NASA SBIR 01-1 Solicitation

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The current move towards launching smaller lower cost space mission payloads requires among other things, development of thin film structures to deploy multifunctional structures. Shape memory alloy (SMA) thin films on low density polymeric materials for deployable large space antenna applications have recently garnered considerable attention as potential solutions. These large flexible structures (40m) are fabricated with lightweight compliant systems, (e.g. thin films) to permit deployment. Low internal pressure provides much of the structure?s ability to deploy, sustain loads and retain a desired geometrical configuration within specified limits of accuracy. However, precise control of the antenna?s shape would demand a distributed actuation and control scheme. A distributed compact actuation scheme could allow the structure to adapt to changing environments or mission needs. Recent developments in the deposition of thin film shape memory materials, in particular NiTi thin films, suggest that shape memory materials are the best choice for large deployable space antennas.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications for a thin film SMA can be numerous. The possibility of incorporating the material as a solid state actuator in MEMS devices have yet to be fully explored. Biomedical applications for NiTi SMA have just started taking off with the recent success of NiTi stents. NiTi as a cavitation protection material have been proven in research, but commercially incorporating the technology have been hindered by a lack of a film deposition technique.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Ken Ho
Shape Change Technologies LLC
1731 Hendrix Ave.,
Thousand Oaks , CA   91360 - 3316

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Shape Change Technologies LLC
1731 Hendrix Ave.,
Thousand Oaks , CA   91360 - 3316