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Novel CTE Tuning of Ultra-Stable ALLVAR Alloy Struts for 10m to 20m Telescopes

Awardee

Thermal Expansion Solutions, Inc.

501 Graham Rd
College Station, TX, 77845-9662
USA

Award Year: 2021

UEI: JDMKJN2L1G17

HUBZone Owned: No

Woman Owned: No

Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No

Congressional District: 17

Tagged as:

SBIR

Phase I

Seal of the Agency: NASA

Awarding Agency

NASA

Total Award Amount: $124,996

Contract Number: 80NSSC21C0345

Agency Tracking Number: 213221

Solicitation Topic Code: S2

Solicitation Number: SBIR_21_P1

Abstract

This NASA SBIR Phase I proposal is in response to the need for Ultra-Stable Telescope Structures at 10m to 20m length scales and is designed to scale ultra-stable ALLVAR Alloy struts from cm-length to m-length scales. Additionally, a novel method for tuning a strutrsquo;s CTE without changing the strutrsquo;s length will be validated for their potential use in space-telescope structures critical to NASArsquo;s future missions. Telescopes used for astrophysics, exoplanet, and planetary studies require picometer stability over several minutes to hours. Building large support structures with picometer level stability is a challenge with currently available materials such as carbon fiber composites due to their high cost and moisture expansion. ALLVAR Alloys offer a new material solution for thermally stable structures. They exhibit negative thermal expansion and can compensate for the positive thermal expansion of other materials to stabilize a telescope. Bars with thermal stability approaching Zerodurrsquo;sreg; have previously been made by joining ALLVAR Alloys to commercially available Titanium alloys and struts exhibiting pm-level stability have been fabricated and tested. This Phase I project is designed to leverage this previous development to create the first large scale ultra-stable ALLVAR Alloy structures and develop a brand-new method for tuning its CTE. If successful, this new technology could enable CTE tuning of fully assembled ultra-stable structures in-situ. The Phase I project would fabricate and characterize a ~2m long strut segment in preparation for larger scale manufacturing and testing in a Phase II project.

Award Schedule

  1. 2021
    Solicitation Year

  2. 2021
    Award Year

  3. May 13, 2021
    Award Start Date

  4. November 19, 2021
    Award End Date

Principal Investigator

Name: James Monroe
Phone: (956) 789-3723
Email: jamesamonroe@allvaralloys.com

Business Contact

Name: James Monroe
Phone: (956) 789-3723
Email: jamesamonroe@allvaralloys.com

Research Institution

Name: N/A