Proposal Number:          21-1- S3.05-2469

          

          

   

Subtopic Title:
      Terrestrial Balloons and Planetary Aerial Vehicles

          

          

   

Proposal Title:
      Plasma-based Wind Speed Sensor

          

          

   

Firm:

          

Innoveering, LLC

          

   

Address:

          

100 Remington Boulevard, Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

          

   

Phone:

          

(631) 793-8439                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

George Papadopoulos

          

   

E-mail:

          

george.papadopoulos@innoveering.net

          

   

Address:

          

100 Remington Blvd, NY 11779 - 6910

          

   

Phone:

          

(631) 974-7218                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Name:

          

Robert Bakos

          

   

E-mail:

          

robert.bakos@innoveering.net

          

   

Address:

          

100 Remington Blvd, NY 11779 - 6910

          

   

Phone:

          

(631) 793-8439                                                                                                                                                                                

          

   

Estimated Technology Readiness Level (TRL) :                                                                                                                                                          
Begin: 3
End: 4

          

          

     

Technical Abstract (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words):

A trajectory control system (TCS) for high-altitude scientific ballooning has been a long-term goal of NASA’s Balloon Program Office (BPO). One milestone in the critical path of TCS development is the ability to measure the speed of the winds seen by the gondola during a balloon mission. In addition, NASA has identified wind-speed measurements from a balloon explorer under the TX10.1.2 of the 2020 NASA Technology Taxonomy (see References below). Currently, the BPO has no method of measuring relative winds (wind speed relative to the gondola) in situ above ~15 km in altitude for terrestrial applications.  The proposed innovation is a weakly ionized plasma based sensor concept that can measure three components of relative wind speed and meet or exceed the specifications outlined in the project scope document.  The sensor concept leverages work Innoveering has been performing over the past 4 years under other SBIR efforts funded by the DoD and DoE on implementing glow micro electrical discharge plasmas as transduction mechanisms for aerodynamic property measurement targeting harsh environment applications.

          

          

     

Potential NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

The proposed relative wind sensor solution will provide a unique measurement capability for high altitude balloon operation.  A trajectory control system (TCS) for high-altitude scientific ballooning has been a long-term goal of NASA’s Balloon Program Office (BPO). One milestone in the critical path of TCS development is the ability to measure the speed of the winds seen by the gondola during a balloon mission. 

          

          

     

Potential Non-NASA Applications (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words):

Adaption of the sensor technology to small aerial platforms to provide data for weather prediction is another potentially good opportunity with government and commercial implications.  On the commercial side, there is increased investment in predicting local weather trends as more and more end users find timely and accurate weather guidance important for their business. 

          

          

     

Duration:     6