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The focus of the proposed effort is maximizing the brightness of fiber coupled laser diode pump sources at a minimum cost. The specific innovation proposed is to challenge the industry standard design of laser bars used in fiber coupled pump packages and to demonstrate that an alternative designs can offer higher brightness and lower cost than the current state of the art. We intend to show that the specific bar and packages designs can have a dramatic effect on both brightness and cost. We propose to demonstrate the capability for a 10X improvement in pump brightness and a 3X reduction in laser diode cost through this investigation. This innovation will allow for the design and fabrication of ultra high brightness, low cost fiber coupled laser pump packages operating at any wavelength over the span of 635nm to 2000nm. This innovation is relevant for any laser system which uses fiber coupled pump sources, specifically .Novel, high-power laser diodes capable suitable for pumping Holmium-based solid-state lasers. as described in Subtopic S6.02 Lidar Remote Sensing

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Automated Rendezvous and Capture (AR&C) is a critical United States technology gap. AR&C is identified as a critical enabling technology for future NASA Exploration and DoD missions including NASA's CEV, operation and commercial cargo re-supply to ISS, lunar transfer vehicle assembly and MARS missions. Multiple sensors that provide relative measurements of range, bearing and pose are the key to meeting the safety related issues with implementation of this technology. This Phase II effort will provide a real-time hardware-in-the-loop demonstration using the robotic arm to autonomously capture a target spacecraft. The baseline demonstration uses a ground-based variant of the Space Shuttle robotic arm to grapple an uncooperative target. In Phase II, AOS will build an HGS prototype and demonstrate its performance in a hardware-in-the-loop scenario. The prototype employs a modular design approach to the integrated sensor suite. Initially, only the sensor subset addressing passive range and pose estimation will be implemented. Additional sensor modalities will be added as determined in the requirements development. The demonstration baseline employs a robotic arm supported on an air bearing floor and a free floating robot operating as the target vehicle. An air bearing floor allows the arm and target to move freely in three relative degrees of freedom. HGS provides an error signal and possibly associated rates along the axes. These signals drive the arm guidance with sufficient accuracy to successfully grapple the target.

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NASA's software-intensive extraterrestrial exploration and observation systems are raising performance and reliability bars to unprecedented levels. Exaggerating the complexity, in order for such systems to be robust and responsive they must have the ability to use intelligent processes to self-detect and heal, or literally create new programs in response to new situations. Validating the readiness of such complex automated software for long term remote deployment demands not just covering code or branches, or even inputs and outputs, but rather to cover algorithms, rule bases, and states within the system. Even when reducing the order of the problem through traceable model extraction and abstraction we are left with state explosion that drives the test of mission-critical software to unacceptable cost and time extremes. Yet it must be done. This has been a matter of active research at EDAptive Computing, Inc. (ECI), NASA, and elsewhere. Modern specification and software modeling techniques combined with formal methods have yielded promising results. We have demonstrated parts of the solution with smaller scale flight-critical [USAF] software and [MDA] satellite systems. ECI is now uniquely poised to merge and bring the needed technology to fruition at the scale necessary for NASA Exploration Systems.

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NASA has numerous requirements for in-space repair capabilities to aid future missions beyond earth orbit. A subset of these requirements is adhesive patch materials that provide permanent or temporary repair of a wide variety of surfaces with minimal surface preparation and that can operate in the space environment. This work will result in the production of a repair kit for in-space applications that forms structural composite patches rapidly and safely with low power. The proposed kit will consist of glass fabric impregnated with a UV light-curing resin stored in a protective dispenser. Cure will be accomplished using a portable, robust light-emitting diode (LED) array. Surface cleaning materials may also be included in the kit. The proposed material will adhere to a variety of surfaces and cure under a variety of environmental conditions including vacuum. Such a repair kit will provide a versatile repair technology for a wide variety of applications, which eliminates having redundant repair approaches in many cases. This work will extend the knowledge base previously attained with the development of similar light-curing materials for rigidization of inflatable spacecraft. That prior work will greatly benefit the development of the proposed repair kit and reduce programmatic risk.

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Space deployable and rigidizable structures that are ultra-lightweight, and have gas barrier property, space durability, and high impact resistance are desirable to improve the reliability and launching cost of space habitat structures. Some of the components currently in use such as shelters or habitats use double-wall thick films with high internal pressure. All these hollow components are vulnerable in space because of the debris and meteorites that can strike them. They will lose their functions if hit and damaged by foreign objects. These structures typically rely upon electro-mechanical mechanisms and devices for deployment and maintaining them in space for operation, which occupy over 90% of the total mass budget in many cases. In this Phase I project, we propose to develop ultra-lightweight, self-deployable microcellular foamed sandwich structures from nanocomposite shape memory polymers (SMP) and CHEM deployed technique as structural components of space habitats. Such a structural module can be compacted into a very small volume to facilitate launching. The deployment energy is the heat from the sun. This concept greatly simplifies the entire operation, reduction in weight and cost, and improves reliability. They also feature great impact resistant. Foams processed by the conventional chemical-blowing agent have toxicity problems. Our microcellular SMP foamed sandwich structures do not involve any toxicity and will have higher mechanical properties than those processed by the conventional techniques. They can be used to replace or supplement to the inflatable technology.

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Andrews Space, Inc. proposes an innovative transpiration cooled aerobrake TPS design that is thermally protective, structurally flexible, and lightweight. This innovative design will also meet launch volume constraints and satisfy terminal aerobraking requirements. The approach will focus on transpiration cooling of a flexible material and will consider ablative and insulative technologies as key features of the TPS design. The application of aerobraking to reduce velocity for planetary capture and landing has long been assumed for use on Mars missions and has been suggested for Earth reentry. The major hurdle to inflatable aerobrakes becoming reality is the development of a lightweight and structurally flexible Thermal Protection System (TPS). By combining well understood insulative and ablative TPS with an innovative flexible transpiration cooled TPS, a realizable inflatable aerobrake system can be developed.

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This proposed Phase I program will address NASA's need for large diameter high radio frequency (Ka band 27- 40 GHz) apertures that provide greater gain and resolution for communications and remote sensing systems. This will be accomplished by developing a new high accuracy electro-textile antenna surface as well as investigating a novel involute wrapped rib deployable support structure for large aperture antennas that is light weight and deploys out of a very small volume. The combination of light weight composite components will provide a new set of solutions for this growing need, both at NASA and the Air Force. Successful completion of the phase I program will demonstrate feasibility of the innovative electro-textile mesh and begin to quantify the potential benefits of Infoscitex's novel involute rib backing structure for deployable antennae. The phase I program will show that the new electro-textile mesh composite mesh has the necessary reflectivity and low PIM performance required of Ka Band antennae. A Phase II program would further refine the new electro-textile composite and permit the fabrication of an antenna demonstration article for deployment and RF testing with our aerospace industry partners.

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The integrity of rotor disks in engine turbines or fans is vital to aviation safety. Cumulative cracks at critical loading and high stress areas, if not detected and repaired in time, can lead to a catastrophic failure. Traditional inspection methods such as Fluorescent Penetrant Inspection (FPI) and Eddy current are point-by-point methods and very time consuming. Disassembly of the engine is needed for each inspection, which may generate more problems. We propose a wireless in-situ ultrasonic guided wave health monitoring approach that can eliminate all the disadvantages of conventional methods. It applies light, thin ultrasonic guided wave circumferential patch transducers around the root of the disk. Guided waves travel in the radial direction and can inspect the whole disk area. The electrical signal is coupled wirelessly to the circumferential patch through a pair of RF antennas mounted on the rotor shaft and a stationary fixture around the shaft, respectively. The inspection can be done even when the disk is rotating. The envisioned system has minimal impact to the rotor performance, can instantaneously provide reliable and quantitative data such as crack location and severity level, can minimize and eventually eliminate the need for structural disassembly, and is able to communicate wirelessly for in-situ engine health monitoring.

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This SBIR Phase I project will develop the Spacecraft Power Monitor (SPM) which will use non-intrusive electrical monitoring (NEMO). NEMO transforms the power distribution network in an spacecraft into a multiple-use service, providing not only power distribution but also a diagnostic monitoring capability based on careful measurement and analysis of power usage and start up and shut down transients. In depth analysis of this data enables real time assessment of system and component functioning and identifies potential system and component faults and failutes. We will use NEMO's ability to track load operation to verify that the systems and components of a spacecraft are operating properly This "spacecraft power monitor" or SPM, based on NEMO, will notify astronauts or ground support personnel when unexpected sequences occur. It can also generally track the health and diagnostic condition of key loads on the system. The system is light weight, small and inexpensive because the system requires only a sensor at the mains power input and uses existing power wiring to carry data. Phase I will involve ground measurements of spacecraft components. Phase II will involve measurements and analysis of an integrated system.

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Future missions to study astrophysical sources at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths require focal planes of 1000's of detectors that must operate at the background limit from cooled telescopes in space, couple efficiently to optical systems spanning wavelengths from 1 cm to 0.1 mm, allow precise measurements of polarization, and interface with a suitable readout technology. These properties are critical, for example, for missions to decode completely the temperature and polarization of the 2.7 K cosmic microwave background radiation, such as the Einstein Inflation Probe (EIP, or CMBPol). Achieving these goals will require a revolution in detector technology, and scalable approaches that are compatible with planar microlithographic fabrication are therefore essential. The most promising schemes include antenna-coupled bolometers cooled to ~100 mK. We propose to develop the superconducting transition-edge hot-electron microbolometer (THM), which overcomes many of the limitations of current bolometer technology. Using superconducting transmission-line circuitry for focal-plane processing of the RF signal, we propose to integrate these detectors into a polarimeter on a single, monolithic circuit. The innovation directly addresses Topic 4 "Exploration of the Universe Beyond Our Solar System," subtopic S4.01 "Infrared and Sub-mm Sensors and Detectors."

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Development of a toolkit for optimization and virtual flight test of HALE vehicles is proposed based on extensions of the IHAT system for integrated multidisciplinary analysis/optimization of high speed weapons.

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Tools for extracting resources from the moon are needed to support future space missions. Of particular interest is the production of raw materials for in-space fabrication. In addition, oxygen and water for habitat and propulsion purposes is needed. The only practical source for these materials is the decomposition of lunar soil, regolith. Proposed herein is an innovative hydrogen plasma reduction technique for the production of nanosize metal powders and water from lunar regolith. This technique is characterized by its high temperatures and rapid quenching. Due to the extremely high temperatures involved, material injected into the plasma flame can be vaporized and dissociated very rapidly into elemental form. Rapid quenching of the vapor prevents the growth of nucleated products while providing insufficient time for them to recombine with the oxygen. This allows the possibility of producing nanosize metal powders and the generation of water vapor. The result of this program will be the development of a lunar regolith hydrogen plasma reduction method for producing nanosize metal powders for in-space fabrication and water vapor for life-support, habitat, and propulsion use.

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A Hypersonic Gun Tunnel and laser based high speed imaging systems will be used to generate a unique, free flight, aerodynamic data base of potential Mars aeroshell configurations. These experiments will provide reliable bench mark data for CFD code validation and help aerocapture modeling and optimize aeroshell payload and design. The experiments will be conducted at hypersonic Mach numbers in air and in simulated Martian atmospheric test gases and will cover the hypersonic continuum flow regime. The innovative test results will help improve aerocapture analysis and prediction techniques that will lead to reduced deceleration propellant launch weight, increased payload, and improved delivery accuracy. These improved measurement capabilities will greatly enhance U.S. commercial and military competitiveness in aerospace vehicle design and production, and help regain and stimulate a viable customer-testing base, which will help preserve and improve our national wind tunnel testing infrastructure. These new capabilities will provide significant test data improvements, which will greatly enhance our ability to understand the physical flow phenomena associated complex flows over advanced aerospace vehicles.

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Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI), in collaboration with the Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company (LMSSC) and Orbital Technologies Corporation (Orbitec), proposes to develop the multi-use solar thermal system for oxygen production from lunar regolith. In this system solar radiation is collected by the concentrator array which transfers the concentrated solar radiation to the optical waveguide (OW) transmission line made of low loss optical fibers. The OW transmission line directs the solar radiation to the thermal receiver for thermochemical processing of in-situ resources or for manufacturing of materials and components on the planetary surface. Key features of the proposed system are: 1. Highly concentrated solar radiation (10^3 ~ 10^4 suns) can be transmitted via the flexible OW transmission line directly to the thermal receiver for thermochemical or manufacturing; 2. Power scale-up of the system can be achieved by incremental increase of the number of concentrator units; 3. The system can be autonomous, stationary or mobile, and easily transported and deployed on the lunar surface; and 4. The system can be applied to a variety of ISRU processes.

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During the next decade, NASA intends to send robotic exploration missions to Mars and other planets. Missions are planned to obtain samples from Mars and return them to earth for studies and to other planets to gather evidence for the existence of life. An important goal of NASA in these missions is to ensure that technologies are in place to safeguard against terrestrial microbial contaminations of the planets from robotic space vehicles and also to prevent nonterrestrial microbial or other foreign compound contaminations of the Earth from collected samples and returned space vehicles. Thus, each mission will require that space vehicles (landers and orbiters) be sterilized and sanitized for microbial and organic contaminations before launching to space and when returned to Earth. Sensitive detection techniques are thus needed to validate the effectiveness of the sterilization process. We propose to develop a handheld surface-monitoring instrument based on constant-energy synchronous fluorescence (CESF) spectroscopy. Like conventional fluorescence, CESF has excellent sensitivity but with the added feature of narrower spectral bandwidth resulting in improved selectivity. The instrument that will be developed in this program will have the unique capabilities of in situ quantification and identification of microbial and organic contaminations of surfaces.

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Los Gatos Research, Inc. proposes to develop a lightweight, compact, rugged, near-infrared gas-sensing spectroscopy instrument to accurately measure the abundance of various gases indicative of the presence of life. These gases include carbon dioxide, ammonia, and methane. This instrument will be the first low-cost, remotely operable all fiber-based Integrated Cavity Output Spectroscopy sensor capable of measuring gases such as carbon dioxide, oxygen, and methane with sufficient precision to indicate the presence of biological activity on non-Earth bodies, particularly Mars and Europa. The proposed prototype sensor includes the novel use of hollow photonic crystal fibers, which further enables accurate measurement of even small samples of gas (approximately 1 microliter). The project will also leverage Los Gatos Research's prior work developing rugged, autonomous gas sensors for extreme environments that NASA is currently using.

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A novel, single-chip, multiple-frequency platform for RF/IF filtering and clock reference based on contour-mode aluminum nitride (AlN) MEMS piezoelectric resonators is proposed. This system is the first of its class to implement multiple frequency filtering and clock functions on the same silicon die. The AlN MEMS piezoelectric resonators proposed in this work have their fundamental frequency defined by the lateral, in-plane dimensions of the structure and therefore can be fabricated at the same time. This feature enables the definition of different frequencies directly at the CAD-layout level without the need of any extra etching or deposition steps as required by commercially available thickness-mode resonators such as thin-film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBARs) or quartz crystals. MEMS AlN piezoelectric resonators characterized by low motional resistance and high quality factors in ambient conditions constitute the most economical and sole solution for reconfigurable, multi-band and multi-functional wireless networks. This RF multiple-frequency (100 MHz to 3 GHz) platform will provide new levels of component miniaturization, integration and performance for wireless communication devices, enabling smaller form factors and lower costs while opening the door for longer battery life.

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Terahertz sources based on lower frequency oscillators and amplifiers plus a chain of frequency multipliers are the workhorse technology for NASA's terahertz missions. The design and optimization of individual multipliers is fairly well understood. However, the complex interactions within a chain of nonlinear multipliers often limit the system performance. Specific manifestations of these interactions include rapid variations in power as the frequency or input power are tuned, including nulls and power surges that can damage individual components. These effects limit the useful bandwidth of terahertz sources, degrade system reliability and greatly increase the time and cost of developing systems for a particular application. Today, these problems are mitigated through the use of mechanical tuning or bias adjustments at each frequency, the laborious tweaking of each component in the chain until acceptable system performance is achieved, or reduction of the system bandwidth and/or power specifications. This proposal concerns the first systematic study of the complex interactions between cascaded nonlinear multiplier stages, with the goal of developing new multiplier and system designs that reduce these unwanted effects. The resulting terahertz sources will achieve greater efficiency, bandwidth, reliability and ease-of-use, as well as shortened system design cycles and greatly enhanced manufacturability.

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In this program, Agiltron and the groups of Professors Rubner and Cohen at MIT propose a novel nano-porous coating for next generation NASA UV anti-reflection (AR) applications. The collaborative research leverages recent breakthroughs in nano-porous self-assembled low reflective index multilayer structures achieved at MIT, and Agiltron's recently developed mist coating processes. The proposed UV AR coatings consist of inter-connected oxide nanoparticles in the form of a 3D nanoporous network and with a rough surface morphology. This AR coating is intended to have high UV AR performance with broadband and wide acceptance angle, high transparency, long environmental stability, high scratch and abrasion resistance, high mechanical integrity, and that has not previously been attained. More ideally, this coating can be applied on large area glass and plastic substrates (polycarbonate, PMMA) using industry scale mist coating technology and low annealing temperature, leading to low fabrication cost. The feasibility of the proposed approach will be demonstrated in Phase I. In Phase II, we will test its applicability to plastic optical components, and evaluate AR performance, and scratch and abrasion resistance.

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Large-scale agent systems have become key tools in modeling and simulation tools such as NASA's Airspace Concept Evaluation System (ACES), an agent-based simulation of the National Airspace System (NAS). However, existing tools for single host debugging and analysis do not address the problem of understanding large distributed systems consisting of thousands of autonomous and independent agents. In this Phase I effort, we propose a distributed debugging and event tracing capability for multi-agent systems advancing the state of the art in development tools for distributed systems. This capability will dramatically reduce the time and effort required to understand and diagnose the behavior of complex, distributed applications. With the proposed innovation, the build and test development cycle for ACES will be dramatically reduced, enabling more functionality to be added in the form of toolboxes with less time spent in expensive system level testing. This will allow more future concepts to be evaluated with ACES in a shorter time ? meeting a critical need for customers such as the Joint Planning and Development Office (JPDO) in their development and analysis of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NGATS) concepts using ACES.

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There is a need for lightweight high-density (4000+ lines/mm) novel diffraction grating elements in modern telescopes to advance EUV and X-ray astrophysics. Current grating technologies (ruling and holographic beam interference) do not provide optimal solution for all grating requirements. In response to NASA request, we propose to apply state-of-the art DUV reduction photolithographic tools developed for modern semiconductor industry and LightSmyth's proven design expertise in the application of this technology to the development of grating devices with constant and varying line spacing (VLS). The proposal will focus on four major areas: (i) Development and demonstration of constant and VLS reflective diffraction grating elements for EUV and X-ray spectroscopy at glazing angle of incidence with straight lines. (ii) Development and demonstration of VLS reflective diffraction grating elements for EUV and X-ray spectroscopy at glazing angle of incidence with curved lines to produce focusing diffraction grating elements on a plane substrate. (iii) Design of in-plane and off-plane reflective diffraction grating elements for NASA's Constellation-X. (iv) Design of VLS blazed near-normal incidence focusing diffraction grating elements on plane substrate for EUV imaging spectroscopy to replace diffraction grating on toroidal substrate for Goddard Space Flight Center's NEXUS project.

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Metron Aviation designs and develops an integrated methodology and supporting algorithms for estimating environmental impacts of increased traffic on the surface and in the terminal airspace, and extends beyond estimation to identify key causes and develop mitigation options. From previous work, we provide multi-dimensional impact calculation in terms of noise, emissions, and fuel usage, as well as measurement of these impacts with respect to both baseline and alternative future scenarios. In AMITIE we add the following capabilities critically important to design of the next-generation system within environmental constraints: ? Automated identification of scenario elements causing the principal environmental impacts; ? Automated generation of mitigation options; and ? Quantification of the benefits of the mitigation options. The specific technical objectives are: ? Integrated estimation/mitigation methodology that provides the basis for closing the feedback loop from environmental impacts to system design and development. ? Develop supporting algorithms that calculate the appropriate metrics, analyze them to identify major causes of impacts, and generate mitigation options that reduce the impacts. ? Develop a software prototype that implements the estimation, analysis, and mitigation algorithms. ? Exercise the prototype against test cases to demonstrate the feasibility and value of the approach

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Future space-based observatories imaging in the 4-40 lm spectral regime will be passively cooled. The objective of this research effort is to demonstrate near theoretical performance of bolometer-based infrared focal plane arrays (FPAs) covering the 4-40 lm wavelength region by operating the FPA at reduced temperature. Amorphous silicon-alloy resistive bolomoters exhibit increased temperature coefficient of resistance when cooled below room temperature and are well suited for operation over the 30K-200K detector temperature range. Detector process optimization will allow performance levels close to theoretical limits. The cooled bolometer is compatible with advanced readout technologies, such as switched capacitor integrators, offered by Black Forest Engineering. The amorphous silicon-alloy bolometer process, optimized on Phase I for cryogenic operation, will be a basis for future large formant monolithic 1024x768 format FPAs fabricated on Phase II to support NASA passively cooled imaging applications and DoD/commercial cryo-cooled systems.

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Long-duration space missions such as the upcoming Moon and Mars missions require reliable systems for the preparation of potable water through efficient recycling, and prevention of biofilm growth on reverse osmosis (RO) membranes and water lines. Lynntech, Inc. proposes a novel technology to simultaneously reduce the total organic carbon (TOC) content of biological water processor (BWP) processed water, and control biofilm formation on water lines, surfaces and membranes within the water reclamation unit utilized on board spacecraft and within future planetary habitats. This technology is based on Lynntech's proprietary electrochemical on demand oxidizer generator, which does not require consumable chemicals. The on-demand produced oxidizer can be added to the primary processed water from the BWP unit. Using this innovative approach in the form of a compact TOC and microbial count (MC) reduction module which will be situated in line with the BWP unit, Lynntech aims to achieve an order of magnitude reduction in the TOC content within the BWP processed water. The residual oxidizer/disinfectant and reduced TOC will prevent the formation of biofilms on the RO membrane and water lines and will reduce the equivalent system mass by lowering the load on equipment downstream to the BWP, enabling a reduction in their size and weight. Phase I work will concentrate on providing proof-of-concept for the technology while Phase II will involve the fabrication of a prototype TOC and MC reduction module and its integration with the Integrated Advanced Water Recovery Test System operational at NASA-JSC.

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This Phase I research proposal is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of an innovative architecture comprising control augmentation and on-line health monitoring system. This architecture integrats Flush Air Data System (FADS) with Reconfigurable Generalized Predictive Control (RGPC) technologies. The Phase 1 effort includes identification and description of all supporting modules, their functionality and associated algorithm structures, connectivity, and final simulations using a specific aircraft for system performance evaluations. Proof-of-concept study will include demonstrating the capability using selected aircraft health degradation and/or failure situations. The concept innovation is derived from the prognostic nature of the system feedback used by the controller for applying corrective aircraft control. In traditional controllers the errant transients possessing loss of control potential are detected after the fact and corrective actions for recovery are commanded by controller posteriori. The proposed system performs a real-time autonomous monitoring of aircraft surface pressure fields that contain precursor information for prediction of incipient errant transient motions. The proposed system will enable reconfiguration of control based on measured pressure field anomalies that indicate standard control system equipment malfunctions.