference SensorJoseph Footdale, Chad Sypolt, Joseph Mackin & Stephen Bennett, BAE Systems, Inc., Boulder, CO;
John Conklin & Peter Wass, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
08h55Development Plan of the Upgraded Release Mechanism for the LISA Space MissionCarlo Zanoni, National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Italy;
Daniele Bortoluzzi, Davide Vignotto, Matteo Tomasi, Edoardo Dala Ricca, Abraham Ayele Gelan & Francesco Marzan, University of Trento, Trento, Italy;
Paolo Radaelli, Riccardo Freddi & Alessandro Paolo Moroni, OHB Italia SpA, Italy
09h20FD04 Frangibolt Actuator Performance Test: Measuring Force and Stroke MarginIngie Baho & Kim Aaron, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
09h45Development of an Ejectable Data Recorder (EDR) Ejection Mechanism for the Low-Earth Orbit Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator (LOFTID)Brian Saulman & Robert Wagner, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
10h1015 min Break
10h25LARES2 Mission: Retention and Separation SubsystemMatteo Spinelli & Alessandro Bursi, OHB Italia, Milan, Italy;
Simone Pirrotta & Roberto Bertacin, Italian Space Agency, Rome, Italy
10h50Design and Qualification of the Low-Earth Flight Test of an Inflatable Decelerator Payload Adapter Separation System (PASS)Sean Hancock, Jacob Montgomery & Ben Nickless, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA;
Matt Realsen, United Launch Alliance, Centennial, CO
11h15Development and Testing of a Novel Solenoid Launch Lock for a Lunar Lander Thrust Vector Control ActuatorJoseph Plunkett, Honeybee Robotics, Longmont, CO
11h40Testing Frangibolts for Extended Space Mission DurationsBrian Gore, Ryan Hill & Timothy Woodard, The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA
12h20Lunch: Lunch for AMS Attendees in Ballroom One
Session II: MATERIALS MEET MECHANISMSGilles FeusierÉcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, SwitzerlandTop Of Page
13h20Development of a Bulk Metallic Glass Planetary Gearmotor for Unheated Actuation in Cryogenic EnvironmentsAndrew Kennett & Robert Dillon, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
13h45Extreme Benefits of Visual Inspection under Magnification of Mechanical ComponentsDuval Johnson, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
14h10Motor Stator (Fluidize) Insulation Material Options and Testing SummaryJonathan Wood & Emmett Donnelley-Power, Lockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, CA;
Jessica Hamm, Sierra Space, Durham, NC; Recarda Schmitz, Windings, Inc., New Ulm, MN
14h35Ti Beta-C Spring Development Testing for Low Cycle, Cold Deep Space ApplicationsPavlina Karafillis & Grady Lynch, Lockheed Martin Space, Denver, CO
15h00Break
Session III: DRILLING MACHINESTerry NienaberNASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VATop Of Page
15h30Lessons Learned in Building and Testing the Regolith and Ice Drill for Exploring New Terrain (TRIDENT)Philip Chu, Samuel Goldman, Carter Fortuin, Vincent Vendiola, Helen Xu, Jaqueline Stamboltsian, Raymond Lin, Anchal Jain, Jack Wilson & Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Altadena, CA
16h00Micro-Sampler: A Kilogram Class Drill for Planetary Sampling and Powder CollectionNicklaus Traeden, Kathryn Bywaters, Damien Hackett, Gabriel Zwilinger, Christian Sipe, Peter Pulai & Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Altadena, CA;
Philippe Sarrazin & Maite Diez, SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA
16h25Development of the DrACO Drill: A Rotary Percussive Drill for Cryogenic OperationGrayson Adams, Matthew Dottinger & Patrick Corrigan, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Altadena, CA
16h45Break
SESSION IV: POSTER SESSION PREVIEWMark BalzerNASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CATop Of Page
A rapid fire session of poster papers. Each presenter will give their best 5-minute pitch and attendees can follow up at the reception or other time.
17h00Government Reference Design of the Vertical Solar Array Technology DemonstratorScott Belbin, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
17h05Bearings for Extreme EnvironmentsChristoph Bayer & Thomas Kreis, GRW, Rimpar, Germany;
David Nufer, GRW, Bloomfield, CT
17h10Magnetic Fast Steering Mirrors for High Power Optical CommunicationEtienne Betsch, Gérald Aigouy, Clément Cote, Augustin Bedek, Arnaud Barnique, Nicolas Bourgeot, Hugo Grardel, Pierre Personnat, Patrick Meneroud, Théo Simon, Marc Fournier, Sylvain Chardon, Frank Claeyssen & François Barillot, Cedrat Technologies, Meylan, France
17h15Lessons Learned on Synchronization System Modelling for Solar Array Wing Deployment PredictionsHéloïse Boross & Philipp Schmidheiny, Beyond Gravity, Zurich, Switzerland
17h20Testbed for Lunar Extreme Environment Wear Tolerant ApplicationsValerie Wiesner, Glen King, Keith Gordon & Christopher Wohl, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA;
Christopher Domack & Brandon Widener, Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc., Hampton, VA
17h25Development and Qualification of a New SADM for Small SatellitesAdrien Guignabert, Flavien Deschaux, Luc Herrero, Etienne Magnin-Robert, Comat Aerospace, Flourens, France;
Jean-Bernard Mondier, CNES, Toulouse, France
17h30Development of a Shape Memory Alloy ThermostatAlai Lopez, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Lexington, MA;
Kerri Cahoy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
17h35Programable Lead Screw Actuated Self-Leveling PlatformIok Wong NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
17h40Aerocapture Technology Demonstration Risk Reduction ActivityScott Belbin NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
17h45 - 22h00RECEPTION - Ballroom OneComponent suppliers display current products and provide tutorials, Poster Papers are displayed, Robotics Team demonstrations, and a buffet meal.
DAY-2: Thursday May 16, 2024
07h00Presenters' Breakfast - Meeting Room 2ATop Of Page
Session V: DEPLOYMENT MECHANISMSMatthew ZwackNASA Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL
08h00Listening into the JUICE Deployments with the On-Board High Accuracy AccelerometerRonan Le Letty, Christian Erd1 & Alessandro Atzei1, ESA/ESTeC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands;
Massimiliano Pecora, THALES Alenia Space Italia, Gorgonzola, Italy;
Luciano Iess, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
08h25Bricard Mechanism Based Engulfing Gripper for Space Debris RemovalAbhijith Prakash, Sankalp Vishnoi, Sandeep R & Biju Prasad B, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, India
08h50DIABLO – Deployable Interlocking Actuated Bands for Linear Operations; Design, Development, Testing, and ApplicationsVishnu Sanigepalli, Robert Van Ness, Brian Vogel & Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Longmont, CO
09h15A Modular Ready-to-Use Active Gravity Offloading SystemFrederik Doll, Stefan Oechslein & Benjamin Krolitzki, CarboSpaceTech GmbH, Immenstaad am Bodensee, Germany
09h4015 min Break
09h55Origami-Inspired, Re-Deployable, Compact Lunar Solar Array SystemAlexander Gendell Folditure, Hoboken, NJ
10h20Design and Testing of a Deployment Mechanism for NASA’s 1653-m2 Solar Cruiser SailZachary McConnel & Mark S. Lake, Redwire Space, Longmont, CO
10h45Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3): Mechanisms and Lessons Learned from a CubeSat Solar Sail DeployerNigel Schneider, Analytical Services & Materials Inc., Hampton, VA;
Gregory Dean, Olive Stohlman, Jerry Warren, Juan Fernandez, W. Keats Wilkie, Todd Denkins, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
11h10Design and Test of the Orion Crew Module Launch Abort System HatchJeff Heyne, Aaron Larson, Ryan Dardar, Lance Lininger & Evan Siracki, Lockheed Martin Space, Houston, TX & Littleton, Co; Brian Emmett, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA
11h50Lunch: Lunch for AMS Attendees in Ballroom OneTop Of Page
Session VI: INSTRUMENTSJustin ScheidlerNASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, OH
12h50Precision Actuation in the Flight Design of the Roman-CGI Focus Control MechanismMineh Badalian, Johnathan W. Carson & Dalia Raafat, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
13h15A Dust-Resilient Thermal Shutter Mechanism for Lunar RadiatorsAndrew Gibson, Olly Poyntz-Wright, Angus Bishop & Matthew Oldfield, ESR Technology Ltd. - European Space Tribology Laboratory, Warrington, UK;
Angel Iglesias & Fabrice Rottmeier, Almatech, Lausanne, Switzerland;
Martin Humphries, Spacemech Limited, Bristol, UK;
Philipp B Hager, European Space Agency (ESA/ESTEC), Noordwijk, The Netherlands
13h40An Introduction to Flexure DesignJohnathan Carson & Gary Y. Wang, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
14h05Design and Test of Retention Mechanism to Apply Direction-Dependent Axial Force to Mars Returnable Sample Tube AssembliesJay Marion Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
14h30Tough Precision Piezoelectric Motors for Space ApplicationsFrancois Barillot, Jocelyn Rebufa, Etienne Betsch, Jolan Gauthier, Alexandre Pagès & Nabil Bencheikh, Cedrat Technologies, Meylan, France
14h55VenSpec-H Filter Wheel Mechanism Breadboard Development and TestGerhard S. Székely, Robert Eberli, Marco Grossmann & Samuel Tenisch, Lucern University of Applied Sciences & Arts, Horw, Switzerland;
Hans-Peter Gröbelbauer, Florian Wirz & Pascal Seiler, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Windisch, Switzerland;
Paola Kögl & Stefan Kögl, KOEGL Space GmbH, Dielsdorf, Switzerland;
Paul Tackley & Taras Gerya, Zürich, Switzerland;
Ann-Carine Vandaele & Eddy Neefs, Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, Brussels, Belgium
15h20BreakTop Of Page
Session VII: GIMBALSJason SchulerNASA Kennedy Space Center, Kennedy Space Center, FL
15h50Development of an Advanced 2-Axis Electrical Propulsion Pointing MechanismPaul Janu, Daniel Ruckser, Jarmila Suhajdova & Zoran Ignjatov, Beyond Gravity, Wien, Austria;
Mario Toso, ESA/ESTeC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
16h15MPCV SADA for Artemis Program: A Story of Increasing Demands and Continuous ImprovementJosef Viktor Zemann, Paul Joachim Schüngel & Matthias Schmalbach, Beyond Gravity, Zurich, Switzerland
16h40Development and Qualification of an Electrical Thruster Two Axis Pointing MechanismRichard Horth MDA, Quebec, Canada
17h05SPECIAL PRESENTATION – Astronaut and F-22 Pilot, Major Nicole AyersAstronaut and F-22 Pilot, Major Nicole Ayers
Nichole Ayers was selected by NASA to join the 2021 Astronaut Candidate Class. She graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and later earned a master’s degree in computational and applied mathematics from Rice University. She became an instructor pilot in the T-38, leading adversary missions that provided combat training for the F-22 Raptors at Langley AFB. As one of the few women to have flown the F-22 Raptor, Ayers led the first-ever all-woman F-22 formation in combat in 2019 with more than 200 combat hours in Operation Inherent Resolve over Iraq and Syria.
19h00 - 23h00BANQUET - Military Aviation MuseumDinner and entertainment amongst World War II vintage airplanes.
DAY-3: Friday May 17, 2024
07h00Presenters' Breakfast - Meeting Room 2A
Session VIII: THE STU LOEWENTHAL TRIBOLOGY SESSIONStu LoewenthalLockheed Martin Space (Retired), Sunnyvale, CATop Of Page
08h00Dry-Film Lubricated Ball Bearing Tests for High-Speed, Moderate-to-Long Life, Cryogenic OperationRobert Wei, Gale Paulsen, Andrew Bocklund, Nate Jensen, Zach Begland & Tim Newbold, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Altadena, CA
08h25Cold Welding under Space and Launch ConditionsRoland Holzbauer & Andreas Merstallinger, Aerospace & Advanced Composites GmbH, Wiener Neustadt, Austria;
Lionel Gaillard & Nathan Bamsey, European Space Agency, Noordwijk, The Netherlands
08h50Qualification of Rheolube 3000-3Pb for the BABAR-ERI Chopper MechanismDarren Erickson, Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO;
Bob Hoffman, NYE Lubricants (Member of the FUCHS Group) Inc., Fairhaven, MA
09h1515 min Break
09h30Development of Strain Wave Gearing Lubrication for the Steering Unit for The Manned Pressurized RoverJun'ichi Kurogi, Yoshihide Kiyosawa, Masaru Kobayashi & Takuya Akasaka, Harmonic Drive Systems Inc, Nagano-ken, Japan;
Hiroyuki Toyoda & Shoichi Shono, Toyota Motor Corporation, Japan;
Shingo Obara, Koji Matsumoto & Nobuo Kenmochi, Japan Exploration Agency, Japan
09h55On the Potential of Orthoborate Ionic Liquids to Meet Lubrication Challenges in Space MechanismsRoman de la Presilla, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden;
Oleg Antzutkin, Luleå University of Technology, Luleå, Sweden;
Sergei Glavatskih, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia and Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
10h20Design and Test of Bearings Used in Electromechanical Systems under High Vibration EnvironmentsKyle Gotthelf, Javier Becerra & Andrew Maurer, Honeybee Robotics LLC, Longmont, CO
10h45Development and Qualification of an Extreme Mechanical Live Antenna Pointing Mechanism, part of the Inter Satellite Link of an ESA Mission SpacecraftRichard Horth MDA, Quebec, Canada
11h10SPECIAL PRESENTATION – SHOCK QUALIFICATION OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERSMichael Reilley and Michael TalleyHuntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding
This area of Virginia is a key shipbuilding area for the United States. Satellites have to design for shock from release devices all the time and this presentation will give you another perspective!
11h40TECHNICAL SESSIONS CONCLUSIONJonathan WoodLockheed Martin Space, Sunnyvale, CA
Herzl Award Presentation
12h00Lunch: Lunch for AMS Attendees in Ballroom One
13h00 - 17h00TOURS
13h00Busses depart Convention Center for NASA Langley or USS Wisconsin
17h00Approximate time busses return to Convention Center

SYMPOSIUM ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

Host Chairs:

  • James Wells, NASA LaRC
  • Benjamin J. Nickless, NASA LaRC

General Chairman: Edward A. Boesiger, Lockheed Martin Space

Deputy Chairman: Jonathan P. Wood, Lockheed Martin Space

Mark A. Balzer, JPL
Torin L. Bowman, NASA ARC
Earl Daley, NASA ARC
Adam G. Dokos, NASA KSC
Michael J. Dube, NASA NESC
David E. Eddleman, NASA MSFC
Carlton L. Foster, NASA MSFC (retired)
Lionel Gaillard, ESA/ESTeC
Nicolas E. Haddad, JPL
Claef F. Hakun, NASA GSFC
Louise Jandura, JPL
Timothy L. Krantz, NASA GRC
Lance R. Lininger, Lockheed Martin Space
Alan C. Littlefield, NASA KSC (retired)
Stuart H. Loewenthal, Lockheed Martin Space (retired)
Ronald E. Mancini, NASA ARC (retired)
Fred G. Martwick, NASA ARC
Donald H. McQueen, Jr., NASA MSFC (retired)
Landon Moore, NASA JSC
Brandan Robertson, NASA JSC
Justin J. Scheidler, NASA GRC
Joseph P. Schepis, NASA GSFC
Jason M. Schuler, NASA KSC
Donald R. Sevilla, JPL (retired)
Mathew R. Zwack, NASA MSFC

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