STTR 2023-I

The exploration of space requires advanced technologies that will better enable both humans and robotic spacecraft to maintain a sustained lunar presence, support Mars exploration, operate in deep space, and explore other destinations in our solar system. Examples of such missions include robotic platforms like the Europa Lander or crewed missions with extended periods of dormancy such as Gateway. Gateway represents a vital component of NASA’s Artemis program, which will serve as a multi-purpose orbital lunar outpost that provides essential support for a long-term human return to the lunar surface. It will serve as a staging point for deep space exploration. Autonomous Systems technologies provide the means of migrating mission control from Earth to spacecraft, habitats, and robotic explorers. This is enhancing for missions in the Earth-Lunar neighborhood and enabling for deep space missions. Long communication delays, for example up to 42 minutes round-trip between Earth and Mars, do not permit time-critical control decisions to be made from Earth mission control centers. Rather, time-critical control decisions for spacecraft operating in deep space must be made by onboard humans, by autonomous systems, or by some combination of astronaut-automation teaming.

Long-term crewed spacecraft and habitats, such as the International Space Station, are so complex that a significant portion of the crew's time is spent keeping it operational even under nominal conditions in low-Earth orbit, while still requiring significant real-time support from Earth. The considerable challenge is to migrate the knowledge and capability embedded in current Earth mission control, with tens to hundreds of human specialists ready to provide instant knowledge, to onboard automation that teams with astronauts to autonomously manage spacecraft and habitats. For outer planet robotic explorers, the technical challenge is to develop cognitive systems to provide astronauts with improved situational awareness and autonomous systems that can rapidly respond to dynamic environments.

Specific innovations being sought in this solicitation are described below:

· Neural net software pipelines and radiation hard neuromorphic processing hardware to support in-space autonomy and cognition. Advances in signal and data processing for neuromorphic processors promise to enable artificial intelligence and machine learning for autonomous spacecraft operations.

· Intelligent autonomous agent cognitive architectures are sought after as an onboard spacecraft capability to enable decision-making under uncertainty and to improve system performance through learning over time.

· Onboard fault management capabilities, such as onboard sensing, computing, algorithms, and models to improve the prognostic health management of future spacecraft.

· Multi-agent Cyber-Physical-Human (CPH) systems that operate autonomously from humans or under human direction. This capability will help to address the need for integrated data uncertainty management and a robust representation of “trustworthy and trusted” autonomy in space.

· Technologies for the control and coordination of swarms of planetary rovers, flyers, or in-space vehicles for future space missions.

· Autonomy and artificial intelligence technologies for Gateway operations and health management, for either fully autonomous or crew-supervised operations.

The descriptions and references of each subtopic provide further detail to guide the development of proposals.

Scope Title:

Integrated Data Uncertainty Management and Representation for Trustworthy and Trusted Autonomy in Space

Scope Description:

Multi-agent cyber-physical-human (CPH) teams in future space missions must include machine agents with a high degree of autonomy. In the context of this subtopic, by “autonomy” we mean the capacity and authority of an agent (human or machine) for independent decision making and execution in a specified context. We refer to machine agents with these attributes as autonomous systems (AS). In multi-agent CPH teams, humans may serve as remote mission supervisors or as immediate mission teammates, along with AS. AS may function as teammates with specified independence, but under the ultimate human direction. Alternatively, AS may exercise complete independence in decision making and operations in pursuit of given mission goals; for instance, for control of uncrewed missions for planetary infrastructure development in preparation for human presence, or maintenance and operation of crew habitats during the crew’s absence.

In all cases, trustworthiness and trust are essential in CPH teams. The term “trustworthiness” denotes the degree to which the system performs as intended and does not perform prohibited actions in a specified context. “Trust” denotes the degree of readiness by an agent (human or machine) to accept direction or advice from another agent (human or machine), also in a specified context. In common sense terms, trust is a confidence in a system’s trustworthiness, which in turn, is the ability to perform actions with desired outcomes.

Because behind every action lies a decision-making problem, the trustworthiness of a system can be viewed in terms of the soundness of decision making by the system participants. Accurate and relevant information forms the basis of sound decision making. In this subtopic, we focus on data that inform CPH team decision making, both in human-machine and machine-machine interactions, from two perspectives: the quality of the data and the representation of the data in support of trusted human-machine and machine-machine interactions.

Consider data exchanges in multi-agent cyber-physical-human (CPH) teams that include AS, as described in the subtopic introduction. Data exchanges in multi-agent teams must be subject to the following conditions:

Known data accuracy, noise characteristics, and resolution as a function of the physical sensors in relevant environments.
Known data accuracy, noise characteristics, and resolution as a function of data interpretation if the contributing sensors have a perception component or if data are delivered to an agent via another perception engine (e.g., visual recognition based on deep learning).
Known data provenance and integrity.
Dynamic anomaly detection in data streams during operations.
Comprehensive uncertainty quantification (UQ) of data from a single source.
Data fusion and combined UQ if multiple sources of data are used for decision making.
If data from either a single source or fused data from multiple sources are used for decision making by an agent (human or machine), the data and the attendant UQ must be transformed into a representation conducive to and productive for decision making. This may include data filtering, compression, or expansion, among other approaches.
UQ must be accompanied by a sensitivity analysis of the mission/operation/action goals with respect to uncertainties in various data, to enable appropriate risk estimation and risk-based decision making by relevant agents, human or machine.
Tools for real-time, a priori, and a posteriori data analysis, with explanations relevant to participating agents. For instance, if machine learning is used for visual data perception in decision making by humans, methods of interpretable or explainable AI (XAI) may be in order.

We note that deep learning and machine learning, in general, are not the chief focus of this subtopic. The techniques are mentioned as an example of tools that may participate in data processing. If such tools are used, the representation of the results to decision makers (human or machine) must be suitably interpretable and equipped with UQ.

Addressing the entire set of the conditions listed above would likely be impractical in a single proposal. Therefore, proposers may offer methods and tools for addressing a subset of conditions.

Proposers should offer both a general approach to achieving a chosen subset of the listed conditions and a specific application of the general approach to appropriate data types. The future orbiting or surface stations are potential example platforms because the environment would include a variety of AS used for habitat maintenance when the station is uninhabited, continual system health management, crew health, robotic assembly, and cyber security, among other functions. However, the proposers may choose any relevant design reference mission for demonstration of proposed approaches to integrated data uncertainty management and representation, subject to a convincing substantiation of the generalizability and scalability of the approach to relevant practical systems, missions, and environments.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 10 Autonomous Systems
Level 2 10.1 Situational and Self Awareness

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

Since UQ and management in data is an overarching theme in this subtopic, an analysis of uncertainties in the processes and data must be present in all final deliverables, both in Phases I and II.

Phase I: For the areas selected in the proposal, the following deliverables would be in order:

Thorough but succinct analysis of the state of the art in the proposed area under investigation.
Detailed description of the problem used as the context for algorithm development, including substantiation for why this is a representative problem for a set of applications relevant to NASA missions.
Detailed description of the approach, including pseudocode, and the attendant design of experiments for testing and evaluation.
Hypotheses about the scalability and generalizability of the proposed approach to realistic problems relevant to NASA missions.
Preliminary software and process implementation.
Preliminary demonstration of the software.
Thorough analysis of performance and gaps.
Detailed plan for Phase II, including the design reference mission and the attendant technical problem.
Items 1 to 8 documented in a final report for Phase I.

Phase II:

Detailed description and analysis of the design reference mission and the technical problem selected in Phase I, in collaboration with NASA Contracting Officer Representative (COR)/Technical Monitor (TM).
Detailed description of the approach/algorithms developed further for application to the Phase II design reference mission and problem, including pseudocode and the design of experiments for testing and evaluation.
Demonstration of the algorithms, software, methods, and processes.
Thorough analysis of performance and gaps, including scalability and applicability to NASA missions.
Resulting code.
Detailed plan for potential Phase III.
Items 1 to 5 documented in a final report for Phase II.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Despite progress in real-time data analytics, serious gaps remain that will present an obstacle to the operation of systems in NASA missions that require heavy participation of AS, both in human-machine teams and in uncrewed environments, whether temporary or permanent. The gaps come under two main categories:

Quality of the information based on various data sources—Trustworthiness of the data is essential in making decisions with desired outcomes. This gap can be summarized as the lack of reliable and actionable UQ associated with data, as well as the difficulty of detecting anomalies in data and combining data from disparate sources, ensuring appropriate quality of the result.
Representation of the data to decision makers (human or machine) that is conducive to trustworthy decision making—We distinguish raw data from useful information of appropriate complexity and form. Transforming data, single-source or fused, into information productive for decision making, especially by humans, is a challenge.

Specific gaps are listed under the Scope Description as conditions the subsets of which must be addressed by proposers.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

The technologies developed as a result of this subtopic would be directly applicable to the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), and Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD), as all of these mission directorates are heavy users of data and growing users of AS. For instance, the Gateway mission will need a significant presence of AS, as well as human-machine team operations that rely on AS for habitat maintenance when the station is uninhabited, continual system health management, crew health, robotic assembly, among other functions. Human presence on the Moon surface will require similar functions, as well as future missions to Mars. All trustworthy decision making relies on trustworthy data. This topic addresses gaps in data trustworthiness, as well as productive data representation to human-machine teams for sound decision making.

The subtopic is also directly applicable to ARMD missions and goals because future airspace will heavily rely on AS. Thus, the subtopic is applicable to such projects as Airspace Operations and Safety Program (AOSP)/Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Air Traffic Management—eXploration (ATM-X). The technologies developed as a result of this subtopic would be applicable to the National Airspace System (NAS) in the near future as well, because of the need to process data related to vehicle and system performance.

References:

Frontiers on Massive Data Analysis, NRC, 2013.
NASA OCT Technology Roadmap, NASA, 2015.
NASA AIST Big Data Study, NASA/JPL, 2016.
IEEE Big Data Conference, Data and Computational Science Big Data Challenges for Earth and Planetary Science Research, IEEE, 2016.
Planetary Science Informatics and Data Analytics Conference, April 2018.
David L. Hall, Alan Steinberg: Dirty Secrets in Multisensor Data Fusion, The Pennsylvania State University Applied Research Laboratory. https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a392879.pdf
Martin Keenan: The Challenge and the Opportunity of Sensor Fusion, a Real Gamechanger, 5G Technology World, February 20, 2019. https://www.5gtechnologyworld.com/the-challenge-and-the-opportunity-of-sensor-fusion-a-real-gamechanger/

This focus area includes the development of robotic systems and technologies (hardware and software) that will enable and enhance future space exploration, science, and service missions. In the coming decades, robotic systems will continue to change the way space is explored. Robots will be used in all mission phases: as independent explorers operating in environments too distant or hostile for humans, as precursor systems operating before crewed missions, as crew assistants working alongside and supporting humans, as caretakers of assets left behind, and as remote agents servicing and assembling critical space instruments and infrastructure.

As science and exploration activities reach further into the solar system and humans continue to work and live in space, establishing a sustainable presence on the moon and progressing on to Mars, there will be an increased reliance on intelligent and versatile robots capable of performing a variety of tasks in remote settings under dynamic mission conditions. Technologies are needed to improve robotic mobility across extreme surface terrains, on and around small bodies, and in challenging environmental conditions. This includes hazard detection, sensing/perception, robotic navigation, grappling/anchoring, actuation, novel locomotion paradigms, and innovative technologies to enhance situational awareness and user interfaces for the semi-autonomous command and control of remote robotic systems. Robotic manipulation likewise provides a critical capability for servicing and assembling equipment in space, for sample collection and handling, science utilization in the absence of the crew, and as a means to free crew from mundane logistics management tasks or augment crew performance to increase efficiency and maximize useful work in situ. Effective affordance recognition and scene understanding, grasp planning, robotic end-effectors, force control, task primitives/task parameterization, approaches to human-robot interaction for supervised autonomy, and robust, fail-operational designs are all relevant technologies needed to accomplish robotic manipulation tasks internal to space vehicles and habitats, on the lunar surface, while interacting with orbital assets, and on distant planetary bodies. New technologies are desired to enable or enhance robotic docking and refueling operations, lunar surface site preparation, and the mobile dexterous manipulation required to handle tools, interfaces, and materials not specifically designed for robots in support of establishing, maintaining, and utilizing science and exploration infrastructure.

Advances beyond our current robotic capabilities can be realized through new component technologies, the development and integration of novel robotic systems, ground testing of potential solutions, advances in software and simulation tools, and flight demonstration of new robots and robotic task performance. Hardware and software, both onboard remote robots and contributing to improved human-robot interaction and supervisory control by remote operators, will improve safety and increase the complexity of tasks robots can efficiently and effectively perform in support of NASA’s Moon to Mars objectives, the broader space economy, and an array of terrestrial applications with comparable technology needs. Relevant overlap exists with other focus areas targeting advances in autonomy and hardware suited for the extreme environments of space destinations, as technologies are sought to enable productive, sustainable robotic science and exploration in remote, and evermore challenging, reaches of the solar system.

Scope Title:

Site Preparation and Bulk Regolith Infrastructure

Scope Description:

It is envisioned that some of the first possible lunar infrastructures will be structures composed of bulk regolith and rocks. The intent of this subtopic is to develop lunar civil engineering designs, processes, and technologies that produce such structures, and develop concepts of operations (ConOps) for their construction in the South Polar region of the Moon. This is the lunar equivalent of terrestrial “Earth Works.” Earth-based civil engineering processes and technologies are not adequate for lunar construction, therefore lunar civil engineering technologies must be developed. Specific capabilities of interest are:

Establishing grade.
Rock removal.
Compaction.
Berm building.
Topography mapping to enable cut/fill operations planning and execution.
Geotechnical characterization.
Site preparation autonomous operations.
Regolith hauling/conveying for distances greater that 1 km.

The desired outcome of this effort is “Regolith Works” (engineered surface features and structures) and the design, prototype, testing, analysis, modeling, and demonstration of prototype equipment. These technologies are sought for scaled lunar construction demonstration missions. The following lunar civil engineered structures are of interest to NASA. Proposers are welcome to suggest other regolith-based infrastructure concepts.

Bulk regolith-based launch/landing zones designed to minimize risks associated with landing/launching on unprepared surfaces for CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) and HLS (Human Landing System) vehicles.
Rocket Plume Surface Interaction (PSI) ejecta and blast protection structures.
Regolith base and subgrade for supporting hardened launch/landing pads, towers, habitats, and other in situ constructed structures.
Pathways for improved trafficability.
Solar Particle Event (SPE) and Galactic Cosmic Ray (GCR) shielding.
Structures for access to subgrade (e.g., trenches and pits).
Emplaced regolith overburden on structures and equipment.
Meteoroid impact protection structures.
Topographical features for terrain relative guidance for flight and surface vehicles.
Flat and level operational surfaces for equipment positioning, regularly accessed locations, and dust mitigation applications.
Sloped regolith ramps for access to challenging locations.
Utility corridors (e.g., electrical, comm, and fluids).
Shade structures.
Elevated operational surfaces.

Exact requirements for the full-scale bulk regolith structures are not yet known. Assumptions should be made with supporting rationale to enable initial designs. Specification of lunar civil engineering design criteria should be provided including geotechnical properties.

Tests and validated models/simulations should be developed to characterize the system and regolith infrastructure performance in its intended environments/applications. For example, effects of ejecta impingement upon proposed PSI ejecta protection structures should be characterized including phenomenon such as erosion or secondary ejecta trajectories.

Development of PSI modeling capabilities is not in scope for this subtopic, but collaboration with ongoing PSI modeling efforts is welcome. Information on PSI characteristics can be obtained in the peer-reviewed literature and public NASA reports in the reference section.

ConOps should be developed to define the sequence of steps to complete construction tasks. The ConOps should begin with the natural lunar surface including hills, valleys, and surface and subsurface rocks, and end with the completed bulk regolith infrastructure verified to meet design criteria. A sequence of all required functions of robotic systems and implements should be defined to achieve the task. References to recommended existing spaceflight or protype hardware should be provided for each function. In cases where hardware does not exist, conceptual implement designs should be proposed and critical functions demonstrated in laboratory environments. Concepts should be appropriate for a CLPS scale demonstration mission on the lunar surface (e.g., 25 kg overall mass, 8 kg budget for implements) and assume that the implements would attach to an existing modular mobility platform with interfaces at the forward and aft position. Mobility platforms are not a focus for this topic. A depiction of the integrated construction system concept should be provided.

Proposers may select one or more systems/structures of interest to develop. Infrastructure designs that maximize risk reduction for the Artemis program will be prioritized. ConOps that show promise for implementation by a single, compact, robotic construction system will rank high. Additionally, concepts that employ high Technology Readiness Level (TRL) implements will be prioritized. NASA is seeking systems that can build bulk regolith infrastructure that can be demonstrated in the near term.

Research institute partnering is anticipated to provide analytical, research, and engineering support to the proposers. Examples may include applying civil engineering principles and planning methods, identification and development of needed standards or specifications for lunar structures and operations, regolith interaction modeling, development of analytical models and simulations for verification of system performance, and methods for the design and prototyping of hardware and associated software.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 07 Exploration Destination Systems
Level 2 07.2 Mission Infrastructure, Sustainability, and Supportability

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I must include the design and test of critical attributes associated with the proposed site preparation technology, operations, and achieved site characteristics. Civil engineered design of bulk regolith infrastructure including associated testing, modeling, and simulations must be included. Phase I must also include a ConOps for constructing the infrastructure and verifying the as-built characteristics meet design criteria. An overall construction system concept must be provided. Phase I proposals should result in at least TRL 4 structures and implements.

Phase II deliverables must include demonstration of construction and characterization of bulk regolith infrastructure. The infrastructure must be constructed using robotic systems and implements. Proof of critical functions of the infrastructure and systems must be demonstrated. Structures and systems must be developed to a minimum of TRL 5. Phase II must also include updates to the bulk regolith infrastructure designs, tests, modeling, and simulation based on Artemis program needs refinement and new information.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

While civil engineering and construction are well-established practices on Earth, lunar applications remain at low TRLs. The design requirements and functional capabilities of bulk regolith-based lunar infrastructure are not well defined. To date, very few studies have performed civil engineering designs of bulk regolith infrastructure for lunar surface applications. Tests have been performed on Earth but only for short periods of time and with limited environmental and operational fidelity.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

Construction of bulk regolith infrastructure directly addresses the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) strategic thrust “Land: Increase Access to Planetary Surfaces.” It also addresses the strategic thrust of “Live: Sustainable Living and Working Farther from Earth”

References:

Requirements Development Framework for Lunar In Situ Surface Construction of Infrastructure https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483374.106

Design of an Excavation Robot: Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot (RASSOR) 2.0 https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20210011366

Off Earth Landing and Launch Pad Construction—A Critical Technology for Establishing a Long-Term Presence on Extraterrestrial Surfaces https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483374.079

Plume Surface Interaction (PSI) https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/game_changing_development/projects/PSI

Rocket Plume Interactions for NASA Landing Systems https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20200000979/downloads/20200000979.pdf

Gas-Particle Flow Simulations for Martian and Lunar Lander Plume-Surface Interaction Prediction https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784483374.009

Understanding and Mitigating Plume Effects During Powered Descents on the Moon and Mars https://baas.aas.org/pub/2021n4i089?readingCollection=7272e5bb

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), https://science.nasa.gov. encompasses research in the areas of Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, Planetary Science, and Biological/Physical Sciences. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have provided NASA with recently updated Decadal surveys that are useful to identify technologies that are of interest to the above science divisions. Those documents are available at https://nap.nationalacademies.org.

A major objective of SMD instrument development programs is to implement science measurement capabilities with smaller or more affordable aerospace platforms so development programs can meet multiple mission needs and therefore make the best use of limited resources. The rapid development of small, low-cost remote sensing and in-situ instruments capable of making measurements across the electromagnetic spectrum is essential to achieving this objective. For Earth Science needs, in particular, the subtopics reflect a focus on remote sensing (active and passive) and in situ instrument development for space-based, airborne, and uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. A strong focus is placed on reducing the size, weight, power, and cost of remote and in situ instruments to allow for deployment on a more affordable and wider range of platforms. Astrophysics has a critical need for sensitive detector arrays with imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetric capabilities, which can be demonstrated on the ground, airborne, balloon, or suborbital rocket instruments. Heliophysics, which focuses on measurements of the sun and its interaction with the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, needs a significant reduction in the size, mass, power, and cost for instruments to fly on smaller spacecraft. Planetary Science has a critical need for miniaturized instruments with in-situ sensors that can be deployed on surface landers, rovers, and airborne platforms. For the 2023 program year, we are continuing to update the included subtopics. Please read each subtopic of interest carefully. We continue to emphasize Ocean Worlds and solicit the 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. The microwave technologies continue as two subtopics, one focused on active microwave remote sensing and the second on passive systems such as radiometers and microwave spectrometers. NASA has an additional interest in advancing quantum sensing technologies to enable wholly new quantum sensing and measurement techniques focused on the development and maturation towards space application and qualification of atomic systems that leverage their quantum properties.  Furthermore, photonic integrated circuit technology is sought to enable size, weight, power, and cost reductions, as well as improved performance of science instruments, subsystems, and components which is particularly critical for enabling the use of affordable small spacecraft platforms.

A key objective of this SBIR Focus Area is to develop and demonstrate instrument component and subsystem technologies that reduce the risk, cost, size, and development time of SMD observing instruments and enable new measurements. Proposals are sought for the development of components, subsystems, and systems that can be used in planned missions or a current technology program. Research should be conducted to demonstrate feasibility during Phase I and show a path toward a Phase II prototype demonstration. The following subtopics are concomitant with these objectives and are organized by technology.

Scope Title:

Advanced Concepts for Lunar and Martian Propellant Production, Storage, and Usage

Scope Description:

This subtopic seeks technologies related to cryogenic propellant (e.g., hydrogen, oxygen, and methane) production, sensors and instrumentation, storage, and usage to support NASA's in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) goals. This includes a wide range of applications, scales, and environments consistent with future NASA missions to the Moon and Mars. Anticipated outcomes of Phase I proposals are expected to deliver proof of the proposed concept with some sort of basic testing or physical demonstration. Proposals shall include plans for a prototype and demonstration in a defined relevant environment (with relevant fluids) at the conclusion of Phase II. Solicited topics are as follows:

Development of instruments and instrument components suitable for use with lunar regolith. The successful deployment of ISRU technology on the Moon requires processing industrial-scale amounts (thousands of metric tons) of lunar regolith to extract trapped water and/or oxygen. To narrow the critical gaps between the current state of art and the need for sensors in extreme environments, technologies are being sought to increase the robustness and processing speed required for wide area and localized resource assessment. Sensors need to operate for long term (>200 days) in harsh abrasive and thermal environments in both sunlit and permanently shadowed regions, which risks calibration/measurement drift, accuracy decline, or contaminant failure. Most favorable sensors will have low mass, volume, and/or power requirements. Sensor selectivity, dynamic range, and response time appropriate for the targeted resource processing is needed. Proposers should show an understanding of relevant environmental capability, present a feasible plan to fully develop a technology, and infuse it into a NASA program. Proposer should provide a comparison metric for assessing proposed improvements compared to existing capabilities. The proposer should clearly describe the ISRU process targeted, the rationale for the sensor technology proposed, and a clear justification that the proposed technology will have an impact on ISRU processing.
- - Sensors to determine regolith mineral/chemical composition during transfer for processing: While science instruments have been developed for mineral/chemical composition, instruments need to be refocused for (1) lunar operation, (2) minerals of resource interest, and (3) faster operation. Sensors are needed to better understand minerology during regolith processing (mass flows >1 kg/hr).
  - Sensors for evaluating regolith properties during transfer for preparation and processing: ISRU systems that process resources will need a near-real-time understanding of feed size, shape, and mass flow (>1 kg/hr) to optimize performance. This means that the regolith transfer device needs the ability to support instruments that operate in an abrasive environment that can be used before and/or after regolith preparation (crushing and size sorting) and before transfer for processing.
  - Sensors to monitor ISRU process gases: ISRU processes need to measure O₂, H₂, and CH₄ at high concentrations of the gas; for contaminants including H₂O impurities, CO, CH₄, H₂, HF, HCl, H₂S, etc., and crossover gases on alternative lines (eg., H₂ on O₂ side), measurement is likely needed at ppm levels.
Develop and implement computational methodology to enhance the evaluation of temperature and species gradients at the liquid/vapor interface in unsettled conditions. Techniques could include arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) interface tracking methods with adaptive mesh morphing, interface reconstruction methods, immersed boundary approaches, or enhanced-capability level set and volume of fluid (VOF) scheme that decrease numerically generated spurious velocities and increase gradient evaluation accuracy. The uncertainty of such techniques in determining the interfacial gradients should be <5% and on par with accuracies of a sharp interface method applied to a nonmoving, rigid interface. Applications include cryogenic tank self-pressurization, pressure control via jet mixing, and filling and liquid transfer operations. It is highly desirable if the methodology can be implemented via user-defined functions/subroutines into commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The final deliverable should be the documentation showing the detailed formulation, implementation, and validation, and any stand-alone code or customized user-defined functions that have been developed for implementation into commercial codes.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 14 Thermal Management Systems
Level 2 14.1 Cryogenic Systems

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Hardware
Software
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I proposals should at a minimum deliver proof of the concept, including some sort of testing or physical demonstration, not just a paper study. Phase II proposals should provide component validation in a laboratory environment preferably with hardware (or model subroutines) deliverable to NASA.

Deliverables for the modeling: Phase I should demonstrate the accuracy of the method for simulating self-pressurization under unsettled, low-gravity conditions. Phase II should demonstrate the accuracy of the method for simulating jet mixing and filling and transfer operations. The final deliverable should be the documentation showing the detailed formulation, implementation, and validation, and any stand-alone code or customized user-defined functions that have been developed for implementation into commercial codes.

Deliverables for the sensors: The Phase I project should focus on feasibility and proof-of-concept demonstration (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 2-3). The required Phase I deliverable is a report documenting the proposed innovation, its status at the end of the Phase I effort, and the evaluation of its strengths and weaknesses compared to the state of the art. The report can include a feasibility assessment and concept of operations, simulations and/or measurements, and a plan for further development to be performed in Phase II.

The Phase II project should focus on component and/or breadboard development with the delivery of specific hardware for NASA (TRL 4-5). Phase II deliverables include a working prototype of the proposed hardware, along with documentation of development, capabilities, and measurements.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) has identified ISRU as a main investment area in its strategic framework. Scalable ISRU production and utilization capabilities including sustainable commodities are required to live on the lunar and Mars surfaces. The required commercial-scale water, oxygen, and metals production will be demonstrated at a smaller scale via a pilot production plant envisioned in the 2030s.

Cryogenic Fluid Management (CFM) is a cross-cutting technology suite that supports multiple forms of propulsion systems (nuclear and chemical), including storage, transfer, and gauging, as well as liquefaction of ISRU-produced propellants. The STMD has identified that CFM technologies are vital to NASA's exploration plans for multiple architectures, whether it is hydrogen/oxygen or methane/oxygen systems including chemical propulsion and nuclear thermal propulsion.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

NASA's STMD has identified ISRU as a main investment area in its strategic framework. Additionally, NASA has plans to purchase services for delivery of payloads to the Moon through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) contract. The CLPS payload accommodations will vary depending on the particular service provider and mission characteristics. CLPS missions will typically carry multiple payloads for multiple customers and may include commodity production technology demonstrations. Additional information on the CLPS program and providers can be found at this link: https://www.nasa.gov/content/commercial-lunar-payload-services

STMD strives to provide the technologies that are needed to enable exploration of the solar system, both manned and unmanned systems, and CFM is a key technology to enable exploration. Whether liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen or liquid oxygen/liquid methane is chosen by the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) as the main in-space propulsion element to transport humans, CFM will be required to store propellant for up to 5 years in various orbital environments. Transfer will also be required, whether to engines or other tanks (e.g., depot/aggregation), to enable the use of cryogenic propellants that have been stored. In conjunction with ISRU, cryogens will have to be produced, liquefied, and stored, the latter two of which are CFM functions for the surface of the Moon or Mars. ISRU and CFM liquefaction drastically reduces the amount of mass that has to be landed on the Moon or Mars.

References:

Overview of NASA ISRU Plans, Priorites, and Activities: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20220007350

Scope Title:

Sustainable Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Extraction and Transformation

Scope Description:

Component and subsystem technologies are sought to demonstrate sustainable, energy-efficient extraction of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from a defined planetary or habitable atmosphere fully integrated with CO₂ transformation into one or more stable products such as manufacturing feedstock polymers or readily storable, noncryogenic propellants or fuels. This scope is intended to incentivize revolutionary, dual-use technologies that may lead to reduced dependence of sustainable space exploration activity on terrestrial supplies of carbon-containing resources and also lead to products with commercial promise for repurposing terrestrial atmospheric CO₂. At the core of this scope is a requirement for integrated technology solutions that dramatically reduce mass, volume, and end-to-end energy consumption of highly integrated CO₂ collection and transformation.

Proposals must specifically and clearly describe: (1) physical and/or chemical processes to be implemented for CO₂ collection and transformation, including reference to the current state of the art; (2) specific engineering approaches to be used in dramatically reducing mass, volume, and end-to-end energy consumption per mass of product carbon content mass; (3) validated performance estimates of high-cycle utilization of any sorption, catalytic, or other unconsumed materials used in the CO₂ collection or transformation processes; (4) suitability or adaptability of the proposed CO₂capture approach for operation in various ambient CO₂mixture and partial pressure environments (i.e., ambient Mars atmosphere to ambient Earth atmosphere conditions); (5) substantiated estimates of the mass conversion efficiency of ingested carbon to product carbon; and (6) estimated total end-to-end energy consumption per unit mass of product carbon.

The scope specifically excludes: (1) evolutionary improvements in mature CO₂ collection technologies that do not provide large reductions in mass, volume, and end-to-end energy consumption; (2) CO₂ collection approaches that employ CO₂absorbing materials that require frequent replenishment or replacement (e.g., greater than 50% reduction in absorption efficiency after 500 cycles); (3) technologies considered as life support systems including air revitalization, water processing, or waste processing; (4) biological or biology-based components or subsystems of any kind; and (5) CO₂transformation products that are not readily stored at approximately Earth-ambient conditions such as cryogenic propellants.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 07 Exploration Destination Systems
Level 2 07.1 In-Situ Resource Utilization

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Prototype
Research
Analysis

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I deliverable is defined as a detailed feasibility study that clearly defines the specific technical innovation and estimated performance of CO₂ collection and transformation into products, identifying critical development risks anticipated in a Phase II effort. Technology feasibility evaluation should address the scope proposal elements including: (1) process descriptions; (2) results of engineered mass, volume, and energy consumption efficiency designs; (3) cyclic performance of participating unconsumed process materials; (4) adaptability to different atmospheric CO₂ mixtures and partial pressures; (5) ingested atmosphere throughput and carbon conversion efficiency to product carbon, and (6) estimated total end-to-end energy consumption per unit mass of product carbon. Phase I feasibility deliverables should include laboratory test results that demonstrate the performance of unit processes, components, or subsystems against these metrics.

Phase II deliverables are to include matured feasibility analysis provided in Phase I, and matured laboratory prototype components or subsystems integrated into an end-to-end CO₂ collection and transformation prototype system, including design drawings. Component, subsystem, and integrated system performance test data is a specific deliverable and must include: (1) cyclic performance; (2) ingested atmosphere throughput and carbon conversion efficiency to product carbon; (3) evaluated properties of products; and (4) the results of engineered mass, volume, and energy consumption efficiency designs including measured end-to-end energy consumption per unit mass of product carbon. Analysis deliverables for Phase II should address a credible path toward maturation of the technology and approaches to scaling the technologies to larger processing capacities.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

This topic is intended to solicit innovative technologies with clear dual use: (1) adoption by NASA for infusion into long-term mission capabilities enabling mission scale in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) use of the martian atmosphere and (2) commercialization and the potential formation of a terrestrial industry to meet potentially significant future demand for terrestrial atmospheric CO₂ extraction and repurposing. Additionally, if or as a viable industry associated with terrestrial applications of these technologies emerges, commercial competition may continue to drive innovation and contribute over the long term to improved NASA mission capability. Early-stage innovations in this topic are anticipated from teams of small businesses and research institutions, which can demonstrate feasibility and readiness for accelerated maturation.

Well-developed and mature technologies for atmospheric CO₂ capture have been flown and operated on NASA spacecraft, based on phase change (freezing) of ambient gas; accepting the power requirements and efficiency levels of both the refrigeration and heating devices in a freeze/thaw-based collection cycle. The NASA operational collection of CO₂ from habitable atmospheres is performed using flow-through beds of sorption materials driven to saturation followed by either desorption processes or discarding of the sorption material and the collected CO₂. Similarly, CO₂ processing based on electrochemical reduction of CO₂ into carbon monoxide (CO) has been flown demonstrating production of oxygen from atmospheric sources. However, the collected carbon is a disposable byproduct. Significantly, these systems are not developed nor optimized for recovery and repurposing of considerable process heat drawn from spacecraft power sources, nor for repurposing of the collected carbon. Recent literature suggests emerging laboratory research of both efficient CO₂ capture and repurposing processes is occurring and may be well positioned for development into components and subsystems suitable for longer-term infusion by NASA into ISRU systems and an emerging terrestrial industry.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

The quantification of resources on Mars suitable for the local production of a variety of mission consumables, manufactured products, and other mission support materials has become much better understood through recent in situ measurements and introductory technology demonstrations. Evolving mission scenarios for expanded robotic and human exploration of Mars uniformly depend on the utilization of these resources to dramatically reduce the cost and risks associated with these exploration goals. In order to reduce the broad goal of utilizing the CO₂ of the martian atmosphere as a source of both carbon and oxygen to practical, full-scale reality, substantial improvements in system mass, volume, and power requirements are needed. This solicitation is intended to incentivize these innovations in the service of future NASA missions.

Additionally, there is a growing recognition of the planetwide consequences of accumulating CO₂ in the terrestrial atmosphere. Technologies that advance NASA's Mars ISRU aspirations may be created with the necessary energy efficiencies to support scaling up to terrestrial industrial capacity large enough to begin to reduce or reverse atmospheric CO₂ accumulation.

References:

[1] I. Ghiat and T. Al-Ansari, "A review of carbon capture and utilisation as a CO₂ abatement opportunity within the EWF nexus," J. CO2 Util., vol. 45, December 2020, p. 101432, 2021.

[2] J. Sekera and A. Lichtenberger, "Assessing carbon capture: Public policy, science, and societal need," Biophys. Econ. Sustain., vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 1–28, 2020.

[3] F. Nocito and A. Dibenedetto, "Atmospheric CO₂ mitigation technologies: carbon capture utilization and storage," Curr. Opin. Green Sustain. Chem., vol. 21, pp. 34–43, 2020.

[4] H. Sun et al., "Understanding the interaction between active sites and sorbents during the integrated carbon capture and utilization process," Fuel, vol. 286, no. P1, p. 119308, 2021.

[5] J. Godin, W. Liu, S. Ren, and C. C. Xu, "Advances in recovery and utilization of carbon dioxide: A brief review," J. Environ. Chem. Eng., vol. 9, no. 4, p. 105644, 2021.

[6] J. Hyun Park, J. Yang, D. Kim, H. Gim, W. Yeong Choi, and J. W. Lee, "Review of recent technologies for transforming carbon dioxide to carbon materials," Chem. Eng. J., vol. 427, April 2021, p. 130980, 2021.

[7] M. A. Abdelkareem et al., "Fuel cells for carbon capture applications," Sci. Total Environ., vol. 769, p. 144243, 2021.

[8] Jussara Lopes de Miranda, "CO2 Conversion to Organic Compounds and Polymeric Precursors," in Frank Zhu, ed., CO2 Summit: Technology and Opportunity, ECI Symposium Series, 2010. https://dc.engconfintl.org/co2_summit/14

[9] Y. Qin and X. Wang, "Conversion of CO₂ into Polymers," in B. Han and T. Wu, eds., Green Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology Series, Springer, New York, NY, pp. 323-347, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-9060-3_1013

[10] Q. Liu, L. Wu, R. Jackstell, et al., Using carbon dioxide as a building block in organic synthesis. Nat. Commun., vol. 6, no. 5933, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms6933

[11] Kuan Huang, Jia-Yin Zhang, Fujian Liu, and Sheng Dai, "Synthesis of porous polymeric catalysts for the conversion of carbon dioxide," ACS Catalysis, vol. 8, no. 10, pp. 9079-9102, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1021/acscatal.8b02151

[12] Vignesh Kumaravel, John Bartlett, and Suresh C. Pillai, "Photoelectrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into fuels and value-added products," ACS Energy Letters, vol. 5, no. 2, pp. 486-519, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsenergylett.9b02585

[13] Erdogan Alper and Ozge Yuksel Orhan, "CO₂ utilization: Developments in conversion processes," Petroleum, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 109-126, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.petlm.2016.11.003

[14] Erivaldo J.C. Lopes, Ana P.C. Ribeiro, and Luísa M.D.R.S. Martins, "New trends in the conversion of CO₂ to cyclic carbonates, "Catalysts, 2020, 10, 479, 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10050479

Scope Title:

Sustainable Production of Hydrogen for Transportation and Energy Storage Applications

Scope Description:

Component and subsystem technologies are sought to demonstrate sustainable, energy-efficient production of hydrogen from water and organic materials. Dual-use technologies are sought that may reduce dependence of sustainable space exploration activity on terrestrial supplies of hydrogen-containing resources, provide a source of advanced aviation and surface transportation fuels, provide advanced energy storage capabilities for aerospace or terrestrial power systems, or may be integrated into production of derivative products including structural materials, manufacturing feedstock, or other condensed-phase products. Dual use of hydrogen production capability extends to a focus for NASA applications on size, weight, and energy consumption and utilization efficiencies, and applying those efficiencies to terrestrial implementations with opportunities for scale up to commercial hydrogen production. This scope is therefore intended to strongly emphasize significant overall efficiencies in size, weight, and energy consumption and utilization. The scope specifically excludes incremental improvements in existing water electrolysis technologies.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 03 Aerospace Power and Energy Storage
Level 2 03.2 Energy Storage

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Analysis
Prototype
Research

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I Deliverable is defined as a detailed feasibility study that clearly defines the specific technical innovations in hydrogen production. Technology feasibility evaluation should include persuasive rationale showing process conversion effectiveness, approaches to minimization of specific mass and volume (i.e., per mass and volume of hydrogen produced), and substantial innovation in the utilization and minimization of total energy consumption. Phase I feasibility deliverables could be significantly strengthened by laboratory test results that demonstrate the performance of unit processes, components, or subsystems against these metrics.

Phase II Deliverables are to include matured feasibility analysis and laboratory prototype components or subsystems integrated into an end-to-end hydrogen production system at a laboratory scale of maturity, and performance testing data that address metrics including process conversion effectiveness, specific mass and/or volume, energy utilization, and product properties. Analysis deliverables for Phase II should address a credible path toward maturation of the technology and approaches to scaling the technologies to larger processing capacities. Phase II hardware delivery may possibly be waived to enable well-secured follow-on technology maturation support.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

This topic is intended to solicit innovative technologies with clear dual use: (1) adoption by NASA for infusion into long-term mission capabilities enabling quasi-industrial scale ISRU and energy storage use of indigenous water resources and (2) commercialization and the potential formation of a terrestrial industry to meet potentially significant future demand for hydrogen for energy storage, advanced aviation and surface transportation fuels, and feedstock for manufactured products. Additionally, if or as a viable industry associated with terrestrial applications of these technologies emerge, a commercial competition may continue to innovate and contribute over the longer term to improved NASA mission capability. Early-stage innovations in this topic are anticipated from teams of small businesses and research institutions, which can demonstrate feasibility and readiness for accelerated maturation.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

The application of compact, energy-efficient hydrogen production technologies will occur in future power and energy storage and ISRU implementations on the Moon and on Mars, which are currently constrained by the use of conventional water electrolysis approaches. Technologies that successfully address size, mass, and energy consumption constraints for spaceflight applications will enable the utilization of those efficiencies as the basis for scaling up to commercial production for terrestrial applications at far larger production volumes than needed for spaceflight applications. This solicitation is intended to incentivize these innovations in the service of future NASA missions.

References:

[1] R. Yukesh Kannah et al., "Techno-economic assessment of various hydrogen production methods – A review," Bioresour. Technol., vol. 319, September 2020, p. 124175, 2021.

[2] A. Bauen, N. Bitossi, L. German, A. Harris, and K. Leow, "Sustainable aviation fuels status, challenges and prospects of drop-in liquid fuels, hydrogen and electrification in aviation," Johnson Matthey Technol. Rev., vol. 64, no. 3, pp. 263–278, 2020.

[3] I. Dincer and C. Acar, "Review and evaluation of hydrogen production methods for better sustainability," Int. J. Hydrogen Energy, vol. 40, no. 34, pp. 11094–11111, 2014.

[4] Y. Cheng et al., "Mg and K dual-decorated Fe-on-reduced graphene oxide for selective catalyzing CO hydrogenation to light olefins with mitigated CO2 emission and enhanced activity," Appl. Catal. B Environ., vol. 204, pp. 475–485, May 2017.

[5] F. Safari and I. Dincer, "A review and comparative evaluation of thermochemical water splitting cycles for hydrogen production," Energy Convers. Manag., vol. 205, October 2019, p. 112182, 2020.

[6] A. Baroutaji, T. Wilberforce, M. Ramadan, and A. G. Olabi, "Comprehensive investigation on hydrogen and fuel cell technology in the aviation and aerospace sectors," Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev., vol. 106, September 2018, pp. 31–40, 2019.

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), https://science.nasa.gov/ encompasses research in the areas of Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics, and Planetary Science. The National Academies of Science has provided NASA with recently updated Decadal surveys that are useful to identify technologies that are of interest to the above science divisions. Those documents are available at https://www.nationalacademies.org/.

A major objective of SMD instrument development programs is to implement science measurement capabilities with smaller or more affordable aerospace platforms so development programs can meet multiple mission needs and therefore make the best use of limited resources. The rapid development of small, low-cost remote sensing and in-situ instruments capable of making measurements across the electromagnetic spectrum is essential to achieving this objective. For Earth Science needs, in particular, the subtopics reflect a focus on remote sensing (active and passive) and in situ instrument development for space-based, airborne, and uninhabited aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms. A strong focus is placed on reducing the size, weight, power, and cost of remote and in situ instruments to allow for deployment on a more affordable and wider range of platforms. Astrophysics has a critical need for sensitive detector arrays with imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetric capabilities, which can be demonstrated on the ground, airborne, balloon, or suborbital rocket instruments. Heliophysics, which focuses on measurements of the sun and its interaction with the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, needs a significant reduction in the size, mass, power, and cost for instruments to fly on smaller spacecraft. Planetary Science has a critical need for miniaturized instruments with in-situ sensors that can be deployed on surface landers, rovers, and airborne platforms. For the 2022 program year, we are continuing to update the included subtopics. Please read each subtopic of interest carefully. We continue to emphasize Ocean Worlds and solicit the 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. The microwave technologies continue as two subtopics, one focused on active microwave remote sensing and the second on passive systems such as radiometers and microwave spectrometers. NASA has an additional interest in advancing quantum sensing technologies to enable wholly new quantum sensing and measurement techniques focused on the development and maturation towards space application and qualification of atomic systems that leverage their quantum properties. Furthermore, photonic integrated circuit technology is sought to enable size, weight, power, and cost reductions, as well as improved performance of science instruments, subsystems, and components which is particularly critical for enabling the use of affordable small spacecraft platforms.

A key objective of this SBIR Focus Area is to develop and demonstrate instrument component and subsystem technologies that reduce the risk, cost, size, and development time of SMD observing instruments and to enable new measurements. Proposals are sought for the development of components, subsystems, and systems that can be used in planned missions or a current technology program. Research should be conducted to demonstrate feasibility during Phase I and show a path toward a Phase II prototype demonstration. The following subtopics are concomitant with these objectives and are organized by technology.

Scope Title:

Quantum Sensing and Measurement

Scope Description:

Specifically identified applications of interest include quantum sensing methodologies achieving the optimal collection light for photon-starved astronomical observations, quantum-enhanced ground-penetrating radar, and quantum-enhanced telescope interferometry.

Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) systems for enhanced multiplexing factor reading out of arrays of cryogenic energy-resolving single-photon detectors, including the supporting resonator circuits, amplifiers, and room temperature readout electronics.
Quantum light sources capable of efficiently and reliably producing prescribed quantum states including entangled photons, squeezed states, photon number states, and broadband correlated light pulses. Such entangled sources are sought for the visible infrared (vis-IR) and in the microwave entangled photons sources for quantum ranging and ground-penetrating radar.
On-demand single-photon sources with narrow spectral linewidth are needed for system calibration of single-photon counting detectors and energy-resolving single-photon detector arrays in the midwave infrared (MIR), near infrared (NIR), and visible. Such sources are sought for operation at cryogenic temperatures for calibration on the ground and aboard space instruments. This includes low SWaP quantum radiometry systems capable of calibrating detectors' spectroscopic resolution and efficiency over the MIR, NIR, and/or visible.

Quantum Sensing and Measurement includes: Quantum Metrology and Radiometry (absolute radiometry without massive blackbody cryogenic radiometer or synchrotron), Quantum Sources (prepare prescribed quantum states with high fidelity), Quantum Memories (storage and release of quantum states), Quantum Absorbers and Quantum Amplifiers (efficiently absorption and detection of quantum states).

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 08 Sensors and Instruments
Level 2 08.X Other Sensors and Instruments

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

NASA is seeking innovative ideas and creative concepts for science sensor technologies using quantum sensing techniques. The proposals should include results from designs and models, proof-of-concept demonstrations, and prototypes showing the performance of the novel quantum sensor.

Phase I does not need to include a physical deliverable to the government but it is best if it includes a demonstration of feasibility through measurements. This can include extensive modeling, but a stronger proposal will have measured validation of models or designs that support the viability of the planned Phase II deliverable.

Phase II should include prototype delivery to the government. (It is understood that this is a research effort and the prototype is a best effort delivery where there is no penalty for missing performance goals.) The Phase II effort should be targeting a commercial product that could be sold to the government and/or industry.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Quantum Entangled Photon Sources:

Sources for generation of quantum photon number states. Such sources would utilize high detection efficiency photon energy-resolving single-photon detectors (where the energy resolution is used to detect the photon number) developed at NASA for detection. Sources that fall in the wavelength range from 20 μm to 200 nm are of high interest. Photon number state generation anywhere within this spectral range is also highly desired including emerging photon-number quantum state methods providing advantages over existing techniques. (Stobińska, et al., Sci. Adv. 5 (2019)). Also interested in proposal generating Holland-Burnett states (Phy Rev. Let 71, 1355 (1993)).

Quantum dot source produced entangled photons with a fidelity of 0.90, a pair generation rate of 0.59, a pair extraction efficiency of 0.62, and a photon indistinguishability of 0.90, simultaneously (881 nm light) at 10 MHz. (Wang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 122, 113602 (2019)). Further advances are sought.

Spectral brightness of 0.41 MHz/mW/nm for multimode and 0.025 MHz/mW/nm for single-mode coupling. (Jabir: Scientific Reports. 7, 12613 (2017)).

Higher brightness and multiple entanglement and heralded multiphoton entanglement and boson sampling sources. Sources that produce photon number states or Fock states are also sought for various applications including energy-resolving single-photon detector applications.

For energy-resolving single-photon detectors, current state-of-the-art multiplexing can achieve kilopixel detector arrays, which with advances in microwave SQUID, multiplexing can be increased to megapixel arrays. (Morgan, Physics Today. 71, 8, 28 (2018)).

Energy-resolving detectors achieving 99% detection efficiency have been demonstrated in the NIR. Even higher quantum efficiency absorber structures are sought (either over narrow bands or broadband) compatible with transition-edge sensor (TES) detectors. Such ultra-high- (near-unity-) efficiency absorbing structures are sought in the ultraviolet, vis-IR, NIR, mid-infrared, far infrared, and microwave.

Quantum memories with long coherence times >30 ms to several hours and efficiency coupling. Want to show a realistic development path capable of highly efficient coupling to photon number resolving detectors.

Absolute detection efficiency measurements (without reference to calibration standards) using quantum light sources have achieved detection efficiency relative uncertainties of 0.1% level. Further reduction in detection efficiency uncertainty is sought to characterize ultra-high-efficiency absorber structures. Combining calibration method with the ability to tune over a range of different wavelengths is sought to characterize cryogenic single-photon detector's energy resolution and detection efficiency across the detection band of interest. For such applications, the natural linewidth of the source lines must be much less than the detector resolution (for NIR and higher photon energies, resolving powers R = E/ΔE_FWHM= λ/Δλ_FWHM much greater than 100 are required). Quantum sources operating at cryogenic temperatures are most suitable for cryogenic detector characterization and photon number resolving detection for wavelengths of order 1.6 μm and longer.

For quantum sensing applications that would involve a squeezed light source on an aerospace platform, investigation of low SWaP sources of squeezed light would be beneficial. From the literature, larger footprint sources of squeezed light have demonstrated 15 dB of squeezing (Vahlbruch, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 117, 11, 110801 (2016)). For a source smaller in footprint, there has been a recent demonstration of parametric downconversion in an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) resulting in 9.3 dB of squeezing (Arnbak, et al., Optics Express. 27, 26, 37877-37885 (2019)). Further improvement of the state-of-the-art light squeezing capability (i.e., >10 dB), while maintaining low SWaP parameters, is desired.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

Quantum technologies enable a new generation in sensitivities and performance and include low baseline interferometry and ultraprecise sensors with applications ranging from natural resource exploration and biomedical diagnostic to navigation.

Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate (HEOMD)—Astronaut health monitoring.

Science Mission Directorate (SMD)—Earth, planetary, and astrophysics including imaging spectrometers on a chip across the electromagnetic spectrum from x-ray through the infrared.

Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)—Game-changing technology for small spacecraft communication and navigation (optical communication, laser ranging, and gyroscopes).

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)—Rapid increased interest.

Space Technology Roadmap 6.2.2, 13.1.3, 13.3.7, all sensors 6.4.1, 7.1.3, 10.4.1, 13.1.3, 13.4.3, 14.3.3.

References:

2019 NASA Fundamental Physics and Quantum Technology Workshop. Washington, DC (April 8-10, 2019).
Quantum Communication, Sensing and Measurement in Space. Team Leads: Erkmen, Shapiro, and Schwab (2012):
- http://kiss.caltech.edu/final_reports/Quantum_final_report.pdf (link is external).
National Quantum Initiative Act:
- https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/house-report/950/1 (link is external).
- https://www.congress.gov/congressional-report/115th-congress/senate-report/389 (link is external).
- https://www.lightourfuture.org/getattachment/7ad9e04f-4d21-4d98-bd28-e1239977e262/NPI-Recommendations-to-HSC-for-National-Quantum-Initiative-062217.pdf (link is external).
European Union Quantum Flagship Program: https://qt.eu (link is external).
UK National Quantum Technologies Programme: http://uknqt.epsrc.ac.uk (link is external).
DLR Institute of Quantum Technologies: https://www.dlr.de/qt/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-13498/23503_read-54020/ (link is external).
Degen, C. L.; Reinhard, F.; and Cappellaro, P.: Quantum Sensing, Rev. Mod. Phys. 89, 035002 (2017).
Polyakov, Sergey V.: Single Photon Detector Calibration in Single-Photon Generation and Detection, Volume 45, 2013 Elsevier Inc. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-387695-9.00008-1.
Stobińska, et al.: Quantum Interference Enables Constant-Time Quantum Information Processing. Sci. Adv. 5 (2019).

Scope Title:

Quantum Communications

Scope Description:

NASA seeks to develop quantum networks to support the transmission of quantum information for aerospace applications. This distribution of quantum information could potentially be utilized in secure communication, sensor arrays, and quantum computer networks. Quantum communications may provide new ways to improve sensing the entangling of distributed sensor networks to provide extreme sensitivity for applications such as astrophysics, planetary science, and Earth science. Technologies of interest are components to support the communication of quantum information between quantum computers, or sensors, for space applications or supporting linkages between free space and terrestrial fiber-optic quantum networks. Technologies that are needed include quantum memory, entanglement sources, quantum interconects, quantum repeaters, high-efficiency detectors, as well as Integrated Quantum Photonics that integrate multiple components. A key need for all of these are technologies with low SWaP that can be utilized in aerospace applications. Some examples (not all inclusive) of requested innovation include:

Photonic waveguide integrated circuits for quantum information processing and manipulation of entangled quantum states; requires phase stability, low propagation loss, that is, <0.1 dB/cm, and efficient fiber coupling, that is, coupling loss <1.5 dB.
Waveguide-integrated single-photon detectors for >100 MHz incidence rate, 1-sigma time resolution of <25 ps, dark count rate <100 Hz, and single-photon detection efficiency >50% at highest incidence rate.
Quantum memory with high buffering efficiency ( >50%), storage time (>10 ms), and high fidelity (>0.9), including heralding capability as well as scalability.
Stable narrow band filters for connecting to quantum memory and atomic interferometers.
Narrow band (100 MHz or less for spectral bandwidth per channel) wavelength division multiplexing.
High-efficiency and high-speed optical switches.
Quantum sensor network components.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 05 Communications, Navigation, and Orbital Debris Tracking and Characterization Systems
Level 2 05.5 Revolutionary Communications Technologies

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I research should (highly encouraged) be conducted to demonstrate technical feasibility with preliminary hardware (i.e., beyond architecture approach/theory; a proof-of-concept) being delivered for NASA testing, as well as show a plan toward Phase II integration.

Phase II new technology development efforts shall deliver components at 4 to 6 Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) with mature hardware and preliminary integration and testing in an operational environment. Deliverables are desired that substantiate the quantum communication technology utility for positively impacting the NASA mission. The quantum communication technology should impact one of three key areas: information security, sensor networks, and networks of quantum computers. Deliverables that substantiate technology efficacy include reports of key experimental demonstrations that show significant capabilities, but in general, it is desired that the deliverable include some hardware that shows the demonstrated capability.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Quantum communications is called for in the 2018 National Quantum Initiative (NQI) Act, which directs the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Department of Energy (DOE) to pursue research, development, and education activities related to Quantum Information Science. Applications in quantum communications, networking, and sensing, all proposed in this subtopic, are the contributions being pursued by NASA to integrate the advancements being made through the NQI.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This technology would benefit NASA communications infrastructure as well as enable new capabilities that support its core missions. For instance, advances in quantum communications would provide capabilities for added information security for spacecraft assets as well as provide a capability for linking quantum computers on the ground and in orbit. In terms of quantum sensing arrays, there are a number of sensing applications that could be supported through the use of quantum sensing arrays for dramatically improved sensitivity.

References:

Evan Katz, Benjamin Child, Ian Nemitz, Brian Vyhnalek, Tony Roberts, Andrew Hohne, Bertram Floyd, Jonathan Dietz, and John Lekki: “Studies on a Time-Energy Entangled Photon Pair Source and Superconducting Nanowire Single-Photon Detectors for Increased Quantum System Efficiency,” SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA (Feb. 6, 2019).
M. Kitagawa and M. Ueda: “Squeezed Spin States," Phys. Rev. A 47, 5138–5143 (1993).
Daniel Gottesman, Thomas Jennewein, and Sarah Croke: “Longer-Baseline Telescopes Using Quantum Repeaters,” Phys. Rev. Lett., 109 (Aug. 16, 2012).
Nicolas Gisin and Rob Thew: “Quantum Communication,” Nature Photonics, 1, 165–171 (2007).
H. J. Kimble: “The Quantum Internet,” Nature, 453, 1023–1030 (June 19, 2008).
C. L. Degen, F. Reinhard, and P. Cappellaro: “Quantum Sensing,” Rev. Mod. Phys., 89 (July 25, 2017).
Ian, Nemitz, Jonathan Dietz, Evan Katz, Brian Vyhnalek, and Benjamin Child: “Bell Inequality Experiment for a High Brightness Time-Energy Entangled Source,” SPIE Photonics West, San Francisco, CA (March 1, 2019).

Scope Title:

Photonic Integrated Circuits

Scope Description:

Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) are a revolutionary technology that enable complex optical functionality in a simple, robust, reliable, chip-sized package with very low size, weight, and power (SWaP), extremely high performance, and low cost. PICs are the optical analog to electrical integrated circuits (EICs). In the same way that EICs replaced vacuum tubes and other bulk electrical components, PICs are revolutionizing the generation and manipulation of light (photons), replacing free-space optics and parts with chip-based optical waveguides and components. This technology has been pioneered in the telecommunications industry but much of the functionality and components are also directly applicable to science measurements and spacecraft technologies.

NASA is interested in the development and maturation of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology for infusion into existing and upcoming instruments. For the purposes of this call, PIC technology is defined as one or more lithographically defined photonic components or devices (e.g., lasers, detectors, waveguides/passive structures, modulators, electronic control, and optical interconnects) on a single platform allowing for manipulation and confinement of light at or near the wavelength scale. PICs can enable size, weight, and power (SWaP) and cost reductions and improve the performance of science instruments, subsystems, and components. PIC technologies are particularly critical for enabling small spacecraft platforms, rovers, and wearable/handheld technology for astronauts. Proposals should clearly demonstrate how the proposed PIC component or subsystem will demonstrate improved performance: reduced SWaP and cost; increased robustness to launch, space, and entry/landing environments; and/or entirely new measurement functionalities when compared to existing state-of-the-art bulk fiber-optic technology.

Additional clarifications:

On-chip generation, manipulation, and detection of light in a single-material system may not be practical or offer the best performance, so hybrid packaging of different material systems are also of interest.
Often the full benefits of photonic integration are only realized when combined with integrated electronics. Proposals that leverage co-integrated electronics for new/improved PIC functionality are invited, but should consider the ultimate space environment.
There are advantages to development of PIC technology in existing open access foundries to enable low cost, continued support, commercialization, and cross-compatibility with other development efforts.

General NASA areas of interest for PIC components and subsystems include, but are not limited to:

3D mapping and spectroscopic lidar systems and components.
Sensors for rovers, landers, and probes.
PIC-based analog radio-frequency (RF), microwave, submillimeter, and terahertz signal processing.

Several existing needs at NASA for PIC technology include:

PICs suitable for terahertz spectroscopy, microwave radiometry, and hyperspectral microwave sounding needing integrated high-speed electro-optic modulators, optical filters with tens of GHz free-spectral-range and few GHz resolution. Ka-band operation of RF photonic up/down frequency converters and filters need wideband tunability (>10 GHz) and <1 GHz instantaneous bandwidth.
Spectrometers:
- Spectrometers or enabling spectrally resolving components with sufficient resolution to resolve atomic isotopes (e.g., carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen), with some examples including at least 0.02 cm^-1 resolution at 2,196 cm^-1 (>100k resolving power) and at least 0.02 cm^-1 resolution at 1,294 cm^-1 (>50k resolving power).
- Miniature spectrometers with high resolution (resolving power >10k) and high dynamic range (>4 orders of magnitude) in the 1.6 to 2.0 µm band for fire detection.
- Spectrometers or spectrally resolving components capable of highly multimode (10+) and/or imaging operation on a single chip.
On-chip detectors with high responsivity/quantum efficiency from 300 to 800 nm and >1.6 µm. Note that approaches which package on-chip waveguides to off-chip detectors using small-form-factor packaging techniques (direct edge coupling, flip-chip, photonic wirebonding, etc.) are also of interest. Additionally, approaches demonstrated in, or compatible with, commercial foundries are of particular interest.
- Avalanche photodiodes or similar single photon sensitive detectors in any wavelength range.
Packaging approaches and on-chip coupling components for high-density, high-bandwidth, and/or misalignment-tolerant connections to single mode and multimode optical fiber, in any wavelength range. Note that photonic lanterns, mode size converters, 3D-written waveguide arrays, fiber arrays, and other “off-chip” coupling components must be packaged with a PIC to be considered responsive. In this case, the PIC should allow for measurement of total insertion loss but need not have any additional functionality. Note that proposals demonstrating a new coupler design will preferably focus on coupler design in a commercial foundry process. Designs and methods for coupling a single mode waveguide to a large-area beam (>1 mm diameter) emitted with high efficiency (<6 dB insertion loss) directly from the chip surface without an external lens. Both beam-steering and static approaches are invited. Example approaches include optical phased arrays, large-area grating couplers, and metalens-based structures. Note that approaches utilizing an on-chip fabricated lens (i.e., deposited on the chip surface) are also invited.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 08 Sensors and Instruments
Level 2 08.1 Remote Sensing Instruments/Sensors

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I does not need to include a physical deliverable to the government but it is best if it includes a demonstration of feasibility through measurements. This can include extensive modeling, but a stronger proposal will have measured validation of models or designs.

Phase II should include prototype delivery to the government. (It is understood that this is a research effort and the prototype is a best-effort delivery where there is no penalty for missing performance goals.) The Phase II effort should be targeting a commercial product that could be sold to the government and/or industry.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

There is a critical gap between discrete and bulk photonic components and waveguide multifunction PICs. The development of PICs permits SWaP and cost reductions for spacecraft microprocessors, communication buses, processor buses, advanced data processing, and integrated science instrument optical systems, subsystems, and components. This is particularly critical for small spacecraft platforms.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD)—Astronaut health monitoring.

Science Mission Directorate (SMD)—Earth, planetary, and astrophysics compact science instrument (e.g., optical and terahertz spectrometers and magnetometers on a chip and lidar systems and subsystems).

(See Earth Science and Planetary Science Decadal Surveys)

Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)—Game-changing technology for small spacecraft navigation (e.g., laser ranging and gyroscopes).

Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)—Exponentially increasing interest in programs at universities and startups in integrated photonics.

Space Technology Roadmap 6.2.2, 13.1.3, 13.3.7, all sensors, 6.4.1, 7.1.3, 10.4.1, 13.1.3, 13.4.3, 14.3.3.

References:

1. AIM integrated photonics: http://www.aimphotonics.com

2. Kish, Fred; Lal, Vikrant; Evans, Peter; et al.: System-on-Chip Photonic Integrated Circuits. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics, vol. 24, issue 1, Article Number 6100120, Jan.-Feb. 2018.

3. Thylen, Lars; Wosinski, Lech: Integrated Photonics in the 21st Century. Photonics Research, vol. 2, issue 2, pp. 75-81, April 2014.

4. Chovan, Jozef; Uherek, Frantisek: Photonic Integrated Circuits for Communication Systems. Radioengineering, vol. 27, issue 2, pp. 357-363, June 2018.

5. Lin, Hongtao; Luo, Zhengqian; Gu, Tian; et al.: Mid-infrared Integrated Photonics on Silicon: A Perspective. Nanophotonics, vol. 7, issue 2, pp. 393-420, Feb. 2018.

6. de Valicourt, Guilhem; Chang, Chia-Ming; Eggleston, Michael S.; et al.: Photonic Integrated Circuit Based on Hybrid III-V/Silicon Integration. Journal of Lightwave Technology, vol. 36, issue 2, Special Issue, pp. 265-273, Jan. 15, 2018.

7. Munoz, Pascual; Mico, Gloria; Bru, Luis A.; et al.: Silicon Nitride Photonic Integration Platforms for Visible, Near-Infrared and Mid-Infrared Applications. Sensors, vol. 17, issue 9, Article Number 2088, Sept. 2017.

8. Fridlander, et al.: “Photonic Integrated Circuits for Precision Spectroscopy,” 2020 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, paper SF3O.3 (CLEO 2020).

9. Turner, et al.: “Ultra-Wideband Photonic Radiometer for Submillimeter Wavelength Remote Sensing,” International Topical Meeting on Microwave Photonics 2020.

The SBIR focus area of Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) includes the suite of technologies for atmospheric entry as well as descent and landing on both atmospheric and non-atmospheric bodies. EDL mission segments are used in both robotic planetary science missions and human exploration missions beyond Low Earth Orbit, and many technologies have an application to emerging commercial space capabilities such as lunar landing, low-cost space access, small spacecraft, and asset return.

Robust, efficient, and predictable EDL systems fulfill the critical function of delivering payloads to lunar and planetary surfaces through challenging environments, within mass and cost constraints. Future NASA Artemis and planetary science missions will require new technologies to break through historical constraints on delivered mass, enable sustained human presence, or go to entirely new planets and moons. Even where heritage systems exist, no two planetary missions are exactly “build-to-print,” leading to frequent challenges from environmental uncertainty, risk posture, and resource constraints that can be dramatically improved with investments in EDL technologies. EDL relies on validated models, ground tests, high-fidelity simulations, and sensor technologies for system development and certification. Both new capabilities and improved assessment and prediction of state-of-the-art systems are important facets of this focus area.

The subtopics in this Focus Area generally align with the Entry, Descent, and Landing flight regimes, plus include flight instrumentation and ground testing relevant to EDL. In future solicitations, the intent is to maintain these general subtopic categories and revise their content based on Agency needs and priorities along with the evolution and maturation of EDL technologies. Focal STTR solicitations will also be included in the annual solicitations for advancing EDL capabilities.

The SBIR subtopics and their overarching content descriptions are:

· Z7.01 Entry, Descent, and Landing Flight Sensors and Ground Test Technologies: Seeks sensors and components for safe precision landing, entry-environment characterization, heatshield instrumentation, and other EDL flight systems and ground-test diagnostics and electronics capabilities.

· Z7.03 Entry and Descent Systems Technologies: Contains hypersonic materials, aeroshell systems, and modeling advances, including deployable aeroshells for EDL and asset return and recovery. Includes smaller-scale systems appropriate for small spacecraft applications.

· Z7.04 Landing Systems Technologies: Covers landing engines, plume-surface interaction modeling, testing, instrumentation, and landing attenuation systems.

· The STTR subtopic covers various EDL technologies for high-performance simulations, advanced algorithms, materials, sensors, instrumentation, testing, or other EDL-related capabilities.

Please refer to the subtopic write-ups for the specific content and scope solicited this year.

Scope Title:

Aerothermal Simulation for Exascale Computer Architectures

Scope Description:

Aerothermodynamic simulations of planetary entry vehicles such as Orion and Dragonfly are complex and time consuming. These simulations, which solve the multispecies, multitemperature Navier-Stokes equations, require detailed models of the chemical and thermal nonequilibrium processes that take place in high-temperature shock layers. Numerical solution of these models results in a large system of highly nonlinear equations that are exceptionally stiff and difficult to solve efficiently. As a result, aerothermal simulations routinely consume 20 to 50 times the compute resources required by more conventional supersonic computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, limiting the number of simulations delivered in a typical engineering design cycle to only a few dozen. Moreover, entry system designs are rapidly increasing in complexity, and unsteady flow phenomena such as supersonic retropropulsion are becoming critical considerations in their design. This increases the compute resources required for aerothermal simulation by an additional one to two orders of magnitude, which precludes the delivery of such simulations in engineering-relevant timescales.

To deliver the aerothermal simulations required for NASA’s next generation of entry systems, access to greatly expanded compute resources is required. However, scaling conventional central processing unit (CPU) based supercomputers is problematic due to cost and power constraints. Many-core accelerators, such as the general-purpose graphical processing units (GPGPUs) developed by NVIDIA and AMD, offer increased compute capability with reduced cost and power requirements and are seeing rapid adoption in top-end supercomputers. As of June 2022, 168 of the top 500 fastest supercomputers leveraged accelerators or co-processors, including 7 of the top 10 [1]. The first U.S. supercomputer to break the exascale barrier, Frontier at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, utilizes AMD Instinct GPGPUs to achieve 1.1 exaflops of sustained LINPACK performance, and the other two exascale supercomputers planned by the U.S. Department of Energy will also utilize GPGPUs [2]. NASA deployed a first tranche of NVIDIA V100 GPGPUs as part of the High-End Compute Capability (HECC) project in 2019 [3].

Critically, NASA’s principal aerothermal simulation tools are fundamentally unable to run on many-core accelerators and must be reengineered from the ground up to efficiently exploit such devices. This scope seeks to revolutionize NASA’s aerothermal analysis capability by developing novel simulation tools capable of efficiently targeting the advanced computational accelerators that are rapidly becoming standard in the world’s fastest supercomputers, while simultaneously enabling the tools to run efficiently on conventional CPU architectures with as much code re-use as possible. A successful solution within this scope would demonstrate efficient simulation of a large-scale aerothermal problem of relevance on an advanced many-core architecture, e.g., the NVIDIA Ampere GPGPU, and conventional CPUs using a prototype software package.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 09 Entry, Descent, and Landing
Level 2 09.1 Aeroassist and Atmospheric Entry

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

The desired deliverable at the conclusion of Phase I is a prototype software package capable of solving the multispecies, multitemperature, reacting Euler equations on an advanced many-core accelerator such as an NVIDIA A100 GPGPU. Parallelization across multiple accelerators and across nodes is not required. The solver shall demonstrate offloading of all primary compute kernels to the accelerator, but may do so in a nonoptimal fashion, e.g., using managed memory, serializing communication and computation, etc. Some noncritical kernels such as boundary condition evaluation may still be performed on a CPU. The solver shall demonstrate kernel speedups (excluding memory transfer time) when comparing a single accelerator to a modern CPU-based, dual-socket compute node. However, overall application speedup is not expected at this stage. The solver shall be demonstrated for a relevant planetary entry vehicle such as FIRE-II, Apollo, Orion, or the Mars Science Laboratory.

A successful Phase II deliverable will mature the Phase I prototype into a product ready for mission use and commercialization. Kernels for evaluating viscous fluxes shall be added, enabling computation of laminar convective heat transfer to the vehicle. Parallelization across multiple accelerators and multiple compute nodes shall be added. Good weak scaling shall be demonstrated for large 3D simulations (>10M grid cells). The implementation shall be sufficiently optimized to achieve an ~5-time reduction in time-to-solution compared to NASA's Data-Parallel Line Relaxation (DPLR) aerothermal simulation code, assuming each dual-socket compute node is replaced by a single accelerator (i.e., delivered software running on eight GPGPUs shall be 5 times faster than DPLR running on eight modern, dual-socket compute nodes). Finally, the accuracy of the delivered software shall be verified by comparing to the DPLR and/or LAURA codes. The verification study shall consider flight conditions from at least two of the following planetary destinations: Earth, Mars, Titan, Venus, and Uranus/Neptune.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

NASA’s existing aerothermal analysis codes (LAURA, DPLR, US3D, etc.) all utilize domain-decomposition strategies to implement coarse-grained, distributed-memory parallelization across hundreds or thousands of conventional CPU cores. These codes are fundamentally unable to efficiently exploit many-core accelerators, which require the use of fine-grained, shared-memory parallelism over hundreds of thousands of compute elements. Addressing this gap requires reengineering our tools from the ground up and developing new algorithms that expose more parallelism and scale well to small grain sizes.

Many-core accelerated CFD solvers exist in academia, industry, and government. Notable examples are PyFR from Imperial College London [4], the Ansys Fluent commercial solver [5], and NASA Langley’s FUN3D code [6]. However, most of the work to date has focused on perfect gas flow models, which have different algorithmic and resource requirements compared to real gas models. The two notable exceptions are the Sandia Parallel Aerodynamics and Reentry Code (SPARC) [7] and FUN3D’s FLUDA library for GPU-accelerated real-gas simulation [8,9], both of which have demonstrated multispecies, multitemperature simulations at scale using GPGPU technology. However, broader infusion of advanced architecture capability into the hypersonic/EDL (entry, descent, and landing) simulation community is still required, as is the development of advanced nonlinear solver technologies that perform well on many-core architectures.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This scope is directly relevant to NASA space missions in both Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate and Space Operations Mission Directorate (ESDMD-SOMD) with an EDL segment. These missions depend on aerothermal CFD to define critical flight environments and would derive large, recurring benefits from a more responsive and scalable simulation capability. This scope also has potential crosscutting benefits for tools used by Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) to simulate airbreathing hypersonic vehicles. Furthermore, this scope directly supports NASA’s CFD Vision 2030 Study, which calls for sustained investment to ensure that NASA’s computational aeroscience capabilities can effectively utilize the massively parallel, heterogeneous (i.e., GPU-accelerated) supercomputers expected to be the norm in 2030.

References:

List Statistics | TOP500, retrieved July 26, 2022.
R. Smith: “El Capitan Supercomputer Detailed: AMD CPUs & GPUs To Drive 2 Exaflops of Compute,” March 4, 2020.
NASA HECC Knowledge Base: “New NVIDIA V100 Nodes Available,” 21 June, 2019.
F. Witherden, et al.: "PyFR: An Open Source Framework for Solving Advection–Diffusion Type Problems on Streaming Architectures Using the Flux Reconstruction Approach," Computer Physics Comm., vol. 185, no. 11, pp. 3028-3040, 2014.
V. Sellappan and B. Desam: "Accelerating ANSYS Fluent Simulations with NVIDIA GPUs," 2015.
E. Neilsen, et al.: "Unstructured Grid CFD Algorithms for NVIDIA GPUs," March 2019.
M. Howard, et al.: "Employing Multiple Levels of Parallelism for CFD at Large Scales on Next Generation High-Performance Computing Platforms," ICCFD10, Barcelona, Spain, 2018.
G. Nastac, et al.: “Implicit Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Flow Simulations on Unstructured Grids using GPUs,” AIAA-0159.
C. Stone, A. Walden, et al.: “Accelerating Unstructured-Grid CFD Algorithms on NVIDIA and AMD GPUs.” Supercomputing 2021.

Scope Title:

Robust and Automated Aerothermal Simulation of Complex Geometries

Scope Description:

NASA’s production aerothermodynamic flow solvers all share a common characteristic: they utilize conventional second-order accurate finite volume schemes to spatially discretize the governing flow equations. Schemes of this type are ubiquitous in modern compressible CFD solvers. They are reasonably simple to implement and optimize on conventional CPU-based computer architectures and can provide engineering accuracy for a wide range of problems. Unfortunately, one area where these schemes struggle to deliver acceptable accuracy is at hypersonic speeds when a strong shock wave forms ahead of the vehicle. In such cases, the computed surface heat flux exhibits extreme sensitivity to the design of the computational grid near the shock [1], which must be constructed from cell faces that are either parallel or perpendicular to the shock to minimize error.

This stringent requirement for shock-aligned grids effectively precludes the use of unstructured tetrahedral meshes in aerothermal simulation. Current engineering practice employs a limited form of mesh adaption, commonly referred to as "shock tailoring," whereby cell faces in a block-structured grid are aligned and clustered near the shock [2]. While effective, this approach is extremely limiting and makes it technically difficult and extremely time consuming to generate computational grids for nontrivial vehicle geometries. More general shock tailoring techniques exist based on hybrid prismatic-tetrahedral unstructured grids [3], but current implementations are limited to fitting just the bow shock, do not guarantee accuracy or efficiency of the resulting grid/solution, and can present numerical challenges for some flow solvers due to rapid changes in cell volume at topological boundaries.

Fortunately, recent research has demonstrated several promising avenues to address the strong shock capturing problem. One such avenue is the use of advanced numerical schemes such as the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method, which has been shown to deliver high-quality solutions for shock-dominated flows on fully unstructured grids when appropriate stabilization mechanisms are employed [4,5]. Alternatively, advanced algorithms for metric-aligned unstructured grid generation [6,7], combined with techniques for recovering locally structured grids from metric-aligned tetrahedral grids [8], may provide a path forward for accurately capturing strong shocks, either on their own or in combination with advanced numerical schemes.

This scope seeks to revolutionize NASA’s aerothermal analysis capability by enabling rapid, robust, and highly automated analysis of complex hypervelocity flight systems. A successful solution within this scope would demonstrate accurate computation of surface heat flux on a complex entry vehicle, e.g., the Space Shuttle, at multiple flight conditions relevant to planetary entry with little-to-no user interaction.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 09 Entry, Descent, and Landing
Level 2 09.1 Aeroassist and Atmospheric Entry

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Software
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

The desired deliverable at the conclusion of Phase I is a prototype software package capable of accurately resolving gradient-based quantities such as heat flux and shear in the presence of strong shocks. The software shall demonstrate accurate prediction of surface heat flux for an Orion-like spherical heatshield in 2D at a variety of flight conditions without requiring adjustment of algorithm parameters. Surface heat flux predictions shall be verified by comparison with NASA's DPLR and/or LAURA simulation codes and must be free of numerical noise typically observed for second-order finite volume solvers on conventional unstructured grids. Real gas physics need not be included during Phase 1; perfect gas simulations are encouraged for expediency.

A successful Phase II deliverable will mature the Phase I prototype into a product ready for use on mission-relevant engineering problems. The software must be extended to 3D, parallelized for execution on large-scale supercomputers, and generalized to model multispecies and multitemperature gas physics. The software shall be demonstrated for complex vehicle geometries such as the Space Shuttle and exercised on a range of planetary entry problems that include at least two of the following destinations: Earth, Mars, Titan, Venus, and Uranus/Neptune. Computational performance, as measured by total time-to-solution for a given heat flux accuracy, shall be characterized and compared to DPLR/LAURA, but no specific performance targets are required.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Current state-of-the-art engineering practice employs limited forms of mesh adaption, commonly referred to as "shock tailoring," whereby cell faces in a block-structured grid are aligned and clustered near the shock [2][3]. However, these approaches lack generality and can be difficult to employ in a robust manner for complex vehicle geometries.

Multiple academic [4,5,9,10] and NASA [11] groups have demonstrated promising results when using high order DG/FEM methods to perform steady-state aerothermodynamic analysis at conditions relevant to planetary entry. However, most current research efforts in this area have focused on a simplistic model problem (heat flux on a sphere/cylinder at 5 km/s flight condition) with basic, nonionized flow models. An infusion of resources is needed to mature these promising algorithms into scalable, production-ready software that can be tested across a full entry trajectory with best-practice thermochemical models.

The current state of the art in anisotropic grid adaption as applied to EDL problems of interest is the Sketch-to-Solution capability based on FUN3D and refine [12], which has demonstrated the ability to accurately resolve integrated aerodynamic quantities (lift, drag, moment, etc.), but has yet to resolve the issue of noise in gradient based surface quantities (heat flux, shear), when using purely tetrahedral grids [13]. A variety of strategies exist to recover prismatic layers near the vehicle surface from anisotropic tetrahedral grids which can more accurately resolve the gradients at the wall [14] and at shocks [8]. Hybrid approaches where a prismatic boundary layer grid is utilized with anisotropic tetrahedra to resolve strong shocks have been demonstrated for various CFD solvers on EDL-relevant problems [15,16], but automation of this process as well as the challenges involved at the grid interface are still open problems.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This scope is directly relevant to NASA space missions in both ESDMD-SOMD and SMD with an EDL segment. These missions depend on aerothermal CFD to define critical flight environments and would see significant, sustained reductions in cost and time-to-first-solution if an advanced grid adaption capability is developed. This scope also has strong crosscutting benefits for tools used by ARMD to simulate airbreathing hypersonic vehicles, which have stringent accuracy requirements similar to those in aerothermodynamics. Finally, this scope aligns with NASA’s CFD Vision 2030 Study, which calls for a “much higher degree of automation in all steps of the analysis process” with the ultimate goal of making “mesh generation and adaptation less burdensome and, ultimately, invisible to the CFD process.” In order for the aerothermal community to realize these goals, we must eliminate our dependence on manually designed, carefully tailored, block structured grids. This scope is an enabling technology for that transition.

References:

Candler, et al.: “Unstructured Grid Approaches for Accurate Aeroheating Simulations.” AIAA-2007-3959.
Saunders, et al.: “An Approach to Shock Envelope Grid Tailoring and Its Effect on Reentry Vehicle Solutions.” AIAA 2007-0207.
McCloud: “Best Practices for Unstructured Grid Shock-Fitting.” AIAA 2017-1149.
Ching, et al.: “Shock capturing for discontinuous Galerkin methods with application to predicting heat transfer in hypersonic flows.” Journal of Computational Physics, Issue 376, pp. 54-75, 2019.
Gao, et al., “A finite element solver for hypersonic flows in thermochemical non-equilibrium, Part II.” International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 30, No. 2, pp. 575-606, 2020.
Loiselle: “Metric-orthogonal anisotropic mesh generation.” Procedia Engineering 82, 2014.
Ekelschot, et al: “Robust metric-aligned quad-dominant meshing using Lp centroidal Voronoi tessellation.” AIAA 2018-1501.
Tenkes, et al.: “Hybrid quasi-structured anisotropic mesh adaptation using metric-orthogonal approach.” AIAA 2021-1779.
Barter, et al.: “Shock Capturing with Higher-Order, PDE-Based Artificial Viscosity.” AIAA 2007-3823.
Brazell, et al.: “3D Mixed Element Discontinuous Galerkin with Shock Capturing.” AIAA-2013-3064.
Kirk, et al.: “Modeling hypersonic entry with the fully-implicit Navier–Stokes (FIN-S) stabilized finite element flow solver.” Computers & Fluids, Issue 92, pp. 281-292, 2014.
Kleb, et al.: “Sketch-to-Solution: A Case Study in RCS Aerodynamic Interaction.” AIAA-2020-067.
Balan, et al.: “Verification of Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation for Turbulent Simulations over ONERA M6 Wing.” AIAA Journal, Vol. 58, No. 4, 2020.
Sahni, et al.: “Parallel Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation with Boundary Layers for Automated Viscous Flow Simulations.” Engineering With Computers, Issue 33, pp. 767–795, 2016.
Nastac, et al.: “Improved Heat Transfer Prediction for High-Speed Flows over Blunt Bodies using Adaptive Mixed-Element Unstructured Grids.” AIAA 2021-0111.
Morgado, et al.: “Impact of Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation on the Aerothermodynamics of Atmospheric Reentry.” AIAA Journal, 1-17.

Scope Title:

Efficient Grid Adaption for Unsteady, Multiscale Problems

Scope Description:

The current state of the art for production CFD simulation in EDL is the solution of steady-state problems on fixed computational grids. However, most of the current challenge problems in the discipline are unsteady. Examples include supersonic retropropulsion, where engine plumes exhibit unsteady behavior across a wide range of timescales [1]; capsule dynamic stability, where the vehicle pitch motion is amplified by the unsteady wake dynamics [2]; and single-event drag modulation, where a high-drag decelerator is separated from the main vehicle at hypersonic speeds [3]. Successful analysis of these phenomena requires simulating many seconds of physical time while simultaneously resolving all features of the flow field with high accuracy. Since critical features, e.g., shocks, shear layers, etc., will evolve and move through the computational domain over time, current practice requires large, globally refined grids and stringent limitations on simulation time step. This makes these problems computationally infeasible without dedicated access to leadership-class supercomputers.

A promising method to reduce the cost of these simulations is to employ grid adaption such that the computational grid is only refined in the vicinity of critical flow features. Adaptive techniques have been shown to dramatically reduce computational cost for a wide range of steady-state flow problems, often by as much as an order of magnitude, and have been successfully used to solve large-scale, EDL-relevant problems [4][5]. Application of efficient adaptive techniques to unsteady problems is less established, but recent advancements such as space-time adaption [6] have demonstrated a nearly 100-time reduction in compute time required to achieve an equivalent level of space-time accuracy relative to globally refined grids.

This scope seeks to accelerate the infusion of cutting-edge algorithms for unsteady grid adaption that promise to radically reduce the time required to simulate unsteady fluid phenomena. A successful solution within this scope would demonstrate an order-of-magnitude reduction in computational cost without compromising solution accuracy for an unsteady supersonic or hypersonic flow problem relevant to EDL.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 09 Entry, Descent, and Landing
Level 2 09.4 Vehicle Systems

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Prototype
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

The desired deliverable at the conclusion of Phase I is a prototype software package employing adaptive grid refinement algorithms for the simulation of unsteady, shocked flows in at least two spatial dimensions. An inviscid, perfect gas model is acceptable for Phase I efforts. The prototype software shall be demonstrated on a suitable challenge problem. Suggested challenge problems are prescribed motion of a cylinder relative to the computation domain subject to Mach 6+ supersonic flow or 2D axisymmetric simulation of a shock tube with an initial pressure ratio >50. Other challenge problems of similar complexity are acceptable. The prototype software is not expected to be scalable or performant at this stage.

A successful Phase II deliverable will mature the Phase I prototype into a product ready for use on mission-relevant engineering problems. The code shall be extended to solve the unsteady laminar Navier-Stokes equations in three spatial dimensions with appropriate controls to manage adaption in the boundary layer and the far field, if needed. Extension to reacting, multitemperature gas physics is desired, but not required. The software shall be parallelized to enable simulation of large-scale problems using modern HPC platforms such as the NASA Pleiades supercomputer. The software shall be demonstrated on a 3D challenge problem such as a single jet supersonic retropropulsion configuration at zero angle of attack; free-to-pitch simulation of the Orion entry capsule at supersonic free-stream conditions; or aerodynamic interaction and separation of multiple spheres in a supersonic free stream. The software shall demonstrate a 10x speedup relative to a nonadaptive, time-marched calculation without significantly degrading simulation accuracy as measured by an appropriate solution metric (average root-mean-square (RMS) pressure fluctuation, final capsule pitch angle, etc.).

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Multiple academic, government, and commercial software packages exist that implement some form of solution-adaptive mesh refinement. NASA’s LAURA and DPLR codes offer simplistic clustering algorithms for structured grids that solve the limited problem of resolving strong bow shocks [7][8]. NASA’s FUN3D code implements an advanced metric-based, anisotropic refinement capability that has been demonstrated on large-scale aerospace calculations [7]. However, unsteady solution-adaptive algorithms have yet to be demonstrated for EDL-relevant problems outside of academic research codes. Significant investment is required to implement these algorithms into a production-quality flow solver with the performance and scaling characteristics required to address NASA’s requirements for unsteady flow simulation.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This scope has extremely broad applicability across multiple NASA mission directorates. In particular, ARMD, ESDMD-SOMD, SMD, and STMD each contend with complex, unsteady flow phenomena that could be more readily analyzed with the aid of the proposed technology: flutter analysis, parachute inflation, fluid slosh, and atmospheric modeling are just a few examples. In EDL specifically, a robust time-space adaption capability would enable simulation of supersonic retropropulsion at Mars using NASA’s existing supercomputing assets. Capsule stability could be analyzed in the preliminary design phase, allowing mission designers to utilize low-heritage capsule shapes without adding significant cost or risk to the project. Drag skirt separation could be modeled in detail to reduce risk prior to a technology demonstration mission. The potential benefits of this technology are widespread, making this a critical investment area for the Agency.

References:

Korzun, et al.: “Effects of Spatial Resolution on Retropropulsion Aerodynamics in an Atmospheric Environment.” AIAA-2020-1749, 2020.
Hergert, et al.: “Free Flight Trajectory Simulation of the ADEPT Sounding Rocket Test Using US3D.” AIAA-2017-446, 2017.
Rollock, et al.: “Analysis of Hypersonic Dynamics During Discrete-Event Drag Modulation for Venus Aerocapture.” AIAA-2020-1739.
Alauzet, et al.: “A decade of progress on anisotropic mesh adaptation for computational fluid dynamics.” Computer Aided Design, Issue 72, pp. 13-39, 2016.
Sahni, et al.: “Parallel Anisotropic Mesh Adaptation with Boundary Layers for Automated Viscous Flow Simulations.” Engineering With Computers, Issue 33, pp. 767–795, 2016.
Alauzet, et al.: “Time-accurate multi-scale anisotropic mesh adaptation for unsteady flows in CFD.” J. of Computational Physics, Issue 373, pp. 28-63, 2018.
Saunders, et al.: “An Approach to Shock Envelope Grid Tailoring and Its Effect on Reentry Vehicle Solutions.” AIAA 2007-020, 2007.
Gnoffo: “A finite-volume, adaptive grid algorithm applied to planetary entry flowfields.” AIAA Journal, Volume 21, No. 9, 1983.
Bartels, et al.: “FUN3D Grid Refinement and Adaptation Studies for the Ares Launch Vehicle.” AIAA-2010-4372, 2010.

Scope Title:

Additive Manufactured Electronics for Severe Volume Constrained Applications

Scope Description:

The field of Additively Manufactured Electronics (AME) has been evolving and can provide enabling capability for future NASA missions that have very severe or unique volume constraints. Several concepts for NASA missions or mission concepts in the decadal survey where these volume constraints can be major technical constraints are advanced mobility concepts [1], atmosphere probes, and Instruments/Subcomponents of Ocean World Landers. Some of the electronics in these missions will likely need to go below cold survival temperatures associated with warm electronics boxes (i.e., colder than -35 °C). Methods of using AME to create circuits in a compact 3D structure or involving nonplanar surfaces (such as a cylinder) are both of interest [2,3]. There have been multiple works that demonstrate the capability of AME for 3D and nonplanar circuitry but limited work that demonstrates its effectiveness for space applications. The AME approach should address the following technical and mechanical challenges:

AME methodology should include integration of a variety of standard electronics package types including ball grid arrays (BGAs), quad flat pack nonleaded (QFN)/land grid array (LGA), and chip components.
AME circuit should show the capability of surviving the thermal requirements needed for space missions with -35 to 100 °C nonoperational as a minimum criterion and ability to survive extreme cold (such as -125 °C) as a desired capability.
The AME approach should show the capability of favorable cost and schedule compared to equivalent approaches using traditional electronics manufacturing and demonstrate repeatability/accuracy.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 3

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 12 Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing
Level 2 12.4 Manufacturing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

Sets of materials and manufacturing techniques that are able to create robust circuitry using printed electronics for volume constrained applications. Material sets and methodologies should be readily available for NASA centers to use on application-specific designs to meet future packaging needs.
The Phase I deliverables should be fabrication of standalone critical structures and demonstration of approaches to scale to fully functional compact circuits.
The Phase II deliverables should include the design and fabrication of full circuits. Testing should demonstrate the reliability of AME structures as well as functional performance of the structures. Materials and manufacturing techniques should be formulated and available at small scale for application-specific designs.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Numerous published works have shown multiple material and manufacturing methods able to print conductors and dielectrics at needed resolutions. There are also multiple published examples where nonplanar or 3D circuits have been fabricated. The current set of work shows lack of data demonstrating the reliability of these circuits in environments relevant to NASA. Also, the current body of work shows circuits with small numbers of parts and does not demonstrate the repeatability/reproducibility desired for more complex 3D/nonplanar circuits.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

Use of AME is relevant to Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), Science Mission Directorate (SMD), and Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), all of which have extant efforts in additive manufacturing. Several efforts involving NASA and aerospace companies have used AME on the space station (including major work from NASA centers on fabrication of circuits in space). Future AME missions where there are extreme volume constraints include components of landing systems, probes, and mobility systems that are needed to meet SMD and STMD goals.

References:

[1] https://www-robotics.jpl.nasa.gov/how-we-do-it/systems/exobiology-extant-life-surveyor-eels/

[2] MacDonald, Eric et al.: "Multiprocess 3D printing for increasing component functionality." Science, 30 Sep. 2016, DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf2093

[3] Daina V. Baker, Chao Bao, and Woo Soo Kim: ACS Applied Electronic Materials 2021 3 (6), 2423-2433, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaelm.1c00296

Scope Title:

Novel Reinforcement of Structural Materials for Application in Extreme Environments

Scope Description:

Proposals should research novel reinforcement concepts and techniques for structural systems in extreme environments that will be fabricated from in situ lunar materials. These structural systems—first under consideration launch and landing pads—that can be fabricated from local extraterrestrial materials via additive manufacturing, assembled locally with robotic and/or astronaut assisted, and are designed for easy and effective maintenance to maintain performance. Phase I should focus on development of reinforcement techniques and concepts for experimentation and testing of different techniques with in situ material to determine viability for use on planetary surfaces and a future flight demonstration mission(s). Outcome: Phase I results should be documented in a report back to the government. Phase II deliverables must be capable of demonstration in terrestrial simulation chambers and technology transfer to a small business for development for flight demonstration and lunar tests. Proposals should also address the technology transfer to a small business that will develop the technology and integrate it into a lunar flight demonstration mission. Proposals should also include a STEM component related to the demonstration mission post-technology transfer. Outcome: Novel reinforcement Technology Transfer of tested Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4 technology to a small business with follow-on STEM experience in connection with that technology flight demo with the small business. Testing and demonstration results should address the following attributes: low and/or predictable coefficients of thermal expansion, strength, mass, reliability, radiation protection, waste heat rejection in lunar or other planetary environments, and cost.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 12 Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing
Level 2 12.4 Manufacturing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Prototype
Analysis
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I deliverables may be a conceptual design with analysis to show feasibility at relevant scales and/or a small demonstration of the concept.

Phase II deliverables should be hardware demonstrations at a relevant scale. See Scope Description for additional information on Phase I and Phase II deliverables.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

State of the Art:

At present there are additive constructed houses neighborhoods in Austin, TX, and Southern Mexico with a level of secure remote operations capability.
NASA Lunar Pad Team—Subscale development landing pad printing and testing at U.S. Army Camp Swift, TX, Oct. 2020.
Army Corps of Engineers Development of Forward Operating Base construction technologies Champaign, IL.

Critical Gaps:

Larger scale development Earth base landing pads.
Autonomous operations.
In situ material to minimize launch mass associated with raw materials capabilities "Living off the Land" and remote construction.
1. Power plants
2. Habitats, refineries, and greenhouses
3. Launch and landing pads
4. Blast shields
Design criteria and civil engineering standards for these first pieces of in situ infrastructure.
Thermal transfer of heat from plume impingement in in a vacuum environment.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This technology is very much applicable in Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) support of its NASA, government, and industry customers.

STMD for Science Mission Directorate (SMD)—Radio telescope structural support (back side of the Moon).

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) human habitats, space infrastructure as in buildings, landing pads, roads, berms, radiation protection, and custom building sizes and shapes.

Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) and Earth base government agencies—in situ construction capabilities both locally and remote.

Rapid construction—small building within 24 hr

References:

Don’t Take It – Make It: NASA’s Efforts to Address Exploration Logistics Challenges through In Space Manufacturing and Extraterrestrial Construction for Lunar Infrastructure. R. G. Clinton, Jr., Ph.D.; Tracie Prater, Ph.D.; Jennifer Edmunson, Ph.D.; Mike Fiske; Mike Effinger, Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design (NOM4D) Kick-Off December 14-15, 2021. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210025774/downloads/NOM4D%20KO%2012.15.2021.pdf

Scope Title:

Localized Resource Feedstock Development and Application for In-Space Surface Construction/Infrastructure

Scope Description:

Proposals should research both the feedstock development and their application in use/development of surface (space) infrastructure. Proposals may address Moon or Mars construction concepts and requirements to best test out and demonstrate in situ (localized) material feedstock development and its application for construction of space infrastructure—habitats (pressurized), roads, berms, shelters (unpressurized), greenhouses, launch pads, etc. These structural systems that can be fabricated from local extraterrestrial materials via additive manufacturing, assembled locally with robotic and/or astronaut-assisted, and are designed for easy and effective maintenance to maintain performance. Phase I should focus on in situ localized conversion of feedstock (Moon or Mars simulant) and application to a test in situ structure(s) during Phase II. Outcome: Document results in report to government. Phase II deliverables: (1) Feedstock to build two pieces of infrastructure listed above and technology transfer to a small business and (2) Full-scale construction demonstration in 1g Earth environment and technology transfer to a small business for development for flight demonstration and lunar or Mars development/demonstrator tests. Proposals should also address the technology transfer to a small business that will develop the technology and integrate it into a lunar flight demonstration mission or Mars use. Proposals should also include a STEM component related to the post technology transfer. Outcome: Feedstock and application Technology Transfer of tested TRL 4-5 technology to a small business with follow-on STEM experience in connection with that technology flight demo or further technology demonstrations with the small business. Testing and demonstration results should address the following attributes: low and/or predictable coefficients of thermal expansion, strength, mass, reliability, radiation protection, waste heat rejection in lunar or other planetary environments, and cost.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 5

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 12 Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing
Level 2 12.4 Manufacturing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Analysis
Prototype
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I deliverables may be a conceptual design with analysis to show feasibility at relevant scales and/or a small demonstration of the concept.

Phase II deliverables should be hardware demonstrations at a relevant scale. See Scope Description for additional information on Phase I and Phase II deliverables.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

State of the Art:

At present there are additive constructed houses neighborhoods in Austin, TX, and Southern Mexico with a level of secure remote operations capability.
NASA Lunar Pad Team—Subscale development landing pad printing and testing at U.S. Army Camp Swift, TX, Oct. 2020.
Army Corps of Engineers Development of Forward Operating Base construction technologies Champaign, IL.

Critical Gaps:

Larger scale development Earth base landing pads.
Autonomous operations.
In situ material to minimize launch mass associated with raw materials capabilities "Living off the Land" and remote construction.
1. Power plants
2. Habitats, refineries, and greenhouses
3. Launch and landing pads
4. Blast shields
Design criteria and civil engineering standards for these first pieces of in situ infrastructure.
Thermal transfer of heat from plume impingement in in a vacuum environment.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This technology is very much applicable in STMD support of its NASA, government, and industry customers.

STMD for SMD—Radio telescope structural support (back side of the Moon).

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) human habitats, space infrastructure as in buildings, landing pads, roads, berms, radiation protection, and custom building sizes and shapes.

ARMD and Earth base government agencies—in situ construction capabilities both locally and remote.

Rapid construction—small building within 24 hr.

References:

Don’t Take It – Make It: NASA’s Efforts to Address Exploration Logistics Challenges through In Space Manufacturing and Extraterrestrial Construction for Lunar Infrastructure. R. G. Clinton, Jr., Ph.D.; Tracie Prater, Ph.D.; Jennifer Edmunson, Ph.D.; Mike Fiske; Mike Effinger: Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-Efficient Design (NOM4D) Kick-Off, Dec. 14-15, 2021. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210025774/downloads/NOM4D%20KO%2012.15.2021.pdf

Scope Title:

Novel Power Systems for Mobile Regolith Manufacturing

Scope Description:

Proposals should address basic research into the design and integration of novel wireless power systems that can be used to deliver energy at required levels to mobile regolith processing systems. Phase II deliverables must be capable of demonstration both in terrestrial simulation chambers and lead to technology transfer into a small business for development as flight units in lunar tests and demonstrations. Proposals should address power delivery as well as adaptive use of power systems to support regolith processing requirements.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 12 Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing
Level 2 12.4 Manufacturing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Analysis
Prototype
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I deliverables may be a conceptual design with analysis to show feasibility at relevant scales and/or a small demonstration of the concept.

Phase II deliverables should be hardware demonstrations at a relevant scale. See Scope Description for additional information on Phase I and Phase II deliverables.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

State of the Art:

At present there are additive constructed houses neighborhoods in the Austin, TX, and Southern Mexico with a level of secure remote operations capability.
NASA Lunar Pad Team—Subscale development landing pad printing and testing at U.S. Army Camp Swift, TX, Oct. 2020.
Army Corps of Engineers Development of Forward Operating Base construction technologies Champaign, IL.

Critical Gaps:

Larger scale development Earth Base Landing Pads.
Autonomous Operations.
In situ material to minimize launch mass associated with raw materials capabilities "Living off the Land" and remote construction.
1. Power plants
2. Habitats, refineries and greenhouses
3. Launch and landing pads
4. Blast shields
Design criteria and civil engineering standards for these first pieces of in situ infrastructure.
Thermal transfer of heat from plume impingement in in a vacuum environment.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This technology is very much applicable in STMD support of its NASA, government, and industry customers.

STMD for SMD—Radio telescope structural support (back side of the Moon).

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) human habitats, space infrastructure as in buildings, landing pads, roads, berms, radiation protection, and custom building sizes and shapes.

ARMD and Earth base government agencies—in situ construction capabilities both locally and remote.

Rapid construction—small building within 24 hours

References:

Don’t Take It – Make It: NASA’s Efforts to Address Exploration Logistics Challenges through In Space Manufacturing and Extraterrestrial Construction for Lunar Infrastructure. R. G. Clinton, Jr., Ph.D.; Tracie Prater, Ph.D.; Jennifer Edmunson, Ph.D.; Mike Fiske; Mike Effinger, Novel Orbital and Moon Manufacturing, Materials, and Mass-efficient Design (NOM4D) Kick-Off December 14-15, 2021. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20210025774/downloads/NOM4D%20KO%2012.15.2021.pdf

Scope Title:

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites for Repurposable Aerospace Applications

Scope Description:

This solicitation seeks to exploit unique properties of thermoplastic composites to assess their feasibility and propose concepts of operations for in situ repurposing of primary and secondary spacecraft structures into deep space exploration infrastructure supporting sustainable human presence beyond low Earth orbit (LEO). For the purpose of this solicitation, the term "infrastructure" encompasses tools that can be used for excavation, construction, and outfitting [1]. The original spacecraft (e.g., lander or descent module) components would be designed with future repurposing requirements accounted for in the initial design objectives. Once the spacecraft would accomplish its mission (e.g., successfully descended onto the lunar surface), its parts would be disassembled and reconfigured into infrastructure components and/or tools by reheating thermoplastic resin [2], first consolidated during original manufacturing prior to launch, and mechanically modifying the structure into a predetermined repurposed configuration.

NASA is developing long-duration, crewed missions to the Moon and beyond. These missions will require crew habitats and, consequently, sourcing materials to construct them and the associated infrastructure, such as storage, surface transportation, and means of communications. Use of in situ resources (e.g., lunar regolith) and reuse of descent vehicles have already been proposed as a means of reducing the amount of material needing to be delivered as payload for sustainable human presence. The ability to repurpose components of spacecraft structures, via additive manufacturing or other methods, is one potential benefit of using carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites [3, 4]. Thermoplastics also offer the potential to be easily repaired via a reheating process in the event of in-service damage [5].

To reliably assess the feasibility of repurposing thermoplastic composites for space applications, both modeling and simulation (M&S), as well as experimental work, needs to be conducted in a building block approach. In Phase I, the proposing team shall select a focus structure where the original geometric configuration and a repurposed configuration are defined along with the corresponding sizing load cases. Repurposing lunar lander fairings and/or components of the micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MMOD) protective structure into a regolith mining scoop, or repurposing primary truss structure into an antenna post are examples provided here for illustration purposes only, and the proposing team is encouraged to survey and offer other applications of their choosing. A selected study case shall exemplify repurposing both from the standpoint of altered geometry and distinct loads and environment. Once the two “stand-alone” cases (original and repurposed) are sized and analyzed, a multiphysics simulation of the repurposing process shall be conducted. Exploring repurposing process sensitivity to different process parameters shall be leveraged to arrive to the final repurposing concept of operations and establish the energy required for the repurposing process. Heating methods shall be explored and include external and internal (pre-embedded) heating devices. Furthermore, the simulation shall establish tradeoffs associated with conducting the repurposing process with and without dedicated tooling aids. Success metrics should include a maximum weight penalty of 15% after repair, while still maintaining 100% load-carrying capability.

These efforts will establish a foundation for hardware demonstrations to be conducted in Phase II. Test data obtained from these demonstrations will be used to calibrate the multiphysics repurposing simulation framework to enable detailed repurposing assessment and mitigate prominent risks.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 4

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 12 Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing
Level 2 12.2 Structures

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

The Phase I deliverables shall include: (1) design with a dual purpose/requirements, i.e., the original spacecraft component (e.g., primary truss structure, landing gear strut, fairing, etc.) and the repurposed component (e.g., antenna mast, habitat frame, excavation scoop, etc.); (2) a concept of operation for the repurposing process supported by the multiphysics process simulation (energy requirement and source(s), means of delivering required heat, tooling, and any means of process quality assessment, and/or repurposed product nondestructive evaluation shall be included in the description of the proposed concept); and (3) metric(s) by which the required repurposing hardware weight and other feasibility aspects of the repurposing process can be assessed to inform mission design.

The Phase II deliverables shall include: (1) manufacturing demonstration unit per the design and repurposing process provided in Phase I deliverable; (2) report documenting original fabrication and repurposing process, including correlation with the results of the repurposing process modeling conducted in Phase I, (3) results of nondestructive evaluations before and after repurposing, and (4) revised or validated metric(s) of performance proposed in Phase I. Lessons learned section shall also be a part of the Phase II deliverable report.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Present composite designs mainly use thermoset materials, which have limited manufacturing rates, are difficult to repair, and can lack the desired tailorability for advanced structures. There is a need for advanced materials that can be used to increase performance and decrease manufacturing and repair demands for in-space applications.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

At the completion of Phase II, the program will gain understanding of where the implementation of repurposed carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites can be most advantageous in deep space structural applications, how such a repurposing can be accomplished (concept of operations), and what are the metrics that can be used in assessing feasibility of repurposing. Additionally, the technology gaps limiting even broader implementation of repurposed thermoplastic composites can be identified. This solicitation supports the Langley Strategic Technology Investment Plan [1] in the areas of “Safe Human Travel Beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO)” and “On-orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (OSAM).”

Thermoplastic composites offer the potential for lightweight composite structures to be repurposed, in contrast to state-of-the-art composites, which are generally made with thermoset resins. This supports applications like the Artemis mission, where in situ resources, among which are structures from objects like descent modules, become part of native resources that can be used to create infrastructure.

Examples of potential uses include: Space Technology Mission Directorate, Artemis/Human Landing System (HLS) programs, Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate, next-generation airframe technology beyond "tube and wing" configurations (e.g., hybrid/blended wing body or transonic truss-braced wing), and the Hi-rate Composite Aircraft Manufacturing (HiCAM) program.

References:

[1] Hilburger, Mark “Help Us Shape NASA’s Future Technology Investments: Lunar Excavation, Construction, and Outfitting,” YouTube, uploaded by NASA Space Tech, May 26, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQv7C-xakk

[2] Van Ingen, J.W., Buitenhuis, A., Van Wijnaarden, M., and Simmons III., F.: “Development of the Gulfstream G650 Induction Welded Thermoplastic Elevators and Rudder.” SAMPE Conference, Seattle, WA, May 2010.

[3] Nishida, H., Carvelli, V., Fujii, T., and Okubo, K. “Thermoplastic vs. Thermoset Epoxy Carbon Textile Composites.” 2018 IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. Vol. 406, Paper 012043.

[4] Gramann, P., Rios, A., and Davis, B. “Failure of Thermoset Versus Thermoplastic Materials”. Materials Science, ID 106398935, 2005.

[5] Barroeta Robles, J., Dubé, M., Hubert, P., and Yousefpour, A. “Repair of Thermoplastic Composites: An Overview.” Advanced Manufacturing: Polymer & Composites Science, Vol. 8, Issue 2, 2022.

[6] Langley Technology Council “Langley Strategic Technology Investment Plan.” LSTIP V9, April 2022.

Scope Title:

Intelligent Sensors for Rocket Propulsion Testing

Scope Description:

Rocket propulsion system development is enabled by rigorous ground testing to mitigate the propulsion system risks inherent in spaceflight. Test articles and facilities are highly instrumented to enable a comprehensive analysis of propulsion system performance. Intelligent sensor systems have the potential for substantial reduction in time and cost of propulsion systems development, with substantially reduced operational costs and evolutionary improvements in ground, launch, and flight system operational robustness.

Intelligent sensor systems would provide a highly flexible instrumentation solution capable of monitoring test facility parameters including temperature, pressure, flow, vibration, and/or storage vessel liquid level. Sensor systems should enable the ability to detect anomalies, determine causes and effects, predict future anomalies, and provide an integrated awareness of the health of the system. These intelligent sensors should also be capable of performing in-place calibrations with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) traceability and onboard conversion of raw sensor data to engineering units. The intelligent sensor system must also provide conversion of raw sensor data to engineering units, synchronization with Inter-Range Instrumentation Group—Time Code Format B (IRIG-B), as well as network connectivity to facilitate real-time integration of collected data with data from conventional data acquisition systems.

This subtopic seeks both wired and wireless solutions to address the need for intelligent sensor systems to monitor and characterize rocket engine performance. Wireless sensors are highly desirable and offer the ability to eliminate facility cabling/instrumentation, which can significantly the reduce the cost of operations. It also provides the capability for providing instrumentation in remote or hard to access locations. These advanced wireless instruments should function as a modular node in a sensor network, capable of performing some processing, gathering sensory information, and communicating with other connected nodes in the network.

Rocket propulsion test facilities also provide excellent testbeds for testing and using the innovative technologies for possible application beyond the static propulsion testing environment. It is envisioned this advanced instrumentation would support sensing and control applications beyond those of propulsion testing. For example, inclusion of expert system and artificial intelligence technologies would provide great benefits for autonomous operations, health monitoring, or self-maintaining systems.

This subtopic seeks to develop advanced intelligent sensor systems capable of performing onboard processing utilizing artificial intelligence to gauge the accuracy and health of the sensor. Sensor systems must provide the following functionality:

Assess the quality of the data and health of the sensor.
Perform in-place calibrations with NIST traceability.
Data acquisition and conversion to engineering units for monitoring temperature, pressure, flow, vibration and/or storage vessel liquid level within established standards for error and uncertainty.
Function reliably in extreme environments, including rapidly changing ranges of environmental conditions, such as those experienced in space. These ranges may be from extremely cold temperatures, such as cryogenic temperatures, to extremely high temperatures, such as those experienced near a rocket engine plume. Sensor operational environmental parameters must be suitable for the anticipated environment, e.g., extreme temperature (cryogenic or high heat), high vibration, flammable, etc.
Collected data must be time-stamped to facilitate analysis with other collected datasets.
Provide network connectivity to facilitate real-time transfer of data to other systems for monitoring and analysis.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 13 Ground, Test, and Surface Systems
Level 2 13.1 Infrastructure Optimization

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

For all above technologies, research should be conducted to demonstrate technical feasibility with a final report at Phase I and show a path towards Phase II hardware/software demonstration with delivery of a demonstration unit or software package for NASA testing at the completion of the Phase II contract.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Highly modular, intelligent sensors are of interest to many NASA tests and missions. Real-time data from sensor networks reduces risk and provides data for future design improvements. Intelligent sensor systems enable the ability to assess the quality of the data and health of the sensor, increasing confidence in the system. They can be used for thermal and pressure measurement of systems and subsystems and also provide emergency system halt instructions in the case of leaks or fire. Other examples of potential NASA applications include (1) measuring temperature, voltage, and current from power storage and generation systems, (2) measuring pressure, temperature, vibrations, and flow in pumps, and (3) measuring pressure, temperature, and liquid level in pressure vessels.

There are many other applications that would benefit from increased real-time intelligent sensors. For example, these sensors would be capable of addressing multiple mission requirements for remote monitoring such as vehicle health monitoring in flight systems and autonomous vehicle operation. This data is used in real time to determine safety margins and test anomalies. The data is also used post-test to correlate analytical models and optimize vehicle and test design. Because these sensors are small and low mass, they can be used for ground test and for flight. Sensor module miniaturization will further reduce size, mass, and cost.

No existing intelligent sensor system option meets NASA’s current needs for flexibility, size, mass, and resilience to extreme environments.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This subtopic is relevant to the development of liquid propulsion systems development and verification testing in support of the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) and Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD). It supports all test programs at Stennis Space Center (SSC) and other propulsion system development centers. Potential advocates are the Rocket Propulsion Test (RPT) Program Office and all rocket propulsion test programs at SSC.

References:

Fernando Figueroa, Randy Holland, David Coote, "NASA Stennis Space Center integrated system health management test bed and development capabilities," Proc. SPIE 6222, Sensors for Propulsion Measurement Applications, 62220K (10 May 2006).
J. Schmalzel; F. Figueroa; J. Morris; S. Mandayam; R. Polikar, "An architecture for intelligent systems based on smart sensors," IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement (Volume: 54, Issue: 4, Aug. 2005).
S. Rahman, R. Gilbrech, R. Lightfoot, M. Dawson, "Overview of Rocket Propulsion Testing at NASA Stennis Space Center," NASA Technical Report SE-1999-11-00024-SSC.
H. Ryan, W. Solano, R. Holland, W. Saint Cyr, S. Rahman, "A future vision of data acquisition: distributed sensing, processing, and health monitoring," IMTC 2001. Proceedings of the 18th IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference. Rediscovering Measurement in the Age of Informatics (Cat. No.01CH 37188).

This focus area includes tools and technologies that contribute to both the Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP) and the Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program (TACP) encompassing technologies in all six Strategic Thrusts within the NASA Aeronautics Mission Directorate (ARMD). AAVP develops the tools, technologies, and concepts that enable new generations of civil aircraft that are safer, more energy-efficient, and have a smaller environmental footprint. The program focuses on enabling major leaps in the safety, efficiency, and environmental performance of subsonic fixed and rotary wing aircraft to meet challenging and growing long-term civil aviation needs; pioneering low-boom supersonic flight to achieve new levels of global mobility, and advancing fundamental hypersonic research while sustaining hypersonic competency for national needs. In collaboration with academia, industry, and other Government agencies (e.g., FAA), AAVP pioneers fundamental research and matures the most promising technologies and concepts for transition to system application by the aviation industry. The program works with the DoD to ensure that NASA and DoD vehicle-focused research is fully coordinated and leveraged. TACP cultivates multi-disciplinary, revolutionary concepts to enable aviation transformation and harnesses convergence in aeronautics and non-aeronautics technologies to create new opportunities in aviation. The program’s goal is to demonstrate the initial feasibility of internally and externally originated concepts to support the discovery and initial development of new, transformative solutions for all six ARMD Strategic Thrusts. The program provides flexibility for innovators to explore technology feasibility and provide the knowledge base for transformational aviation concepts through sharply focused activities. The program solicits and encourages revolutionary concepts, creates the environment for researchers to become immersed in new ideas, performs ground and small-scale flight tests, allows failures and learns from them, and drives rapid turnover into new concepts. The program also supports research and development of major advancements in cross-cutting computational tools, methods, and single-discipline technologies to advance the research capabilities of all aeronautics programs.

Scope Title:

Full-Scale (Passenger/Cargo) Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Scaling, Propulsion, Aerodynamics, and Acoustics Investigations

Scope Description:

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) laid out a Strategic Implementation Plan for aeronautical research aimed at the next 25 years and beyond. The documentation includes a set of Strategic Thrusts—research areas that NASA will invest in and guide. It encompasses a broad range of technologies to meet future needs of the aviation community, the nation, and the world for safe, efficient, flexible, and environmentally sustainable air transportation. Furthermore, the convergence of various technologies will also enable highly integrated electric air vehicles to be operated in domestic or international airspace. This subtopic supports ARMD’s Strategic Thrusts #4 (Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles) as well as #1 (Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations) and #3 (Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports).

Proposals are sought in the following areas: (1) design and execution of experiments to gather research-quality data to validate aerodynamic and acoustic modeling of full-scale, multirotor eVTOL aircraft, with an emphasis on rotor interactions with airframe components and other rotors and propellers and (2) development and validation of scaling methods for extending and applying the results of instrumented subscale model testing to full-scale applications.

This solicitation does not seek proposals for designs or experiments that do not address full-scale applications. Full-scale is defined as a payload capacity equivalent to two or more passengers or equivalent cargo, including any combination of pilots, passengers, and/or ballast.

Although eVTOL is preferred, electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) vehicle configurations are acceptable.

Proposals should address the following if applicable:

(1) Clearly define the data that will be provided and how it will help NASA and the community accelerate the design cycle of full-scale eVTOL aircraft. Also, proposals should define what data will be collected and data that will be considered proprietary. Data includes vehicle specifications, models, results, flight test data, and any other information relative to the work proposed.

(2) If the proposal cannot address the full topic, please state a reasoning/justification.

(3) Clearly propose a path to commercialization and include detail with regards to the expected products, data, stakeholders, and potential customers.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 2 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 15 Flight Vehicle Systems
Level 2 15.1 Aerosciences

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Software
Hardware
Analysis
Research
Prototype

Desired Deliverables Description:

Expected deliverables of Phase I awards may include, but are not limited to:

Initial experiment test plans for gathering experimental results related to the aerodynamic and/or acoustic characteristics of a multirotor eVTOL aircraft, with an emphasis on interactions between rotors and between the rotors and the vehicle structure for either:
- A full-scale flight vehicle.
- A subscale vehicle with fully developed methods for scaling the results to full scale.
Expected results for the flight experiment, using appropriate design and analysis tools.
Design (e.g., CAD, OpenVSP, etc.) and performance models for the vehicle used to generate the expected results.
Preliminary design of the instrumentation and data recording systems to be used for the experiment.

It is recommended that the awardee provide kickoff, midterm, and final briefings as well as a final report for Phase I.

Expected deliverables of Phase II awards may include, but are not limited to:

Experimental results that capture aerodynamic and/or acoustic characteristics of a multirotor eVTOL aircraft, with an emphasis on interactions between rotors and between the rotors and the vehicle structure for either:
- A full-scale flight vehicle.
- A subscale vehicle with results extrapolated to full scale.
Design (e.g., CAD, OpenVSP, etc.) and performance models for the experimental vehicle.
Experimental data along with associated as-run test plans and procedures.
Details on the instrumentation and data logging systems used to gather experimental data.
Comparisons between predicted and measured results.

It is recommended that the awardee provide kickoff, midterm, and final briefings as well as a final report for Phase II.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Integration of distributed electric propulsion (DEP) (4+ rotors) systems into advanced air mobility eVTOL aircraft involves multidisciplinary design, analysis, and optimization (MDAO) of several disciplines in aircraft technologies. These disciplines include aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, acoustics, and/or control in traditional aeronautics-related subjects. Innovative approaches in designing and analyzing highly integrated DEP eVTOL aircraft are needed to reduce energy use, noise, emissions, and safety concerns. Such advances are needed to address ARMD’s Strategic Thrusts #1 (Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations), #3 (Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports), and #4 (Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles). Due to the rapid advances in DEP-enabling technologies, current state-of-the-art design and analysis tools lack sufficient validation against full-scale eVTOL flight vehicles, especially in the areas of aerodynamics and acoustics. Ultimately, the goal is to model and test multidisciplinary aeropropulsive acoustics.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

This subtopic primarily supports ARMD’s Strategic Thrust #4 (Safe, Quiet, and Affordable Vertical Lift Air Vehicles), although it also yields benefits for Thrusts #1 (Safe, Efficient Growth in Global Operations) and #3 (Ultra-Efficient Subsonic Transports). Specifically, the following ARMD program and projects are highly relevant.

This subtopic is highly relevant and facilitates further research and opportunities to small businesses and research institutions. Under the umbrella of air taxis, eVTOL could create a market worth trillions of dollars in the next 15 to 20 years according to some market reports and predictions. Although aerodynamics and acoustics are the focus of this subtopic, facilitating flight testing of these vehicles provides platforms for many small business opportunities, including development and marketing of subsystems and support infrastructure such as batteries, electric motors, propellers, rotors, instrumentation, sensors, manufacturing, vehicle support, vehicle operations, and many more.

NASA/ARMD/Advanced Air Vehicles Program (AAVP):

Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project
Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) Project
Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Project
Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT) Project
University Innovation (UI) Project
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) Project and National Campaign

References:

ARMD/Advanced Air Transport Technology (AATT) Project: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/aavp/aatt
ARMD/Revolutionary Vertical Lift Technology (RVLT) Project: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/aavp/rvlt
ARMD/Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Project: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/tacp/cas
ARMD/Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT) Project: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/tacp/ttt
ARMD/University Innovation (UI) Project: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/programs/tacp/ui
ARMD Strategic Implementation Plan: https://www.nasa.gov/aeroresearch/strategy
ARMD Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign: https://www.nasa.gov/uamgc

Digital Transformation is the strategic transformation of an organization's products, processes, and capabilities, driven and enabled by rapidly advancing and converging digital technologies, to dramatically enhance the organization's performance and efficiency. These advancing digital technologies include software, cloud computing, data management and analytics, artificial intelligence, mobile access, the Internet of Things (IoT), and others. Their convergence is producing major transformations across industries - media and entertainment, retail, advertising, publishing, health care, travel, transportation, etc. Through digital transformation, organizations seek to gain or retain their competitive edge by becoming more aware of and responsive to both customer and employee interests, more agile in testing and implementing new approaches, and more innovative and prescient in pioneering the next wave of products and services.

Central to the success of the digital transformation is the pervasive (and often automated) collection and use of data about everything that impacts success--the organization's infrastructure, processes, activities, competencies, products and services, customers, partners, industry, and so on. Organizations can mine this massive, complex, and often unstructured data to develop accurate insights into how to improve organizational performance and efficiency. An organization may also use this data to build models of systems in order to refine operations or to train machine learning algorithms to automate processes, provide recommendations, or enhance customer experiences. The digital technologies listed above are essential to generate, collect, transform, mine, analyze, and utilize this data across the enterprise. NASA is undertaking a digital transformation journey to enhance mission success and impact. NASA is engaging in digital transformation to:

• Accelerate innovation and knowledge growth

• Support data-informed decisions

• Achieve more complex missions

• Enable pervasive collaboration

• Enhance cost-effectiveness

• Build a digital-savvy workforce

Through this focus area, NASA is seeking to explore and develop technologies that are essential for the Agency's successful digital transformation. Specific innovations being sought in this solicitation are:

• Model-based enterprise, which seeks to create digital models or twins of NASA’s enterprise, to enable decision-making with increased insight and velocity primarily for supporting agency operations and evolving infrastructure needs.

• Hyper-realistic Extended Reality (XR) real-time visualization technologies for Lunar and subsequent Mars Extravehicular Activity (EVA) surface operations and training with extensibility to similar agency needs.

Details about these applications of digital transformation technologies are in the respective subtopic descriptions.

Scope Title:

Model-Based Enterprise, Digitally Interacting Comprehensive Frameworks and Models, and Automated Decision Making for Agency Operations

Scope Description:

Model-based enterprise targets the use of models in any function, from engineering to safety to finance to facilities and more (i.e., Model-Based "Anything" or MBx), to enable high-complexity decision making embodying agile processes to achieve efficiency, accuracy, confidence, and adaptability in support of NASA’s mission, programmatic development, and institutional activities.

Consider an example of how Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) is increasing in importance to future projects and programs as demonstrated by the strategic thrust towards "Model-Based Anything" of the Digital Transformation Initiative. At the same time, the nature of work at NASA is increasingly distributed with a workforce that may continue partial telework even after pandemic-related restrictions are relaxed.

As previously indicated, the Agency will need to focus on efforts associated with the new changes in the "future of work" at NASA (Refs. 6 and 8). NASA will likely have fewer people working in buildings post-pandemic, and such buildings may be used differently than at present because many people will be working offsite and less frequently working in NASA facilities—except for special activities and needs. We will need to restructure our present older facilities for this type of change and/or plan to design differently for any new facilities, and we will need models for that.

NASA is seeking specific innovative, transformational, model-based solutions in the area of “Digital Twin” Institutional Management of Health/Automated Decision Support of Agency Facilities, which represents an opportunity to make revolutionary changes in how our Agency conducts business by investing in nascent technologies. The Agency’s newly minted Digital Transformation Office is interested in how to help reposition and accelerate the modernization of digital systems that support modern approaches to managing the Agency's aging infrastructure. Recent initiatives in smart city technologies focus on condition-based/preventive maintenance, smart buildings, and smart lighting, which will address pressing Agency facility needs.

The STTR vehicle offers the small business community an opportunity to have a hand in this process towards repositioning and accelerating the modernization of digital systems supporting the Agency's aging infrastructure to:

- Save energy costs due to water and electricity usage that is poorly measured and managed.
- Enable the deployment of nascent technological trends in data-driven decision making and support tools based upon statistical methods to help streamline and improve the efficiency of facility operations and maintenance activities.
- Determine how well technologies using techniques from the previous bullet can be broadly deployed across NASA.

- Enabling new agency-centric insight and management capabilities (building upon center models) to meet evolving future of work and other challenges in a more proactive and seamless manner.

At the conclusion of a Phase II effort, we anticipate that offerors should deliver a means to develop a model that is capable of context switching among various categorical factors established according to various levels of granularity including, but not limited to, the following: independent facility needs, facility inventory lifecycle balancing needs, workforce needs, etc.

For example, such a model should use past years' data to predict the condition of certain facility systems, and which ones should be invested in first for repairs to improve the return on investment (ROI) or improve the overall condition and reliability of the facility. A deferred maintenance assessment is conducted at NASA every year or on a 2- to 3-year cycle, where the inventory of buildings at every center is considered, for 27 systems total. A comparison of the current condition of those systems to previous years for each of those building systems is conducted. At the moment, there is a (sometimes categorical, sometimes numerical) mission dependency index (MDI) that comprises six factors (ref. 7), which is used to decide the highest priority for investments.

By the end of Phase II, offerors should have developed a model capable of identifying which of these 27 systems to invest in to increase the overall MDI. For example, given a specific building and the relative condition of its 27 systems, the model should make a recommendation on which systems to focus on for the highest ROI and fastest payback, as not all systems will feasibly be invested in for concurrent improvements.

The model should also be capable of the following:

Identifying an optimal sequence of investments for which systems and which projects should be undertaken first.
Be scalable and be capable of prioritizing project(s) by looking at 27 systems to identify the best investments based on a large number of buildings (e.g., 100 or more).
Capable of identifying macro-level systemic issues throughout the entire facility inventory from independent predictions made at the local level.

Several years worth of data (potentially up to 10 years) can be supplied to support the development of these enhanced features of such a model as well.

However, it should be noted that it is easier to provide data for specific facility-level improvements rather than for facility inventory optimization due to the diverse and nontraditional set of facility functions that NASA as an Agency is challenged with due to unique mission needs and requirements. Data to support this type of macro-level analysis is not readily available, e.g., on the quality of the spaces.

However, at the local level, there are a limited number of high-performance modern facilities in the Agency that may offer very granular levels of detail to inform the development of a model that could effectively be used to address post-pandemic facility layout optimization needs, e.g., due to social distancing requirements, etc.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 4 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 11 Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing
Level 2 11.X Other Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I Deliverables—Reports identifying use cases, proposed tool views/capabilities, identification of NASA or industry leveraging and/or integration opportunities, test data from proof-of-concept studies, and designs for Phase II.

Phase II Deliverables—Delivery of models/tools/platform prototypes that demonstrate capabilities or performance over the range of NASA target areas identified in use cases. Working integrated software framework capable of direct compatibility with existing programmatic tools.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Outside of NASA, industry is rapidly advancing Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) tools and scaling them to larger, more complex development activities. Industry sees scaling as a natural extension of their ongoing digitization efforts. These scaling and extension efforts will result in reusable, validated libraries containing models, model fragments, patterns, contextualized data, etc. They will enable the ability to build upon, transform, and synthesize new concepts and missions, which has great attraction to both industry and government alike. Real-time collaboration and refinement of these validated libraries into either “single source” or “authoritative sources” of truth provide further appeal as usable knowledge can be pulled together much more quickly from a far wider breadth of available knowledge than was ever available before.

One example of industry applying MB/MBe/MBSE is through Digital Thread™, a communication framework that helps facilitate an integrated view and connected data flow of the product's data throughout its lifecycle. In other words, it helps deliver the right information at the right time and at the right place. Creating an “identical” copy (sometimes referred to as a "digital twin") is another use, a digital replica of potential and actual physical assets, processes, people, places, systems, and devices that can be used for various purposes. These twins are used to conduct virtual cost/technical trade studies, virtual testing, virtual qualification, etc., that are made possible through an integrated model-based network. Given the rise of MBSE in industry, NASA will need to keep pace in order to continue to communicate with industry, manage and monitor supply chain activities, and continue to provide leadership in spaceflight development.

Within NASA, our organization is faced with increasingly complex problems that require better and timelier integration and synthesis of both models and larger sets of data, not only in the systems engineering or MBSE realm, but in the broader MB Institution, MB Mission Management, and MB Enterprise Architecture. NASA is challenged to sift through and pull out the particular pieces of information needed for specific functions, as well as to ensure requirements are traced into designs, tested, and delivered; thus, confirming that the Agency gets what it has paid for. On a broader cross-agency scale, we need to ensure that needed information is available to support critical decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. All of these challenges are addressed through the benefits of model-based approaches. Practices such as reusability, common sources of data, and validated libraries of authoritative information become the norm, not the exception, using an integrated, model-based environment. This model-based environment will contribute to a diverse, distributed business model encompassing multicenter and government-industry partnerships as the normal way of doing business.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

MBx solutions can benefit all NASA Mission Directorates and functional organizations. NASA activities could be a dramatically more efficient and lower risk through MBx support of more automated creation, execution, and completion verification of important agreements, such as international, supply chain, or data use.

References:

https://www.sae.org/standards/content/as9100/
https://www.nasa.gov/offices/FRED
https://www.omg.org/
https://OpenMBEE.org
https://sercuarc.org/project/?id=64&project=Formal+Methods+in+Resilient+Systems+Design+using+a+Flexible+Contract+Approach
https://blogs.nasa.gov/futureofwork/
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiV6Yyd-t7yAhW4KVkFHYFhBd4QFnoECAcQAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nasa.gov%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Fatoms%2Ffiles%2Fnasa_mdi_user_guide-rev_november_2010.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2vLJ6_LZSqsakQoLjpoemd
Future of Work Trends and Insights Report, Talent Strategy and Engagement Division, Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer, DRAFT 23 AUGUST 2018.
Keady, R.A.: Equipment Inventories for Owners and Facility Managers: Standards, Strategies, and Best Practices. Wiley Press, 2013.
GSA's Emerging Building Technologies Program: https://www.gsa.gov/governmentwide-initiatives/sustainability/emerging-building-technologies

Scope Title:

Integration of Digital Twin With Augmented and Virtual Reality in Metaverse

Scope Description:

Digital twins is a critical emerging technology that consists of a physical asset, a virtual counterpart, and the data exchanged between the two. Enabled by models and simulations, advanced computing, and cyber and immersive technologies, digital twins tackle the challenge of integration between the physical and digital world, facilitating rapid analysis and real-time decision making. Digital twins transform the traditional design-build-test waterfall approach to a model-analyze-build-test spiral approach. This provides the capability to experiment, validate, and optimize solutions in the virtual space before building and testing, potentially jeopardizing the real-world asset. After a higher confidence design is built, measured test results can be used to update the model to forecast performance and evaluate risk of unforeseen operational scenarios. In the early stages of product/mission development, multiphysics models, simulations, and analytics (to include artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)) can be used to conduct tradeoff analyses under various mission operating conditions and what-if scenarios in the virtual world. Insights can be obtained on manufacturability, cost, schedule, and performance by experimenting with a wide range of scenarios and evaluating optimized solutions and/or mitigation strategies. This results in significant reduction in time taken for development of design and new product/mission concepts. Digital twins can provide real-time monitoring, diagnostics, and corrective action for the operating assets. For operational assets like aircraft, spacecraft, habitats, power systems on lunar surface, planetary rovers, or large test facilities, digital twins fed by real-time sensor data on as-experienced environmental conditions can transform assumptions that drive the current scheduled and preventive maintenance practices to enable a more efficient predictive maintenance based on the actual condition of the operating asset.

The application of augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) is undergoing significant growth for many engineering applications that include design and virtual testing of new products/concepts, manufacturing, and operations. The use of AR/VR allows designers, engineers, and end users to be immersed in a simulated environment (virtual reality) and in an environment where actual environments and objects are superimposed (augmented reality), or a hybrid between the two (mixed reality). By experiencing a new product in an immersive environment, designers and engineers can collaborate to accelerate the iterative product development process and reduce development costs. They can conduct research, design, modeling, prototyping, and user testing to validate ideas virtually in ways that would be too costly, impractical, or impossible to recreate in the real world. Besides design and development of new products, AR/VR technologies are also used for training.

Integration of digital twins with AR/VR offers many benefits. Utilizing a virtual or augmented experience for digital twins allows stakeholders to digest, understand and visualize real-world depictions, and the ability to move and interact in these spaces. Digital twins integrated with AR/VR would provide virtual, behaviorally accurate representation of product designs and operating assets. By experiencing a component, subsystem, or system in an immersive environment along with the simulation tools associated with digital twins, engineers and designers can bring a product to life without physically constructing a single thing. An integrated digital twin-AR/VR system would allow training of operators for large facilities and manufacturing operations in a virtual dynamic environment, where they could practice responding to live operational conditions without risk to the asset or down time.

While the computational tools for digital twins, real-time sensors, and AR/VR technologies have been developed in parallel and independent paths, the possibility of the combined use of these tools has grown. Typically, the simulation software used for digital twins lacks the AR/VR functionalities and lacks a mechanism to ingest live sensor data. It is timely to develop the connectivity between the digital twin, sensor data, and VR/AR software to take advantage of their strengths. It is envisioned the metaverse, which is rapidly evolving, will be the platform for integration of digital twins and live data with AR/VR. The metaverse will help recreating the existence of the real world digitally. For the integrated operational digital twin-AR/VR concept to be a reality, the necessary computational tools and architectures need to be developed to integrate digital twins and data streams with immersive technologies.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 11 Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing
Level 2 11.X Other Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

To be provided upon request.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

One of the targets for NASA’s Digital Transformation (DT) strategic initiative is to transform engineering. Building blocks toward operational digital twins are currently being developed within NASA’s DT effort, with a goal of reducing time to develop new systems, significantly reducing time for anomaly detection in operating systems and enabling predictive maintenance of NASA facilities and infrastructure. Integration of operational digital twins with AR/VR technologies in metaverse will accelerate development of new aerospace systems and will offer engineers a better platform to share, interact, and collaborate with multiple partners. In addition, the integration of operational digital twins and AR/VR in the metaverse will enable training of new operators and engineers in large and complex test facilities.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

Covers Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) priorities, such as zero-emission aircraft and green aviation as potential targets, along with OSI (Office of Strategic Infrastructure) priorities such as large test facilities and laboratories across the Agency, under the stewardship of the SETMO (Space Environments Testing Management Office). This would help with upskilling and training the current and future cohort of facility technicians and collaboration with external partners.

References:

To be shared upon request.

Scope Title:

Extractable High-Resolution Terrain Database System

Scope Description:

The system would provide an extractable, high-resolution terrain database (<1 meter resolution) with all the correct metadata that is created from digital elevation terrain data, 3D rock models, 3D human-made structure models, photos, lidar scans, etc., that can be used with the most used game/scene rendering engines at NASA (Unreal, Omniverse, Unity, or Edge) to support the creation of highly immersive and highly performant simulation environments. The system should support large areas of interest >90 km, be able to ingest and store all the data needed to create the desired high-resolution/performant simulation environment, and output terrain data files at desired levels of detail, which can be used within the game/scene rendering engines mentioned above. The initial regions of interest are possible future NASA lunar landing sites, but the concept/system should be usable for Mars or other Earth locations of interest. The system should also provide a high level of automation that reduces the overall manual effort that is currently required to build these types of systems. Graphical user interfaces (GUIs) should be part of the system to facilitate the use of the system. This capability can be used to create an immersive environment to support training, collaboration, analysis, planning, and real-time operations of future Artemis missions.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 11 Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing
Level 2 11.X Other Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I awards will be expected to develop theoretical frameworks, algorithms, and demonstrate feasibility (Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3) of the overall system (both software and hardware). Phase II awards will be expected to demonstrate the capabilities with the development of a prototype system that includes all the necessary hardware and software elements (TRL 6).

As appropriate for the phase of the award, Phases I and II should include all the algorithms and research results clearly depicting metrics and performance of the developed technology in comparison to state of the art (SOA). Software implementation of the developed solution along with the simulation platform must be included as a deliverable.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Currently, the development of the products being requested from the system requires extensive manual, time-consuming steps that can be difficult to execute. The process that is typically followed requires users to search for all the data required to create the models. The data can include Digital Elevation Model (DEM), rock models, human-made structures, other features of interest, etc. Next, the developer manually adds metadata to the different models. The metadata can include geo-reference information, the size of the object, and any other features deemed important. Next, handcrafting is performed to assure that any digital elevation data models from all the sources are sized appropriately, color corrected, and inserted into the initial terrain models created from the DEM. Additional handcrafting is performed for certain models to assure that they have the resolution/fidelity required. Upon the integration of all the data sources, further handcrafting is required to assure that the system has the necessary multiresolution model features so that it can be rendered at the necessary frame rates. This is typically done by creating models at multiple resolutions. High-resolution models are used for areas near to the user and lower resolution models are used for regions further away from the user. As the user moves around, new high-resolution versions of the models are brought into the scene for the new area where the user is located and the high-resolution models for the area that the user just left is swapped out for lower resolution versions. This swapping of models is sometimes required to allow for the system to render the scene at the required frame rates.

The system proposed would include a central storage location where data can be retrieved from for the creation of the models. This central storage location would facilitate the integration of the data. The system would also automate many of the manual and time-consuming steps that are currently required. New methods that create higher fidelity models using photogrammetry or other model creation methods could also be integrated into the system.

Current approaches NASA is using to develop the necessary 3D high-resolution models are time consuming and difficult to follow. As NASA continues to develop simulations for use on future missions, these capabilities will become more important. Having access to a system that can overcome some of the challenges will be increasingly more important.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

XR technologies can facilitate many missions, including those related to human space exploration. The technology can be used during the planning, training, and operations support phase. The Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Artemis, and Gateway programs could benefit from this technology for various missions. Furthermore, the crosscutting nature of XR technologies allows it to support all of NASA’s Directorates.

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/index.html

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html

https://science.nasa.gov/

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

https://www.nasa.gov/gateway

This type of capability would enable the development of immersive systems that could support planning, analysis, training, and collaborative activities related to surface navigation for Artemis missions. Earth Science could also benefit from this type of capability by allowing systems to be developed that can support vegetation dispersion, human interaction with the environment, etc.

References:

https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-1-4614-8265-9_226

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261163995_Multi-resolution_3D_terrain_modeling_based_on_scale_space_hierarchical_clustering_algorithm

https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/609187

Scope Title:

Augmented Reality Navigation

Scope Description:

The system should provide google maps style navigation outdoors and also inside of buildings. The system will allow for AR applications to be developed that do not require QR style visual markers, while still providing highly accurate six degrees of freedom position (6DOF) (< 1 cm); as well as highly accurate altitude and attitude information. The system should be usable with smart devices (tablets, smartphones) that support both iOS and Android operating systems. The system should also support with head worn AR devices. This type of system will allow for AR applications to be developed that can be used to accurately overlay points of interest and meta-information about those points of interest. The system allows for creation of applications that can be used to carry out activities more autonomously by allowing the system to guide a user through unfamiliar facilities and through steps that are required to carry out procedures.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 4 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 11 Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing
Level 2 11.X Other Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Software
Hardware

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I awards will be expected to develop theoretical frameworks, algorithms, and demonstrate feasibility (TRL 3) of the overall system (both software and hardware). Phase II awards will be expected to demonstrate the capabilities with the development of a prototype system that includes all the necessary hardware and software elements (TRL 6).

As appropriate for the phase of the award, Phases I and II should include all the algorithms and research results clearly depicting metrics and performance of the developed technology in comparison to state of the art. Software implementation of the developed solution along with the simulation platform must be included as a deliverable.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Industry has made significant progress developing markerless navigation technologies. These technologies are typically used on smartphones/tablets and require calibration steps for their use. A key player in the outdoor AR navigation field is the automobile industry, where navigation information can be displayed directly on the windshield or on a screen that the driver has a direct line of sight. A significant user of indoor navigation technologies includes warehouses, where people can be guided to certain locations to find items. Improvements to both the indoor and outdoor AR navigation system is important, since NASA has use cases for both indoor and outdoor AR navigation.

Current gaps that should be addressed for future systems include the overall use of the technology on head-worn devices, along with smartphone/tablets. Additionally, the accuracy of the system should be improved to allow NASA to use the capability to support indoor electronic procedure use cases that require high precision 6DOF data. How one should interact with the AR navigation systems (i.e., the GUIs and other human interface methods that users will use to interact with the system) should also be investigated further.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

XR technologies can facilitate many missions, including those related to human space exploration. The technology can be used during the planning, training, and operations support phase. The Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Artemis, and Gateway programs could benefit from this technology for various missions. Furthermore, the crosscutting nature of XR technologies allows it to support all of NASA’s Directorates.

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/index.html

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html

https://science.nasa.gov/

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

https://www.nasa.gov/gateway

Being able to have head-up displays (HUDs) in a helmet bubble, head-mounted displays (HMDs), or windshields that provide navigation cues to locations of interest or augment those locations with additional information will be important in the future design of next generation vehicles and suits. Furthermore, navigation aids will augment an astronaut's ability to carry out medical procedures more autonomously. It will also allow for certain procedures to be carried out that would not otherwise be possible by providing instructions on the exact placement and movement of medical instruments. Any system that reduces risks, improves operations, and allows for more autonomous operations are important for many different NASA directorates that includes ESDMD, SOMD, STMD, and SDM. Artemis and Gateway programs will also be able to infuse these technologies into future missions.

References:

https://mobidev.biz/blog/augmented-reality-indoor-navigation-app-developement-arkit

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/342383348_Augmented_Reality_Navigation

https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/google/147956-what-is-google-maps-ar-navigation-and-how-do-you-use-it

https://www.bairesdev.com/blog/ar-for-navigation-what-you-should-know/#:~:text=AR%20facilitates%20path%20logistics%20along,in%20case%20of%20an%20emergency.

Scope Title:

Metaverse/Digital Twin

Scope Description:

The popularity of the metaverse has continued to grow with companies hailing it as the immersive visualization system of the future. Many of these companies are investing billions of dollars towards its development. Although many people have different definitions of what the metaverse is, the fundamental idea is that it provides a shared, multiuser, persistent, and highly immersive environment. This environment can be used for people to collaborate, to carry out training, to carry out design activities, to host entertainment activities, etc. These are activities that are important to NASA. An important component of the metaverse is a digital twin. Digital twins are a digital representation of a physical system that mimic the actual systems for its lifecycle. The twin receives real-time telemetry to stay current, provides situational awareness, and uses simulation, machine learning, and model-based reasoning to predict future outcomes and help decision making. Digital twins are sometimes referred to as the "building blocks" for the metaverse.

The scope of this focus area is to develop an XR architecture and applications that will enable easy access and collaboration of digital content within a metaverse/digital twin environment. The system developed should investigate the value added by a metaverse/digital twin environment to improve training, real-time operations support, collaboration, data visualization and analysis, and predictive analytics. The system should also optimize the human interfaces (GUIs and input devices) so that interaction between people and between people, facilities, instruments, etc., is optimized.

Expected TRL or TRL Range at completion of the Project: 3 to 6

Primary Technology Taxonomy:

Level 1 11 Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing
Level 2 11.X Other Software, Modeling, Simulation, and Information Processing

Desired Deliverables of Phase I and Phase II:

Research
Analysis
Prototype
Hardware
Software

Desired Deliverables Description:

Phase I awards will be expected to develop theoretical frameworks, algorithms, and demonstrate feasibility (TRL 3) of the overall system (both software and hardware). Phase II awards will be expected to demonstrate the capabilities with the development of a prototype system that includes all the necessary hardware and software elements (TRL 6).

As appropriate for the phase of the award, Phases I and II should include all the algorithms and research results clearly depicting metrics and performance of the developed technology in comparison to state of the art. Software implementation of the developed solution along with the simulation platform must be included as a deliverable.

State of the Art and Critical Gaps:

Many organizations have jumped on the metaverse/digital twin bandwagon. Although there are many definitions to what the metaverse means, most will agree that it is an immersive environment (AR or VR), that is persistent, online, and multiuser. Currently, metaverse technologies are being driven by companies that have specialized in gaming, entertainment, or social networking; there are many engineering and science applications to the technologies. Some examples of the current state of the art includes:

Earth 2.0 Project that pairs a data-rich Earth digital twin simulation with a highly immersive visualization application to carry out climate/weather forecasting.
Industry’s use of digital twins to design and operate their next-generation buildings and warehouses. Warehouses use digital twins of the facility and all the operators in the building (robots, people, other systems) to improve operations. These digital twins are also used to carry out predictive analytics and to train autonomous robots how to operate in a physical environment.
Epic games Fortnite system has been used to host concerts and other events attended by tens of millions of people. The system has allowed for limited interaction to take place by a large number of people in a purely digital environment.
Roblox system that allows users to create custom worlds that can then be linked. This further demonstrates how content can be created and linked into a metaverse that is then visited by a large number of people.
NVIDIAs omniverse platform that allows for applications to seamlessly communicate with each other to create highly immersive experiences.

The following are the challenges/gaps that should be addressed during this effort:

The need to improve/optimize the human interfaces needed for the interaction between the people and the digital/physical environments. This includes both the input devices and the display devices.
The computation needed for the metaverse/digital twin environment and where this computation would take place (cloud vs. edge).
The IT security requirements to run the distributed, multilocation, and multiuser environments.
The need for platform interoperability. The system should be device diagnostic and be able to run on an assortment of devices.

Relevance / Science Traceability:

XR technologies can facilitate many missions, including those related to human space exploration. The technology can be used during the planning, training, and operations support phase. The Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD), Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), and Science Mission Directorate (SMD), Artemis, and Gateway programs could benefit from this technology for various missions. Furthermore, the crosscutting nature of XR technologies allows it to support all of NASA’s Directorates.

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/heo/index.html

https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/home/index.html

https://science.nasa.gov/

https://www.nasa.gov/specials/artemis/

https://www.nasa.gov/gateway

Metaverse/digital twin technologies are being used in industry to reduce risks/costs, improve operations/training/collaboration, support education/outreach, etc. The improvements provided in these areas would also provide value added to many NASA Programs/Directorates that include Aeronautics, Human Exploration, Science, Space Technology, Artemis, Gateway, etc.

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metaverse

https://www.wired.com/story/what-is-the-metaverse/

https://www.accenture.com/us-en/services/metaverse-index?c=acn_glb_technologyvisiogoogle_12891735&n=psgs_0322&gclid=Cj0KCQjwxIOXBhCrARIsAL1QFCb0WjqL_qhe28IQZNH_uBWfUvXUN9mzsn52hrT242TdUx7l9WVjhE8aArN2EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

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Available Funding Topics

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STTR 2023-I

Available Funding Topics

Integrated Data Uncertainty Management and Representation for Trustworthy and Trusted Autonomy in Space

Site Preparation and Bulk Regolith Infrastructure

Textiles for Extreme Lunar Environments and High Oxygen Atmospheres

Lunar Regolith Covers for Hardware

Advanced Concepts for Lunar and Martian Propellant Production, Storage, and Usage

Sustainable Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Extraction and Transformation

Sustainable Production of Hydrogen for Transportation and Energy Storage Applications

Quantum Sensing and Measurement

Quantum Communications

Photonic Integrated Circuits

Aerothermal Simulation for Exascale Computer Architectures

Robust and Automated Aerothermal Simulation of Complex Geometries

Efficient Grid Adaption for Unsteady, Multiscale Problems

Additive Manufactured Electronics for Severe Volume Constrained Applications

Novel Reinforcement of Structural Materials for Application in Extreme Environments

Localized Resource Feedstock Development and Application for In-Space Surface Construction/Infrastructure

Novel Power Systems for Mobile Regolith Manufacturing

Carbon Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Composites for Repurposable Aerospace Applications

Intelligent Sensors for Rocket Propulsion Testing

Full-Scale (Passenger/Cargo) Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) Scaling, Propulsion, Aerodynamics, and Acoustics Investigations

Model-Based Enterprise, Digitally Interacting Comprehensive Frameworks and Models, and Automated Decision Making for Agency Operations

Integration of Digital Twin With Augmented and Virtual Reality in Metaverse

Extractable High-Resolution Terrain Database System

Augmented Reality Navigation

Metaverse/Digital Twin