NASA SBIR 02-1 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
QorTek Inc
4121 Jacks Hollow Road
Williamsport , PA   17702 - 9539
(570 ) 745 - 3555

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Daniel Thomasson
dan@qortek.com
4121 Jacks Hollow Road
Williamsport , PA   17702 - 9539
(570 ) 745 - 3555

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We are proposing a new technological solution to complex figure control architectures for Sun-Earth ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet meter sized optical instruments and detectors. Retention of low mass distribution for large aperture optics means eliminating heavy complex wiring bus and controls for UV or EUV optics and detector instruments with large numbers of active adjustment or actuation mechanisms. Precise metering of charge in or out of array device elements accurately and with reduced mass and complexity is a further requirement. The proposed solution would enable both distributed control and distributed power distribution to a large array of contiguous devices to maintain figure accuracy through launch orbit. The new system introduces a high level of risk reduction in developing and assembling complex instruments and optics for future NASA small system (<4 meter) instrument and optical packages.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The advent of MEMS and microdevices is leading to smaller and denser device arrays for many high-end production systems. The ability to provide low cost, thin and lightweight control and power feed to such systems improves their commercial viability to many (optical and non-optical) systems and products. The proposed technology has application as a low cost approach to extend and transfer adaptive optics technology to commercial telescopes and to cost sensitive non-commercial optical (military) systems.

POTENTIAL NASA APPLICATIONS (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The new system introduces a high level of risk reduction in developing and assembling complex instruments and optics for future NASA small system (<4 meter) instrument and optical packages. This not only encompasses Sun-Earth UV and near UV missions but can be directly applied to critical secondary optics for large optical spacecraft for TPF, MIDEX, Explorer and others. The ability to control non-planar (but contiguous) arrays of even small devices such as MEMS with the thin lightweight pixelized device control technology makes is attractive for a number of deployable space systems such as Mars rover, sample collection and thermally compensated habitats.