NASA SBIR 2005 Solicitation

FORM B - PROPOSAL SUMMARY


PROPOSAL NUMBER:05 O1.07-9641
SUBTOPIC TITLE:Extravehicular (EVA) Radios
PROPOSAL TITLE:Software-defined Cognitive Frequency Agile Radio

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Physical Optics Corporation
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance ,CA 90501 - 1821
(310) 320 - 3088

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Wenjian   Wang
sutama@poc.com
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance, CA  90501 -1821
(310) 320 - 3088

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Software-defined cOgnitive Frequency Agile Radio (SOFAR) system for reliable and configurable extravehicular activity (EVA) broadband (UHF to Ka) communication for astronauts in human exploration of the Martian environment. SOFAR is compact, low-power, configurable, and frequency agile, requiring only one major integrated circuit for the FR front-end while maintaining waveform flexibility and reconfigurability. It is based on three innovations, a novel six-port direct conversion receiver (6DCR), a novel fractal antenna, and cognitive signal processing algorithms. SOFAR will intelligently and optimally adapt its communication functionalities (including frequency and modulation) to the harsh environment of the Martian atmosphere and avoid disruptions in the communications. Therefore, SOFAR will enable NASA to communicate in extreme environmental conditions with multiple bandwidths of data transmission to support telemetry, voice, and video with the capability to handle changing propagation and interference. In Phase I, POC will define EVA radio requirements and develop an initial radio design and testing methods involving both ground testing and space testing. In Phase II, POC will design, develop, integrate and test SOFAR hardware and software modules.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The initial application of SOFAR will be for EVA communication, with particular emphasis on UHF and Ka bands. To support safety of astronauts in Martian surface exploration, a reliable and fault-tolerant radio is essential. It will also be useful for NASA to communicate with astronauts in orbit or for communications in general via wireless network.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to NASA's needs, other potential government and commercial applications include: wireless networks, cellular communication, and emergency radios. Fire, police, and other civil and law enforcement agencies would benefit from radios that could be reconfigured on-the-fly to interoperate with each other. Currently, police and fire officials must usually be routed through a central hub, and precious time is lost in the attempt to communicate among agencies. Major disasters such as the attack on the World Trade Center have shown a need for a universal communication system that is adaptable.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Architectures and Networks
Telemetry, Tracking and Control


Form Printed on 09-19-05 13:12