NASA STTR 2004 Solicitation

FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY


PROPOSAL NUMBER: 04 T4.02-9958
RESEARCH SUBTOPIC TITLE: Space Science Sensors and Instruments
PROPOSAL TITLE: Nickel-Syntactic Hybrid Mirrors
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (SBC) RESEARCH INSTITUTION (RI)
NAME:Cornerstone Research Group Inc NAME:Northwestern University
ADDRESS:2750 Indian Ripple Road ADDRESS:2154 Sheridan Rd.
CITY:Dayton CITY:Evanston
STATE/ZIP:OH45440-3325 STATE/ZIP:IL60208-3112
PHONE:(937)320-1877 PHONE:(847)491-3685

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Stephen D Vining
viningsd@crgrp.net
2792 Indian Ripple Rd.
Dayton, OH 45440-3325
(937)320-1877

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Astronomers strive to see farther and farther into the cosmos. These increased observation distances will gain access to a wealth of information that will enable a better understanding of the universe, and the origins of Earth. To gain these distances larger aperture telescopes are required. Current materials and fabrication processes for space-based mirrors have serious drawbacks that severely limit the size and therefore the performance of optical systems for imagery. These drawbacks fall primarily into the areas of mass properties, structural properties, thermal properties, and fabrication costs.
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG), proposes to develop a composite material system that will address the drawbacks of conventional materials and fabrication processes for space-based mirrors. This novel composite system will integrate syntactic materials (see background Section 2.4) with electroformed nickel foils to achieve a balance of mass, structural, thermal, and optical properties that dramatically advances the state-of-the-art for space-based mirrors. The composite material will also enable fabrication techniques that are faster and cheaper than current practices.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 100 WORDS)
Supporting NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, this project's technologies directly address requirements for lightweight materials for larger space-based imaging systems, especially UV mirrors and LIDAR telescopes. This project's technologies offer dramatically reduced areal density, while maintaining high optical surface quality and dimensional stability.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 100 WORDS)
Government systems (especially MDA and other DoD) that would derive the same benefits would include but not be limited to space-based imaging systems (for surveillance and other remote sensing); space-based, missile, and airborne weapon systems (in optics for target detection, designation, or illumination); and optical communication systems.
This technology's attributes for telescope mirrors should yield a high potential for private sector commercialization for high-end research observatories and consumer-level telescopes or systems space imaging spacecraft by LANDSAT and SPOT.