Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The Optimax VIBE process is a full-aperture, conformal polishing process incorporating high frequency motion that rapidly removes sub-surface damage in a VIBE pre-polish step and eliminates mid-spatial frequency (MSF) errors created by deterministic polishing in a VIBE finishing step. This Phase I feasibility study will focus on the VIBE finishing step to remove undesirable MSF errors while at the same time maintaining the desired low spatial frequency form accuracy.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
To enhance aviation safety, numerous adaptive control techniques have been developed to maintain aircraft stability and performance in the presence of failures or damage. Flight evaluations of various adaptive controllers conducted by NASA and others have shown great promise. In some cases unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions including pilot-induced oscillations have occurred. Susceptibility to such interactions is more likely when the pilot interacts with a highly nonlinear vehicle that may no longer have predictable response characteristics. To alleviate these unfavorable interactions, Systems Technology, Inc. proposes the Smart Adaptive Flight Effective Cue or SAFE-Cue. This innovative system provides force feedback to the pilot via an active control inceptor with corresponding command path gain adjustments. The SAFE-Cue alerts the pilot that the adaptive control system is active, provides guidance via force feedback cues, and attenuates commands, thus ensuring pilot-vehicle system stability and performance in the presence of damage or failures. Phase 2 will build upon a successful Phase 1 demonstration wherein SAFE-Cue configurations eliminated pilot-vehicle system oscillation tendencies allowing the evaluation pilots to focus on the task rather than maintaining control. In this proposed program, a prototype SAFE-Cue will be developed and evaluated with exemplar adaptive controllers using the Calspan Learjet In-Flight Simulator.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
We propose a reservoir cathode to improve performance in both ion and Hall-effect thrusters. We propose to adapt our existing reservoir cathode technology to this purpose. Reservoir cathodes are the only emission sources that are capable of providing the necessary current density (>5.0 A/cm2) and life (>100,000 hours) for next generation high-power thrusters. More powerful thrusters are needed for interplanetary and lunar missions, including earth escape and near-earth space maneuvers. Reservoir cathodes are able to provide sufficient new barium to the cathode surface to overcome the high barium removal rates in ion engines. We have many years' experience developing reservoir cathodes. The key challenge is the stresses exerted on the cathode tube due to differential expansion and large temperature excursions. These lead to fracturing and weld failure. Our innovation solves this problem. In Phase I, a prototype is built and tested. In Phase II, we optimize for specific ion engines.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The heat flow probe directly answers requirements in the topic: S1.11 Lunar Science Instruments and Technology: "Geophysical Measurements: Systems, subsystems, and components for heat flow sensors?" The primary objective of the Phase I/II is to develop TRL6, robust, low-power and low-mass instrument for geothermal heat flow measurement for small robotic lunar landers. A key challenge is to install thermal sensors to the depths > ~3 m, below the fluctuations of the surface thermal environment, with little thermal disturbance to the regolith. The proposed system is novel in two respects: 1) it utilizes a pneumatic (gas) approach, excavates a hole by lofting the lunar soil out of the hole, and 2) deploys the heat flow probe, which utilizes a coiled up tape with 10 equally spaced RTDs and a cone with thermal needle (for conductivity measurement) to reach >3 meter depth. The system is a game-changer for small lunar landers; it exhibits extremely low mass, volume, and simple deployment. The pneumatic system takes advantage of the Helium gas used for pressurizing lander propellant. In vacuum experiments we found that 1g of gas at 5 psia could loft ~6000g of lunar soil simulant at >10m/s.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
NASA intends to place small spacecraft (<100kg) and very small spacecraft (<15kg) into a variety of orbits. Methods and technologies are needed to intentionally de-orbit these spacecraft at end of mission, or upon loss of control and function. CTD has developed a family of highly mass efficient Roll-Out De-Orbiting devices (RODEO). RODEO provides a dramatic increase in the deployed surface area, resulting in higher aerodynamic drag and significantly reduced time until satellite re-entry. RODEO's composite booms self-deploy with no external spacecraft power, and the inherent simplicity of RODEO results in extremely low costs, low mass, and low power.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
To address NASA Goddard Space Flight Center's need for improved cost-effective, low mass and low volume devices or methods to store electrical energy onboard long duration (100-day mission) balloon flights at mid-latitudes and altitudes of 30-40 km, Luminit, LLC, proposes to develop a new carbon nanotube-based supercapacitor (CANS) with our mature chemical solution deposition (sol-gel) technology. This approach incorporates new CNT-sol-gel based electrode materials and alignment of CNT in the s
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Future NASA space missions require advanced systems to convert thermal energy into electric power. These systems must be reliable, efficient, and lightweight. In response, we propose to develop an intercooled turbo-Brayton power converter with high efficiency and specific power. The converter will use gas bearings to provide reliable, maintenance-free, long-life operation. It will also consist of discrete components that can be packaged to fit optimally with other subsystems, and its continuous gas flow can communicate directly with remote heat sources and heat rejection surfaces without ancillary heat transfer components and intermediate flow loops. Creare is well suited to succeed because we have a long history of developing advanced turbomachines, heat exchangers, and Brayton systems for challenging spaceflight applications. We will complete design analyses, trade studies, fabrication trials, and preliminary designs for the components and converter assembly during Phase I, followed by fabrication and testing of a breadboard converter during Phase II.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Touchstone Research Laboratory, along with Alcan Rolled Products ? Ravenswood WV, has identified the Aluminum-Lithium Alloy 2050 as a potentially game-changing material replacement for current space structural alloys such as Aluminum-Lithium alloy 2195. AA2050 is available in significantly thicker plate gauges than AA2195 and, as a result, can be machined or formed into ribs, stringers or other types of stiffened structures that have increased stiffness and as a result provide overall structural weight savings potential of approximately 15 to 20%. The AA2050, however, needs more development work and understanding in the area of cryogenic material properties, joining, and design potential to be considered for NASA mission vehicles. Touchstone is proposing a Phase I effort to do cryogenic characterization testing, concept design, and computational modeling and analysis to demonstrate the feasibility of using AA2050 for increased-stiffness, reduced-weight space structures.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
In this SBIR Phase I effort, Los Gatos Research (LGR) proposes to develop novel instrumentation based on laser absorption spectroscopy techniques for ultrasensitive measurements of atomic and molecular concentrations as well as gas temperature and velocity in high enthalpy flows. These autonomous instruments, based on high resolution laser absorption spectroscopy, will provide highly accurate, real-time quantification of several important species and thus enable the validation and refinement of numerical physical and chemical kinetic models, facilities diagnostics, and eventual development of next-generation components and propulsion systems. In Phase I, the instrument will be fabricated and tested at LGR prior to integration onto a ground-based high enthalpy test facility at NASA Ames. The system will then be refined and delivered to a NASA test site. Final Phase I work will involve developing a Phase II prototype capable of making in situ measurements of multiple parameters in aerothermodynamics test facilities.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) capability via GPS services are used by NASA for (1) real-time on-board autonomous navigation, (2) attitude determination and (3) earth science including sea height and climate monitoring. It is expected that over the next two decades approximately 95% of ALL space missions will operate within the GPS service envelope. GPS receivers will be "embedded" in most instruments and will require improved SWAP and increased sensitivity for improved tolerance from large interferers and/or ruggedness to multipath errors. The RFIC developed in this Phase II will have 4 coherent GPS receivers on a single silicon die which improves the SWaP metric over the existing solution by 30x. In addition to supporting beam steering capability, it'll provide interference tolerance and signal recovery in multipath environment, such as those during positioning of precision equipment on the International Space Station (ISS). The other NASA programs that will benefit from this device are: 1. Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission 2. Sexton GPS receiver for Xray Telescope on ISS. 3. COSMIC IIA,B Missions 4. Jason III Mission for Oceanography The schedule in this proposal will have the delivery of the initial prototype samples made available to NASA in 12 months. Estimated TRL In: 3 Estimated TRL Out: 4
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The proposed novel program will use measurements of the high-energy photon output from gamma-ray celestial sources to design a new, unique navigation system. This Gamma-ray source Localization-Induced Navigation and Timing, or "GLINT", concept provides deep-space vehicles the capability for self-navigation based upon measurements from observations of these source signals.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
New low cost, low volume, low power, rugged electrospray thrusters will be ideal as actuators for precision thrusting, if provided with precision high voltage power supplies. The small thrusters show minimum thrusts of 1.2 nanoNewton, and thrusts scalable in a wide range to hundreds of microNewtons, with an ISp of 3500 sec. We propose in Phase I to develop, test and characterize with electrospray thrusters a high-precision high-voltage power supply optimized for fine control of the thrusters, and designed to support accurate formation flying of space telescope elements, and precision alignment and stabilization of space platforms. The Phase I HV supply design will be developed in Phase II into a cubesat format Precision Electrospray Thruster Assembly including thrusters, and ready for flight tests. At the end of Phase II PETA units will be provided as protoflight avionics to be flown, tested and qualified.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Many of the most challenging categories of propulsion system development are related to the prediction of interacting effects between the fluid loads, thermal loads, and the structural deflection. In practice, the interactions between technical disciplines are often not fully explored analytically, and the analysis in one discipline often uses a simplified representation of other disciplines as an input or boundary condition. For example, the fluid forces in an engine generate static and dynamic rotor deflection, but the forces themselves are dependent on the rotor position and its orbit. This practice ignores the interaction between the physical phenomena where the outcome of each analysis can be heavily dependent on the inputs (i.e., changes in flow due to deflection, changes in deflection due to fluid forces). Such a rigid design process also lacks the flexibility to employ multiple levels of fidelity in the analysis of each of the components. The goals for this project are to develop and validate an innovative design environment that has the flexibility to simultaneously analyze multiple disciplines, multiple components, with multiple levels of model fidelity. Development and demonstration of such a system will provide substantially superior capabilities to current design tools.
50 mJ Monolithic 2 um Pulsed Fiber Laser Transmitter in 200 ns Regime with Transform-Limited Linewidth Based on Highly Tm-Doped Germanate Fibers Project
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
For NASA's various types of coherent LIDAR applications, NP Photonics propose to develop a 50 mJ monolithic 2 micron pulsed fiber laser transmitter in 200 ns regime with transform-limited linewidth, leveraging on NP's proprietary germanate active fibers. NP's patented large core SM PM highly Tm-doped germanate glass fibers have high unit gain and high stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS)-threshold. We will use our proprietary single-frequency actively Q-switched fiber laser seed in order to make the whole high power narrow linewidth pulsed fiber laser transmitter compact and expandable to spaceborne or UAV platforms. In Phase I, one new SM PM highly Tm-doped germanate fiber with 25 micron core will be fabricated and used for the power amplifier stage in order to demonstrate 1-5 mJ pulse energy and ~ 10 kW peak power for 200 ns fiber laser pulses with SBS-free. In Phase II, 100 micron core germanate fiber will be designed and fabricated in order to demonstrate 50 mJ fiber laser pulses with 100's kW SBS-threshold and transform-limited linewidth. In this project, NP Photonics will offer prototype/product service to NASA by delivering 1-50 mJ monolithic 2 micron pulsed fiber laser transmitter in 200 ns regime with transform-limited linewidth.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The cold cycle dilution refrigerator is a continuous refrigerator capable of cooling to temperatures below 100 mK that makes use of a novel thermal magnetic pump. The refrigerator will provide continuous cooling at temperatures below 100 mK. This technology will provide cooling for detectors on future infrared and x-ray astrophysics missions and will, in turn, enable NASA to better fulfill strategic sub-goal 3D ? to discover the origin, structure, evolution and destiny of the universe, and search for Earth-like planets.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The proposed SBIR Phase I & II programs will lead to the validation of a state-of-the-art Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model, coupled with a Ffowcs-Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) farfield acoustic solver, for supporting the development of advanced engine concepts, including innovative flow control strategies for attenuation of their jet noise emissions. The LES/FW-H model will be simultaneously validated against matched sets of flowfield and companion acoustic data acquired recently at NASA/GRC for round nozzles. The flowfield validation will include detailed comparisons against imagery, mean flow measurements and turbulence statistics. The end-to-end capability of the LES/FW-H noise prediction model will also be demonstrated by applying it to high aspect-ratio rectangular nozzle designs, proposed for testing at NASA GRC under the Fundamental Aeronautics Program. This critical validation will provide the foundation for proceeding to application of this innovative methodology in supporting the design and optimization of control concepts, e.g. chevrons, slot jets, fluidic chevrons, etc., as well as ultimately performing predictions of noise emissions from full-scale, realistic nozzles with complex exhaust flowpaths, airframe/propulsive jet interactions, etc.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The innovation is an advanced Airborne Thematic Thermal InfraRed and Electro-Optical Imaging System (ATTIREOIS). ATTIREOIS sensor payload consists of two sets of advanced Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs) ? a broadband Thermal InfraRed Sensor (TIRS) and a four (4) band Multispectral Electro-Optical Sensor (MEOS) to approximate Landsat ETM+ bands 1,2,3,4, and 6, and LDCM bands 2,3,4,5, and 10+11. The airborne TIRS is 3-axis stabilized system capable of providing 3D photogrammetric images with a 1,850 pixel swathwidth via pushbroom operation. MEOS has a total of 116 million simultaneous sensor counts capable of providing 3 cm spatial resolution multispectral orthophotos for continuous airborne mapping. ATTIREOIS is a complete standalone and easy-to-use portable imaging instrument for light aerial vehicle deployment. Its miniaturized backend data system operates all ATTIREOIS sensor components, an INS/GPS, and an e-Gimbal Control Electronic Unit (ECU) with a data throughput of 300 Megabytes/sec. It has a volume of 0.03 m3 and a mass of 20 kg. The backend provides advanced onboard processing, performing autonomous raw sensor imagery development, TIRS image track-recovery reconstruction, LWIR/VNIR multi-band co-registration, and photogrammetric image processing. With proposed geometric optics and boresight calibrations, the ATTIREOIS data products are directly georeferenced with an accuracy of approximately one meter.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Large aperture aspheric optics are among the most susceptible optical surfaces to the accumulation of periodic surface artifacts during fabrication. Periodic features are created during the manufacturing process and lead to significant degradation in imaging performance. Most research on the topic addresses polishing, and in particular smoothing of periodic features. Our proposal addresses preventing such surface artifacts during the generating and grinding processes. Prevention upstream in the process can lead to significant cost reductions and simplification of downstream polishing processes. The Phase-1 effort will study of how the introduction of an ELID in-situ tool dressing technique can prevent or minimize the creation of mid and high spatial frequency surface features in the process of fabricating glass and Silicon Carbide aspheric optics and replication mandrels. We propose to construct and test an experimental platform that allows us to characterize the benefits and tune the process. We expect the result of this work to prepare the way to apply this technology to meter-class optical mirrors and replication mandrels as part of a Phase-II effort and will contribute to a strategy of cost reductions necessary for insertion of segmented aspheric and glancing incidence optics in future telescope missions.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
We propose to develop and commercialize a new class of multilayer interference coating that is designed to provide high reflection efficiency in two disparate wavelength bands in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV), a so-called 'dual-band' EUV multilayer. A high-performance dual-band multilayer coating will allow for solar imaging or spectroscopy instruments that operate in two different EUV channels using a single instrument aperture.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The identification of new, structurally sound, thermally stable materials for aviation applications will enable a wide range of technologies. The identification of new materials is hindered by the lack of information about compositions outside the existing composition space. New materials and new methodologies for selection of these materials are essential. Eltron will develop a correlational/theoretical approach to materials selection that follows its previous work in the selection of cathode electrocatalysts, oxygen evolving anodes for high temperature melts, solid electrolytes, and mixed ion/electron conducting materials. This approach will allow the exploration of composition properties space by the use of existing data. Phase I will develop and demonstrate a model for selection of new materials and confirm predictions by synthesizing new materials.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
The scope of this project is to to develop a wide bandwidth, low power, and compact single board digital Fast Fourier Transform spectrometer (FFTS) optimized for the signal processing requirements of next generation instruments and receivers on-board both earth observing and planetary exploration missions. We achieve our design objectives of wide bandwidth and real-time streaming performance in a compact and low power form factor by utilizing cutting edge ADC & FPGA hardware solutions in combination with high performance FFT IP cores.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
This SBIR effort is focused on developing a Dynamic Airspace Configuration (DAC) concept where-in ARTCCs can benefit from re-configuring airspaces based on Traffic Flow Management (TFM) restrictions, and the development of a preliminary Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES)-framework and initial algorithms to demonstrate that ARTCCs need to engage in a coordination framework of exchanging TFM restriction until they determine mutually-agreeable optimal airspace configuration. The development of algorithms that leverage and recognize the interactions and interdependencies between DAC and TFM is the key innovation of this effort. Some examples of expected operational improvements include 1) reduction in congestion and delays when sector capacities (Monitoring Alert Parameter or Dynamic Density) are violated, 2) reduction in controller workload and improved safety, 3) ability to accommodate user preferred routes and weather uncertainty and 4) achieve a balance between airborne delay and grounding holding delay. The SBIR Phase-I effort demonstrated how a combined DAC-TFM algorithm determines an optimal airspace configuration different from a DAC-only algorithm and could result in minimization of peak count and dwell time variance. The effort also included the design and preliminary implementation of a TFM model that uses ARTCC sector configuration to determine the delays that is generated, absorbed and propagated. The Phase II effort includes development of DAC-TFM framework as an enhancement to NASA's ACES- DADS (Dynamic Airspace Design Service) work and interaction of NASA's airspace partitioning DAC algorithms such as MxDAC, DAU slicing and Sector Combination algorithms with the TFM models using the same framework.
Inexpensive Instrument for In Situ Characterization of Particulate Matter in Volcanic Ash Plumes Project
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Volcanic research is a significant part of the &quot;Earth Surface &amp; Interior&quot; focus area of the NASA Earth Science program. After a volcanic eruption, the smallest ash particles can remain in the atmosphere for days to months affecting public health in the surrounding regions and the radiation balance on Earth. Airborne volcanic ash particulate matter (PM) also poses a major threat to aviation and would therefore be essential to distinguish and identify by remote sensing and in situ techniques. Vista Photonics in collaboration with New Jersey Institute of Technology proposes to develop an innovative technology for in situ characterization of PM in volcanic plumes, including measurement of PM size distribution function and concentration. The Phase I study will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology and outline the design of the Phase II prototype instrument. The successful completion of this program will lead to development of a very inexpensive compact PM measurement instrument suitable for use on a variety of ground based and airborne platforms including remotely operated aircraft and surface craft, and even disposable devices, such as dropsondes.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Teraphysics Corporation proposes to design and develop a microfabricated, 94 GHz, 25 W traveling wave tube (TWT) with 53% efficiency for NASA applications. In Phase I, we plan to prove feasibility by completing electrical designs of all major components. In Phase II, we would complete the mechanical design, fabrication, assembly, and test of a laboratory model. To successfully complete this program, Teraphysics will apply our expertise in vacuum electronics focusing in mm-wave and THz devices; expertise in high level, three-dimensional, computational modeling; novel, patent protected, helical TWT designs for mm-wave and THz operation; and novel, patent protected, helical TWT microfabrication techniques. In Phase I, the technology will advance from TRL 2 to 3.
Published By National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Issued almost 10 years ago
Summary
Description
Understanding the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has been recognized as critical to predicting climate change and global warming. A variety of research studies funded by DOE, NSF, NASA and NOAA to measure the fluxes and fluctuations of CO2 profiles throughout the troposphere and lower stratosphere have provided a great deal of useful information, but the instrumentation used has been restricted to airplane or large stratospheric-type balloon gondola platforms where a few measurements are very expensive. We propose a new approach where low cost, extensive measurement campaigns can be made using standard meteorological balloons. In this SBIR program, Southwest Sciences is developing a lightweight, inexpensive greenhouse gas sensor suitable for balloon sonde measurements, Using a novel measurement technique, this sensor will provide dry air mixing ratios of CO2 without the need for concurrent measurements of temperature, pressure or moisture. The Phase 1 research successfully demonstrated the viability of this approach and in Phase 2, a prototype sensor will be built and field tested in a series of balloon-sonde flights.