NASA SBIR 2009 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Ridgetop Group, Inc.
6595 North Oracle Road
Tucson, AZ 85704 - 5645
(520) 742-3300

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Justin Judkins
justin.judkins@ridgetopgroup.com
6595 North Oracle Road
Tucson, AZ 85704 - 5645
(520) 742-3300

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 3
End: 6

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
Ridgetop Group developed a top-level design of a rad-hard application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) for spacecraft power management that is functional over a temperature range of -180 to +130 ^oC. This ASIC is intended to work in conjunction with a fuel cell power system and battery backup to provide uninterrupted power to critical modules in space.
Ridgetop has designed a novel integrated circuit for the power management of space systems. This design combines custom circuit modules with silicon-proven IP to create a system-on-chip solution. This application will be a single monolithic circuit designed for fabrication on the IBM 5AM SiGe process. The significance of this innovation is a single reliable component (ASIC) that will meet platform requirements for high voltage, wide operating temperature range, and radiation tolerance (minimum 100 krads total ionizing dose (TID), and 100 MeVcm2/mg single-event latchup (SEL)). Ridgetop has been working with a prime contractor to identify and flow-down mission requirements for the power management ASIC.
During Phase 2, a final prototype unit will be fabricated to these specifications, and units will be packaged, tested, and silicon validation results will be produced.
Estimated TRL at beginning and end of Phase 2 contract: Begin: 3, End: 6

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The proposed technology will provide numerous tangible benefits to space vehicle programs, including; (1) lower power draw, (2) higher reliability, and (3) lower mass. Commercial applications include power management systems for remotely located telecom switches requiring critical, uninterrupted power management. Platforms include lunar and deep space exploration vehicles, International Space Station, and Ice-Penetrating Radar for Mars, Europa, and Ganymede Orbiter Missions.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Ridgetop has met with officials at Ballard Power systems to discuss the fit of this advanced technology into the next generation of fuel cells for ground-based and aircraft-based applications.
The technology will be directly applicable to the alternative energy generation and addresses automotive markets, satellites, and portable fuel cells.
In the electric vehicle market, stacks of fuel cells or batteries are used to power the drive motors. These fuel cell stacks, coupled with the technology from this SBIR Program, would be the ideal application for the work products from this program. Power management is essential during use, refueling, or battery recharging.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING (NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.)

Autonomous Control and Monitoring Earth-Supplied Resource Utilization Energy Storage On-Board Computing and Data Management Photovoltaic Conversion Power Management and Distribution Radiation-Hard/Resistant Electronics Semi-Conductors/Solid State Device Materials Spaceport Infrastructure and Safety