In this proposed effort, GTL has identified two methods for reducing chill-down time. In recent studies it has been shown that the production of super-hydrophilic surfaces can reduce chill-down time by altering the multi-phase boiling at the wall surface. The first method addresses this directly by altering the surface of stainless steel directly. The second method leverages GTL advanced cryogenic composites experience to produce a transfer line that further reduces chill-down time while also reduce the total thermal mass (and mass) of the system. Samples of both methods will be produced, and cryogenic testing will be performed on the samples in the phase I effort. This will provide a strong basis for the phase II effort where LOX and LCH4 testing can occur using existing facilities.

Reduced boil-off and low thermal inertia cryo-lines are useful in a variety of NASA applications. Many of NASA systems rely on cryogens, and future lunar activities require the transfer, storage and production of cryogens. These technologies are also useful to test facilities, launch vehicles and aircraft systems. Reduced thermal inertia and mass of cryogenic fluid lines is a benefit to nearly all propulsion systems.

Many of the commercial applications that apply to NASA also apply to the DoD, reduced boil-off, chill-down time and reduced mass are all beneficial to satellite systems and launch vehicles. Cryogenic fluid transfer is used in medical fields for MRI machines. Increased heat transfer on a surface is applicable to many systems, such as heat exchangers.

Over the last decade, GTL has been developing a breakthrough technology for cryogenic propellant storage that has been demonstrated to provide 75% mass reduction compared to state-of-the-art cryotanks.  GTL recently demonstrated the performance and mass advantage of BHL technology with the design, fabrication and testing of a 4-ft diameter, high-pressure, lightweight, all-composite spherical cryotank.  Based on the results of the previous effort, this tank should be capable of meeting NASA’s requirements.

In this Phase I, GTL will perform a series of tests to address data gaps and mature the BHL technology towards TRL 6 for in-space applications using liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (LCH4).  These tests include expanded liquid oxygen compatibility testing, Helium permeation tests, and tests to measure the leak-tight strain margin.  These results will be used to refine the BHL cryotank design and guide the development of the Phase II plan. 

It is envisioned that the Phase II effort would include cryo-thermal pressure cycle testing a BHL cryotank with liquid oxygen after completing the oxygen compatibility verification tests.  Another BHL cryotank will be cycled at very high strain levels to validate leak-tight strain margin.  At the conclusion of the Phase II effort, GTL will fabricate a BHL cryotank for flight testing in a follow-on effort.

Achieving TRL 6 with BHL cryotank technology would accelerate the adoption of this game-changing technology, thereby enhancing NASA’s space mission capabilities.

BHL cryotank technology has broad NASA application, especially those applications using cryogenic propellants. These include Launch vehicles, orbit transfer vehicles, the Lunar Gateway, lunar landers, Mars landers, and in-space propellant depots.  When validated for LH2 use, BHL cryotanks could also be used for nuclear electric propulsion systems.  Variations of the BHL technology could be used for non-propulsion pressure vessels, such as space habitats.

Non-NASA applications include DoD launch vehicles, hypersonic boosters, and missile interceptors.  Commercial applications include launch vehicles and commercial space mining operations.  BHL can also be used for terrestrial liquid natural gas transportation.

This Phase I proposal is submitted to verify the materials and process engineering of the space environment stable, multifunctional Plasma Sprayable conductive thermal control material system (TCMS) that can be applied to space hardware and can enables the hardware to carry higher leakage current through co doping process engineering for the high electrical conductivity. An innovative space environmental stable TCMS concepts are suggested through AMSENG IR&D work for the multifunctional, low (α_S/ε_T) material systems that can meet these aggressive goals in cost effective, reliable manner especially to meet the needs identified in solicitation for: the coating to be robust in nature. It is anticipated that the coating be non contaminating and is not a trap for the contamination, and be cleanable; as well as its adhesion need to meet the requirement of the orbital conditions along with the need of no particle generation during the life time of the space hardware. The suggested efforts emphasize Plasma Sprayable Materials developments for the two material systems: the first one considers the Co Doping of the BaTiO₃ - PBT-50™ and processing of coating using plasma deposition. The second material system also plans to consider Co Doping using Nano Metallic inclusions in neutral and reducing atmosphere for the Li:GAO™. These innovative approaches can provide the material technology solutions, which can allow higher leakage currents that may also help to defend against the natural solar storm events and provide the needed robustness. The past work and the IR&D suggests that the envisioned derived material systems can provide the needed reliable & validated TCMS in typical space environments of (LEO), (GEO) & beyond with the robustness that can define cleanability and no particle generation. The reliability goal for the robust conductive TCMS is to have a design life of > 10 years in LEO and > 15 years in GEO, with the hardware demonstration during phase II.

The success in the proposed developments will contribute uniquely to the survivable and robust TCMS. The NASA Science missions that can benefit from its applications are the missions that need the affordable conductive TCMS coatings that assures no particle generation. The following are Obvious missions: High Radiation Orbit Missions, GOES-R, All small satellite missions with sensitive sensors as well as the Missions for nano satellites and small planetary orbit satellites.

The DOD & commercial industry has plans for several satellites for the communication activities, and need to overcome the "technology gap" for the robust conductive TCMS with high leakage currents. The plasma sprayed TCMS that provides space stability still demands innovations. These platform hardware can benefit from the fulfillment of this "technology gap"

To meet the NASA need for measurement of pressure, temperature and strain in a high temperature and radiation environment to support ground testing of Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) rockets, RC Integrated Systems LLC (RISL) proposes to develop a novel Fiber Optic Multimodal Sensing (FOMS) System, providing simultaneous measurement of NTP engine exhaust gas temperature, pressure, and structural strain. The FOMS is based on fabrication of unique multimodal sensors along the length of a single hybrid optical fiber and coating of the fiber with a novel ceramic material for extreme high-temperature applications. Due to the unique designs of FOMS sensors and use of commercial off-the-shelf modular components, the FOMS system achieves large measurement range and high accuracy for the measurement of temperature, pressure, and strain. The FOMS system is capable of measuring temperature as high as 1500 degrees C with 0.1 degree C accuracy, strains of up to 10,000 microstrains with 1 microstrain accuracy, and pressure of over 5000 psi with accuracy of 0.2%. In Phase I RISL will demonstrate the FOMS feasibility by fabricating and testing a technology readiness level (TRL)-4 prototype, with the goal of achieving TRL-6 by the end of Phase II.

FOMS can be used in the nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) ground test facility for evaluation of nuclear rocket fuel elements. It can be incorporated into the Nuclear Thermal Rocket Element Environmental Simulator (NTREES) at the Marshall Center's Propulsion Research and Development Laboratory. It can also be incorporated into Stennis Space Center (SSC) NTP Ground Test Exhaust Capture System. Future mission applications for this technology include Human Missions to Mars, Science Missions to Outer Planets, and Planetary Defense.

FOMS can be used for measuring turbine engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and pressure and structural strain. It can also be used for monitoring EGT and pressure in coal-fired power plants, natural-gas-based power plants, and geothermal plants throughout the nation. FOMS can be used for the measurement of gas temperatures and pressure at any gas flow path for industrial applications.

Cardiopulmonary monitoring is of critical importance in a variety of clinical and non-clinical applications ranging from monitoring physiological conditions of crew members during space missions to emotion and stress recognition in applications involving human-machine interaction. Current solutions involve attaching gel-based electrodes for electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring and pulse oximetry sensors connected to fingertips or earlobes for photoplethysmography (PPG) monitoring. Gel-based electrodes require preparation and their application can cause skin irritation. In addition, the use of current contact-based solutions is further complicated by the fact that a relatively large device such as a Holter monitor has to be carried by the subject at all times. Wearable sensors are a step in the right direction, yet the sensor needs to be continuously worn (on the wrist, chest, etc.) by the subject. 

We propose to build on our prior research experience in non-invasive remote cardiopulmonary monitoring as well as computer vision and machine learning to develop a non-invasive cardiopulmonary monitoring system and extract clinically important information from  multiple subjects in the field of view. Specifically, our proposed sensing framework involves i) an optical camera; ii) a depth-sensing camera, iii) a Doppler radar-based solution; and iv) a sensor fusion component for integration of data received by multiple sensing modalities.

• Non-invasive vital sign monitoring in human exploration missions beyond low earth orbit while meeting the mass and energy requirements.
• Emotionally aware systems for human-machine interaction.

• Non-invasive vital sign monitoring in non-clinical environments including home and workplace
• Security and population health monitoring in airports
• Emotionally aware systems in human-machine interaction scenarios. 

With new planetary missions, especially to Mars being planned, there has been an increasing demand for sensitive chemical, and biological, detection devices for analysis on the surface. The vast majority of these devices have presented challenges to the scientists and design engineers to translate what has previously been the domain of the laboratory, into compact and low powered devices. Of the family of detectors that have been used to meet the challenge, none has greater potential, yet been more difficult to miniaturize into a portable form factor, than the mass spectrometer. Mass spectrometers, unlike some spectrometers such as ion mobility (IMS), require a partial pressure region to scan for a given mass number indicative of the trace species of interest. Probably the most significant hurdle yet to overcome is how one can create a cost effective, small, and low power vacuum system. Over the past 30+ years, no significant advance in vacuum pump concepts save for the turbo-molecular pump has been realized. The proposed concept offers a potential for game-changing new technology that may obviate a turbo pump in many applications while promising to provide significant cost savings with unprecedented reliability and longevity for future space missions.

Spacecraft laboratories on the ISS as well as future manned spaceflight, could benefit greatly from the success of the proposed technology. Using the vacuum of space for an analytical instrument is highly undesirable due to the safety factor of creating any leaks on a spacecraft, and the discharge of atmospheric gases could affect the space vessel station keeping. As a result, there is a need for a means to create a vacuum for analytical devices such as mass spectrometers used on spacecraft and probes for interplanetary missions. .

Mass spectrometers require a partial pressure region to scan for a given mass number indicative of the target species. Up to now, there has not been a means to miniaturize a high vacuum pump for use in handheld mass spectroimeters or possible drone applications. The high RPM in a turbopump creates a gyroscopic precession that precludes many uses that are not so limited by the disclosed technology.

The space environment around the earth is now littered with both functioning and non-functioning satellites.  This is over and above the man-made debris generated as a result of launching these space objects and their density is increasing exponentially with time.  If nothing is done about this, the earth will eventually have its own Saturn ring if not a spherical shell of orbiting objects and debris. There is definitely a pressing need for an inexpensive and reliable method of de-orbiting satellites after their mission life has ended. We propose to carryout a for a passively deployable, lightweight, low-compaction ratio bolt-on de-orbit device for satellites.  The de-orbiter is packaged into a small bolt-on canister that gets attached to the spacecraft.  It stays in the packaged configuration until the end of the satellite mission at which time it is activated deploying the de-orbit element out of its canister, increasing the spacecraft drag area against the atmosphere.  For high low-earth orbit starting altitudes where the atmospheric density is extremely low, the de-orbiter drag sail is made to work like a solar sail capitalizing on the solar radiation pressure but in this case to decrease the satellites energy thereby lowering its altitude over time. It is pointed out that using this solar-sailing approach has practically unlimited delta v capability. The innovation in the proposed de-orbiter design is the use of a proprietary shape memory composite material for the structural elements of the de-orbiter.  It is foldable and packageable into a small stowed volume and deployment is passively achieved by simply releasing the stored strain energy in the packaged configuration.  Tests and measurements performed in the laboratory show that the material formulation we use achieves deployment to the memorized configuration even after the material has been in the folded state for years. When the solar sail mode is used, it can be used to extend the satellite lifetime.

NASA can use the drag sail as de-orbiter devices for satellites in low earth orbit.  And for higher starting altitudes where the atmosphere is extremely thin, the de-orbiter is made to work like a solar sail capitalizing on the solar radiation pressure but in this case to decrease the satellite energy to lower the satellite altitude over time. This approach has practically unlimited delta v capability.  In fact, the drag solar-sail configuration can be made to work in GEO orbit to place non functioning satellites in higher parking orbits.

The military and commercial sectors will find the de-orbiter design as an inexpensive addition to their payloads to enable de-orbiting their spacecrafts after mission life has ended.  When the solar-sail mode of the de-orbiter is turned on, the de-orbiter can be used to increase the satellite lifetime on orbit. 

The Lunar Exploration Gas Spectrometer (LEGS) is an instrument for studying the gas composition of lunar regolith. In the LEGS a 2.5 GHz solid state microwave transmitter positioned on a downward pointing horn is deployed by a lunar lander or rover using a long boom (e.g. 1-2 m) to set it down on the lunar surface, and then beams power into the regolith using its microwave transmitter. The microwaves directed down onto and into the ground contained under the horn, heating regolith to depths of several tens of centimeters. As a result, gases will be evolved from the cold subsurface regolith into the horn, where their composition will be analyzed by a near-infrared ~1 to 2.4-micron spectrometer mounted horn, and looking through a sapphire window into the interior of the horn illuminated by a tungsten lamp, enabling transmission spectra of evolved gases to be obtained. These instruments will provide qualitative and quantitative data on volatiles, potentially including water, hydrogen, helium, CO₂, CO, ammonia hydrocarbons, and other species as they evolve from the subsurface over time. Since gases released by upper layers of regolith will reach the horn first, this procedure will also provide composition as a function of depth. Once gas emission ceases, the horn is lifted by the rod and placed on a new location, where the process is repeated. The LEGS deployment will involve very little disturbance to lunar soils prior to analysis, thereby preventing the accidental release of lightly-bound volatiles that is thought to be significant even following gentle handling. In the proposed program, a full scale working model of the LEGS, including horn, microwave transmitter, and spectrometer, will be built and tested in Pioneer Astronautics

The LEGS program will provide NASA with a key technology finding volatiles on the Moon, which represent a tremendous resource for human exploration. The data produced by the LEGS would be invaluable for lunar science itself, providing essential information for understanding the origin and history of the Moon and similar bodies no doubt present in orbit around numerous planets in other solar systems. LEGS could also be used on Mars, Phobos, Deimos, asteroids, moons of the outer planets, Mercury, Pluto and even comets.

 The LEGS be used on Earth without major modification employing its IR spectrometer to determine amounts of volatiles, including trade contaminants, in the soil. It thus represents an instrument with broad potential utility for geology, resource exploration, and environmental remediation.

Motiv Space Systems and its partner, TRACLabs, propose a novel rover architecture to enable a new and expanding architecture of Lunar exploration and resource utilization.  The proposed Fast Advanced Scout Terrain Rover (FASTR) is a rover mobility architecture designed to 1) to carry, deliver, and/or deploy ISRU and science payloads; 2) detect regolith entrapment and perform escape routines; 3) perform obstacle avoidance and autonomous navigation in unprepared terrain; 4) perform autonomous navigation and human-in-the-loop teleoperation; 5) exhibit traverse speeds in excess of 1m/s in terrain representative of the Lunar environment; 6) generate 3D maps of its navigated terrain for both localization and prospecting purposes; 7) possess an open architecture software development environment for adoption and use by a wide range of entities; and 8) have demonstrated a novel mobility architecture for use on lunar applications with a path to flight.  Current rover technologies require significant human-in-the-loop path planning and intervention, are very slow averaging <1cm/s in typical traverse speeds and are very expensive due to the nature of their custom development cycles.  FASTR aims to advance the state of the art.  The FASTR architecture will enable broad and rapid exploration of lunar regions of interest through autonomous navigation and an increase in traverse speed by two orders of magnitude from current Mars Rovers. FASTR will be capable of deploying a wide array of science/ISRU payloads to prospect, characterize, and collect volatiles of interest.  Through its open architecture design, FASTR will empower faster mission development cycles and increase the pace of rover enhanced missions.  FASTR minimizes the need for human intervention through on-board entrapment detection and escapement.

1. NASA’a Moon to Mars campaign where advanced mobility systems will be necessary
2. The Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program whereby as ISRU payload laden rover can be deployed to the surface of the Moon
3. Discovery and New Frontiers exploration mission opportunities
4. STMD Technology Demonstration Missions
5. Fetch Rover for Mars Sample Return

1. Commercial space entities seeking rover deployments on the moon

2. Government needs for mobile robotics including the DOD, DHS, and DOE

3. First responders and search and rescue operations

4. Commercial terrestrial applications requiring outdoor mobile platforms in the agriculture, mining, manufacturing and utility plant industries

Hedgefog Research Inc. (HFR) proposes to develop a new Multiphase Effluents Flowmeter (MEF) – a standalone, space-qualifiable, non-invasive mass flowmeter sensor for use in measuring the flow of a complex mix of effluents resulting from waste processors onboard spacecraft. In Phase I of the project, we plan to focus on demonstrating the basic feasibility of meeting the NASA mission requirements. In Phase II, we plan to integrate the prototype hybrid MEF sensor with HFR’s proprietary software algorithm, and construct a laboratory test bench for carrying out sensor performance characterization. Phase I work will permit us to address the most significant technological risks in developing the MEF sensor, prove the application concept, and help us achieve Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3-4 at the completion of the six-month project. Phase II development will advance the technology to TRL 5-6, with a full-scale integrated prototype built and tested in the laboratory environment.

MEF sensor system promises a low-cost, versatile solution not just to NASA but all branches of the Government that employ waste processor systems, as well as other effluent handling and distribution installations. Besides all the players in the aerospace and energy sector, a number of prime contractors operating in military supply chains, including General Dynamics, GE, Westinghouse, and others stand to benefit from our technology.

Nearly all real-world implementations of complex effluent distribution systems can benefit from the mass transport measurement fidelity offered by the MEF. In addition to the waste processing plants, the need to monitor the mass flow of a multiphase medium is ubiquitous in power plants, centralized municipal and building heating systems, shipboard power, ground vehicles and other applications.

Autonomous plant watering aboard spacecraft poses persistent challenges for fluid systems designers. However, recent advances in low-g capillary fluidics research are re-invigorating the path forward, making possible the practicable design, fabrication, testing, and demonstration of advanced watering systems for spacecraft plant growth facilities, research platforms, and habitats. Such solutions exploit surface tension, wetting, and system geometry to passively control fluids for reliable separation, collection, and transport. Because such aqueous streams for plant habitats can be highly contaminated with particulates, biofilms, and gases, passive no-moving-parts solutions are attractive due to their simplicity, resilience to fouling, and increased reliability. In this Phase I research effort we propose to develop a scalable autonomous semi-passive omni-gravity hydroponic plant watering system for space applications. The system exploits recent advances in capillary fluidic phenomena demonstrated aboard the ISS to passively and autonomously deliver aerated nutrient-rich water at appropriate plant uptake rates during the various stages of plant growth and development—from germination to maturity. The system is designed for all gravity levels; namely, terrestrial, Lunar, Martian, and microgravity, the latter with NASA’s Deep Space Gateway missions in mind. A low-cost fast-to-flight technology demonstration aboard ISS is proposed as part of our broader Phase II effort.

The system is designed for all gravity levels and may be utilized in current plant facilities aboard ISS or in future missions including Deep Space Gateway, Lunar, or Mars.

We expect the resulting products to appeal to commercial space operators and certain terrestrial markets. Potential products include hydroponic channels, passive stable aerators, passive bubble phase separators, passive flow level controllers, and novel non-occluding conduits, fittings, and valves.

To support NASA’s needs for health management technologies to increase safety and mission effectiveness for future space habitats, American GNC Corporation (AGNC) and Louisiana Tech University (LaTech) are proposing the “BRoad Advanced Intelligent Networked (BRAIN) System” consisting of: (i) an innovative Analysis Kernel with evolving cognition based on optimized deep neural networks and collaborative learning; (ii) recognition of new patterns and system trends by a novel Retrospective Change Point Detection (CPD) method for change analysis in temporally evolving systems; (iii) Human-System Integration Subsystem to support active learning to provide a friendly environment for human feedback; and (iv) Distributed Awareness Environment for consoles and optional mobile devices with voice activated commands and effective health information presentation (i.e. faults, data, features, fault cause-effect information, and maintenance actions).

The BRAIN system is tailored for processing NASA ISHM data. A cognitive approach is addressed, where deep learning schemes provide diagnostics capability and support to prognostics considering complex systems interrelations, big data, and uncovering unknown relationships among features. AGNC’s embedded Collaborative Learning Engine is infused and expanded to accommodate human feedback as a methodology for active learning and to process previously unknown system degradation. Two cases scenarios are approached to verify and validate the BRAIN’s core technologies: (a) power system monitoring and interrelations with sensors in a fluid distribution system and (b) leakage detection in pipelines of a fluid distribution system.

The BRAIN system provides an innovative cognitive engine, diagnostic capability for distributed software and hardware architectures, and human-system interfaces. Target applications are NASA’s Life Support Systems (ECLSS), Extravehicular Activity Systems, and Biological Life Support systems (e.g. electrical power systems, environmental monitoring, etc.). Since it coexists with NASA ISHM, applications also include ground and launch systems, distribution systems, various testing facilities, and rocket engine ground testing.

Applications include manufacturing plants, large power plant and power transfer systems, structural monitoring, oil refineries, machinery spaces monitoring, aircraft avionics equipment monitoring, robotic/unmanned systems, military assets in ships and submarines, smart buildings, and others. With some modifications the BRAIN System has the potential to be applied to the Internet of Things (IoT).

Peregrine will use proven technologies drawn together to provide the autonomous and variable radiator-based technology sought by NASA for use on the moon to operate in sunlight at 375 K and also to turn down its performance when in the shadow regions at temperatures near 90 K. This proposed innovation will also meet low mass goals below 5.4 kg/m². This is a solid-state device that requires no external power for operation, it is built from proven and reliable processes and materials with heritage. This innovative autonomous variable radiator provides a real-world solution to lunar thermal control. Peregrine will rely upon its proprietary technology and decades of experience in spacecraft thermal management to design, simulate, verify, build and qualify an advanced variable radiator based upon the use of: 1.) The use of a cryogenic compressor (a diffusion pump-based design) that will allow the radiator to self-switch from full sun operation to shadow region operation autonomously without the use of power, 2.) A high thermal conductivity material (thermal pyrolytic graphite) with over 1,600 W/mK in thermal conductivity to uniformly spread thermal loads, and 3.) The use of well proven metal materials and designs to encapsulate the thermal pyrolytic graphite and cryogenic compressor for autonomous operation. These few elements are all that are necessary in order to provide autonomous variable operation from full sunlight to darkness. This proposed innovation has no moving parts which, leads to high reliability, high performance, no power requirements, and low weight.

Peregrine’s will use advanced materials, analysis, and manufacturing techniques to develop an innovative autonomous variable radiator to provide a real-world solution to lunar thermal control.  This variable radiator technology can be applied to deep space probes and for Mars applications along with numerous other NASA missions requiring varying thermal control.

This technology can be applied to many other satellite applications just as for NASA whether that be commercial or military.  In addition derivatives of this technoligy could be used for building thermal control or industrial applications to the regenerative use of waste heat for increased efficiency.

This SBIR Phase I project will develop a lightweight, flexible, high-strength conductor that is easy to process and is capable of being deposited in a variety of form-factors. In previous work, large volumetric fractions of Au, Ag, and Cu nanoparticles (NPs) were incorporated into a porous aramid nanofiber (ANF) matrix to realize films that have high electrical conductivity, yet maintain superior mechanical strength, the properties, which are usually hard to achieve simultaneously. Furthermore, the composite films demonstrate excellent flexibility, which is superior to other related classes of reported flexible conductors including carbon based nanomaterials (CNTs and graphene) and other metallic nanomaterials. The unique network structure enables high electrical conductivity and robust mechanical behavior of the metal-ANF films.  During Phase I, we will find the relationship between the conductor mass- via the volume fraction occupied by the conductive nanoparticles- and the conductivity. The main objective of the work is to produce a high conductivity cable with minimal mass for all of the conductive NPs employed. Our target is to reduce the mass density of the conductor by an order of magnitude but retain the conductivity so that it is at least 25 % of the bulk value. During the latter part of the Phase, we will implement the conductive composite in the form factor of a power-handling cable as well as a conductive structural element.

The conductor material modality is multi-use and cross-cutting for a broad range of NASA mission applications, including space mission applications that include planetary surface power, large-scale spacecraft prime power, small-scale robotic probe power, and small-sat power. For aeronautical applications, the conductor can efficiently distribute power to aircraft propulsors but with minimal mass overhead associated with the cabling.

Flexibility, retention endurance, and low power consumption are required for electric memory transistors. Energy storage systems must be flexible, robust, lightweight, and exhibit superior electrochemical activity. Flexible conductors are needed to meet the rapidly growing demand in smart sensors, roll-up displays, and other applications with unconventional form factors. 

NASA aero-science ground test facilities, including transonic, supersonic and hypersonic wind tunnels, provide critical data and fundamental insight required to understand complex phenomena and support the advancement of computational tools for modeling and simulation.In these facilities, real-time, high-repetition-rate (10 kHz–1 MHz) 2D or 3D measurement techniques are needed to track the high-speed turbulence dynamics.  Current state-of-the-art measurement capabilities in harsh wind tunnelenvironments are effective but limited to sample rates of 10 hertz, which is insufficient to track the dynamic of the turbulent reacting and non-reacting flows. This proposal offers an integrated package of truly cutting-edge, high-repetition-rate (up to 1 MHz rate), narrow-linewidth, burst-mode Optical Parametric Oscillator (OPO) system for multi-species laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection in NASA ground test facilities.The concepts and ideas proposed are ranging from proof-of-principles demonstration of novel methodologies using a pulse-burst laser pumped OPO system for multi-parameter measurements (density, temperature, species concentration, and flow visualization, etc.) in realistic tunnel conditions. The proposed high-repetition-rate OPO-based LIF technique which is suitable for 2D and 3D measurements is a state-of-the-art technique for analysis of unsteady and turbulent flows. 

The proposed high-speed OPO-based LIF technique is suitable for most wind tunnel facilities for multi-parameter flow measurements, including NASA 31” Mach 10 facility, 20” Mach 6 facility, 15” Mach 6 facility, 8 foot high temperature tunnel, Arc Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF), National Transonic Facility (NTF), 0.3-meter Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel (TCT), and NASA HYPULSE Mach 5-25 Shock Tunnel. 

High-speed OPO system could be widely applied in many R&D areas, such as gas turbine engines, hypersonic scramjets, hypersonic vehicles, aerospace capsules, and unmanned flights which are important to national security and defense. The other potential market includes industrial aeronautical companies, such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, GE, Pratt-Whitney, and other industrial aerospace interests.

The Sunflower Array is a vertically deployable and retractable solar array for lunar surface missions. It utilizes a single rollable boom to extend the solar array. Rollable booms offer low stowed volume, and a single central boom is the most mass efficient way to vertically raise a structure. AMA’s design focuses on simple, reversible, and repeatable actuations for deployment and retraction of the array. The Sunflower Array is compatible with rollable or foldable blanket arrays or structures.  Single degree of freedom launch restraints enable simple deployment. Sun tracking is achieved through rotation at the base of the system. The Sunflower Array is dust resistant, as no mechanisms are exposed. All technologies proposed for this system are inherently scalable for future missions. AMA intends to provide a matured and optimized design for the Sunflower Array and will substantiate performance estimates, boom design feasibility and manufacturing methods, and develop locking designs and deployment mechanisms to substantiate simplicity.  Phase I work will include systems level conceptual design trades, structural analysis, loads development, detailed boom design, mechanisms design, and system performance analysis. Phase I work will prepare for detailed design and prototyping in Phase II.

The Sunflower Array is applicable to any future NASA lunar surface mission. As NASA pivots to a lunar focus, more of these missions may arise. The system is designed for multiple deployments and retractions enabling reuse through multiple missions. The design is adaptable for a variety of mission architectures and can be scaled up for an eventual permanent lunar base. The simplicity of the system actuations ensures reliability through resistance to lunar dust. This reliability lends itself to long lifetime on the lunar surface.

Potential non-NASA applications mirror NASA applications on the commercial side. Any future commercial landers can benefit from utilizing the Sunflower Array. AMA can potentially seek to license out the technology for production and manufacturing for lunar missions.

We propose to leverage on-going CPI work to enable a low-cost and low-risk program approach that can be executed as a Phase I SBIR program.  The scope of this phase I effort is limited to studying the feasibility of some fundamental parameters of a design targeting HOT MWIR and high data-rate FTIR applications.   The following technical aspects of a NASA CPI design will be explored: 

• Model the basic CPI ROIC specifications needed to support NASA earth science and inter-planetary missions.  For HOT IR missions, survey thermo-electric cooler availability and performance as well as the needed LSB size to support shot-noise limited performance.  This will help form the power budget for the device.  For FTIR missions, explore availability of “2-color” detector arrays and Avalanche Photodiodes (APD) for meeting stated requirements.  Evaluate the potential for meeting requirements with or without APD detector arrays. 

• Methods for reducing the quantization noise floor, which defines the performance associated with the least significant bit (LSB) of the digitized data. Past designs typically achieve approximately 2000e- as the minimum LSB size.  Experimental designs have achieved as low as 1e- LSB size, but with noise and linearity issues present.  The goal of this effort will be to explore new designs and feasibility to achieve between 30 – 500e- LSB size with a low power and high performance front-end design.   

• Design trades to determine what counter bit depth can be accomplished as a function of pixel size to achieve global shuttering, read-while integrate, orthogonal transfer, and “2-color” detector operation.  Several process nodes will be considered at Fabs found both on- and off-shore.  ITAR or EAR restrictions may limit the choice of Fabs in the long run, however this limitation will not be a consideration in this study. 

CPI technology will broadly enable future NASA missions to support new modes of operation, achieve unprecedented performance, and enable multi-mode operation.  Smaller satellites for Earth Science and Interplanetary missions are possible by reducing the need for supporting electronics to process data, reduce the amount of data to be communicated to the ground, enabling resolution and coverage area that cannot be achieved with existing imagers, and remove constraints that are currently imposed on sensor developers by limitations of the imager.

While the developed NASA CPI ROIC will be useful for scientific, R&D, space, and DoD applications, it is unlikely that it will have broad appeal in commercial markets.  To have wider commercial applicability to autonomous systems, robotics, mobile, etc. markets, device scaling to smaller pixels and larger arrays is needed.  Future, follow-on research will attempt to scale to commercial markets.

AeroMancer Technologies proposes to develop an 3D Airspeed Backscatter Correlation (3D-ABC) lidar velocimeter for in-flight boundary layer flow visualization and airspeed measurement in spatially and temporally resolved 3D flow fields using a rugged, eye-safe, daytime-capable, reliable Infrared (IR) optical device. AeroMancer’s technique for measuring 3-component spatially and temporally resolved airspeeds is based on the time-lag correlation of aerosol density fluctuations from a 3D map of lidar elastic backscatter signals. Other methods for standoff quantitative flow visualization of complex flow fields have limitations in outdoor testing. The strength of this approach and its advantage over other optical remote sensing techniques is the use of a single-ended system to simultaneously obtain 3D flow fields over a relatively large measurement volume (15m x 27° x 20°), with minimal setup time and to concurrently perform 3D hard-target mapping using an eye-safe optical system, thereby reducing size, complexity and alignment requirements. 

In a recent NASA SBIR Phase II project, AeroMancer developed a novel prototype scanning lidar for high-resolution 3D global airspeed mapping in wind tunnels, which captures 3D maps of seeding particle density in the airflow using elastic backscatter from an eye-safe, 1550 nm wavelength IR lidar beam that is rapidly scanned using a new interleaved scanning method. A 3D cross-correlation algorithm is used to extract 3D airflow profiles from pairs of 3D images.

In this project, AeroMancer proposes to build on this existing design by identifying the measurement requirements for in-flight aerodynamic testing; system improvements to enable daytime operation; requirements for aircraft integration including size, weight power and cooling and eye-safety; and design changes to meet the needs of outdoor testing. Using recommendations from this analysis, AeroMancer will develop a conceptual design of the proposed instrument system.

A remote 3D velocimetry system for in-flight quantitative flow visualization can become an integral part of NASA flight test capabilities. The ability to obtain non-intrusive 3D concurrent airflow maps over a relatively large volume can be used to study key NASA challenges in aerodynamics, aeroacoustics and flight dynamics. In addition to flow visualization and airspeed sensing, the proposed instrument could also have potential NASA applications in blade tracking and aerosol transport. 

Velocimetry has broad applicability to research, development, test and evaluation in a variety of industries from manned and unmanned air, land and sea vehicles for defense, wind tunnels for the automobile and racing industries, civilian aerospace, etc. Other applications include analyzing the effect of wakes on personnel and equipment at airports, offshore installations/building helipads, etc.

The subtopic being addressed identifies current spacefaring computer hardware as insufficient for executing conventional artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms due to space, weight, and power constraints. Conversely, neuromorphic computing architectures have exhibited the ability to performatively execute AI programs while meeting these criteria. Presented here is one such general purpose neuromorphic computing architecture.

Based on the continuous time recurrent neural network model and instantiated upon the reconfigurable fabric of a field-programmable gate array, clusters of hardware-accelerated neurons can be evolved in real time while responding directly to environmental conditions. Preliminary work with this neuromorphic solution exceeded expectations when solving complex time-series problems while simultaneously minimizing spatial and power consumption.

Unlike many existing machine learning methods, this architecture can undergo hardware evolution for novel solutions or hardware adaptivity for existing solutions that are performing below necessary thresholds. Circuits undergoing intrinsic hardware evolution or adaptation exhibit naturally occurring fault tolerances as a result of real world environmental noise. These inherent phenomena make the continuous time recurrent neural network in evolvable hardware a powerful candidate for extraterrestrial and spacefaring operation.

NASA applications include: lightweight centralized sensory-affectory system for evolutionary robotics applications, energy-efficient neuromorphic implementation for cognitive radio networks, and a fault tolerant and adaptive onboard navigation system for planetary exploration.

Immediate commercial applications include: adaptive electromyographic interpreter for prosthetic limbs, energy efficient sensor preprocessor for internet-of-things (IoT) networks, and high performance analog radio frequency filter for cognitive radio.

NASA is interested in alternative biocides for disinfecting process water.  During the proposed project, a resin will be developed for the slow-release of chlorine or bromine.  This resin will be used in a simple flow-through cartridge that will act as both a contact kill biocide device and as a source of free chlorine or bromine.  A halogen residual of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/L will be delivered to the water.  Chlorine and bromine have a long history of use within this range for land-based and marine potable water treatments, respectively.  As a result of their widespread use, much data is available concerning their long term health effects, antimicrobial efficacy and materials compatibility.  This concentration range is generally accepted as being safe and therefore removal is not required prior to crew consumption.  The residual concentration will remain within this range over a wide range of flows.  This Halogen Binding Resin (HBR) will be entirely analogous to the original MCV resin but will release chlorine or bromine instead of iodine.  The next generation Microbial Check Valve (MCV2) made with this resin can be used as a direct replacement for the currently used MCV.  The resin will be developed by modifying the structure of existing halogen binding materials.  Currently, existing materials that bind chlorine and bromine provide good contact kill antimicrobial properties but fall short of meeting NASA’s biocide residual needs.  Either the halogen is held too tight, resulting in an insufficient water residual, or the halogen is not held tight enough, resulting in an excessively high residual that requires dilution.  The proposed research will result in a resin with a high chlorine or bromine loading capacity and slow-release kinetics suitable for disinfecting NASA process water.

The NASA application will be as Flight Hardware for deployment in support of future manned missions.  The production and storage of safe potable water is a requirement for all manned operations in space.  MCV2 technology will be microgravity compatible, reliable (>3-year life), and will remain functional with system pressures exceeding 30 psig.  The  MCV2 will find application in various deep space manned exploration mission phases including Mars transit.

This technology is applicable towards water disinfection in locations where access to safe drinking water is unavailable.  In 2017, 2.1 billion people lacked access to safe, readily available water. The occurrence of diseases such as typhoid and cholera could be prevented by adequately treating drinking water. MCV2 will provide a more economical and effective solution than existing technologies.

The proposed mono-wing planetary aerial vehicle are small unmanned aircraft with biological inspiration derived from a samara (winged seed). The Titan Aerial Research Vehicle (TARV) mimics the natural aerodynamics of the samara planform and its auto-rotating shape. The TARV will be an exploratory vehicle capable of controlled flight, hover, and repeated takeoff and landing maneuvers on Titan for scientific exploration, with a design based on the current Roboseed, an Earth-based mono-wing aerial vehicle designed and operated by our technical collaborator, Aeroseed LLC.

Titan presents a unique exploration challenge due to its peculiar environment. With an atmosphere denser than Earth’s, abundance of liquids, and intriguing surface features, Titan warrants scientific exploration. Titan’s clouds are condensed methane, which can rain down upon the supercooled surface; and the sky is cloaked in a thick smog-like haze. The atmosphere can exhibit turbulent behavior, and surface temperatures can dip below 100 K. The TARV will be designed to operate in this harsh environment, using Titan environmental models to guide system materials trades, component design, and thermal management.

The TARV will be capable of controlled powered or unpowered flight within Titan’s atmosphere, and will support customizable scientific payloads for significant surface and atmospheric exploration. The rugged design of this planetary aircraft coupled with its ability to maintain precise active and passive flight, hover, land, and takeoff in dynamic, tumultuous conditions presents a versatile solution for in-situ measurement and exploration in dynamic environments like Titan.

In Phase I, ASTER Labs will use Titan’s unique environmental conditions to guide system design, categorize vehicle enhancements to make TARV operational on Titan, determine suitable payloads and integration strategies, and model vehicle flight behaviors via aerodynamic performance modeling and equations of motion characterization.

The simple, ruggedized design coupled with minimal moving parts and built-in orientation control makes TARV ideal for planetary exploration. The mono-wing allows increased airflow compared to traditional aircraft, making it the ideal vehicle for in-situ atmospheric data collection, meteorological investigations, and widespread monitoring of gas concentrations or contaminants. TARV is capable of repeated solid and liquid surface takeoff and landing maneuvers, making the ruggedized vehicle optimal for scientific exploration of planetary bodies.

The TARV’s mono-wing, ruggedized design is unique, as it allows flight in turbulent, unstable conditions. TARV, with adaptable payload capabilities, is a versatile platform for surveillance, data gathering, and mapping. TARV could form a communications-linked network of exploratory vehicles to explore caves, disaster sites, and achieve active weather monitoring. 

One potential way to achieve N+3 goals is the introduction of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials into turbine engines. The introduction of CMC vanes and/or blades into turbine engines lead to gains in specific fuel consumption (SFC) by allowing higher operating temperatures, reductions in required cooling, and reductions in vehicle weight. Thermal barrier and environmental barrier coatings (TBCs and EBCs) will play a crucial role in future advanced gas turbine engines because of their ability to significantly extend the temperature capability of the CMC engine components in harsh combustion environments. Due to the inherent scatter in both EBCs and CMCs, one needs to analyze the CMC/EBC interface with a probabilistic methodology.  The proposed work will develop a software tool that will facilitate the probabilistic/reliability analysis of the CMC/EBC interface. This software tool will compute input sensitivities of the CMC/EBC interface and propagate uncertainties to component models of turbomachinery parts (vanes/blades) with complex geometries.

SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) are the most promising material system that has the temperature and the structural capability to meet the needs of next generation gas turbine engines that will result in higher efficiency, higher thrust, reduced emissions, and reduced weight. One major barrier to the implementation of CMCs is the lack of environmental durability in the combustion environment. A robust EBC system is an enabling technology for the successful implementation of CMCs in the hot engine sections.

Any applications that use the advanced CMCs such as the land based gas turbines for power generation, require the development of a robust EBC system.  The DOD is also researching the CMC/EBC interface.

Deep space human exploration missions present a number of challenges. The distance from Earth makes communication less reliable and mission management more complex, and places a greater burden on human crews. Managing the complexity of the various onboard systems, processes, and resources, including health systems, payloads, etc., will present new kinds of crew challenges and stresses not experienced in Earth orbit where the ground station manages much of the mission. Autonomous cognitive agents that act as “virtual assistants” could interact with the crew and with the onboard systems to help with tasks that would be too burdensome or time-consuming for the crew alone. Cognitive agents based on modular, extensible cognitive architectures are needed to enable effective interaction, reasoning, problem solving, and teaming with human crews. SoarTech proposes to design and develop a prototype cognitive architecture and cognitive agent that can serve as a virtual assistant to support human exploration in deep space, and to assess the feasibility of building and demonstrating a comprehensive prototype in Phase II. In performing this Phase I work, we will leverage our team’s considerable background in cognitive architectures, interactive systems, cognitive systems engineering, user-centered design, and space operations. SoarTech has been researching, developing, evaluating, and integrating interactive cognitive systems for the past 20+ years, including the design and use of cognitive architectures to develop multi-modal interfaces, synthetic teammates, and cognitive agents that allow for natural and intuitive interaction with computing systems. Our astronaut subject matter expert has over 240 days of spaceflight time over three missions on the ISS as Flight Engineer and Mission Commander.

Virtual assistants could be used spacecraft-wide, or each astronaut onboard could have a personalized assistant for his/her role. As we establish remote bases (Moon or Mars), AVA could similarly serve as assistants for the entire base or for each astronaut. Ground operations supporting those missions could also benefit from similar systems. Similar virtual assistants could support NASA researchers doing data analysis and experiment design. AVA could help astronauts on the ground in training and refreshing on specific systems or procedures.

Defense applications include helping to operate the Navy’s AEGIS weapon system, or helping in complex ISR tasks across the services. Civilian uses include virtual assistants in power and manufacturing plants to help manage, monitor, and analyze operations. Medical teams need tools that can be used to query data (e.g., medical records), to support diagnosis and for treatment assessment.

CU Aerospace (CUA) proposes the scaling of an alternative very low-toxicity monopropellant thruster to a 0.5 N class engine.   CMP-8 (CUA Mono-Propellant 8) is a non-detonable yet energetic COTS formulation that possesses many system-level advantages including lower cost (COTS propellant and non-refractory thruster construction), lower thermal load (<1000°C flame temp), low viscosity (comparable to water), and common materials compatibility (aluminum, stainless steels, and most elastomers).  The existing technology has achieved 187 s specific impulse at 160 mN thrust during demonstrated continuous firing times exceeding 10 minutes. CMP-8 has demonstrated a shelf life exceeding 1200 days (a storage test ongoing since 2015).  Phase I studies include preliminary hazard classification of CMP-X (a less energetic formulation allowed on air transport) to establish Insensitive Munitions (IM) characteristics and provide guidance for large scale storage and feed (i.e. critical diameters) as well as catalyst risk reduction studies and characterizations.  CMP-X is designed not for highest performance Isp, but as a monopropellant option for customers who can accept a modest 20% performance penalty (relative to AF-315E and LMP-103S) for the advantages of air transportability, considerably fewer range safety concerns, lower flame temperature resulting in considerably less thermal soakback into the spacecraft, and longer continuous thrust burns.  CMP-X retains the ability to scale in thrust magnitude and requires minimal catalyst bed warmup time.The primary Phase I technical objective is to produce a flight-like TRL 5 thruster head and improve the integrated system design in order to deliver an integrated TRL 6 CubeSat propulsion system with ACS by the end of Phase II. The estimated Phase II volumetric impulse of a 2U-sized MPUC deliverable is >1200 N-sec with a peak power draw of <5 W and 185 s specific impulse.

MPUC responds to goals in NASA’s Roadmap for In-Space Propulsion with a focus on long life and cost reduction both with common COTS construction materials. MPUC has demonstrated performance that will yield volumetric impulse levels above those of legacy hydrazine systems. Its lack of detonation and demonstrated storability makes it a prime candidate for missions where costs and logistics are dominated by system transportation and range safety concerns. Potential missions include orbit change, drag makeup, and deorbiting.

Potential MPUC system applications include drag makeup allowing extended-duration low altitude orbits, low Earth orbit raising, and/or deorbiting for micro/nanosatellites. The MPUC green monopropellant system offers affordable access to Cubesat propulsion and is easily scalable to larger sizes depending on mission requirements to meet the differing needs of users in DOD, industry, and academia.

The team of CU Aerospace (CUA) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) propose risk reduction design and analyses of a modular spacecraft addition based on our team’s CubeSail technology for accelerated spacecraft deorbiting.  This technology represents a high-payoff technology using primarily atmospheric drag, but with the additional option for solar sail deorbiting from higher altitude orbits where atmospheric drag is negligible. The Phase I effort will focus on concept design, analyses, configuration trade off studies, and simulations for a CubeSail-D (Deorbit) design that can be integrated as a module on or into a larger small/nanosatellite.  Unique features of the CubeSail-D design are its absence of any sail support structure, and its ability to control the solar sail blade pitch from the end of the sail and therefore enable continuous deorbiting thrust from solar photon pressure, not just aerodynamic drag.  This capability of CubeSail-D becomes progressively more important at higher altitudes and is critical above 1000 km, and will also be important during times of minima in the solar sunspot cycle when atmospheric density drops and consequently drag effects decrease.  Further, the ability to pitch the blade during deorbit enables alteration of the amount of aerodynamic drag seen by a CubeSail-D equipped satellite and may provide enough control authority for targeted reentry.  The goal of Phase II would be delivery of a flight ready CubeSail-D demonstrator as either an add-on module or a self-contained CubeSat demonstrator.

The NASA Technology Roadmap calls for the development of Drag Sail Propulsion (TA 2.2.2.2). CubeSail-D provides a continuous effective thrust propulsion solution, providing enough potential Delta-V for deorbiting from LEO beyond the capabilities of like-sized chemical/electric propulsion options. A low-mass, low-cost deorbit capability would be very attractive for many or most of NASA LEO satellites, especially for those above altitudes of 680 km where the atmospheric density is low enough that natural decay lifetimes for reentry are >25 years.

Prior to launch, all Earth-orbiting spacecraft are required to have a concept of operations including a plan for when they reach the end of their useful life that they will be deorbited or moved to an orbit that poses no risk to other spacecraft.  Thus, all government, industry, or academia satellites are potential customers for the CubeSail-D (Deorbit) deorbiting module.

The complexity and round-the-clock nature of NASA operations in low Earth orbit and future deep space missions, along with isolation in the hostile environment of space, can induce levels of acute and chronic stress that could compromise astronaut performance, leading to errors that could affect science payloads, crew safety and mission success. For the exploration of space a method is needed to assess operator state, quickly and reliably detect stress, and provide objective feedback to the individual, crew, and ground support, in order to mitigate adverse events and mishaps. We propose to develop a system that makes use of equipment that would be inherent to any spacecraft to identify Individualized, Noninvasive Speech Indicators for Tracking Elevations in Stress (INSITES). The goal of this INSITES project is to develop an unobtrusive, objective, and reliable detector of stress that measures changes in speech and vocalizations from equipment (microphones, communications systems, computers) used during operations, without requiring additional sensors or dedicated processing hardware. Under this project, Quantum Applied Science and Research (QUASAR) and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) will define features in speech known to indicate stress, develop algorithms to extract these features from recorded audio streams, and adapt QUASAR’s machine learning cognitive state classification software, QStates, to process these speech features in real-time from voice audio streams.  We will create models for stress based on these features, and provide a real-time visual output describing an individual’s stress level. The team will also develop the plans for software or hardware integration for a completed tool for implementation in NASA spacecraft and habitats to detect changes in stress acutely and over time. Doing so could potentially provide an opportunity to assess and intervene before it adversely impacts mission safety, effectiveness, or success. 

Unobtrusive, low volume, easily-integrated stress detection for all NASA missions involving constrained space and weight, including Earth-based training, low Earth orbit, and deep space. 

Multiple markets across both military and civilian mission critical environments where personnel operate and communicate in stressful environments. In particular, this technology could extend to military and commercial pilots, air traffic control operators, security or first response teams, as well as elite performance teams where audio communication is enabled by wearable headsets.

This NASA SBIR Phase I proposal presents a cost effective solution of laser additive manufacturing system for SiC mirror support architecture with integrated functions of AM & SM, in-process inspection, and feedback control, by using a single pulsed fiber laser. It is the enabling technology for manufacturing high strength SiC mirror supporting structure. With our successful history in AM and SM processing, this proposal has a great potential to succeed. A proof of concept demonstration will be carried out and samples will be delivered at the end of Phase 1. Prototype of the proposed system in compliant with the small engine requirement will be delivered at the end of Phase II.

In addition to NASA’s SiC support structure manufacturing, the proposed high power fiber laser AM system can be used in other applications, such as space vehicle, ship, aircraft, and satellite manufacturing. PolarOnyx will develop a series of products to meet various requirements for commercial/military deployments.

- 3D printing uses various technologies for building the products for all kinds of applications from foods, toys to rockets and cars. The global market is projected to reach US$44 billion by year 2025.

- Medical devices and biomedical instrumentation, which consists of surgical and infection control devices, general medical devices, cardiovascular, home healthcare, and other devices.

This NASA SBIR Phase I proposal presents a novel method to achieve high emissivity, with a femtosecond (fs) fiber laser. It is the enabling technology for manufacturing high temperature, high strength, and high emissivity surface for electric propulsion components. With our successful history in laser processing, this proposal has a great potential to succeed. A proof of concept demonstration will be carried out and samples will be delivered at the end of Phase 1.Prototypes with various types of components in compliant with the NASA electric propulsion system requirement will be delivered at the end of Phase II.

In addition to NASA’s high emissivity surface manufacturing, the proposed short pulse high power fiber laser SM process can also be used in other applications, such as 3D printing, space vehicle, aircraft, and satellite manufacturing. PolarOnyx will develop a series of products to meet various requirements for commercial/military deployments.

• Material processing, which includes Photonic device fabrications; metal processing; semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing; marking of all materials; rapid prototyping, desktop manufacturing, micromachining, photofinishing.
• 3D printing. The global market for 3D Printing is projected to reach US$44 billion by the year 2025.
• Medical devices and biomedical instrumentation.

IFOS will work with Stanford University’s Center for Design Research to develop a drilling tool with fiber optic based spectroscopic and haptic (multipoint dynamic strain, texture, temperature) sensing capabilities. The former will be based on a hollow fiber bundle(s) up to 1-2 meters in length capable of transmitting wavelengths out to the 15-20 micron range so as to enable detection of a large range of organic fingerprints. The robotic drill system will be designed for probing and in situ analysis of comet ice below the outer subsurface going beyond the limits of surface reflectance spectrometry. In Phase 1, a feasibility prototype with the capability to operate on laboratory ice will be demonstrated.

This project will provide NASA with a tool with organic molecule detection capability that allows in situ analysis of comet ice. The system could be adapted to sampling ice on moons such as Europa, which is subject to particularly high radiation, Enceladus, and polar slopes on Mars. The benefit of in situ analysis cf. sample return is that a larger area can be searched with sample return delayed until interesting results are found.  

This project will benefit commercial application of space mining, construction, search and rescue, manufacturing, medicine and, with reduced cost, a large consumer market, haptic capability in robots that perform dexterous tasks in environments dangerous or inaccessible to humans (e.g., handling hazardous materials) and human operator enhancement capabilities (e.g., tele-surgery).

IFOS proposes an innovative multi-purpose and multi-functional dexterous manipulator system for autonomous robots such as Astrobee, featuring an end-effector comprising a set of fingers with embedded fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors. This ‘sensitive skin’ can convey tactile and force feedback information to an interrogator that controls the fiber-sensed actuators and downstream, an active wrist. Thanks to synergism with ongoing advanced development efforts at IFOS, it is expected that Phase I of the project will involve the customized design of a miniaturized interrogator – I*SenseNano™ – leading to a Phase II demonstration of the interrogator. Enabled by the latest advances in photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology, the interrogator with volume under 210 cm³ can be accommodated in the Astrobee, where it will interface with other systems to perform numerous IVA tasks including structure inspection, and parameter sensing.

Enter text here related to the technology’s NASA applications.

The manipulator will allow more dexterous handling of objects, as well as sensing, diagnostics and parameter monitoring in space based platforms such as The Gateway while deployed on autonomous platforms such as the Astrobee and the Robonaut. It is suitable for numerous intra-vehicle activities (IVA) tasks, including payload operations and caretaking, with potential extension to Extra-vehicular activities (EVA) thanks to fiber immunity to electromagnetic Impulses (EMI).

Potential and benefits can be realized for the Medical Device market, rehabilitation Exoskeletons and prosthetics, Defense and Homeland Security, Electronics and Automotive, Mil/Aero/Energy Exploration, Industrial, Home Automation, and Hazardous Material Handling.

A diode laser instrument for simultaneously measuring methane, nitrous oxide, carbon monoxide, and water vapor onboard an unmanned aerial vehicle will be developed in this project. Wavelength modulation absorption spectroscopy will be used to perform the measurements at a 10 Hz rate. The system will use a compact open path multipass cell to provide the necessary optical pathlength. Three mid-infrared lasers will be coupled to the cell. The Phase I project will emphasize development of the optical system and establishing of the sensitivity for ambient concentrations of the gases. These results will lead to the development of a light weight, low power, fast time response Phase II instrument suitable for deployment on a unmanned aerial vehicle.

The instrument will be useful for unmanned aerial vehicle measurements of two of the most important greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide, and the leading man made pollutant, carbon monoxide. The system will be adaptable to use on balloons and ground based systems.

Measurements of methane are useful for identifying industrial leak sources as well as for pipeline monitoring. Nitrous oxide measurements are of interest to the agricultural community since it is a byproduct of crop planting.

Community noise reduction is a critical focus of NASA ARMD, which is studying highly integrated airframe/propulsion systems such as the hybrid wing body (HWB) and the quiet supersonic technology (QueSST) demonstrator. Relative to conventional aircraft, these systems have closer coupling between sound generation and propagation, creating challenges for noise prediction but also opportunities for shielding. ATA Engineering, in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine, proposes to develop methods to efficiently characterize and ultimately predict aircraft noise associated with such propulsion airframe aeroacoustics (PAA).

The methods will utilize near-field surface source models that are informed by high-spatial-resolution, fixed receiver and continuous-scan array acoustic measurements. In Phase I, the team will apply such measurements to canonical experiments and propulsion simulators (e.g, fan or jet exhaust noise) using fixed and scanning sensors to define stochastic source models. These models will support improved acoustic shielding predictions by directly detecting the mechanisms that propagate sound to the far field and using this information to define surface-based source models to predict noise shielding/scattering of integrated propulsion-airframe configurations using boundary element methods (BEM).

Phase II will involve creating a database of surface-based engine source models based on both experiments and CFD to apply the models to an acoustic design and optimization trade study. Additionally, the team will pursue direct measurement of high-resolution source surface models for use in multi-fidelity noise prediction frameworks such as NASA’s ANOPP/ANOPP2. The expected outcome is a novel, efficient means to quantify community noise from integrated airframe-propulsion systems containing significant PAA. This capability will allow NASA and industry to perform acoustic design and optimization of configurations like HWB and QueSST.

The technology enables BEM prediction of far-field acoustics using surface-based sources, enhancing capabilities in two ARMD Strategic Thrusts: Innovations in Commercial Supersonic Aircraft (#2), where a critical theme is “jet and high speed fan/inlet acoustics with airframe interactions,” and Ultra Efficient Commercial Vehicles (#3), where “propulsion noise shielding” is needed for “revolutionary” vehicles. NASA laboratories and wind tunnels could use the tools for studying PAA.

Several commercial and defense applications will benefit from improved PAA prediction. Paramount is certification of commercial supersonic aircraft, which are expected to eventually reach fleets of to 350 business and 1700 civil aircraft. Continued improvement of noise performance for the rapidly growing fleet of subsonic commercial aircraft is also a potential application of the technology.

We propose to advance the state of the art in multi-pass optical cell technology by bringing several novel, previously unpublished, cell architectures to better maturity and to the attention of other researchers.  Optical multi-pass cells are devices that are fundamental to achieving high sensitivity in spectroscopic instruments for gas detection and measurement.  The proposed project is a unique opportunity for NASA to advance multi-pass optical cell technology in several new directions at once, addressing multiple fundamental design advances with potentially large and lasting impact on the future design of optical instrumentation. The specific NASA SBIR solicitation technical topic that we address, S1.08 Suborbital instruments and sensor systems for earth science measurements, includes development needs for reduced volume multi-pass cell designs and optical subsystems for open path measurements.  The solicitation topic also calls for small trace gas sensors suitable for UAV’s, which need low-volume multipas cells.  The work we propose addresses stated needs for advances in optical absorption cells and related subsystems, both for open path as well as closed path (low volume) measurements.  One of the cell designs we have conceived is specifically for open path measurements, where the base length may vary with the experimental circumstances.  That design, the “Retro-Cat Cell” combines a remote retroreflector with an “inboard” mirror combination that acts like a variable focal length mirror, so it can adapt to variable base length.  We present four different pathways for improving path-length per unit volume in multi-pass cells.  These pathways range from simple filling of excess volumes, to re-injection systems to a new cell architecture.  These development pathways are expected to yield results that improve existing commercial multi-pass cells, improve existing instrumentation and make new more compact instrumentation possible.

These multi-pass cell advances will positively impact NASA scientific endeavors that rely upon optical detection of gases, particularly in its Earth Sciences Division.  Our new open-path cell design may be useful for increasing the path-length of measurement systems such as the NASA LaRC Diode Laser Hygrometer.  New closed path cell designs may be of benefit to numerous NASA centers involved in trace gas measurements, such as: Goddard, Langley, JPL and Glenn.  We note those centers because we previously sold then trace gas instruments or cells.

The new open-path cell design will have application to industrial settings with variable base paths, such as fence-line monitoring, or in environmental measurements where the measurement circumstances change.  Closed path cells are integral to the set of trace gas instruments produced and sold by ARI, so new designs will enhance our products and capabilities.

Single-photon-counting detectors optimal for NASA long-range freespace optical telecommunications will be developed. The proposed effort addresses NASA’s need for reliable sources of radiation-hardened 1064-nm- and 1550-nm-sensitive single-photon photoreceivers for deep-space communications. There has been previous investment in single-photon-sensitive detector arrays; InGaAs APD pixels operating in Geiger mode (GM) are the most popular single-photon detectors in this spectral range as they do not require cryogenic cooling. However, performance improvements are need in InGaAs GM-APD focal-plane arrays (FPAs), and multiple reliable suppliers need to be established.  To address this need, two growth and fabrication campaigns will be conducted. Each five-wafer growth campaign will include: single-element devices of various diameters, small-sized arrays, and larger-format GM-APD arrays.  Characterization of the variable-diameter single-element devices, as a function of temperature and area/volume ratio, will be performed to identify sources of dark counts. Testing of arrays will be used to establish breakdown voltage uniformity, optical crosstalk, and yield. The demonstration of the performance of working GM-APD devices will significantly reduce the risk of the Phase II effort. In Phase II, large-format GM-APD arrays will be fabricated and hybridized to an existing deep-space communications readout integrated circuit (ROIC).

NASA applications include: deep-space optical comms; lidar measures as called for by the 2017 Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space (high priority for cloud/aerosol/ocean lidar); and future missions to Earth’s moon, Mars, Venus, Titan, Europa, and small bodies (e.g., asteroids and comets) calling for entry, descent, and landing sensor systems. Autonomous rendezvous, proximity operations, and docking are other NASA challenges to which a 3D lidar sensor is relevant.

The innovation has widespread use in military mapping, targeting, and surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as freespace optical communications. It has commercial use in quantum communications, freespace communications, mapping, and autonomous driver-assistance sensor (ADAS) and autonomous navigation systems.

Fiber-optic sensors are used for their low cost, small size, light weight, minimal associated intrusion, high accuracy, and reliability. The proposed effort will establish feasibility of novel fiber-optic sensors from which an associated sensing platform would derive dramatically-improved performance and/or improvement in platform size, weight, power, and cost compared to current commercial offerings.

The technology will considerably improve NASA’s flight test measurement and in-situ monitoring capability over the current state of the art, opening up new sensing possibilities for real-time, in-situ flight/spaceflight measurements.

With an improved understanding of flight/spaceflight structural dynamics, the technology will lead to improved airframe and component designs. With improved, integrated real-time feedback control signal generation and structural health monitoring capability, future aircraft and spaceflight vehicles will operate more safely, predictably, and efficiently.

The proposed technology enables acquisition of real-time, in-flight strain and temperature data related to structural dynamics analysis and health monitoring of aircraft and spacecraft. In addition, the technology enables feedback control signal generation, NDE / modal analysis, and thermal profiling. The technology can be applied to components, structures, aerodynamic surfaces, fixed and morphable flight control surfaces, and electrical propulsion system power sources.

Non-NASA commercial applications of the technology include renewable wind energy, commercial aerospace & aviation, oil & gas, automotive, nuclear energy, and perimeter security.

Past NASA landing missions have used radar for vehicle position and velocity data in the absence of GPS. Future landing missions will require a viable replacement for obsolete radars. Coherent Doppler Lidar technology offers a suitable path for replacing radar with an order of magnitude higher precision as a landing sensor to help control the critical last 5 kilometers or so of landing approach. NASA has developed a highly capable Navigation Doppler Lidar, or NDL which has gone through extensive testing under several field conditions. NDL is about the size of a breadbox and further reduction in Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) is desirable for practical deployment in a wide range of vehicles. SWaP reduction of about an order of magnitude can be achieved through monolithic photonic integration. Freedom Photonics has strong expertise in the development of Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and proposes in this effort to develop a Monolithic Integrated Coherent Optical Receiver PIC for Lidar systems, supporting navigation and landing of space vehicles.

* Space Vehicle Lidar for landing applications

* Space Vehicle Lidar for navigation and telemetry

* Lidar systems for aviation applications

* Long range Free Space Optical (FSO) Communications

* Optical fiber communication systems

* Lidar sensors for self-driving automotive applications

* Lidar systems for commercial aviation applications

* Lidar systems for industrial control

* Commercial Free Space Optical (FSO) Communication systems

* Medical instrumentation, such as Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

* Data transfer interconnects for large data centers

* Long distance optical coherent fiber optic systems

NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) and Lightweight Structures and Materials PT are leading advancements to affordable space exploration. This includes beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) space exploration requiring innovative lightweight and multifunctional structure concepts. Conformal designs offer enabling mass and volume efficiencies and, multifunctional potential. Steelhead Composites (SHC; Golden CO) – a domestic leader in composite pressure vessel manufacture – will leverage capabilities in design, test, build and manufacture to realize conformal pressure vessels for cryogenic liquid storage and/or as habitable cavities. SHC ultralightweight, all composite (Type V) pressure vessel (> 30% mass reduction) are planned as manufacture-friendly products to efficiently fill non-traditional geometric volume and, serve to influence future spacecraft designs (e.g., lunar landers, Mars landers, habitat modules and ascent vehicles). This program will develop structural design concept studies (Phase I), including a manufacturing assessment and a systems benefits examination, to realize mass, volume and cost savings for deep space exploration. In Phase II, pressure vessels will be fabricated and evaluated, on a scale that is representative of full-scale manufacturing. All efforts will be performed to realize commercial products, for fabrication according to SHC’ AS9100 and ISO14001 (environmental) standards. 

Conformal designs offer enabling mass and volume efficiencies and, multifunctional potential that are applicable to NASA applications. Conformal ultra lightweight, all composite (Type V) pressure vessel designs will serve to influence future spacecraft designs including, for example, lunar landers, Mars landers, habitat modules and ascent vehicles. 

Conformal designs offer enabling mass and volume efficiencies and, multifunctional potential that are also applicable to non-NASA applications. Nearly all transportation applications would benefit from fuel storage containers that offer increased energy efficiencies. For example, pressure vessels that can store more hydrogen at minimum mass are highly desirable to the automotive industry. 

This proposal addresses the NASA's need for innovative multi Watt (1W &5W) polarization maintaining (PM) fiber amplifier and laser transmitter modules in the 2 micron atmospheric transmission window band, and in particular at the 2051nm wavelength. Our OEM modules besides being compact, lightweight, power efficient and rugged, will integrate optics, electronics and electrical & computer control interfaces.  Such features will make it an ideal product for integration in future NASA airborne or space systems. The design of amplifier or laser will use a novel PM single clad  Holmium doped fiber (HDF) that offers  a broad (150nm ) wavelength emission band (i.e. 2000 to 2150nm), an excellent  optical efficiency (75%) and a combination of attractive performance, such as large gain (40dB) and  dynamic range (>30dB). We will demonstrate both 1W & 5W laser transmitters at 2051nm into our compact 1W-MAKO OEM (97x78x15mm³) and a 5W-SKYLINE OEM (200x150x43mm³), and fully evaluate their performance, first in a CW mode and next in a ns regime -10 to100 kHz pulse repetition  frequency. This innovation will pave the way in the use of this PM HDF transmitter modules as  building blocks for more complex amplifier topologies and diverse  emission wavelengths.

The 2 to 2.13 micron broad band 1 to 5 W polarization maintaining single clad HDF laser transmitter OEM modules will be important tools for NASA remote sensing and LIDAR applications, particularly for the monitoring of CO₂ concentration at the 2051nm wavelength. Whether in CW or pulse mode, this eye safe, small foot print, light weight, power efficient and reliable OEM modules will find their place in diverse airborne NASA missions, from LIDAR to high bit rate free space transmitters.

Our broadband Holmium PM OEM laser transmitters, which overlap the atmospheric transparency window, will become the building blocks for PM devices. Mostly their combined features of large input dynamic range and high signal gain of these modules will enable the generation of complex pulsed lasers from coherent Lidar for Doppler measurements to ps-ns pulsed sources for optical non-linear processes.

A new light weight deployable solar power array module is proposed to address the need for a retractable solar array for the initial human lunar lander and future lunar surface applications. The proposed concept leverages recent advancements in thin film solar cell array technology which enables the array to be rolled into a compact cylindrical shape for stowage. The proposed concept will utilize a very simple pneumatic deployment system to deploy the system and a passive constant torque spring to retract the array.  The simplicity and reliability of pneumatic/hydraulic systems have led to their widespread use in aircraft applications. The constant force/torque spring mechanism for retraction requires no power, motors, or controls. The combination of current state of the art flexible thin film solar array technology with a very simple and reliable deployment/retraction system will result in a highly reliable solar array system capable of multiple deployments and retractions in the space and lunar surface environments.

Recent systems such as NASA’s Roll Out Solar Array (ROSA) and the Composite Beam Roll-Out Array (COBRA) for small satellites have shown the specific power and specific density advantages of a rollable solar array as compared to conventional rigid solar array panels that require mechanical hinges and frames to fold and package the array. These highly efficient coilable arrays have demonstrated specific power values > 300W/kg and >40 kW/m³.

Our array design will take advantage of the current state of the art thin film solar array technology to maximize the benefits of flexible array technology. Specifically, the array will utilize the LISA-T thin film arrays under development by NASA and NeXolve for a variety of applications.  The LISA-T arrays achieve significant areal density improvements via minimization of the parasitic weight of the array substrate and cover glass. The result is an ultralight weight high efficiency array with exceptional flexibility.

• Initial Lunar Human Lander 
• Lunar Outpost
• High Power Electric Propulsion
• Orbit Transfer Vehicles; Orbital Refueling Stations (Retracting partial solar array during inactive periods reduces orbital decay rate)

• Commercial and DoD Spacecraft with high power requirements or  launch volume constraints
• DoD Stealthy Satellites

Increased spatial and temporal resolution of remotely sensed multispectral imagery is crucial for improved monitoring of land surface dynamics in heterogeneous landscapes undergoing rapid change. Given orbital constraints, satellite imaging sensors such as MODIS and Landsat 8 OLI exhibit tradeoffs between frequent/coarse and sparse/fine scenes, and spatiotemporal fusion techniques have been developed to synthesize images with improved spatial and temporal resolutions from such complementary satellite pairs. In contrast, imagery from manned fixed wing aircraft and UAVs can be acquired both frequently and at high resolution over limited areas. Land surface monitoring would greatly benefit from a capability to combine imagery from these disparate platforms, for which inconsistent or irregular revisit times and variabilities in resolution and spectral bands make existing spatiotemporal fusion techniques insufficient to combine them effectively.  

This project will exploit these recent machine learning advances to combine imagery from disparate satellite and airborne platforms, using multi-resolution image time series and transferring fine resolution knowledge gained from higher resolution training images to lower-resolution test scenes. We will test the feasibility of the system to provide improved classification of vegetative land cover and estimations of fractional vegetation cover, particularly for agricultural areas that frequently change on a small spatial scale. During Phase I, we will use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to make weekly multispectral image collects during the growing cycle of several agricultural crops and combine the scenes with Landsat 8 OLI and Sentinel 2 satellite imagery. We will spatially and temporally subsample the high resolution UAV imagery to simulate imagery acquired from a variety of aerial and additional satellite platforms and compare classifier performance for different spatial resolutions and repeat periods.

Related follow-on opportunities for NASA program infusion include integration with the TOPS-SIMs irrigation management program at the Ecological Forecasting Lab at NASA Ames, and NASA Goddard’s Harvest consortium led by the University of Maryland to enhance the use of satellite data in decision making related to food security and agriculture. We will also target its use in more general land cover, land use and change (LCLUC) classification applications such as earth system simulations at the NASA Center for Climate Simulation.

Fresh vegetable industry regional forecasting of amounts of different specialty crops.

Surface Level Pressure measurements will greatly improve hurricane forecasts (intensification and track predictions) and provide direct measurement of fundamental meteorological dynamics using instruments such as differential absorption radar.  A critical component is the TX/RX duplexing switch that must be low loss (<0.5dB), high isolation (>35dB) and power handling of 2W.  The low loss is necessary for radar performance (EIRP and G/T) while the isolation is needed to protect the receiver LNA from the transmitter pulse.  State of the art solid state switch technology such as PIN diodes are inadequate due to high loss (>1 dB) and insufficient power handling.

MWS, LLC proposes to develop a V-band (65-70 GHz) latching ferrite switch by using self-biased ferrite materials with a high internal magnetic anisotropy in a circulating Y-junction. A momentary and reversible magnetization field is applied to the ferrite to change the rotation direction of the circulation effecting the SPDT switch. 

A commercial source of millimeter wave magnetic latching circulators would have benefits to both NASA and the remote sensing and weather radar industry for redundancy switching for mission critical applications and for cloud/precipitation radars.  The switches developed will be useful in SmallSat/CubeSat applications due their small size and low average power consumption.

The development of this V band switch and a series of these covering the other millimeter wave bands would be a useful component in the remote sensing and weather radar industry. In addition, these would also find application in other DOD relevant systems. Commercial and military communications satellites would benefit from the V-Band switch development as a compact low loss redundancy switch. 

Abstract: We are proposing to develop a SiC DC-DC power electronic interface for driving a stepper motor, which is capable of operating at high temperature (>400^oC). We propose to use a non-inverting buck-boost (NIBB) power converter to convert battery voltage to a fixed DC link. This work takes account of detailed design considerations on the power stage consisting of (i) a switching circuit and (ii) SiC gate drivers with minimized parasitics and false turn-on protection. For the voltage gain regulation purpose, an analog-to-digital conversion interface along with a digital control logic will be designed and implemented in our research. In the Phase 1 program we will design and fabricate key components of the SiC DC-DC  converter. These key components are a SiC CMOS Oscillator for providing switching to the SiC power devices. We will also design and fabricate the power switching devices integrated onto a single die, as well as the MOSFET gate driver circuit which applies current to the MOSFET power switches. All these circuits will be fabricated in SiC to take advantage of the wide bandgap semiconductor’s ability to operate at high temperatures. In addition to the semiconductor itself, it is necessary to have interconnects and contacts that can also withstand high temperatures. We are adopting earlier techniques involving TaSi₂ to our CMOS process to achieve a complete high temperature process. These high temperature methods will be applied to fabricated test structures and components of the DC-DC converter.

High temperature SiC based power converters have wide applications in space (both inside and outside the spacecrafts), especially with respect to high temperature environments such as Venus and solar probes. The high temperature operation of SiC obviates the need for significant cooling, thus reducing the weight and volume of related electronics leaving more room for scientific payloads and reducing the cost. Applications include actuators, motors, inverters and power supplies.

High temperature electronics is potentially a huge market. SiC can operate at temperatures in excess of 400°C, which is beyond that of silicon.  Applications for SiC-based electronics include furnaces, jet engines, rocket engines, and automobiles, including their exhaust systems.  SiC electronics also obviate need for large cooling systems, reducing weight and form factor.

Navitas proposes a Phase I program to develop and demonstrate a long cycle life cathode for lithium sulfur batteries.  The cathode is based on a novel engineered pore structure host material that will deliver advanced performance through the following features: (1) Hierarchical pore structure with pore volume to accommodate high sulfur/polysulfide loading; (2) Electronic conductivity to enable high utilization of sulfur; and (3) High affinity to both sulfur and polysulfides to minimize sulfur dissolution.  Phase I will demonstrate a lithium-sulfur cell with a cathode design able to reach >500 cycles with projected specific energy >400 Wh/kg.  Phase II will develop >6Ah prismatic pouch cells to TRL 6 with >1000 cycle life (80% capacity) and demonstrated specific energy >400 Wh/g.  If successful, the proposed technology will at least double the cycle life of lithium sulfur batteries and advance beyond state of the art (<200 cycles) to address the key limitation for space applications. 

With improved cycle life, lithium sulfur batteries will meet multi-use/cross platform space energy storage application requirements.  Successful deployment would result in significant mass and volume savings and operational flexibility.  Potential applications include long duration energy storage for lunar surface operations such as landers, habitats and rovers.  The weight savings and safety of lithium sulfur batteries will be beneficial in large surface energy storage systems which may range from 500 kWh on Mars to 14 MWh on the moon.

The Navitas lithium sulfur battery will provide an advantage to end users through improved battery energy density/cost and by reducing the battery size/price vs. established lithium ion batteries.   Early adopters are small unmanned aerial systems, electric & hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion, and consumer electronics manufacturers. Ultimately a share of the electric vehicle battery market also.

SynaptiCAD, in a NASA SBIR which ended in 2015 (contract NNX15CP26P), created a software environment which facilitated the creation of engineering models, subsystems which use those models, and integration of the subsystems into a coherent system model which could then be executed using a time & event simulator based on SystemVerilog. The work was continued under an Air Force SBIR which emphasized system of systems (SoS) and acausal simulation. SynaptiCAD proposes to enhance this modeling and simulation environment with functionality designed to improve collaboration, multi-fidelity modeling, and analysis of architectural variants. These three themes follow each other naturally and form a nucleus around which to build a highly scalable complex systems design toolset. Collaboration will include the use of web-based libraries so multiple parties can work concurrently on models, subsystems, or system simulations. Multi-fidelity modeling will feature tools to replace models of differing fidelity, map variables automatically between fidelity levels, and wizards to help the user perform these tasks. The toolset will be able to introspect the system being developed to discern its architecture and allow trade studies to take place by varying architectural parameters. The proposed environment will be designed flexibly, to accommodate future insertion into 3rd party workflows such as MBSE/SysML. The use of time & event simulation will provide the mission planner with a comprehensive understanding of a proposed spacecraft in relation to its scientific mission at an early conceptual stage and extending throughout its life. The same simulation tool will be usable in later stages of design given its ability to manage multiple layers of fidelity and the associated collaboration features undergirding this capability. The tool will provide a rigorous understanding of the science potential of a mission vs. cost, risk, schedule, and other programmatic factors.

Complex design projects will benefit across the spectrum of NASA Science, Space Technology, Human Exploration and Operations, and Aeronautics. Future missions such as LUVOIR, HabEx and Lynx would especially benefit. The proposed technology benefits a wide range of user roles: management support, science mission planning, engineering, fault analysis, etc. Initial applications will include satellite systems, telescope design, and robotic exploration. A strong role is anticipated at centers that already use MBSE technology (e.g. JPL, GSFC).

Beyond NASA, applications will be focused primarily on the aerospace and defense sector where the DoD and prime contractors, such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, have already indicated an interest in these capabilities. After establishing penetration in A&D, SynaptiCAD will pursue secondary markets such as automobiles, heavy equipment, and shipbuilding. Siemens has shown some interest in this idea.

In Subtopic Z4.01, NASA has identified a critical need for lightweight structures and advanced materials for deep-space exploration.  International Scientific has developed a number of advanced multifunctional materials to protect against the hazards of space radiation, including protons, alpha particles and heavy ions from galactic cosmic rays and other ions from solar particle events.  In order to raise the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of these advanced polymeric radiation-shielding materials, International Scientific Technologies, Inc. proposes to develop an active-monitoring experimental package for use on the MISSE-FF platform.  Phase I Technical Objectives include identification of advanced lightweight materials and structures for use in the active monitoring of radiation-shield effectiveness, selection of active radiation detectors/dosimeters for measurement of radiation-shielding effectiveness on the exterior of the International Space Station, and design of active experimental package on MISSE-FF for space-radiation shielding-effectiveness study.  The anticipated results of the Phase I research program is the design for a flight-qualified MISSE radiation-shielding demonstration to advance the TRL of polymeric radiation-shielding materials to facilitate commercialization. 

NASA directorates that can use the proposed space radiation-shielding technology are the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD), and Science Mission Directorate (SMD).  Other programs that can benefit using this technology include the Flight Opportunities Program (FOP), International Space Station Program (ISSP), Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) Program, and In-space Robotic Manufacturing and Assembly (IRMA) Project.

The DoD and DHS will find applications that include protection of soldiers, first responders and emergency medical personnel against radiation resulting from so-called dirty bombs as well as from hazards brought about through accidental release of radiological materials. Workers in medical and industrial facilities will also benefit from shielding garments having reduced weight and thermal stress.

Makel Engineering, Inc. (MEI), John Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and Wesleyan University (WU) propose to develop the Venus In-Situ Mineralogy Reaction Array (VIMRA) Sensor Platform.  VIMRA is a harsh environment sensor array suitable for measuring reactions of Venus gases with surface minerals using a platform which could be part of the science instrument payload for planetary landers such as the Long Lived In-Situ Solar System Explorer (LLISSE.)  The platform will be developed to accommodate a variety of minerals of interest on the surface of Venus.  In addition, VIMRA can be used on Venus simulation chambers such as NASA Glenn Extreme Environment Rig (GEER) for extended durations to support fundamental science. 

The goal of Phase I is to develop and demonstrate the sensor platform operation in Venus simulated surface environments using the APL Venus Environment Chamber (AVEC). Phase I of the program will focus on design and demonstration of sensor material systems and sensing capability with several mineral types of interest for Venus. The electric measurements on the array of minerals could provide information on the type and rate of gas-solid reactions and thus constrain type and rate of atmospheric gas interactions with the minerals in the array.   Prototype mineral sensors will be fabricated and tested in Phase I to demonstrate the technology to TRL 4 by testing in relevant laboratory conditions.  In Phase II, the VIMRA sensor platform will be combined with SiC electronics to provide a high temperature capable payload suitable for extended operation on the surface of Venus.  The proposed VIMRA will complement recent and ongoing efforts on the development of harsh environment instruments suitable for atmospheric analysis in future Venus missions, addressing a technology gap by developing sensors to monitor mineral/gas reactions.

VIMRA coupled with ongoing high temperature electronics development supports the Decadal Survey finding that the Venus In-situ Explorer mission is a New Frontiers high priority mission.  VIMRA complements measurement systems targeted in the 2009 Venus Flagship Mission Study (e.g., GC-MS, nephelometers, cameras/optical detectors).  The technology can be leveraged for less extreme environments (e.g. desiccated/hydrated minerals in Mars), other harsh environment planetary systems (Mercury), and long-term surface reactions (space weathering.)

Beyond, NASA, the technology can be used to determine material compatibility with reactive environments, and real time corrosion sensing in harsh gas environments such as molten salt bath headspace, combustors, and clean coal plants.

Astrobotic proposes the development and prototyping of a low Size, Weight and Power, Performance, and Cost (SWaP-PC) visual navigation system capable of implementing industry standard visual navigation methods such as Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) or visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). The system components will provide a compact form factor fitting within approximately 1U (10 x 10 x 10 cm), weight less than 2 kg, and require less than 5W to power, enabling its use in power constrained applications such as CubeSats and SmallSats. The system’s interfacing would be designed to allow for flexibility of usage as either a part of a larger navigation solution or a standalone sensor on a small exploration spacecraft. A Xilinx Zynq 7020 System-on-Chip will be integrated into a larger system that includes a camera and IMU. This system will be used to test a version of Astrobotic’s Terrain Relative Navigation (TRN) algorithm modified to utilize Xilinx Zynq 7020 processing capabilities and balance performance with the computational limits of the low SWaP system.

• CubeSat and SmallSat applications
• Mission infusion for low SWaP exploration missions

• Landing of reusable launch vehicles 
• Satellite maintenance and refueling 
• Commercial lunar landing vehicles

Recent advances in computing enable Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) to conduct high quality missions with the implicit promise of lower cost and effort than manned aircraft. However, a lack of methods, architectures, and tools to enable verification, validation, and certification of UAS flight control systems is a major technological barrier to widespread adoption of UAS in civil aviation and NASA research.

Our innovation, Safety Assurance through Flight envelope Estimation in Real-time (SAFER), establishes trust through real-time estimation of safe and robust flight envelope boundaries and providing feedback and command limiting to keep the UAS within those boundaries. We propose to estimate these boundaries with an independent hardware module, requiring only effector commands as input, and enabling any UAS to meet verification, validation, and certification requirements.

Internally, our system will consist of an Inertial Measurement Unit, Global Navigation Satellite System receiver, and a processor. A cascaded set of Extended Kalman Filters will estimate inertial and synthetic air data states from IMU and GNSS data. Real-time identification and estimation methods will use these states to identify and estimate highly accurate and globally valid aircraft models, which will be used to estimate flight envelope boundaries and flight control system stability margins. Stability margins will be projected to the flight envelope boundaries to identify the envelope with adequate stability margins. Effector command limiting and feedback will be provided to keep the UAS within the stable and robust flight envelope boundaries.

Phase I will establish feasibility through developing a prototype system and testing in simulation and flight test. Phase II is expected to mature the technologies and integrate low risk components. With an independent estimator of states, stability, and flight envelope boundaries, many potential applications exist within civil aviation and NASA research.

1. Enables any UAS to meet verification, validation, and certification requirements, dramatically lowering the time and cost of flight research and NASA Earth Science remote sensing.

2. Independent estimation of state data for rapid control system development and strap-down flight data recording.

3. Estimation of flight envelope boundaries for increased situational awareness and safety.

4. Independent estimation of flight envelope enables advanced and autonomous flight termination systems.

1. Enables any UAS to meet verification, validation, and certification requirements, including current UAS and non-deterministic systems.

2. Independent estimation and recording of state data, stability, and flight envelope for post-incident analysis and as a monitor for UAS insurance companies.

3. Estimation of incipient stall and flutter for increased situational awareness and safety.

Novel aircraft concepts enable a future Air Transportation System (ATS) with reduced emissions, reduced noise, improved mobility, and radically new modes of transportation, such as urban air taxis, autonomous deliveries of goods, and improved weather and ground traffic monitoring. The future ATS will need to support an incredibly diverse set of vehicles operating from urban vertiports in addition to conventional airfields.

Approach and landing systems were originally designed for tube and wing aircraft operating between large airfields with long, clear approach paths free from obstacles. Similar performance characteristics across the fleet enabled the creation and publication of standardized approach and landing trajectories. Future aircraft, especially those designed for high cruise efficiency, may not be capable of meeting standardized approach and landing performance criteria.

Urban air mobility concepts typically require small vertiports without clear approach paths increasing the likelihood of encountering wind shear and turbulence during approach and landing. Low wing loaded and disc loaded vehicles, which include many future air vehicle concepts, are more susceptible to turbulence and face larger deviations from the desired trajectory in turbulent conditions.

We propose researching, developing, and commercializing an innovative solution to these challenges called the Performance-based Approach and Landing System (PALS). PALS will use information about the air vehicle’s performance and estimates of current turbulence and wind shear levels to autonomously create safe performance-based trajectories for approach and landing. PALS will be able to estimate and control the aircraft’s future position along the generated trajectory to coordinate with air traffic control or directly with other aircraft. PALS is a key component in enabling a future air transportation system consisting of a diverse set of vehicles operating from urban vertiports and conventional airfields.

• Testbed supporting development and validation of future ATS technologies in a relevant flight environment.
• Enables NASA researchers to gather critical flight data on improving interoperability of diverse aircraft sets.
• Supports trajectory sharing to simulated air traffic control and aircraft-to-aircraft conflict resolution and sequencing.
• Reduced workload and improved performance for conducting surveys and remote sensing for NASA Earth Science. Improved data post-processing and georeferencing.

• Performance-based approach and landing system for manned aircraft. Reduced fuel consumption and noise from commercial aviation.
• Performance-based approach and landing system for UAS. Improved UAS approach and landing performance, reduced operating area required for UAS, and decreased likelihood of damage resulting from the approach and landing task.

We propose to build and critically test a TRL4 High Access Raman Probe with Onboard Optical Numerization (HARPOON), a nextgeneration ultra-compact laser Raman Spectrometer equipped with multiplexed fiber optic sensing points.

HARPOON's core unit, hosted inside the spacecraft, contains the laser, spectrometer, and electronic modules. The core unit serves two miniature Raman heads, which enable both external and internal close-up analyses: (1) A Raman head integrated at the end of a robotic arm, lander leg, or telescopic boom for close-up in-situ, surface analyses; and (2) An internal Raman head that performs on-line analysis of samples delivered to a spacecraft's analytical laboratory. The heads house light focusing and collection optics and autofocus, and are connected to the core unit via fiber optics bundles.

HARPOON boasts an innovative combination of adaptive spatial coding optics and detector that enables unique measurements: in-situ chemical identification and quantitation of complex organic compounds, including pre-biotic compounds (e.g., amino acids); biomolecules (organic biomarkers such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acid polymers); minerals; salts; volatiles. In Phase 1 we will develop and integrate key subsystems of HARPOON and critically evaluate its performance using standards. We will demonstrate the ability of HARPOON to perform novel, dual-probe Raman astrobiological analysis in landed spacecraft. Thus, we directly address the SBIR Topic S1.11 request: “development of in-situ instrument technologies and components to advance the maturity of science instruments focused on the detection of evidence of life, especially extant of life, in the Ocean Worlds … Technologies that reduce mass, power, volume, and data rates for instruments and instrument components without loss of scientific capability are of particular importance … technologies that can increase instrument resolution and sensitivity or achieve new & innovative scientific measurements.”

HARPOON enables key investigations required to understand the habitability of several targets in the Solar System. The following missions highlighted can benefit from HARPOON: a) landed exploration missions to Venus, Moon, Mars, Europa, Titan, comets, and asteroids; b) sample return missions to Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids. HARPOON may be used to identify and map available planetary in-situ resources, and to spur the development of autonomous ISRU devices for robotic and human missions

HARPOON responds to critical challenges at the scientific/engineering boundaries of highly sensitive in-situ sensing including characterizing materials, qualitatively, quantitatively, in real-time, and non-destructively. Thus, HARPOON has high potential to impact: Health and environment monitoring; Forensic analyses; Ocean sensing; and Natural resources exploration and development.

Significant risks result from the plume-surface interaction during propulsive landings on unprepared regolith in extra-terrestrial environments. Dust and debris particles are liberated and may strike the landing vehicle and surrounding assets and may obscure ground observation for safe landing. In addition, craters are formed on the landing surface, posing an additional challenge to vehicle stability and surface operations. CFDRC has developed the Gas-Granular Flow Solver (GGFS) capable of simulating the multi-phase gas-particle interaction and the complex physics within the regolith compositions found on Moon and Mars. Eulerian-Eulerian models are applied to efficiently model the gas and particle phases as continuum fluids. This capability has successfully been introduced into NASA project applications for Mars lander development.  With the current focus on returning to the Moon in the near future, this plume-surface effects simulation capability must now be applied in the lunar vacuum environments. In this case, a mixed continuum/rarefied approach must be used to properly simulate the gas-phase dynamics. This project will combine existing capabilities for gas-granular flows with mixed continuum/rarefied gas flows into a coupled toolset using a novel micro/macro coupling approach. This combination facilitates a local switch to continuum or rarefied gas flow in a seamless automated process. During Phase I, the mixed continuum-rarefied gas flow capability will be implemented and its influence on the particle phase response demonstrated. A plan will be devised for modeling the reverse effects of the particle phase on the state of the mixed rarefied gas phase. A list of required validation cases for this new capability and suitable experimental facilities will be identified to generate validation data in Phase II. Phase II effort will complete implementation of all models and perform extensive validation and application demonstrations.

Potential NASA commercial applications include all NASA led lunar lander development projects. Small commercial lander activities and NASA sponsored instrument payloads under the CLEPS program will require accurate definition of the plume-particle distribution environment below the landers near the surface encountered by the landers and the payload instruments. The development of medium/large size robotic and human class landers, in the context of the Lunar Gateway outpost, will require detailed information on plume-surface interaction risks.

Potential non-NASA applications include mixing in pharmaceutical industries, where flow and heat transfer through particle beds can force local conditions to be non-continuum due to the small length scales. The tool will be relevant to multiple applications that encounter ablation through porous media in low-pressure environments such as terminal high-altitude National Missile Defense vehicles.

The liberation of dust and debris particles caused by rocket plume flow from spacecraft landing on the unprepared regolith of the Moon, Mars, and other extra-terrestrial destinations poses a high risk for robotic and human exploration activities. This regolith particle flow induced by a spacecraft landing occurs in a combination of “extreme environments” that combine low gravity, little or no atmosphere, with rocket exhaust gas flow that is supersonic and partially rarefied, and unusual mechanical properties of the regolith. Of these environmental factors, characterizing the regolith granular material fluidic behavior and gas-granular interactions is the most complex and least developed. In the proposed effort an integrated project team consisting of CFD Research, University of Michigan and Johns Hopkins University will develop an integrated approach for developing a combined measurement and modeling methodology to further improve accuracy of the gas granular flow solvers used for analysis and design by NASA engineers. Targeted experiments will be conducted to analyze gas-particle flows in high-speed and low-speed dilute conditions on both monodisperse and polydisperse particulate mixtures. Crucial data for model validation such as particle velocity fluctuations, particle concentrations and bulk velocities will be obtained. Subsequently, model improvements will be made for both, Eulerian-Lagrangian and Eulerian two-fluid simulation approaches and improved capabilities demonstrated. Particular effort will be made toward advancing the granular phase constitutive relations the numerical framework relies upon for polydisperse compressible flows.

Potential NASA commercial applications include all Lunar and Mars lander development projects and missions landing on asteroids and other objects. Mars lander plume-surface analysis will be provided to propulsive Entry, Descent, Landing and Ascent systems integration teams. Lunar lander customers include small commercial landers and instrument payloads under the CLEPS program. Robotic precursors and human landers operating from the Lunar Gateway Station will require landing debris environments risk analysis for landers and surrounding assets.

Potential non-NASA applications include a wide range of sand and dust related military and civilian applications such as rotorcraft sand/dust brownout and engine dust ingestion. In addition, multiphase flows occur in many applications in chemical, and fossil-energy conversion industries where accurate modeling of particle shape play a huge role in the flow behavior of real particulate systems.

Fission power systems (FPS) are a candidate power source for long duration NASA surface missions to the Moon and Mars, and offer significant advantages over competing options, including longer life, operational robustness, and mission flexibility. Electronics associated with the power conversion and power management and distribution (PMAD) systems in FPS have to operate reliably under high temperature (100s of deg C), high power (1-10 kWe), and severe radiation. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising solution with superior electronic properties for power applications. SiC devices offer higher temperature operation, higher breakdown voltages, and higher power conversion efficiency than silicon devices. However, vulnerability to heavy-ion induced failure and uncertainty in response to nuclear radiation are challenges facing FPS applications of SiC technology. CFDRC, Vanderbilt University and Wolfspeed propose a modeling and experiment-based approach using commercial SiC technology to address this challenge. In Phase I, we will use the Geant4/MRED radiation transport code to calculate the actual neutron and gamma dose experienced by FPS electronics, derive corresponding inputs and perform TCAD modeling of SiC power diodes and MOSFETs for insight into physical mechanisms behind their response, and develop detailed radiation testing plans. We will perform x-ray testing of SiC power devices (100-1000 kRad(Si)) to obtain total dose response data. In Phase II, we will perform additional neutron, gamma, and heavy-ion tests to characterize the response of SiC devices and selected circuit versus temperature and bias. We will leverage parallel projects to analyze heavy-ion induced single-event effects in SiC diodes and MOSFETs. TCAD and mixed-mode modeling will be done to further understand radiation and temperature-dependent mechanisms and to investigate design solutions for increased radiation tolerance. Promising solutions will be prototyped, tested, and delivered to NASA.

Space qualified, high voltage/high temperature power electronics is aligned, per the NASA Space Power and Energy Storage Roadmap - TA 03, with science and exploration missions. Nuclear radiation- and high temperature-tolerant SiC power electronics supports kilowatt-class fission systems and is an enabling technology for missions to the Moon and Mars to support in-situ resource utilization experiments, pre-crew surface stations, etc. Modeling tools for power system devices will provide a Cross-Cutting Technology applicable to all NASA missions.

Space qualified SiC power electronics will find application in power systems in commercial satellites and DoD space systems (communication, surveillance, missile defense). High-voltage SiC devices are promising for PMAD systems in all-electric and hybrid cars, grid-scale energy storage, wind/solar systems, off-grid power systems (crewed vehicles and habitats), geothermal drill sites, etc.

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to develop a solar concentrator system for lunar In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) applications. In this system solar radiation is collected using a 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 lunar regolith. Key features of the proposed system are:

1.   Highly concentrated solar radiation (10³~ Colozza, Anthony, Heller, Richard, Wong, Wayne and Hepp, Aloysius, “Solar Energy System for Lunar Oxygen Generation” NASA/TM – 2010-216219, AIAA-20101166, April, 2010.10⁴ suns) can be transmitted via the flexible OW transmission line directly to the thermal receiver for oxygen production from lunar regolith;

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 multiple lunar ISRU processes.

PSI proposes to develop component and subsystem technologies for the solar concentrator system for lunar ISRU applications including: oxygen extraction from lunar regolith; lunar regolith processing for surface stabilization; and manufacturing of building blocks for in-situ lunar construction. The specific technical objectives of the proposed Phase I program are:

(1)  Develop and evaluate the design concept for the key components of the solar concentrator system to be transported, deployed and operated on the lunar surface; and

(2)  Develop the lunar dust removal method applicable to the solar concentrator system for lunar ISRU applications.

The primary application of the proposed solar concentrator system is for the production of oxygen and other useful materials on the lunar surface. The solar concentrator system can be used for sintering lunar regolith for surface stabilization and construction. In addition, the system can be used for thermal or electric power generation and plant lighting and illumination for the lunar base. Therefore, the solar concentrator system is the key enabling technology for building up the infrastructure for the lunar base.

There are a number of terrestrial uses for the solar concentrator system related to heating applications including water heating (for domestic and industrial usage), transportable heat source for the detoxification of contaminated soil, heat engine for small power plants and industrial process heat. Also concentrator subsystems may find applications for building and indoor plant growth lighting.

The most promising systems for implementing long range, high bandwidth, Free Space Optical Communication (FSOC) links for deep space missions rely on fiber-based transmitter architectures.  While such systems offer benefits in power conversion efficiency, size, weight, and cost (SWaP-C), these systems generally lack modularity due to a lack of high power fiber connectors and switch gear.  Due to the specialized equipment and training needed splice fiber components, this lack of modularity confounds the installation of fiber systems through various mechanical interfaces, and makes field repair of an integrated fiber system nearly impossible.

To address these issues, Q-Peak proposes to develop an environmentally insensitive, low insertion loss, expanded beam fiber connector with high average and peak power handling (>100W, and >100kW respectively).  Q-Peak is well positioned to achieve such high levels of transmitted power by leveraging novel opto-mechanical technologies which were developed in a number of recent efforts to achieve similarly high power connectors for flight applications at both short and Mid-IR wavelengths.

Such a connector will widely benefit all sectors of the fiber laser industry.  By enabling modular construction of laser subsystems, it will be possible to qualify high power fiber components ex-situ, thus drastically improving first-pass yields.  For medical and industrial applications, a common laser source can be more easily paired with multiple tools.  Such flexible use of laser sources will help to make laser technology more economically viable to a wider variety of industries.

This technology can be used in the assembly, testing, and integration of high power fiber laser systems for FSOC applications as in the solicitation.  Other potential NASA applications are power distribution for laser tools and appliances, as used for cutting, welding, stripping, 3D printing, and other tasks by connecting tool to source using a fiber optic cable assembly.  Power supplied remotely from the laser source through hermetic bulkhead fittings might find use in on-orbit and landed EVA environments.

Industrial, dental & medical lasers-Tool changing, source multiplexing

Directed energy-Field replaceable amplifiers, isolators, combiners, etc.

Missile defense-Source distribution thru airframe

Telecommunications-Power distribution in satellite bus in FSOC systems for satellite internet

Fiber laser manufacturing-Facilitate QC on low yield devices, Reduce time to market, Fiber device intercompatibility

Current fault detection and correction techniques require either an operator-in-the-loop to identify and respond to on-board satellite anomalies or a hard-coded, rules-based fault response tree to algorithmically respond to triggers and perform corrections or escalate the fault. Both processes consume time and resources from system engineers or ground operators and are unlikely to identify novel patterns in onboard data and telemetry that signify a fault event. Orbit Logic proposes the Fault Learning Agent for Prediction, Protection, and Early Response (FLAPPER) solution, to be implemented as a pair of Specialized Autonomy Planning Agents (SAPAs) that expand our onboard Autonomous Planning System (APS) architecture to include machine learning capable of detecting, isolating, and mitigating anomalies in real- or near-real-time with minimal ground intervention. FLAPPER will analyze a subset of onboard spacecraft health and safety data and telemetry to train against and later autonomously detect and categorize spacecraft faults. Categorized faults will then be mapped to acceptable corrective action responses to be carried out autonomously or with expert oversight from operators given the inferred data. Transitioning the fault detection and correction capabilities to an autonomous and onboard application will benefit the mission’s success by reducing the time the spacecraft spends in anomalous states.

The FLAPPER solution has the potential to be applied to human exploration, deep space, un-manned exploration, and any additional spacecraft missions. As long as the spacecraft supports hardware/software, the spacecraft can benefit from the proposed Fault Management technology.

The FLAPPER solution has the potential for application aboard any non-NASA spacecraft, watercraft, factories, data centers, automobiles and even at home (A/C units, hot water heaters, etc.). Benefits can be seen in all machinery or monitored components to mitigate faults as well as warn the user if a system is degrading and may require maintenance.

According to a recent Grand View Research report, the global 3D bioprinting market size was valued at USD 965.0 million in 2018 and is anticipated to grow at over 19.5% for the next 10 years. This includes all aspects of medical materials including metals, plastics, ceramics, biomaterials, cells, tissues and organ substitutes.  Advances in bioprinting are gaining importance and the tissues generated will soon become available for transplantation. In parallel, however, the use of human tissue analogs is becoming increasing valuable in drug discovery.  The tissue chip and micro-organ fields are growing at compound annual growth rate exceeding 34%.  These technologies and products are collectively known as organs-on-chips (OOCs). 

OOCs are microfluidic 3D cell culture devices that closely mimic the key physiological functions of body organs. The chips are not designed to mimic an entire organ but simulate the physiology of a single functional unit of an organ system. They have resulted from scientific advances in cell biology, microfabrication and microfluidics which allow the emulation of the human micro environment in vitro. This unique feature of OOCs is made possible by integrating biology with advanced engineering technologies such as bioprinting. Human OOCs are miniaturized versions of lungs, livers, kidneys, heart, brain, intestines and other vital human organs embedded in a chip.

The OOC and bioprinting fields are intrinsically linked and many groups, including Techshot researchers, are looking to leverage bioprinting OOCs to circumvent fundamental structural challenges faced in the race to bioprint large-scale organs for research and discovery.  To this end, Techshot has designed and built the first multi-head, ISS resident bioprinter with culture capability. The methods and system we are proposing here could print micro-organs in this facility to address the emerging OOC market and exploit the unique research potentials in microgravity.

Techshot will offer the Organ-on-a-Chip (OOC) manufacturing capability to microgravity researchers and NASA’s Exploration Medicine Capability (ExMC) element. Personalized medicine and basic research are possible with OOCs to improve astronauts’ health and predict the physiological changes that occur with long-term space exposure. This OOC in-space manufacturing capability could help enable human pioneering beyond low earth orbit.

Applications involve drug testing and individualized drug responses.  The FDA is striving to reduce the dependency on animal and human clinical experimentation.  Billions are spent on drugs that fail in efficacy trials. By understanding OOCs, humanized systems can evaluate drug responses to specific diseases or chips unique to individual patients can be made to evaluate treatment regimens.

In this proposal we will develop key enabling components of, environmentally ruggedized, smaller size, radiation hardened and higher precision inertial navigations sensors.  Such sensors are necessary for various future NASA applications. These applications include scientific exploration of earth, the planets, moons, comets, and asteroids of our solar system using smaller and lower cost spacecraft to meet multiple mission requirements. We propose a new approach for the design and fabrication of miniaturized Fiber Optical Gyroscopes (FOGs) that can operate without degradation of performance during exposure to extreme space environmental conditions, including 10 M-rad total dose as expected in the Jovian mission, as well as the high vibration experienced during  launch, landing and surface explorations. Our proposed gyros enable the production of an environmentally robust, radiation hardened IMU, with enhanced bias performance and substantially reduced noise (ARW) of 0.002 deg/rt-hr at a volume smaller than 33 cubic inche and 0.02 deg/rt-hr with < 20 cubic inch IMU

NASA missions such as JUICE (ESA), Europa, LWS, Sun Orbiter (PARKER), SDO, IRIS, Van Allen probes, DAWN and more require a prolong exposure to radiation. Other missions may encounter severe vibration and shock operational environment (SLS, Orion). Our system offers the possibility of supporting such missions with smaller size, higher performance inertial system offering significant performance improvements over the state of the art for spacecraft navigation, attitude determination and control.

The technology can benefit many commercial programs, supporting smaller size space-crafts and longer mission duration. The DoD Navigational and high-end tactical market is also an expanding constantly pushing for higher performance and smaller size. The radiation hardened, ruggedized solution could be especially advantageous for various MDA applications such as CKV, THAAD, MKV and AEGIS.

NASA is seeking to develop real-time realistic nondestructive evaluation (NDE) and structural health monitoring (SHM) physics-based simulations and automated data reduction/analysis methods for large datasets. We propose the combination of a neural network approach with a traditional finite element simulation to generate realistic thermal-based NDE methods for precise determination of structural defects such as cracks, delaminations, and ageing. The proposed approach will allow simulating the structural behavior of complex structures and different types of materials, including any metal alloy and composites. Although the method will be first developed to simulate thermal-based measurements such as thermography, flash thermography, and vibrothermography, the framework could be expanded to other domains including, ultrasonic, microwave, Terahertz, and X-ray. The proposed method has the potential to reduce simulation time by 2 orders of magnitude and an increase the compression rate by 2 orders of magnitude also. Due to the machine learning approach of the method, the accuracy and reliability will increase overtime as the number of validated experimental data increases.

The method will improve the quantitative data interpretation and understanding of large amounts of NDE/SHM data that will lead to safer, more robust, and more enduring structures operating in space. Performance prediction and defect characterization will also be greatly improved, leading to more efficient and timely maintenance operations and scheduling, which will also reduce costs.

Because of the capability of real-time realistic simulations, a software package could be integrated as a plugin in popular computational software such as COMSOL. The method could also be implemented in current existing commercially available NDE setups (flash thermography and vibrothermography) to provide robust extraction of defect features virtually any type of experimental setup.

Space energy storage systems are required to enable/enhance the capabilities of future planetary science missions. Venus aerial and surface missions pose challenges for energy storage systems where the temperature and pressure can be up to 460 Celsius and 92 bars, respectively. Therefore, high temperature batteries are significantly needed for future long duration Venus missions. Lynntech proposes to develop high temperature all solid-state Fluoride-ion batteries (FIB) using a solid-state electrolyte, and high capacity electrodes with excellent chemical and thermal compatibility with the electrolyte. Lynntech’s advanced all solid-state batteries can provide high energy, high power, and long life with high safety and reliability over a wide temperature range of 150 to 500 Celsius. During Phase I, Lynntech will assess the viability of the most promising electrodes and electrolyte formulation, determine the performance of components in full cells, and deliver lab-scale cells to NASA. During Phase II, Lynntech will optimize the components and prototype cells to meet NASA’s cell performance goals. The advanced high temperature all solid-state Li-ion batteries can provide significant mass and volume savings, as well as operational flexibility for NASA exploration missions.

High temperature all solid-state FIB batteries have shown promise to increase the energy density, power density, life, and safety over a wide temperature range of energy storage systems for NASA applications at high operation temperatures for inner terrestrial surface and low altitude and other systems. Additional NASA applications would include satellites, remote power equipment, telecommunications systems, remote sensors, detection devices where solar concentration heating can be harnessed.

High temperature all solid-state fluoride ion batteries can provide improved energy density, cycle life, and rate capability of energy storage systems for both commercial and military applications where operation temperatures can be elevated. Commercial applications include hybrid electric vehicles. Military applications include aircraft, military ground vehicles, and grid power systems.

As Space systems become more complex and missions’ objectives become more challenging, with combination of advanced instrumentation, robotic systems and manned spacecraft, there is a clear need to rely on effective tools for performing trade evaluations in a cost-effective way. Currently there are model-based approaches used to develop system design. There is not a process for how to use model-based technology to conduct trade evaluations nor a cohesive toolset that combines the multiple analysis methods used to support trade analysis. Our proposed concept is to provide a model-based process and tool-suite that will support end to end system design trade evaluations, design optimizations and reporting. The proposed tool suite will use model-based system engineering techniques and visuals with a mix of traditional reporting elements: tables, graphs, etc. Our proposed innovation will define a trade space modeling methodology, provide a trade evaluation tool that will run analyses and extract results in a trade study report (with visuals and charts for ease of comparison) and displays results in an interactive user interface for optimization support. Tietronix has extensive experience with model-based systems engineering and fault management engineering that we will leverage. Our concept will provide an environment to integrate multiple evaluation methods into one. The tool suite will reduce the amount of effort to perform a trade evaluation by: 1. minimizing the number of tools used to conduct analysis, 2. auto-generating trade study reports from the model, and 3. allowing optimization capability within the tool to support multiple runs.

NASA future plans for the Lunar Deep Space Gateway and Transport (DSG&T), the multiple modules and the planetary surface habitats, will be able to benefit from the envisioned tool suite. Additionally, potential Moon landers as well as multiple types of advanced robotics systems are potential users of our concept.  Other NASA projects for the development of different subsystems such advanced life support systems, Crew Health and Performance system, advanced space suits can use the method and tools we will develop.

Any complex system in the defense community or in the commercial world will benefit from trade study methodology and supporting tools based on the MBSE approach. The potential targets include any type of Cyber Physical Systems such as UAV/UCAV in the DoD and advanced autonomous vehicles, and power plant systems In the commercial world.

The near-term goal for NASA’s Moon to Mars campaign is the delivery of payloads to the Moon for scientific study and the advancement of technology capabilities to support sustained long-term lunar surface operations.  Lightweight, reliable and energy dense power generation and energy storage systems are key enabling technologies to support such long duration lunar mission.  Rechargeable secondary batteries with high specific energy of > 400 Wh/kg are specifically required to support planetary rovers, landers, and probes.  Lynntech proposes to combine Li metal anode with Lynntech’s high capacity cathode work to potentially achieve high specific energy numbers up to 500 Wh/kg at the cell level.  The Phase I project will work on addressing the safety and reliability of the Li metal anode based battery design.  The phase I will focus on demonstration in relevant pouch cell format.  The Phase II will demonstrate the battery at relevant scale for select application such as unpressurized lunar rover.

Apart from the targeted lunar surface mission support for rovers, landers, crew exploration vehicles and habitats, the proposed energy dense lithium ion batteries will find use in multiple NASA applications such as satellites or orbiters (LEO, GEO, HEO and planetary), astronaut equipment and EVA suites.

Proposed batteries will find military and space applications such as soldier power, communication systems, weapons systems, remote sensors, detection devices and UAVs.  Specific benefits for military include extended duration missions and improved capabilities.  Private sector applications include electric vehicles, auxiliary power units, and consumer electronic devices. 

A novel injector is proposed in response to "Robust design solutions for liquid oxygen injection and subsequent stable combustion with high temperature (5100 Rankine / 2850 K) hydrogen flowing at low pressure (3-15 psia) and high velocity (~Mach 0.2)" subtopic, listed under "Advanced Propulsion Systems Ground Test Technology" focus area.  This injector features fully 3D-printed Liquid Oxygen (LOX)-centered swirl coaxial design with high-speed hydrogen flowing peripherally and impinging axially on central LOX conical spray.  We believe that due to ability of the center swirl element to atomize LOX to a fine degree and penetrate into Gaseous Hydrogen (GH) free stream, this injector would be able to ignite with hot GH without a separate ignition system, and sustain combustion thereafter in a stable and efficient manner.  Because of its potential to be easily tunable in response to combustion dynamics observed in operation, we expect to develop this injector for a stable operation at a rapid pace.  This injector can be used in any system flowing hot high-speed hydrogen or hydrogen-rich mixture needed to be burned or neutralized, such as NASA's ground testing of nuclear rocket engines or similar hydrogen-rich combustion devices.  Phase I will focus on technical feasibility demonstration and procurement of two sub-scale prototype injectors, with and without premix of LOX-GH propellants upstream of primary combustion zone, completing at TRL 2.  If this project proceeds into Phase II, it will focus on sub-scale and full-scale hot-fire development testing and demonstration, for follow-on commercialization and field operations, completing at TRL 6.         

• NASA Ground testing of nuclear thermal propulsion
• NASA Ground testing of hydrogen rich rocket engines 

• Nuclear reactor coolant hydrogen combustion 
• Liquid air cycle engines - thrust augmentation
• Ram / Scramjet combustion 
• Air-augmented rockets
• Research test article at government and university labs  

Ultrasonic Technology Solutions (UltraTech) aims to extend the application of a unique and ground-breaking drying technology to human waste management processes in the International Space Station (ISS). Human metabolic solid waste (feces) contains 75% water by mass which is currently not recovered on the ISS and is instead transported back to earth. Return transportation of this waste results in significant cost and unneeded payload utilization. Water recovery and stabilization of solid waste is a critical technology gap for long duration human planetary exploration and future missions to the moon and Mars.  In this Phase I SBIR program, our team will complete a feasibility study to remove water from feces with a direct contact ultrasonic drying method that utilizes no heat. Our proposed technology can recover more than 80% of the water from human solid waste. Removing water through the use of ultrasonic drying can potentially reduce the operational cost of space travel and improve crew hygiene and comfort. Excess water in feces adds up to approximately 680 kgs (1,496 lbs.) of unnecessary waste for a 1,000-day mission by a crew of four.  

The direct contact ultrasonic drying technology was invented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The ORNL team demonstrated five times higher drying energy efficiency for clothing (1/5th of the energy input) and two times faster drying rates compared to state-of-the-art residential clothes dryers. The technology also showed strong promise for removing water from liquids and semi-liquid materials, and therefore the application to NASA for feces drying is a strong potential application.  This feces drying application, however needs to be tested through a feasibility study. 

In September 2018, the lead inventor, Dr. Ayyoub Momen, along with a team of seasoned professionals, launched UltraTech and exclusively licensed the direct contact ultrasonic drying technology from ORNL for commercial and industrial fields of use.

Ultra-efficient direct contact drying (using no heat) can be extremely valuable to minimize human solid waste during long-duration space flight and sustained lunar surface operations.  The technology can significantly improve resource sustainability, water recycling, and crew health and hygiene related to metabolic waste (feces).  In support of the Moon to Mars campaign, direct contact ultrasonic drying has the potential to be a valuable technology for unique material drying needs ultimately aiding long-duration human space flight. 

In addition to government applications, Ultrasonic Technology Solutions intends to further develop the technology for industrial and commercial use in a variety of manufacturing applications, for example, paper and pulp drying, biomass drying, chemical powder drying, pharmaceutical processing, and fabric drying.

Deployable Space Systems has developed an innovative deployable solar array for CubeSat and SmallSat applications that offers a 2X increase in deployed solar array area given the very restrictive CubeSat stowed volume when compared to State-of-the-Art (SOA) CubeSat solar array systems.  The basic array structure is also dual-use and can be configured as a deployable radiator. This innovative and simple array design provides a robust, linear solar array deployment, maximizes the amount of solar power that can be deployed from the side of a 3U CubeSat (>50+ W/wing) and is significantly stronger and stiffer than current State-of-the-Art CubeSat-class solar arrays.  The solar array design features a deployable backbone structure for ultra-high deployed strength and stiffness.  All of the solar array components are chosen to minimize the stowed height of the array. Once successfully validated through the proposed Phase 1 and Phase 2 programs, the innovative CubeSat / SmallSat solar array will be mission-enabling for future high-power missions.

NASA applications include future science, exploration and earth observation missions requiring significant advances in CubeSat and SmallSat deployable solar array and/or radiator technology.  The increase in deployed power and extremely small stowage volume of the proposed array system over state-of-the-art technologies is mission enabling for future higher power missions of interest. 

Non-NASA space applications are comprised of practically all missions that require CubeSat class satellites and deployable solar arrays and radiators with increased capacity. The solar array small stowed volume, available power, affordability and configurability attractive for the end user. 

In this project, we build upon decades of magnetometer experience to develop solutions for ultra-long lasting, reliable and accurate magnetometers for space and planetary science applications.

Magnetometers are workhorse instruments in space exploration. Our work aims to bring reliable, accurate sensors to a wealth of applications in space including characterization of Europa.

Reliable, long-lasting atomic magnetometers are of value in geophysical survey and exploration, as well as for national security and defense applications. 

Windhover Labs proposes to create an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) to enable rapid software development of NASA’s Core Flight System (CFS) projects by managing and auto generating flight software configuration and table data, integrating real time commands and telemetry, and providing an integrated scripting engine for testing. Open extensible, flight software combined with a highly integrated development environment will allow manufacturers and researchers to quickly develop, verify, and validate novel design concepts. Windhover Labs has developed a CFS based open-source flight software backbone and ecosystem, called Airliner, for Groups 1 and 2 Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) (less than 55 lbs) that is designed specifically for small Single Board Computer (SBC) based avionics boards. The ecosystem already includes a robust simulation, extensible ground control system, as well as a Python based test automation system. This proposal will develop the integrated development environment that, when combined with Airliner, will facilitate and accelerate the development of the next generation of UASs of all configurations. 

The proposed Integrated Development Environment can also be used by any project that uses Core Flight System (CFS).  Windhover Labs has supported 7 space related projects in the past year that use CFS.  CFS is rapidly being accepted as a common framework for all current and future space related projects.  To date, every project is forced to develop their own set of tools to manage the numerous configuration items.  A common Integrated Development Environment to manage all configurable items would be a welcome asset to the CFS toolchain.

Over 1 million drones have been registered with the FAA to date.  Windhover is targeting its Airliner commercial drone flight software for the new commercial drone market.  This proposed IDE will complete the Airliner tool chain with easy to use configuration management, accelerating Airliner market penetration among enthusiasts, researchers, and drone manufacturers.

The 2017 decadal survey called out a need to reduce mission costs for space-based earth observation. To help meet this need, Quartus Engineering Incorporated (Quartus) is proposing leveraging analytical models and existing opto-mechanical designs to provide a shift in the approach to the development of space-based optical systems for deployment on CubeSats and small satellite platforms. It is common for technology to be leveraged from mission to mission, such as customizable CubeSat, small sat, or larger satellite buses. This is less common with precision optical subsystems, which are often designed from the ground up to meet the science needs of a mission. If the appropriate work is done to validate the analytical tools used to design optical components and subsystem designs, beyond a particular use case, these tools could be used to adapt current component and subsystem designs to new missions. This approach could lead to semi-custom precision optical systems for space applications, much in the same way spacecraft bus suppliers support the science community. This SBIR proposes the validation of the designs and analytical tools used to assess the SAGE IV Pathfinder telescope for structural, thermal, optical performance (STOP), such that these designs and analytical tools can be used to accelerate development and reduce costs of future NASA and other science missions.

As mentioned at the start of this proposal, the 2017 decadal survey called for a means to reduce costs of earth observation missions. The work outlined in this proposal is a step in this direction. By taking an existing optical instrument, in this case the SAGE IV Pathfinder telescope, and expending the effort to validate the analysis tools and designs beyond a specific application, it allows for the extrapolation of this design to other use cases.

Being able to use the same tools and methodology to existing systems reduces the uncertainty associated with the cost and schedule of building a complex optical system for the first time, which translate to reduced schedule and cost risks associated with a new mission. This allows complex one-off optical systems to leverage economy of scale in a way typically unavailable to commercial missions.

Leiden Measurement Technology LLC proposes to design and construct the HYMDOL: a high-resolution, compact microscope utilizing a micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) digital micromirror device (DMD) to enable hyperspectral Raman and fluorescence microimaging with sub-micron resolution. HYMDOL will be designed as a rugged, compact instrument, suitable for mission deployments on icy worlds where it could be used for life-detection and mineralogy studies. This technology seeks to replace traditional laser-scanning confocal microscopy as it has the advantage of being able to take traditional full-frame images of a sample using both coherent and incoherent light sources without the need for a second condenser, enabling temporally-resolved imaging and fast, triage imaging capabilities; operates on significantly lower power; and is inherently robust ( DMDs are immune to more than 1500 g shock, 20 g vibration).

The main objectives are to (1) engineer the key subsystems of HYMDOL: including a multi-spectral source integrated with a DMD; (2) build a laboratory breadboard system demonstrating HYMDOL's core functionality; and (3) Define and determine key design requirements for the Phase II instrument. LMT will use Zemax and SolidWorks CAE/CAD/software to engineer the optical system in detail. With these designs, LMT will source and procure a suitable DMD, light source, and other optical elements that will be used to build a breadboard microscope to physically demonstrate the ability to capture hyperspectral microimages.

HYMDOL will have many potential NASA applications, especially as a highly-capable life-detection instrument on icy worlds. With it's ability to perform sub-micron Raman/fluorescence hyperspectral imaging, HYMDOL will be able to identify materials, especially biomarkers, at a scale relevant to microorganisms and life-detection.  HYMDOL could also be used as a mineralogical microscope or even on the space station to study biological processes.

There are many non-NASA applications for HYMDOL including characterizing graphene/CNT materials and pharmaceuticals; performing forensics studies; studying mineral (micro-)structures and other geologic applications; studying geomicrobiological systems; characterizing materials; performing medical diagnostics of tissue samples; and working with novel bead-based solid phase suspension arrays.

Avalanche Technology will offer MRAM chiplets based on its pMTJ STT-MRAM technology. Avalanche’s MRAM chiplets use Generic MRAM Interface (GMI). The GMI is modeled on the widely-used HBM interface and is optimized for memory accesses. In addition to the memory interface, MRAM chiplets need a second interface to communicate with the rest of the chiplets in a multi-chiplet system. For example, Intel’s Advanced Interface Bus (AIB) protocol is in the forefront for direct chiplet-to-chiplet communication for DARPA’s CHIPS (Common Heterogeneous Integration and Intellectual Property (IP) Reuse Strategies) program. To be used in AIB-based systems, Avalanche’s MRAM chiplet will have an AIB interface and an adapter from the AIB to the HBM interface for the MRAM array.

Demonstration of Compute in memory (CIM) for Neuromorphic applications utilizing proven Radiation Hardened STT-MRAM products from Avalanche Technology for Harsh environments.

Deep learning and Artificial Intelligence in a wide variety of tasks such as computer vision, image and speech recognition, machine translation, robotics and medical image processing.

The commercial UAM market creates unique weight and safety requirements based around frequent take-offs and landings in densely populated areas. To ensure passenger safety during hard or crash landings, a new array of technologies must be developed to bring superior safety to the industry in lightweight and compact forms that meet the needs of UAM vehicles. To address this need, Urbineer plans to use our unique background and market position to bring proven crashworthiness technology from the open-wheel Formula racing industry in the form of composite impact attenuators tailored to effectively disintegrate on impact, dispelling large amounts of energy and protecting both the occupants and the expensive fuselage. Urbineer’s approach is a fixed carbon fiber composite design optimized for maximum energy dissipation through controlled crush and minimum weight while being fully faired and integrated into the lower OML aero skin of the vehicle. The team envisions simple, externally-mounted, and replaceable attenuators that are standardized across platforms in design requirements, placement, and certification. Further following the model used in Formula racing, Urbineer sees a standardized protocol with design guidelines and clear dynamic test procedures to reduce crash attenuator certification cost and simplify the development and qualification of vehicle crashworthiness. NASA possesses the necessary technical background and influence to guide these efforts. The SBIR process provides a great resource to accelerate the development, and Urbineer possesses the technical expertise and strategic industry partners to develop and commercialize composite crash attenuators. Urbineer Inc is an engineering firm composed of experienced, hands-on, multidisciplinary engineers with a strong background in driving concepts to completion. The team has extensive experience in composite airframes, impact attenuator design/analysis, fabrication, and program management of complex systems.

NASA has VTOL vehicles and existing designs such as NASA GL-10 Greased Lightning. NASA is an official partner of Uber Elevate and this technology is important to overcoming safety barriers in support of flight operation goals of 2023.  NASA has a drop test center in Langley and this would be a great build off of the previous test performed for Crash Test of an MD-500 Helicopter with a Deployable Energy Absorber Concept.  NASA can help test UAM vehicles standardize mission and testing requirements for energy absorption.

Army FVL and FARA program VTOL designs are an ideal area to explore multifunctional composite crush structures. The On-Demand Air Taxi market vehicle concepts are without a real standard for crashworthiness with a unique mission profile and safety need.  To reduce development cost our crash attenuators allow the vast vehicle configurations to be standardized without significant redesign. 

NASA seeks novel low power thermal-to-electric miniature energy conversion technology to potentially define the next-generation of future power systems. These converters are required to transform thermal energy from Radioisotope Heater Units into on-demand electricity essential to space exploration probes, unmanned surface rovers, small landers, small satellites, and similar small-scale systems operating in darkness. In response, Creare proposes to develop an extremely compact, robust, free-piston Otto‑cycle based energy conversion system. Our innovation fuses advances in miniature two-stroke engines, and high-reliability free-piston technology. We have achieved a remarkably simple system design with a single moving part, requiring no recuperators or valves. Keys to our high efficiency include reduced parasitic heat losses, the use of a high molecular mass/low thermal conductivity working fluid, tight clearances and high pressure ratios. Our converter leverages decades of advances at Creare in the design and fabrication of miniaturized spaceflight piston-compressors, high-reliability vacuum pumps, and low‑power thermodynamic systems such as turbo-Brayton generators and cryocoolers. In Phase I we will validate our performance models through the development of a laboratory-scale prototype, demonstrating power generation at prototypical heat source and heat sink temperatures. During Phase II we will demonstrate a complete prototype system and prime it for spaceflight testing.

Potential NASA applications for our converter technology include coupling with radioisotope heat sources to support low-power devices such as space exploration probes, unmanned surface rovers, small landers, and small satellite systems operating in darkness. Our converter can be sized to support a wide range of power levels from larger spacecraft applications to smaller more compact electronics required for manned exploration of the lunar and Martian surfaces. Alternative heat sources include concentrated solar radiation.

Terrestrial versions of our converter would be coupled with non-nuclear heat sources such as fossil fuel/biofuel combustion, refuse burning, and concentrated solar energy, to produce electric power for small-scale military and civilian applications. These miniature heat engines are attractive as potential prime movers in Micro-Air Vehicles and as battery replacements in man-portable devices.

ADA Technologies, Inc. (ADA) proposes the development and subsequent manufacturing/commercialization of our high specific energy (>400 Wh/kg) nanoengineered lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery technology to meet National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) energy storage needs for lunar/space applications. Next generation lunar/space platforms will be equipped with significantly increased capabilities compared to today’s systems requiring a transcendent increase in battery specific energy (>400 Wh/kg) while maintaining a long operational life (thousands of cycles at various depth of discharge) and long shelf/service life (multiple years). The rechargeable Li-S battery is an attractive Next Generation, Beyond Li-Ion system that can satisfy the requisite specific energy demands. ADA’s solution addresses fundamental challenges associated with Li-S battery chemistries to provide performance and reliability/safety advantages, compared to state of the art (SOA). Promising results have been demonstrated in ADA preliminary studies, representing a great potential to meet NASA performance and safety goals.

A successful technology development effort of ADA rechargeable Li-S battery technology will benefit current and emerging NASA next generation lunar/space applications including landers, habitats, science platforms, robotic and crewed rovers.  Our enabling Li-S battery technology can also ideally be applied to other NASA space programs such as the Moon to Mars Campaign. 

ADA next generation Li-S batteries are application agnostic and can be used in DoD next generation spacecraft (reconnaissance, navigation, communications satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles) and in commercial markets including electric drive vehicles that can benefit from ADA advanced Li-S batteries to significantly increase drive range with enhanced safety.

Microelectronics Research Development Corporation (Micro-RDC) proposes to develop a low cost radiation hardened integrated circuit (IC) technology that creates new solid-state circuits at reasonable cost. The project will enable delivery of electronics that can operate in space for a prolonged time and without errors.

The enhanced technology should encourage many firms to participate in recently announced lunar payload projects and for the Moon to Mars campaign. Almost any application that NASA desires to address, such as thermal management, energy storage, rad hard-high performance computing, cryogenic fluid management, various lunar sensors, solar arrays, and coordination of space vehicle swarms requires rad hard electronics able to withstand ionizing space radiation for a prolonged time.

The premise behind this novel approach is to leverage in-house Micro-RDC expertise in radiation hardening to device design. Micro-RDC will develop and then lay out a set of test structures that will be tested for the total ionizing dose (TID) and single event upset (SEU) effects. Layout modification will be completed on elements prone to degradation transistors on already existing, commercially available processes (e.g. bulk 0.13um from Jazz) without any changes to the process itself.

Once fabricated, test bars will be properly characterized under ionizing source and cryogenic temperatures, replicating circuits operating in space.

Upon completion, Micro -RDC will deliver a set of rad-hard pcells with the same current-voltage (I-V) and other electrical characteristics found in standard cells, but with much higher resistance to adverse TID and SEU effects. Devices will be properly characterized and modeled, ready for low cost use in redesigns and new designs by end users and system integrators.

To demonstrate the viability of the approach, Micro-RDC will redesign a test vehicle (micro-controller 8051 in Phase II) that will be re-tested for radiation hardness and robustness.

NASA will see a direct benefit from this project by having access to a radiation-hardened-by-design approach that will significantly lower expenses of new integrated circuits. This will encourage many design houses to deliver advanced ICs for a variety of applications, such as the recent lunar payload and Moon to Mars campaigns. The results of the program will be made available to fabs creating multiple sources and competition capable of modifying standard cells to expand design kits for rad hard cells that will greatly benefit the end users.

Results of this program will show how to enhance the capabilities of older fabrication lines with depreciated equipment for rad hard applications. The older fabs will be able to prolong their economic lives by providing technologies to the burgeoning commercial space market. The availability of low cost and rad hard processes will encourage many small design houses to enter the space market.

The process of chilling propellant transfer lines, before ignition of liquid rocket engines is initiated is a critical step before launch.  Similarly, establishing fuel depots in low earth orbit to replenish propellant supply of long-range exploration missions also places a greater reliance on the chilldown process in ensuring safe and efficient protocols for cryogenic propellant transfer.  Over the past few decades, several experiments related to the quenching of heated tubes in a cryogenic environment have been carried out to understand the phase change process and the resulting complex two-phase regimes.  These studies have established that the phase change process evolves through different stages of film, transition and nucleate boiling before the walls are quenched and single-phase convective heat transfer between the wall and the cryogenic liquid is restored.  Efforts at developing empirical correlations of the heat transfer coefficient and porting it to thermal-fluid codes has resulted in large deviations between predictions and experimental observations of quenching time.  The innovation in this proposal involves the development of a comprehensive high-fidelity multiscale simulation framework that accounts for all the boiling regimes related to the chilldown process by utilizing a sub-grid scale nucleate boiling model embedded within a multiphase CFD solver.

The commercial launch operators can use our tools to estimate propellant quantities and transfer times at launch. Other important applications include the medical industry where applications vary from the preservation of tissues and organs to life-support systems. The technology proposed here can play a critical role in addressing important safety concerns in light water nuclear reactors.

The Innovation Laboratory, Inc., propose to develop a suite of technologies that can be used to expand the availability of the Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vertiport. Our innovation, VertiSafe, is a collection of technologies, some traditional, and some unconventional, that when used in conjunction provides a clear view of the weather constraints and provides effective weather mitigation strategies to enable operations in near all-weather conditions.  The ultimate goal is to have 24/7/365 all-weather UAM vertiport operations for as many of the vertiports in the National Airspace System (NAS) as possible.

The proposed technologies can be used in NASA applications to enable safe, efficient, and flexible UAM operations for a variety of UAM air vehicles in a wide range of weather conditions across the NAS.

These technologies can help UAM vertiport operators strive for full 24/4/365 all-weather operations in the future, benefiting the vertiport operators as well as the Air Service Providers (ASPs) for UAM airlines.

Urban Air Mobility (UAM) will only be realized if the amount of people and vendors participating grows at a sufficient rate that allows for UAM to be profitable and beneficial to the passengers, airside service providers (ASPs), vertiport operators, and other stakeholders.  With the economy of scale, larger fleet sizes will bring down prices, and lower prices will encourage a greater number of passengers from a larger economic background to participate.  To this end and given that UAM is based on on-demand services where there is not a known schedule to establish a cost basis, we anticipate that the costs associated with a daily operation of an ASP in UAM will be highly dependent on cost feedback, subject to the very dynamic state of the UAM system.  Our innovation provides an on-demand cost estimate of the cost of point-to-point ASP services given the current state of the UAM system.  With effective cost feedback, ASPs and Vertiport operators can optimize their costs, make intelligent routing decisions, and accelerate the growth of UAM.

NASA can potentially use our SBIR technology to estimate costs and benefits of UAM in different urban environments.  Our SBIR technology can help build the business case for UAM, can provide the cost estimates for different trade studies associated with UAM, and can be directly integrated into fast time simulations, Human in the Loop (HITL) simulations, and analytical studies supporting UAM.

ASPs and Vertiport operators will likely incorporate our SBIR technology into their operations to provide timely on-demand cost estimates to aid in UAM decision support . Our SBIR technology can help to make cost estimate comparisons associated with trial plans, flight plan reroutes during nominal, off-nominal, and emergency events, and to assess the impact of those decisions after the fact.

High precision observations of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) may enable astronomers to test new theories of dark matter & dark energy and currently unexplained events such as cosmic inflation & cosmic acceleration. Detecting CMB polarization would provide evidence for inflationary theory and open a new window on physics in the very early universe. Cost effective balloon experiments can probe the CMB, and develop technology for future space missions. NASA desires technology for low mass, high thermal performance LHe insulated dewars for future balloon-borne instruments. Light Weight Dewar (LWD) is a novel lightweight dewar concept, using a thin, lightweight vacuum shell supported by underlying IMLI layers and integrated with a lightweight dewar wall, that could achieve heat flux as low as 0.3 W/m² and up to 79% mass reduction over current LHe dewars.

LWD uses discrete load-supporting spacers to form a structural insulation system able to support thin metal vacuum shells at balloon observatory atmospheric loads while minimizing heat flux through the spacers and layers.  Quest’s expertise in engineering high performance insulation systems that support external loads, along with experience gained from designing lightweight vacuum shell and insulation layers with load supporting spacers for two NASA programs, should enable the Quest team to successfully design, build and test a lightweight dewar that provides good thermal performance for LHe storage for high altitude balloon cryogenic sensors.

The Quest team believes a novel system integrating a ventable/sealable lightweight Vacuum Shell, supported by IMLI, can be engineered for high performance at float altitude and provide good thermal performance and lower mass than current state-of-the-art dewars, enabling future 5m optics.

NASA is interested in a future ARCADE mission, and lightweight dewars are necessary to achieve larger 3 – 5m optics.  LWD may enable future large balloon cryostats. LWD may prove beneficial to NASA and Primes for a variety of new spacecraft, launch vehicles and missions, helping achieving Zero Boil Off, a critical need for long duration, manned spaceflight.  Active cryocooler based ZBO systems, using VJ- and vapor-cooled IMLI technology, could improve cryogenic propellant storage for future Lunar Gateway or orbital fuel depots.

Light Weight Dewar technology may provide benefits for low temperature balloon experiments, funded and conducted by institutions.  This technology might prove useful for a variety of science missions needing thermal control. LWD might provide improved lightweight thermal insulation for storage and preservation of cryogens for a variety of uses, such as commercial, medical, industrial and research.

Proposed is a piece of extendible software for the rapid preliminary design and comparative evaluation of different solar array structures, equipped with modules for two cutting-edge array architectures of special interest for up to medium-large (<300 m2) applications such as near-term Lunar missions.  

The software, based on the Microsoft Excel platform, will run on any computer with MS Office fully installed.  It will consist of (a) a main user interface where different solar array designs can be compared via graphics and parameters, (b) worksheet modules for the design and evaluation of specific array architectures, and (c) "under the hood" code blocks hidden from the user.  The two array architectures to which the program will be readily applicable when the effort completes are the Compact Telescoping Array (CTA) and the UltraFlex design.  Other options can be included later, with additional program modules.  

The product will be user friendly, well documented, and ergonomically designed with adaptive graphics and other features visually aiding the user.  Its computational engine will employ classic as well as innovative symbolic, numeric, and hybrid techniques.  It will assess key performance metrics (to evaluate stiffness, strength, and packaging performance).  It will allow and guide design with a hierarchical (component to system) approach for space, and for gravity with upright array orientation.  Data to aid modeling for advanced numerical analysis (FEA) will also be output.

Preliminary low-cost solar array design with advanced functionality and the comparative evaluation of different array designs and architectures for any of a variety of missions, including:
- near-term and other Lunar missions
- missions on/to Mars and other celestial bodies
- satellites
- deep space missions and transport spacecraft

The product will directly permit
- applications like those by NASA

The technology developed will permit
- further software for rapid system design and evaluation
- a spreadsheet toolkit

Nalu Scientific LLC (NSL) proposes to design and build the Single-photon-sensitive Waveform Enhanced and Lightweight Lidar (SWELL). This novel device will improve upon current Lidar technology by being low-cost, low-power, and highly compact.  This will be accomplished by leveraging NSL’s extremely high timing precision waveform sampling and digital integration technology. NSL has developed several application specific integrated circuits (ASICs) with built-in digital signal processing and control interfaces that could make extremely precise time of flight (ToF) single-photon measurements of back-scattered laser light pulses for use in orbiting or aerial LIDAR applications.  The integration of sampling and feature extraction onto a single ASIC will reduce the required printed circuit board (PCB) complexity and eliminate the need for an expensive and power-hungry Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This will save power, space, and cost for implementing high-precision LIDAR systems.

Future NASA scientific missions will require remote sensing equipment with lower power, smaller form factors, increased robustness, and higher sensitivities.  Integration of Lidar systems into a system-on-chip ASIC would achieve these goals and be of interest in numerous applications. Possible uses range from high-beam-count orbital Lidar imaging systems to high-precision and low power imaging sensors for planetary missions.

The trend for commercial satellite payloads has been towards CubeSat scale devices.  These devices allow for significantly reduced timelines and catastrophic risks.  However, current generations of Earth imaging Lidar are not compact enough for CubeSat applications.  Our technology would provide a product that could be utilized by a variety of industries interested in orbital geospatial mapping.

Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) has developed a next-generation high performance solar array system specifically for NASA’s future Lunar Lander and sample return missions.  The proposed Lander solar array has game-changing performance metrics in terms of extremely high specific power, ultra-compact stowage volume, affordability, low risk, high environmental survivability/operability, high power and growth capability, high deployed strength and high strength during deployment (for mission environments that have high gravity and wind loading from atmospheres as examples), high deployed stiffness, high reliability, retraction and re-deployment capability, and broad modularity / adaptability to many missions.  Most importantly, the proposed innovation has a demonstrated in-space capability to provide multiple and reliable deployments, retractions, and re-deployment operations allowing for continuous mobility operations and shuttling.  No other solar array has demonstrated the ability to deploy, retract and re-deploy multiple times in space or through ground testing.  The proposed technology innovation significantly enhances Lander and sample return vehicle capabilities by providing a low cost alternative renewable power generating system in place of the standard RTG systems currently being used.  The proposed innovation greatly increases performance and autonomy/mobility, decreases risk, and ultimately enables missions. 

Applications comprise practically all Exploration, Space Science, Earth Science, Planetary Surface, and other missions that require affordable high-efficiency PV power through of an ultra-lightweight, compact stowage, high strength / stiffness, and highly-modular solar array.  The technology is particularly suited for Lander missions that require game-changing performance in terms of affordability, high performance, unsupported deployment in a gravity field, and deployment / retraction / re-deployment capability. 

Non-NASA applications comprise missions that require affordable high-efficiency PV power through of an ultra-lightweight, compact stowage, high strength / stiffness, and highly-modular solar array.  The technology is particularly suited for missions requiring game-changing performance in terms of low cost, high performance, and deployment / retraction / re-deployment capability for resiliency. 

Many of NASAs high priority missions in the next decade are located in extreme environments with low, inconsistent or no sunlight.  In these cases, NASA has traditionally used RTGs.  However, RTGs are inefficient (<8%), with specific powers of just 2.7 W/kg.  Complicating issues is the scarcity of GPHS units due to a long drought of plutonium production.  Even with a restart in production, this necessitates judicious use of remaining GPHS units.

ExoTerra’s proposed advanced micro Brayton energy converter operates a pair of units off a single GPHS.  The units are 40% efficient, enabling 100 W of electrical power and a >40 W/kg specific power.  The system uses advances in manufacturing techniques to enable high efficiency heat transfer among components and miniaturize the Brayton Cycle components.  By using a pair of units, we balance inertias across the spacecraft to maintain control.

The proposed Phase I effort completes system design of the micro Brayton unit.  We then fabricate a compressor unit to demonstrate the advanced manufacturing techniques.  We perform a demonstration test to measure the performance against predictions and feed into Phase II development.

Provides power for NASA missions in areas with limited sunlight, including the search for water at the lunar poles, performing ISRU or supporting a lunar outpost during the 2 week lunar night, or Europa exploration.  The system can fit into microsatellite scale missions – including pending commercial lunar payload services vehicles.  It can also supply power to microsatellite class nuclear electric propulsion systems for outer planet missions with microsatellites.  This increases affordability though reduced launch costs.

Remote Military power supplies

Micro UAVs

Throughout NASA’s technology roadmap the need for improved materials is called out in nearly all Technology Areas and are highlighted as the enablers behind the structures, devices, vehicles, power, life support, propulsion, entry, and many other systems that NASA develops and uses to fulfill its missions.  This need is evident in the next-generation aerospace programs, which demand lightweight composite materials that can endure higher service temperatures in structural and hot section components.  New materials are required with improved properties, combinations of properties and reliability.  While composite materials have become ubiquitous in aerospace structures over the past decade, they have the major limitation that they are prove to delamination through interlaminar cracking.  Trimer Technologies recently identified a unique interlaminar reinforcement technology based on graphene applied to the surface of a prepreg which through preliminary testing has been shown to increase the Mode II fracture toughness of IM7/8552 prepreg by 42% compared to bare prepreg.  This material enhancement is achieved using a low-cost approach which is scalable and can be applied directly to the surface of existing prepregs or formed and applied in line with filament winding or automated tow placement procedures.  The research proposed will study the graphene formation, demonstrate roll-to-roll manufacturing and optimize the graphene structure to maximize the strength and toughness of fiber reinforced composites.  The proposed approach offers a novel, scalable and low-cost method to increase the toughness of composite materials with thermally stable and high strength graphene.  Moreover, the superior electrical and thermal properties of graphene may be leveraged to reduce manufacturing costs and add multifunctionality.

NASA’s Technology Roadmap calls for advanced composite materials that are low cost yet offer improved mechanical strength and toughness to maximize the performance of next generation of aerospace structures.  This research will directly address this goal through a new low-cost technique to increase interlaminar strength and toughness of polymer matrix composites.  Because composites are being utilized across NASA’s mission, the technology proposed here has clear potential to impact a wide range of aerospace applications.

The quality of the interlaminar region is one of the most important factors in the design of a fiber-reinforced composite and will be address in this SBIR. With commercial composite applications ranging from wind turbines to prosthetics and vehicles, the technology will provide a means for increasing material durability and failure resistance, making composites more economical and sustainable.