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On-Orbit Health Monitoring and Repair Assessment of Thermal Protection Systems

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNL06AA14C
Agency Tracking Number: 040041
Amount: $600,000.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X4.03
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2006
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2005-12-02
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2007-12-03
Small Business Information
2525 Arapahoe Avenue / Bldg. E4 #262
Boulder, CO 80302-6746
United States
DUNS: 112811364
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Robert Owen
 Principal Investigator
 (303) 530-1248
 rowen@extremediagnostics.com
Business Contact
 Robert Owen
Title: President
Phone: (303) 530-1248
Email: rowen@extremediagnostics.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

This SBIR project delivers On-orbit health MoNItoring and repair assessment of THERMal protection systems (OMNI_THERM). OMNI_THERM features impedance-based structural health monitoring (SHM) and uses miniaturized autonomous sensor/actuators to diagnose damage and verify repair efficacy.

Implications of the innovation
Thermal protection systems (TPS) are crucial for crew safety. New techniques of on-orbit assessment of TPS are needed to accelerate Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) development. An autonomous impedance-based SHM system is one of the few viable solutions; Phase I established that this technique can be configured for on-orbit TPS health monitoring.

Technical objectives
We will configure OMNI_THERM for on-orbit SHM through iterative hardware refinements combined with environmental testing and demonstrations at CEV contractors. OMNI_THERM deploys autonomous, wireless, self-powered sensor/actuators. Each sensor/actuator is a self-contained SHM system; this computationally distributed framework minimizes single points-of-failure.

Research description
Phase I produced an advanced prototype and demonstrated SHM on TPS. Phase II includes miniaturization and expands to higher temperature ranges, hybrid structures, and advanced composites.

Anticipated results
Phase II delivers an OMNI_THERM system configured for on-orbit SHM and repair assessment of TPS and other crucial structures. System development includes ruggedization, scaling to multiple sensors, self-diagnostics, high temperature (>500oF) and system validation, and autonomous operation.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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