SBIR Phase 1 Solicitation STTR Phase 1 Solicitation Abstract Archives
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.01-8922 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB18P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mitigation of Aircraft Aging and Durability-related Hazards |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Moisture Resistant Primer for Composite Bonded Repairs |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Adherent Technologies, Inc.
9621 Camino del
Sol NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111-1522
(505) 346-1685
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andrea Hoyt Haight
adherenttech@comcast.net
9621 Camino del Sol NE
Albuquerque,
NM 87111-1522
(505) 346-1685
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aging and durability of
aircraft in both the military and civilian sectors are becoming major issues as
the existing fleet continues to age. Additionally, the increased use of
composite structures in the civilian fleet, such as in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
and the Airbus A380, make the understanding and/or improvement of composite
durability, particularly durability of repairs, even more critical. Several
areas have been identified as targets for improvement in composite aircraft
repair. These include the development of rapid, low temperature repair methods
and associated materials as well as development of the quality of repairs when
they are made. Adhesion of bonded repairs is one area that needs to be
addressed. In the Phase I program Adherent Technologies, Inc. demonstrated a
novel moisture-resistant primer system for use in repairs of standard
carbon/epoxy composites used in many subsonic aircraft. Our proprietary
chemistry comprised of a reactive coupling agent and a carrier resin compatible
with standard aerospace epoxy resins bonds directly to the prepared aircraft
composite surface while retaining residual functionality that can be cured
directly into the matrix of the repair leading to a covalently bound repair,
thereby strengthening the repair interface. An increase in bond strength for
primed samples relative to unprimed control specimens was noted; the improvement
in the fracture toughness of the bonds was particularly of note. The Phase II
effort will focus on the optimization of these primer systems and associated
application and activation methods. Water-based systems will also be developed
and demonstrated.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
system is being designed to support the need for improvements in durability of
repairs for subsonic aircraft.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
primer technology, which will improve the quality of composite bonded repairs as
well as composite bonding in general, will used throughout the aerospace
composite materials market as well as having potential applications in civilian
infrastructure (e.g. CFRP bridge decks and the like). The civilian aircraft
market is projected to be a particularly significant consumer.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Composites
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.03-8543 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD61P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aviation External Hazard Sensor Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | A Low Cost, Electronically Scanned Array (ESA) Antenna Technology for Aviation Hazard Detection and Avoidance |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
ThinKom Solutions, Inc.
3825 Del Amo Blvd.,
Suite 200
Torrance, CA 90503-2168
(310) 371-5486
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
William Henderson
billh@thin-kom.com
3825 Del Amo Blvd., Suite 200
Torrance, CA
90503-2168
(310) 802-4517
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 8 to 9
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed Phase II project
includes the design, fabrication, and testing of a fully-functional 320 element
X-band antenna which will serve dual-roles as both the proof-of-design (POD) and
the proof-of-manufacturability (POM) prototype of ThinKom's innovative low-cost
electronically scanned array (ESA) antenna technology. Simultaneously
emphasizing affordability and performance, this antenna subsystem will uniquely
enable near-term wide deployment of airborne hazard detection and avoidance
radar systems with greatly enhanced performance and functionality relative to
currently fielded systems. This technology comprises a proprietary integrated
"quasi-monolithic" feed/phase-shifter/radiator topology exclusively realized
using low-risk low-cost flight-proven, manufacturing materials, components, and
processes. In addition, this architecture is ideally-suited for simplified
compact integration with a highly reliable, low-cost, low-power consumption beam
steering controller (BSC) utilizing pre-existing COTS components. The expected
RF loss through the feed, phase shifter, and radiator of this
low-cost/high-performance topology is less than 1 dB at X-Band, which is no
greater than (and in most cases less than) that of "traditional" (much) higher
cost ESA implementations. Building upon the Phase I preliminary antenna
subsystem design and highly successful phase-shifter risk-reduction verification
testing accomplished in Phase I, the Phase II program will directly demonstrate
and prove both the performance and revolutionary cost reduction potential of
this new "no compromise" ESA architecture and technology. In addition to the
targeted aviation hazard detection radar/sensor application, other benefiting
applications would include ground mapping, atmospheric studies, and launch range
surveillance radars and sensors as well as communication applications for which
an agile highly directional beam is required such as high-gain LOS and NLOS
(SATCOM) Data Links.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
technology is useful for a broad variety of radar and communication applications
that are of interest to NASA. In addition to aviation hazard detection, other
relevant radar applications include ground mapping, atmospheric studies, and
launch range surveillance.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technology
is useful for a broad variety of commerical radar and communication applications
similar to those useful to NASA. In addition to aviation hazard detection, other
relevant applications include RF communication, as the technology is potentially
useful whenever a highly directional steerable beam is required. This includes
many distinct "on-the-move" communication systems.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airport Infrastructure and
Safety
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
RF
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.04-8554 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA50P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Adaptive Flight Control |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Rapid Estimation of Aircraft Performance Models using Differential Vortex Panel Method and Extended Kalman Filter |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Optimal Synthesis, Inc.
95 First Street,
Suite 240
Los Altos, CA 94022-2777
(650) 210-8282
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
P. K. Menon
menon@optisyn.com
95 First Street, Suite 240
Los Altos, CA 94022-2777
(650)
559-8585
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The problem of estimating the
aerodynamic models for flight control of damaged aircraft using an innovative
differential vortex lattice method tightly coupled with an extended Kalman
filter was investigated during the Phase I research. The approach exploited
prior knowledge about the undamaged aircraft to reduce the order of the
estimation problem. Probing maneuvers were designed to improve the observability
of the system dynamics. The derived performance model was then be used to
determine the aircraft flight envelope, performance parameters and the maneuver
limits. The estimated data can be used as the basis for designing safe landing
guidance laws for damaged aircraft. Phase II research will refine the algorithms
developed during the Phase I research and create a standalone software
implementation. Structural dynamic computations and control power estimation
will be included in the software. Operation of the software will then be
demonstrated at near real-time speeds. All the algorithms and software developed
under the proposed research will be supplied to NASA at the end of Phase II.
Human-in-the-loop simulations and flight test evaluation of the system will be
undertaken during the Phase III work.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed research will contribute towards NASA's Integrated Resilient Aircraft
Control program.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
research will provide the information essential for designing safe landing
guidance laws for damaged aircraft. Algorithms and software developed under the
proposed SBIR work will contribute towards improving the safety of future
commercial, military and general aviation aircraft operations.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Intelligence
Controls-Structures
Interaction (CSI)
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and
Data Management
Pilot Support Systems
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Expert Systems
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.05-9348 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA53P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Data Mining for Integrated Vehicle Health Management |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Advanced Data Mining and Deployment for Integrated Vehicle Health Management and the Space Vehicle Lifecycle |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michigan Aerospace Corporation
1777
Highland Drive, Suite B
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2285
(734)
975-8777
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Trenkle
jtrenkle@michiganaerospace.com
1777 Highland Drive, Suite B
Ann
Arbor, MI 48108-2285
(734) 975-8777
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In a successful Phase 1
project for NASA SBIR topic A1.05, "Data Mining for Integrated Vehicle Health
Management," Michigan Aerospace Corporation (MAC) demonstrated its SPADE anomaly
detection software to key personnel in NASA's Intelligent Systems Division (ISD)
and with data from our partners at Boeing, SpaceX and GMV Space Systems. The
feedback from these demonstrations was used to establish future development
directions for Phase 2. Phase 2 will consist of three major efforts: 1) the
design and implementation of the Taiga system, a next-generation enhancement of
the SPADE software, 2) an investigation into combining complementary
functionality of Taiga with existing code at ISD including the Inductive
Modeling System, Mariana and others, and 3) the implementation of a prototype
automatic parallelizer, in cooperation with subcontractor Optillel Solutions,
for a subset of C++ useful for hardware acceleration of machine learning
applications. The scope of the interaction with researchers in NASA ISD will be
to explore the relationships between IMS and Taiga and gauge benefits such a
Data Handling, Feature Reduction, Visualization and Explainability. We will also
investigate heterogeneous ensemble methods by analyzing the Mariana system.
Optillel's C++ Parallelizer will reduce MAC's development costs for
parallelizing C++ code for multi-core chips and clusters. This effort will build
on Optillel's existing body of work that supports graphical programming
languages, and will extend their technology to the analysis and parallelization
of C++ code. Both the Taiga system and Optillel's prototype have significant
commercialization potential in industries as diverse as Chemical,
Pharmaceutical, Manufacturing and Aerospace.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
MAC's
Taiga data mining platform has a variety of important applications at NASA. The
need for next-generation data mining tools to aid in lifecycle support for
aircraft, spacecraft, satellites and ships is widely recognized, as exemplified
by the scope of the solicitation for this program. The Intelligent Data
Understanding (IDU) Group at NASA Ames Research Center is a prime candidate for
collaboration in developing and using Taiga. Through productive Phase 1
discussions with IDU, MAC determined that the most relevant area for Taiga at
IDU is Discovery and Systems Health (DaSH), whose mission includes monitoring,
data analysis, prognostics, diagnostics, and diagnostic decision aids. In this
arena NASA will benefit from MAC's experience with Threat Assessment for
satellites with the Air Force Research Lab. The Taiga system can be directly
applied to problems being examined at DaSH, and it is highly complementary to
existing software already being used and tested within IDU, including but not
limited to Dave Iverson's Inductive Monitoring System (IMS) and Pat Castle's
Mariana. There is important synergy between Tiaga and these packages; with IMS
Taiga complements feature reduction, cluster visualization, explainability,
fusion and data synthesis for validation, and with Mariana it complements data
fusion and parallelization.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Products for
discovering novel events and detecting anomalies are quickly becoming
indispensable for the proper operation and maintenance of the complex systems
employed by modern industry, medical providers and the military. Factories,
health monitors, aircraft and other vehicles regularly produce hundreds or
thousands of channels of telemetry in real time, which must be monitored for
possible indications of failure. These data resources present an extremely
diverse market opportunity for Taiga, which will detect events of interest in
high-volume data streams of large dimensionality, independent of the raw data
source. This diversity is confirmed by the variety of customers who have already
expressed interest in MAC's anomaly detection software, including Dow Chemical,
Boeing and Space-X. The "Write Once Deploy Anywhere" (WODA) component of Taiga
represents another major commercial opportunity. The emerging trend in hardware
from single to multi-core systems is exposing a fast-growing requirement in the
software industry for intelligent development tools to aid programmers in
converting existing non-parallel algorithms to parallel algorithms. After Phase
2, Optillel will be positioned to license its technology for C++ on any
Integrated Development Environment and leverage an enormous pre-existing market.
MAC will benefit by being the first partner to use Optillel's WODA technology
and reduce development costs for multicore-enabled anomaly detection products.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Operations Concepts and
Requirements
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Autonomous Control and
Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
Portable Data
Acquisition or Analysis Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.06-9274 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB20P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Sensing and Diagnostic Capability |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Time Domain Terahertz Axial Computed Tomography Non Destructive Evaluation |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Picometrix, LLC
2925 Boardwalk Drive
Ann
Arbor, MI 48104-6765
(734) 864-5600
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Zimdars
dzimdars@picometrix.com
2925 Boardwalk Drive
Ann Arbor, MI
48104-6765
(734) 864-5639
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this Phase 2 project, we
propose to develop, construct, and deliver to NASA a computed axial tomography
time-domain terahertz (CT TD-THz) non destructive evaluation (NDE) system which
will provide true three dimensional images of aerospace polymer, ceramic, and
composite structures. Traditional time domain terahertz reflection tomographic
imaging captures only a single view of an object, generating images of laminar
structure similar to an ultrasound "B-Scan". This reflection tomographic imaging
is limited, however, in revealing only the laminar structure which presents a
clear specular reflection from each interface. Furthermore, traditional time
domain terahertz reflection tomographic imaging has substantial difficulty in
determining the layer index of refraction an absorption properties without
ambiguity. In Phase 1 we demonstrated the feasibility TD-THz axial computed
tomography to generate cross-sectional slices of aerospace materials. This
method acquires not one view, but many radial axial views, generating a sinogram
which can be used to reconstruct images using a derivative of standard X-Ray CT
filtered back-projection. The sinogram can be generated by the transmission
absorbance, transmission time of flight, and, in principle, reflection
measurements. The reconstructed TD-THz CT images are 3D maps of the absorption
coefficients and/or the index of refraction of the subsurface material.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed TD-THz CT NDE imager will be valuable in characterizing the aging and
durability of aircraft and spacecraft materials and components. Material
examples include Kevlar, Zylon, and other non-conductive polymer matrix
composites. Example NDE applications where these materials are used include
inspection of soft shell fan containment, thermal protection systems, and
composite overwrap pressure vessels. These materials are in systems in which the
3D internal examination of new construction for flaws (voids, disbonds,
inclusions, improper geometry and dimensions, and incomplete curing) may be
critical. It will be critical to periodically inspect systems for damage,
fatigue and chemical degradation.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Polymer matrix
composites are used in automobile and ships and many other consumer and
industrial products. TD-THz CT 3D imaging applications can include inspection of
automobile dashboards, imaging inspection for delamination of printed circuit
boards, inspection of pipe insulation, as well as with manufactured parts such
as pure plastic and paper products. TD-THz CT imaging benefits homeland security
applications under development such as personnel and luggage inspection for
concealed weapons and explosives (in luggage, shoes, etc.). TD-THz CT imaging
and spectroscopy can inspect items in shipment such as mail, cardboards
packages, and plastic and wood crates.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Propellant
Storage
Ablatives
Airframe
Erectable
Inflatable
Launch and Flight
Vehicle
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Microwave/Submillimeter
Photonics
Ceramics
Composites
Optical
& Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.10-8772 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB12P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Adaptive Structural Mode Suppression |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Adaptive Feedfoward Feedback Control Framework |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Zona Technology, Inc.
9489 E. Ironwood
Square Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4578
(480) 945-9988
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jie Zeng
jzeng@zonatech.com
9489 E. Ironwood Square Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4578
(480)
945-9988
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An Adaptive Feedforward and
Feedback Control (AFFC) Framework is proposed to suppress the aircraft's
structural vibrations and to increase the resilience of the flight control law,
in the presence of AE/ASE interactions. Specifically, the adaptive feedforward
controller is designed to reduce any atmospheric induced structural vibrations
of the aircraft. The adaptive feedback controller is applied as an additive
perturbation of the flight control system to suppress any undesired AE/ASE
interactions, and prevent the onset of Flutter/Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO)
instabilities within the flight envelope of a flexible aircraft. The proposed
research effort fits very well within the scope of the NASA Dryden Flight
Research Center topic "A1.10 Adaptive Structural Mode Suppression," specifically
within the Integrated Resilient Aircraft Control (IRAC) effort under the
Aviation Safety Program. This research will help the original flight control
system to robustly recover from or adjust easily to any unforeseen change during
its normal operation due to AE/ASE interactions. In addition, practical concerns
will deal with the minimal interference with the original rigid-body controller,
as well as its feasible implementation using the standard controller's sampling
rate frequency.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Being
capable of on-line estimation/monitoring of the elastic modes of the aircraft,
the proposed adaptive control technology can be automatically adjusted to
attenuate any potential adverse aeroelastic/aeroservoelastic effects of an
aircraft before a sustained limit cycle and vehicle damage are encountered.
Hence, the proposed project will assist NASA in its goal to achieve an
integrated flight control system resilient to failures, damage, and upset
conditions unforeseen during the development of the aircraft's original control
law. Once this adaptive control technology is developed, it can be readily
adopted by NASA for a wide class aerospace vehicles ranging from current to the
next-generation designs such as F/A-18 AAW, Hyper X, X-43 and oblique flying
wing.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
adaptive feedforward and feedback control framework will have extensive
application in non-NASA commercial applications. Firstly, due to the potential
Flight Control System (FCS) benefits from avoiding notch filters, the proposed
methodology can be used by military and commercial aircraft manufacturers for
new aircraft designs, modifications and upgrades. Secondly, it brings a variety
of applications in other industries. Among others it can be mentioned: •
Acoustic noise cancellation in headphone devices • Reduction of the noise level
for rotating fans in computer servers • Suppression and/or attenuation of
vibrations in large satellite structures • Cabin noise reduction for the next
generation executive transport aircraft, such as the • Marcel Dassualt's Falcon
7X. The noise source can be associated with engine or gust noise. • Vibration
suppression across the automotive industry, such as vehicle's engine vibration,
adaptively tuning of the suspension in formula 1 racing cars, and so on.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Controls-Structures Interaction
(CSI)
Simulation Modeling Environment
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A1.11-9128 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC52P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Universal Enabling IVHM Technologies in Architecture, System Integration, Databases, and Verification and Validation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Validation Tools and Methods for Diagnostic Systems |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Barron Associates, Inc.
1410 Sachem Place,
Suite 202
Charlottesville, VA 22901-2559
(434) 973-1215
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Alec Bateman
bateman@bainet.com
1410 Sachem Place, Suite 202
Charlottesville, VA 22901-2559
(434) 973-1215
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The potential benefits of
advanced algorithms for diagnostics and prognostics, inner-loop control, and
other flight critical systems have been demonstrated in a number of research
efforts. Because many of the new algorithms differ significantly from the
approaches used in most operational vehicles, and because of factors such as
non-deterministic behavior due to adaptation, flight certification of the
approaches has been challenging. Verification and validation (V&V) of
advanced control laws has received significant research attention, and progress
has been made in terms of tools, methods, and architectures for facilitating
V&V. Building on this prior V&V work, the proposed research will develop
innovative methods and tools for validation of diagnostic systems. The Phase I
research demonstrated the value of probabilistic analysis in general, and
generalized Polynomial Chaos techniques specifically for measuring diagnostic
system performance. The Phase II research will further develop probabilistic
methods, and will combine them with worst-case analysis techniques to assess
traditional diagnostic system metrics, as well as interactions between
diagnostic systems and inner-loop control approaches. Building on the CAESAR
tool control law validation tool, a software package to facilitate validation of
diagnostic systems will be implemented, and the tool will be demonstrated on a
representative diagnostic system.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed software tool will be a key enabling technology for flight
certification of advanced diagnostic algorithms. Such diagnostic algorithms have
significant potential in terms of improving safety of flight in a wide range of
fixed-wing and rotary-wing air vehicles. Diagnostic systems are of particular
interest in unmanned and autonomous vehicles, because there is limited or no
human interaction to aid with fault recognition, or to identify failures and
take appropriate corrective action. The proposed technology will be applicable
to NASA research aircraft such as the AirSTAR both in terms of certifying
diagnostic systems for these aircraft, and in reducing the risk associated with
flight testing of new diagnostic approaches on these research platforms. The
proposed technology will also aid in realizing the goals of the Aviation Safety
Program by helping to transition diagnostic technologies developed by NASA and
other to production aircraft.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA
aerospace applications of the diagnostic validation approaches include
commercial and military fixed-wing and rotary-wing air vehicles, and
particularly autonomous and unmanned aerial vehicles. Diagnostic systems play a
particularly important role in autonomous systems, which lack human interaction
to aid in fault detection and isolation. With growing interest in autonomous
vehicles from both military and commercial users, this represents a large
potential market. The diagnostic validation procedures will also be valuable for
marine and ground vehicles, again, particularly autonomous and unmanned
vehicles. Other applications include industrial machinery such as factory
automation and power generation equipment. The Polynomial Chaos tools underlying
the validation approach will have even broader potential application. For
example, these tools are already being applied to analysis of uncertainty in
aeroelastic systems, which could easily be extended to other systems involving
mechanical structures or fluid flows. Clearly, this represents a huge potential
market.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.01-9010 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB26P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Materials and Structures for Future Aircraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Temperature Shape Memory Alloy Technology for Inlet Flow Control |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
34 Lexington
Avenue
Ewing, NJ 08618-2302
(609) 538-0444
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Todd Quackenbush
todd@continuum-dynamics.com
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing, NJ
08618-2302
(609) 538-0444
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Recent advances in propulsion,
aerodynamic, and noise technologies have led to a revived interest in supersonic
cruise aircraft; however, achieving economic viability for these vehicles
requires dramatic improvements in cruise efficiency. Optimization of inlet
performance offers a potent method for achieving this goal, and a range of
conceptual flow control systems are available to address critical problems like
blockage, boundary layer bleed, duct length, and flow distortion. By exploiting
High Temperature Smart Memory Alloy (HTSMA) technologies, these concepts can be
mechanized into robust, compact and lightweight devices, enabling actuators
suitable integration into the inlets of supersonic aircraft. The proposed effort
leverages prior successful development of solid state smart structures by the
investigators in developing of small scale surface-mounted flow control devices
as well as large scale actuation systems for inlet ramp mechanisms actuated via
HTSMA technology. The proposed Phase II will build upon the Phase I proof of
concept study to further develop a fully integrated active supersonic inlet
system, including active inlet ramp and deployable flow control devices, as well
as the aero/thermo/structural analysis models required to design such systems
and subcomponents. In addition, Phase II will be the continued refinement and
characterization of actuator-ready HTSMAs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
By
providing foundational research on innovative concepts for propulsion system
components for supersonic transport aircraft, the proposed effort will directly
support a wide range of fundamental NASA goals in aeronautics. One key result of
the effort will be extended development and characterization of highly promising
HTSMA materials, a resource of great potential for high speed and/or high
temperature applications in subsonic, supersonic, and hypersonic aircraft. In
addition, the Phase I effort will lay the groundwork for enabling technology to
provide integrated inlet/engine control to ensure safe, stable, and efficient
operation for continuous flight above Mach 2. Also, the projected integrated
aero/thermo/elastic models of actuator performance to be assembled and validated
will assist the development of concurrent engineering tools for analysis and
design of smart-materials-based propulsion flow control systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A successful
Phase II effort will open the door to prototype testing and eventual
implementation of a HTSMA-driven adaptive flow control system. The most direct
beneficiary would be next-generation supersonic aircraft that could incorporate
these robust, low-profile, low-power flow control devices to permit an optimal
balance of improved engine/inlet performance and enhanced engine safety.
Successful implementation in this application would also lead to spin-off
developments in a number of actuation tasks, including follow-on control
concepts for compressor and turbine stages in subsonic or supersonic engines
that would directly benefit both civil and military systems. Supersonic cruise
technology is also of interest to U.S. Department of Defense agencies, and the
developments projected here would directly benefit numerous missile designs as
well as both manned and unmanned aircraft systems. Finally, spin-off
applications of this technology for control of subsonic engine noise emissions
of interest to commercial engine manufacturers, and commercialization of
derivatives of the technology to be developed in Phase II for this application
will be undertaken in partnership with commercial aircraft engine manufacturers.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Controls-Structures Interaction
(CSI)
Kinematic-Deployable
Simulation Modeling Environment
Testing
Facilities
Structural Modeling and Tools
Computational
Materials
Metallics
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
Aircraft
Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.01-9382 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB27P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Materials and Structures for Future Aircraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Multifunctional Aerogel Thermal Protection Systems for Hypersonic Vehicles |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Aspen Aerogels, Inc.
30 Forbes
Road
Northborough, MA 01532-2501
(508) 481-5058
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Wendell Rhine
wrhine@aerogel.com
30 Forbes Road, Building B
Northborough, MA
01532-2501
(508) 466-3130
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The overall objective of the
Phase II project is to develop lightweight reinforced aerogel materials for use
as the core structural insulation material in multifunctional thermal protection
systems for next generation hypersonic vehicles. During this Phase II SBIR
project, we will build on the successful results of the Phase I effort by
optimizing the aerogel preparation methods and conducting a complete study of
aerogel properties and capabilities. During the Phase II effort, the aerogel
thermal conductivities and mechanical properties will be optimized for use as
multifunctional TPS materials for hypersonic vehicles including the capability
of withstanding very high heating rates. We will prepare these aerogels by
methods that can be scaled-up and manufactured economically. Any issues
associated with scaling-up production of the rigid aerogel panels will be
determined, and a prototype thermal protection system will be fabricated and
tested. Successful completion a Phase II program will result in an optimized
formulation for the aerogel component of multifunctional TPS, and performance
data will be available for further commercialization efforts specific to the
aerospace industry. We believe the Phase II Program will advance the state of
the art for the development of the next generation thermal protection system
materials.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
material developed in the Phase II effort could have a variety of applications
in the aerospace industry and within NASA. Aerogels are the most efficient
thermal insulation known, and NASA has several applications that would benefit
from the low density, high strength and low thermal conductivity of aerogels.
Structural/insulative composite aerogels would have applications in hypersonic
vehicles, crew exploration vehicles, and reusable launch vehicles. Aerogels
could also be applied to NASA spacesuit applications, and insulation for
cryogenic fuel tanks, cryogenic fuel transfer lines, and internal insulation
applications on re-usable launch vehicles.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The resulting
insulation system from this program will also have far reaching benefits for
both military and commercial applications. The materials would also be of
interest to DoD for their hypersonic global strike vehicles. The potential also
exist for insulating weapons, fuel tanks, electronics, and landing gear bays of
military aircraft. There are also numerous and far-ranging applications for
durable and reliable insulation systems that would improve the energy efficiency
of high temperature industrial processes. Finally, the product will have a
commercial impact in areas such as: appliance insulation, airliner fuselages,
and industrial furnaces and could also be used as a cryogenic insulation for LNG
fuel storage tanks where structural insulation materials are required.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Reuseable
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.02-9839 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB33P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Combustion for Aerospace Vehicles |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Automated Analysis of Imaging Based Experiments |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Energy Plus Ltd.
23342 South Pointe Drive,
Suite E
Laguna Hills, CA 92653-1422
(949) 583-1197
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vincent McDonell
mcdonell@erc-ltd.com
23342 South Pointe Drive, Suite E
Laguna
Hills, CA 92653-1422
(949) 583-1197
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
For many applications
involving liquid injection, the ability to predict the details of the breakup
process is often limited due to the complexity of the two-phase phenomena.
Likewise, the ability to experimentally characterize these phenomena is also
limited due in part to the need to rely upon visualization tools which are
inherently qualitative. As a result, the ability to validate predictions using
these diagnostic tools is also limited. In recent years, visualization
diagnostics have evolved substantially in terms of spatial and temporal
resolution. The advancements, coupled with a tool to conveniently quantify the
results obtained relative to the breakup process offer the potential for a
marked increase in understanding of this phenomenon. The proposed effort will
develop such a tool that will be applied to the problems of pressure swirl
injectors and liquid injection into a crossflow. The typical characteristics
associated with this type of liquid breakup, such as column/sheet flattening,
bending, fracture point, dynamics, etc. will be automatically quantified using
the tool proposed. The project will utilize existing results obtained with
state-of-the-art high speed imaging, but will acquire limited data as well to
validate the tools developed. Comparisons with advanced CFD modeling will be
made to demonstrate the application of the software developed.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
project will result in a novel experimental technique that can be applied to
existing and new imaging based diagnostic available at NASA. As applied to
various two-phase flow problems, the tool developed will facilitate CFD
validation as well as increased understanding of the breakup of liquids for a
variety of applications. The tool is particularly well suited for quantitative
comparison of experimental results with predictions from advanced simulation
techniques such as LES and/or VOF or other high fidelity phase interface
tracking methods. ERC will work closely with NASA to focus the Phase II efforts
on areas/imaging problems of immediate interest to NASA.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The software
developed will be of interest to imaging system providers to help improve the
utility of their products. Likewise, any owner of such equipment applying it to
problems involving sprays or multiphase flows can potentially make use of the
software developed. Additional development for other specific applications will
further expand the potential use.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Testing Facilities
Feed System
Components
Optical
Combustion
Liquid-Liquid Interfaces
Aircraft
Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.02-9840 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB34P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Combustion for Aerospace Vehicles |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Mechanistic Model for Atomization of Superheated Liquid Jet Fuel |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Energy Plus Ltd.
23342 South Pointe Drive,
Suite E
Laguna Hills, CA 92653-1422
(949) 583-1197
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vincent McDonell
mcdonell@erc-ltd.com
23342 South Pointe Drive, Suite E
Laguna
Hills, CA 92653-1422
(949) 583-1197
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As air-breathing combustion
applications advance, increased use of fuel for cooling, combined with cycle
advancements, leads to a situation where the fuel can become superheated. While
this can lead to potential benefit in terms of the eventual fuel injection
process, with enhanced atomization and evaporation, it creates a significant
challenge relative design of a system to successfully exploit this behavior.
Further, existing computational design tools have not be sufficiently validated
to predict the behavior of superheated liquids. Dealing with the superheat
behavior in the injection of a liquid fuel requires substantially more physical
phenomena to be accounted for compared to a subcooled system. As a result,
detailed data and models for this behavior as encountered in practical fuels are
needed in order to validate and evolve the models needed. In the work proposed,
emphasis will be given to the injection of a plain liquid jet under superheated
conditions. Building from the successful Phase I effort, the behavior of
internal liquid and external spray in both quiescent and heated crossflow
environments will be studied. The models evolved will be incorporated into an
existing simulation environment developed by ERC for atomization of liquid jets.
In addition, data will be available for CFD validation.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
For
Aerospace applications, development of fuel injection schemes that involve fuel
superheat will be enhanced by model construction and validation resulting from
the proposed project. Both standalone modeling tools and models for
incorporation into a CFD environment will result from the project. NASA design
tools will be enhanced in general and any simulation platforms needing to
incorporate superheated fuel behavior will benefit in particular.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Any application
with fuel injection systems involving the potential for superheated liquid will
benefit from the proposed work. Examples include automotive applications as well
as boiler/furnace applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Testing Facilities
Feed System Components
Aircraft
Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.03-8606 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC53P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aero-Acoustics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Development of an Engine Air-Brake for Quiet Drag Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
ATA Engineering, Inc.
11995 El Camino
Real
San Diego, CA 92130-2566
(858) 480-2000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Parthiv Shah
parthiv.shah@ata-e.com
11995 El Camino Real, Suite 200
San
Diego, CA 92130-2566
(858) 480-2101
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A novel quiet engine air-brake
(EAB) is proposed in response to NASA's solicitation for active and passive
noise control concepts for conventional and advanced aircraft. The EAB concept
is applicable to 1) next-generation, conventional tube and wing aircraft
(current generation +1) and 2) advanced integrated airframe/propulsion system
configurations (current generation +2, +3). Potential retrofit opportunities are
also envisioned. Phase 1 analysis on NASA's Source Diagnostic Test (SDT) fan
stage suggests that an EAB could realize three to four decibels overall noise
reduction under the approach flight path by generating a swirling exhaust with
drag equivalent to one to two turbofan-sized bluff bodies per powerplant. Such
drag generation could enable slower and/or steeper and/or aero-acoustically
cleaner approach trajectories. A Phase II development program is proposed to 1)
perform aerodynamic designs of dual-stream, swirling bypass flow nozzles and
experimentally assess their performance and noise, 2) develop conceptual
aero-designs that address current engine architecture issues such as pylon duct
bifurcations, and 3) develop a prototype design of an EAB for validation in a
model-scale rig. The final deliverable to NASA will be a written report
presenting design, analysis and experimental results from blown nozzle testing,
plus a prototype EAB design.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed technology can assist NASA in the development of next generation quiet
aircraft, including tube and wing (current generation +1) and integrated
airframe propulsion system configuration (current generation +2). These aircraft
are likely to have noise sources from the engine and airframe that have
comparable levels. A quiet air-brake device will allow noise reduction by
creating drag without the associated unsteady flow structures of devices such as
flaps, slats, and undercarriage. In addition, these devices will enable steep
approaches, thereby locating the noise source further from the affected
communities. An additional application for swirling exhaust flows is in the area
of wake vortex avoidance and induced drag management. For example, swirling
outflow devices placed on wing tips could be used to counter- or co-swirl
relative to the bound vortex that is shed by a finite wing, resulting in
potential induced drag reduction or increase (possibly of value in a quiet drag
sense).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The commercial
potential for this system extends beyond NASA's development programs related to
next-generation quiet aircraft. The larger, shorter-term market potential
relates to the retrofitting of existing engines so that they can meet future
noise standards and/or allow steeper glideslopes without increased noise. The
midterm opportunity relates to engines which are currently being developed for
commercial deployment in the next seven to ten years by the large engine
manufacturers where there is potentially still an opportunity to incorporate
features of this concept into the final design. ATA will explore both of these
opportunities with Rolls Royce, Pratt and Whitney, and other engine
manufacturers more stringently as part of Phase II.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Kinematic-Deployable
Aircraft
Engines
Aerobrake
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.04-8395 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC54P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aeroelasticity |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Blade Vibration Measurement System for Characterization of Closely Spaced Modes and Mistuning |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mechanical Solutions, Inc.
11 Apollo
Drive
Whippany, NJ 07981-1423
(973) 326-9920
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael Platt
mjp@mechsol.com
11 Apollo Drive
Whippany, NJ 07981-1423
(973) 326-9920
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Phase I project
successfully demonstrated that the advanced non-contacting stress measurement
system (NSMS) was able to address closely spaced modes and blade-to-blade
variations (mistuning). MSI's advanced NSMS method uses a radar-based blade
vibration measurement system with the following capabilities: • Provides a
continuous time series of blade displacement data over a portion of a revolution
(solving the under sampling problem). • Includes data reduction algorithms to
directly calculate the blade vibration frequency, modal displacement, and
vibratory stress (solving the mode inference problem). • Uses a single sensor
per stage to monitor all of the blades on the stage. The Phase II work begins by
confirming the sensor calibration process, modifying the sensor module so it is
compatible as an upgrade to existing NSMS system, and improving and finalizing
the NSMS software. The result will be a stand-alone radar/tip timing radar
module for current conventional NSMS users (as an upgrade) and new users. The
hybrid system will use frequency data and relative mode vibration levels from
the radar sensor to provide substantially superior capabilities over current
blade vibration technology. This frequency data, coupled with a reduced number
of tip timing probes, will result in a system capable of detecting complex blade
vibrations which would confound traditional NSMS systems. The hardware and
software package will be validated on an existing compressor rig at MSI.
Finally, the hybrid radar/tip timing NSMS software package and associated sensor
hardware will be installed for use in the NASA GRC spin pit test facility. MSI
will also supply the stand-alone radar module to a major engine prime.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Based on
the Phase I progress and Phase II plans, Phase II will conclude with the
delivery of the system to NASA, GRC (software and radar hardware) and the
stand-alone radar module to an engine prime. Improvements in blade vibration
measurement capability will significantly reduce the cost and risk of
development and operation of gas turbine engines. Customers include any
government or engine test facility that currently uses an NSMS system and wants
to upgrade or a facility that is considering the use of NSMS. The potential
applications include any turbine engine ranging from gas turbine propulsion
engines to industrial steam turbines used for power generation. The costs
associated with maintenance, downtime, and readiness are already well
established and understood by both military and industrial users, so an improved
NSMS would be attractive to many types of customers.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Applicable to
DOD/commercial engine primes and government test facilities, as well industrial
gas turbine and steam turbine manufacturers in the power generation and oil/gas
markets. These industrial vendors are striving for improved stage performance
and are beginning to more seriously address mistuning issues. With further
development a variation of the system has a role in Predictive Health Management
(PHM) for aerospace and industrial machines.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Facilities
Feed System
Components
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Aircraft
Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.04-8573 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC55P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aeroelasticity |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Generalized Reduced Order Model Generation |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
M4 Engineering, Inc.
2161 Gundry
Avenue
Signal Hill, CA 90755-3517
(562) 981-7797
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kevin Roughen
kevin.roughen@m4-engineering.com
2161 Gundry Avenue
Signal
Hill, CA 90755-3517
(562) 981-7797
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
M4 Engineering proposes to
develop a generalized reduced order model generation method. This method will
allow for creation of reduced order aeroservoelastic state space models that can
be interpolated across a range of flight conditions. This development will be a
significant advance to the process of control law development, especially in the
design of control systems required to provide flutter suppression, gust load
alleviation, and ride quality enhancement. The proposed technique will be an
excellent compliment to modern linear and nonlinear aeroservoelastic analysis
methods.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
first NASA application is the S4T program, which is currently a subject of ASE
control law development at M4 Engineering. It is also expected that this
technology will be directly applicable to the research projects planned in the
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD). The multidisciplinary nature of
the technology makes it an ideal candidate for use any time a very high
performance vehicle is designed, where interactions between components,
disciplines, and the control system are important. Examples include future high
efficiency subsonic aircraft, quiet supersonic aircraft, high-altitude,
long-endurance aircraft, hypersonic aircraft, and next-generation launch
vehicles (either airbreathing or rocket powered).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
M4 Engineering
has active relationships with several prime contractors who are likely users of
this technology. These include Boeing Phantom Works, Northrop Grumman, and
Raytheon. These provide excellent commercialization opportunities for the
technology. Active marketing to prime contractors and other specialty airframers
(e.g., Aerovironment, General Atomics, etc.) will follow these applications. The
application of these new reduced-order modeling techniques is expected to find
wide application to many aerospace and non-aerospace products. Model reduction
for control system development is a widely applicable concept. Examples include
the medical engineering field, automotive, aerospace/defense, and alternative
energy applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Controls-Structures
Interaction (CSI)
Launch and Flight Vehicle
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Structural Modeling and Tools
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.04-9327 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC57P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aeroelasticity |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Nonlinear Aerodynamic and Nonlinear Structures Interations (NANSI) Methodology for Ballute/Inflatable Aeroelasticity in Hypersonic Atmospheric Entry |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Zona Technology, Inc.
9489 E. Ironwood
Square Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4578
(480) 945-9988
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Danny Liu
danny@zonatech.com
9489 E. Ironwood Square Drive
Scottsdale, AZ 85258-4578
(480)
945-9988
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ZONA proposes a phase II
effort to fully develop a comprehensive methodology for aeroelastic predictions
of the nonlinear aerodynamic/aerothermodynamic - structure interaction (NANSI)
on ballutes during hypersonic atmospheric entry, including potential surface
wrinkling. A time-accurate Boltzmann aerodynamic flow solver, called BGKX, will
first be extended to 3D geometries for inviscid /viscous hypersonic flows. BGKX
is a robust, unified-Mach-number, all-altitude, viscous flow solver; it provides
pressure and heat flux solutions in one step. To handle the complex geometry of
wrinkling ballutes, an advanced cartesian grid system, called gridless boundary
condition cartesian (GBCC), will be implemented within BGKX. Next, generalized
reduced order models (ROM) of the BGKX aerodynamics and nonlinear structures
will be established to handle ballute wrinkling and the complex flow. In
addition to Direct physical coupling of the aerodynamics and structures, an
aerodynamic ROM - structures ROM coupling procedure will be fully developed for
efficient aeroelastic applications to wrinkled ballutes. Lastly, we will
evaluate the sensitivity of the ballute aeroelastic behavior in specific
structural features: the pre-tensioning of the ballute, its inflation, and the
existence of structural properties variations around its circumference. ZONA
will work closely with the NASA monitor in phase II should an additional ballute
configuration be considered.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ZONA's
phase II methodology:nonlinear aerodynamics-nonlinear structures interaction
(NANSI)can be used by NASA for: - Inflatable/Ballute design for CEV,
space-access/atmospheric-entry vehicles, space station designs, weather
balloons,etc. - BGKX, a unified-Mach-number, all-altitude, viscous flow solver,
is a robust method for aerothermodynamic applications. - ZONA nonlinear
structural ROM (ELSTEP) for efficient handling of the nonlinear structural
applications. - Aerodynamic ROM-Structural ROM coupling procedure for efficient
aeroelastic/aerothermoelastic applications. - The NANSI software framework can
house ZONA and NASA codes (Volterra, LAURA,FUN3D,CFL3D,nasa.ELSTEP) alike for
above applications. - NANSI is applicable to NASA aeroelastic projects:
transonic/supersonic transports, morphing, launch vehicles, CEV, TPS, TDT
activities in Langley, flight testing in Dryden , turbomechinery in Glenn, etc.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ZONA's NANSI
methodlogy can be used by DoD and private sectors for: - Aerospace/Defence
sectors: Inflatable for DoD such FASM/Navy ,HARV/Army (ISR airship),
Sensorcraft/AF, OFW,Rapid Eye, HALE of Darpa, SSC/store clearance/AF ,Morphing
vehicles/AF, MAV/AF/Army etc. - Boeing/Airbus transports and General aviation
sectors: NANSI and ROM-ROM will serve as an efficient CFD-based aeroelastic tool
for transport and civil/private aircraft design and analysis.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Airframe
Inflatable
Kinematic-Deployable
Launch and
Flight Vehicle
Cooling
Reuseable
Structural Modeling and
Tools
Metallics
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
Aerobrake
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.05-9161 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC60P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aerodynamics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Compact Fluidic Actuator Arrays for Flow Control |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Fluidics, LLC
4217 Red Bandana
Way
Ellicott City, MD 21042-5928
(410) 499-9237
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
SURYA RAGHU
sraghu@advancedfluidics.com
4217 Red Bandana Way
Ellicott
City, MD 21042-5928
(410) 499-9237
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The overall objective of the
proposed research is to design, develop and demonstrate fluidic actuator arrays
for aerodynamic separation control and drag reduction. These actuators are based
on a compact design of low mass-flow fluidic oscillators that produce high
frequency (1-5 kHz) sweeping jets. Preliminary experiments on separation control
over a trailing edge flap on a NACA 0015 airfoil, V-22 wing section for download
reduction, cavity tones and jet thrust vectoring have shown encouraging results
for these actuators. Based on the results from Phase I, and the commercial
interest from a leading aircraft manufacturer, we propose to conduct a
systematic study of the scaling parameters of the fluidic actuator arrays in
relation to the geometric and aerodynamic parameters of the wing using wind
tunnel tests on a specially designed airfoil model. This will include the
effects of actuator spacing, array location, pressure gradient and wing sweep on
the actuator effectiveness. Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) will be
undertaken to estimate the risk of the proposed technology. A rapid inspection
technique will be developed for conducting quick, in situ testing of the fluidic
arrays. Projecting to the future, a synchronous array of actuators will also be
developed.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed work would be of interest to the ARMD for the aerodynamic flow control
needs of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), subsonic fixed
wing and rotary wing programs and transonic flow control programs. The fluidic
actuators would also be of interest to the Active Combustion Control, Active
Stall Control and Active Inlet Control and Jet Noise Control Programs at NASA.
Such arrays can also be used for de-icing systems using either hot air or
de-icing liquids since the fluidic jets work with both liquids and gases.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Aerodynamic
flow control has a large number of applications in the commercial and military
aerospace industry. We foresee applications of our technology to separation
control over leading and trailing edge of airfoils to achieve high lift and
minimum-drag configuration for aircraft wings, control of jet exhaust noise in
aircraft engines, intake flow control, and internal flows in gas turbines. One
other area of application we are exploring is the flow control and de-icing over
wind turbine blades.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Renewable Energy
Aircraft
Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.06-9510 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC64P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Aerothermodynamics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | New Chemical Kinetics Approach for DSMC Applications to Nonequilibrium Flows |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Combustion Research and Flow Technology
6210 Keller's Church Road
Pipersville, PA 18947-2010
(215)
766-1520
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Richard Wilmoth
wilmoth@craft-tech.com
6210 Keller's Church Rd.
Pipersville,
PA 18947-2010
(215) 766-1520
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 2 to 3
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A new chemical kinetics model
and database will be developed for aerothermodynamic analyses on entry vehicles.
Unique features of this model include (1) the ability to model chemical kinetics
in highly nonequilibrium flows at high altitudes, (2) the ability to predict
nonequilibrium dissociation without reliance on traditional continuum kinetic
rate equations, and (3) the ability to model complex reactions from fundamental
molecular quantum models. The model will permit analyzing high-speed,
nonequilibrium flows about entry and aeroassist vehicles based on extensions to
Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) codes, and a new database will be developed
for these extensions. The new approach offers potential for treating other
complex nonequilibrium flow physics including ionization and radiation in a more
direct manner than has been previously used and therefore offers potential
improvements in accuracy. These tools will provide essential data for assessing
the aerothermodynamic performance for a wide range of vehicle designs over a
wide range of vehicle attitudes and flight conditions. The improved accuracy
offered by our proposed chemical kinetic modeling approach offers significant
benefits in the design of vehicles for both unmanned planetary missions and
manned missions to the Moon and Mars.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed chemical kinetics model software and database has substantive market
potential for NASA return-to-space related activities, in terms of its
broad-based applicability to vehicle design for both high-altitude continuum
(60-85km) and rarefied flights. The new software developed directly supports the
design of aeroassist and planetary entry vehicle systems, providing improved
accuracy and ease of usage over existing software, thus reducing design costs
and producing more reliable designs. NASA programs supported include
Constellation, which involves LEO and Lunar return missions based on CEV, COTS
which provides manned / unmanned service to and from ISS, and New Millennium
which involves a number of planetary entry and sample return missions. The
chemical kinetics model will be implemented in existing DSMC software (DAC) used
by NASA and its contractors and will have overall features which will facilitate
its widespread usage, as ascertained in discussions with key NASA personnel.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Varied DOD
groups are extremely interested in this software and programs are in place
facilitating widespread usage. We are involved in DOD programs where such
high-altitude chemical kinetics is of interest for RV discrimination (MDA), for
plume/divert jet signature predictions (AFRL/MDA), and for sensor/seeker window
blinding/contamination by divert jets on interceptor missiles at rarefied
altitudes (Army). The new model will greatly improve upon calculations at higher
continuum altitudes which is of interest to DoD for: (1) RV applications where
the wake (with charged species and/or ablation products) provides observable
data used for detection and tracking; (2) plume/divert jet observable studies
where local rarefaction effects occur and embedded DSMC is needed for accuracy;
and (3) multi-body and flux interaction studies at high altitudes where the
dense plume/blast interacting with the vehicle must be treated by local
continuum methods with the vehicle itself being embedded in a rarefied,
high-altitude flow.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
Fundamental Propulsion
Physics
Micro Thrusters
Ablatives
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Cooling
Reuseable
Aerobrake
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.08-9753 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB16P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Experimental Capabilities and Flight Research |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | An All Electronic, Adaptive, Focusing Schlieren System for Flight Research |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
MetroLaser, Inc.
8
Chrysler
Irvine, CA 92618-2008
(949) 553-0688
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Drew L'Esperance MetroLaser, Inc.
dlesperance@metrolaserinc.com
8 Chrysler
Irvine, CA
92618-2008
(949) 553-0688
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Visualization of turbulence
and shock phenomena by schlieren imaging has led to important discoveries in
aerodynamics, and there has been much interest in applying schlieren methods for
aircraft in flight. The goal of this project is to develop the next generation
of Schlieren for Aircraft in Flight (SAF) systems. SAF is a technique for
obtaining schlieren images of aircraft as they fly past the edge of the sun. In
its original form, images were recorded with a time delay and integration (TDI)
camera using slit masks that conformed to the edge of the sun. Problems arise if
the cutoff mask is not precisely aligned with edge of the sun, or if the TDI
camera is not aligned and synchronized with the aircraft flight path. These
problems can be solved using the synthetic TDI method, where the aircraft
transit of the sun is recorded on high-speed video, and then the TDI process is
carried out computationally using programmable masks. Synthetic, TDI-based SAF
systems are less sensitive to movement of the observation platform, and can be
used with non-cooperative targets whose flight paths and velocities are not
known in advance.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Flight
testing is often used as a final critical check of aerodynamic designs developed
by computational and wind tunnel methods because the information obtainable in
wind tunnels is subject to interference. Outdoor schlieren systems using the sun
and moon make it possible to examine shock waves and other phenomena from
aircraft in flight. Applications exist in all forms of research and development
associated with turbulent flow fields, including aero optics, flow control,
drag, boundary layer transition, and flow separation. The proposed developments
will be extremely important in flight-testing, where few such instruments can
perform in a flight environment.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
commercial applications include aero-optics, flow diagnostics, flow-control,
free-space laser communication, active laser imaging, high bandwidth video
transmission, spectroscopy, and high-resolution imaging.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.10-8476 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA59P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Rotorcraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Elastomeric Dampers derived from First-Principles-Based Analytical Simulation |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Materials Technologies Corporation
57
Maryanne Drive
Monroe, CT 06468-3209
(203) 874-3100
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Yogesh Mehrotra
ymehrotra@aboutmtc.com
57 Maryanne Drive
Monroe, CT
06468-3209
(203) 874-3100
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Lead-lag motions of rotor
blades in helicopters require damping to stabilize them. In practice, this has
necessitated the use of external hydraulic dampers which suffer from high
maintenance costs. High operational (lifecycle) cost has prompted rotorcraft
industry to use elastomeric lead-lag dampers that result in "dry'' rotors.
However, complex behavior of elastomers provides challenges for modeling such
devices, as noted by rotorcraft airframers. Currently used analytical models
oversimplify the complexity of operational environment and make radical
assumptions about operating parameters that, at best, lead to excessively
simplistic, and often unreal, device models. These first order linear device
models require costly and time consuming experiments to construct them;
moreover, they do not directly relate to either the material characteristics or
the geometric configuration. In Phase-I SBIR, MTC team pursued a fundamentally
radical approach wherein elastomeric dampers are derived from
first-principle-based modeling rather than device model-based analyses. Our
Phase-I program was tailored towards successfully demonstrating closed loop
simulation, i.e. a finite element based modeling of elastomeric materials
integrated into a multibody dynamics framework for rotorcraft analysis. During
Phase-II, comprehensive and sophisticated material models will be implemented
and streamlined into a single comprehensive analysis framework. These
implementations will be fully validated against bench and flight test data of
Bell M429 elastomeric dampers. These program objectives will be accomplished via
collaborative tripartite partnership with Bell Helicopter and Georgia Tech.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
TBF
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
-Robust Vehicle
Design Practices -All Rotorcraft Manufacturers will benefit from first
principles-based designing of complex products -Automotive, tracked vehicle
industry
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Testing Facilities
Structural Modeling and Tools
In-situ
Resource Utilization
Ceramics
Composites
Computational
Materials
Metallics
Organics/Bio-Materials
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
Tribology
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.10-8873 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA61P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Rotorcraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Computational Wind Tunnel: A Design Tool for Rotorcraft |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Sukra Helitek, Inc.
3146 Greenwood
Road
Ames, IA 50014-4504
(515) 292-9646
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Angela Lestari
nappi@sukra-helitek.com
3146, Greenwood Road
Ames, IA
50014-4504
(515) 292-9646
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
During initial design studies,
parametric variation of vehicle geometry is routine. In addition, rotorcraft
engineers traditionally use the wind tunnel to evaluate and finalize designs.
Estimation of rotor tunnel blockage is significantly more complex than bluff
body corrections as the correction depends on operational characteristics such
as rotor RPM and thrust produced. This proposal offers to develop an Integrated
Design Environment (IDE) which can simulate a complete rotorcraft with or
without wind tunnel walls including all the facility effects. At the heart of
the innovation are: 1. An automated hybrid grid generator (viscous grids near
the bodies and unstructured Cartesian grid everywhere else). 2. A robust and
economical incompressible flow solver for the entire system of grids. 3.
Momentum source based rotor model that is suitable and economical for simulating
configurations with multiple rotors. In Phase I, the proof-of-concept developed
used unstructured Cartesian grid for the model and wind tunnel. In phase II, the
tool will be extended to hybrid grid with viscous grid near solid surfaces and
will include several tools including a simple CAD like geometry manipulation
tool and pre- and post-processing tools all integrated in one environment to
facilitate ease of use.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA's
interest in civil rotorcraft research prompts for a computational tool which has
an Integrated Design Environment that is easy to learn and be robust and
computationally efficient. The proposed design tool accomplishes this goal,
especially in areas where geometric design changes are being considered and wind
tunnel testing is integral to the design study. The tool can be effectively used
for rotorcraft and V/STOL aircrafts where quantification of parametric variation
in the design is essential for success.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The integrated
Design Environment with a simple module for geometry manipulation and tools for
pre-processing and post-processing CFD simulation will be an asset to any
organization with a need to analyze a rotorcraft design or develop a new design.
Incidentally the tool acting as a computational wind tunnel will be an asset to
other government agencies including ARMY, NAVY and AIR FORCE where wind tunnel
testing of rotorcraft and V/STOL aircrafts is routine. In the rotorcraft
industry, the proposed tool can be used to assist during the design process. The
tool will be designed to be versatile and enable the user to easily vary design
parameters. In the educational institutions the tool will help the students to
gain insight on different flow phenomena, the effect of geometric variation and
wind tunnel walls on the performance and flow field of a rotorcraft.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis
Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.10-8919 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA62P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Rotorcraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Fully Integral, Flexible Composite Driveshaft |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Lawrie Technology, Inc.
227 Hathaway
E
Girard, PA 16417-1552
(814) 746-4125
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Duncan Lawrie
duncan@lawrietechnology.com
227 Hathaway E
Girard, PA
16417-1552
(814) 746-4125
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An all-composite driveshaft
incorporating integral flexible diaphragms is described and proposed for phase
II prime conractor testing. The approach obsoletes the split lines required to
attach metallic flex elements and either metallic or composite spacing tubes in
current solutions. Sub-critical driveshaft weights half that of incumbent
technology are achievable for typical rotary wing shaft lengths. Spacing tubes
are described, which comprise an integral part of the initial tooling but which
remain part of the finished shaft and control natural frequencies and torsional
stability. A concurrently engineered manufacturing process and design for
performance is described which competes with incumbent solutions at
significantly lower weight and with the probability of improved damage tolerance
and fatigue life. This phase II proposal seeks to produce additional fatigue
test articles to supplement the pair of shafts provided during phase I for
static evelauation. The phase II effort will also support the prime contractor
test program designed to raise Technology Readiness Level to 6-7.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
rotary wing subtopic 2.10 includes both materials & structures and
propulsion components requiring lower weight and higher performance in power
transmission components. These include tail rotor drives, tilt-rotor cross-over
drives, and tandem rotor connection shafts. Current technology has not changed
in decades as it concerns motion accomodating, high torque density driveshafts.
Enhanced mission availability and cost reduction can be obtained via the reduced
part count and improved fatigue performance already established by this fully
integral, all-composite driveshaft technology. Further refinement and
preparation of flight qualification test articles is proposed and, once fielded,
NASA and NASA partners will also benefit from increased payload.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to
both military and commercial rotary wing programs other extremely weight
sensitive driveshaft applications include JSF lift fan flxible shafts and Navy
hovercraft/air cushion landing craft. General industrial applications likely to
benefit most include very high speed turbomachinery relying on long titanium
spacing tubes to stay sub-critical.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Controls-Structures
Interaction (CSI)
Structural Modeling and Tools
Waste Processing and
Reclamation
Fluid Storage and Handling
Composites
Energy
Storage
Aircraft Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A2.10-9479 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA64P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Rotorcraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Multifunctional Erosion Resistant Icephobic Appliques for Rotorblades |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
NanoSonic, Inc.
1485 South Main
Street
Blacksburg, VA 24060-5556
(540) 953-1785
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mike Bortner
mbortner@nanosonic.com
1485 South Main Street
Blacksburg, VA
24060-0618
(540) 953-1785
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The overall objective of this
NASA SBIR program is to develop technology enablers for NASA's rotorcraft vision
to facilitate rotorcraft operation in all weather environments. Specifically,
NanoSonic will build on its successful completion of Phase I objectives and
first generation test article demonstration to optimize, scale up, and qualify
high performance, multifunctional, nanostructured, icephobic appliqués with
enhanced erosion resistance for rotorblade leading edges. Reliable all-weather
service has specifically been identified as one of the barriers to achieving
NASA's rotorcraft vision. To truly revolutionize air transportation mobility,
rotorcraft must be able to operate in similar environments to current fixed wing
vehicles – including environmental conditions in which icing may occur.
NanoSonic's multifunctional appliqués will help to enable NASA's rotorcraft
vision by completely preventing ice buildup on rotorblades. Implementation of
NanoSonic's erosion resistant hydrophobic appliqués will facilitate mission
critical operations in icing conditions and mitigate concerns of vibration
transmission and shudder that are associated with ice buildup. NanoSonic's
appliqués integrate erosion resistant nanocomposites, enhancing rotorcraft
operation in high erosion environments. Maintenance and associated costs are
reduced, as a new appliqué can be readily placed on the rotorblade leading edge
when the existing appliqué has exhausted its functionality.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Of
immediate interest to enabling NASA's rotorcraft vision, as the proposed
technology is matured and qualified throughout the proposed effort, multiple
manufacturers and customers will integrate this technology within their
rotorcraft designs to help enable all-weather rotorcraft operation. In addition
to rotorcraft, the proposed nanocomposite appliqués will be useful for a wide
range of NASA applications where water repellency, minimization of water
ingress, or reduced frictional drag is desired. The inherent water repellency
provides anti-icing functionality useful in nearly any vehicle or structure for
missions where icing or the risk of ice formation inhibits progress. Water
repellency also suggests minimized water ingress, minimizing water uptake and
potentially enhancing corrosion resistance. Minimization of corrosion on
metallic surfaces would minimize maintenance and reduce concerns of potential
structural integrity damage resulting from corrosion. Hydrophobic materials can
also significantly reduce frictional drag, which may be particularly useful for
operation of small exploratory vehicles.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
multifunctional appliqués integrate high durability and hydrophobic
functionality, which is marketable to an extremely broad range of applications
outside of rotorcraft. Water repellency provides anti-icing functionality useful
in nearly any vehicle or structure for missions where icing or the risk of ice
formation inhibits progress. Water repellency also suggests minimized water
ingress, which is a significant problem in nearly all applications where
composites are used for metal replacement. For metallic materials, the proposed
materials will minimize corrosion, reducing maintenance and concerns of
potential structural integrity damage resulting from corrosion. Similar
hydrophobic nanocomposites can also significantly reduce frictional drag,
enhancing performance. Commercial applications are nearly limitless, including
corrosion protection and frictional drag reduction for higher performance, cost
and energy saving commercial aircraft and automobiles. Because of the dynamic
applicability of NanoSonic's nanocomposites, the potential market spans from
military to civilian, opening the door to endless possibilities in multiple
industries.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Airframe
Ceramics
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A3.01-9057 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA67P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Next Generation Air Transportation System - Airspace |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | On-Demand Special Use Airspace |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Metron Aviation, Inc.
45300 Catalina Court,
Suite 101
Dulles, VA 20166-2335
(703) 234-0819
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jimmy Krozel
krozel@metronaviation.com
45300 Catalina Court, Suite 101
Dulles, VA 20166-2335
(503) 274-8316
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We design and develop a
Decision Support Tool (DST) that supports On-Demand Special Use Airspace (SUA)
scheduling and flight plan optimization around SUA between Airline Operations
Control (AOC), Military, Air Traffic Control System Command Center (ATCSCC), and
Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) personnel. The tool allows AOC and
ARTCC Traffic Management Unit (TMU) personnel to coordinate strategic and
tactical plans, with a strategic look ahead time from days to less than 2 hours,
and tactical plans up to the minute centered locally around an ARTCC airspace.
The tool coordinates aircraft movement though vs around SUA. The tool allows for
asynchronous communication of priorities associated with flight plans and flight
plan amendments (contingency plans) between the AOC and ARTCC TMU specialist,
allowing the ATCSCC and Military to view these priorities and TMU responses to
them at any time. This technology will be developed to Technology Readiness
Level (TRL) 2 at the end of Phase I, and TRL 4 prototype system by the end of
Phase II.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed tool has application in Air Traffic Management (ATM) Research to study
Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) changes due to SUA usage, and automated
Traffic Flow Management (TFM) solutions. The tool may be included into NASA's
FACET or ACES simulation environment for benefits studies, or in real-time
simulations to study how the Military and Air Traffic Control may collaborate in
the future.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
tool has application to military operations for wartime and non-wartime
activity. In wartime, the competition for airspace resources can be controlled
in a collaborative solution by our tool. In non-wartime civilian airspace, the
proposed tool has an application in the management of SUA activity in the NAS,
allowing the military to coordinate the activation and de-activation of SUA in
collaboration with the FAA.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Spaceport Infrastructure and
Safety
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Pilot Support Systems
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A3.02-8812 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC65P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Next Generation Air Transportation - Airportal |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | An Optical Wake Vortex Detection System for Super-Density Airport Operation |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Optical Scientific, Inc.
2 Metropolitan
Court, Suite 6
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-4003
(301) 963-3630
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ting-i Wang
tingwang@opticalscientific.com
2 Metropolitan Ct, Suite 6
Gaithersburg, MD 20878-4008
(301) 963-3630
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Feasibility study including
analysis and experiment performed in Phase I indicated that several
singled-ended optical scintillometer and retro-reflector pairs installed on
towers or poles are able to develop a vertical profile of near ground
atmospheric turbulence and wind measurements in airport environment. In Phase
II, OSI proposes to design, fabricate and test a prototype optical vertical
profile system for atmospheric turbulence and crosswind measurements to provide
critical atmospheric parameters for wake vortex decaying forecasting modeling.
Several scintillometers will be built with the goal to demonstrate their ability
to meet performance, size, weight, and packaging requirements for airport
operations. An analytical and field test program will be conducted for further
performance improvement of a vertical profile vortex detection system using
optical scintillometers to measure near ground level crosswind, turbulence, and
wake vortex on an airfield. The results of near ground vortex measurements plus
the ground vortex measurements by double-ended optical scintillometers will
provide the necessary assessment to design a crosswind, turbulence, and vortex
detection system as a decision support tool for NASA's Airspace Systems (AS)
Program to improve airport capacity and safety. The vortex detection system
could also measure downdraft on the runway. The instrument will provide
real-time continuous measurements of convergence and divergence along the
runway. Vertical winds, and hence the downdraft, can be derived from the
measured divergence. The proposed vortex detection system will also be able to
provide critical large area wind information. By incorporating this valuable
information into the low-level wind shear modeling, it will greatly enhance the
performance of the present airport low-level wind shear systems.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
Airspace Systems (AS) Program has identified that advanced technologies to
detect and avoid wake vortex hazards is critical for performing safe, closely
spaced and converging approaches at closer distances than are currently allowed.
One of the primary interests is Wake Vortex Hazard Solutions that include wake
avoidance procedures for airports with closely spaced runways; characterization
of wake vortex and atmospheric hazards to flight; and wake vortex
alleviation/mitigation technologies. The proposed wake vortex detection system
by several optical scintillometers will provide critical real-time vortex
information that will increase throughput of an airport runway complex and
achieve the highest possible efficiencies in the use of airportal resources. The
detection of vortex will entail reduced aircraft wake vortex separation
standards for super-density operations. The proposed effort will lead to the
development of wake vortex detection system that provides critical information
relevant to NASA's NGATS-Airportal effort.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The FAA may
require the vortex detection system successfully developed in this SBIR to be
incorporated in the NGATS. The vortex detection and avoidance system will
improve airport throughput and efficiency. More tests may be required and system
may further improved in Phase 3 with FAA that will lead the system to TRL level
9 -the Actual system (flight) proven through successful mission operations. A
TRL-9 system certainly has many market opportunities in domestic and
international airports. To further expose OSI's products, OSI may team up with a
large airport equipments vendor, such as the one with Airport Surface Traffic
Configuration Management System. The team-up will lead to the large scale
deployment of wake vortex detection systems at airports around the globe.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airport Infrastructure and
Safety
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A3.02-8835 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA70P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Next Generation Air Transportation - Airportal |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Microscopic Analysis and Modeling of Airport Surface Sequencing |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mosaic ATM, Inc.
801 Sycolin Road, Suite
212
Leesburg, VA 20175-5686
(703) 737-7637
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Bryan Wood
wood@mosaicatm.com
801 Sycolin Road SE, Suite #212
Leesburg, VA 20175-5686
(800)
405-8576
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Although a number of airportal
surface models exist and have been successfully used for analysis of airportal
operations, only recently has it become possible to conduct detailed validation
of such models through the use of airport surface surveillance data. In this
effort, we propose to go a step further than existing models, by actually
incorporating empirically-derived airport surface control practices into NASA's
overall airportal simulation modeling capability. This effort will produce tools
to support fundamental research of the concept and requirements for airportal
operations in the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) by
providing microscopic airportal surface modeling components that provide higher
fidelity and greater validity of modeling than previously available. Through
this effort we will use the Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation
(SODAA) tool to conduct detailed analysis of airport surface operations using
actual data.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
Phase 2 SBIR supports the research of airport operations toward implement of
NextGen operational improvements. Until recently detailed analyses of airport
surface operations could only be conducted through visual observation of taxi
routes, runway occupancy times, and sequencing decisions whereas now it is
possible to analyze such details using airport surface surveillance data through
the use of the SODAA tool. We expect that the research and development
components of this Phase 2 effort will be of greatest value to NASA and to the
FAA to enable such analyses to be conducted more efficiently and effectively.
The most likely commercialization and Phase 3 activities involve further
development of the airport surface analysis capabilities begun in Phases 1 and
2. These capabilities will be used by NASA and other research organizations to
further study operations on the airport surface.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The FAA
requires detailed collection of operational metrics to support measurement of
operational performance and investment analysis for new systems. The SODAA tool
is already being used to support FAA programs in the conduct of Concept and
Requirements Development. We expect that this use of SODAA and the analysis
capabilities to be developed in this Phase 2 effort will be expanded further.
The airport operations analyses that are enabled through the SODAA tool and the
enhancements to be created through this Phase 2 effort also provide valuable
analysis capabilities for airlines, fleet operators, airports, and other
organizations in the aviation industry. Through the use of these microscopic
analysis tools, airlines can refine their schedules and procedures to optimize
their operation on the airport surface.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Airport Infrastructure and Safety
Expert Systems
Software
Tools for Distributed Analysis and Simulation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A4.01-8341 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB17P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Test Measurement Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Aircraft Nodal Data Acquisition System (ANDAS) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Waddan Systems
8801 Encino
Avenue
Northridge, CA 91325-3228
(661) 257-4172
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mahendra Singh
mahendra@waddansystems.com
8801 Encino Avenue
Northridge, CA
91325-3228
(661) 257-4172
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Development of an Aircraft
Nodal Data Acquisition System (ANDAS) based upon the short haul Zigbee
networking standard is proposed. It employs a very thin (135 um) hybrid
microminiature sensor assembly (MSA) and a host module with USB interface. At
several nodes on the aircarft, MSAs are cemented for measurement. They transmit
the measured data to the host module plugged into a PC. The MSA incorporates an
integrated sensor (capable of measuring pressure, temperature, acceleration and
surface strains), a microcontroller, a Zigbee transceiver and a battery for
power. The host module incorporates a microcontroller and a Zigbee transceiver.
In Phase I these modules were designed after trade-off analyses and experimental
evaluation of the sensors and networking hardware. Based upon the design, the
PCB packages for the MSA and the host module were built for initial
characterization and testing during Phase II. In this phase the MSA design would
be refined as a cement-and-forget-device (except for the battery).
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Test and
measurement of airplanes during flight as well as on ground with various
simulated loading scenario. Devices cab used in hard to reach remote locations
and locations to which hardwired instrumentation is not possible. The low cost
MSAs are designed for cement-and-forget applications with long battery life. By
adding real time aircraft dynamic modal assessment software, real-time
correlation and control algorithms, the MSA could be utilized in light weight,
flexible and unstable aircraft structures.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The resulting
technology can be employed many commercial test applications. It can also be
used in hard to access or remotely located nodes on any structural test and
measuremnt scenario. Examples of these applications include monitoring of power
plants, vehicle engines, medically implanted devices for monitoring of human
body etc.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Airframe
Controls-Structures Interaction (CSI)
Launch and
Flight Vehicle
Simulation Modeling Environment
Testing
Facilities
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Structural Modeling and
Tools
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support
Systems
Biomedical and Life Support
Architectures and
Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
RF
Instrumentation
Data
Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Data Input/Output Devices
Portable
Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Portable Life
Support
Highly-Reconfigurable
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 A4.01-8824 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB37P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Test Measurement Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Friction-Sensing Reflector Array Patches (FRAP) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Research Support Instruments, Inc.
4325-B
Forbes Blvd.
Lanham, MD 20706-4854
(301) 306-0010
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Kline
kline@researchsupport.com
4325-B Forbes Blvd.
Lanham, MD
20706-4854
(978) 689-0003
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Research Support Instruments,
Inc. (RSI) proposes to develop the Friction-Sensing Reflector Array Patches
(FRAP), a technology that will measure the shear stress distribution on
aerodynamic surfaces in ground test facilities with high resolution,
sensitivity, and bandwidth. Unlike the oil-film interference method, FRAP
patches will not be thinned as a function of time during a test. No knowledge of
the streamlines of the flow will be needed in order to calculate the local
stress distribution; this will avoid the tracers needed with the oil-film
interference approach. Flexible patches of FRAP arrays, inexpensive due to
simple, mass-production-compatible microfabrication techniques, will be
interrogated using a light source and camera. FRAP will be independent of the
flow species and applied as a very thin, flexible, adhesive material. The Phase
II goals will be to improve the design and fabrication of the sensors, fully
calibrate taking into account competing effects such as normal forces and
temperature, demonstrate feasibility in a wide range of test environments from
subsonic to heated and cold supersonic, and provide prototype units to NASA. The
result will be a product that will address a critical NASA instrumentation need.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
RSI will
use its experience in microfabricated structures and sensors to employ a highly
innovative technology – a sheer-stress-sensing reflecting array – in order to
non-intrusively measure skin friction in NASA ground test facilities. The FRAP
technology will avoid the use of a depleted fluid and tracer elements that are
inherent to the existing oil film interferometry method, and will address a key
NASA need for non-instrusive diagnostics as well as flight test diagnostics and
vehicle monitoring.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several
non-Government applications are possible. Flow sensors have a lucrative
commercial market in manufacturing (for process monitoring) and medical
diagnostics, as well a healthy market in scientific applications. Commercialized
flow sensors are used in applications ranging from industrial processing and
medical diagnostics to high-speed shock testing in chemical explosions. It is
expected that the newly developed FRAP arrays will compete aggressively in these
existing markets. In addition to NASA, target U.S. government customers will be
the Air Force (for ground testing, flight tests, and vehicle monitoring) and the
Navy (for similar applications).
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Facilities
Telemetry,
Tracking and Control
Instrumentation
Optical
Sensor Webs/Distributed
Sensors
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X1.01-9152 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB02P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Automation for Vehicle and Habitat Operations |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Enhancing NASA's Procedure Representation Language to Support Planning Operations |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Traclabs, Inc.
8620 N. New Braunfels
Avenue, Suite 603
San Antonio, TX 78217-3856
(210) 637-7819
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Russell Bonasso
r.p.bonasso@nasa.gov
8610 N. New Braunfels, Suite 110
San
Antonio, TX 78217-0000
(281) 483-2738
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Automation and autonomy are
key elements in realizing the vision for space exploration. The NASA Exploration
Technology Development Program (ETDP) has been developing several core autonomy
capabilities, one of which is called a procedure representation language (PRL).
PRL can be automatically translated into code that can be executed by
NASA-developed autonomous executives. Another type of automation being developed
by ETDP is automated planning aids. These will be needed to increase the number
of missions that existing levels of flight personnel must be able to handle. But
PRL has few constructs to enable automated planners and schedulers to take
advantage of the procedures resulting from PRL. In Phase 1 we developed
extensions to PRL to add planning information – resource, constraints and
sub-procedural information – so as to produce code useable by automated planning
software. In this project, we propose to develop an interactive planning aid for
flight controllers to show that such an aid can process our enhanced PRL files
to generate mission plans and to test their feasibility via an execution system.
Besides refining our previous modeling efforts, this work will show that the
availability of computer-useable planning information can lead to practical
applications of NASA's automated planning efforts.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Procedures are at the core of all NASA missions, especially human
space missions. Mission planning is also at the core of all space missions due
to the high cost of space assets such as astronauts, equipment and communication
links. Our technologies will have applications across many NASA programs, from
Mission Control to on-board NASA vehicles and outposts. We expect applications
of our technology to immediately impact NASA's Exploration Technology
Development Program (ETDP). Two areas of ETDP will be immediate beneficiaries of
this technology. First, the Centaur robot at NASA JSC is already using a
preliminary version of PRL and a simple user interface to allow a remote
supervisor to command the Centaur over a communication link. Our work will
provide connection to automated planning technologies. Second, the Automation
for Operations (A4O) project run out of NASA ARC is using PRL to enhance
spacecraft operations. Our PRL extensions and planning technology would also be
immediately applicable to spacecraft operations. We will work closely with
representatives of both of these projects (Dr. Robert Ambrose at NASA JSC and
Dr. Jeremy Frank at NASA ARC respectively) during Phase 1 to ensure our
relevance to these two projects.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The military is
currently a large customer for unmanned vehicle operations. Unmanned vehicles,
both air and ground, are becoming more common in battlefield situations. In
addition, Congress has mandated that one-third of all military vehicles must be
unmanned by 2015. As these unmanned vehicles are increasingly deployed in tandem
with dismounted forces coordinating software will be necessary to ensure
successful operations. Procedures and mission planning play a large role in
these kinds of operations. We also see a need for procedures and planning in
operations such as refineries, chemical plants, nuclear and other power plants
and any installation that has established standard operating procedures that
must be carefully followed under often stressful situations, but whose
procedures are currently paper, just like NASA's. Moving these industries to
electronic procedures tied to system telemetry and integrated with planning will
allow for more efficient and safer operations. We expect to tailor PRL and our
PRL-related software to these industries and team with existing operators to
evaluate and embed our software. Thousands of such facilities exist in the
United States alone. Even with a small market penetration, TRACLabs Inc. will
have significant revenues to invest in new products and services.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Database Development and Interfacing
Human-Computer
Interfaces
Software Development Environments
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X1.01-9651 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB03P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Automation for Vehicle and Habitat Operations |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Procedure Integrated Development Environment (PRIDE) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
S&K Aerospace
63066 Old Hwy 93
St
Ignatius, MT 59865-9008
(406) 745-7500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Arthur Molin
amolin@ska-corp.com
63066 Old Hwy 93
St Ignatius, MT
59865-9008
(281) 480-1453
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA captures and distributes
operational knowledge in the form of procedures. These procedures are created
and accessed by a range of people performing many different jobs. These people
have different needs for procedure data and different ways of interacting with
procedures. We propose an Procedure Integrated Development Environment which
will present different editing modes and different views depending on the users
and tasks, but will use a consistent data representation for all users. We
propose to connect the editing environment to other tools and systems that are
useful to procedure development, including recon databases and verification
tools. We propose to build this environment on the basis of an existing
prototype, PRIDE, which was developed for the Engineering Directorate of Johnson
Space Center.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
An
integrated development environment for procedures would improve the efficiency
of the procedure authors by allowing them to concentrate on the fields in which
they are expert, without worrying about details of editing and formatting. It
would present each user with a procedure view that is most useful for the job at
hand. It would connect up to the needed data sources and other related tools,
such as workflow tools. It would provide a direct interface to simulation tools,
which allow users to work out problems with procedures at the desktop, instead
of requiring expensive high-fidelity simulations to be run to find minor
problems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A procedure
development environment would be potentially useful to a wide range of
commercial and industrial interests that use a large number of procedures in
their business. The electronic procedures that are proposed here would be of
considerable interest to those industries that rely on procedures that could be
automated, due to the availability of data sources. These industries include oil
and chemical processing, power plants, and robotic assembly plants.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Operations
Concepts and Requirements
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Human-Computer
Interfaces
Software Development Environments
Software Tools for
Distributed Analysis and Simulation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X1.02-8523 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB04P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Reliable Software for Exploration Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Efficient Techniques for Formal Verification of PowerPC 750 Executables |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Aries Design Automation, LLC
6157 N
Sheridan Road, Suite 16M
Chicago, IL 60660-5818
(773)
856-6633
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Miroslav Velev
miroslav.velev@aries-da.com
6157 N Sheridan Road, Suite 16M
Chicago, IL 60660-5818
(773) 856-6633
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We will develop an efficient
tool for formal verification of PowerPC 750 executables. The PowerPC 750
architecture is used in the radiation-hardened RAD750 flight-control computers
that are utilized in many space missions. The resulting tool will be capable of
formally checking: 1) the equivalence of two instruction sequences; and 2)
properties of a given instruction sequence. The tool will automatically
introduce symbolic state for state variables that are not initialized and for
external inputs. We bring a tremendous expertise in formal verification of
complex microprocessors, formal definition of instruction semantics, and
efficient translation of formulas from formal verification to Boolean
Satisfiability (SAT). We will also produce formally verified definitions of the
PowerPC 750 instructions used in the project, expressed in synthesizable
Verilog; these definitions could be utilized for formal verification and testing
of PowerPC 750 compatible processors, for FPGA-based emulation of PowerPC 750
executables, as well as in other formal verification tools to be implemented in
the future.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
benefits to NASA will include state-of-the-art SAT-based technology for formal
verification of PowerPC 750 executables. The PowerPC 750 architecture is used in
the radiation-hardened RAD750 flight-control computers that are utilized in many
space missions, including Deep Impact, the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, the Mars
Rovers, and is planned to be used in the Crew Exploration Vehicle that will
become operational in 2011. NASA will benefit from such a tool by being able to:
1) ensure that compiler optimizations have not introduced bugs in an executable;
2) formally verify properties of code sequences that are written directly in
assembly language for performance reasons; and 3) formally verify properties of
executables provided by other organizations that do not supply the source code.
After Phase 2, our technology will become applicable to any microprocessor
architecture to be adapted by NASA in the future, as the tool that we will
develop will allow to automatically generate a symbolic simulator for any
instruction set architecture, given a formal definition of its semantics. As
another deliverable, NASA will get synthesizable Verilog definitions of the
PowerPC 750 instructions used in the project; these definitions could be
utilized for formal verification and testing of PowerPC 750 compatible
processors, for FPGA-based emulation of PowerPC 750 executables, and for
implementation of internal formal verification tools in the future.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The capability
to automatically generate a symbolic simulator for an ISA, given a formal
definition of its semantics, will dramatically increase the potential for
commercialization of the proposed technology. All companies that either
manufacture microprocessors or develop IP of microprocessors, as well as all
their clients, will be potential users. As embedded microprocessors are
increasingly used in safety critical applications, it will become the norm to
formally verify the executables for such applications. The immediate non-NASA
commercialization will target the members of Power.org, an organization whose
purpose is to develop, enable, and promote PowerPC Architecture technology.
Power.org has over 40 member companies. The PowerPC architecture is used in many
safety-critical embedded systems. Non-NASA customers of this technology will
similarly be able to use the tool to formally verify the equivalence of two
instruction sequences, and to formally check properties for a given executable.
Furthermore, non-NASA customers will be able to use the tool to detect security
vulnerabilities in programs, thus ensuring their robustness to security attacks,
as well as to detect malicious intent in executables. The last application will
allow the technology to be used in sophisticated virus scanners, utilizing
formal reasoning to ensure robustness to software obfuscations of malicious
intent.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Operations Concepts and
Requirements
Simulation Modeling Environment
Testing Facilities
Testing
Requirements and Architectures
Spaceport Infrastructure and
Safety
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and Data
Management
Pilot Support Systems
Architectures and Networks
Autonomous
Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Expert
Systems
Human-Computer Interfaces
Software Development
Environments
General Public
Outreach
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X1.03-8300 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC73P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Radiation Hardened/Tolerant and Low temperature Electronics and Processors |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Radiation-Tolerant Reprogrammable FPGA for Digital Signal Processing Circuits |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Structured Materials Industries, Inc.
201
Circle Drive N., Suite 102-103
Piscataway, NJ 08854-3723
(732)
302-9274
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Gary Tompa
gstompa@aol.com
201 Circle Drive North, Suite 102/103
Piscataway, NJ
08854-3723
(732) 302-9274
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Field Programmable Gate Arrays
are a widely used technology; however, they are generally limited in
reprogrammability. Radiation hard, low power and high density ReProgrammable
FPGAs (RP-FPGAs) would be a tremendous asset in long duration missions. The
ability to adapt to changing mission profiles and on board capabilities is
highly desirable. We are developing a RP-FPGA technology for flight use. In
Phase I we have proven basic device concepts—increasing temperature stability,
demonstrating scalable production process, and developing refining Phase II
tasks. We have achieved this success by working with a leading FPGA
manufacturer, and the enabling materials technology inventor and others. The
range of technical interactions has also been increased as a result of the Phase
I effort. In Phase II we will develop a viable demonstration prototype that will
enable routine Phase III device manufacture. Present work has shown the desired
end should be well achievable.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Long
duration missions often must adapt to changes in mission capabilities and
mission profiles. This project will provide NASA mission planners (and prime
contractor builders) with a significant enhancement in device programming
capability. The ReProgrammable FPGA will serve (1) near- and far-Earth orbit
missions, (2) return to moon mission, (3) go to Mars missions, and (4) other
interplanetary missions. The technology developed will further NASA's
contributions to the nation's needs as a whole
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
FPGAs serve a
wide range of applications as an alternative to ASICs. Highly desirable is a
reprogrammable FPGA. Product revisions / upgrades are often constrained by past
programmed logic or suffer from extra cost as programmed arrays must be
replaced. A reprogrammable gate array would be a significant benefit to product
designers and enable a new form of product upgrade to be easily carried out -
hence offering opportunity to gain a significant market share. Radiation
resistant applications span DoD, DoE, and civilian space use. Non-hardened
devices are useful to commercial consumers in general.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Ultra-High Density/Low
Power
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant Electronics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X1.04-8403 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB06P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Integrated System Health Management |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Quantifiable and Reliable Structural Health Management Systems |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Acellent Technologies, Inc.
835 Stewart
Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94085-4514
(408) 745-1188
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Shawn Beard
sjb@acellent.com
835 Stewart Drive
Sunnyvale, CA 94085-4514
(408) 745-1188
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Under Project Constellation,
NASA is developing a new generation of spacecraft for human spaceflight. A
significant percentage of the structures used in these spacecraft will be made
of composite materials, and the Ares V payload shroud will be one of the largest
composite structures ever built. This offers many challenges, not only for
design and manufacturing, but also for inspection and maintenance. Inspection of
large composite structures using traditional NDE methods is time consuming,
expensive, and often not possible when access is limited (e.g. covered by a
thermal protection system), resulting in a conservative (higher weight) design.
Acellent proposes to develop a robust, state-of-the-art structural health
monitoring (SHM) system to overcome these concerns. The Phase II will optimize
the design and quantify the benefits for SHM on the Ares V payload shroud, and
then expand the results to include other Ares V components such as the Altair
Lunar Lander Structure, Earth Departure Stage (EDS) payload adapter, forward
skirt and intertank, and the Core-to-EDS interstage. The proposed solution will
be capable of detecting and quantifying damage with a high probability of
detection (POD), accurately predicting the residual strength and remaining life
of the structures with confidence, and providing information that will allow
appropriate preventative actions on the monitored structure.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed system directly addresses the need for structural inspection of the new
generation of spacecraft being developed in Project Constellation. The system is
specifically being designed for large composite structures such as the Ares V
payload shroud, and can be applied to other Ares V components such as the Altair
Lunar Lander Structure, Earth Departure Stage (EDS) payload adapter, forward
skirt and intertank, and the Core-to-EDS interstage. It is expected that once
developed, the proposed system will provide the following advantages over
current inspection techniques: Low-cost built-in reliable damage detection
system for monitoring of structure integrity; Improved personnel safety;
Improvement of composite bonded joint reliability; Ease of installation;
Reduction of labor time; Real-time convenience and automation of inspection
during service. With the proposed system, the structural monitoring and
functionality evaluation can be performed while the structure remains in
service.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The technology
developed under the project together with Acellent's current SMART Layer
technology offers the potential to provide a complete solution for a wide range
of structural analysis, evaluation, and maintenance requirements. The resulting
products will enable a number of high value economic benefits to the Federal
Government including: Increase in service life for manned and unmanned aircraft;
Reduced life-cycle costs from improved maintenance scheduling; Reduced structure
or vehicle downtime for inspection; Reduced costs for structural analysis and
evaluation; Increased structural reliability. The work will be conducted in
close collaboration with the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and industrial
partners such as The Boeing Company, ATK-Thiokol, and Lockheed Martin to ensure
that this research will be directly beneficial to them.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Modular
Interconnects
Structural Modeling and Tools
Tankage
Autonomous Control
and Monitoring
Instrumentation
Data Acquisition and
End-to-End-Management
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Sensor
Webs/Distributed
Sensors
Ceramics
Composites
Metallics
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X2.01-8759 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC24P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Sensors |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Flash 3D Rendezvous and Docking Sensor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc.
135 E.
Ortega Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Bradley Short
bshort@ASC3d.com
135 E. Ortega Street
Santa Barbara , CA
93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
With NASA's exploration
initiative to return to Lunar Exploration and eventual human exploration of
Mars, NASA has an increased need for an Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking
(AR&D) solution. First generation rendezvous sensors used video guidance and
required extensive human intervention and ground control. Data latency in these
systems is problematic and has uncovered the need for an autonomous rendezvous
and docking system. Scanning Ladar and stereo video have significant shortcoming
and have not proven they can provide a solution to reduce the reliance on human
interaction during proximity operations. ASC's Flash Ladar video cameras can
provide the 6 Degree-of-freedom data in real time, not available in any other
video system. Advanced Scientific Concepts Inc. (ASC) is a small business that
has developed a number of 3D flash LADAR systems. Flash Ladar Video Cameras
(FLVC) are 3D vision systems that return range and intensity information for
each pixel in real time. The ASC camera with its 128x128 3D array is the
equivalent of 16000 range finders on one chip. This allows the sensor to act as
a 3D video camera with functionality well beyond just range finding. Its small
size, low power and fast range data frame rate (30Hz) allows the sensor to be
configured for a variety of rendezvous and proximity missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASC is
working with SpaceX to deploy a 3D FLVC system for rendezvous and docking on one
of their space missions. This Phase II will be the first step in developing a
commercial AR&D product. ASC will work with SpaceX to launch and increase
the TRL of this sensor. Flash Ladar can meet NASA's requirements for a sensor
that will increase the success of EDL operations for Mars Landed Exploration,
Exploration of Moons (ALHAT, Jupiter Icy Moons), Asteroid and comet rendezvous
and sample return. Flash Ladar will have may other space applications. This
sensor will increase the success of NASA operations such as: • Rover Mobility
and Navigation • Topographical Mapping • Mars Landed Exploration • Exploration
of Moons (ALHAT, Jupiter Icy Moons) • Asteroid and Comet Rendezvous and Sample
Return • ISS Rendezvous and Docking • Space Situational Awareness • Rock
Abundance and Distribution Maps
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASC is pursuing
many non-NASA applications. Collision avoidance to save pedestrians and prevent
vehicle damage, Helicopter landing in BrownOut conditions, Surveillance, Terrain
Mapping, Autonomous Navigation for UGVs, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and
UAV, Smart intersection, Ladar brakes, Robotics, Machine Vision, Hazard Material
Detection and Handling, Underwater 3D Imaging, Sub Nanosecond Dynamic Imaging
and data transmission, consumer electronics.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Perception/Sensing
Spaceport
Infrastructure and Safety
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Guidance,
Navigation, and Control
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X2.01-9384 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC25P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Autonomous Rendezvous and Docking Sensors |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Using a Bore Sight Camera as an AR&D Sensor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Optical Systems, Inc.
6767 Old
Madison Pike, Suite 410
Huntsville, AL 35806-2181
(256)
971-0036
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Fred Roe
roe@aos-inc.com
6767 Old Madison Pike Suite 410
Huntsville, AL 35806-2181
(256)
971-0036
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Phase II SBIR project
will provide real time, relative six Degree of Freedom (6DoF) information to the
crew of the ORION for docking. Our technical innovation performs optimized
correlation (ULTOR<SUP>REG</SUP>), using video from the centerline
(boresight) camera, to accurately locate features of interest, and marry that
with a passive pose and position algorithm (ULTOR<SUP>REG</SUP> P3E)
to accurately measure relative position and pose. In Phase II this
ULTOR<SUP>REG</SUP> P3E process will be ported to an ORION VPU
emulator, integrated with a centerline camera emulator, and demonstrated in a
hardware in the loop (HWIL) docking experiment. The benefits of this program
include: • No additional weight or volume added to the weight constrained ORION
baseline design. • A backup docking sensor capability using different physics. •
The sensor output data will serve as an astronaut aid, working with the same
imagery the astronaut views, and providing calibrated measurements. • The sensor
can work with Star Tracker imagery for long range relative navigation. • The
sensor data can be used directly with the Orion control system, allowing the
astronaut to serve a supervisory role, relieving workload. • Supports Lunar
orbit docking (uncrewed Orion). • Compatible with future robotic missions and
robotic systems.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed system supports the Exploration initiative and has the following NASA
applications: • Orion crew aid and backup system for docking • COTS station
keeping/berthing to resupply the ISS • Future Hubble deorbit or servicing
missions • Earth orbit rendezvous for lunar transfer • Lunar orbit rendezvous
for return to Earth • Lunar landing (georegistration with landing site maps) •
MARS rendezvous, landing and return
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
system has the following Non-NASA applications: • Satellite servicing •
Commercial Space • Georegistration • Robotic Assembly • Security systems •
DOD-Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) • DOD black programs
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Requirements and
Architectures
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Attitude Determination and
Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Pilot Support
Systems
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X2.02-8558 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC26P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Flash 3D Enhancements for Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc.
135 E.
Ortega Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Howard Bailey
hbailey@asc3d.com
135 E. Ortega Street
Santa Barbarta , CA
93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
With NASA's exploration
initiative to return to Lunar Exploration and eventual human exploration of
Mars, NASA has an increased need for advanced Autonomous Precision Landing and
Hazard Detection and Avoidance solutions. Scanning LADAR and stereo video have
significant shortcoming while ASC's Flash LADAR 3D video cameras can provide
frames of 3D data in real time at video rates. The proposed high-sensitivity
unit cell and ROIC enhances the sensitivity of ASC's standard ROIC by a very
large factor as well as decreasing the associated unit cell area by a large
factor. This enhancement reduces required laser power, reduces focal plane array
power, allows PIN diode arrays to compete with APD detector arrays and increases
the number of pixels possible in a given ROIC area. Advanced Scientific Concepts
Inc. (ASC) is a small business that has developed a number of 3D flash LADAR
systems. Flash Ladar Video Cameras (FLVC) are 3D vision systems that return
range and intensity information for each pixel in real time. The ASC camera with
its 128x128 3D array is the equivalent of 16000 range finders on one chip. This
allows the sensor to act as a 3D video camera with functionality well beyond
just range finding. Its small size, low power and fast range data frame rate
(30Hz) provides an ideal Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance sensor
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Flash
Ladar can meet NASA's requirements for a sensor that will increase the success
of EDL operations for Mars Landed Exploration, Exploration of Moons (ALHAT,
Jupiter Icy Moons), Asteroid and comet rendezvous and sample return. Flash Ladar
will have may other space applications. This sensor will increase the success of
NASA operations such as: • Rover Mobility and Navigation • Topographical Mapping
• Mars Landed Exploration • Exploration of Moons (ALHAT, Jupiter Icy Moons) •
Asteroid and Comet Rendezvous and Sample Return • ISS Rendezvous and Docking •
Space Situational Awareness • Rock Abundance and Distribution Maps
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASC is pursuing
many non-NASA applications. Collision avoidance to save pedestrians and prevent
vehicle damage, Helicopter landing in BrownOut conditions, Surveillance, Terrain
Mapping, Autonomous Navigation for UGVs, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) and
UAV, Smart intersection, Ladar brakes, Robotics, Machine Vision, Hazard Material
Detection and Handling, Underwater 3D Imaging, Sub Nanosecond Dynamic Imaging,
and consumer electronics.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated
Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Attitude Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X2.02-8926 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC27P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Sensitivity Indium Phosphide Based Avalanche Photodiode Focal Plane Arrays |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
nLight Photonics
5408 NE 88th Street,
Building E
Vancouver, WA 98665-0990
(360) 566-4471
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Steve Patterson
steve.patterson@nlight.net
5408 NE 88th Street, Building E
Vancouver, WA 98665-0990
(360) 566-4460
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
nLight has demonstrated
highly-uniform APD arrays based on the highly sensitive InGaAs/InP material
system. These results provide great promise for achieving the performance and
uniformity requirements necessary to enable 3D LIDAR applications such as
autonomous precision landing and hazard detection avoidance. The high degree of
uniformity demonstrated offers the potential for biasing the entire APD FPA at a
single bias point. This is expected to lead to a dramatic reduction in the
complexity of the integrated circuit driver, and allow for scaling to arrays of
256x256 elements and larger. Combined with reduced transmitter power
requirements due to high detector sensitivity and low noise, this will
ultimately lead to improved compactness, low mass, improved resolution, and low
power consumption – all of which are of concern in NASA applications such as the
un-manned Lunar or Mars landing vehicles. In the proposed Phase 2 program,
nLight will optimize the performance and demonstrate manufacturability of the
highly uniform epitaxy demonstrated in the first phase. These InGaAs APDs are
expected to show gains in excess of 10, with very low dark current and noise
factors, making them well suited for LIDAR detection. Highly-uniform dense focal
plane arrays of various sizes up to 256x256 elements will be fabricated and
tested. These arrays will be flip-chip bonded to read-out integrated circuitry
for testing in 3D flash LIDAR cameras.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
1.
Autonomous precision landing including hazard detection and avoidance 2.
Spacecraft docking 3. Terrestrial and space-based atmospheric sensing
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
1. Military -
Eyesafe rangefinders 2. Military - Covert, eyesafe surveillance through
obfuscated conditions such as smoke, fog, rain 3. Military - Covert, eyesafe
surveillance in MOUT (military operations urban terrain) and dense
canopy/foliage settings 4. Military - Unmanned autonomous ground and airborne
vehicles 5. Consumer - Adaptive cruise control, unmanned parking 6. Medical -
Medical imaging
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Perception/Sensing
Guidance,
Navigation, and Control
Autonomous Control and
Monitoring
Optical
Photonics
Optical & Photonic
Materials
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X2.02-8931 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC28P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Autonomous Precision Landing and Hazard Detection and Avoidance |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Efficient 3-D Ladar Source |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Q-Peak, Inc.
135 South
Road
Bedford, MA 01730-2307
(781) 275-9535
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Glen Rines
grines@qpeak.com
135 South Road
Bedford, MA 01730-2307
(781) 275-9535
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In the Phase I program we
demonstrated the efficacy of the proposed innovation by experimentally
demonstrating an improvement in slope efficiency of ~11% by changing the pump
wavelength from 806-nm to the 863-nm, which directly pumps the upper laser level
of the 1047-nm laser transition in Nd:YLF. This level of improvement in
efficiency is significant for space-based systems where overall efficiency is of
great value. In addition to the optical-to-optical efficiency improvement, there
is a lower heat load in the gain medium reducing the cooling requirements. In
this work we take advantage of our broad experience with Nd:YLF and the unique
advantages of the MPS(TM) design to develop an all-solid-state, compact,
conductively-cooled laser system operating in 1-μm region with an
output energy of nominally 30 mJ and a pulse repetition frequency (PRF) of 30
Hz. The specific goal of this project will be to produce a laser design that is
suitable for use in 3-D flash ladar systems housed in spacecraft and used for
automated landing and hazard avoidance in difficult terrain and to deliver to
NASA LaRC a working prototype of this laser design that is suitable for use in
terrestrial testing of flash ladar systems when it is integrated with a suitable
ladar receiver.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed work has direct application to NASA programs for entry, descent and
landing (EDL) systems in future lunar and planetary exploration missions. In
particular, flash ladar systems that can provide real-time, three-dimensional
terrain mapping capability would be useful for automation of terminal descent of
unmanned vehicles. For this application the emphasis must be placed on
compactness, reliability, efficiency, low weight, and high performance. The
system concept we propose provides improved performance, due to higher
efficiency, scalability, and modularity and the potential for improvement in
overall system efficiency and the reduction in the required number of diode pump
lasers.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
high-efficiency, high-energy MPS technology to be developed in this Phase II
program would be an extension of our existing diode-pumped product line and
would offer a step-up in efficiency and energy from our existing products. A MPS
Nd:YLF laser with 10 to 100 mJ/pulse fundamental energy, and high beam quality,
with the addition of harmonic generation for some systems, could provide a
relatively low-cost solution for precision machining applications such as
marking, cutting, welding and drilling, of interest to the electronics,
automotive and medical-device industry.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Attitude Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X3.01-8838 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC29P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Spacecraft Cabin Atmospheric Resource Management and Particulate Matter Removal |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Application of a Fused Carbon Nanomaterial Filter for Lunar Dust Abatement |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Seldon Laboratories, LLC
PO Box
710
Windsor, VT 05089-0710
(802) 674-2444
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Beatrice Iliescu
biliescu@seldontech.com
PO Box 710, 7 Everett Lane
Windsor, VT
05089-0710
(802) 674-2444
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Seldon Technologies will
further test and develop its patented carbon nanotube filtration technology to
NASA's Lunar Exploration challenges. This project focuses on the problem of
efficient removal of nanoscale (10-100nm) and larger lunar dust particulates
from air using a nanostructured fiber media containing carbon nanotubes. Lunar
dust presents an important challenge to Lunar exploration and habitation,
nonetheless it has some unique properties that can be taken advantage of in
designing specialized filtration media capable of achieving efficient removal
from air. As demonstrated in Phase I, rough surface shape combined with the
electrically and magnetically charged nature of the dust means that rough,
electrically activated filtration media will be effective tools for filtration.
Seldon's work with its proprietary fused carbon nanotube media offers a unique
path to significant new purification applications that meet important needs for
NASA's Lunar Exploratory Initiatives. The unique physical properties of the
carbon nanotubes will be capitalized upon to create a filtration media with high
efficiency and low pressure drop that can be electrically powered to enhance
filtration of charged lunar dust particles.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There
are important applications for this product throughout NASA's operations from
protecting human life on lunar explorations, to cleaning the air of clean rooms,
to reducing emissions from its vehicle fleet. The potential health and
environmental impacts of airborne ultrafine particles are now known to be
significant. Typical filtration solutions struggle to remove these very small
contaminants. As a result, energy is wasted and, because of cost, some
filtration applications are just not pursued. Products based on this technology
will protect astronauts and sensitive equipment from lunar dust in the air
handling systems of spacecraft and even in personal breathing apparatus. They
will efficiently remove very small particulates from the air in NASA's clean
rooms. Finally, filters will help to clean the emissions from the many
earthbound diesel and other engines NASA operates to help reduce NASA's carbon
footprint and improve the health of its employees and communities.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
According to
the Centers for Disease Control the inhalation of fine particles is now
estimated to be the ninth leading cause of death in the US. In the past, the
best, most expensive filters have typically been used in clean rooms where the
quality of products are dependent on the lack of contaminants in the
environment. The market size for clean room air filters is estimated to be
approximately $0.5 billion worldwide. As the production of sensitive equipment
increases and employers acknowledge the health risks of their employees'
exposure to some ultrafine particles, the market for such filters will continue
to rise dramatically. The estimated global market size for air purification
equipment is estimated to be about $2.5 billion. The tremendous surface area of
Seldon's media and its ability to effectively capture and/or destroy pathogens
with a relatively open structure gives the product an extended life making it a
more effective barrier than available technology. Further, the material's high
electrical conductivity offers an additional means for enhancing the
purification efficiency by adding electrostatic attraction capabilities. Other
product opportunities include incorporating the media into facemasks, gas masks,
vehicle cabin air filters, and filters in building HVAC systems.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Air Revitalization and
Conditioning
Sterilization/Pathogen and Microbial
Control
Composites
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X3.01-9876 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC30P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Spacecraft Cabin Atmospheric Resource Management and Particulate Matter Removal |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High-Pressure Oxygen Concentrator |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
MicroCell Technologies
2 Park Drive, Unit
4
Westford, MA 01886-3525
(978) 692-2613
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael Kimble
mkimble@reactive-innovations.com
2 Park Drive, Unit 4
Westford, MA 01886-3525
(978) 692-4664
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA desires to generate and
store gases including oxygen and nitrogen at sub-critical conditions as a part
of its lunar and spacecraft atmospheric systems. Oxygen at pressures up to 3000
psia is particularly desired for refilling storage tanks for lunar and in-flight
applications including recharging high-pressure gas bottles for EVA/EMU, lunar
rovers and surface hoppers. To address these needs, Reactive Innovations, LLC
proposes to continue developing and delivering a compact high-pressure oxygen
concentrator that can take low-pressure atmospheric gas and generate a separate
stream of high-pressure pure oxygen. During a Phase I program, we applied our
high-pressure reactor hardware to separate and compress oxygen from ambient
pressure air and oxygen streams in both dry and saturated conditions. We used
this information to develop a predictive performance model for the oxygen
concentrator to aid in a conceptual design and to allow NASA mission planners to
conduct trade studies on metrics including the generated oxygen rate per
compressor mass and power requirements. For the Phase II program, we will
produce operational prototype electrochemical concentrators that produce 3000
psia oxygen from ambient pressure sources of air or oxygen. These concentrators
will be sized to produce 2 kg of oxygen at 3000 psia within a 24 hour time
period. By the end of the Phase II effort, this concentrator will be at a
Technology Readiness Level of 4-5.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Applications of this technology to NASA include generating oxygen
for sub-critical storage on lunar habitats and within spacecraft environments.
This technology will enable pressurized oxygen up to 3000 psia to be used for
applications where cryogenic storage is not feasible or desired. Furthermore,
NASA desires to use re-configurable modules that can function in dual-use or
multi-use systems in these habitation environments. With our modular reactor
technology, this process unit can be used for other atmospheric gas processing
applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA
commercial applications of the proposed technology could find use in portable
oxygen generators and concentrators for medical usage. This could be used in
hospital and home therapy applications. Other applications of the oxygen
compressor include on-site oxygen production for industrial and manufacturing
needs, and on-board oxygen generation on aircraft.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
Propellant Storage
Air
Revitalization and Conditioning
Biomedical and Life
Support
Production
Portable Life Support
Energy Storage
Renewable
Energy
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X3.02-8845 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC31P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Water Processing and Waste Management Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Water Reclamation using Spray Drying |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
NanoMaterials Company
15 North Bacton Hill
Road
Malvern, PA 19355-1005
(610) 695-0081
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Nicholas V. Coppa
ncoppa@nanomaterialscompany.com
15 North Bacton Hill Road
Malvern, PA 19355-1005
(610) 695-0081
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This purpose of this project
is to develop a spray drying prototype to for the recovery and recycle of water
from concentrated waste water recovery system brine. Spray drying is a one step,
continuous process where a solution, slurry, sludge or paste is transformed into
a dry solid and clean water. The dry solids powder is easy to transfer and does
not foul surfaces. The process is suitable for dewatering brine from the vapor
compression distillation processor and other sources. It may serve as a backup
processor for one or more existing water recovery systems unit processors. We
will employ alternative heating methods and advanced process control.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Potential applications are brine dewatering, water recovery in
life support systems for: the international space station, the Lunar surface,
Mars transit and Mars surface missions. Additionally, spray drying can be used
for the drying of high-solids-content moist matterSpray drying is well suited
for the single step drying of liquid solutions or suspensions to a dry free
solid while producing clean recovered water. A system of modest size can also
serve as a backup unit or alternative for other water recovery processors.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Innovations in
control and efficiency will be find applications in the production of
pharmaceuticals. The focus on water recovery will draw interest from the
chemical manufacturing and advanced materials industries. Spray drying is a
promising technique allow for the optimization of precursor production to
produce highest quality nanomaterials at the fraction of the current cost thus
enabling many nanomaterial applications
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Air Revitalization and
Conditioning
Biomedical and Life Support
Waste Processing and
Reclamation
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Microgravity
Ceramics
Composites
Optical & Photonic
Materials
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
Superconductors and
Magnetic
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X3.02-9715 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC32P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Water Processing and Waste Management Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Nonhazardous Urine Pretreatment Method for Future Exploration Systems |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
UMPQUA Research Company
PO Box
609
Myrtle Creek, OR 97457-0102
(541) 863-7770
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
James Akse, Ph.D.
akse@urcmail.net
PO Box 609
Myrtle Creek, OR
97457-0102
(541) 863-2653
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A nonhazardous urine
pretreatment system prototype is proposed that will stabilize urine against
biological growth or chemical instabilities without using hazardous chemicals.
Untreated urine fosters biological growth, ammonia off-gassing, creation of
bio-solids, and inorganic precipitates, which foul water and air reclamation
hardware. The current Russian system employs hexavalent chromium, a strong
oxidant and carcinogen, and sulfuric acid to stabilize urine (pH=1.8), while the
future American system utilizes Oxone„¥, a strong oxidant, potassium hydrogen
sulfate, and potassium benzoate to stabilize urine (pH=2.4). Urine stabilized by
these methods requires triple and double containment, respectively. Chemical
storage, handling, and delivery of pretreatment chemicals are also problematic
due to their hazardous nature and low pH, which significantly increases
Equivalent System Mass. The proposed prototype will utilize non-oxidizing
biocides in combination with nontoxic and noncorrosive solid phase urine
acidification to stabilize urine at much higher pHs (3.6-5.5). This approach has
stabilized urine effectively for over 57 days during the Phase 1 program. The
innovative prototype will fulfill an unmet need for safe, efficient, automated
urine pretreatment for current and future NASA missions. The Phase 2 project
will automate the nonhazardous urine pretreatment system, and deliver a fully
functional Prototype suitable for testing at NASA facilities.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The NASA
application of this innovative, safe, efficient and automated urine pretreatment
hardware will be as Flight Hardware for deployment in support of future long
duration missions such as the International Space Station, Lunar transit, and
Lunar base. The primary application will be as a replacement for current urine
pretreatment systems aboard the ISS. Secondarily, this device can be used to
stabilize other waste streams, which are prone to microbial instability. It is
anticipated that numerous other uses will be found for this system within NASA.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This urine
pretreatment technology may be employed in a variety of applications to provide
a means for safe and stable urine storage. In the near term, this technology can
be applied to storage onboard recreational vehicles, ships, airplanes, or in
conjunction with portable restroom facilities. The capability to effectively
store urine can be the basis for a new technology, in which, urine is collected
in bulk, stored, and treated to reduce the environmental impact of treatment
facilities and improve treatment efficiency. Solid phase acidification may also
be used for control of pH in analytical instrumentation and industrial
processes.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Sterilization/Pathogen and Microbial Control
Waste Processing and
Reclamation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X3.03-9656 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD27P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Spacecraft Cabin Environmental Monitoring and Control |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Spacecraft Cabin Particulate Monitor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Aerodyne Research, Inc.
45 Manning
Road
Billerica, MA 01821-3976
(978) 663-9500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andrew Freedman
af@aerodyne.com
45 Manning Road
Billerica, MA
01821-3976
(978) 663-9500
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We have built and tested an
optical extinction monitor for the detection of spacecraft cabin particulates.
This sensor sensitive to particle sizes ranging from a few nanometer to tens of
micrometers in diameter. Designed to utilize commercial off- the-shelf
components, the monitor, once calibrated, requires minimal recalibration and
only periodic baseline determinations, a process which can be automated as part
of the operation of the instrument. It employs no consumables. This monitor
employs cavity attenuation phase shift technology and involves the use a light
emitting diode coupled to a low-loss optical cavity. The Phase I project
involved a proof-of-principle demonstration that demonstrated a sensitivity of
less than 0.1 micrograms per cubic meter. During the Phase II project, a
prototype sensor will be delivered to NASA for the purpose of laboratory and
field measurements. A major goal will be to miniaturize the monitor.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
sensor can be deployed on board spacecraft cabins for the purpose of monitoring
the presence of airborne particulates. It can also be used for the same purpose
in climate change studies where particulate concentrations and their optical
extinction are key parameters in determining the amount of radiation forcing
attributable to the presence of particles in the atmosphere. The low cost of
this sensor will allow the deployment of far more sensors of this type than are
currently used.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are two
large commercial markets for this technology. The first is as a direct
competitor to 'smoke nunber' measurement devices which are used to measure the
opacity of combustion plumes from aircraft engines and smokestacks. The other
involves in situ monitoring of engine exhaust emissions with respect to the
presence of PM2.5, a newly designated criteria pollutant.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X4.02-8991 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC34P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Suit Life Support Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Compact, Lightweight, Efficient Cooling Pump for Space Suit Life Support Systems |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Lynntech, Inc.
7610 Eastmark
Drive
College Station, TX 77840-4023
(979) 639-0017
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Roger van Boeyen
roger.vanboeyen@lynntech.com
7610 Eastmark Drive
College
Station, TX 77840-4066
(979) 693-0017
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
With the increasing demands
placed on extravehicular activity (EVA) for the International Space Station
assembly and maintenance, along with planned lunar and Martian missions, the
need for increased human productivity and capability becomes ever more critical.
This is most readily achieved by reduction in space suit weight and volume, and
increased hardware reliability, durability, and operating lifetime. Considerable
progress has been made with each successive generation of space suit design;
from the Apollo A7L suit, to the current Shuttle Extravehicular Mobile Unit
(EMU) suit, and the next generation Constellation Space Suit Element (CSSE).
However, one area of space suit design which has continued to lag is the fluid
pump used to drive the water cooling loop of the Primary Life Support System
(PLSS). Conventional electric motor-driven fluid pumps are heavy, bulky,
inefficient, and prone to wear and water contaminants. A new pump type is
needed. In Phase I, the feasibility of reducing the power consumption of
Lynntech's electrochemically-driven fluid pump by employing high conductivity
hydrocarbon-based electrochemical membranes was demonstrated. In Phase II,
Lynntech will develop a fluid pump significantly more robust, and more efficient
than the pumps currently used in space suit PLSSs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A
rugged, long life, low power, compact fluid pump will have applications in the
thermal subsystem of the Primary Life Support System (PLSS) of the next
generation space suit. Lynntech's fluid pump will be more efficient, lighter,
and more robust the centrifugal pump currently used in the Shuttle
Extravehicular Mobile unit (EMU). Additionally, Lynntech's pump does not suffer
from cavitation issues and is not susceptible to water impurities, like the
Shuttle EMU pump.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
With the
increasing power density of electronics, there is a growing market for
miniature, low-power pumps for use in the thermal management of consumer
electronics. In particular, the interest in a low-cost, lightweight, quiet,
efficient liquid pump for laptop cooling is high. Another potentially large
market is thermal management systems for small fuel cell power systems.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Cooling
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X4.02-9360 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC36P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Suit Life Support Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Metabolic Heat Regenerated Temperature Swing Adsorption for CO2, Thermal and Humidity Control |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Paragon Space Development Corporation
3481
E. Michigan Street
Tucson, AZ 85714-2221
(520) 903-1000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Christine Iacomini
ciacomini@paragonsdc.com
3481 E. Michigan Street
Tucson, AR
85714-2221
(520) 382-4824
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
MTSA technology specifically
addresses the thermal, CO2 and humidity control challenges faced by Portable
Life Support Systems (PLSS) to be used in NASA's Constellation Program.
Metabolically-produced CO2 present in the ventilation gas of a PLSS is collected
using a CO2-selective adsorbent via temperature swing adsorption. The
temperature swing is achieved through cooling to well below metabolic
temperatures. The coolant can be water, liquid CO2 (LCO2), or any cryogenic
fluid. Water or LCO2 is used as coolant by expanding the liquid to below
sublimation temperatures when exposed to low pressure or vacuum environments.
Subsequent super heated vapor, as well as additional coolant, is used to further
cool the astronaut. The adsorbent is warmed using moist ventilation gas,
producing condensation which is recycled at the habitat. The overall objective
of the Phase 2 effort is to develop and test in a relevant environment a
full-scale lunar PLSS MTSA subassembly Engineering Development Unit (EDU)
comprised of a condensing ice heat exchanger (CIHX), a sorbent bed and a
sublimation heat exchanger (HX). This will be achieved by developing high
fidelity models and designs of the three functions, validated with test data
available from previous work. At the completion of the effort, the EDU will have
been manufactured and tested. The MTSA subassembly will be at TRL 5 and the EDU
can be used for off-nominal operational testing as well as MTSA system
integration tests.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
MTSA
technology provides thermal, CO2 and humidity control for Portable Life Support
Systems. Coolant flexibility enabled by the application of MTSA technology makes
possible one PLSS design for use on the moon and on Mars. Given the multiple
processes involved, there are several potential spin-offs of MTSA technology
development for other NASA applications. For example, sublimation heat exchanger
technology can be applied in surface habitats and small pressurized rovers
(SPRs) where forced sublimated convection minimizes dust contamination. The
entire MTSA concept can be possibly applied at the vehicle level. For example,
habitat air revitalization could be performed by means of water recycling
(rather than rejection and loss) as well as CO2 collection for oxygen
regeneration or coolant production.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA
applications include a wide variety of portable life support systems for the
Department of Defense and Home Land defense in chemical warfare agent shelters.
We also anticipate interest from the fire fighter community as the sublimation
heat exchanger concept emplolyed by MTSA is a powerful means for safe thermal
control that exhausts non-flammable, spent coolant. Spin-offs of MTSA component
development can be applied to cabin atmosphere maintenance concepts for emerging
commercial orbital flight vehicles such as Bigelow's space hotels, and
Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) vehicles where cryogenic
breathing supplies may be available as coolant to drive CO2 and humidity control
systems.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Cooling
Air Revitalization and
Conditioning
Biomedical and Life Support
Portable Life Support
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X4.03-9536 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB55P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Suit Displays, Cameras, Controls, and Integrated Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Holographic Waveguided See-Through Display |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Luminit, LLC
20600 Gramercy Place, Suite
203
Torrance, CA 90501-1821
(310) 320-1066
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Dmitry Voloschenko
kyu@luminitco.com
20600 Gramercy Place, Suite 203
Torrance, CA
90501-1821
(310) 320-1066
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To address the NASA need for
lightweight, space suit-mounted displays, Luminit proposes a novel Holographic
Waveguided See-Through Display. Our proposed Holographic Waveguided See-Through
Display (HoWSD) will integrate highly selective waveguiding Bragg holograms into
a helmet-mounted display (HMD) that will provide easy-to-access clearly visible
information to astronauts during extravehicular activity (EVA). The proposed
HoWSD incorporates a unique design and Luminit novel Holographic Optical
Elements into a functional HMD, which enables us to meet NASA goals for a
functional, unobtrusive display device that can be incorporated into NASA EVA
helmets. HoWSD offers a compact, low-profile display with high brightness and
contrast, which is fully see-through and high resolution. In Phase I Luminit
demonstrated the feasibility of a see-through helmet-mounted display which
prepared us for Phase II. In Phase II, Luminit plans to develop a
fully-functional rugged prototype HoWSD that can operate under various
illumination levels and demonstrate its functionality. The demonstrated results
will offer NASA the capability of incorporating a non-obtrusive, rugged, wide
field-of-view display into a space suit helmet designed for EVAs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
If
successful in Phase II, the HoWSD system, integrated into a space suit helmet,
will enable astronauts to see important mission information, such as updates
from the Primary Life Support System (PLSS), warnings and checklists, during
EVA.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The HoWSD
system will find applications in mobile devices, avionics, combat vehicle crew
and soldiers' integrated protective ensembles, logistics and training, fire
fighting, and in other areas where rugged helmet-mounted displays are needed.
HMD technology advances made possible by the successful development of the
proposed HoWSD visor optics system will lead to cost-effective
commercialization. In particular, the new HMD system will find real-time 3D
virtual reality applications. Medicine, avionics, education, CAD, mobile
computing and communication, law-enforcement, fire fighting, and video games
represent markets for compact, low-cost HMDs in the private sector.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Training Concepts and Architectures
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Data Input/Output
Devices
Human-Computer Interfaces
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis
Tools
Optical
Suits
Tools
Optical & Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X4.03-9910 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB56P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Suit Displays, Cameras, Controls, and Integrated Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Compact Optical Carbon Dioxide Monitor for EVA |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vista Photonics, Inc.
67 Condesa
Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jeffrey Pilgrim
jpilgrim@vistaphotonics.com
67 Condesa Road
Santa Fe, NM
87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Breath respiratory species
measurement during extravehicular activity (EVA) or intravehicular activity
(IVA) is a demanding application for optical sensing techniques. Yet optical
techniques offer many advantages including high-precision, fast response, and
strong species selectivity. Accommodation within spacesuits demands that optical
sensors meet stringent size, weight and power requirements. The next generation
of emerging NASA Constellation spacesuits requires a new generation of CO2
sensing technology with performance beyond that presently in use on the
Shuttle/ISS extravehicular mobility unit (EMU). Vista Photonics proposes to
develop rugged, compact, low-power optical sensor prototypes capable of
selectively determining carbon dioxide at EVA-relevant concentrations suitable
for Constellation Configuration Two Spacesuits. Design variations include dual
CO2 sensors for feeding into astronaut metabolic rate determination and
simultaneous humidity measurement for automated suit thermal control. The
enabling technology for meeting stringent NASA mission requirements is a new low
power infrared optical source that provides the high-sensitivity of established
optical absorption detection techniques.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
immediate targeted application for NASA is respiratory species monitoring during
EVA and IVA. Phase II prototypes will be capable of selectively detecting carbon
dioxide and humidity. The integrated sensors will be suitable for variable
pressure EVA operation in diverse environments like the Moon, Mars and ISS. The
sensors will allow real-time metabolic rate determination and automated suit
thermal control. Unmanned planetary exploration missions in substantial
atmospheres like Titan's are likewise contemplated. The emerging technology will
also be suitable for use on both manned and unmanned terrestrial atmospheric
research craft. Other applications include fire detection on aircraft and
high-value installations, gas sensing in air revitalization and water recovery
processes on spacecraft, and leak detection during spacecraft launch operations.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Phase III
commercial applications abound for sensors whose performance and physical
characteristics are suitable for spaceflight. Two specifically targeted
applications are high-performance medical capnographs for measuring real-time
end-tidal breath carbon dioxide in patients and carbon dioxide leak detection at
power plant carbon capture & sequestration sites. Other examples include
contaminant monitoring in process gas streams in the chemical and
microelectronics industries, medical diagnosis through detection of biogenic
gases in human breath that correlate to specific pathologies, and environmental
monitoring and regulatory compliance in agriculture, power production, and
occupational safety. The fully-developed Phase II instruments shall offer a
compelling and desirable blend of performance, affordability, compactness,
simplicity and ease-of-use relative to present commercial product offerings in
these applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Biomolecular Sensors
Optical
Sensor Webs/Distributed
Sensors
Portable Life Support
Suits
Biophysical Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X5.01-8867 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB57P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Oxygen Production from Lunar Regolith |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Heat Pipe Solar Receiver for Oxygen Production of Lunar Regolith |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.
1046
New Holland Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17601-5688
(717) 296-6058
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Hartenstine
john.hartenstine@1-ACT.com
1046 New Holland Avenue
Lancaster,
PA 17601-5688
(717) 295-6061
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Researchers have determined
that lunar soil contains approximately 43% oxygen in the lunar soil oxides,
which could be extracted to provide breathable oxygen for consumption by
astronauts. The proposed program will develop a solar receiver for the hydrogen
reduction process that uses sodium heat pipes in the
1050<SUP>o</SUP>C temperature range. The heat pipe solar receiver is
accepts the non-uniform solar thermal energy, and deliver the energy to the
lunar regolith with a uniform heat flux and temperature. This increases
throughput and efficiency. The principal Phase II program objective is to
design, fabricate, and demonstrate a heat pipe solar receiver in a relevant
environment and near optimum configuration. While the Phase I program focused on
a single heat pipe solar receiver and regolith reactor, the Phase II program
will examine variable-conductance or pressure-controlled heat pipes to supply
the heat supplied from a single receiver to multiple reactors. The program will
examine control schemes to vary the heat supplied to each reactor, hydrogen
permeation, and evaluation of the heat pipe wall materials.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
immediate application is the development of a heat pipe solar receiver for
oxygen production from lunar regolith. A lunar oxygen production plant is
projected to provide breathable oxygen for astronauts a well as oxygen for
rocket propulsion. In the current requirement, lunar regolith is processed to
generate 1 metric ton of oxygen per year. This may be accomplished passively
using a single heat pipe solar receiver/regolith reactor system or with multiple
reactors using an active control scheme. The receiver could also be used for
materials processing, processing lunar resources into materials such as
concrete, fiberglass, and aluminum.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
One commercial
application is VCHP heat exchangers in fuel cell reformers. In a fuel cell
reformer, diesel fuel and air pass through a series of high temperature reactors
to generate hydrogen. The operating temperature of the reactors must be closely
controlled to maintain their chemical equilibrium. The current scheme uses a
bypass valve, which has several drawbacks: it requires active control, requires
power, and has a large pressure drop. ACT believes that VCHP heat exchangers can
replace the current heat exchanger and control system with a passive system that
automatically maintains the output stream from the heat exchanger at a constant
temperature. The second application is adding pressure control to ACT's current
line of commercial isothermal furnace liners, which are annular alkali metal
heat pipes that provide nearly isothermal temperature uniformity. Adding
pressure control will allow the temperature to be controlled within
millikelvins, adding in isothermal processing of materials, thermophysical
properties characterization, and calibration of temperature references.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
In-situ Resource Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X5.01-9824 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC47P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Oxygen Production from Lunar Regolith |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Lunar Sulfur Capture System |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Pioneer Astronautics
11111 W. 8th Avenue,
Unit A
Lakewood, CO 80215-5516
(303) 980-0890
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mark Berggren
mberggren@pioneerastro.com
11111 W. 8th Ave Unit A
Lakewood,
CO 80215-5516
(303) 980-0231
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Lunar Sulfur Capture
System (LSCS) is an innovative method to capture greater than 90 percent of
sulfur gases evolved during thermal treatment of lunar soils. LSCS sorbents are
based on lunar soil iron compounds that trap sulfur contained in hot in-situ
resource utilization (ISRU) product gases. Small amounts of polishing sorbents
are used as needed to reduce equilibrium sulfur concentrations to the ppm or
sub-ppm level. The LSCS is an effective technology for protecting in-situ
resource utilization (ISRU) hardware from damage caused by the corrosive effects
of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and other sulfur-containing gases. Saturated sorbents
can be regenerated for reuse, and desorbed sulfur can be converted to elemental
sulfur. Key process steps include bulk H2S capture on lunar soil, further
capture of H2S on polishing sorbent, regeneration of soil sorbent for re-use,
recovery of high-purity H2S, and conversion of H2S to elemental sulfur. The LSCS
reduces the risk of using Earth-based sorbents for primary sulfur capture by
ensuring a ready supply of sorbent in the event of poor regeneration performance
or process upset. The LSCS primary sulfur sorbent can be used as a
non-regenerable sorbent if necessary without significant consequence to the ISRU
process.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
primary initial application of the LSCS is for lunar sulfur capture and
recovery. The LSCS has direct use to both protect ISRU hardware and catalysts
and to produce useful amounts of sulfur for other lunar ISRU applications. The
LSCS is directed at reducing the mass penalty and risk associated with the use
of Earth-based sorbents for hydrogen reduction and other lunar oxygen production
processes.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The LSCS has
direct commercialization potential for thermal-catalytic synthesis processes
that require sulfur removal from reducing gases derived from coal, biomass, or
other impure hydrocarbon feeds in support of fuels and chemicals manufacture.
The closed-loop aspect of the LSCS sulfur recovery system is particularly
attractive as a potential zero-emission sulfur recovery system for terrestrial
applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
In-situ Resource Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X5.02-8417 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB58P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lunar Regolith Excavation and Material Handling |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Fidelity Multi-Scale Regolith Simulation Tool for ISRU |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Grainflow Dynamics, Inc.
1141 Catalina
Drive, PMB #270
Livermore, CA 94550-5928
(925) 447-4293
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Otis Walton
walton@grainflow.com
1141 Catalina Drive, PMB #270
Livermore,
CA 94550-5928
(925) 447-4293
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA has serious unmet needs
for simulation tools capable of predicting the behavior of lunar regolith in
proposed excavation, transport and handling systems. Existing discrete element
method (DEM) or finite element (FE) models lack adequate fidelity for fine
cohesive powders comprised of friable particles with irregular shapes and
exhibiting substantial bulk dilation upon initial excavation. As such, they are
inadequate for assessing the reliability of regolith excavation and handling
systems, and even less so for evaluation of engineering trade-offs between total
system mass, power and energy consumption. Also, current simulation tools do not
include the effects of triboelectric and photo-ionization-induced charges on
regolith particles. Building on the successful Phase-1development of a new
charge-patch electrostatic model and a comprehensive cohesive particle
interaction model for DEM, Grainflow Dynamics proposes to develop a
high-fidelity predictive calculational tool, in the form of a DEM module with
calibrated interparticle-interaction relationships, coupled with a FE module
utilizing enhanced, calibrated, constitutive models which, together, are capable
of mimicking both large deformations and the flow behavior of regolith simulants
and lunar regolith under conditions anticipated in ISRU operations. This will
not only provide unparalleled fidelity but also will leverage the computational
efficiency of the continuum FE codes to drastically reduce the simulation time
and resources necessary to perform engineering analyses on regolith systems. In
addition, the modules will be parallelized to maximize their usefulness in
multi-core and cluster computing environments. This work will lead to an
improved engineering design tool that can be used by NASA engineers and
contractors developing designs for ISRU equipment to evaluate both the
reliability of various configurations as well as the trade-offs of system
designs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
pharmaceutical industry has a large number of applications, which would benefit
from significantly improved simulation capabilities for cohesive powders in a
variety of pharmaceutical material manufacturing, transport and handling
operations, including micronization, granulation, coating, blending, tableting,
dosating and capsule or blister-pack filling – especially powders designed for
pulmonary delivery. The FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative
emphasizes the need for pharmaceutical makers to understand the processes they
use and to design the processes for quality, reliability, robustness and
consistency. These goals overlap significantly with NASA's needs to better
understand the processing of bulk cohesive granular material. Reliable tools to
predict powder deformation and flow behavior would greatly facilitate the
attainment of such goals.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
pharmaceutical industry has a large number of applications, which would benefit
from significantly improved simulation capabilities for cohesive powders in a
variety of pharmaceutical material manufacturing, transport and handling
operations, including micronization, granulation, coating, blending, tableting,
dosating and capsule or blister-pack filling especially powders designed for
pulmonary delivery. The FDA's Process Analytical Technology (PAT) initiative
emphasizes the need for pharmaceutical makers to understand the processes they
use and to design the processes for quality, reliability, robustness and
consistency. These goals overlap significantly with NASA's needs to better
understand the processing of bulk cohesive granular material. Reliable tools to
predict powder deformation and flow behavior would greatly facilitate the
attainment of such goals. In addition, the xerographic industry (e.g., laser
printers and copiers) could benefit from a predictive tool to assist in design
improvements for powdered toner tribocharging, transfer, and fusing. Despite 50
years of R&D, many details of the overall xerographic process are only
poorly understood, and fierce competition provides motivation to seek design
improvements.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Tools
In-situ Resource
Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X6.01-9530 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC86P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lightweight Structures |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Self-Healing Inflatable, Rigidizable Shelter for the Lunar Environment |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Adherent Technologies, Inc.
9621 Camino del
Sol NE
Albuquerque, NM 87111-1522
(505) 346-1685
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andrea Hoyt Haight
adherenttech@comcast.net
9621 Camino del Sol NE
Albuquerque,
NM 87111-1522
(505) 346-1685
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Any manned missions to
extraterrestrial locations will require shelter structures for a variety of
purposes ranging from habitat usage to biomass production. Such shelters need to
be constructed in such a way to minimize stowed volume and payload weight. The
structures must also be very durable and have the ability to survive punctures
without collapsing. Ways of increasing available crew-load volume without
greatly increasing launch weight or volume are also sought. Inflatable
structures are ideal candidates for habitat structures for several reasons: (1)
they feature the low stowage volume and payload weight required, (2) deployed
volume can be easily increased without large increases in launch weight or
volume, (3) they offer unique opportunities for incorporating intelligent and/or
multifunctional systems such as self-healing capability, power generation and
storage, sensor systems, and radiation protection. Adherent Technologies, Inc.
is proposing an inflatable, rigidizable shelter system based on our Rigidization
on Command<SUP>TM</SUP> (ROC) technology. The proposed shelter
system features not only the required low stowage volume and lightweight
character, but also feature a self-healing foam system incorporated into the
final structure to minimize the damage caused by any potential punctures to the
structure. The Phase I program successfully demonstrated the self-healing foam
concept. This system will be optimized in Phase II and incorporated into a fully
functional subscale prototype habitat utilizing ROC composite outer layers,
self-healing layers, thermal and micrometeoroid protective layers, integrated
lighting, and power systems.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
system is being designed to support the need for structures on future manned
space missions to the moon and Mars. Applications are seen as shelters for
equipment with the potential for expansion into habitats and airlock structures.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
These
rigidizable shelters will find application in military and disaster relief
scenarios where transport of large numbers of structures into difficult areas is
paramount. Individually, the ROC composite and self-healing foam materials will
find applications in space-based communications structures, structural repair
tapes, advanced fuel tanks, and hazardous material transport cars.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Inflatable
Kinematic-Deployable
Spaceport Infrastructure
and Safety
Composites
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X6.02-8294 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC05P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Low Temperature Mechanisms |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Cryogenic Rotary Piezoelectric Motor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Dynamic Structures and Materials, LLC
205
Williamson Square
Franklin, TN 37064-1321
(615) 595-6665
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jeffrey Paine
jpaine@dynamic-structures.com
205 Williamson Square
Franklin,
TN 37064-1321
(615) 595-6665
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Piezoelectric motors operate
on the principal of converting the high-frequency oscillation of high-force,
precision ceramic elements into useful continuous motion. High-power
oscillations are converted to rotary motion through novel transmission
mechanisms to produce high-torque, precision motion. Dynamic Structures and
Materials (DSM) focused the Phase I innovation on the development and design of
a precision rotary motor mechanism that employs piezoelectric oscillatory power
and produces rotary motion for operation at cryogenic and extreme environments.
The successful design of a high-torque prototype mechanism and the subsequent
Phase I demonstration of the prototype under vacuum conditions lays the
groundwork for the technology to reach product status and commercialization
success in both NASA and non-NASA applications. Phase II efforts will refine the
innovation with additional focus on developing the fundamental understanding of
rotary piezoelectric motor design and implementation. The Phase II prototypes
will be fully characterized over a temperature range of approximately 25K to 400
K in hard vacuum. The construction materials of this type of mechanism are
inherently vacuum compatible and will be selected to provide very low or no
outgassing. DSM has already demonstrated operation of its high-force linear
piezoelectric motors for environments as low as 77 K.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
solid-state, vacuum-compatible nature of piezoelectric mechanisms lends itself
well to the environmental conditions of lunar and Martian applications. In
addition to the lunar and Martian surface applications discussed in the
solicitation topic, a number of cryogenic space vehicle propulsion systems
currently rely on large and heavy electromagnetic or pneumatic actuators, most
of which are linear actuators driving a rack and pinion to provide rotary
motion. The proposed technology would enable a reduced geometry and mass
relative to these traditional technologies. The piezoelectric rotary motor
technology is proposed for applications in the area of precision instruments,
rover control, operational equipment, and space mechanisms.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Terrestrial
applications are continuously looking for new rotary actuators, and the proposed
concept's advantages in size and weight will make the piezo motor technology a
competitive player in the rotary actuator market. DSM has been approached in the
past by researchers interested in new rotary actuators for platforms related to
robotic battlefield medical equipment. In addition, DSM has been introduced to a
variety of applications requiring optical adjustments that could benefit from
the characteristics of the rotary piezo motor including the power off hold
feature for "set-and-forget" adjustments. All-electric vehicles and platforms
looking to eliminate pneumatic and hydraulic actuation technologies will benefit
from the piezoelectric actuator technology.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Mobility
Manipulation
Kinematic-Deployable
Tools
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X6.03-8786 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC75P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Advanced Radiation Shielding Materials |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Hydrogen-Rich, Multifunctional Polymeric Nanocomposites for Radiation Shielding |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
International Scientific Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 757
Dublin, VA 24084-0757
(540) 633-1424
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Russell Churchill
intlsci@earthlink.net
P.O. Box 757
Radford, VA
24141-0757
(540) 633-1424
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA has identified the need
for development of technologies to support Lunar Lander and Lunar Habitats
programs and for transfer of relevant technology to Crew Exploration Vehicle and
Crew Launch Vehicle programs, including revolutionary advances in shielding
materials to protect humans from the hazards of space radiation. To address this
need and in response to NASA Subtopic X6.03, International Scientific
Technologies, Inc. in conjunction with the College of William and Mary, proposed
in Phase I the development of hydrogen-rich monomers for high performance
polymers, such as aromatic polyimides, and the incorporation of metallic
nanoparticles into nanocomposite materials to achieve multifunctional
properties. The Phase II Technical Objectives include synthesis and
characterization of hydrogen-rich monomers, fabrication and tailoring of high
performance nanocomposite materials, acquisition of test data to determine key
parameters of hydrogen-rich, multifunctional nanocomposite materials, and
optimization of prototype hydrogen-rich, multifunctional materials. The Phase I
program demonstrated that hydrogen-rich monomers can be prepared and polymerized
with metallic nanoparticles. The feasibility established in Phase I will be
realized in Phase II through development of polymeric nanocomposite materials
consisting of hydrogen-rich monomers and metallic nanoparticles. The
nancomposite materials will have multifunctional properties, including radiation
shielding against galactic cosmic radiation, neutrons and electromagnetic
radiation, structural integrity for flexible and rigid structures and habitats,
and electrical conductivity for electrostatic control for dust mitigation during
lunar missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed multifunctional nanocomposites will find application in the Exploration
Systems mission in protecting astronauts and sensitive optical, electronic,
thermal and acoustic components from environmental hazards including radiation,
dust and thermal transients, while, at the same time, providing lightweight
structural functions. It is expected that nanocomposite systems will provide a
high-performance-to-weight radiation shield that can be used within human
habitats, spacecraft and protective apparel. Other missions supported by NASA
could also make use of the nanocomposite materials in low earth orbit or in
other orbital paths traversing high radiation regions of space.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Lightweight
multifunctional radiation shielding will find application in the commercial
(e.g., hospitals and nuclear power plants) and defense (e.g., nuclear-powered
ships and surveillance satellites) sectors. The shields will provide protection
for homeland security first responders employed by law enforcement agencies,
fire departments and hospitals. It is also expected that the shielding can be
fabricated into temporary shelters used by defense personnel and considered for
use in the protection of individuals in case of a nuclear or radiological
events. The radiation-shielding material will be suitable for fabrication into
protective clothing for healthcare professionals involved in X-ray and nuclear
medicine.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Erectable
Inflatable
Launch and
Flight Vehicle
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Suits
Composites
Radiation Shielding
Materials
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X6.04-8594 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC77P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Advanced Composite Materials |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Double Bag VARTM for High Temperature Composites |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
San Diego Composites, Inc.
9550 Ridgehaven
Court, Suite A
San Diego, CA 92123-5607
(858) 751-0450
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Gary Wonacott
gwonacott@sdcomposites.com
9550 Ridgehaven Court, Suite A
San
Diego, CA 92123-5607
(858) 751-0450
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The process known as double
bag vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (DBVARTM) was developed by NASA to
help deplete by products. To date, the NASA DBVARTM process has reduced void
content to approximately four to five percent. This number has fallen short of
the goal of two percent. During the Phase I effort, San Diego Composites (SDC)
was able to reduce the void content to 0.8 percent to 1.5 percent. There are
three primary technical objectives to the Phase II effort. The first objective
is to perform a trade study to evaluate and optimize the effect of stitched
performs. Stitching has had a large effect on the void content in the laminate
and several different stitching variables will be evaluated. The second
objective is to transition the work done in Phase I to larger components. These
components will consist of larger plates and structures will be evaluated using
non destructive testing along with mechanical testing. At the end of the Phase
II effort, a full scale component will be fabricated, evaluated using non
destructive testing, and then the component will be tested. The final objective
is to transition the technology to Boeing Phantom Works. This objective will
demonstrate that the process developed in a laboratory can be reproduced at any
facility. By the end of the Phase II program, the Technology Readiness Level
(TRL) is expected to be 5-6.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There
are many different applications that may come from the development of low cost
high temperature composite processing. Programs such as Mission to Mars could
have benefited from such composite processing, and all future deep space
explorations programs. Specific components include airframes, large antennas and
telescopes, launch and flight vehicle structures, and components that require
power management and thermal protection systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
non-NASA commercial applications include commercial aircraft and Integrated
Defense Systems such as advanced UAV's. Specific components that would benefit
from this technology includes aircraft engines, control structures, fluid
storage and handling containers, fan blades, engine ducts, supersonic engine
cowlings, high speed missile bodies and nose tips, and rocket motor cases.
Additional applications could include the transportation industry such as
automobile and rail components.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Airframe
Launch and Flight
Vehicle
Composites
Aircraft Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X7.02-9718 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC40P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Human Systems Interaction |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Advanced Situation Awareness Technologies |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Rapid Imaging Software, Inc.
1318
Ridgecrest Place SE
Albuquerque, NM 87108-5136
(505)
265-7020
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
MICHAEL ABERNATHY
mikea@landform.com
1318 RIDGECREST PLACE SE
ALBUQUERQUE, NM
87108-5136
(505) 265-7020
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Advanced Situation Awareness
Technologies (ASAT) will facilitate exploration of the moon surface, and other
planetary bodies. ASAT will create an Advanced Situation Awareness Technology by
creating an integrated display from disparate data sources including video,
telemetry, and geographic databases which in addition to topographic data can
provide ortho-imagery, meteorological, hazard, and cultural data. This new
augmented reality display will fuse multiple information streams into a high
information density, three dimensional display with a common temporal context.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASAT
will support: - safe lunar lander vehicle operation - safe planetary exploration
vehicle operation - manned exploration of extratrestrial bodies ASAT will
provide enhanced situation awareness to explorers (either present or
telepresent) by providing and information rich augmented reality display running
on a handheld appliance.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASAT will be
commercialized for use in many applications but starting with the operation and
teleoperation of optical sensors in a geographic context. Other applications may
include aircrew situation awareness, and recreational multiplayer gaming.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated
Robotic Concepts and Systems
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Spaceport
Infrastructure and Safety
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Airport
Infrastructure and Safety
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board
Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support Systems
Human-Computer
Interfaces
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors
Manned-Manuvering
Units
General Public Outreach
K-12 Outreach
Mission Training
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X7.03-8844 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB11P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Surface Mobility and Transportation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | A 3-D Miniature LIDAR System for Mobile Robot Navigation |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Honeybee Robotics Ltd.
460 W 34th
Street
New York, NY 10001-2320
(212) 966-0661
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael Rutberg
rutberg@honeybeerobotics.com
460 West 34th Street
New York, NY
10001-2320
(646) 459-7830
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future lunar site operations
will benefit from mobile robots, both autonomous and tele-operated, that
complement or replace human extravehicular activity. Three-dimensional sensing
technology is at the heart of such functionality, enabling reliable navigation
in complex, dynamic environments, and serving as a valuable tool for inspection
and site survey. Honeybee Robotics is therefore developing a small-envelope,
high-performance scanning LIDAR system, geared primarily towards robotic
navigation and secondarily to site inspection and survey. The proposed Phase II
will draw on the results of a DARPA-funded design study and Phase I of this
effort, which resulted in successful proof-of-concept, as well as testbeds and
proprietary software tools. The Honeybee 3D Miniature LIDAR (3DML) uses a novel
scanning mechanism in conjunction with a pulse-time-of-flight optical
rangefinding subsystem. The 3DML architecture, developed with expert input from
Sensor Designs, an electro-optical systems consultancy, achieves wide field of
view and high resolution while maintaining ultra-compact package size. The
proposed Phase II will include development of a functional brassboard system
prototype and its integration and test on a K10 research rover. Phase III will
pursue a multi-pronged commercialization effort, including preflight
development, production of a unit for terrestrial research, and incorporation of
3DML into a flight program.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
Honeybee 3DML is ideally suited to mobile robotic platform navigation, thanks to
the wide field of view and high angular resolution. A key long-term goal is to
produce flight units for NASA's Lunar Surface Systems, to facilitate robotic
site operations support. In addition to rover navigation, a flight 3DML could be
employed as a sensor for lunar vehicle and structure inspection. Adding
long-range survey capability would result in an all-in-one
navigation/inspection/survey sensor. Whether autonomous, teleoperated, or even
manned, lunar mobile platforms will require 3D sensing to perform safely and
effectively. Rover missions for Mars exploration could also make use of a
compact, robust 3D LIDAR system. Future Mars rovers, including the AFL, the
Mid-size Rovers, and the MSR rover, will be developed to increasingly
sophisticated levels of automation, and will demand sophisticated sensor
facilities. In the much nearer term, terrestrial 3DML units can be used for
robotic research at NASA centers. The functional brassboard resulting from this
Phase II effort will be delivered to Ames Research Center's Intelligent Robotics
Group for continued use on their K10 test rovers. An 3DML trial on a K10 at a
Moses Lake field test has also been discussed. Following a short development
iteration, similar units for terrestrial research will be ready for sale to
robotics labs in NASA and academia.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This technology
enjoys broad commercialization potential due to the very basic need for 3D
vision that it satisfies. An immediately targeted market is military robotics,
where 3DML will be an enabling technology for greater autonomy and easier
navigation and operations. Given the high performance and relatively low cost of
the sensor, this technology is also more broadly applicable to general ground
robotics. This includes hazmat response and search-and-rescue, but also mining,
agricultural and industrial automation, such as sensors for unmanned forklifts
on a factory floor. The primary competitor to the 3DML technology is solid state
"flash" LIDAR systems. While attractive for certain applications, flash LIDAR
lacks the high resolution and flexibility of 3DML. Compared to the current and
projected state of the art of flash systems, 3DML promises to achieve higher
performance at lower cost. The 3DML architecture can be scaled down to a much
lower-cost version by reducing the demands on the optomechanical and
electro-optical subsystems, permitting incorporation into many consumer and
commercial devices. For automotoves, a low-resolution version of 3DML could be
used for blind-spot or guardrail warning systems. Home automation systems, smart
appliances, and domestic robots like iRobot's Roomba and Scooba cleaners, could
all benefit from low-cost, low-resolution 3D vision provided by 3DML.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated
Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Mobility
Perception/Sensing
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X7.04-9485 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB60P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Surface System Dust Mitigation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Dust-Tolerant, Reusable Connection Mechanism for Lunar Environments |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Honeybee Robotics Ltd.
460 W 34th
Street
New York, NY 10001-2320
(212) 966-0661
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jason Herman
herman@honeybeerobotics.com
460 West 34th Street
New York, NY
10001-2320
(646) 459-7819
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Lunar dust has been identified
as a significant and present challenge in future exploration missions.
Significant development is called for in the area of devices and structures that
tolerate or mitigate the presence of Lunar dust. Honeybee Robotics Spacecraft
Mechanisms Corporation (SMC) seeks to develop methods for mitigating dust
accumulation on reusable connection mechanisms, such as will be necessary for
Lunar extra-vehicular activity and surface systems equipment. Honeybee has
heritage in developing mechanisms for extreme, dusty environments. Near-term
applications of such a connector include the utility and electrical connections
that will be used on the next-generation Lunar EVA suit being developed for NASA
JSC by Oceaneering Space Systems, as well as cryogenic utility connections that
will be used to pass liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen during in-situ¬ resource
utilization (ISRU) activities. The Phase 1 research has resulted in the
development of a dust-tolerant, manual electrical connector for the battery
recharge circuit of the Portable Life Support Backpack (PLSB) being developed
for the Constellation configuration two (Lunar EVA) suit. Phase 1 breadboard
testing showed 53 successful mate/de-mate cycles in the presence of JSC-1AF
simulant prior to failure. In addition, this failure appears to be the result of
a late addition to the mechanical configuration that can be revised for even
better performance. In Phase II, Honeybee will revise the design of the
dust-tolerant connector, investigate design configurations for utility
connections for ISRU activities, and test a connector brassboard in a chamber
capable of closely reproducing conditions on the Lunar surface. This effort will
lead to the development of a dust-tolerant electrical connector with a focused
application to the Constellation configuration two (Lunar EVA) suits. This will
result in a TRL 6 Lunar dust-tolerant electrical connector.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
dust-tolerant reusable connection mechanisms to be developed through this
project will be an enabling technology for extended Lunar operations in that
they will allow several cycles of utility connection and disconnection for EVA
and surface operations. Future mission scenarios involving erectable structures,
diverse EVA-compliant tools, Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU)-to-rover or
EMU-to-robot interfaces, and other in-situ assembly or interconnection
activities will all call for dust-tolerant reusable connectors. In particular,
the Constellation configuration two (Lunar EVA) suit being developed by
Oceaneering Space Systems (OSS) has many connectors on it that require
dust-tolerant technology. Initial discussions with personnel from OSS have
already begun, and OSS has signed-on to the Phase 2 effort as a consultant. The
will provide data, requirements, and technical criticism of the connector
developed during the Phase 2 effort. The technology developed here is also
applicable to the exploration of Mars (where frequent global dust stomrms occur)
and asteroids, but is driven by the especially abrasive characteristics of Lunar
dust.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Military and
homeland security operations are often conducted in uncontrolled environments.
An increasing use of high-technology tools provides for improved performance,
but also introduces new risks. The incorporation of dust-tolerant reusable
connection mechanisms in military couplings will allow greater reliability and
flexibility for modular electronics in operational scenarios, especially in
dusty, dirty, sandy environments. Incorporation of dust-tolerant connectors
would also reduce maintenance, repair, and overhaul costs by reducing select
component failures due to degradation by dust and sand. Current connectors meet
stringent mil-spec environmental requirements when connected, but the connection
itself must be made under relatively clean conditions. We expect that adding a
tolerance to making and breaking connections under off-nominal conditions will
result in an increased service life for modular electronics for use in military
and homeland security applications. There is also broad commercial potential for
dust-tolerant reusable connectors in several commercial applications requiring
the reliable performance of modular electronics in uncontrolled environments,
including oil and gas exploration, first responders and emergency services,
heavy and highway construction, and mining. By employing dust-tolerant
connectors, rather than attempting to seal dust intolerant connectors against
the environment, the connectors used in these applications may be truly
ruggedized.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated
Robotic Concepts and Systems
Airlocks/Environmental Interfaces
Testing
Facilities
Modular Interconnects
Fluid Storage and
Handling
Manned-Manuvering Units
Portable Life
Support
Suits
Tools
Earth-Supplied Resource Utilization
In-situ
Resource Utilization
Liquid-Liquid Interfaces
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X7.04-9706 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB61P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Surface System Dust Mitigation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High-Fidelity Lunar Dust Simulant |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Orbital Technologies Corporation
Space
Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison, WI 53717-1961
(608)
827-5000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Gustafson
gustafsonr@orbitec.com
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison, WI 53717-1961
(608) 827-5000
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The severity of the lunar dust
problems encountered during the Apollo missions were consistently underestimated
by ground tests, illustrating the need to develop significantly better lunar
dust simulants and simulation facilities. ORBITEC is proposing to continue
developing high-fidelity lunar dust simulants that better match the unique
properties of lunar dust than existing regolith simulants (such as JSC-1AF).
Current lunar regolith simulants do not have enough of the very fine particles,
most lack the agglutinitic glass and complex surface textures that dominate
lunar dust, and none of them have nanophase iron (Fe0). High-fidelity lunar dust
simulants approximate the size, morphology, composition, and other important
properties of lunar dust (including nanophase Fe0). High-fidelity lunar dust
simulants are required to physically evaluate the effects of lunar dust on the
operation of all Exploration Surface Systems and to verify the effectiveness of
dust mitigation strategies and technologies. During Phase 1, several prototype
lunar dust simulants were created, samples of the prototype lunar dust simulants
were delivered to NASA for characterization (TRL 4). The proposed Phase 2 effort
will refine and demonstrate the production process for lunar dust simulants that
will be characterized and delivered to NASA for a variety of applications (TRL
6).
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
High-fidelity lunar dust simulants are required to evaluate the
effects of lunar dust and verify the effectiveness of dust mitigation strategies
and technologies for all Exploration Surface Systems, including: extravehicular
mobility suit material composition and cleaning operations, lunar habitat
construction design, mechanical performance (radiators, seals, valves),
electrical performance (tools and equipment), landing operations (vision
systems), and all manners of surface operations. Since there is strong evidence
that the prototype lunar dust simulants contain the critical metallic iron
component (including nanophase Fe0) along with the morphologies of lunar dust
particles, it will also be applicable to human health and toxicity studies.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High-fidelity
lunar dust simulants are being developed to support the needs of the NASA lunar
exploration program. However, industry and research institutions that are
developing any EVA equipment for use on the lunar surface will also require
high-fidelity lunar dust simulants to physically evaluate the effects of lunar
dust on the operation of all Exploration Surface Systems and to verify the
effectiveness of dust mitigation strategies and technologies. Much of this work
in the near future will be under NASA contracts. Longer term, private industry
plans to develop a variety of EVA equipment for use on the lunar surface.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Facilities
Testing
Requirements and Architectures
Manned-Manuvering Units
Portable Life
Support
Suits
Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X8.01-9374 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB62P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Fuel Cells for Surface Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Advanced Approaches to Greatly Reduce Hydrogen Gas Crossover Losses in PEM Electrolyzers Operating at High Pressures and Low Current Densities |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
ElectroChem, Inc.
400 West Cummings
Park
Woburn, MA 01801-6519
(781) 938-5300
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael Pien
mpien@fuelcell.com
400 West Cummings Park
Woburn, MA
01801-6519
(781) 938-5300
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 1
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ElectroChem proposes a Phase
II program to advance its very successful SBIR Phase I technology effort to the
point of minimum hydrogen loss through the electrolyzer membrane, while the high
proton conductivity necessary for high efficiency water electrolysis is
maintained. In Phase I, ElectroChem demonstrated that its concept of adding clay
to a Nafion proton conductive membrane would significantly reduce the
penetration of hydrogen gas through the membrane. In Phase II, a comprehensive
technology effort (aimed at optimization) will be carried out which uncovers the
microscopic changes that occur within the membrane as a result of the clay
addition. The objective of this effort is first to correlate the microscopic
morphology that occur within the Nafion-clay nanocomposite membranes with the
reduction in hydrogen penetration produced by the clay addition. A second
objective is to control the microscopic morphology and establish a process to
develop the most effective Nafion-clay nanocomposite membranes, leading to
advanced MEAs. The final objective is to evaluate the Nafion-clay nanocomposite
membranes under high pressure Commercial Electrolyzer conditions. Successful
completion of this effort will enable NASA to meet its requirement for an
electrolyzer that will operate very efficiently both at low current densities
and at high pressures.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
ElectroChem's Innovative Development of Nafion/Clay nanocomposite
membranes, which reduce hydrogen penetration through the membrane, will be
incorporated into its unique PEM IFF Water Electrolyzer design. Successful
completion of ElectroChem's Phase II technology effort will enable NASA to meet
its requirement for a RFC electrolyzer that will operate very efficiently both
at low current densities and at high pressures (Lunar surface energy storage
application). Operating the RFC electrolyzer at high-pressure eliminates the
need for external gas compression prior to reactant storage, which reduces total
system weight and volume. The drawback of high- pressure operation, however, has
been the increased diffusion of hydrogen across the electrolyzer membrane, which
effectively decreases the efficiency. ElectroChem's Nafion-clay nanocomposite
membranes advance will overcome this drawback. ElectroChem's Advanced IFF PEM
Electrolyzer will also produce a more stable and passive RFC for providing power
for missions at remote locations, and for providing UPS backup power for NASA
needs.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
For terrestrial
applications, ElectroChem's IFF PEM Electrolyzer is ideal for supplying hydrogen
fuel for future auto refueling stations. Also, IFF PEM RFCs, containing the
advanced electrolyzer design, will be strong candidates for supplying power to
remote sites with solar and/or off-peak utility power as sources of electrolyzer
input power. Because of difficult maintenance problems, ElectroChem's reliable,
long life IFF PEM RFC will be an excellent replacement for the lead acid
batteries used in Navy Overseas Bases. In the Transportation area, advanced RFC
systems are being considered for a wide range of vehicles. For the UPS industry,
ElectroChem's Advanced RFC has many unique characteristics that are very
attractive to hospitals, telecommunications, and other business activities where
down time is critical. Unlike battery power storage systems, the RFC's power and
cycle duration are independent, which provides the designer much more freedom in
meeting the specific needs of the UPS application.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
High Energy Propellents (Recombinant
Energy & Metallic Hydrogen)
Renewable Energy
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X8.01-9737 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB63P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Fuel Cells for Surface Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Dimensionally Stable Membrane for High Pressure Electrolyzers |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC
89
Rumford Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-1311
(781) 529-0500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Cortney Mittelsteadt
cmittelsteadt@ginerinc.com
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton, MA
02466-1311
(781) 529-0529
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Utilizing high strength
polymers with controlled pore dimensions as a support, a customized membrane
electrode assembly (MEA) can be generated for NASA's electrolyzer and fuel cell
stacks that has optimized electrochemical performance with greatly improved
mechanical properties enabling high pressure (>1000 psi) operation. The
overall objective is to optimize DSM-based MEAs for a NASA lunar application.
This will be accomplished through six tasks; 1. Extending GES's gas crossover
and chemical degradation mitigation strategies to DSMs 2. Improving DSM with
better ionomer; 3. Optimize the anode; 4. Optimize DSM MEAs for H2/O2 fuel
cells. 5. Update GES model for electrolyzer and fuel cell performance. 6. Use
model to select optimal DSM for lunar electrolyzer application and generate MEAs
for full-size stack.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Lunar
and space stations, satellites, high altitude aircraft
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Fuel cell
vehicles, hydrogen filling stations, chlor-alkali process
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Composites
Energy Storage
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X8.01-9791 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB64P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Fuel Cells for Surface Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Electrolyzer for NASA Lunar Regenerative Fuel Cells |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Giner Electrochemical Systems, LLC
89
Rumford Avenue
Newton, MA 02466-1311
(781) 529-0500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Timothy Norman
tnorman@ginerinc.com
89 Rumford Avenue
Newton, MA
02466-1311
(781) 529-0556
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Water electrolyzer stacks are
a key component of regenerative fuel cells, designed to replace batteries as a
means of storing electric energy on the lunar surface. The delivery of a 2,000
psi balanced pressure, lightweight prototype electrolyzer is proposed. The cell
design will be significantly smaller and lighter, and capable of higher pressure
operation than previous aerospace electrolyzers designed and built by Giner
Electrochemical Systems, LLC. The successful completion of Phase I yielded test
data, trade studies, a thin frame design, and model enhancements that would
provide the basis of stack sizing. In a Phase II program, an enhanced, 2,000 psi
test stand will be created by upgrading the existing 1,200 psi stand. It will
then be used to demonstrate thin frame designs, the robustness of internal
components, and the innovative prototypical compression hardware at realistic
conditions. Further advances in thin frame technology will be investigated, and
additional analyses of a new thermoplastic material will be conducted with the
prospect of using them in the deliverable if these technologies are ready.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA is
charged with returning humans to the moon in a permanently occupied lunar
station. This station will require electric power during both the daylight
hours, and the nighttime. The lunar day/night cycle is twenty-eight (28) earth
days long. This necessitates commensurately larger quantities of stored
product/reactant gases for the regenerative fuel cell. A very high-pressure
water electrolyzer, as a component of a closed-loop regenerative fuel cell, will
permit smaller launch volumes, saving space aboard the Orion crew exploration
vehicle. The electrolyzer might also be useful for the production of hydrogen
and oxygen for space vehicle propulsion, enabling missions to Mars. Other
electrolyzers may be used to produce oxygen for life support systems both during
flight and on the lunar and Martian surfaces.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Closed-loop
regenerative fuel cells are potential battery substitutes for applications that
require high power density. Several agencies of the U.S. Government and several
private businesses are engaged in development of long-endurance aircraft and
airships. The high-pressure electrolyzer developed under this proposed program
would be directly applicable to these vehicles. Large-scale power storage via
regenerative fuel cells may have terrestrial applications in telecommunications
and other industries that require uninterruptible power supplies.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Energy Storage
Photovoltaic
Conversion
Thermodynamic Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X8.03-8499 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB68P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Nuclear Surface Power |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Efficiency, High Temperature Foam Core Heat Exchanger for Fission Surface Power Systems, Phase II |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ultramet
12173 Montague
Street
Pacoima, CA 91331-2210
(818) 899-0236
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Brian Williams
brian.williams@ultramet.com
Ultramet
Pacoima, CA
91331-2210
(818) 899-0236
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Fission-based power systems
with power levels of 30 to ≥100 kWe will be needed for planetary
surface bases. Development of high temperature, high efficiency heat exchangers
is critical for next-generation nuclear power and space propulsion systems. In
Phase I, Ultramet and Sandia National Laboratories demonstrated the feasibility
of using high surface area foam core heat exchanger technology to substantially
improve the power conversion efficiency of liquid metal-to-gas high temperature
heat exchangers for fission surface power systems. Preliminary design and
modeling suggested a substantial improvement in the efficiency of a liquid
lithium-to-helium component relative to conventional plate-fin heat exchangers,
and hardware fabrication and testing demonstrated the manufacturability,
performance, and simplicity of the foam-based design. Open-cell foam is a
natural coolant channel that does not require extensive, expensive machining of
intricate coolant passages and eliminates the need for braze-bonding or welding
of numerous individual sections. Initial testing showed the ability of textured,
vapor-deposited lithium-compatible coatings to be uniformly wetted by liquid
lithium at low temperature. The technology has the potential to best minimize
the temperature difference between the maximum lithium reactor coolant and
helium working fluid temperatures, as well as to reduce system mass and volume
through the use of high surface area, low density open-cell foam, and increase
safety and reliability by minimizing the number of piece parts and associated
joints. In Phase II, Ultramet will team with Sandia to expand on the Phase I
success by performing comprehensive design and stress analysis, determining
physical properties, and establishing performance through high temperature (1000
K) thermal response and flow testing of coaxial heat exchangers using the Helium
Flow Loop and Liquid Metal Integrated Test System at Sandia's Plasma Materials
Test Facility.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Lunar
bases and colonies would be strategic assets for effective utilization of
abundant lunar resources and development and testing of space technologies
required for further exploration and colonization of favorable places in the
solar system. A reliable power system is required to supply energy demands for
life support, science, and operation. The proposed fission power system has the
potential to provide the necessary high power conversion to meet surface power
requirements.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In addition to
compact, high efficiency space reactors, the proposed technology could
contribute to a new Department of Energy Generation IV power system that
significantly lowers cost, improves passive safety, has no carbon dioxide
emissions, uses an advanced, proliferation-resistant fuel cycle, and reduces
nuclear waste. The foam core heat exchanger technology could also be used in
ground-based power or in portable power systems for military or surveillance
applications and remote deployment. Brayton components, Sterling converters, and
heat pipes can all benefit from this refractory materials development effort.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Composites
Metallics
Nuclear
Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X8.03-9658 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB69P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Nuclear Surface Power |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Autonomous Control of Space Nuclear Reactors |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Payload Systems, Inc.
1
Broadway
Cambridge, MA 02142-1189
(617) 868-8086
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Merk
jmerk@aurora.aero
1 Broadway 12h Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142-1189
(617) 500-0281
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Nuclear reactors to support
future robotic and manned missions impose new and innovative technological
requirements for their control and protection instrumentation. Long duration
surface missions necessitate reliable autonomous operation, and manned missions
impose added requirements for fail-safe reactor protection. There is a need for
an advanced instrumentation and control system for space-nuclear reactors that
addresses both aspects of autonomous operation and safety. Highly reliable,
earth-based reactor instrumentation systems can provide an excellent reference
for space-based designs, however there is currently no earth-based reactor
control system that is practical for use in space. In Phase I, we established
the feasibility of adapting proven terrestrial reactor instrumentation for space
application, and developed a preliminary architecture on which to base a flight
system. This Phase II will result in a complete detailed design for a
space-based Reactor Instrumentation and Control System (RICS), including
fabrication and testing of a ground-based prototype for system evaluation.
Additionally, we will leverage existing neutron detection technology developed
under a previous NASA contract, and optimized for the space environment. This
Wide Range Neutron Detector (WRND), in conjunction with the proposed RICS, will
provide a complete solution for autonomous operation of space reactors from
hundreds of watts to multi-megawatts.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
foresees numerous applications of nuclear power reactors, with anticipated power
needs that might range from a few kilowatts to the megawatt level. Illustrative
examples of these applications are: deep-space missions, orbiting power
stations, weather stations, habitats, surface mobility for robotic and piloted
rovers; excavating and mining equipment, and science payloads in general. All of
these applications will require autonomous systems for control, safety and
monitoring of the reactor. Space-qualified reactor instrumentation and control
systems will be a useful COTS product for manufacturers of space-qualified
nuclear reactors. The predicted total demand is subject to the development of
space-based nuclear reactors but it is not unthinkable to forecast demand on the
order of a dozen a year.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary
non-NASA customer is likely the DoD, as part of future space-based surveillance
or missile defense systems. Given the energy levels, mission durations, and
reliability requirements necessary to carry out the DoD's mission over the next
two decades, it's very likely that space-nuclear reactors will be needed in the
future. Other potential customers include government, military and university
run research reactors where autonomous control and protection would be
financially beneficial and/or safer by minimizing the need for human interaction
in the vicinity of the reactor. In its most basic form, the RICS is a
ruggedized, compact data-acquisition and control system that could be adapted to
support a wide variety of harsh environments. As such, the RICS could be a
useful instrument outside the scope of a nuclear reactor. This includes military
applications where fail-safe data acquisition and control is required with
stringent size, weight and power constraints.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Particle and Fields
Autonomous
Control and Monitoring
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Data
Input/Output Devices
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
Power Management and Distribution
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X9.01-9829 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB71P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Distribution for Space Exploration Applications |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Advanced, Long-Life Cryocooler Technology for Zero-Boil-Off Cryogen Storage |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Creare, Inc.
P.O. Box
71
Hanover, NH 03755-3116
(603) 643-3800
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mark Zagarola
mvz@creare.com
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755-0071
(603) 643-3800
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Long-life, high-capacity
cryocoolers are a critical need for future space systems utilizing stored
cryogens. The cooling requirements for planetary and extraterrestrial
exploration missions, Crew Exploration Vehicles, extended-life orbital transfer
vehicles, and space depots will range from 10 to 50 W at temperatures between 20
and 120 K. Turbo-Brayton cryocoolers are ideal for these systems because they
are lightweight, compact and very efficient at high cooling loads, in addition
to their inherent attributes of high reliability; negligible vibration; long,
maintenance-free lifetimes; and flexibility in integrating with spacecraft
systems and payloads. To date, space-borne turbo-Brayton technology has been
developed for modest cooling loads. During the proposed program, Creare will
develop an advanced, high efficiency turbine optimized for a high-capacity
cryocooler. The advanced turbine will enable a landmark reduction in cryocooler
input power and overall cooling system mass. In Phase I, we defined the
cryocooler requirements for a particular mission class, developed the conceptual
design of a multistage cryocooler to meet the requirements, developed the
preliminary design of the advanced turbine and successfully performed
proof-of-concept tests on the turbine. During Phase II, we will fabricate the
turbine optimized to provide 5-20 W of net refrigeration at 20 K and demonstrate
its performance at prototypical operating conditions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Advanced
turbines will enable high-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocoolers that are compact,
lightweight, and consume minimal power. Space applications include cryogen
storage for planetary and extraterrestrial exploration missions, Crew
Exploration Vehicles, extended-life orbital transfer vehicles, long-term
geosynchronous missions, in-space propellant depots and extraterrestrial bases,
and cooling systems for observation platforms requiring large arrays of infrared
and X-ray detectors. Terrestrial applications include cooling for spaceport
cryogen storage and cryogen transportation systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA
commercial applications include cooling for laboratory-scale and
industrial-scale gas separation; liquefaction; cryogen storage and
transportation systems; high-temperature superconducting magnets in motors and
magnetic resonance imaging systems; liquid hydrogen storage for automotive fuel
cells; and commercial orbital transfer vehicles and satellites.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Fluid Storage and Handling
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X9.03-9640 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC42P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Cryogenic and Non-Toxic Storable Propellant Space Engines |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Nitrous Oxide Fuel Blend-Continuous Operation Lunar Thruster (NOFB-COLT) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Firestar Engineering, LLC
557 Burbank
Street, Unit J
Broomfield, CO 80020-7160
(303) 439-2698
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Fisher
David@firestar-engineering.com
557 Burbank St., Unit J
Broomfield, CO 80020-7160
(303) 439-2698
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Firestar Engineering has
developed a set of Nitrous Oxide Fuel Blend monopropellants that are: 1)
Non-toxic, 2) Specific Impulse> 310 s, 3) Freezing point < -77 C, 4) Self
Pressurizing, and 5) Highly throttleable. A monopropellant with these
characteristics and with bipropellant performance has the power to revolutionize
both private and government space initiatives. Applications which will benefit
from these monopropellant blends are wide spread and system level studies have
indicated competitive overall performance with everything except cryogenic
bipropellants. Phase II efforts will concentrate on thruster development and
monopropellant UN/DOT transportation classification. Thruster development will
concentrate on a 25 lbf RCS thruster and performing a number of tests required
for flight certification.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Firestar
has explored NOFB monopropellant use for a number of future NASA applications.
We are currently exploring alternative architectures for the Altair Lunar Lander
(as part of the Odyssey/Space X team) which uses a NOFB monopropellant ascent
stage. Additionally, we have submitted a white paper on NOFB use for the Mars
Science Orbiter. We believe that NOFB monopropellants can realistically compete
with all non-cryogenic in propulsion alternatives for both manned and un-manned
applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A non-toxic
monopropellant with bipropellant performance has the power to revolutionize in
space propulsion. We believe that our NOFB monopropulsion systems will
drastically reduce costs associated with in space propulsion. The toxicity of
hydrazine, MMH, and NTO require high levels of recurring costs to qualify and
maintain hardware. Additionally, contingency planning, containment, cleaning,
and safety monitoring is a continual large overhead cost associated with
hydrazine testing activities. In contrast, with NOFB monopropulsion systems we
are able to rapidly test a large number of concepts with minimal ground support
hardware which reduces costs in developing new hardware. A significant number of
commercial aerospace companies have expressed an immediate interest in the
development and flight qualification of NOFB monopropellant option s.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
High Energy Propellents
(Recombinant Energy & Metallic Hydrogen)
Monopropellants
Propellant
Storage
Cooling
Reuseable
Feed System Components
Energy
Storage
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X9.04-9517 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC89P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Launch Vehicle Propulsion and Pyrotechnic Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Lightweight Nozzle Extension for Liquid Rocket Engines |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Plasma Processes, Inc.
4914 Moores Mill
Road
Huntsville, AL 35811-1558
(256) 851-7653
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Daniel Butts
dbutts@plasmapros.com
4914 Moores Mill Road
Huntsville, AL
35811-1558
(256) 851-7653
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The ARES J-2X requires a large
nozzle extension. Currently, a metallic nozzle extension is being considered
with carbon-carbon composite as a backup. In Phase 1, Plasma Processes Inc.
(PPI), with the support from subcontractor ATK Launch Systems, fabricated,
coated and test fired Haynes 230 and domestically produced 2-D carbon-carbon
nozzle extensions. The test results show coated carbon-carbon intact and Haynes
230 in need of film cooling and emissivity and, or thermal barrier coatings.
Oxide emissivity coating reduced the Haynes 230 wall temperature by 500F. In
Phase 2, the primary goal will be to develop the optimum thermal solution for a
metallic J2X nozzle extension. Working with Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, high
emissivity and thermal barrier solutions will be demonstrated on successively
larger components until full size capability is demonstrated. A secondary goal
is to continue the demonstration of domestically produced 2-D C/C composite
nozzle extension materials and oxygen protective liners for use on liquid rocket
engines. The team of Plasma Processes, Inc., Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne and
ATK Launch Systems offers the state of the art skill set that is uniquely suited
to the Phase 2 program.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
J2X
Nozzle Extension LSAM Ascent and Descent Engines Leading edges and control
surfaces for hypersonic aircraft Propulsion components for space access and
space return vehicles Propulsion components for Moon/Mars landing vehicles
Common Extensible Cryogenic Engine (CECE)
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Nosetips ,
rocket nozzles and control vanes for strategic and tactical missiles Thermal
control components for nuclear power, power generation, internal combustion, and
jet engine applications. Crucibles High Power X-Ray Targets
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
High Energy Propellents
(Recombinant Energy & Metallic Hydrogen)
Micro
Thrusters
Monopropellants
Nuclear (Adv Fission, Fusion, Anti-Matter,
Exotic Nuclear)
Cooling
Reuseable
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Earth-Supplied Resource
Utilization
Ceramics
Composites
Metallics
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
Biochemical Conversion
Nuclear Conversion
Thermodynamic
Conversion
Aircraft Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X11.01-8439 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC10P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control for Surface Systems and Spacecraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Efficient Space Hardy Thermoelectric Materials with Broad Temperature Range |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Eltron Research, Inc.
4600 Nautilus Court
South
Boulder, CO 80301-3241
(303) 530-0263
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Richard Bley
eltron@eltronresearch.com
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder,
CO 80301-3241
(303) 530-0263
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The goal of this work is to
develop new thermoelectric materials for use in fabricating solid state cooling
devices and electrical power generators, which are 200 to 300% more efficient
than current thermoelectric materials and can operate in temperatures ranging
from cryogenic to 700 C. The results of our Phase I definitely indicate that we
will be able to reach this goal. These materials are being made from new
nano-composites, using fabrication techniques developed at Eltron. The
thermoelectric composite's matrix had already demonstrated exceptional ability
for functioning in the environment of space. Used in a cooling system, these
materials will provide an effective means for controlling the temperature of
surfaces subject to the rapidly changing temperatures encountered in space. We
have proven that this matrix works exceptionally well at providing support and
allowing for convenient (and therefore economical) deposition of our materials.
We have also demonstrated that the thermal conductivity in these new
nano-materials has been reduced by well over an order of magnitude! In addition
we have shown that we get an increase in the Seebeck Coefficient for materials
we tested as well. These new thermoelectric materials can be used to prevent
development of large temperature gradients and thereby prevent the mechanical
stresses that accompany them. Used for power-generation, these new materials
will be very efficient because of the properties that both the nano-phase
materials and its matrix bring to the thermoelectric material. Because of the
difficulties presented in the harsh environment of space, thermal management and
power generation is most easily provided through devices that do not have any
moving parts, are very durable, do not require maintenance, and operate
efficiently over a wide range of temperatures. The proposed materials meet all
these requirements.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In the
past, NASA's interest in thermoelectric systems has stemmed both from the need
for an effective means of temperature control via the Peltier effect for
surfaces exposed to the rapidly changing temperatures that occur in space, and
for use in generating electrical power via the Seebeck effect for space vehicles
too distant from the sun for effective use of solar panels. The new materials
being developed here will be capable of withstanding both high and low
temperatures and so they can be used to prevent development of large temperature
gradients and the mechanical stresses that accompany them on missions such as
the upcoming Mars and Venus trips. This is particularly true of the Venus
landing, where materials will need to withstand up to 500 C temperatures. The
improvement in efficiency possible from these materials as demonstrated during
the Phase I could make them competitive with solar cells as a power source for
space missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Development of
this technology will result in considerable improvement in efficiency over
currently used evaporative systems used in consumer and industrial
refrigeration. This technology will also be of great value to the electronics
industry. Systems incorporating this new technology will run more quietly and
will produce much less pollution than current refrigeration and air conditioning
systems. They will not be subject to the maintenance problems common in the
compressors used today. An efficient, solid state electrical power generator
that uses heat as its energy source would also result from successful
development of this technology. The Boeing Company is very excited about our
Phase I results and will be acting as a subcontractor in this Phase II. They
will also continue to participate in this project in an advisory and reviewer
capacity, as stated in their letter of support.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Cooling
Composites
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device
Materials
Thermoelectric Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X11.01-8478 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC11P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control for Surface Systems and Spacecraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | VCHP Radiators for Lunar and Martian Environments |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc.
1046
New Holland Avenue
Lancaster, PA 17601-5688
(717) 296-6058
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
William Anderson
bill.anderson@1-ACT.com
1046 New Holland Avenue
Lancaster, PA
17601-5606
(717) 295-6061
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Long-term Lunar and Martian
systems present challenges to thermal systems, including changes in thermal
load, and large changes in the thermal environment between day and night. The
innovation in the program is the development of a variable conductance heat pipe
(VCHP) that passively accommodates the changing thermal load and environment.
This allows the heat pipe evaporators (and any attached heat exchanger) to
remain at an almost constant temperature. In addition to passively controlling
the thermal load, the non condensable gas allows the fluid in the heat pipe to
freeze in a controlled manner as the heat pipe is shut down, avoiding damage.
The gas in the VCHP also helps with start-up from a frozen condition. The
overall technical objective of the Phase I and Phase II programs is to develop a
VCHP radiator that can passively adjust to changing temperatures/powers in the
Lunar and Martian surface environments while maintaining the coolant outlet
temperature in an acceptable range. During the Phase II program, a radiator
panel and heat exchanger will be fabricated, then tested in a thermal vacuum
chamber. Tests will include thermal cycling, as well as the ability of the
radiator to startup from a frozen state.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
immediate NASA application is for Lunar and Martian radiators that can passively
accommodate the large swings in environmental conditions between Lunar (or
Martian) day and night, including long periods at very low temperatures. In
addition, the VCHP can passively accommodate large changes in thermal load, and
avoid damage during periods of low thermal load. Furthermore, the
non-condensable gas in the VCHP will help with start-up during sudden increases
in thermal load.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A commercial
application is VCHP heat exchangers in fuel cell reformers. In a fuel cell
reformer, diesel fuel and air pass through a series of high temperature reactors
to generate hydrogen. The operating temperature of the reactors must be closely
controlled to maintain their chemical equilibrium. A typical system must
maintain inlet and outlet temperatures within ±30<SUP>o</SUP>C
despite a turndown ratio of 5:1 in reactant flow rate. The current scheme uses a
bypass valve, which has several drawbacks: it requires active control and
electrical power, and has a large pressure drop. A VCHP heat exchanger can
replace the current heat exchanger and control system with a passive system that
automatically maintains the output stream from the heat exchanger at a constant
temperature.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Cooling
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X11.01-9722 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC13P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control for Surface Systems and Spacecraft |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Performance Low Mass Nanowire Enabled Heatpipe |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Illuminex Corporation
1064 New Holland
Avenue
Lancaster , PA 17601-5606
(717) 871-8971
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Youssef Habib
joe.habib@illuminex.biz
1064 New Holland Ave.
Lancaster, PA
17601-5606
(717) 871-8971
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Heat pipes are widely used for
passive, two-phase electronics cooling. As advanced high power, high performance
electronics in space based and terrestrial applications produce ever increasing
heat fluxes, heat pipes with improved thermal capacity are sought. Illuminex
Corporation has demonstrated that using copper nanowire arrays as the wick in
heat pipes increases the heat transfer capabilities. Phase I developed
processing techniques to engineer copper nanowire arrays on copper sheet that
were subsequently incorporated into vapor chamber style heat pipes as the
wicking material at the evaporator region. In Phase II, the program will be
advanced to manufacture large area copper sheets fully covered with nanowires on
one side. This material will be used to construct the entire heat pipe, package
and wick. This will enable the development of high performance, lightweight,
low-profile (< 1 mm) heat pipes with enhanced thermal transfer properties.
The decrease in weight and size is desirable for NASA space projects and will
find commercial application in radar systems, servers, and portable electronic
devices. The use of less material in heat pipe manufacture will result in lower
production costs while the superior performance and smaller size will provide
electronic system designers with greater flexibility in thermal management
system design.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Heat
pipes require no maintenance and consume no power, making them attractive
components for cooling electronics in space vehicles, satellites, and astronaut
support systems. Illuminex innovation results in size and weight reductions that
are desirable for space applications. Currently, NASA is developing nuclear
electric propulsion systems for long-duration space missions like the Jupiter
Icy Moon Orbital mission. Heat pipes are proposed for the transfer of waste heat
from the power generation systems and for use in the radiator systems used for
the dissipation of the waste heat. Heat pipe thermal control technology has also
been proposed for electric power generation for a lunar habitat, for the Space
Solar Power Project, and spacecraft thermal control. Improved capillary pumping
capabilities in zero gravity and under acceleration in nanowire heat pipes could
prove valuable in space applications where gravity assisted systems are not
functional.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The thermal
characteristics of high-power-density CPUs in today's high-end computing
applications are rapidly outpacing the cooling capabilities of commercially
available strategies. The primary devices driving the market for nanowire heat
pipes are high performance microprocessors. Technological advances in thermal
control are needed to accommodate rising power densities in new electronic and
optical devices and a steady replacement of traditional heat sinks by hybrid
heat sinks with embedded heat pipes. The initial market for the nanowire array
wick heat pipes will be the niche market of high end specialty heat pipes
designed for military and aerospace applications including laser, radar and
antenna systems. The next anticipated specialty market is thermal management in
high end servers, followed by portable computers and other electronic consumer
goods. Illuminex has partnered with Thermacore Inc., the largest North American
manufacturer and distributor of heat pipes to bring the advanced nanowire heat
pipe technology to the market.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Cooling
Earth-Supplied Resource
Utilization
Metallics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X12.01-9535 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC15P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Health Preservation in the Space Environment |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Wearable Beat to Beat Blood Pressure Monitor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Linea Research Corporation
1020 Corporation
Way, Suite 216
Palo Alto, CA 94303-4317
(650) 325-9000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Yong Jin Lee
lee@linearesearch.com
781 Rosewood Drive
Palo Alto, CA
94303-3638
(650) 533-9546
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A key component of NASA's
human exploration programs is a system that monitors the health of the crew
during space missions. The wearable beat-to-beat blood pressure monitor proposed
by Linea Research Corporation can be used to continuously monitor the
physiological effect of prolonged space missions (including exposure to reduced
gravitational environments) and the effectiveness of its countermeasures. During
Phase I of the program, we demonstrated the feasibility of a novel, non-invasive
beat-to-beat blood pressure monitor using a lightweight (<40 g) and low-power
(<100mA @ 5V) initial prototype. Measurement of beat-to-beat blood pressure
was successfully verified during human studies (tilt table tests) using a
cuff-based blood pressure monitor as reference. Measurement of the beat-to-beat
blood pressure was also verified against an arterial line in animal (porcine)
studies using epinephrine to induce blood pressure changes. During Phase II of
the program, we will develop and fabricate a field-capable, light-weight,
wearable beat-to-beat blood pressure monitor that will be ready for
demonstration on space missions. In addition to supplying the blood pressure
monitors for use by NASA, Linea plans to introduce the technology for use in
ambulatory blood pressure monitors. Linea will subsequently introduce the
technology for integration into high acuity as well as home based blood pressure
monitors. One patent has been filed and three are currently being prepared to
protect the intellectual property. A business plan has been prepared to address
the commercialization opportunities.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Autonomous medical care for the crew during human exploration
missions is critical in preventing degradation in health due to adverse
physiological responses to space flight environments. A wearable physiological
monitor that provides continuous blood pressure (and heart rate) measurements
will be extremely valuable in providing proper medical support for both normal
activities and medical emergencies. The device can be used to monitor the
long-term physiological effects of hypogravity and the effects of the
countermeasures against hypogravitational environments. The device can also be
modified to monitor the health status of crew during extravehicular activities.
The device will provide wireless connectivity to a monitor (e.g. laptop already
onboard) to allow transfer of both real-time and historical physiological data.
The system will be developed as a single-unit wearable device which necessitates
low power consumption and compact and lightweight form factor. The size
criterion is a key factor for space applications as launch costs are directly
determined by the weight of the device.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
device has the potential to fundamentally change the half-billion dollar blood
pressure monitoring device market. The technologies developed under the NASA
program are most immediately applicable to ambulatory blood pressure monitors,
but can also be applied to high acuity (e.g. arterial line replacement) as well
as home blood pressure monitoring devices. For the ambulatory and home blood
pressure monitoring segment, the technology developed under this program will
enable beat-to-beat blood pressure measurement which will allow continuous
measurement of blood pressure. Another significant advantage of the proposed
beat-to-beat technology is that it does not require the inflation of the cuff
except for calibration measurements. The inflation of the cuff can be
uncomfortable for many users and can result in complications such as petechiae
on the arm. The key advantage of the proposed technology over arterial lines
used for high-acuity applications is the non-invasive nature of the measurement.
Blood pressure monitoring based on arterial lines involves invasive procedures
requiring percutaneous insertion of catheters into the radial or brachial
arteries. Cannulation of the artery requires a skilled health professional and
can often take significant time. In addition, cannulation can result in a number
of complications including bleeding, infection, and rarely but significantly,
lack of blood flow to the tissue supplied by the artery.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life Support
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X12.01-9625 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC16P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Health Preservation in the Space Environment |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Handheld FRET-Aptamer Sensor for Bone Markers |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Operational Technologies Corporation
4100
N.W. Loop 410
San Antonio, TX 78229-4253
(210) 731-0000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Bruno
john.bruno@otcorp.com
4100 N.W. Loop 410, Ste. 230
San
Antonio, TX 78229-4253
(210) 731-0015
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Astronauts lose significant
bone mass during lengthy spaceflights. Although, no effective treatments or
prophylactics have yet been defined, it is important to monitor bone loss during
missions. As such, the sensor must be compact and facile to operate in
spacecraft. Operational Technologies Corp. (OpTech) proposes to complete
development of its successful Phase I competitive fluorescence resonance energy
transfer (FRET)-aptamer assays for several bone loss markers and calcidiol. In
Phase I, OpTech developed several rapid (15 minutes) specific competitive
polyclonal FRET-aptamer assays with low nanogram/ml sensitivity. OpTech also
cloned and sequenced 110 bone marker and calcidiol aptamers which will be
individually screened in Phase II for optimal FRET assay performance. During
Phase II, OpTech will shift its FRET to emit in the red (> 600 nm) to avoid
the intrinsic fluorescence of urine and serum. OpTech will also lyophilize and
package optimized FRET-aptamer assays for use with a bubble-free plastic cuvette
and body fluid collection system. The assay system will be coupled to a modified
version of the commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) Picofluor[TM] handheld
battery-operated fluorometer customized to detect bone markers and calcidiol in
body fluids. OpTech will deliver the packaged assays, handheld reader and
software to NASA for testing.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
would use this technology as a portable means for astronauts to sensitively
self-monitor their bone loss or bone preservation treatments with one-touch ease
from urine or serum samples. Monitoring of other clinical analytes such as
glucose and environmental microbe monitoring in water supplies by astronauts
would also be possible, if appropriate FRET-assays were developed.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Women and the
elderly could use this system as a rapid and facile point-of-care (POC)
diagnostic system to monitor osteoporosis and the efficacy of therapeutic
regimens. The system might also be used to monitor bone repair following severe
fractures or skeletal procedures related to plastic or reconstructive surgeries.
In a broader sense, OpTech is developing FRET-aptamer assays for a wide array of
analytes on Earth including foodborne pathogens and other bacterial, viral and
clinical analytes.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Biophysical Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X12.02-9208 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC17P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Crew Exercise Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | The Constant Force Resistive Exercise Unit (CFREU) for Multi-Functional Exercise |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Valeo Human Performance, LLC
1235 Clear
Lake City Blvd., Suite F
Houston, TX 77062-8105
(281)
488-5877
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Paul Colosky
pcolosky@valeopt.com
1235 Clear Lake City Blvd., Suite F
Houston, TX 77062-8105
(281) 488-5877
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA's vision for future
exploration-class missions has made countermeasures for muscle atrophy, bone
loss and cardiovascular deconditioning areas of major research design and
development within the U.S. space program. Due to restricted volume and mass
capabilities within the newly-developing Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) and
Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), there is a need for a multi-functional,
compact exercise machine that can incorporate both resistive and aerobic
exercise capabilities during lunar sortie missions. The proposed innovation is
an exercise device, the multi-functional Constant Force Resistive Exercise Unit
(CFREU), that can provide a whole-body workout for aerobic exercise and
resistive exercise. The device provides constant force eccentrically and
concentrically during multiple exercise configurations, allows resistance
selection in 2.5kg increments, requires no power to operate, requires no
on-orbit maintenance, and can be stowed in an area of 1 cubic foot. During the
Phase II performance period, we propose to develop a fully-functional CFREU, as
well as to perform a usability study.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Valeo's
competitive advantage lies within the CFREU design. The unit is compact, easy to
use, requires no power to operate, and requires no on-orbit maintenance or
calibration. There is an evident need for a gravity-independent exercise unit
that can provide a constant force for resistive exercise with integrated aerobic
capability fashioned in a compact and lightweight design that offers
familiarity, safety, and comfort during exercise.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Rehabilitation
institutions would benefit from the multi-functional CFREU design. A portable
exercise machine that can provide aerobic and constant force resistive
capabilities in such a small volume is essential in clinical settings, and would
prove especially beneficial in treating patients confined to bed rest.
Physiologically, the constant force resistance provided by the CFREU is
comparable to a traditional weight stack machine, but without the bulkiness and
mass of weight plates. The personal home exercise equipment industry would also
benefit from the multi-functional CFREU device. The compact force packs of the
CFREU allow the overall unit to be small enough for easy use as a home gym. For
the home gym design, future force packs can be designed such that they may be
purchased individually by a consumer, and used as portable exercise devices when
not in use with the full CFREU. Thus, the force packs replace the need for
expensive, heavy, and bulky traditional weight plates, and allow portability.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life Support
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X12.03-8958 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB51P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Exploration Medical Capability |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Reusable Handheld Electrolytes and Lab Technology for Humans (rHEALTH Sensor) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
The DNA Medicine Institute
116 Charles
Street, Suite 6
Boston, MA 02114-3217
(617) 233-7656
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Eugene Chan
echan@dnamedinstitute.com
116 Charles Street, Suite 6
Boston,
MA 02114-3217
(617) 233-7656
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The goal of the rHEALTH sensor
is to provide rapid, low-cost, handheld complete blood count (CBC), cell
differential counts, electrolyte measurements, and other lab tests based on a
reusable, flow-based microfluidic platform. For Phase II, we will develop an
rHEALTH prototype to be delivered to NASA for reusable CBC, cell differential
counts, and electrolyte measurements. Each subassembly and individual assay will
be tested individually prior to full integration into the system level
prototype. The rHEALTH sensor is a compact, portable device that employs
cutting-edge fluorescence detection optics, innovative microfluidics, and unique
capabilities. Based on its streamlined design, the rHEALTH sensor is able to
perform a suite of different assays using a single drop of blood. Furthermore,
the entire system allows cost-effective operation because of its nanoliter
operating volumes. This is in contrast to existing point-of-care diagnostics
devices such as the iSTAT and Piccolo systems which only perform one panel of
assays per disposable reagent cartridge. The result is a highly practical,
cost-effective, and powerful sensor. The successful completion of the Phase II
program is a significant milestone for our rHEALTH sensor. It means that we
would have been successful in shrinking hospital-sized clinical laboratory into
a portable device.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
(1)
Real-time health monitoring. The proposed rHEALTH sensor is designed to monitor
daily astronaut status so that adverse health events can be managed. (2)
Real-time intervention. The ability to measure routine health status allows
clinical intervention at appropriate times. (3) Electrolyte measurement on a
daily basis for long space flight. (4) CBC measurements on a daily basis. (5)
Measurement of cardiac biomarkers for chest pain to rule out myocardial
infarction. (6) Measurement of CBC and electrolytes in response to astronaut
illness. (7) Monitoring of astronaut renal function to assess volume status. (8)
Tracking of bone biomarkers and calcium levels throughout duration of missions
to assess intangible bone loss and remodeling.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
(1) Real-time
health monitoring. Development of the rHEALTH allows monitoring of health status
in real-time at the bedside or doctor's office. (2) Real-time intervention.
Clinical intervention can be accomplished rapidly in acute situations with a
handheld monitor. (3) Measurement of daily hematocrit for patients on coumadin
or other anti-coagulation to diagnose early blood loss. (4) Detection of acute
myocardial damage rapidly and outside the hospital so that life-saving therapy
can be administered for heart attack patients. (5) Monitoring resolution of a
patient's infection by tracking white blood cell counts throughout a prolonged
antibiotic course. (6) Monitoring daily renal function of patients with kidney
transplants or those with end-stage renal disease. (7) Measurement of athletes
volume status during prolonged training for early diagnosis and dehydration. (8)
Daily monitoring of electrolyte status for those individuals taking diuretics.
Frequently, diuretics such as furosemide may cause hypokalemia and need to have
their daily electrolyte status assessed.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Biomolecular Sensors
Biochemical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X13.01-8449 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC18P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Human Factors Assessment Tools |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | CogGauge (A Cognitive Assessment Tool) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Design Interactive, Inc.
1221 E. Broadway,
Suite 110
Oviedo, FL 32765-7829
(407) 706-0977
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ali Ahmad
ali@designinteractive.net
1221 E. Broadway, Suite 110
Oviedo,
FL 32765-7829
(407) 706-0977
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Cognitive Gauge (CogGauge)
tool aims to develop a portable gaming application that assesses cognitive state
of astronaut crew members with the goal of determining probable causes of
observed cognitive deficits. CogGauge, while engaging astronauts in an
entertaining experience, combines predictive tools for assessing cognitive
workload with metrics that assess performance decrements. CogGauge uses a hybrid
approach combining predictive workload values with behavioral/performance-based
workload assessment across a number of task difficulty levels. This
comprehensive approach takes into consideration learning effects across a number
of cognitive tasks (i.e., mini-games in the gaming context) and derives
assessment of performance decrements related to cognitive deficits to identify
probable causes of cognitive decrement. Feedback from CogGauge may be provided
to astronauts and/or flight surgeons to determine impact on space flight and
missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
CogGauge, once developed, forms a foundation for several potential
tools for use within NASA. For example, the underlying framework that utilizes a
combination of predictive workload and performance/behavioral measures can be
used to build several tools that could be integrated within shuttle (or its
future replacements) controls to assess astronaut cognitive workload during a
mission. Another possible expansion is to assess ground operations centers
workload while monitoring a mission progress. In essence, the concepts/approach
implemented in CogGauge could potentially expand to several applications within
NASA that involve intense human-system integration.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
In terms of
other government and commercial markets, CogGauge could be potentially tailored
for use by aircraft pilots to assess their cognitive workload before/after long
flying hours. In many situations, the approach/algorithms implemented in
CogGauge could be used to model an operator interacting with a complex system,
such as Command and Control, Power Plant Control Units, Nursing Stations, and so
on. In today's net-centric work environment, operators are required to consume
multiple streams of data simultaneously from several monitor stations, which can
lead to issues of cognitive overload, decreased performance, and loss of
situation awareness. CogGauge could be adapted to monitor operator workload in
real-time and drive potential adaptations to displays/task demands to minimize
times of overload. Such an extension of CogGauge may be useful in domains such
as airport security checkpoints, customs, police stations, etc.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Human-Computer Interfaces
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis
Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X13.01-9560 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC20P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Human Factors Assessment Tools |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Integrated Cognitive Assessment: Combining Measurement, System, and Mission |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
NTI, Inc.
1 1/2 S. Central
Avenue
Fairborn, OH 45324-4716
(937) 253-4110
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert O'Donnell
odnova@aol.com
1 1/2 S. Central Avenue
Fairborn, OH
45324-4716
(937) 879-0612
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Existing cognitive performance
test batteries consist of synthetic tasks that, while they may probe isolated
cognitive functions, provide an incomplete and unconvincing picture of an
individual's true cognitive capacity within the total context of space missions.
In essence, they are 'laboratory' measures that appear unrelated to the
real-world environment. This leads to user non-compliance or rejection. The
present proposal describes a technique for integrating traditional cognitive
performance measures with assessment of the system and mission in which the
individual must operate. This yields quantified measures of the person's
cognitive ability to perform specific jobs in space. Specifically, an
entertaining and scientifically rigorous assessment tool is integrated with a
sleep/fatigue model and a quantified workload estimate for each task. This is
accomplished by selecting tests based on task analyses of what the astronaut
actually has to do, using the Fatigue Avoidance Scheduling Tool (FAST) to
predict performance capacity as a function of sleep/rest, and integrating a
mathematical vector to quantify the workload of specific tasks. The resulting
"Person-System-Mission (PSM) index" provides a totally new and unique way not
only to assess present cognitive capability, but to diagnose specific causes of
decrement, and to suggest remedial actions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Measurement and prediction of the cognitive effects of stressors
such as fatigue and workload on specific tasks required of the astronaut are
critical to NASA. The existence of a valid metric that is expressed in terms of
the individual's ability to carry out specific tasks, rather than in terms of
esoteric cognitive skills, will dramatically increase the value of an assessment
tool to the individual, the commander, and the flight surgeon, thereby
increasing user acceptance. This will lead to incorporation of such a metric on
all spaceflights, especially those of long duration.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The principal
non-NASA Government applications for the technology developed here will be in
the Department of Defense and the Homeland Security Department. Mission- and
safety-critical jobs frequently involve stressful conditions such as fatigue and
high workload in both of these agencies. In DoD, for instance, the need to
assess the combat readiness of the dismounted warrior has led to the
establishment of the "Cog-Fit" program, which is attempting to model the effects
of combat stresses on the person's ability to perform their job. The Air Force
has similar programs. Homeland security, in addition to Coast Guard operations,
requires personnel such as airport screeners to maintain high levels of
cognitive alertness for long periods of time. It is expected that each of these
agencies will have immediate applications for this technology. Non-NASA
commercial applications will involve marketing the technology to transportation,
shipping, and freight organizations that routinely carry out safety-sensitive
operations, as well as to educational, industrial, and self-help organizations
that will recognize the value of a scientifically well-grounded, entertaining
cognitive assessment system.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Testing Requirements and
Architectures
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial Intelligence
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X13.02-9217 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC22P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Advanced Food Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Dual Use Packaging |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
PROVE IT, LLC
14514 Creek Crossing Drive
Orland Park, IL 60467-6046
(708) 441-9781
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
George Sadler
sadler@proveitllc.com
14514 Creek Crossing Drive
Orland Park,
IL 60467-6046
(708) 441-9781
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA calculation that over a
kg of packaging waste are generated per day for a 6 member crew. This represents
over 1.5 metric tons of waste during a Mars mission. Currently, these wastes are
considered a disposal burden. However, packaging can designed to have valuable
secondary uses which can lighten other payloads. These include: Light
generation, electricity generation, storage structures, building materials, and
raw material for hardware items. These benefits are not readily available in
NASA's foil laminate structures used for packaging. Other materials more
amenable to secondary uses lack the moisture and oxygen barrier essential to
achieve NASA's shelf life targets for foods. This project controls moisture
electro-thermally and oxygen electrochemically in an overwrap container. Once
oxygen and moisture are managed in the overwrap, individual packaging can be
made of virtually any material and the broad potential of secondary packaging
becomes available. Phase I developed the tools and mathematical equations
necessary to construct and model the performance of the overwrap system. Phase
II research will combine these tools to create a working overwrap system capable
of achieving NASA's shelf life requirements and providing valuable secondary
uses to packaging wastes. As a result of this research, spent packaging will no
longer be a waste burden, but will become a valuable mission asset.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
overpack system with secondary applications parallels military needs. The US
Navy seeks strategies for reducing packaging wastes and the Army has need for
lightweight packages which are more adaptable to field preparation. The proposal
explores space savings innovations such as magnetic induction heating and laser
fabrication using spent packaging. These have broad application across the space
program and throughout the military.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Proposed
packaging innovations have commercial, military and environmental application.
Strategies for imparting biochemical activity to packaging (including
antimicrobial, oxygen scavenging, and antioxidant properties) have broad food
and pharmaceutical applications. The military also relies on foil laminate
containers. Innovations of this research would provide packaging to the military
which are lighter in weight and which are more amenable to field preparation.
Seeking strategies to build value into packaging waste is in itself
environmentally responsible. However, as world environmental regulations become
stricter, new markets will open for technologies which address packaging wastes.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Erectable
Tankage
Biomass
Production and Storage
Sterilization/Pathogen and Microbial Control
Waste
Processing and Reclamation
In-situ Resource Utilization
Radiation
Shielding Materials
Photovoltaic Conversion
Renewable
Energy
Thermoelectric Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 X14.03-8416 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB09P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Neutron Spectroscopy |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Spectroscopic Dosimeter |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Merril Corporation of Utah, dba MSI Photogenics
P.O. Box 511283
Salt Lake City, UT 84151-1283
(801)
773-7900
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
John Czirr
bart.czirr@missionsupport.us
515 East 1860 south
Provo, UT
84606-7312
(801) 374-6722
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Analysis of Phase I test data
demonstrates that the Photogenics Spectroscopic Dosimeter will detect neutron
energies from 0.8 up to 600 MeV. The detector efficiencies in the energy region
of interest to NASA of 0.5 to 150 MeV were predicted by MCNP-X models. These
models were partially confirmed by the tests at the EAL and LANSCE, with a high
confidence in the data for the 1-14 MeV range and a confirmation of the
detector's spectroscopic capabilities between 15-150 MeV. Further analysis of
the high energy data will be performed in Phase II. Using the detection
efficiencies determined Phase I and the IRCP74 damage coefficients, doses have
been calculated for the neutron fluxes encountered in the test facilities.
During Phase II a full-scale working model of the spectroscopic dosimeter will
be fabricated and tested.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA is
seeking improved neutron spectroscopy to enhance its characterization of the
space environment and has also identified a need for improved accuracy in the
estimate of neutron dose experienced by astronauts on long duration space
missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The NASA
version of the dosimeter can be redesigned for use in radiation safety
monitoring at a wide variety of facilities concerned with potential radiation
hazards, i.e. laboratories, university research facilities, and private nuclear
power plants.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Particle and Fields
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.01-9084 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC69P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lidar System Components |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Fabry-Perot Based Ranging Interferometer Receiver for High Spectral Resolution Lidar |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michigan Aerospace Corporation
1777
Highland Drive, Suite B
Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2285
(734)
975-8777
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Johnson
djohnson@michaero.com
1777 Highland Drive, Suite B
Ann Arbor,
MI 48108-2285
(734) 975-8777
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Michigan Aerospace Corporation
(MAC) is pleased to present the following Phase II proposal for a Fabry-Perot
Based Interferometer Receiver for the High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL)
System. Under the Phase I work, MAC successfully developed instrument models and
created a conceptual design for an aircraft-qualified receiver that can be used
with the current HSRL collection optics. This design is optimized to spectrally
separate the aerosol and molecular backscatter for the calculation of the
aerosol-to-total-scattering ratio and aerosol extinction coefficient.
Additionally, wind and temperature data products can be produced with this
system. The proposed Phase II efforts are directed at designing and building a
bench-top HSRL 532nm receiver that is capable of taking accurate measurements of
aerosol scattering ratio, extinction coefficients, molecular temperature and
line-of-sight (LOS) velocity. This demonstration unit will verify a new adaptive
interferometer measurement technique, called the Programmable Edge Technique
(PET), which makes use of a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) in conjunction
with a Fabry-Perot interferometer and two photo-multiplier tubes (PMT). The
completed bench-top receiver design will serve as the baseline for future
aircraft mounted implementations.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
research is directly applicable to the highly-modular HSRL system at NASA
Langley Research Center. Subsequent development of this work will result in a
system that can validate and extend the current HSRL system. A 532nm
implementation of this work will allow cross-validation of the HSRL and PET
techniques, as well as add extended capability for temperature, density,
pressure and line-of-sight (vertical) wind velocity estimation.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The atmospheric
measurement capabilities made possible through this research aids in military
areas such as atmospheric mitigation for snipers, long-range gunnery and
precision landing zones for manned and unmanned aircraft as well as
meteorological monitoring to assist in Nuclear/Biological/Chemical (NBC) threat
analysis and tracking. Non-military applications include clear-air turbulence
sensing for commercial aircraft, meteorological monitoring of tropospheric and
upper-atmosphere winds, and site selection and improved efficiency for wind
farms.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
Photonics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.01-9270 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC70P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lidar System Components |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Single Frequency Lasers for Space-Based Wind and Aerosol Lidar |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Fibertek, Inc.
510 Herndon
Parkway
Herndon, VA 20170-5225
(703) 471-7671
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Floyd Hovis
fhovis@fibertek.com
510 Herndon Pkwy
Herndon, VA
20170-5225
(703) 471-7671
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Stable, single-frequency cw
lasers operating at 2 µm and at 1064/532/355 nm are needed in a number of lidar
systems that are being planned for NASA airborne and space-based lidar systems.
These include the following. 1. Direct Detection Doppler Wind Lidar systems that
operate at 355 nm. 2. Coherent Wind Lidar systems that operate at 2 µm. 3. High
Spectral Resolution Lidar systems that operate at 1064/532/355/nm. 4. Ozone DIAL
systems. At least two missions that have been recommended by the NRC Earth
Science Decadal Survey will need the technology that we propose to develop.
These are the 3D-Winds mission and the ACE (Aerosol/Clouds/Ecosystems) mission.
In our Phase 1 SBIR we successfully completed proof of principle demonstrations
of the desired cw single-frequency lasers. Our approach for the 2 µm source was
a compact linear resonator that demonstrated 65 mW of single frequency output
compared to a goal of 20 mW. Our approach for the 1064/532/355 nm source was
intracavity second and third harmonic generation in a compact 1064 nm ring laser
that demonstrated simultaneous single-frequency outputs of 520 mW at 1064 nm,
240 mW at 532 nm, and 1.9 mW at 355 nm. The goal was > 1 mW at 355 nm. For
Phase 2 we propose to build more hardened engineering demonstration units of the
lasers, to develop electronics that could be readily transitioned to radiation
hardened designs, and to demonstrate a frequency locking module for the
1064/532/355 nm source. We expect both lasers to be at a TRL of 5 at the
completion of the Phase 2 work.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Stable,
single-frequency cw lasers operating at 2 µm and at 1064/532/355 nm are needed
in a number of lidar systems that are being planned for NASA airborne and
space-based lidar systems. These include the following. 1. Direct Detection
Doppler Wind Lidar systems that operate at 355 nm. 2. Coherent Wind Lidar
systems that operate at 2 µm. 3. High Spectral Resolution Lidar systems that
operate at 1064/532/355/nm. 4. Ozone DIAL systems. At least two missions that
have been recommended by the NRC Earth Science Decadal Survey will need the
technology that we propose to develop. These are the 3D-Winds mission and the
ACE (Aerosol/Clouds/Ecosystems) mission.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We have
identified the following three possible non-NASA commercial applications. 1)
Fourier Transform Spectroscopy for remote sensing applications. A stable and
robust single frequency 1064 nm source is needed to support these activities. 2)
Direct Detection Wind Lidar development at a number of aerospace companies. We
have identified at least four companies that are interested in using the
technology we are proposing to develop as a part of wind lidar systems that they
are developing for balloon-based, airborne, and space-based applications. 3)
Development of an aircraft based water vapor lidar for atmospheric studies of
the troposphere. A 1064 nm seed laser will be needed for the water vapor lidar
we have jointly proposed to build.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Laser
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.01-9308 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC71P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lidar System Components |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Efficient Tm-Fiber-Pumped Ho:YLF Laser System for Coherent LIDAR Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Q-Peak, Inc.
135 South
Road
Bedford, MA 01730-2307
(781) 275-9535
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Alex Dergachev
dergachev@qpeak.com
135 South Road
Bedford, MA
01730-2307
(781) 275-9535
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The primary objective of the
proposed Phase II program is to develop and deliver a ruggedized, compact
single-frequency 2050-nm-laser system suitable for coherent LIDAR applications.
Such a system uses the latest Tm:silica heavily-doped fiber technology to
provide as much as 3X efficiency improvement over existing systems. An
all-amplifier technology provides flexibility and stability in the generation of
coherent lidar waveforms. The hybrid fiber/bulk amplifier scheme allows to
combine the advantage of high small-signal gain attainable in a fiber amplifier
with the advantages of a bulk crystal amplifier such as high storage efficiency,
immunity to various non-linear processes and damage-free operation for pulse
generation.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed work has direct application to NASA coherent, wind-sensing lidar
programs based on the use of eyesafe, 2000-nm region lasers, as well as CO2 DIAL
applications. The system concept we proposed provides improved performance,
enhanced ruggedness and the potential for improvement in overall system
efficiency. Other applications are as a pump source for mid-infrared-generating
parametric oscillators, for application to DIAL sensors.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial uses
are for ground- and aircraft-based wind sensors in commercial aviation for wind
shear and turbulence detection.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.01-9794 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC72P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Lidar System Components |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Energy Single Frequency Fiber Laser at Low Repetition Rate |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
PolarOnyx, Inc.
470 Lakeside Drive, Suite
F
Sunnyvale, CA 94085-4720
(408) 734-3048
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jian Liu
jianliu@polaronyx.com
470 Lakeside Drive, Suite F
Sunnyvale,
CA 94085-4720
(408) 245-9588
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR phase II project
proposes a single frequency high energy fiber laser system operating at low
repetition rate of 10 Hz to 1 kHz for coherent Lidar systems for remote sensing.
Current state-of-art technologies can not provide all features of high energy
and efficiency, compactness, narrow linewidth, super frequency and power
stability, low noise, and high extinction ratio at the same time. PolarOnyx
proposes, for the first time, a high energy (100 mJ) single frequency (< 1
KHz) PCF fiber laser transmitter to meet with the requirement of solicitation.
This proposal is based on the spectral shaping sub-mJ fiber laser we have
achieved in our labs. In the high power amplifier stage, PolarOnyx proposes an
innovative PCF fiber based regenerative amplifier approach by employing our
patent pending proprietary technologies in fiber lasers, that will be able to
operate at low repetition rate (10 Hz to 1 kHz) and reach high energy level of
100 mJ. These will make the fiber laser transmitter system superior in terms of
wall plug efficiency (over 30%), energy(100 mJ), noise, size, and cost. Proof of
concept experiment has been demonstrated in Phase I time frame. A compact
prototype will be delivered in Phase II.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Immediate applications include coherent lidars applications for
atmospheric parameters measurement. It can also be used as a laser source for
NASA's remote sensing system, and as a transmitter for optical communication
systems between GEO, LEO, and earth.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are a
number of potential applications for the proposed high power fiber laser
transmitter system: • Medical equipment and biomedical instrumentation. The high
power laser can be applied to ophthalmology, refractive surgery,
photocoagulation, general surgery, therapeutic, imaging, and cosmetic
applications. Biomedical instruments include those involved in cells or
proteins, cytometry, and DNA sequencing; laser Raman spectroscopy,
spectrofluorimetry, and ablation; and laser based microscopes. • Military /
aerospace. The proposed fiber laser can be directly used in military
applications, and space, aircraft, and satellite applications such as LIDAR
systems, remote sensing system, illuminator system, and phase array antenna
system. • Optical fiber communications. Tunable lasers represent the next
generation of critical optical components needed to build the local optical
networks of the future and cable TVs that will deliver increased communication
bandwidth and improved Quality of Service (QoS) to local access users. The
market for the application is growing and will be of great potential. RHK
reported the tunable lasers will have a market potential of 800 millions dollars
in 2009 as a result of applications of local optical networks and cable TVs.
With successful development of the fiber lasers, the technology proposed by
PolarOnyx will provide a vital tool to solve the existing and potential issues
and merge with the huge market of optical fiber communications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Laser
Optical
High-Energy
Photonics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.02-8869 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB78P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Active Microwave Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Reconfigurable L-band Radar Transceiver using Digital Signal Synthesis |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
15400 Calhoun
Drive, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20855-2737
(301) 294-5200
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Arvind Bhat
abhat@i-a-i.com
15400 Calhoun Drive, Suite 400
Rockville, MD 20855-2737
(301)
294-5254
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Phase II proposal, builds
upon the extensive research and digital radar design that has been successfully
completed during the Phase I contract. Key innovations of the proposed Phase II
work will be • High update rate software configurable Direct Digital Synthesizer
(DDS) design. The state-of-the-art DDS ICs can operate at 1 GHz update rates.
IAI proposes to achieve the same or higher update rates, with increased
flexibility (in frequency/ phase tuning) which arises from the software defined
nature of the DDS implementation. • High-sampling rate (400 MHz and above),
multi-channel digital receiver design. On-board signal processing capabilities
will be integrated in the receiver. This includes digital implementation of
commonly used radar receiver architectures (Digital down-up conversion, Digital
filtering, Correlation, SAR imaging). • Digital implementation of direct RF
generation techniques for L-Band frequencies. Flexible and scalable analog
up-conversion techniques would be implemented to generate frequencies in the
S-Band, X-Band, going up to the Ku band. • Scalable and modular hardware
architecture to support multiple radar missions. Such a design approach would
also address the issue of portability between different reconfigurable logic
device families/ vendors. • Technology transition to adapt the radar design to
meet space qualified standards.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed technology is built upon the radar design and communications expertise
of IAI, developed over several SBIR and non-SBIR contracts. Our innovation is
the digital synthesis of critical radar blocks and reconfigurable design to
support most commonly used radar modes. Our proposed technique can be used for a
wide range of remote sensing applications for NASA including: • High bandwidth
channel sounders • Weather surveillance radar for aircrafts • Earth science
measurements like surface deformation, topography and soil moisture measurements
• Space based radar missions • Non-cooperative target tracking radar in air
space IAI has a long history of successfully designing custom radars for DoD and
NASA, and most NASA applications could be supported by our reconfigurable radar
design.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The most
promising Non- NASA commercial applications are: • Reconfigurable radar for
commercial applications • Cognitive Radios/ Radar for Defense related
applications • High bandwidth arbitrary waveform generator • UAV based
applications (due to the small form factor and plow power). This would include
UAV based weather surveillance, target tracking and other commonly sought after
UAV radar applications IAI has tremendous experience of designing customized
radar assembly and packaging them as field-ready units.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
RF
Portable Data Acquisition or
Analysis Tools
Microwave/Submillimeter
Highly-Reconfigurable
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.02-9952 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB79P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Active Microwave Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Digital Conically Scanned L-Band Radar |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Dynamic Sensing Technologies
125 I Brittany
Manor Drive
Amherst, MA 01002-3147
(520) 444-5622
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Luko Krnan
luko@dynamicst.com
125 I Brittany Manor Dr
Amherst, MA 01002-3147
(520) 444-5622
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed effort seeks to
develop a digitally steered polarimetric phased array L-Band radar utilizing a
novel, high performance architecture leveraging recent advances in radio
frequency and digital signal processing components. The driving methodologies
are: the minimization of costly and inflexible analog circuitry, adoption of
standardized manufacturing processes, and inclusion of reconfigurable
software/firmware architectures to facilitate fulfillment of varied sensing
requirements. The Phase II effort will build upon the successful Phase I
demonstration of the system concept through fabrication of a 2 Dimensional
instrument and system validation in a relevant environment.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
conical scanning beamforming scatterometer leverages recently developed
processing technology in order to enable collocated measurements of emission and
backscatter in a compact aircraft instrument with no moving parts. These
measurements are not currently available in NASA's L-Band radar systems. The
measurements support Earth science applications and are an important step in the
path to space for L-band scatterometer/radiometer systems. The short term goal
of this work would be to enable collocated measurements with the 2-D
Electronically Steerable Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) instrument. In
addition this work serves as validation for the Soil Moisture Active/Passive
Mission (SMAP) mission which will carry a mechanically conical scanning
radiometer/radar system. Also, the system is well-suited for high-resolution SAR
measurements in planetary exploration, as well as GNSS backscatter measurements
(CLARREO).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The need for
data produced by the proposed system is not limited to NASA. Within the
government, agencies such as USDA, NOAA and DOE have needs for an accurate soil
moisture product. Private corporations in the energy and hydrology services
fields are also potential customers. The system concept is also applicable to
other microwave frequencies, opening the possibility of instrument development
to meet a growing demand for lower cost, agile, multi-mission phased array radar
systems in fields such as atmospheric remote sensing and aviation.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Microwave/Submillimeter
Highly-Reconfigurable
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.03-8994 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB80P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Passive Microwave Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Schottky Heterodyne Receivers with Full Waveguide Bandwidth |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Virginia Diodes, Inc.
979 Second Street
SE
Charlottesville, VA 22902-6172
(434) 297-3257
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jeffrey Hesler
Hesler@VADiodes.com
979 Second Street SE, Suite 309
Charlottesville, VA 22902-6172
(434) 297-3257
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal is responsive to
NASA SBIR Subtopic S1.03: Passive Microwave Technology, specifically the fourth
bullet item; "Low noise (<2000 K DSB), compactly designed (< 8 cm3),
heterodyne mixers requiring low local oscillator drive power (<2 mW) with RF
input frequency between 100 GHz to 1 THz." The proposed research is significant
not only for the development of Schottky mixers that meet these requirements,
but also for the creation of a receiver system, including the LO chain, that
achieves the goals of high sensitivity, compact size, low total power
requirement and operation across complete waveguide bands. The proposed
receivers will meet all of the requirements for high resolution spectroscopic
studies of planetary atmosphere's (including the Earth's) from spacecraft, as
well as airborne and balloon platforms. The final contract deliverable will be a
breadboard receiver module suitable for use on the proposed Vesper mission to
probe the atmosphere of Venus. Perhaps more importantly, their exceptionally
broadband performance, compactness and reliability will make them ideal for the
broader range of scientific and commercial applications, which includes the
extension of sophisticated test and measurement equipment to 1 THz and the
development of low cost imaging systems for security applications and industrial
process monitoring.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
technology developed through this research will enable the development of more
power efficient and frequency agile heterodyne receivers to be used in NASA's
submillimeter-wave missions that will not utilize cryogenically cooled systems.
These include long term missions to planets that cannot afford the expense or
are of too long duration for cryogenic systems and studies of planetary
atmospheres that do not require the absolute lowest sensitivity but rather
benefit from the frequency agility, robustness and stability of Schottky
receivers. Primary examples of NASA missions are those to study planetary
atmospheres, such as VESPER, MACO and MARVEL, and Earth observing satellites
such as SIRICE and possibly Cameo. In addition, there are a host of balloon and
aircraft projects that routinely use room temperature heterodyne receivers to
study atmospheric chemistry that will benefit from the highly sensitive and more
compact, power efficient and frequency agile receivers that will be developed.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Vector network
analyzers (VNAs) and spectrum analyzers (SAs) are critical tools for any
microwave laboratory. If terahertz technology is to reach its full potential,
the functionality of VNAs and SAs must be extended to frequencies from 300 GHz
through 3 THz with the same level of performance and ease of use that is
achieved at lower frequencies. Today, several companies produce commercial
extension kits for VNAs and SAs. However, most of these systems reach only to
W-Band and/or are difficult to sweep across broad frequency bands. The few
commercial systems that extend beyond W-Band tend to have reduced performance,
specifically in terms of transmitter power and dynamic range. In fact the
performance of these commercial systems is limited by the quality of the
terahertz components, specifically the high frequency mixers and multipliers.
Through this proposal VDI is developing the technology needed to achieve full
waveguide band frequency mixers and their associated LO chains for frequencies
up to at least 2 THz, with the performance necessary to achieve the same dynamic
range that is today achieved at W-Band.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Microwave/Submillimeter
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.03-9150 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD02P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Passive Microwave Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Low Noise Millimeter Wave LNA |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
JJW Consulting, Inc.
1500 New Horizons
Blvd.
North Amityvile, NY 11701-1130
(970) 392-2756
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
James whelehan
pingship@yahoo.com
1500 New Horizons Blvd.
North Amityvile, NY
11701-1130
(631) 630-5320
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A broadband G-Band low noise
amplifier has been designed using a 50nm MHEMT. The MHEMT model that was used
for the design was measured. With the use of this model, a single ended MMIC low
noise amplifier was designed using various analysis tools. The single ended
amplifier had a midband gain of 27.0dB with a noise figure of 3.7dB, a
significant advance in the state-of-the-art. A balanced amplifier was also
designed under this contract. It consisted of a waveguide to microstrip
transition, an input coupler, the balanced amplifier, an output coupler, and a
microstrip to waveguide transition. The MMIC chip that consisted of the input
and output coupler and balanced amplifier was 1.4mm long by 1.23mm wide. The
simulated performance demonstrated a gain of 25.6dB with a noise figure of 4.4dB
midband. Since the MMIC process that will be used is fully space qualified and
has been used on NASA's ATMS program, the design at the conclusion of the Phase
II program should be ready for a space system insertion. The design would only
be changed to meet specific program objectives.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
G-Band amplifier that will be developed under the Phase II program has
significant NASA commercial applications. Many of NASA's remote sensing
satellites for weather forecasting and tracking presently have water band
sensors that operate at G-Band. However, these sensors have limited capability
since low noise amplifiers are not available at the present time. These systems
presently have mixer front ends with limited sensitivity. The G-Band low noise
amplifier will greatly enchance the sensitivity of these systems as well as
providing more accurate weather forecasting and tracking of storms such as
hurricanes. The fact that the MMIC is based on a proven space process and can be
inserted into space systems almost immediately is a unique advantage for this
design.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The development
of the low noise G-Band amplifier using the 50nm device is an advancement in the
state-of-the-art for low noise amplifiers.The innovative design can then be used
to advance the low noise performance of MMIC amplifiers down to the microwave
region. They can also be used to enhance the sensitivity of commercial satellite
communication systems. In addition, the emerging market for imaging systems in
the submillimeter and THz region could use a MMIC amplifier with this
performance. In fact, JJW Consulting has developed and shipped a 140GHz Imaging
system that was to be used for an all-weather landing system. The system used a
140GHz LNA. The sensitivity of this system could be enhanced by the inclusion of
these amplifiers.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Large Antennas and Telescopes
Airport Infrastructure and
Safety
Pilot Support
Systems
RF
Instrumentation
Microwave/Submillimeter
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.05-8972 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB81P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Blocking Filters with Enhanced Throughput for X-Ray Microcalorimetry |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Luxel Corporation
515 Tucker
Avenue
Friday Harbor, WA 98250-1879
(360) 378-4137
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jacob Betcher
jacob.betcher@luxel.com
PO Box 1879
Friday Harbor, WA
98250-1879
(360) 378-4137
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA will fly x-ray
microcalorimeters on several mission payloads scheduled within the next 5 years:
New and improved IR/Visible blocking filters are urgently needed to realize the
full potential and throughput of these missions. The innovation proposed, high
transmission polyimide support mesh, will replace the nickel mesh used in
previous blocking filter designs. Polyimide's composition affords high
transparency to x-rays, especially above 3 keV. Phase 1 prototypes demonstrated
11-15% higher transmission than comparable nickel mesh across the UV-Visible-NIR
range. With development of the Phase 1 process in Phase 2, the mesh will be
optimized for strength, transmission, integration with filter materials, and
filter lifetime; it will include deicing capability as required. Lithographic
production means adaptability to meet future mission-specific filter performance
requirements. The Phase 2 project will achieve a flight readiness level of 5-6
for blocking filters using the new mesh. Phase 1 results show that with
successful process development, the proposed high transmission polyimide mesh
will significantly improve mission throughput and effective area for
microcalorimeter payloads on proposed NASA missions such as Spectrum-X-Gamma and
NeXT in the near term as well as Constellation –X.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Enhanced
filter throughput is needed technology to meet NASA's Universe and Sun-Earth
Connection program goals. The new high transmission mesh will find application
in: • Blocking filters for x-ray microcalorimeter spectrometers proposed for
Spectrum Roentgen Gamma, the New X-ray Telescope, Micro-X, and Constellation-X,
particularly for observations at higher energies. • X-ray telescope entrance
filters • Soft x-ray and EUV bandpass filters for heliophysics and astrophysics
• Energetic particle detector filters • Thin foil filters for space-based
astronomy that require robust, highly transmissive support mesh
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Extreme
ultraviolet and x-ray filters for the GOES satellite series. Thermal barrier
windows for laboratory-based astrophysics using x-ray microcalorimeters Windows
for energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) systems used with scanning electron
microscopy. New support mesh for zirconium pellicles used in extreme ultraviolet
lithography (EUVL).
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
High-Energy
Optical &
Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.05-9011 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB82P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | SiC Avalanche Photodiodes and Arrays |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Aymont Technology, Inc.
30 Saratoga Avenue,
Suite 6H
Ballston Spa, NY 12020-1217
(518) 810-3294
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Larry Rowland
rowland@aymont.com
30 Saratoga Ave., Suite 6H
Ballston Spa, NY
12020-1217
(518) 810-3294
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this Phase 2 SBIR program
submitted to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in response to
Topic S1.05 (Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray
Instruments), Aymont Technology, Inc. (Aymont) and GE Global Research will
enable high-sensitivity ultraviolet imaging. We will build upon our Phase 1
result showing working SiC UV avalanche photodiodes with high quantum efficiency
as well as GE's product expertise in SiC photodiodes. Our team will demonstrate
16 x 16 arrays of SiC photodiodes including electronics for visible-blind
high-sensitivity ultraviolet (UV) detection. We will demonstrate imaging using
these arrays at UV wavelengths. In order to enable large scale arrays needed for
future NASA missions, we will also demonstrate a 3 x 3 array of SiC photodiodes
and avalanche photodiodes without front side contacts. In Phase 3, this array
will be scaled to VGA dimensions (640 x 480) and utilized by NASA and others as
the best-performing choice for UV imaging in space, satellite, security, and
other applications. Additionally, APD arrays will be enabled. These will give
the capability of imaging where each pixel has the sensitivity of a PMT.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
High-sensitivity, large-area ultraviolet light detection is
essential for detection of species that may indicate presence of organic
processes such as sulfur oxides, hydrocarbons, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl
radicals, ozone, and nitrogen oxides. Better, higher resolution ultraviolet
detection than currently available is necessary for future missions. Arrays of
SiC APDs will meet the imaging and analysis needs of TPF and subsequent possible
missions such as Life Finder and the Large UV/Optical Telescope over the next
two decades. Specific NASA missions using near ultraviolet detectors include
Terrestrial Planet Finder, the Beyond Einstein program and NASA's Astronomical
Search for Origins program. These missions require exceptional sensitivity for
species detectable in the UV that may indicate organic processes, the presence
of water, or perhaps life.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
commercial applications include machine vision, environmental monitoring,
analysis of artifacts, medical imaging, and radiation detection.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Large Antennas and
Telescopes
Particle and
Fields
Optical
High-Energy
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.05-9289 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC78P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Low Power X-Ray Photon Resolving Imaging Array |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Black Forest Engineering, LLC
PO Box
8059
Colorado Springs, CO 80933-8059
(719) 593-9501
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Stephen Gaalema
sgaalema@bfe.com
1879 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs,
CO 80918-7857
(719) 593-9501
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The solid-state detector array
is the primary technology to implement the current generation of space borne
high-energy astronomy missions that are managed by NASA in partnership with the
international community. Readout integrated circuitry (ROIC) specifically
designed for photon resolving X-ray detection with solid-state detectors will
create a new generation of high-performance X-ray imaging sensors. AC sensitive
detector input circuitry, similar to that used by Black Forest Engineering (BFE)
for laser detection and ranging (LADAR), is ideally suited to NASA X-ray
astronomy imaging system requirements. BFE proposes on Phase II to produce and
test 32x32 hybrid sensor arrays that can meet a wide range of NASA X-ray imaging
applications. The arrays will provide single photon sensitivity, accurate X-ray
energy determination, X-ray event time stamping, low power dissipation and
ambient temperature operation.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
X-ray imaging technology developed on this SBIR will meet NASA's soft-to-hard
energy requirements. One specific application is the Energetic X-ray Imaging
Survey Telescope (EXIST); however, the design approach is applicable to a wide
range of X-ray imaging systems and future systems such as Constellation-X. The
readout approach is compatible with a wide variety of X-ray detectors for
maximum utility. Power requirements are low to support space-based applications.
The X-ray imager design and packaging approach is compact to allow 4-side
abuttable imager assemblies to create large focal plane arrays.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future medical
high energy imaging systems (such as advanced PET scanners) may make use of this
technology.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
High-Energy
Photonics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.05-9739 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB84P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Silicon Microchannel Plate Large Area UV Detector |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Physical Optics Corporation, EP Division
20600 Gramercy Place, Bldg. 100
Torrance, CA 90501-1821
(310)
320-3088
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Paul Shnitser
PSProposals@poc.com
20600 Gramercy Place, Building 100
Torrance, CA 90501-1821
(310) 320-3088
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
To address the NASA need for
high-quantum-efficiency, high-resolution, low-cost photodetectors for the far-UV
spectral range, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new
Silicon Microchannel Plate-based Large Area UV detector (UV-Si-MCP) with a
highly efficient, negative electron affinity (NEA), solar-blind AlGaN
photocathode fabricated directly on the surface of a silicon-based microchannel
substrate. In Phase I, POC demonstrated the feasibility of fabrication of the
AlGaN photocathode on the MCP structure, and developed the technology for
fabrication of the entire device that meets NASA specifications for the area of
sensitivity, quantum efficiency, and spatial resolution. In Phase II, POC will
develop a fully functional prototype with a large number of channels and high
quantum efficiency, assembled with NASA active pixel readout electronics. This
efficient and radiation-hard UV photodetector with low background noise will
offer NASA capabilities to improve sensitivity and spatial or spectral
resolution of UV instruments for several missions devoted to a better
understanding of the origin of the universe and its evolution to modern form.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future
NASA applications of Si-based Microchannel Plate photodetectors with AlGaN
photocathodes fabricated directly on the entrance plate include several missions
such as Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), SUFO, GALEX, and others. The highly
sensitive, solar-blind, low noise, radiation-hard detectors for the FUV region
(from 100 nm to 200 nm) will open new opportunities in the investigation of the
evolution of the universe, planet finding, investigation of Sun-Earth
interactions, etc.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Military
applications for new detectors include missile plume detection, fire detection,
and detection of biochemical agents. Silicon Microchannel Plate technology will
be used in several commercial applications including microchannel chemical
reactors with high surface area, beneficial for catalysis (efficient conversion
of bio-products into diesel fuel, hydrogen production, and other reactions).
This technology will be useful for high-density electronic devices where silicon
wafers can be used both as a substrate for the fabrication of semiconductor
devices and for creating micro-heatpipe systems. It is applicable to the
fabrication of disposable microarrays with nanoliter volumes for fast testing
tissue samples against thousands of pathogens.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Large Antennas and
Telescopes
Particle and Fields
Optical
High-Energy
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.06-8463 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB85P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Particles and Field Sensors and Instrument Enabling Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Self-Calibrating Vector Helium Magnetometer (SVHM) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Polatomic, Inc.
1810 N. Glenville Drive,
#116
Richardson, TX 75081-1954
(972) 690-0099
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Slocum
BobSlocum@polatomic.com
1810 N. Glenville Dr., #116
Richardson, TX 75081-1954
(972) 690-0099
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Phase 2 SBIR proposal
describes the design, fabrication and calibration of a brass-board
Self-Calibrating Vector Helium Magnetometer (SVHM). The SVHM instrument is
capable of making high accuracy vector component measurements of Earth and
planetary magnetic fields. The major SVHM innovation is use of scalar field
measurements made with the SVHM sensor to self-calibrate the vector measurements
thereby eliminating the standard suite of three fluxgate vector magnetometers
and the independent scalar magnetometer required to correct for fluxgate drifts
and offsets. The SVHM bread-board conceptual design can achieve a dynamic range
of ¡Ó65,000 nT, both vector and scalar accuracy with self-calibration of ¡Ó1 nT,
and sensitivity of <10 pT /„©Hz. The SVHM bread-board will be miniaturized to
meet volume, power and mass goals. The SVHM bread-board will utilize a
fiber-coupled laser pump source and resonance drive, which permits reduction of
helium cell volume by a factor of 10 and eliminates resonance drive coils and
cables. The feasibility of designing a brass-board SVHM model using advanced
laser and digital components was established in Phase 1. The SVHM bread-board
will be calibrated and the self-calibration function demonstrated at a NASA coil
facility during Phase 2.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
accurate measurement of the magnetic field components and their orientation in
space is recognized as a basic requirement for space research. Conventional
scalar and vector magnetometers measure the Earth¡¦s scalar field value in the
range from 25,000 nT to 100,000 nT. The SVHM will be used to map near-Earth and
distant-Earth magnetic fields in orbit and high-altitude aircraft. The major
feature of the SVHM is its outstanding accuracy. This feature makes possible a
major mapping project similar to MAGSAT with SVHM instruments on multiple
satellites. On the Earth and other planets, the magnetic field provides unique
information on the structure and dynamics of the planetary interior, fluid flow
within and upon its surface, and the influence of the solar environment. The
SVHM vector mode can provide high accuracy vector measurements of solar and
planetary magnetic fields equal to or less than the Earth¡¦s field.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The SVHM
characteristics of outstanding accuracy, omni-directionality (no dead zones),
and high-frequency signal response will open up a variety of commercial and
military applications. The SVHM will be used at the Earth's surface for
geophysical airborne and surface magnetic prospecting as well as the new
standard for geomagnetic observatories. A high-sensitivity version of the SVHM
in a surface gradiometer configuration may be used for investigation of
geopotential changes in the Earth¡¦s crust associated with earthquakes. The
laser-pumped scalar helium magnetometer technology is currently being developed
for high sensitivity magnetometers to be used by the US Navy for submarine
detection and mine countermeasures applications. SVHM sensors in a gradiometer
configuration may be useful for location of IEDs and buried sea mines. The
miniaturized SVHM sensor using OSP technology will have applications in UAVs
used for sea and land surveillance for submarines, tanks under trees, tunnels
and underground facilities.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Particle and Fields
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.07-8635 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD05P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Cryogenic Systems for Sensors and Detectors |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Thermal Pyrolytic Graphite Enhanced Components |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
The Peregrine Falcon Corporation
1072 A
Serpentine Lane
Pleasanton, CA 94566-4731
(925) 461-6800
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Hardesty
rhardesty@peregrinecorp.com
1051 Serpentine Lane Suite 100
Pleasanton, CA 94566-8451
(925) 461-6806
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Peregrines innovation will
reduce the required input power, increase a coolers systems margin for a giving
cooling load and reduce vibration accordingly for Cryocoolers. Our innovation
will enhance the thermal conductivities of structures associated with the
cryocooler, enable much more efficient heat removal and thereby produce a more
efficient system. Effectively we will be increasing the thermal conductivities
of the structures associated with the Cryocoolers by embedding Thermal Pyrolytic
Graphite within a matrix of material to produce a thermal conductivity 5 times
higher than current available materials. As cryocooler technologies attempt to
cool components down around the 4<SUP>o</SUP>K level, waste heat and
the management thereof becomes critical to the performance of the cryocooler.
Thermal conductivity structures made from our innovation possessing a thermal
conductivity of 700 W/mK will eliminate thermal loads more effectively and will
lead to a more efficient and better performing cryocooler. Phase I has proven
feasibility, Phase II will development and demonstrate our innovation resulting
in a flight component for the MIRI cooling system for the James Webb Space
Telescope.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
innovation will have an enabling effect on Cryocoolers reducing their power
requirements, size, mass and vibration. Beyond Cryocoolers, this product can
provide an advanced solution for many thermal control applications like
radiators, conduction bars and structural components. In some instances it will
replace active cooling systems (heat pipes) with a passive solution based upon
this high conductivity innovation.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Commercial
satellites will use this technology for the same reasons NASA will to produce
high thermal conductivity devices including conduction bars, radiators, and
structural components. This technology can also be applied to provide tight
thermal control for instruments, detectors and lasers. Commercial electronics
can use the technology for laptop computers, ignition switches for automobiles,
and heat sinks for power amplifiers.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Cooling
Metallics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.07-9378 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB89P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Cryogenic Systems for Sensors and Detectors |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Novel Lightweight Magnets for Space Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Tai-Yang Research Corporation
9112 Farrell
Park Lane
Knoxville, TN 37922-8525
(302) 593-4777
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Hilton
dkhilton@tai-yang.com
2031 E. Paul Dirac Drive
Tallahassee, FL
32310-3711
(865) 805-0220
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Tai-Yang Research Company
(TYRC) of Tallahassee, Florida, will design, build and test a superconducting
magnet system optimized for low current space based applications. Adiabatic
demagnetization refrigeration (ADR) for milli-Kelvin sensor cooling is enabled
by the use of superconducting magnets to eliminate ohmic heating. Present
systems use low temperature superconductors and require significant cooling
system power to operate the magnets. TYRC's proposed superconducting magnet will
operate at higher temperature and lower current than systems presently
available, and will therefore reduce the total system burden. In Phase I, TYRC
successfully demonstrated a method for producing a high temperature
superconductor optimized for the low currents (< 10 amps) required for space
based magnets. In Phase II, TYRC will produce several small test coils from the
optimized conductor to develop the manufacturing technology. TYRC will design a
demonstration magnet with input from NASA personnel to address mission
requirements. TYRC will then manufacture and test the demonstration magnet to
validate the design. At the conclusion of the project, TYRC will be positioned
to supply low current superconducting magnets optimized for space based ADR
systems identified for NASA missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
missions requiring sensor cooling to < 1 Kelvin may be cooled by adiabatic
demagnetization refrigeration (ADR) systems. These novel coolers are enabled by
the use of superconducting magnets. Present ADR systems use low temperature
superconducting magnets that must be cooled to 10 Kelvin. The superconducting
magnets developed by TYRC will utilize a conductor technology that operates at
20 Kelvin, and will therefore reduce power consumption and cooling system mass.
NASA low temperature sensor cooling applications for space based systems require
current leads that minimize heat conduction and heat generation in a
mechanically robust configuration. Unlike other superconductor current lead
technologies presently used for NASA missions, TYRC's novel, proprietary
conductor technology addresses the requirements for structural strength and low
heat leak.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Low current
high temperature superconducting magnets find application where weight savings
and system power requirements are important. One such application is for
magneto-optical imaging systems for studying low temperature material
properties. TYRC has already produced a conceptual design for such a system
using its novel, proprietary superconductor technology. The proposed coil
technology is directly applicable to these systems, and may be introduced to
this market during Phase II. NASA has licensed its ADR cooling system technology
to a supplier interested in supplying such systems to research laboratories.
TYRC's proposed coil technology may be used in these systems. Low current
superconducting leads with higher temperature thermal intercepts may be of
interest to cryogenic systems integrators seeking new methods of reducing heat
leaks. TYRC's novel, proprietary conductor technology, now available, is
directly applicable.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Electromagnetic Thrusters
Ultra-High
Density/Low Power
Instrumentation
Superconductors and Magnetic
Power
Management and Distribution
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.08-8517 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA74P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | in situ Airborne, Surface, and Submersible Instruments for Earth Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Compact, Ultrasensitive Formaldehyde Monitor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Novawave Technologies
900 Island Drive,
Suite 101
Redwood City, CA 94065-5176
(650) 610-0956
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Joshua Paul
jbpaul@novawavetech.com
900 Island Dr
Redwood City, CA
94065-5176
(650) 610-0956
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Small Business Innovative
Research Phase II proposal seeks to develop a compact UV laser –based sensor for
Earth science and planetary atmosphere exploration. The device will be capable
of measuring formaldehyde in real-time at ultra-trace levels. The sensor is
based on a revolutionary, single frequency tunable UV fiber laser that was
successfully demonstrated for the first time during Phase I. This laser was
mated with a detection cell and high fidelity formaldehyde spectra were
obtained. The Phase II sensor will be compact and capable of detecting
formaldehyde at ppt levels, and may be capable of simultaneously detecting NO2,
an important pollutant.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
applications for the instrument described in this proposal include the
interrogation of extraterrestrial atmospheres for trace species, as well as in
the study of Earth's atmosphere and the monitoring of cabin air in crewed
exploration vehicles. The described instrument will have potential applications
in atmospheric chemistry and satellite validation performed on umanned aerial
systems (UAS).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The worldwide
market for gas sensors with the capabilities of the proposed system is
significant. Numerous potential applications can be found in trace gas
monitoring, pollution monitoring, and industrial process control.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
Photonics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.08-9119 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA75P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | in situ Airborne, Surface, and Submersible Instruments for Earth Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Airborne Wide Area Imager for Wildfire Mapping and Detection |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Xiomas Technologies
1317 Skyway
Drive
Ypsilanti, MI 48197-8952
(734) 646-6535
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
john green
johngreen@xiomas.com
1317 Skyway Drive
Ypsilanti, MI
48197-8952
(734) 646-6535
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An autonomous airborne imaging
system for earth science research, disaster response, and fire detection is
proposed. The primary goal is to improve information to researchers and
operations personnel. By operating autonomously and with higher spatial
resolution, the system will deliver a 3X to 4X reduction in operating costs
compared to current systems. The system uses a two color Quantum Well Infrared
Photo detector (QWIP) to improve the accuracy of energy release from wildfires,
thereby improving our understanding of the carbon cycle. The system includes a
multi-sensor step-stare imager, position and attitude sensor, data
communications link, and a data processing system with; feature extraction (such
as fire detection), image geo-coding, and image compression. The sensor head is
an innovative design combining high resolution framing devices (cameras) with a
step-stare scanning mirror. This configuration results in high spatial
resolution imagery and wide area coverage. The design of the sensor head is
flexible allowing for a variety of imagers including; visible and IR cameras
and/or hyperspectral sensors. We envision several versions of the instrument,
one weighing around 75 pounds and a smaller version weighing less than 15
pounds.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
project is aimed at advancing sensor development for Earth Science and
Observation particularly with regards carbon cycle research, disaster response,
fire research, autonomous systems operation, and reducing the size weight and
power while increasing the operational efficiencies of remote sensing systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Several
government and commercial entities have expressed a need for a system of this
type including; 1) the U.S.F.S. for improved operational efficiencies in fire
mapping, fuel loading, and burn area rehab, 2) DHS for border patrol, 3) FEMA
for disaster response, 4) various entities for hydrology mapping of ground
water, springs, and seeps, 5) commercial entities for heat loss from buildings,
6) National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Office of Nonproliferation
Research and Development (NA-22) to improve national capabilities to detect the
proliferation of nuclear weapons (ref solicitation no. DE-AR52-07NA28115)
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Architectures and
Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Data Input/Output
Devices
Optical
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.08-9736 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA77P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | in situ Airborne, Surface, and Submersible Instruments for Earth Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Multispectral Particle Absorption Monitor |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Aerodyne Research, Inc.
45 Manning
Road
Billerica, MA 01821-3976
(978) 663-9500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andrew Freedman
af@aerodyne.com
45 Manning Road
Billerica, MA
01821-3976
(978) 663-9500
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation
Research Phase II project concerns the development of a multi-wavelength monitor
that will provide rapid, real-time measurement of the average aerosol absorption
coefficient in a parcel of sample air. This monitor will employ Aerodyne's
patented Cavity Attenuated Phase Shift (CAPS) technology in order to produce a
far simpler, smaller, lower cost alternative to more traditional instruments
with no loss in sensitivity or accuracy. A unique property of the proposed
instrument is that it requires little or no calibration. The Phase II project
entails construction a field-ready prototype and deploying the sensor on various
field missions undertaken by Aerodyne's particle measurement research group.
Aerosol particles affect the radiative balance of the earth directly, by
scattering and absorbing solar and terrestrial radiation, and indirectly, by
acting as cloud condensation nuclei. The atmospheric loading of aerosols
generated through human activities can exert an influence on the earth's
radiation budget comparable in magnitude with greenhouse gases. The
uncertainties in the current understanding of aerosol direct and indirect
forcing limit the ability to quantify human influences on climate change.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Successful development of a low cost multispectral sensor would
allow almost routine measurement of the scattering properties of atmospheric
aerosols, something precluded by the cost and complexity of current
instrumentation.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Quantification
of the light absorbing properties of so-called "black carbon" could be readily
achieved and could conceivably lead to the development of a monitor for
combustor particulate emissions. Such an instrument would be of immediate
benefit in at least two regulatory markets, that of stationary combustors
(incinerators, power plants, etc.) and emissions certification for commercial
aircraft engines.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Optical
Aircraft Engines
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.08-9912 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB91P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | in situ Airborne, Surface, and Submersible Instruments for Earth Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High-Performance Airborne Optical Carbon Dioxide Analyzer |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vista Photonics, Inc.
67 Condesa
Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jeffrey Pilgrim
jpilgrim@vistaphotonics.com
67 Condesa Road
Santa Fe, NM
87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Environmental species
measurement on airborne atmospheric research craft is a demanding application
for optical sensing techniques. Yet optical techniques offer many advantages
including high-precision, fast response, and high species selectivity.
Balloonsonde, kite, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or glider deployment demands
that sensors meet stringent size, weight and power requirements. Few
measurements are as important, and none have entered into the public
consciousness, like the need to quantify atmospheric carbon dioxide. Vista
Photonics proposes to develop rugged, compact, power efficient prototype optical
sensors capable of selectively measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide and water
vapor with precision that rivals ground based instruments. The enabling
technology for meeting stringent NASA mission requirements is a newly emergent
infrared laser source that delivers the high-sensitivity of established optical
absorption detection techniques with extreme compactness and low power draw.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
immediate targeted application for NASA is trace atmospheric species monitoring
on unmanned terrestrial atmospheric research craft. Phase II prototypes will be
capable of selectively detecting carbon dioxide and water vapor. The integrated
sensors will be suitable for dynamic airborne environments on Earth and in
planetary measurements as diverse as the Moon, Mars and Titan. Other
applications include fire detection on aircraft and high-value installations,
gas sensing in air revitalization and water recovery processes on spacecraft,
and leak detection during spacecraft launch operations.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Phase III
commercial applications abound for sensors whose performance and physical
characteristics are suitable for unmanned airborne measurements. A prominent
example includes leak monitoring at carbon capture and sequestration sites where
greenhouse gases are stored underground. Other examples include contaminant
monitoring in process gas streams in the chemical and microelectronics
industries, medical diagnosis through detection of biogenic gases in human
breath that correlate to specific pathologies, and environmental monitoring and
regulatory compliance in agriculture, power production, and occupational safety.
The fully-developed Phase II instruments shall offer a compelling and desirable
blend of performance, affordability, compactness, simplicity and ease-of-use
relative to present commercial product offerings in these applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Air Revitalization and
Conditioning
Optical
Portable Life Support
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.09-9028 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD08P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | In Situ Sensors and Sensor Systems for Planetary Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Novel Micro-Capillary Electrochromatography for Mars Organic Detector |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Los Gatos Research
67 East Evelyn Avenue,
Suite 3
Mountain View, CA 94041-1518
(650) 965-7780
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Hong Jiao
h.jiao@lgrinc.com
67 East Evelyn Avenue, Suite 3
Mountain View, CA
94041-1518
(650) 965-7772
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Los Gatos Research proposes to
develop a powerful new technology - next generation Micro-Capillary
Electrochromatography - a high performance and low power consumption
microfluidic sample separation device suitable for separating organic molecules
as signatures as past and present life on Mars. In this Phase II effort, we will
refine this enabling new microfluidic technology that we have successfully
demonstrated in Phase I in order to integrate with NASA Mars Organic Detector.
Specifically for the Phase II work, we will target two important classes of
compounds: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and amino acids. The overall
objective is to integrate the micro-CEC devices with the existing micor-CE
analyzers to form a dual micro-CE/micro-CEC system capable of separating all
neutral and charged organic molecules targeted by Urey, thus significantly
broaden NASA organic sample separation capability. In addition, this research
work will also be performed in parallel with efforts to develop microfluidics
devices for the commercial analytical markets.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed micro-CEC technology has great potential to complement NASA's current
efforts to find signature of life on Mars such as Urey Mars Organic Analyzer and
Mars Organic Detector. The proposed technology has broad applications including
on-chip biosensors, electrochemical sensors, wet-chemistry systems, as well as
high pressure micropumps for fluid positioning, mixing, metering, storage, and
filtering systems. In addition, our novel technology is naturally suited to such
applications as planetary and small body surface chemistry studies, clinical
diagnostics, spacecraft and biosphere environmental monitoring, and toxicology
studies. Finally, the novel micro-CEC technology will also benefit NASA's other
"Micro Laboratories" programs such as monitoring Space Station environment and
in-situ explorations of Europa and Titan.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The next
generation mciro-CEC technology described in this proposal possesses a myriad of
potential commercial technologies and applications in markets ranging from
specialty medical and aerospace industries to consumer electronics. The primary
commercial products based on such CEC technology are components for DNA, protein
and drug separation and analysis, biological and chemical analysis systems, and
drug delivery systems in pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. In
addition, the EOF based technology is also well suited for MEMS actuator systems
and embedded health monitoring systems. Our proprietary technology vastly
improves robustness and reliability, thus clearing one of the last hurdles of a
wider acceptance of CEC in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biomedical and Life
Support
Biomolecular Sensors
Biochemical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.09-9757 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB92P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | In Situ Sensors and Sensor Systems for Planetary Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Very Low-Cost, Rugged, High-Vacuum System for Mass Spectrometers |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Creare, Inc.
P.O. Box
71
Hanover, NH 03755-3116
(603) 643-3800
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Kline-Schoder
rjk@creare.com
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755-0071
(603)
640-2468
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA, the DoD, DHS, and
commercial industry have a pressing need for miniaturized, rugged, low-cost,
high vacuum systems. Recent advances in sensor technology at NASA and other
government laboratories, in academia, and in industry have led to the
development of very small mass spectrometer detectors, as well as other
analytical instruments needing high vacuum, such as scanning electron
microscopes. However, the vacuum systems to support these sensors remain large,
heavy, and power hungry. To meet this need, Creare proposes to build a
miniaturized vacuum system based on a very small, rugged, and
inexpensive-to-manufacture, molecular drag pump (MDP). The MDP is enabled by the
development of a miniature, very high-speed (200,000 RPM), rugged, low-power,
brushless, DC motor which will be optimized for wide temperature operation and
long life during this project. The vacuum pump has performance that is well
matched to the needs of the new generation of miniature analytical instruments.
The pump represents an order-of-magnitude reduction in mass, volume, and cost
over current, commercially available, state-of-the-art vacuum pumps. The new
pump will form the heart of a complete vacuum system optimized to support
analytical instruments in terrestrial applications as well as on spacecraft and
planetary landers. Furthermore, the miniature high-speed motor will be designed
so that it can be used in a wide range of high vacuum pumps, including pure
molecular drag, pure turbomolecular, and hybrid turbomolecular/molecular drag
pumps that can be tailored to the requirements of specific missions and
applications.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A number
of current NASA initiatives seek to reduce the size and power requirement of
scientific instruments. Success in these efforts will lead to new generations of
sensors that can be deployed on smaller, less expensive platforms, including
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), balloons, microspacecraft, and miniature
interplanetary probes. Our proposed rugged vacuum system directly supports these
goals by reducing the size, weight and power consumption of vacuum systems
required to run these instruments. In addition, the pump technology that we will
develop under this program is currently baselined as a part of the MOMA
instrument being developed (under NASA funding) by the Johns Hopkins Applied
Physics Laboratory for a 2013 Mars mission as well as part of the development of
a NASA/GSFC, next-generation laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometer
that has significantly improved capabilities and robustness for in situ
astrobiology missions which were recently selected for funding under the NASA
ASTID program.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Numerous
commercial applications exist for the proposed rugged, low-cost vacuum system,
primarily to support portable analytical instruments such as mass spectrometers
and leak detectors. Current-generation devices are limited by the size and mass
of their high vacuum and rough pumps, or else use less capable absorption pumps.
Building a small, lightweight, rugged, low-cost, and low power high vacuum
system whose performance is tuned to the needs of miniature detectors is
expected to greatly expand the market for such devices. The pump technology to
be developed under this proposal will be used in instruments being developed by
one of our partners in portable mass spectrometers for use by the Department of
Homeland Security and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Biochemical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S1.09-9913 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD09P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | In Situ Sensors and Sensor Systems for Planetary Science |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Airborne Isotopic Hydrocarbon Analyzer for Titan |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Vista Photonics, Inc.
67 Condesa
Road
Santa Fe, NM 87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jeffrey Pilgrim
jpilgrim@vistaphotonics.com
67 Condesa Road
Santa Fe, NM
87508-8136
(505) 466-3953
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Trace species measurement on
unmanned atmospheric research craft suitable for interplanetary travel is a
demanding application for optical sensing techniques. Yet optical techniques
offer many advantages including high-precision, fast response, and strong
species selectivity. Balloonsonde, kite, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or
glider deployment demands that optical sensors meet stringent size, weight and
power requirements. Vista Photonics proposes to construct rugged, compact,
low-power optical sensor prototypes capable of selectively determining
isotopic-resolved hydrocarbons at Titan-relevant concentrations. The sensor will
be demonstrated in Phase II by airborne measurement of CO2 and water vapor on
Earth. The enabling technology for meeting stringent NASA mission requirements
is a new rugged, compact, and lightweight optical path length enhancement cell
that recovers the established sensitivity of high-performance optical absorption
detection techniques on a platform with no moving parts. The proposed
spectrometer will be capable of detecting multiple species with little
additional weight or power penalties.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
immediate targeted application for NASA is trace atmospheric species monitoring
on planetary exploration probes. Phase II prototypes will be capable of
selectively detecting isotopic-resolved concentrations of acetylene, ethylene
and methane. The prototypes will also be proven for airborne measurement of
atmospheric species on Earth, including carbon dioxide and water vapor. Other
species can be included as required. The integrated sensors will be suitable for
low pressure environments like the Moon and Mars and in substantial atmospheres
like Titan's. The emerging technology will also be suitable for use on both
manned and unmanned terrestrial atmospheric research craft. Other applications
include fire detection on aircraft and high-value installations, gas sensing in
air revitalization and water recovery processes on spacecraft, and leak
detection during spacecraft launch operations.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Phase III
commercial applications abound for sensors whose performance and physical
characteristics are suitable for spaceflight. Two specifically targeted
applications are high-performance unmanned airborne detection of carbon
dioxide/water vapor and carbon dioxide leak detection at power plant carbon
capture & sequestration sites. Other examples include contaminant monitoring
in process gas streams in the chemical and microelectronics industries, medical
diagnosis through detection of biogenic gases in human breath that correlate to
specific pathologies, and environmental monitoring and regulatory compliance in
agriculture, power production, and occupational safety. The fully-developed
Phase II instruments shall offer a compelling and desirable blend of
performance, affordability, compactness, simplicity and ease-of-use relative to
present commercial product offerings in these applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Air Revitalization and
Conditioning
Biomedical and Life Support
Optical
Photonics
In-situ
Resource Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.01-8706 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD10P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Precision Spacecraft Formations for Telescope Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Colloid Thruster for Attitude Control Systems (ACS) and Tip-off Control Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Busek Co., Inc.
11 Tech
Circle
Natick, MA 01760-1023
(508) 655-5565
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Nathaniel Demmons
nate@busek.com
11 Tech Circle
Natick, MA 01760-1023
(508)
655-5565
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Busek proposes to develop and
deliver a complete engineering model colloid thruster system, capable of thrust
levels and lifetimes required for spacecraft operational tasks such as tip-off
de-tumbling and attitude control. The self contained thruster system shall be
capable of delivering ~75µN with sufficient total impulse to de-tumble
spacecraft such as LISA. The proposed Phase 2 work builds upon a highly
successful Phase 1 effort where the key principals of the innovation, a
propellant isolation membrane and a passive capillary feed system, were
unequivocally demonstrated. The proposed system is completely passive with no
moving parts and requires no valves to ensure its high reliability. In order to
inhibit propellant contamination prior to operation in space, a unique isolation
membrane will separate propellant from the emitter. Upon heating the isolation
membrane dissolves, allowing propellant from a collocated reservoir to flow
forward to the electrospray thruster without contamination. The thruster
consists of an array of self adjusting emission sites that are activated by
application of an electric field that initiates emission. The delivered thrust
is modulated by varying the applied electric field. The significant innovations
of the proposed colloid thruster include: a compact, low power, modular thruster
system containing no moving parts, which is capable of delivering sufficient
thrust for spacecraft tip-off control and ACS applications.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Busek
has recently delivered two colloid thruster clusters with eight complete
thruster systems to JPL for use on the LISA Pathfinder mission, a precursor to
LISA. Both missions require very precise, low noise micro-thrusters that are
specific to the science portion of the mission. Such thrusters are not well
suited for the more general thrusting task of launch vehicle separation tip-off
cancellation, which requires larger thrusts. Using the same thrusters for the
science portion of the mission that are designed for the tip-off requirements
compromises their achievable performance and limits lifetime, suggesting that a
secondary thruster system is preferred to perform short term, higher thruster
maneuvers. We believe that the simple colloid thruster proposed herein is
capable of meeting the tip-off requirements for the LISA mission, thus allowing
the primary colloid thrusters to be designed based solely on science mission
requirements. The completely passive, compact, self contained tip-off colloid
thruster system will have minimal impact on overall spacecraft system design.
This thruster will also be useful for other missions where a compact, bolt-on
propulsion system is necessary for short-duration, high-thrust maneuvers.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
There are
ongoing trends toward miniaturization of spacecraft to very small sizes,
however, developing an efficient miniaturized propulsion system is seen as a
challenge to achieving widespread commercial, military and government
application. While electronics and sensors have made great advances in
miniaturization, studies have shown that micro-satellites are constrained by
lack of suitable propulsion. This represents a significant market opportunity
for colloid propulsion. The colloid thruster proposed here combines a small
footprint, simple construction, and a strong technological heritage (e.g. ST7)
that enables it to fulfill primary, ACS, and tip-off thrust operations for a
wide range of micro/nano-satellites.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Micro Thrusters
Propellant
Storage
Electrostatic Thrusters
Feed System Components
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.01-8714 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB93P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Precision Spacecraft Formations for Telescope Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Synthetic Imaging Maneuver Optimization (SIMO) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Payload Systems, Inc.
1 Broadway 12th
Floor
Cambridge, MA 02142-1189
(617) 868-8086
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Joe Parrish
jparrish@aurora.aero
1 Broadway, 12th Floor
Cambridge, MA
02142-1189
(617) 500-0248
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aurora Flight Sciences (AFS),
in collaboration with the MIT Space Systems Laboratory (MIT-SSL), proposed the
Synthetic Imaging Maneuver Optimization (SIMO) program to develop a methodology,
calibrated through hardware-in-the-loop testing, to optimize S/C maneuvers to
more efficiently synthesize images for missions such as Stellar Imager (SI).
Time and fuel-optimal maneuvers are only a part of the optimization problem.
Selecting the maneuver waypoints (number and location) determines the quality of
the synthesized image. The number of S/C, the size of the sub-apertures, and the
type of propulsion system used also impacts imaging rate, propellant mass, and
mission cost. Capturing all of these mission aspects in an integrated mission
optimization framework helps mission designers to select the most appropriate
architecture for meeting the needs and constraints of missions such as SI.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The SIMO
technology is directly applicable to, and motivated by, NASA GSFC's Stellar
Imager mission. However, other NASA missions requiring staged control are the
Space Interferometry Mission, Terrestrial Planet Finder Mission (Interferometer
and Coronagraph), SPIRIT, and SPECS. In fact, the Terrestrial Planet Finder
Mission – Interferometer requires both sub-aperture reconfiguration as well as
staged control. Of particular interest may be the LISA mission. NASA and ESA are
currently trying to validate the ability to free-float a proof mass, measure its
motion to pico-meter accuracy relative to the encompassing spacecraft, measure
range between spacecraft as well as capture and maintain this knowledge. This
has proven to be a financially challenging endeavor. The capabilities being
developed for SIMO, as well as the potential to transition it to the
micro-gravity environment of ISS, creates an opportunity to test staged sensing
and control in support of LISA at a fraction of the cost.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
We anticipate
that there are other applications both within NASA and beyond, and in military
and commercial sectors. The DARPA F6 program is creating a virtual satellite
architecture where elements are flown in loose formation to enhance staged
deployment, technology upgrade, payload reconfiguration, and survivability using
the technologies of distributed communication/computing, power beaming, and
cluster flight. The AFS-MIT team is a member of three of the four competing
teams under DARPA's F6 program, providing a direct path for SIMO technology
transfer. The DoD is also interested in robust and efficient multi-vehicle
reconfiguration for satellite servicing, docking, inspection, and assembly of
large apertures.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Testing Facilities
Testing Requirements and
Architectures
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
On-Board Computing and
Data Management
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.02-8576 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD12P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Proximity Glare Suppression for Astronomical Coronagraphy |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Single Crystal Bimorph Array (SCBA) Driven Deformable Mirror (DM) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Microscale, Inc.
800 West Cummings Park,
Suite 3350
Woburn, MA 01801-6377
(781) 995-2245
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Xingtao Wu
wu@microscaleinc.com
800 West Cummings Park, Suite 3350
Woburn, MA 01801-6377
(781) 995-2245
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This Small Business Innovation
Research (SBIR) Phase II project will research a novel deformable mirror design
for NASA adaptive optics telescope applications. The innovation offers reliable
mechanics for the strained architecture, thus facilitating dynamic modeling and
the overall control of the DM system. A system-level finite element analysis and
design optimization, in combination with proof-of-concept experimental
verification methods, will be adopted to identify the most promising design for
the future adaptive optics telescope systems. Focus will be given to improve the
long time reliability and stability of the system while reducing thermal
distortions. Phase II objectives are to (1)design and pragmatically build and
integrate the monolithically integrated 100x100 Single Crystal Bimorph Array
(SCBA) Deformable Mirror (DM) system onto VLSI substrate for VIS/NIR infrared
operating range to demonstrate the monolithic proof-of-concept operating of the
DM system, and (2) demonstrate a beam shaping system employing the SCBA DM chips
to efficiently compensate rapidly changing aberrations and characterize the
final integrated corrector system for phase modulation depth, framing speed,
operating field of view, influence function, spatial uniformity, and scalability
to millions of actuators.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
current SBIR research will use the proposed DM technology to address the
high-end application requirements for astronomical telescope systems including
(1) correction of aberrations in large-aperture, space-deployed optical
interferometers and telescopes, (2) high-resolution imaging and communication
through atmospheric turbulence, (3) laser beam steering, and (4) optical path
alignment, (5) propagation of directed laser energy through atmospheric
turbulence, will require deformable mirror (DM) wavefront correctors with
several hundred to millions of elements.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Non-NASA
applications include laser beam shaping, ophthalmology and other microscope
applications. In particular, for the Department of Defense, if needed, the
prototype adaptive optical systems based on the Phase II results can be applied
to military seekers, FLIRs, optical communications, and other adaptive optics
systems for military operations. For optical computing, the VLSI circuit could
be combined with piston-only micromirror structure for a phase-only spatial
light modulator. Commercial markets for these systems also include retinal
imaging, supernormal human vision, and amateur telescopes. The research is also
expected to lead to a family of compact, low-cost, high performance spatial
light modulators for direct retinal display, head mount display, and
large-screen projection display applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Autonomous Control and
Monitoring
Optical
Substrate Transfer Technology
Photonics
Optical
& Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.02-8981 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD13P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Proximity Glare Suppression for Astronomical Coronagraphy |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Single Crystal Piezoelectric Deformable Mirrors with High Actuator Density and Large Stroke |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
TRS Ceramics, Inc.
2820 East College
Avenue
State College, PA 16801-7548
(814) 238-7485
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Xiaoning Jiang
xiaoning@trstechnologies.com
2820 East College Ave, Suite J
State
College, PA 16801-7548
(814) 238-7485
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Single crystal piezoelectric
deformable mirrors with high actuator density, fine pitch, large stroke and no
floating wires will be developed for future NASA science and communications
applications. Single crystal piezoelectric DMs share the fine pitch with
co-fired electrostrictive or ceramic piezoelectric DMs and MEMS DMs, but with
large stroke at relatively low voltages (< 150 V) and with a broader
operation temperature range (< 20 K - > 300K). Specifically, a 32x32
actuator array with stroke > 2 um, pitch of < 1mm and a 8x8 actuator array
with stroke > 12 um, pitch of < 2mm will be developed for fine and coarse
DMs. Actuator driving electronics will be scaled up to a multi-channel actuator
driver and optimization of the design, facesheet mounting process and
characterizations for deformable mirrors will be investigated.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Single
crystal microactutaors can be used for large stroke, high precision deformable
mirrors in NASA coronagraphic instruments, interferometric telescopes, and
space-based observatories. ORIGINS missions SUVO, SAFIR, and Planet Imager,
Earth Science applications, such as LIDAR systems as well as Coastal Ocean
Imaging systems will all benefit from this deformable mirror technology.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Large stroke,
high precision actuator arrays based deformable mirrors are also attractive to
DOD adaptive optics programs such as directed energy applications and medical
adaptive optics such as retina imaging applications. Apart from adaptive optics
applications, large stroke, high precision piezo actuators are also good
candidates for active vibration control and structure morphing, RF communication
tuning, bio-medical manipulators, photonic tooling, cryogenic microscopy tools,
micro/nanofabrication and nanoassembly.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Large Antennas and
Telescopes
Laser
Instrumentation
Photonics
Ceramics
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.04-9624 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC81P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Optical Devices for Starlight Detection and Wavefront Analysis |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Radiation Hard Multi-Layer Optical Coatings |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Nanohmics, Inc.
6201 East Oltorf Street,
Suite 400
Austin, TX 78741-1222
(512) 389-9990
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Keith Jamison
kjamison@nanohmics.com
6201 East Oltorf, Suite 400
Austin, TX
78741-7511
(512) 389-9990
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Next-generation space
telescopes require advanced optical coatings to provide low-loss
polarization-preserving transmission/reflection of light in a variety of
spectral ranges. These coatings also need to protect optical components as well
as the coatings themselves, from damage in a space environment. For example, one
of the critical technologies identified in the NASA capabilities roadmap for
advanced telescopes and observatories is advanced optical coating technology for
cryogenic mirrors that is uniform and polarization preserving in the visible
through far IR regions as well as improved dichroic, spectral and combiner
coatings . To address this need Nanohmics is investigating us of sputter
deposited amorphous nitrides and oxides as high quality, long lived radiation
resistant coatings for production of anti-reflection and bandpass coatings on
optical substrates including metals, PMMA, beryllium and other materials.
Discussions with the contracting officer's technical representative indicated
that the main Fresnel lens in the EUSO (Extreme Universe Space Observatory) may
be a good candidate for amorphous nitride anti-reflective coatings. The Phase II
effort will focus on coatings for PMMA based optics; however, this coating
technology can be applied to many other optical systems.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The main
benefit to NASA will be a robust wide-band anti-reflective or band-pass coating
for optical components in space that can be applied at low substrate
temperatures. This coating is radiation hard and ideal for space based
applications. This coating system can be applied to a variety of optical
components to provide radiation hard, flexible, scratch resistant coatings.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High quality
radiation and scratch resistant coating are useful in a wide variety of
applications. The amorphous nitride / oxide coating system can be applied to
standard optical components to produce hard scratch resistant coating for harsh
environmental in a large number of civilian and military applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Large Antennas and
Telescopes
Optical
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors
Optical &
Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S2.05-9744 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB94P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Optics Manufacturing and Metrology for Telescope Optical Surfaces |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | The Affordable Pre-Finishing of Silicon Carbide for Optical Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Creare, Inc.
P.O. Box
71
Hanover, NH 03755-3116
(603) 643-3800
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Jay Rozzi
jcr@creare.com
P.O. Box 71
Hanover, NH 03755-0071
(603) 643-3800
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Large aperture, lightweight
optical mirror technologies are critical for the future of lightweight
telescopes and their attendant missions to explore the planets in our solar
system and beyond. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coated silicon carbide (SiC)
has been shown to be a viable alternative for lightweight mirrors due to its
thermal stability; however, cost-effective manufacturing techniques to
pre-finish this material have not been sufficiently developed. During the Phase
I project, we established the feasibility of the low-rate step of our hybrid
machining approach by successfully completing ductile-regime machining (DRM) of
CVD SiC. We were able to produce a surface that had a roughness of a
near-optical quality. We established key partnerships that will enable the
development of the high rate machining step and demonstrated that our hybrid
machining approach will reduce the cost of fabricating a finished mirror by up
to 46% when compared with the current state-of-the-art. During the Phase II
project, we will work further to develop our hybrid machining process,
demonstrate it on a large scale optic, and deliver it to NASA.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
government seeks a means to affordably produce lightweight aspheric optics from
super-hard ceramic materials. Large aperture, lightweight, optical mirror
technologies are critical for the future of telescopes to explore the solar
system and beyond. Silicon carbide, silicon, and silicon nitride have been shown
to be viable alternatives for lightweight mirrors; however, cost-effective
manufacturing techniques to machine these materials have not been developed in
parallel. The pre-finishing process prepares the net-shape blank for final
optical finishing. Current processes, such as diamond grinding, reactive atom
plasma processing, or standard laser micromachining have not demonstrated that
they can produce damage-free surfaces of sufficient optical figure or form
accuracy. The use of our innovation can substantially reduce the cost of these
optics and enable the increased functionality of new and existing platforms. The
results of our work would have far-reaching benefits for government aircraft and
military systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Cost-effectively manufacturing super-hard ceramics has always been
the primary barrier to commercial acceptance of this advanced material
technology. For many applications, ceramic materials offer significant
advantages over other options, but their cost precludes their consideration in
design. Effective and affordable manufacturing processes are required to render
ceramics as a viable design option. For silicon carbide, our innovation will
enable the machining of this material to a high quality and with an intricate
shape. Thus, we will enable a paradigm shift in the machining of super-hard
optical ceramics, along with the concomitant decrease in processing costs. This
will increase the market for such materials in commercial aircraft, automobiles,
cutting tools, artificial joints, and various other applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Ceramics
Optical & Photonic
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.01-8738 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD60P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Avionics and Electronics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Reliable High Performance Processing System (RHPPS) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Coherent Logix, Inc.
1120 S. Capital of
Texas Hwy, Bldg. 3, Suite 310
Austin, TX 78746-6460
(512)
382-8940
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Gibson
gibson@coherentlogix.com
1120 S. Capital of Texas Hwy., 3-310
Austin, TX 78746-6446
(512) 382-8950
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 8 to 9
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA's exploration, science,
and space operations systems are critically dependent on the hardware
technologies used in their implementation. Specifically, the performance and
deployment of autonomous and computationally-intensive capabilities for space
based observatories, orbiters, autonomous landing and hazard avoidance,
autonomous rendezvous and capture, robotics, relative navigation, and command,
control and communications systems are directly dependent on the availability of
radiation-tolerant, high-performance, reconfigurable and adaptable,
energy-efficient processor technology. Coherent Logix, Incorporated proposes to
develop a radiation tolerant HyperX technology based processor to address these
critical needs. This program will leverage more than $18M of previous investment
by the Department of Defense. Building on the research done in Phase I, the
Phase 2 program will develop the radiation hardened by design (RHBD) HyperX.
This will be followed in Phase 3 by the completion and productization to a TRL
8/9 of a Radiation Tolerant HyperX Processor.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Potential NASA applications include processing for exploration,
science, and space operations systems. Specific examples include space based
observatories, orbiters, autonomous landing and hazard avoidance, autonomous
rendezvous and capture, robotics, relative navigation, and command, control and
communications systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
Non-NASA applications include high-reliability processing for automotive,
aviation, and medical markets, among others.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Intelligence
Mobility
Manipulation
Telemetry, Tracking
and Control
Ultra-High Density/Low Power
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Architectures and
Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Expert Systems
Portable Data
Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Software Development Environments
Software
Tools for Distributed Analysis and
Simulation
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.02-9170 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB96P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Variable Emissivity Electrochromics using Ionic Electrolytes and Low Solar Absorptance Coatings |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ashwin-Ushas Corp, Inc.
500 James Street,
Suite 7
Lakewood, NJ 08701-4043
(732) 462-1270
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Prasanna Chandrasekhar
chandra.p2@ashwin-ushas.com
500 James Street, Suite 7
Lakewood, NJ 08701-4043
(732) 901-9096
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This work further developed a
highly promising variable emissivity technology for spacecraft thermal control,
based on unique conducting polymer (CP) electrochromics combined with ionic
electrolytes, developed earlier by this firm (Air Force, JPL) with: Extremely
thin (< 0.2 mm), flexible (plastic), lightweight (0.192 kg/m^2), variable
area, "skin-like" construction; Delta-Emittance > 0.4, emittance range 0.15
to 0.90; power 40 micro-W/cm^2; proven space durability (thermal vacuum,
atomic-O, VUV, solar wind), operating temperature (-)70 to (+)105 C); use of
ionic electrolytes with zero vapor pressure needing no seal; low cost (est.
$5K/m^2). A technical hurdle in the earlier-generation technology, of high solar
absorptance (values up to 0.8) in the dark, high-emissivity state, remained, the
sole hurdle hindering implementation of the technology. The Phase 1 introduced
the new innovation of unique, proprietary IR-transparent coatings lowering the
solar absorptance (Alpha(s)) of the variable emittance devices ("skins")
drastically. In Phase 1, the best coatings yielded Alpha(s) of 0.306, emittance
of 0.383 for the light state, and Alpha(s) 0.454, emittance 0.841 for the dark
state (Delta emittance 0.458), with a calculated temperature under direct
sunlight in space of < 60 C. Devices endured thermal vacuum > 110 days,
VUV, atomic-O exposure, abrasion tests. Calorimetric emittance measurements
under space vacuum were identical to emissometer measurements in air. In Phase
2, the primary objective will be ground space qualification and a TRL of 7 or
higher, with an extensive series of tests to include: thermal vacuum, thermal
cycling, solar wind, atomic-O, micrometeoroid, vibration, ESD. These will be
done in our labs as well as at several partner labs, including two large
aerospace companies who are Phase 2 commercial partners, and several outsourcing
vendors. At least one firm spaceflight opportunity has been identified. Expected
TRL at end of Phase 2 is 7-8.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
technology may displace extant mechanical louvers, heat pipes, as well as newer
technologies (MEMS louvers, electrostatics, reverse-electrochromics), on large
as well as small spacecraft, deployed by NASA as well as commercial and military
entities. Additionally, other technologies are difficult or impossible to adapt
to micro- (< 100 kg) and nano- (<5 kg) spacecraft, the thrust of future
aerospace development, which will allow launch of more spacecraft at lower cost,
opening doors to profound new applications for communications, defense. The
potential variable emittance market is estimated at several hundred m^2 per
year, with a substantial portion for NASA craft.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Besides
potentially replacing extant mechanical louvers and heat pipes in spacecraft,
the technology is possibly the only one applicable to micro- and
nano-spacecraft, the thrust of future aerospace development. Availability of the
technology will allow for much greater design freedom in such spacecraft.
Military uses include space-based radars and undetectable nano-satellites.
Non-space uses of these IR electrochromics include battlefield IR camouflage
countermeasures, sunglasses for older patients and displays/billboards.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Launch and Flight
Vehicle
Cooling
Reuseable
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Suits
Optical & Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.02-9398 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD14P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Lightweight and Energy Efficient Heat Pump |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Rini Technologies, Inc.
582 South Econ
Circle
Orlando, FL 32765-4303
(407) 359-7138
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Dan Rini
dan@rinitech.com
582 South Econ Circle
Orlando, FL 32765-4303
(407) 359-7138
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future Spacecraft from the JPL
will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology. A need
exists for efficient, lightweight Vapor Compression Cycle (VCC) systems, for
medium-to-low cooling loads (less than 2kW). While conventional VCC technology
is relatively compact and efficient for multi-kW loads, it is difficult to find
a system that strikes a balance between coefficient of performance, weight and
size within the sub-kW range. The particular system proposed will be a highly
efficient Mini-Heat Pump featuring custom compressor and heat-exchanger
technology. The compressor is a highly efficient, high power density,
orientation independent rotary compressor designed for 500W of heat removal, a
temperature lift of 50K and with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) of 2. In the
Phase II effort RINI proposes to continue development of the Mini-Heat Pump to
increase compressor performance, study long term reliability, and design, build
and test a deliverable prototype. Detailed compressor analysis will be
performed, and the results will be applied to a compressor that will be
integrated with a motor identified in Phase I for use with the heat exchangers
from the Phase I. The Phase II effort will result in delivery of an efficient,
lightweight, orientation independent, reliable and compact prototype heat pump
for NASA missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
project will provide a compact prototype cooling unit through the utilization of
a unique high power density rotary compressor. This system will provide a much
needed "temperature lift" to increase radiator temperatures and reduce radiator
sizes for high cooling loads. Such a unit will be useful to NASA for
incorporation into future spacecraft and instruments for space missions, small
compartment or micro-climate cooling, and possible portable applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Meso-scale heat
pumping devices such as the one developed for this effort may also be used in an
array of portable or confined space applications such as avionics cooling,
electronics cooling, and portable personal cooling units. Potential medical
applications also exist in enabling active, controlled cooling or heating for
patients with body temperature control disabilities.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Ultra-High Density/Low
Power
Cooling
Manned-Manuvering Units
Portable Life
Support
Liquid-Liquid Interfaces
Thermodynamic Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.02-9921 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB97P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Thermal Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Thermally Conductive Tape Based on Carbon Nanotube Array |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Atlas Scientific
1367 Camino Robles
Way
San Jose, CA 95120-4925
(408) 507-0906
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
James Maddocks
jmaddocks@atlasscientific.com
1339 Engineering
Madison, WI
53706-1607
(608) 265-4246
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future NASA missions require
thermal control systems that can accommodate large changes in ambient
temperature. The two essential aspects of an effective thermal interface
material (TIM) are high compliance and high thermal conductivity. Thermal
interface materials (TIM) are often used to fill the cavities between mating
surfaces to increase the thermal conductance across the interface. Traditional
TIMs are polymer based composites such as thermal grease or paste. The nature of
polymer matrices makes them inapplicable under vacuum and in a cryogenic
environment. The goal of the proposed research is to develop a flexible
thermally-conductive tape. The proposed innovation forms a versatile,
vacuum-proof, thermally conductive tape. The tape is pliable and should conform
to the contours of the interface.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Thermal
management is a critical aspect of various high power devices for future NASA
missions. The energy generated by electronic devices dissipates into the ambient
environment through heat sinks or heat spreaders. Effective heat conduction
requires good thermal contact between heat sinks and electronic packages.
Thermal contact resistance arises from the microscopic lack of planarity and
micro-roughness of the mating surfaces. When two surfaces are brought into
contact, the actual contact area is usually much smaller than the apparent
contact area, resulting in a thermal barrier at the interface. The problem
becomes even more severe in vacuum and low temperature environments. Therefore,
high thermal conductivity and vacuum compatible thermal interface materials are
crucial to thermal control of electronic devices in space applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
thermal interface technology is believed to be applicable to many uses in
thermal management. It may be used at the interface between electronic devices
and heat spreaders, to attach thermometry, heaters, etc. Being electrically
conductive to some extent, it could also be used to form electrical connections.
Further, it could be used to quickly attach items without the use of adhesives
and to attach items in locations that might otherwise be difficult or impossible
to achieve. Avoiding adhesives also eliminates the outgassing of various vapors
over time.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Cooling
Instrumentation
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.03-8411 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB46P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Power Generation and Storage |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Lightweight InP Solar Cells for Space Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
MicroLink Devices
6457 Howard
Street
Niles, IL 60714-3301
(847) 588-3001
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Noren Pan
noren_pan@mindspring.com
6457 Howard Street
Niles, IL
60714-2232
(847) 588-3001
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The innovation in this Phase
II SBIR is the development of a technology which will enable the manufacture of
a lightweight, low cost, high radiation resistance InP based solar cells with
high efficiency suitable for space power systems. The key technological step is
the application of a production-worthy epitaxial liftoff (ELO) process to a
multijunction solar cell structure fabricated on a large area ( 3-inch and
4-inch)InP substrates. Our focus will be on the improvement of the efficiency of
dual junction to greater than 23% and a pathway towards InP based triple
junction. The number of substrate reusage will also be investigated to determine
the impact of cost savings due to the high cost of InP substrates. Radiation
testing of the ELO InP solar cells will be performed and compared to standard
InP solar cells.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
technology will be potentially applicable on many NASA space missions on which
solar power is needed, particularly those utilizing solar electric propulsion
(SEP). InP is particularly attractive if missions require a high efficiency at
the end of life under high radiation environments. Low cost is another
attractive feature of this technology since the InP substrate will be reused
multiple times reducing the cost of InP based solar cells.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
InP based
materials offer higher efficiency in the long wavelength region in comparison to
other indirect semiconductor like Ge. The insertion of InP has been prohibitive
due to the cost of InP substrate. The ELO technology offers a clear pathway
towards a lower cost structure for InP based solar cells. A lower cost structure
could permit the usage of InP solar cells in very high efficiency terrestrial
requirements. This effort could also benefit high frequency electronic InP based
devices since the removal of the substrate could provide a significant reduction
in the thermal resistance of the device.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Photovoltaic Conversion
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.03-9444 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB49P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Power Generation and Storage |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Nanostructured InGaP Solar Cells |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kopin Corporation
200 John Hancock
Road
Taunton, MA 02780-7320
(508) 824-6696
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Roger Welser
rwelser@kopin.com
200 John Hancock Road
Taunton, MA
02780-7320
(508) 824-6696
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Current matching constraints
can severely limit the design and overall performance of conventional
serially-connected multijunction solar cells. The goal of this SBIR program is
to enhance the operating tolerance of high efficiency III-V solar cells by
employing nanostructured materials in advanced device designs. A larger fraction
of the solar spectrum can potentially be harnessed while maximizing the solar
cell operating voltage by embedding thin layers of narrow band gap material in a
higher band gap matrix. Nanostructured devices thus provide a means to decouple
the usual dependence of short circuit current on open circuit voltage that
limits conventional solar cell design. While previous experimental work on
quantum well or quantum dot solar cell devices has typically employed GaAs as
the wide band gap matrix, we take a different approach, instead employing InGaP
as the barrier material. During the Phase I effort, we observed that thin InGaP
layers can be extremely effective at reducing the dark current. A novel device
structure resulted in over a 100 mV enhancement in the open circuit voltage of
GaAs PIN diodes solar cells without any degradation in the short circuit
current. The Phase II program will aim to further optimize single-junction
nanostructured InGaP solar cells and then utilize these cells as building blocks
to construct robust, multijunction photovoltaic devices with power conversion
efficiencies approaching 40%. Ultimately, the technical approach employed in
this program has the potential of achieving conversion efficiencies exceeding
50% with a single p-n junction device, enabling improved overall performance and
lower manufacturing costs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future
space exploration missions will require photovoltaic power systems capable of
operating over a wide range of conditions, ranging from extreme environments
with high temperatures and tremendous radiation exposures to low temperature,
low intensity conditions. Conventional multijunction solar cells can provide
high conversion efficiencies, but only under limited environmental conditions.
The near term objective of this SBIR program is to build a solar cell using
nanostructured wide band gap materials that matches the conversion efficiency of
conventional multijunction technologies while performing over a much wider range
of operating conditions. The technology developed during this program is
expected to have immediate market opportunities as power systems for NASA
science missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The SBIR
project described here is part of a larger effort to realize the ultimate
objective of third generation photovoltaics, namely ultra-high conversion
efficiency at low costs. The wider operating conditions enabled by
nanostructured InGaP solar cells would substantially enhance the overall
performance of terrestrial concentrator photovoltaic systems. This technology
could thus accelerate the adoption of photovoltaics into the renewable energy
market to address the world's growing energy needs without degrading the
environment. In addition to its potential commercial value and social benefits,
this SBIR program will enhance the technical understanding of quantum well and
quantum dot devices.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Solar
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials
Photovoltaic
Conversion
Renewable Energy
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.03-9617 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD15P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Power Generation and Storage |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Expanded Operational Temperature Range for Space Rated Li-Ion Batteries |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Quallion, LLC
12744 San Fernando
Road
Sylmar, CA 91342-3728
(818) 833-2000
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Hisashi Tsukamoto
hisashi@quallion.com
12744 San Fernando Rd
Sylmar, CA
91342-3278
(818) 833-2002
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Quallion's Phase II proposal
calls for expanding the nominal operation range of its space rated lithium ion
cells, while maintaining their long life capabilities. To expand this
temperature range, Quallion will conduct analysis on a variety of materials.
Based upon our results from Phase I, Quallion will further optimize the
formulations and fabricate our large format satellite cells for cell level
testing. Quallion is also proposing a "right sizing" of this production facility
to allow for cost effective, low volume production with enhanced reliability,
long-term supply guarantee and design flexibility that allows for future
production for NASA missions.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Once the
design is verified, Quallion will be able to provide the aerospace satellite
community with a satellite cell with expanded operation temperature capabilities
for specialty mission. As an option to NASA, this chemistry configuration can be
incorporated into our existing production 15Ah and 72Ah lithium-ion satellite
cell design, in which the validation of the cells performance will occur during
the Phase II execution.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
If successful
in Phase II, Qualllion can incorporate this developed technology for other
applications requiring a wide operating temperature range. Such applications
include military, automotive and aerospace.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Energy Storage
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.03-9727 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB50P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Power Generation and Storage |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Novel Materials that Enhance Efficiency and Radiation Resistance of Solar Cells |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Sun Innovations, Inc.
44166 Old Warm
Springs Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94538-6144
(510) 651-1329
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
ted sun
ted@sun-innovations.com
44166 Old Warm Springs Blvd.
Fremont,
CA 94538-6144
(510) 651-1329
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 2 to 3
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Spacecrafts rely on arrays of
solar cells to generate electrical power. It is an on-going challenge to
maximize electrical power available to spacecraft while reducing overall stowage
volume and mass of solar array, which requires developing more efficient solar
cells with higher specific power density. The objective of this SBIR project is
to develop a generic approach, based on novel functional nano-materials, to
significantly increasing the solar cell efficiency (~10%), specific power
density, radiation resistance and lifetime, without adding much cost or weight
to the existing solar cells. The feasibility to synthesis such nano-materials
has been explored and demonstrated in Phase I. Without optimizing, preliminary
test on commercial solar cells show an efficiency gain approaching 5% after
applying such nano-materials. Such nano-materials will be further improved for
energy efficiency and environmental durability in Phase II, to reach the
objective of at least 10% gain in energy efficiency on majority of commercial
solar cells.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
novel nano-materials will find major applications in many NASA space programs.
By significantly enhancing the efficiency and output of solar cells, with
virtually no change on solar device volume or weight, it would be ideal addition
to the solar panels used in space shuttles and other space vehicles. By enabling
advanced solar cell with efficiency over 30% and specific power density over 550
W/Kg, the launch and operation cost of spacecraft can be lowered, which greatly
benefit various NASA spacecraft programs.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
technology can also be applied to most types of commercial solar cells. By
enhancing the efficiency of commercial solar cell (e.g. Silicon cells), without
incurring much cost, it will reduce the key "cost per watt" of solar cells in
competing with other sources of electrical energy; hence it help promoting the
market adoption of solar energy, which benefit the Nation's environment as well
as energy independence from foreign oil.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Solar
Spaceport Infrastructure and
Safety
Ceramics
Optical & Photonic Materials
Radiation Shielding
Materials
Photovoltaic Conversion
Renewable Energy
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.04-8649 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD16P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Propulsion Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | A High Performance Cathode Heater for Hall Thrusters |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Sienna Technologies, Inc.
19501 144th
Avenue NE, Suite F-500
Woodinville, WA 98072-4423
(425)
485-7272
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ender Savrun
ender.savrun@siennatech.com
19501 144th Ave NE Ste F-500
Woodinville, WA 98072-4423
(425) 485-7272
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The current state-of-the-art
co-axial swaged tantalum (Ta) heaters use magnesium oxide (MgO) insulators,
which limits their operation to temperatures well below 1300ºC to prevent
undesirable chemical reactions between Mg and Ta and heater failure. This
program will develop a new ceramic insulator that is chemically compatibility
with Ta and has high thermal stability at temperatures of 1300ºC-1600ºC for
swaged heaters for BaO-impregnated and LaB6 hollow cathodes. In Phase I, we
demonstrated the new ceramic insulators can be used in swaged Ta heaters for
BaO-impregnated cathodes that operate at 1100ºC-1300ºC. In Phase II, we will
further develop the new ceramic insulator for use in LaB6 hollow cathode heaters
that operate at 1600ºC. We will develop an extrusion process to fabricate
ceramic insulators with high dimensional tolerances at low cost and fabricate a
prototype swaged coaxial heaters in collaboration with a heater manufacturer.
Performance mapping and heater testing will be carried out in collaboration with
an end-user aerospace company.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Swaged
coaxial heaters for hollow cathodes have applications in space as components of
ion propulsion systems and spacecraft charging/charge-control systems, including
ATS-6, SERT-II, SCATHA, and SCSR-1 flight experiments. Hollow cathodes have also
been used on spacecraft, including an Agena vehicle, on communication
satellites, on the space shuttle, the electrodynamic tether, and space station
structure and other space environments that include those of low-earth orbits,
sun-synchronous high inclination orbits, and geosynchronous orbits.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The United
States Air Force has many missions in the design stage that would benefit from
small, low-cost satellites operating either autonomously or as an element in a
cluster of such vehicles flying in formation with carefully controlled distances
and orientations to each other. The ion and Hall thrusters provide an enabling
technology for microsatellites, which are proposed for many military and
commercial applications. The commercial applications include communications and
imaging satellites, companions to large satellites to provide surveillance and
close-up inspection capabilities, such as to monitor and assure proper
deployment of solar panels, antennae and other appendages.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Electromagnetic
Thrusters
Electrostatic Thrusters
Ceramics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S3.04-9790 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC85P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Propulsion Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | UltraSail Solar Sail Flight Experiment |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
CU Aerospace, LLC
2100 South Oak Street,
Suite 206
Champaign, IL 61820-0903
(217) 333-8274
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
DAVID CARROLL
carroll@cuaerospace.com
2100 S. Oak St. - Suite 206
Champaign,
IL 61820-0903
(217) 333-8274
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A team of CU Aerospace, the
University of Illinois, and ManTech SRS Technologies proposes Phase II
development of a 3 kg CubeSat spacecraft for initial flight test of a 20 m2
UltraSail, a next-generation high-risk, high-payoff solar sail system for the
launch, deployment, stabilization and control of very large (km2 class) solar
sails, enabling very high payload mass fractions for interplanetary and deep
space spacecraft. UltraSail is an innovative, non-traditional approach to
propulsion technology achieved by combining propulsion and control systems
developed for formation-flying microsatellites with an innovative solar sail
architecture to achieve controllable sail areas approaching 1 km2, sail
subsystem area densities less than 5 g/m2, and thrust levels many times those of
ion thrusters used for comparable deep space missions. The primary innovation
presented in Phase I was vacuum demonstration plus analysis of two modes of sail
deployment. The Phase II effort will include fabrication of dual 1.5 kg
CubeSats, vacuum and dynamic testing of the separation release unit, and
simulation of spacecraft deployment to full film length, analysis of spacecraft
dynamics and environmental effects, and formulation and analysis of mission
objectives and groundstation requirements.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
UltraSail is potentially useful for a range of robotic missions
ranging from Near-Earth to Sun-Earth Lagrange point L1 to Mars to the Kuiper
Belt. The low development cost of CubeSat-based solar sails coupled with high
thrust and payload mass fraction results in economical, high-performance
missions. The use of CubeSats and MicroSats coupled with UltraSail permits
low-cost mission development before committing to much larger systems.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
UltraSail has
military applications for earth-observing missions at high orbit where
stationary observing is useful e.g. pole-sitting missions. Also, NOAA and NSF
have strong interests in the science that can be returned using sails in
non-Keplerian orbits and at Lagrange points.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Solar
Kinematic-Deployable
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.03-9166 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA85P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Low-Cost, Rapid Spacecraft Design and Multi-Subsystem Functionality |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | step_SATdb, An Open Source Based Satellite Design Data Architecture with API Design and Management Plugins |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
sci_zone
17133 Inavale
Holland, MI
49424-5656
(505) 205-8315
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Andrew Santangelo
andrew_santangelo@mac.com
17133 Inavale
Holland, MI
49424-5656
(505) 205-8315
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Satellite design encompasses a
multitude of steps from concept to flight, which can take several years,
depending on the scope, requirements and budget of the mission. The process also
requires a wide range of design and management tools, with limited consistency
and data interchange capability. Detailing the relationships between the
satellite configuration (components and interrelationships), inventory control
systems, life cycle management, design, analysis and test data is extremely
difficult at best. No tool exists that meets these needs for the general
satellite design, system engineering and integration process. Sci_Zone has begun
development of our innovative Satellite Design Automation architecture
QuickSAT<SUP>TM</SUP>, in conjunction with our step_SATdb open
database architecture to meet this need. step_SATdb seamlessly integrates
existing detail design tools with QuickSAT<SUP>TM</SUP>, as well as
databases tracking requirements, hardware and software components and payloads
in inventory, with the final configuration of the satellite.
QuickSAT<SUP>TM</SUP>, provides for not only rapid design, via
design wizards and integration to existing design tools, but will provide
coherency between a range of applications and data sets. step_SATdb stores and
distributes supporting satellite design, configuration, mission, support and
test data from a centralized database server and can distribute the data across
multiple platforms and via the internet.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Step_SATdb and QuickSAT allows for the rapid development,
configuration management, and deployment of systems and satellites. NASA
commercial applications include any Satellite or Subsystem development program,
manned or unmanned mission - and any project requiring seamless integration
between costing, performance, program and project life cycle support, and design
processes. Once developed the product should be widely adopted within NASA due
in part to QuickSAT, the open APIs, its ability to tie into NASA legacy systems
and future environments such as NeXIOM and Step_SATdb's open architecture and
platform independence, plus free cost.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Step_SATdb and
QuickSAT allows for the rapid development, configuration management, and
deployment of satellites while considering performance, risk and managing the
process through out the program life cycle. Non-NASA applications include any
aerospace related applications requiring seamless integration between costing,
performance and design. Non-NASA commercial customers include our own customers,
AFRL and SAIC, interested in implementing QuickSAT, and supporting Step_SATdb
Environments. This will provide us the opportunity to expand our offering and
market to new customers due in part to the architecture's open environment and
platform independence. It is planned this project will set a standard for data
exchange and design management. A market will then exist of step_SATdb certified
applications, guaranteeing increased software sales and support services. This
process has begun with the acceptance by AFRL of step_SATdb as the standard data
architecture for the Operationally Responsive Space Program.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Simulation Modeling
Environment
Training Concepts and Architectures
Testing Requirements and
Architectures
Architectures and Networks
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Data Acquisition and
End-to-End-Management
Database Development and Interfacing
Expert
Systems
Human-Computer Interfaces
Software Development
Environments
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis and
Simulation
General Public Outreach
K-12 Outreach
Mission
Training
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.06-8307 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA88P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Advanced Avionics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Low-Cost Suite of COTS GNC Sensors for Precision Lunar Lander |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Stellar Exploration, Inc.
174 Suburban Road
Suite 120
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7518
(805) 549-8200
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Tomas Svitek
charles@stellar-exploration.com
174 Suburban Road, Suite 120
San
Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7518
(805) 549-8200
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We are proposing to exploit
(in an innovative way) existing, readily available, GNC sensors for the purpose
of precision lunar landing. Majority of previous lunar lander concepts with the
precision/pinpoint landing capability required expensive and risky development
of new GNC and landing sensors (scanning lidars, multi-beam mm-ww radar, etc.).
Our proposed alternative consists solely of existing and low-cost sensors that
synergistically leverage each capability and compensate for individual sensor
weaknesses. For example, we can use a simple single-beam low-frequency radar
altimeter (available at low-cost off-the-shelf, and proven on several Mars
lander missions). The low-frequency radar can meet the maximum slant range
requirements much easier than the mm-wave sensor but it does not have the
adequate multiple narrow beam capability of the Apollo LM or Viking lander
radar. However, the optical descent imaging measurement (using DSMAC-type
sensor) can supplement the single beam radar measurement and obtain the same
information about the complete state vector. There are several similar concepts
implemented in this sensor suite of complementing strengths and weakness of
individual sensors.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
successful integration of low-cost GNC suite would open wide area for sales of
that system for several other applications besides the lunar lander (Mars and
asteroids mission, and proximity and rendezvous operations in LEO). The
preliminary cost estimate for such integrated sensor suite is between $450K and
$800K (depending on the software complexity and level of testing required). We
anticipate that the first sale of the integrated sensor suite module would occur
realistically within 24 months after the completion of Phase 2. Eventually, we
estimate that flight rate of these integrated modules could approach 2-3 units
per year (mostly in the US market, with minor potential in an international
market). For the first ten years, the realistic (conservative) estimate of the
total market potential is between 10-16 units, resulting in the total potential
market of $5-7M.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Additional
non-NASA (eg, privately funded) missions can use this technology.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.06-9411 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA89P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Advanced Avionics |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Plug-and-Play Star Sensor for Rapid Spacecraft Integration |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Microcosm, Inc.
4940 W. 147th
Street
Hawthorne, CA 90250-6708
(310) 726-4100
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
James Wertz
jim@smad.com
4940 W. 147th St.
Hawthorne, CA 90250-6708
(310) 219-2700
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Microcosm, with partners Space
Micro and HRP Systems, will design, build, and test a plug-and play (PnP) star
sensor for small satellites, achieving TRL 6 at the completion of Phase II. All
three companies are very experienced in developing PnP systems. On a recent
Phase II Air Force SBIR program, Microcosm built and tested a prototype
miniature star sensor called MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP>, and is building
a prototype radiation hard star sensor under a new Phase II Air Force SBIR. The
new star sensor proposed here will focus on PnP compatibility for NASA missions
of interest, with a mass goal of 0.5 to 0.75 kg. Anticipated NASA applications
necessitate a modified version of the baseline MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP>
sensor, including: 1) Interfaces compatible with a new PnP avionics
architecture, 2) radiation-hardened CMOS focal plane arrays (FPAs), and 3)
processing electronics to enable longer mission life. The baseline
MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP> sensor was designed with inherent
radiation-tolerant features: FPAs with no direct view of space, and
all-reflective optical elements. The PnP star sensor will leverage
MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP> heritage, providing a modular, PnP, long-life
star sensor for NASA missions, providing a cost and mass reduction of a factor
of 2 or more over existing star sensors.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
proposed star sensor will directly support NASA rapid spacecraft development
efforts involving PnP architectures, and various classes of missions, including:
longer-life missions, such as outer planets missions; long life libration point
astronomy missions; and lunar and Mars exploration. This sensor can also support
multiple applications, including spacecraft attitude determination, formation
flying, and rendezvous and docking. The expected PnP compatibility and low mass,
power, and cost will fill the near term need for improved, low cost attitude
sensing technology with lower cost, complexity, mass, and power than traditional
solutions. When combined with other sensors, such as an IMU, the new star sensor
will have additional capabilities. Microcosm's precision navigation with
integrated attitude determination sensor is directly applicable, providing an
opportunity to enhance the new star sensor by adding a low-cost
micro-electromechanical IMU and GPS receiver. This device can provide higher
attitude output rates, up to 100 Hz, supporting additional applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The sensor will
also have applications for other government systems with similar PnP, attitude
accuracy, mission lifetime, and radiation tolerance requirements. Programs
seeking rapid spacecraft integration cycles, employing PnP architectures, will
also benefit from this new sensor. The Air Force Operationally Responsive Space
(ORS) program may be a customer. Microcosm is currently selling components in
the satellite attitude determination and control system market, and the
MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP> star sensor should be ready for market in the
next two to three years. The proposed new PnP star sensor could be ready for
operational flight status in this same time frame, if its development is pursued
aggressively in parallel with the baseline MicroMak<SUP>TM</SUP>
sensor. Both LEO and GEO satellites could take advantage of such a sensor as
well, facilitating rapid, low-cost integration, and possible new applications,
such as mounting directly to a communications antenna to get significantly
improved determination of antenna pointing.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Attitude Determination and
Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.07-8340 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA90P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mini-Micro Thrusters, LOX / Hydrocarbon Propulsion, and Attitude Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Innovative Applications of DoD Propulsion Technology for Low-Cost Satellite Missions |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Stellar Exploration, Inc.
174 Suburban Road
Suite 120
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7518
(805) 549-8200
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Tomas Svitek
charles@stellar-exploration.com
174 Suburban Road, Suite 120
San
Luis Obispo, CA 93401-7518
(805) 549-8200
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We are proposing to leverage
the Missile Defense Agency investments in high-performance propulsion systems
for low-cost space missions with large Dv requirements, for example, a soft
lunar lander. This design concept exploits a core set of hardware developed
under past and current Department of Defense (DoD) investments. The propulsion
system concepts under consideration are from the DoD's Missile Defense Kinetic
Kill Vehicle programs such as EKV, THAAD, ASAT and LEAP. These are bipropellant,
storable and hypergolic system that use high-performance propellants (MMH/NTO).
This subtopic is seeking technologies with the superior performance for orbital
control, for on-orbit applications including storage capability and propulsion.
This propulsion system should allow transfers from LEO or GTO to lunar orbit or
similar destinations. These missions have in common the substantial Dv
propulsion requirements that cannot be met with the existing flown propulsion
systems on current small spacecraft missions (for example, SNAP-1, Cubesats,
Orbcomm or similar missions). Our proposed solutions offers that capability at
an affordable but credible cost.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
successful adaptation and qualification of the KKV-derived propulsion system
would offer unprecedented capability to the small spacecraft community. This
capability can be used for multiple applications but from NASA viewpoint,
primarily lunar, planetary and other deep-space missions. We envision that
Stellar would team with the propulsion component providers (Aerojet and P&W
Rocketdyne) and also NASA Ames and offer an integrated propulsion solution
suitable for this class of missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Any small
satellite missions with large propulsion requirements are potential market,
including recent Google lunar X-prize efforts.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Chemical
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.07-8526 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA91P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mini-Micro Thrusters, LOX / Hydrocarbon Propulsion, and Attitude Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Nitrous Oxide Liquid Injection Thrust Vector Control System Testing |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Whittnghill Aerospace, LLC
265 Durley
Avenue, Suite 208
Camarillo, CA 93010-8544
(805) 901-2297
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
George Whittinghill
grw@whittinghillaerospace.com
265 Durley Avenue, Suite 208
Camarillo, CA 93010-8544
(805) 901-2297
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A Nitrous Oxide-fed Liquid
Thrust Vector Control system is proposed as an efficient method for vehicle
attitude control during powered flight. Pulled from a N2O main propulsion system
oxidizer tank, it features system simplicity, no toxicity, room temperature
storability, high system mass fraction and superior performance due to its
exothermic decomposition characteristics, answering the need for innovative
attitude control technologies. A continuing series of 1,000 lb thrust hybrid
rocket motor tests are proposed to characterize N2O's Side Specific Impulse as a
function of thrust vectoring angle, as well as a series of 4,000 lb thrust motor
firings culminating in a closed-loop Guidance Navigation and Control
Hardware-In-The-Loop test in a vertical stand. At the conclusion of Phase 2, the
technology will be ready for development into an upper stage as an integrated
main propulsion Thrust Vector Control (TVC) /Attitude Control System for a small
launch vehicle, or as a separate TVC system for any solid, liquid or hybrid
powered vehicle.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Potential NASA applications include Small Expendable Launch
Vehicle upper stages, Orbit Transfer Vehicles, Spacecraft Buses, On-Orbit Kick
Motor Stages and Descent Stages.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
Non-NASA applications include commercial solid, liquid and hybrid small
satellite launchers and boosters.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Chemical
Monopropellants
Propellant Storage
Feed System
Components
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.07-9076 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA92P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mini-Micro Thrusters, LOX / Hydrocarbon Propulsion, and Attitude Control Systems |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Pulsed Electrogasdynamic Thruster for Attitude Control and Orbit Maneuver |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Physical Sciences, Inc.
20 New England
Business Center
Andover, MA 01810-1077
(978) 689-0003
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mary DeLeo
deleo@psicorp.com
20 New England Business Center
Andover, MA 01810-1077
(978)
738-8106
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In the Phase I program we
successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the Pulsed ElectroGasdynamic (PEG)
thruster for attitude control and orbital maneuvering. In this thruster,
propellant gas is introduced into the thrust nozzle through a fast acting gas
valve where a short, high voltage pulse is applied to break down and heat the
propellant gas. The heated gas expands in the nozzle generating a high impulse
(~mN-s per pulse) at a high specific thrust (120 £gN-s/joule). The specific
impulse (Isp) will be in the range of 500~1500 sec. This process can be repeated
at a frequency to meet the spacecraft thrust requirements. The thrust generating
mechanism of the proposed thruster is gasdynamic expansion, not
magnetohydrodynamic interaction. The proposed thruster is different from the
conventional pulsed electrothermal thruster in that the joule heating of the
propellant takes place as the propellant gas expands through the divergent
nozzle, thereby eliminating the heat and momentum losses at the nozzle throat.
Our Phase II objectives are: (i) develop an engineering model; and (ii) develop
a proto-flight model of the proposed thruster system.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
Pulsed ElectroGasdynamic (PEG) thruster, when developed to technical maturity,
will be used for satellite mobility, such as rapidly changing position for
rendezvous, attitude control, orbital maneuvering and controlled satellite
constellation formation. These maneuvers require a relatively high thrust (mN ~
N) at a moderately high specific impulse (Isp „l 1000 sec) and a high electric
efficiency (~60%). The PEG thruster will meet this requirement in a broad thrust
range. For example, when operated at 1 Hz, the PEG thruster will generate a
thrust of 1 mN with 10 W of electric power input. At higher pulse rates, 100 Hz
for example, 100 mN of thrust will be generated with 1 kW of electric power.
Higher thrust can be obtained by scaling up the thruster size. The PEG thruster
in a low power mode will also be used for station keeping applications. To this
end, a PEG thruster suite can be added to any spacecraft equipped with a
N2H4/NTO Monopropellant/Bipropellant propulsion system without incurring a mass
penalty for high precision ¡§digital¡¨ attitude corrections at a higher Isp than
is obtained with the conventional monopropellant solution. Furthermore storable
¡§Green¡¨ propellants such as N2O and NH3 are very suitable as PEG thruster
propellants. The PEG thruster will serve NASA¡¦s Science Mission Directorate
needs in earth orbit, near-earth and in deep space.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Pulsed
ElectroGasdynamic (PEG) thruster will be very useful for military applications
that require: (i) wide dynamic range in thrust; (ii) high Isp; and (iii) high
electrical efficiency. For purely commercial applications, the PEG thruster will
be useful for satellite station keeping, orbit raising, and attitude control.
For such applications the following advantages of the PEG thruster can be fully
exploited: (i) various kinds of propellant gas can be used; (ii) thrust level
can be adjusted by changing pulse frequency over 2~3 orders of magnitude; (iii)
the life time of the thruster hardware will be much longer than the other
thrusters; and (iv) construction of the thruster is simple and can be scaled
easily.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Micro Thrusters
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S4.08-9441 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA94P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Low-cost Assembly, Integration, and Testing |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Virtual Satellite Integration Environment |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advatech Pacific, Inc.
1849 North Wabash
Avenue
Redlands, CA 92374-4970
(909) 307-6218
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Peter Rohl
peter.rohl@advatechpacific.com
1849 North Wabash Avenue
Redlands, CA 92374-4970
(909) 307-6218
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
An integrated environment for
rapid design studies of small satellite missions will be developed. This
environment will be designed to streamline processes at the NASA Ames Mission
Design Center. Several key concepts are introduced. The proposed environment
introduces modern Product Data Management and Product Lifecycle Management
(PDM/PLM) tools and processes to satellite mission design. Specifically, the
notion of product structure, or bill of material (BOM), is expanded to a
simulation BOM, or SBOM, with the capability to manage engineering analysis
data, files and processes in the context of a product, in this case satellite
mission. This approach constitutes a significant step beyond mere document
management, which limits the traceability of which model of which analysis
belongs to which version of the geometry or other analysis. It is a key enabler
for model re-use. A Linked Model Environment (LME), i.e. an environment where
all engineering analysis models are associatively linked, which was developed
concurrently in the commercial aerospace and automotive industry, will extended
to satellite mission design. This environment significantly reduces the amount
of manual intervention engineers have to perform to translate information from
one simulation tool to another. The concept of digital mockup (DMU), which
typically addresses form and fit of components in an assembly, is expanded to
include function, such that the inclusion of components in a satellite assembly
that are functionally incompatible is rejected. Repetitive-iterative engineering
tasks will be automated with the help of an integration framework tool which
automates the execution of a sequence of codes and provides the capability to
wrap drivers like optimizers or quality engineering tools around an automated
analysis workflow.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
results of this research directly benefit the NASA Ames Mission Design Center in
their activity of assembling Small Satellite missions. Currently, the Missions
Design Center does not employ an integrated, PLM-based approach in their design
activities. The Mission Design Center receives geometric information from
component suppliers in a variety of formats. The current in-house CAD package is
Solidworks. Analysis tools such as STK and disciplines such as structural and
thermal analysis need subsets of the detailed CAD geometry in particular formats
that they can process. Currently, much time is spent converting geometry from
one format to another, and critical information can be lost in the process. The
proposed work will directly address these issues. In addition, there are a
number of additional potential applications of this technology. For example, JPL
could use our tools in the design of exploratory space probes. The tools could
also play a role in the development of micro and nano satellites all the way to
manned space missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The proposed
VSIE is directly applicable to the Plug&Play space vehicle design approach
currently being investigated by the US Air Force at AFRL Kirtland AFB. The goal
of the plug and play space vehicle design approach is to apply the proven
capability of computer peripherals to integrate themselves with computers to
space vehicle components. This will enable space vehicles to be assembled
quickly enough to meet rapidly developing operational needs where time is the
critical factor. Advatech Pacific is currently working with AFRL Kirtland AFB to
develop the ISET tool which enables pre-conceptual/conceptual level design of
space vehicles by both traditional approaches and utilizing standardized plug
and play space vehicle components. The enhanced DMU and data management concepts
suggested in the present proposal will be directly applicable to support this
Plug&Play scenario. This type of technology will be a key enabler for the
Responsive Space Launch program by the US Air Force. On the commercial side, any
of the primes or first tier suppliers could benefit from the tools being
developed, specifically on small satellite projects.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Launch and Flight Vehicle
Simulation
Modeling Environment
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Modular
Interconnects
Structural Modeling and Tools
Software Tools for Distributed
Analysis and Simulation
Power Management and Distribution
Wireless
Distribution
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S5.01-9846 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD20P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Extreme Environments Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Temperature Energy Storage for In Situ Planetary Atmospheric Measurement Technologies |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mobile Energy Products, Inc.
3820 S Hancock
Expressway
Colorado Springs, CO 80911-1231
(719) 392-4266
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Za Johnson
zjohnson@electroenergyinc.com
3820 S Hancock Expressway
Colorado
Springs, CO 80911-1231
(719) 392-4266
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Development of energy storage
capable of operational temperatures of 380ºC and 486<SUP>o</SUP>C
with a specific capacity 200 Wh/kg for use as a power source on the Venusian
surface and for planetary probes in similar high temperature atmospheres and
where ambient pressures of 90 atmospheres are to be expected. This proposal
provides for further research and development of the Li(Al)/CoS2 high
temperature energy storage chemistry to develop high temperature space energy
storage, which will enable the in situ exploration of the atmosphere of Venus
and deep atmospheres of Jupiter or Saturn for future NASA missions. This energy
storage will provide power for thermal control systems, high temperature
electronics and sensors, and high temperature motors and actuators. The approach
has a parallel path of evaluation of low melting point electrolyte for 380ºC
operation and optimization of the 486ºC Venus energy storage chemistry. The
final task is battery level characterization at various temperatures and
discharge rates, with implementation of the previously completed design of a
robust battery/cell container and ceramic to metal seals. The development
includes the delivery of a prototype battery to JPL for testing.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Successful completion of this development of high temperature
batteries will enable in situ planetary exploration for NASA missions, where
energy storage must be occur at high temperatures due to environmental
conditions. The energy storage will have a specific energy >200 Wh/kg based
on Phase I development which demonstrated battery discharge profiles in excess
of 7 days (173 hrs) at 475ºC temperature with background and burst (pulse)
discharge currents. The cell specific energy demonstrated in Phase I was greater
than 270 Wh/kg.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The R&D
conducted under this program will have the potential to make improvements to
thermal batteries, low temperature thermal batteries, high temperature energy
storage for borehole and terrestrial applications, geothermal batteries and
other specialty high temperature energy storage for space applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Teleoperation
Control
Instrumentation
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Ultra-High Density/Low
Power
Attitude Determination and Control
Data Input/Output
Devices
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Sensor
Webs/Distributed Sensors
Tools
In-situ Resource Utilization
Energy
Storage
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S5.02-8644 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD21P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Planetary Entry, Descent and Landing Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Flash 3D Planetary Entry, Descent and Landing Sensor Hardening |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Advanced Scientific Concepts, Inc.
135 E.
Ortega Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Steven Silverman
ssilverman@asc3d.com
135 E. Ortega Street
Santa Barbara , CA
93101-1674
(805) 966-3331
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Advanced Scientific Concepts
Inc. (ASC) is a small business that has developed a number of 3D flash LADAR
systems. Flash Ladar Video Cameras are 3D video cameras that return range and
intensity information for each pixel in real time, and is functionally
equivalent to 16000 range finders on one chip. Actual data collected, at the JPL
mars yard, using ASC's compact Flash Ladar system demonstrated in a previous
NASA phase I SBIR effort confirm that the ASC Flash LADAR Video Camera (FLVC)
system can meet the requirements for Entry, Descent and Landing (EDL). The
FLVC's small size, low power and very fast range data frame rate (30Hz) the
sensor can be configured for a variety of EDL missions. An existing Phase two
effort is fabricating a compact FLVC for delivery to NASA for field testing,
however the system is not hardened. The proposed Phase 2 effort will produce a
space qualified sensor engine which can be integrated with the system being
delivered to NASA. The sensor engine is the break-though enabling technology for
the FLVC. The sensor engine will be fabricated, tested and used to upgrade the
camera JPL. As a result of these improvements, the TRL level of this sensor will
be at 6-7. Flash Ladar is ideal for determining real-time spacecraft trajectory,
speed and orientation to the planet surface, as well as evaluating potential
hazards at the landing site is required for precision landing. Sloped ground,
craters, rocks and surface composition are among the potential hazards. The
"framing camera" nature, of Flash LADAR systems, makes them well suited as
hazard avoidance sensors for EDL. Flash LADAR can provide a direct, real-time
measurement of the altitude of the spacecraft during descent as well as surface
relative velocity and orientation, while simultaneously mapping the topography
of the terrain below to identify landing hazards and provide localization
information.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
sensor will increase the success of NASA operations such as: • Mars Landed
Exploration • Exploration of Moons (ALHAT, Jupiter Icy Moons) • Asteroid and
Comet Rendezvous and Sample Return • ISS Rendezvous and Docking • Space
Situational Awareness • Rock Abundance and Distribution Maps • Topographical
Mapping • Rover Mobility and Navigation NASA Langley Research Center has
purchased two of ASC's existing FLVC systems for performing laboratory, field,
and airborne test and evaluation of this technology for use on the ALHAT
program. On system has been deployed for EDL helicopter experiments and has
shown excellent results. ASC has developed unit cells that show 10x increase in
detection threshold sensitivity (which implies 10X lower laser power
requirements for a given return signal to noise ratio). NASA LaRC has offered to
support ASC in defining requirements for advanced ROIC technology to increase
device threshold sensitivity for a proposed Phase II effort. NASA LaRC's second
camera is incorporating the automatic range calibration and higher sensitivity
detector arrays that were investigated under the supporting SBIR. This system
will be used for high altitude EDL testing for ALHAT.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
ASC is pursuing
many non-NASA applications. Collision avoidance to save pedestrians and prevent
vehicle damage, Helicopter landing in BrownOut conditions, Mid-Air Refueling,
Surveillance, Terrain Mapping, Autonomous Navigation for UGVs, unmanned surface
vehicles (USVs) and UAV, Smart intersection, Ladar brakes, Robotics, Machine
Vision, Hazard Material Detection and Handling, Underwater 3D Imaging, Sub
Nanosecond Dynamic Imaging, 3D Sports Imaging and data transmission, consumer
electronics.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY
MAPPING
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Optical
Photonics
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S5.03-8882 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD23P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Sample Collection, Processing, and Handling Devices |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | One-Meter Class Drilling for Planetary Exploration |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Honeybee Robotics Ltd.
460 W 34th
Street
New York, NY 10001-2320
(212) 966-0661
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kris Zacny
zacny@honeybeerobotics.com
460 W 34th Street
New York, NY
10001-2320
(510) 207-4555
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Robotic planetary exploration
missions will need to perform in-situ analysis of rock and/or regolith samples
or returning samples back to earth. Obtaining and delivering a sample can be a
complex engineering problem, especially if it's done autonomously thousands of
miles away. To accommodate future missions, these subsurface access and sample
handling technologies must be developed to meet a broad range of potential
requirements, including a variety of rock or subsurface materials, rigorous
sample preservation requirements, and the general problem of autonomous
operation in the presence of dust and with limited resources. The one-to-three
meter range has been identified as a critical regime for planetary exploration
and while there has been some technology development in this regime, there is
currently no proven flight-like approach to robotically achieving this depth
through layers of challenging material from realistic roving or landed
platforms. The Phase 1 research has resulted in proving the benefits of
rotary-percussive drilling system as it pertains to breaking of formation and
cuttings transport. The primary objective of the proposed effort is to develop,
via testing in a simulated Mars environment, a breadboard one-meter sampling
drilling system for acquiring a small volume of drilled cuttings and a core (if
necessary) from a target depth on Mars. This project would build on the existing
knowledge base of Mars drilling, and its particular strength lies with its
capability of performing drilling tests under simulated Martian conditions of
temperature and pressure and CO2 atmosphere. This is a component technology
effort that includes the development of a rotary percussive drill head and a
sampling lead drill string. Honeybee Robotics will leverage drill head
development by utilizing voice coil percussive actuator technology developed by
the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) for the Mars Science Laboratory Powder
Drill.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The Mars
Exploration Program Analysis Group has identified subsurface access as a major
technology need for future Mars science missions - key to understanding
conditions favorable to life including the presence and morphology of forms of
water, as well as for geological investigations. Potentially relevant missions
may include Astrobiology Field Laboratory, Mid-Size Rovers, Mars Scout, and Mars
Sample Return. A subsurface access tool (robotic or astronaut-assisted) for the
Moon be of scientific interest and also necessary for ground truth for resource
mapping (including the presence, form, and concentration of potential polar cap
water ice, potential in the 1-3 meter depth range) and regolith geotechnical
properties assessment. A drill with sample acquisition and analysis, could
identify regolith composition for the purposes of determining the presence and
quantities of lunar resources for future in situ resource utilization. In
addition, regolith geotechnical properties may also be roughly inferred from
drill telemetry. This information is important for understanding excavability,
load-bearing capacity and trafficability of lunar regolith for ISRU and lunar
infrastructure development in preparation for lunar human bases. A 1m class
drill could also be modified for Venus, comets, Europa and Near Earth Objects.
In addition the lessons learned from this effort may be extrapolated to shallow
surface drilling as well as deep drilling missions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Low cost, low
mass drills could be used to quickly assess hazardous areas (oil spill sites
around the refineries, toxic waste disposal sites, volcanoes, etc.) without
endangering human life. In addition, the Department of Defense could deploy such
rovers in conflict zones to assess the road trafficability potential prior to
deployment of rescue teams as well as for identifying buried items such as
mines. The petroleum and mining industries have also shown interest in robotic
sampling. Honeybee Robotics is currently leveraging our experience in this area
by working with a major mining concern on developing the "Mine of the Future".
There is also a great need for this type of drill for Arctic sampling and
extreme biology studies to acquire uncontaminated samples.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Manipulation
Perception/Sensing
Tools
In-situ Resource
Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S5.03-9066 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CD24P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Sample Collection, Processing, and Handling Devices |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | SASSI: Subsystems for Automated Subsurface Sampling Instruments |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Honeybee Robotics Ltd.
460 W 34th
Street
New York, NY 10001-2320
(212) 966-0661
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kris Zacny
zacny@honeybeerobotics.com
460 West 34th Street
New York, NY
10001-2320
(510) 207-4555
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Autonomous surface sampling
systems are necessary, near term, to construct a historical view of planetary
significant events; as well as allow for the identification of materials useful
for ISRU activities. Paramount to this is exploration missions capable of
in-situ analysis of core samples that deliver the stratigraphy of the target.
These sample handling technologies must be developed to meet a broad range of
potential requirements, including a variety of rock or subsurface materials,
rigorous sample preservation requirements, and the general problem of autonomous
operation in the presence of dust and with limited resources. Honeybee seeks to
develop critical subsystems for a small, low-mass, low-power Rotary-Percussive
Corer (RoPeC) capable of autonomous sample acquisition and delivery from a depth
of 5 cm. Specific attention will be given to the tall-pole items including the
core break-off, retention, delivery, rotary-percussive drive, and gas flushing
subsystems. Near term applications include the Astrobiology Field Laboratory and
Mars Sample Return missions. Previous coring tool development has focused on
integration and far-horizon proof of concepts; resulting in complete systems
designed around specific requirements. The path forward lies in maturing
specific aspects of designs quickly. The Phase 1 research has resulted in a
survey of existing sampling systems as well as a conceptual design of the RoPeC
with a focus on modularity. In Phase 2, Honeybee will mature the design of RoPeC
subsystems; including the integration of a percussive voice coil actuator
developed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory for the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL)
Powder Acquisition Drill System. A focus on modularity will ensure that
subsystems can be redesigned independently; enabling the acquisition of core
samples in targets including MEPAG suggested rocks, MSL Mars analogs and Phoenix
analogs. This will lead to the a TRL of 5-6.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Future
robotic astrobiology missions such as Astrobiology Field Laboratory or Mars
Sample Return will benefit greatly from the ability to capture rock and regolith
cores. The drill could be also deployed during lunar sortie missions by
astronauts (hand held coring drill) since it is desirable to bring a small core
back as opposed to a large rock. From a science standpoint, core samples have a
distinct advantage over collected drill cuttings in that the stratigraphy and
morphology of the sample is preserved. This facilitates detection of localized
organics and fossil biosignatures, as well as analysis of geochemistry and
mineralogy. The need for a flight-ready surface coring tool has been evident in
various NASA program reviews, mission concepts, and mission baselines. RoPeC, a
low-mass, low-power drill, will reach a depth of 5cm in rock, regolith, and icy
soil, and will be robotic-arm-mountable, enabling access to outcroppings and
other non-horizontal target formations. Using a rotary-percussive drilling
mechanism will enable penetration of strong basaltic or icy targets without
unduly compromising tool life or power requirements. During phase 2, Honeybee
will perform a comprehensive study to determine the mass/cost/schedule
requirements to make RoPeC flight ready.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Rotary-percussive drilling has many terrestrial applications in
industry, as well as in research and development. Scientists often use coring
tools to acquire core samples for the study of everything between geological
classification to ocean drilling and surveying. Traditionally, petroleum
engineers will use large cores to extract information about boundaries between
sandstone, limestone, and shale. This process is time consuming so smaller cores
are sometimes taken. This method of sampling is called sidewall coring and
provides more information to the petroleum engineering than simply logging data.
Both rotary and percussive methods are currently utilized, but increased
efficiency is likely possible through a combination such as utilized in the
RoPeC design. Scientists studying earthquake mechanics could also benefit from
the use of the RoPeC in a similar fashion. Automation of this process would save
time and money; enabling the science goals of the research with reduced schedule
and budget risk/impact. The RoPeC also has applications for the study of
terrestrial biology, such as coring into rocks in the Arctic, Antarctic, or
other desirable locations. Tullis Onstott of the Department of Geosciences from
Princeton University has expressed interest in a coring tool for sampling tunnel
face and biofilm-rock interfaces at the Deep Underground Science and Engineering
Laboratory.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Manipulation
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Biochemical
Tools
In-situ
Resource Utilization
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S6.02-9196 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA98P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Technologies for Large-Scale Numerical Simulation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | High Interactivity Visualization Software for Large Computational Data Sets |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
SciberQuest, Inc.
Pacific Executive Plaza,
777 South Highway 101, Suite 108
Solana Beach, CA 92075-2623
(858)
793-7063
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Homa Karimabadi
homak@sciberquest.com
Pacific Executive Plaza 777 South Highway 101,
Suite 108
Solana Beach, CA 92075-2623
(858) 793-7063
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Existing scientific
visualization tools have specific limitations for large scale scientific data
sets. Of these four limitations can be seen as paramount: (i) memory management,
(ii) remote visualization, (iii) interactivity, and (iv) specificity. In Phase
I, we proposed and successfully developed a prototype of a collection of
computer tools and libraries called SciViz that overcome these limitations and
enable researchers to visualize large scale data sets (greater than 200
gigabytes) on HPC resources remotely from their workstations at interactive
rates. A key element of our technology is the stack oriented rather than a
framework driven approach which allows it to interoperate with common existing
scientific visualization software thereby eliminating the need for the user to
switch and learn new software. The result is a versatile 3D visualization
capability that will significantly decrease the time to knowledge discovery from
large, complex data sets. Typical visualization activity can be organized into a
simple stack of steps that leads to the visualization result. These steps can
broadly be classified into data retrieval, data analysis, visual representation,
and rendering. Our approach will be to continue with the technique selected in
Phase I of utilizing existing visualization tools at each point in the
visualization stack and to develop specific tools that address the core
limitations identified and seamlessly integrate them into the visualization
stack. Specifically, we intend to complete technical objectives in four areas
that will complete the development of visualization tools for interactive
visualization of very large data sets in each layer of the visualization stack.
These four areas are: Feature Objectives, C++ Conversion and Optimization,
Testing Objectives, and Domain Specifics and Integration. The technology will be
developed and tested at NASA and the San Diego Supercomputer Center.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
A
natural choice is infusion of SciViz into NASA supercomputing operations. SciViz
is expected to find rapid adoption among supercomputing user base since it
circumvents the well known problems associated with visualization of large data
sets with minimal interruption of existing visualization environments. The value
proposition to NASA is increase in user productivity and broadening of NASA's
supercomputing user base.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Supercomputer
centers, national labs, data-centric private industries such as oil and gas.
Diverse fields of science and industries are facing a tsunami of data and not
surprisingly data visualization represents a US$2 billion worldwide market. We
plan to fully leverage our initial deployment within NASA and SDSC supercomputer
centers in order to gain market penetration and expand into other sectors. Any
field that deals with large data sets is a potential market candidate for
SciViz. This includes other computational centers such as national laboratories,
military, the field of electron microscopy and oil companies.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Computer System
Architectures
Software Development Environments
Software Tools for
Distributed Analysis and Simulation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 S6.02-9676 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA99P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Technologies for Large-Scale Numerical Simulation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Remote Data Exploration with the Interactive Data Language |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Tech-X Corporation
5621 Arapahoe Avenue,
Suite A
Boulder, CO 80303-1379
(303) 448-0727
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Michael Galloy
mgalloy@txcorp.com
5621 Arapahoe Ave Suite A
Boulder, CO
80303-1379
(303) 996-2032
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
We propose to enable
user-friendly interaction with multi-processor and multi-core resources,allowing
users to seamlessly retrieve remote data with DAP and take advantage of
parallelcomputing resources for analyzing that data. Where possible, we plan to
make these featuresavailable in the open-source GDL (Gnu Data Language) version
of IDL.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
IDL is
widely used for analysis and visualization throughout NASA. DAP is also used by
NASA; there are 72 NASA datasets listed on the OPeNDAP website including
datasets at GES-DISC Data Holdings, CDAWeb Data Holdings, Physical Oceanography
Distributed Active Archive Center (PODAAC), and Ocean Earth Science Information
Partner (OceanESIP).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
IDL is widely
used in academia, industry, national labs. Data analysis in various areas can
benefit from accessing remote data, e.g. astronomy, remote sensing, climate
studies, medical imaging, chemical engineering. There are 28 non-NASA
organizations with over 100 datasets listed on the OPeNDAP website.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Software Tools for Distributed Analysis
and Simulation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.03-9524 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB74P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Communication for Space-Based Range |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Single-Aperture GPS-based Attitude (GPS/A) Sensor for Spin-Stabilized Platforms |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Toyon Research Corporation
6800 Cortona
Drive
Goleta, CA 93117-3021
(805) 968-6787
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Kenan Ezal
kezal@toyon.com
6800 Cortona Drive
Goleta, CA 93117-3021
(805) 968-6787
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Attitude determination of
spin-stabilized platforms is especially challenging. Current low-cost gyroscope
technology does not lend itself to attitude determination of platforms spinning
in excess of one rotation per second. Traditional GPS-based attitude (GPS/A)
sensors require three or more antenna elements separated by large baselines.
Single-element designs require extensive calibration of the satellite
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and are not very accurate. Toyon Research
Corporation proposes to develop a small, single-aperture low-cost GPS/A sensor
for space launch vehicles, and to demonstrate the sensor in an operational
environment. The sensor determines the platform attitude with a single GPS
antenna having a diameter of approximately 6.5 cm. The standalone performance of
Toyon's GPS/A sensor on a spinning platform is better than 2.1 degrees for roll,
and better than 1.2 degrees for yaw and pitch (one-sigma). The system
performance can be further improved when integrated with accelerometers and/or
magnetometers. Although current low-cost gyroscope technology does not allow
their use on spinning platforms, non-spinning platforms may take advantage of
gyro measurements for further improvements in attitude performance. During the
proposed Phase II program Toyon will develop, build and test a prototype system
that will be delivered for validation onboard an actual space launch vehicle.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Toyon's
Miniature Integrated Direction-finding Attitude-determining Anti-jam System
(MIDAAS(TM)) provides drift-free and temperature insensitive GPS-based attitude
(GPS/A) measurements for small expendable launch vehicles and micro-satellites
in a small package and at a lower cost than array-based GPS attitude systems.
The stand-alone MIDAAS sensor performs equally well for spinning and
non-spinning platforms, and can be integrated with alternative sensors such as
accelerometers, magnetometers, and gyroscopes, when feasible. The MIDAAS
technology has direct applications to any navigation system requiring 3-D
attitude measurements including manned and unmanned vehicles and robots. When
feasible, the integration of low-cost gyroscopes results in a ten-fold
improvement in navigation accuracy without significant increases in cost: the
MIDAAS sensor provides tactical-grade performance when integrated with a
commercial-grade inertial measurement unit (IMU).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The MIDAAS
GPS-based attitude (GPS/A) sensor technology is applicable to a wide range of
military and civilian applications including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),
micro air vehicles (MAVs), unattended ground sensors (UGS), handheld positioning
units, recreational and military virtual- and mixed-reality orientation devices,
radio-controlled (RC) vehicles, ground vehicles, and far-target locators, as
well as military spin-stabilized munitions and platforms. The technology appeals
to customers who desire robust position and attitude measurements for spinning
and non-spinning platforms that have stringent cost and size, weight and power
(SWAP) constraints.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Integrated Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Perception/Sensing
Telemetry, Tracking and Control
Attitude
Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.04-8808 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB38P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Antenna Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Surface Optimization Techniques for Deployable Reflectors |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Composite Technology Development, Inc.
2600
Campus Drive, Suite D
Lafayette, CO 80026-3359
(303)
664-0397
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Robert Taylor
robert.taylor@ctd-materials.com
2600 Campus Drive, Suite D
Lafayette, CO 80026-3359
(303) 664-0394
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Under this and several other
programs, CTD has developed TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> deployable
solid-surface reflectors (TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> Reflectors) to provide
future NASA and Air Force missions and commercial communications satellites with
large RF apertures that can operate at very high operational frequencies (Ka
band and above). TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> Reflectors incorporate
non-tensioned graphite composite membranes that are formed using conventional
construction techniques and stiffened using CTD's
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> shape-memory composite panels to allow practical
packaging and deployment without complex mechanisms. The simplicity of the
design provides a significant cost advantage when compared to existing
deployable reflector technologies, (4-fold cost reduction over mesh antenna and
2-fold reduction in manufacturing time) and the continuous graphite surface
enables high frequency antenna operations at Ka band and above. CTD can stow
either a Cassegrainian (center-fed) or Gregorian (offset-fed) 5m
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> Reflectors in a Falcon 1e launch vehicle. To
moderate cost and fabrication time, the TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP>
reflector is supported by a deployable backing structure. In the proposed Phase
II effort, CTD will further refine innovative backing structure developed in
Phase I as well as to develop additional precision capability to enable both the
high frequency (Ka band and above), large aperture (5 to 8 meters) performance
required for near-term and future NASA programs.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA
Earth surveying missions such as the Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) mission
and DESDynI, are specific near-term NASA missions with needs for large aperture
reflectors to provide L-band radar and radiometers. Although these missions are
within the frequency capability of mesh reflectors, JPL has expressed concern
that the poor side-lobe performance of mesh reflectors may significantly degrade
the performance of the L-band radiometer. This poor side-lobe performance on the
mesh reflectors is believed to be due to edge infringements inherent in the mesh
reflector design. The TEMBO solid-surface deployable reflectors being developed
by CTD, , exactly meet this need. Also, Space Science missions, such as the
proposed Europa Lander CADMUS and a Venus Radar instrument being developed by
JPL will need large aperture deployable antenna reflectors. CTD's
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> Reflector could also be key to the success of
these missions by providing increased deployed aperture and high-frequency
capability at low cost and risk.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
CTD has been
working with the Air Force and the Missile Defense Agency to develop and
implement components and subsystems based on CTD's Elastic Memory Composite
materials. For example, CTD has delivered EMC hinge/actuators to MicroSat
Systems, Inc. to deploy an experimental solar array on the Air Force's TacSat-2
mission, which is currently scheduled for launch in late 2006. Enhancements to
CTD's Solid Surface TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> deployable reflectors are of
interested to Operationally Responsive Space for lower frequency applications
and in the future for other DoD applications. CTD has begun to identify several
commercial terrestrial markets where nano-particle-reinforced
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> materials show great promise. In one case, we
have received $325K of funding from a customer to develop a prototype product,
which is planned for field-testing in 2007. This prototype represents the first
of many possible applications for this customer, and we are currently
negotiating development agreements for additional prototypes. Our customer is
the leader in the target market of interest. Their 2002 sales of products that
could incorporate some TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> products was $481M. If
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> materials were used on only 25 percent of these
products, and CTD received only 5 percent of these revenues as sales of
TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> materials, this would result in $6M in annual
sales. We believe this is but the tip of the iceberg for the commercial
potential for TEMBO<SUP>REG</SUP> polymers and composites.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Kinematic-Deployable
Operations
Concepts and Requirements
Testing Requirements and Architectures
Large
Antennas and Telescopes
RF
In-situ Resource
Utilization
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.04-8886 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB39P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Antenna Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Fully Printed Flexible 4-Bit 2D (4x4) 16-Element Phased Array Antenna for Lunar Surface Communications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Omega Optics, Inc.
10435 Burnet Road, Suite
108
Austin, TX 78758-4450
(512) 996-8833
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Maggie Chen
maggie.chen@omegaoptics.com
10435 Burnet Road, Suite 108
Austin, TX 78758-4450
(512) 996-8833
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA's future exploration
missions focus on the manned exploration of the Moon, Mars and beyond, which
will rely heavily on the development of a reliable communications infrastructure
from planetary surface-to-surface, surface-to-orbit and back to Earth. Flexible
antennas are highly desired in many scenarios, such as pressurized rovers,
pressurized habitats, space suits, and any other applications that require
conformal profiles. Existing flexible electronics has an intrinsic low switching
frequency due to their low carrier mobility. The CNT network in solution we used
has carrier mobility as high as 46770cm2/V•s and a large current-density
carrying capacity of ~1000 mA/cm2, corresponding to a high carrying power of
over 2000mW/cm2. Such high carrier mobility and large current carrying capacity
allow us to achieve high-speed (>100GHz), high power flexible electronic
circuits and antennas. A prototype of a fully printed S-band 4-bit 2D (4x4)
16-element PAA on flexible substrate such as Kapton, including FET based T/R
module and phase shifters will be developed and optimized. For the FETs working
as switches/amplifiers, the switch speed, on-off ration, the gain, noise figure,
insertion loss and power consumption will be significantly improved through
finding better gate dielectric material, increasing the CNT purity and the
optimizing the FET geometry including the channel length and the channel width.
Performance features of the printed PAA will be characterized including
frequency/bandwidth, gain/efficiency, and power consumption. To survive NASA's
stressing environment, the operating temperature range will be investigated and
the performance under shock and vibration will be evaluated. The humidity test
and aging tests will also be carried out. Radiation hard test will also be
carried out in Phase II under the program manager's guidance.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
flexible PAAs can be used in lunar communication networks, space suits, large
inflatable PAAs, high power electronics/antennas, and etc. (1) For Lunar local
networks Lunar local networks are expected to provide coverage for short (~10m)
to medium range (~5-10km) communications at UHF/S/C-band, with date rates not to
exceed 19 Mbps. The S-band PAA is specially designed for the lunar local
communications. (2) For space suits during EVA Compared with the ongoing
research at JSC for EVA communications, our fully printed antenna can be
"stick-on" directly on the outside of the space suit, while the wearable
e-textile antenna is integrated into the clothing. It allows for optimal antenna
placement for dynamic situations and can be easily peeled-off for exchange or
repair.The printing process is much cheaper than weaving into space suite. (3)
For large inflatable PAA Among all large active PAA issues, the most serious is
its cost (an electronic phase shifter costs between $200 and $5,000). The
printing technology will enable large-area inflatable active PAA deployment, due
to the dramatically reduced cost (estimated cost/per element around $20 for
large arrays). (4) High power electronics/antenna The CNT we used has a large
current-density carrying capacity of ~1000 mA/cm2, corresponding to a high
carrying power of 2000mW/cm2. Such a large power carrying capability allows this
technology to be used in high power electronics/antenna applications.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The high
operating frequency of the flexible nano-FET is particularly useful in many
Non-NASA applications requiring ultra-sensitive and standalone, including: (1)
RF identification tags Omega Optics, Inc. has teamed up with the world leading
RFID company, Checkpoint, for collaboration in high frequency RFID development.
A supporting letter is attached in the proposal. (2) Sensors; Omega Optics, Inc.
has teamed up with the world leading sensor company, Sensortran, for
collaboration in conformal sensor development. A supporting letter is attached
in the proposal. (3) Smart cards; (4) Electronic papers; (5) large area flat
panel displays;
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Large Antennas and
Telescopes
Ultra-High Density/Low
Power
RF
Highly-Reconfigurable
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.04-9232 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC06P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Antenna Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Conformal Space Suit Antenna Development for Enhanced EVA Communications and Wearable Computer Applications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Applied EM, Inc.
144 Research
Drive
Hampton , VA 23666-1339
(757) 224-2035
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Thomas Campbell
tom_campbell@appliedem.com
144 Research Drive
Hampton, VA
23666-1339
(757) 224-2035
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
As NASA prepares for the
Constellation Space Missions and Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) on the moon by
2018, astronauts will be required to spend more time exposed to the hazards of
EVA operations. Providing reliable communications is imperative during current
EMU/ISS operations as well as future Constellation Missions. Communications
during EVA is required to relay progress regarding the task and to monitor the
health and ability of the astronaut to perform in hazardous environments.
Therefore, in order to improve astronaut mobility and space communications,
Applied EM, Inc. will apply the results of Phase I to develop and demonstrate a
prototype multi-frequency design of a conformal, flexible, body-worn antenna
that can be integrated into space suit designs to enhance UHF communications
during EVA operations. In addition, the antenna design has multi-frequency
capability that enables wireless bio-med telemetry for wearable computer
applications during space operations. NASA's new Constellation Space Suit System
(CSSS) will provide new space suit designs to improve the astronaut's mobility,
efficiency, and safety while wearing the space suit during long periods of EVA
operations. Therefore, the objectives for Phase II will consider antenna designs
for both near term and far term space mission applications.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
multi-disciplinary research project enables a wide range of products that
include novel body-worn antenna designs, conformal helmet mounted antenna
designs, antennas for wireless RF telemetry systems, fabric systems for
accommodating body-worn antennas, and fabrication methods to produce flexible,
integrated body-worn antenna systems. The body-worn UHF antenna and wireless
designs for wearable computer applications can be used in the new space suit
designs, that are currently being considered, as well as potential EVA
communication systems for Constellation Program and the Crew Exploration Vehicle
(CEV), ISS, and Lunar Surface Access Modules. The final antenna designs,
electromagnetic simulations, and test data obtained during this project can be
used in a wide range of NASA research programs and applications. In addition to
improving EVA communications capability, the potential for wireless antenna
nodes for wearable computers is extensive.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
multi-disciplinary research project will produce a wide range of products that
include novel body-worn antenna designs, conformal helmet mounted antenna
designs, antennas for wireless RF telemetry systems, fabric systems for
accommodating body-worn antennas, and fabrication methods to produce flexible,
integrated body-worn antenna systems. These products will have much potential in
a wide range of non-NASA applications commercially as well as government.
Commercial applications would include body-worn antennas for health monitoring,
communications, remote sensing, information transfer systems as well as in
uniform designs using conductive coatings. Government applications would
primarily be for DoD (military) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as
body-worn antennas can be used for Warfighter, Special Operations Forces,
special uniforms requiring communications in severe environments such as
chemical and biological threat situations.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
RF
Sensor Webs/Distributed
Sensors
Suits
Multifunctional/Smart Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.07-8424 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB42P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Transformational Communications Technology |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Electrochemical Capacitor Development for Pulsed Power Communications |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Eltron Research, Inc.
4600 Nautilus Court
South
Boulder, CO 80301-3241
(303) 530-0263
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Christopher Marotta
eltron@eltronresearch.com
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder,
CO 80301-3241
(303) 530-0263
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this NASA Phase II SBIR
Project, we will continue the development of graphitic nanosheets (GNS) for
electrochemical capacitor (EC) electrode materials. In the Phase I project,
treatments of the electrode materials resulted in increases of relative
capacitance (2x), relative energy (4x), and relative power (25%). These results
surpassed those of commercially available ECs for relative power and will
fulfill NASA's need for energy storage materials for communications and
navigation. We will address the following in the Phase II program: (1) Increase
performance through exfoliation, activation, and other surface treatments; (2)
Use these materials as supports for the deposition of pseudocapacitive species
to form a nanocomposite electrode; (3) Improve the test cell fabrication to
decrease equivalent series resistance (ESR) and passive layer formation; (4)
Purify electrode materials and electrolyte to decrease leakage current and
self-discharge; (5) Perform environmental testing including temperature,
pressure, and vibration; (6) Fabricate, test, and deliver functional prototype
cells to NASA at the end of the Phase II project. This technology is currently
at a TRL of 3-4 and we expect to achieve a TRL of 5 with delivery of prototype
cells to NASA for testing.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA is
interested in electrochemical capacitors for transient power demands that are
capable of rapid discharges, typically on the order of milliseconds. Such
demands shorten battery and fuel cell lifetime. ECs will be used to complement
an energy storage system (load leveling), dramatically lengthening battery/fuel
cell lifetimes while reducing the required sizes of the batteries/fuel cells.
Specifically ECs can be used in burst communications systems that require high
power transients on the order of millisecond durations with a short number of
total pulses to avoid detection. Other NASA applications would be flash LIDAR
for Object Detection and Avoidance (ODA) systems (for avoiding rocks when
landing) and autonomous rover guidance on a planet surface. Finally, NASA is
looking to replace hydraulic systems with electromechanical actuators that
require high transient power delivery. These requirements can be fulfilled by
ECs which store charge that can be quickly discharged without burdening
batteries or fuel cells.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Other
applications include maintenance-free power sources for microcomputer memories,
backup power for actuator and solenoid valves, and power supplements for
consumer electronic devices. The biggest potential market of ECs will be the
automotive sector for launch assist and regenerative braking in electric
vehicles. ECs with improved performance (greater relative energy and power,
improved charge/discharge capacities) are generating increased interest among
producers of battery operated equipment. ECs can have a prominent impact on
hybrid electric vehicles, where their implementation will accelerate the
development of this technology. Successful development of this technology will
improve the fuel efficiency of these HEVs significantly since the need for large
batteries is reduced. The economic impacts will also promote a greater demand
for carbon nanomaterials, and lead to more competition among manufacturers,
providing quality products at a lower price. This technology can also be adapted
for battery and fuel cell electrodes.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Electromagnetic Thrusters
Launch
Assist (Electromagnetic, Hot Gas and Pneumatic)
Micro Thrusters
Telemetry,
Tracking and Control
Electrostatic Thrusters
Attitude Determination and
Control
Guidance, Navigation, and Control
Architectures and
Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Laser
Manned-Manuvering
Units
Portable Life Support
Suits
Composites
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
Energy Storage
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.08-8373 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC94P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Long Range Optical Telecommunications |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Very Large Solar Rejection Filter for Laser Communication |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Surface Optics Corporation
11555 Rancho
Bernardo Road
San Diego, CA 92127-1441
(858) 675-7404
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
David Sheikh
dsheikh@surfaceoptics.com
11555 Rancho Bernardo Road
San
Diego, CA 92127-1441
(858) 675-7404
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Surface Optics Corporation
(SOC) will develop a band pass filter comprised of a visible dielectric mirror
and an induced transmission filter, applied to two sides of a cast polyimide
membrane. The mirror/filter combination will block 95% of the incident solar
radiation, while allowing a narrow pass-band for laser communication. The
combination of a visible dielectric mirror constructed on one side of a membrane
and a band-pass filter on the second surface, offers a means of creating a very
efficient solar reflector with relatively few coatings layers. The exceptionally
thin and flat optical substrate will minimize degradation of the laser signal.
2-meter membrane filters are sought by NASA to prevent over-heating of
ground-based laser communication receivers operating during daylight hours. In
Phase II, the designs will be scaled to large membrane substrates approximately
2-m in diameter.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This
research will benefit future NASA programs requiring interplanetary laser
communication.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High quality
membranes coated with precision optical coatings may be useful for large
ground-based, segmented telescopes such as TMT and Hobby-Eberly. Although the
concept is still in its infancy, a coating transferred to a glass segment via a
polymer membrane would be analogous to tinting an automobile car window.
Preliminary evaluations indicate a membrane with less than lambda/6 PTV error,
may be useful for segmented mirror systems with active correction. A coating
transfer process would eliminate the need for a segment assembly containing
motors, controllers, and actuators, from being placed in a vacuum chamber for
periodic recoating.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Thermal Insulating
Materials
Laser
Composites
Optical & Photonic Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.09-9383 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC96P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Long Range Space RF Telecommunications |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Integrated Production of Ultra-Low Defect GaN Films and Devices for High-Power Amplifiers |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
SVT Associates
7620 Executive Drive
Eden
Prairie, MN 55344-3677
(952) 934-2100
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Bentao Cui
bcui@svta.com
7620 Executive Dr
Eden Prairie, MN 55344-3677
(952) 934-2100
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 3 to 4
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
High quality GaN epitaxial
films are one of the keys to current efforts for development of both
high-power/high-speed electronic devices and optoelectronic devices. In fact,
solid state lighting, high-temperature and high-power electronics,
microelectronic and mechanical sensors, and high-efficiency solar cells are all
poised at a new level of development. This enormous market is waiting for
low-cost, high quality substrates to achieve performance and fabrication
economies of scale. After achieving dislocation densities below 1E7 cm-2 in the
phase I work, this NASA SBIR phase II project addresses the development of a
dislocation filter that can routinely prepare low-stress GaN thin films with
threading dislocation densities below 1E6 cm-2. The method relies on using a
low-angle ion beam to induce both nanofilter for defect reductions and to
inhibit droplet formation at low growth temperatures. Dislocation densities have
so far been determined by standard etch pit densities method. The goal the
project to optimize the multiple defect nanofilter with smoothening by
transition layers in between filters to reduce the TD to less than 1E6 cm-2 and
process, fabricate high performance HEMT for solid state high power amplifier
(SSPA) applications. To obtain a more practical evaluation of the effectiveness
and commercial viability of the method, heterojunction field effect transistors
with high electron mobility will be fabricated in these ultra-low defect density
films. These high-quality material based high electron mobility transistors
(HEMTs) will enable high linearity power amplifiers with excellent thermal
stability and frequency response. The proposed method to grow on low-stress,
low-dislocation density films will lead to the production of electronic devices
of unparalleled performance.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
High
speed and high power amplifiers, radiation-hard and ultra-low noise amplifiers,
HEMT devices for radar and range finding, collision avoidance, and digital
transmission, UV photo detectors for free-space optical communications,
astrophysics, and biological agent detection, flame detection, and missile
launch monitoring.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
HEMT device for
RF and microwave mobile wireless communications. Blue lasers, high brightness
visible LEDs, UV detectors for chemical and biological agent spectroscopy and
threat detection, ozone detection and environmental monitoring.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
Laser
RF
Biochemical
Photonics
Radiation-Hard/Resistant
Electronics
Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O1.10-9476 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC08P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Surface Networks and Orbit Access Links |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | SELENE - Self-Forming Extensible Lunar EVA Network |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Scientific Systems Company, Inc.
500 West
Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn, MA 01801-6503
(781)
933-5355
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Rajesh Krishnan
rajesh.krishnan@ssci.com
500 West Cummings Park Suite 3000
Woburn, MA 01801-6562
(781) 933-5355
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Lunar EVA network will
exhibit a wide range of connectivity levels due to the challenging
communications environment and mission dynamics. Disruption-Tolerant Networking
(DTN) enables communications in environments where intermittent end-to-end
connectivity occurs due to nodes moving temporarily out of range by taking
advantage of persistent storage and mobility. DTN forwarding is a mature
technology, but requires an adaptable routing algorithm that covers
opportunistic and scheduled modes of operation under stable or disrupted
connectivity. SSCI, in collaboration with Boston University and BBN Technologies
proposes novel adaptive hybrid routing protocols and efficient data set
reconciliation algorithms that will significantly enhance the scalability and
performance of state-of-the-art DTN approaches. SSCI further proposes to develop
the SELENE DTN system prototype using COTS hardware and demonstrate data muling
capability in a 20-node network. SELENE technologies will provide the Lunar EVA
network with the reliability necessary to support Lunar missions in the extreme
network conditions on the Lunar surface. Through Phase II, SSCI will identify
and secure commitments from industry and government transition partners to
transition SELENE to commercial applications.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
technologies developed in SELENE are applicable to NASA lunar exploration
missions. Furthermore, these technologies can also be used in manned or unmanned
missions to Mars or other planets to maintain reliable communications.
Disruption Tolerant Networking technologies were, in fact, originally developed
for the InterPlaNetary Internet Project (IPN).
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Potential
customers for the technologies are the United States Marine Corps, to whom we
are proposing to develop a system for reliable, disruption-tolerant logistics
data collection for condition-based maintenance. Another potential customer is
ONR, which is developing Dynamic Tactical Communications Networks (DTCN). Other
potential customers include those interested in reliable sensor data collection
under harsh environments, such as the oil industry, or those interested in
remote surveillance activities.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Teleoperation
Architectures and
Networks
RF
Sensor Webs/Distributed Sensors
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O2.02-9942 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC90P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Transportation Propulsion System and Test Facility Requirements and Instrumentation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Intelligent Flamefinder Detection and Alert System (IFDAS) |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
International Electronic Machines Corporation
(IEM)
60 Fourth Avenue
Albany, NY 12202-1924
(518)
449-5504
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Zack Mian
zmian@iem.net
60 Fourth Avenue
Albany, NY 12202-1924
(518) 449-5504
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 6 to 7
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Current hydrogen flame
detection systems exhibit shortcomings ranging from limited detection range, to
localization inaccuracy, limited sensitivity, false alarms, and inability to
self-diagnose failures. During Phase I. International Electronic Machines
Corporation IEM created and tested a prototype version of an Intelligent
FlameFinder Detection and Alert System (IFDAS), demonstrating that IEM's system
could accurately detect, track, and localize hydrogen flames and reliably
discriminate between hydrogen flames and over two dozen sources of false alarms
including reflections of flames or the sun, welding, other flame sources, etc.,
using a unique, innovative, and expandable Flame Detection Expert System design.
In Phase II, IEM proposes to develop a full working prototype system employing
multiple IFDAS sensor units, an enhanced flame detection expert system, and a
comprehensive user interface including means for notifying emergency personnel
when a fire is detected. This IFDAS Prototype will be demonstrated under
real-world conditions at Stennis Space Center.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Launch
vehicles used by NASA rely heavily upon use of hydrogen as a fuel. As such
several NASA centers (Stennis, Marshall, and Kennedy, for example) use large
quantities of hydrogen in conjunction with engine testing and rocket launches.
At each of these facilities, there are existing devices in place for hydrogen
flame detection ranging from Fire Wire and Hydrogen Gas Detectors to UV
detectors and even Long Wave IR imaging systems. In discussions with engineers
at each of these facilities, IEM has learned that they are actively
investigating alternative hydrogen Flame detection systems for the Constellation
Program. IEM continues to work with these engineers to better understand the
specific needs for each of these programs but believes that IFDAS can perform an
important role in improved flame detection and localization while at the same
time eliminating a long list of potential false alarm conditions.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The primary
non-NASA markets identified for include a variety of first responders including
EMTs, fire and police departments, and fire brigades for large chemical
manufacturers and refineries. Using an intelligent device to actually monitor
and area where hydrogen was in use to detect flames early and to assist in
guiding the first responders safely to the site of the fire has been identified
as an important commercial objective. IEM has identified a partial list of
potential commercial applications, including, but not limited to: • Hydrogen
production, storage, and transmission industry • Chemical manufacturers •
Refineries • Fuel cell industry • Hydrogen refueling industry With the emergence
of hydrogen as an alternative fuel, the Hydrogen Economy is now beginning to
build momentum towards greater market penetration in areas from consumer
vehicles to commercial trucks and buses to hydrogen fueled railroad locomotives.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Propellant
Storage
Intelligence
Perception/Sensing
Operations Concepts and
Requirements
Testing Facilities
Optical
Sensor Webs/Distributed
Sensors
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O2.02-9994 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC91P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Space Transportation Propulsion System and Test Facility Requirements and Instrumentation |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Sensor Area Network for Integrated Systems Health Management |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mobitrum Corporation
8070 Georgia Avenue,
Suite 209
Silver Spring, MD 20910-4973
(703) 989-8096
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Ray Wang
ray_wang@mobitrum.com
8070 Georgia Avenue, Suite 207
Silver
Spring, MD 20910-1707
(301) 585-4040
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The term Integrated Systems
Health Management (ISHM) is used to describe a capability that focuses on
determining the condition (health) of every element in a complex system (detect
anomalies, diagnose causes, prognosis of future anomalies), and provide data,
information, and knowledge (DIaK) to control systems for safe and effective
operation. Therefore, ISHM capability is achieved by integrating DIaK that can
be distributed throughout the system elements. DIaK must be available to any
element of a system at right time and within a proper context. The
implementations of the ISHM in the past have primarily focused on data access,
and have not emphasized the integration of intelligence across all elements that
make up a system. In order to distribute DIaK effectively, the integrated system
must have the distributed capabilities and they require effective network
functions across the whole system. Mobitrum proposes to develop a Sensor Area
Network (SAN) for ISHM to bring the distributed intelligences together across
all elements within ISHM system. The proposed SAN can be mixed of wireless and
wired architecture. In order to implement credible ISHM functions, SAN must
provide ISHM with effective communication mechanisms using distributed and/or
hierarchical architectures to deliver intelligence across all elements.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
"Sensor
Area Network for Integrated Systems Health Management" is a state-of-the-art
technology offering wide ranges of capabilities for network-based data sensing,
condition monitoring, and acquisitions. This implementation offers great
opportunities to NASA for distributed sensor applications. The device, when
integrates with intelligence, is powerful for remote sensing and monitoring
control across many heterogeneous networks. The technology has many NASA
applications: Test Facilities and Test Article; Integrated System Health
management (ISHM); Integrated Vehicle Health Management (IVHM) for Aviation
Safety Program; Advanced Control Technology - Fundamental Aeronautics Test
Program; Earth science applications; Field communications device for spatial
data input, manipulation and distribution: Intelligent Rocket Test Facilities
(IRTF) with smart sensor elements, measurement, and field verification
applications; Sensing and monitoring for Aircraft - icing on wings - data from
heaters and sensors and Aircraft emissions - collection of data around airports;
Verification and validation of equipment (e.g., RFID); System Diagnosis and
Prognosis.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Sensor area
network (SAN) and health-enabled smart sensor technology combine has a huge
application for current and future RFID industry. It is applicable for the
following areas: (1) tele-medicine utilizing medical sensor-RFID to treat
patient remotely to save health care cost; (2) lower cost transponders offering
multi-read and receiving voice and text-based messaging; (3) network-based
read/write electronic storage; (4) identification and communication smart badge
for voice and test messaging; (5) road transport and traffic telematics; (6)
transport information and control systems; (7) home automation and control; (8)
energy management for cost saving; (9) security (intruder detection); (10)
safety (sensing); (11) utility remote meter reading; (12) building automation
systems real-time monitoring and control of security and surveillance systems,
alarms, HVAC, etc., (13) Manufacturing and distribution industrial automation
using RFID; (14) Health care wireless monitoring.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Launch Assist (Electromagnetic, Hot Gas
and Pneumatic)
Human-Robotic Interfaces
Integrated Robotic Concepts and
Systems
Intelligence
Mobility
Manipulation
Perception/Sensing
Teleoperation
Control
Instrumentation
Launch and Flight Vehicle
Operations Concepts and
Requirements
Simulation Modeling Environment
Training Concepts and
Architectures
Testing Facilities
Testing Requirements and
Architectures
Spaceport Infrastructure and Safety
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Ultra-High Density/Low Power
Reuseable
Airport Infrastructure
and Safety
Attitude Determination and Control
Guidance, Navigation, and
Control
On-Board Computing and Data Management
Pilot Support
Systems
Air Revitalization and Conditioning
Biomass Production and
Storage
Biomedical and Life Support
Biomolecular
Sensors
Sterilization/Pathogen and Microbial Control
Waste Processing and
Reclamation
Architectures and Networks
Autonomous Control and
Monitoring
RF
Fluid Storage and
Handling
Instrumentation
Production
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Computer System Architectures
Data Acquisition and
End-to-End-Management
Data Input/Output Devices
Database Development and
Interfacing
Expert Systems
Human-Computer Interfaces
Portable Data
Acquisition or Analysis Tools
Software Development Environments
Software
Tools for Distributed Analysis and
Simulation
Biochemical
Gravitational
Sensor Webs/Distributed
Sensors
High-Energy
Portable Life Support
Suits
Tools
General
Public Outreach
K-12 Outreach
Mission
Training
Highly-Reconfigurable
Earth-Supplied Resource
Utilization
In-situ Resource Utilization
Computational
Materials
Radiation Shielding Materials
Multifunctional/Smart
Materials
Biophysical Utilization
Power Management and
Distribution
Wireless Distribution
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O3.01-9652 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC09P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Crew Health and Safety Including Medical Operations |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Electronic Procedures for Medical Operations |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
S&K Aerospace
63066 Old Hwy 93
St
Ignatius, MT 59865-9008
(406) 745-7500
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Mary Beth Hudson
mhuson@ska-corp.com
16441 Space Center Blvd #C-200
Houston, TX
77058-2015
(281) 480-1453
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 4 to 5
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Electronic procedures are
currently being used to document the steps in performing medical operations for
the Space Shuttle and/or the International Space Station (ISS). Capturing the
data electronically makes is easier to manage, modify and query the contents of
the procedures. For the ISS, NASA is currently transitioning to electronic
procedures based on the eXtensible Markup Language (XML) standard. Modeling
procedures electronically using XML has a number of benefits. Procedures can be
quickly and effectively searched to determine which procedures are affected by
software and hardware changes. Procedures are more easily shared by other
computer-based systems. And procedure execution aids become possible, such as
real time data capture and automatic book marking of the current procedure step.
Such procedure models will be an important component of an integrated Medical
Decision Support needed for future exploration missions. The primary purpose of
this project is to continue to research and develop a Procedure Representation
Language (PRL) and support tools that will benefit the creation, maintenance,
and use of the medical procedures, and to develop them in such a way that new
advances can be easily inserted, eventually leading to the Medical Decision
Support system.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
NASA has
been using checklists and procedures to support space operations since its
beginnings. Recently there has been an effort to move away from paper documents
to electronic documents. The ISS program is now in the process of converting
their medical procedures documented in Micrsoft Word to an XML-based
representation. We expect this work to continue under the Constellation program.
We believe that our work and research in modeling procedures in XML will be
applicable to both the ISS and the Constellation programs.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Recent news
stories on NPR discuss a new initiative for hospitals to use medical checklist
procedures before, during, and after operations to improve safety. The World
Health Organization (WHO) is encouraging surgeons world-wide to use them. Our
work on medical checklists for ISS can be easily moved to other medical settings
such as hospitals. Hospitals in the Houston area that may be interested in our
work include UTMB and the Medical Center. In addition, first responders such as
EMT, Firefighters, and Park Rangers could benefit by using electronic
checklists/procedures. Other industries, such as aviation and the military have
been using electronic checklists, to the extent that many pilots use PDAs rather
than paper to perform their preflight procedures. Software in aviation
checklists are introducing hyperlinks associated with the steps in the
checklist. These hyperlinks let them link a step in the procedure to another
document for additional information. Our work in modeling checklist procedures
for ISS and their ability to reference other procedures and documents can
benefit the growing needs in this area.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Human-Computer
Interfaces
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O3.02-8769 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CB44P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | In-helmet Speech Audio Systems and Technologies |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Microphone Array Signal Processing and Active Noise Control for the In-Helmet Speech Communication |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
WEVOICE, Inc.
9 Sylvan
Drive
Bridgewater, NJ 08807-2235
(908) 575-8955
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Sherry Ye
sherryqye@gmail.com
9 Sylvan Drive
Bridgewater, NJ 08807-2235
(908) 575-8955
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
For in-helmet voice
communication, the currently used Communication-Cap-based Audio (CCA) systems
have a number of recognized logistical issues and inconveniences that cannot be
resolved with incremental improvements to the basic design of the CCA systems.
The objective of this research project is to develop an Integrated Spacesuit
Audio (ISA) system that can possess similar performance to a CCA while offering
users inherent comfort and ease of use. In Phase I, the feasibility of using
microphone array beamforming or multichannel noise reduction plus a
single-channel postfilter to combat a variety of types of in-helmet noise was
validated. Comparative simulations indicated that novel multichannel noise
reduction is more practical and more effective than traditional microphone array
beamforming for ISA systems. Phase II will pursue advanced development and
prototype of the proposed technical solution for the ISA system. Directions for
improvement that were established in Phase I will be carefully followed,
subjective evaluation will be carried out, and the ISA designs will be further
optimized. Finally a real-time demo system will be built using either DSP or
FPGA. It should be ready for testing and use by NASA at the end of Phase II.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
-
In-Helmet voice communication for the design of new spacesuits -
Telecollaboration via multimedia telepresence - Human-machine interface for
intelligent systems
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
- Hands-free
in-car voice communication and processing - Mobile phone - Military voice
communication and speech processing systems - Telemedicine and telehealth -
Multi-party teleconferencing - Acoustic surveillance
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Data Input/Output
Devices
Human-Computer Interfaces
Portable Data Acquisition or Analysis
Tools
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O3.03-9063 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CC46P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Vehicle Integration and Ground Processing |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Self Healing Ultrahydrophobic Coatings for Corrosion Protection |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Luna Innovations Incorporated
1 Riverside
Circle, Suite 400
Roanoke, VA 24016-4909
(540) 552-5128
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Shi-Hau Own
submissions302@lunainnovations.com
3157 State Street
Blacksburg, VA 24060-6604
(540) 552-5128
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The total annual corrosion
related costs in the US has been estimated at greater than $300 billion. Much of
these costs are associated with scraping and repainting of metals such as steel
structures in the NASA launch platform and related support equipment. Because of
the staggering costs stemming from corrosion of steel infrastructure, there is a
tremendous need to develop intelligent coatings that can perform numerous
functions above those historically demanded of coatings. Luna is addressing the
need to enhance the service life of NASA vehicles and equipment through a
multifunctional coating system. This research program will develop robust,
inexpensive coatings that are i) ultrahydrophobic as a first line of defense to
repel water absorption and ii) self healing to replenish coating integrity after
damage to yield long term corrosion resistance. The technology developed on this
program will decrease life cycle costs, reduce maintenance, and increase
readiness by limiting equipment down-time.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The
technology developed on this program is relevant to any painted metal structures
within the NASA program including buildings, vehicles, launch platform, etc.
This novel paint system will reduce corrosion related costs, and increase the
lifetime of NASA vehicles and support equipment.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
This proposed
research is part of an overall larger effort and fits well into the strategic
focus of Luna. The ability to form self healing ultrahydrophobic coatings on
selected surfaces will have a huge effect on military and commercial
applications such as anti-corrosion, chemical and biological warfare defense,
marine vessels, and automotive applications.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Metallics
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O3.04-8775 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA72P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mission Operations |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Ground Enterprise Management System |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Emergent Space Technologies, Inc.
6301 Ivy
Lane, Suite 720
Greenbelt, MD 20770-6330
(301) 345-1535
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Timothy Esposito
timothy.esposito@emergentspace.com
6301 Ivy Lane, Suite 720
Greenbelt, MD 20770-6333
(301) 345-1535
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 7 to 8
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Emergent Space Technologies
Inc. proposes to develop the Ground Enterprise Management System (GEMS) for
spacecraft ground systems. GEMS will provide situational awareness for
distributed ground systems, and an understanding of how events and automated
actions impact the system in real-time. Recent software advancements have
improved sustainability, extensibility, fault tolerance, and ease of automation
for ground systems. These traits are important for NASA's missions, from
Exploration to Earth and Space Science, but can pose challenges, especially when
the system has a high degree of interoperability and communications between
components that isn't visible to the end-user. Operators can quickly become
overwhelmed with the increased complexity of software components constantly
exchanging data and the volumes of information being passed around
behind-the-scenes. In fact, for largely distributed systems, as much
"situational awareness" is needed for the ground system as for the spacecraft
itself. GEMS will provide a centralized integration framework that is needed to
provide operators with transparency into the ground system, its state, and its
component interactions. GEMS will enhance plug-and-play integrations while
providing information management and system coordination. The innovation that
enables GEMS is the development of "data-driven" algorithms and software
adapters that gather data from the various components of the ground system to
construct a data model that captures the system state, organizes the data, and
displays it to the mission operators.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
GEMS can
support any NASA project that requires a ground system, including earth-orbiting
satellites, lunar, deep-space, and interplanetary missions, as the key ground
system technologies for these different classes of missions are inherently the
same. The concepts we propose allow GEMS to adapt to existing ground systems as
well as integrate with ground systems in development. A high percentage of NASA
projects, especially the middleware-based projects, can benefit from the
increased awareness of the ground system state and automation. As such, under a
Phase II proposal, Emergent will demonstrate GEMS to candidate missions for
early adoption. Emergent has had recent involvement integrating modern IT
technologies with the SSMO Multi-Mission Operations Center, GMSEC, and TRMM.
Emergent employees have also worked with the Earth Observing System (EOS)
missions in the past. Current and future missions that could be targeted include
the lunar missions such as LRO and exploration missions like Orion. Some
potential NASA ARC missions for a GEMS implementation include GeneSat, PharmSat,
LCROSS, LADEE, SMEX, and potentially others.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
The GEMS system
can be applied to commercial and other Government space industries directly.
Sample commercial applications could include the OrbImage satellites or the
replenished ORBCOMM and Iridium satellites. DoD and NOAA are government agencies
that operate many satellites as well. During Phase 2, Emergent will seek
proposal calls and Broad Agency Announcements for opportunities to integrate
GEMS into Non-NASA missions. Looking outside of the space domain, GEMS could be
applied to domains which use a large number of distributed systems and are
highly automated, such as manufacturing. Opportunities outside of the space
industry would be pursued in a Phase 3 effort.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Telemetry, Tracking and
Control
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Computer System
Architectures
Data Acquisition and End-to-End-Management
Database
Development and Interfacing
Expert Systems
Software Tools for Distributed
Analysis and Simulation
PROPOSAL NUMBER: | 07-2 O3.04-9160 |
PHASE-1 CONTRACT NUMBER: | NNX08CA73P |
SUBTOPIC TITLE: | Mission Operations |
PROPOSAL TITLE: | Intelliviz - An Intelligent Telemetry Data Visualization Assistant |
SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN: (Firm Name, Mail Address,
City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Stottler Henke Associates, Inc.
951
Mariner's Island Blvd., Suite 360
San Mateo, CA 94404-1585
(650)
981-2700
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER: (Name, E-mail,
Mail Address, City/State/ZIP, Phone)
Carolyn Maxwell
maxwell@stottlerhenke.com
951 Mariner's Island Blvd., Suite 360
San
Mateo, CA 94404-2526
(650) 931-2700
Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 5 to 6
TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Future space programs will
require extensive monitoring of complex, highly instrumented systems such as the
Orion spacecraft and lunar/Martian habitats. To handle tasks and situations that
cannot be fully delegated to automation software, future flight controllers and
crew must be able to monitor, review and interpret voluminous and complex
telemetry data quickly to maintain necessary levels of situations awareness and
make critical decisions rapidly and accurately. We propose to develop
Intelliviz, an intelligent telemetry data visualization assistant for NASA. This
software system will create data visualizations automatically to reduce the
effort and difficulty of specifying and constructing effective telemetry data
visualizations. Intelliviz will determine the user's data analysis goals by
enabling users to express their data analysis goals directly and by posing
system diagnosis or system management questions or problems from which analysis
goals can be inferred. Intelliviz will then generate appropriate displays that
support the user's data analysis goals by retrieving the relevant telemetry and
systems data, selecting appropriate data display methods, and instantiating and
configuring those displays. During the prior Phase 1 SBIR project, we reviewed
research literature describing prior work in automated visualization design,
reviewed related NASA R&D programs, specified scenarios and test cases,
identified promising early applications for Intelliviz, refined our requirements
and design, implemented a software prototype that demonstrates Intelliviz
capabilities, and developed a plan to create an operational prototype during
Phase 2. During the phase 2 project proposed in this document, we will develop a
technology readiness level 6 operational prototype of Intelliviz to demonstrate
its feasibility, utility, and usability by a NASA-relevant user community and
task area.
POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150
WORDS)
Intelliviz can be used to provide design-time and run-time data
visualization design assistance to support manned and unmanned space missions.
It can also be used to support other types of users and tasks such as scientists
and engineers. Intelliviz would enable automated creation of data visualizations
on-the-fly during missions. In addition, it will support semi-automated
development of configurable, data visualization templates before they are
needed.
POTENTIAL NON-NASA APPLICATION(S) (LIMIT 150 WORDS)
Intelliviz can
be used by corporations and federal, state, and local government organizations
to analyze complex data more quickly and effectively, especially in
time-critical situations. The application area most similar to the NASA
application would be assessing situations or diagnosing problems in factories,
complex equipment, computer and communication networks, and other complex,
mission-critical systems. Other potential applications include military command,
control, and planning systems, knowledge management and analysis systems for
intelligence analysts, civilian emergency operations centers for incident
management, computer systems and communications networks, and safety-critical or
high-value manufacturing operations.
TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING
Operations Concepts and
Requirements
Training Concepts and Architectures
Architectures and
Networks
Autonomous Control and Monitoring
Autonomous Reasoning/Artificial
Intelligence
Database Development and Interfacing
Expert
Systems
Human-Computer Interfaces
Software Development
Environments
Mission Training