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Compact Laser for In-Situ Compositional Analysis

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNX16CG64C
Agency Tracking Number: 150053
Amount: $748,116.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: STTR
Solicitation Topic Code: T8.01
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2015
Award Year: 2016
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2016-09-30
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2018-09-29
Small Business Information
135 South Road
Bedford, MA 01730-2307
United States
DUNS: N/A
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Bhabana Pati
 Principal Research Scientist
 (781) 275-9535
 pati@qpeak.com
Business Contact
 B. David Green
Title: Business Official
Phone: (978) 689-0003
Email: green@qpeak.com
Research Institution
 University of Hawaii
 Kyle Koza
 
2440 Campus Road, Box 368
Honolulu, HI 96822-2234
United States

 (808) 956-4054
 Domestic Nonprofit Research Organization
Abstract

In response to NASA?s solicitation for light-weight and power efficient instruments that enable in situ compositional analysis, Q-Peak in partnership with the University of Hawaii proposes to develop a compact, robust, and efficient instrument to combine all laser based spectroscopies capable of performing imaging, Raman, Laser Induced Breakdown, Laser Induced Fluorescence and LIDAR The main advantage in using this suite of instruments is the collection of information from imaging to elemental composition of rock samples by simply directing a laser beam on remote targets of interest.
Based on the success of the current Mars Science Laboratory rover instrument ChemCam, the first ever laser-based spectrographic system to be selected as an instrument on a NASA spacecraft, the Hawaii Institute of Geophysics and Planetology (HIGP) has developed and tested a prototype instrument. This new instrument is capable of at least 10,000 times greater sensitivity than the ChemCam instrument, allowing faster measurements up to 8 m away with a focused laser beam. This integrated, compact remote instrument is called the Compact integrated instrument for Remote Spectroscopy Analysis (CiiRSA). Replacing the existing laser with the Q-Peak proposed laser will reduce CiiRSA?s weight by 30 % and volume by 20 %.
In Phase II, Q-Peak will design, develop and build a laser that will produce 5 mJ of energy in < 2 ns pulse duration at 523 nm and our partner HIGP will further develop compact and high resolution spectrograph. Both laser and spectrograph will be integrated into the CiiRSA instrument to make it lightweight, compact and efficient. We will detect organic and inorganic sample at 10 m standoff distance in Martian environment, earth atmospheric pressure, daylight.

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

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