NASA SBIR 2014 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Invocon, Inc.
19221 IH 45 South, Suite 530
Conroe, TX 77385 - 8746
(281) 292-9903

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Doug Heermann
heermann@nvocon.com
19221 IH 45 South, Ste 530
Conroe, TX 77385 - 8746
(281) 292-9903 Extension :128

CORPORATE/BUSINESS OFFICIAL (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Mary Delahunty
mdelahunty@invocon.com
19221 IH 45 South, Suite 530
Conroe, TX 77385 - 8746
(281) 292-9903 Extension :117

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) at beginning and end of contract:
Begin: 2
End: 3

Technology Available (TAV) Subtopics
Advanced Structural Health Monitoring is a Technology Available (TAV) subtopic that includes NASA Intellectual Property (IP). Do you plan to use the NASA IP under the award?
No

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
A device is proposed that can track the electrical charge dispersion that is created when hyper velocity impact (HVI) occurs between two entities with a closing velocity greater than 1 km per second. This same device can measure the time of arrival of the charge wave front at transducers placed throughout the vehicle. Using the known speed of light minus the reactive effects of the skin of the vehicle on the "charge", the system can calculate the exact point of impact. Further, the nature of the charge dispersal wave front contains critical information as to the damage incurred as a result of the HVI. This information along with AE waveforms will be tested and analyzed to determine signatures for various types of damage created by HVI events.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
The primary NASA applications for the HVI Assessment System include determining damage to the ISS and other space vehicles. Specifically, this includes ISS pressurized modules, ISS non-pressurized structures (radiators, solar array masts, external equipment, externally stored equipment), satellites, deep space manned spacecraft (MPCV, etc.), and crew return vehicles that may be docked at the ISS for extended periods.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
Private space companies can benefit from damage location and assessment systems residing on their spacecraft for assessing damage during launch, orbit, parking at the ISS, and return to earth. Satellites (communication, science, military) could also benefit from this capability in order to help assess damage, evaluate cause, and determine remaining useful life after impacts occur.