PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 04-II S4.02-9279 |
PHASE-I CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNG05CA78C |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Extreme Environment and Aerial Mobility |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Temperature Telemetry Transmitter for Venus Exploration |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN
(Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Softronics Ltd.
6920 Bowman Lane NE
Cedar Rapids ,IA 52402 - 1576
(319) 431 - 0314
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER
(Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Robert Sternowski
bobs@softronicsltd.com
6920 Bowman Lane NE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52402 -1576
(319) 431 - 0314
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The proposed S-band telemetry transmitter will operate in the exterior Venusian high pressure, 465?aC ambient atmosphere without being contained in a thermally protective container. The sealed, radiation-hardened, high-reliability, silicon-carbide-based transmitter uses an ambient heatsink to cool its high temperature transistors without the power, volume, and weight of auxiliary cooling. An innovative circuit architecture requires only one SiC semiconductor device per module; other components are ceramic or temperature-compensated machined metal parts. Operating life on Venus is limited only by the external power source; several months is anticipated. The fault-tolerant modular transmitter!|s 150 watt RF output power will support a direct Venus-Earth 8 kbps communications link. This same design solution can also be applied to very cold Titan-like applications as well. The Phase II effort culminates with a 30 day Venus life test simulation of a full scale deliverable prototype.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The transmitter design is useful in a variety of spacecraft and planetary exploration craft where extreme temperatures (-200C to +500C) and pressures, light weight, small size, radiation-hardness, and low cost are required for S-band telemetry transmission.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The transmitter design technology is useful in diverse commercial applications where its unique thermal and RF power properties are valuable: oil well downhole telemetry (hot, corrosive, pressure); fire fighting communication systems (hot); high temperature military vehicle telemetry applications (hot, RF power); high power microwave generators (RF power).