Award Data

In an effort to development more robust optical system coatings DTRA, in collaboration with Sandia National Labs, is working to characterize the degradation of optical materials for space systems when exposed to high intensely EUV/ cold x-rays. The experiments utilizes the Double Eagle z-pinch facility which generates high current, high voltage arc pinch plasma to produce an intense EUV and cold x ...

Nalas Engineering and Johns Hopkins University collaborated in a Phase I STTR program to study reactive mixtures of HI3O8 and nanocomposite fuels previously developed by the Weihs Group. These fuel/oxidizer mixtures are uniquely able to simultaneously produce heat and biocidal iodine gas, a combination designed to destroy biological weapons. The team at Nalas focused on evaluating conditions for p ...

Traditional weapon systems often fail to meet the requirements of close combat typical of the previously discussed engagement, where insurgents often blend in or store weapon amongst friendly or non-combatant forces, to shield them from precision strike munitions of a technologically superior force. This type of warfare has led to an increased focus on the use of less-lethal weapons, to reduce let ...

Innovative Imaging and Research proposes to develop a 21st Century color, high-speed extreme high dynamic range (Color-XHDR) video recording technology that will produce engineering-grade video to accurately document rocket motor firings at close range within a test cell without image saturation. This novel imaging system will include a compact, single focal plane array camera and end-to-end image ...

The purpose of this effort is to develop an instrument to accurately calibrate (1% k=2) the lunar spectral reflectance (350 to 2,300 nm) at relatively low expense from a small satellite. Assuming the TSIS missions are successful and the solar irradiance is known, the lunar spectral reflectance can be used to provide known lunar irradiance, thereby providing a stable exo-atmospheric calibration sou ...

The overall goal of the SBIR effort to develop a fully packaged, environmentally hardened, diode-based, locked wavelength, seed laser for seeding next generation Nd:YAG lasers currently being developed for future space-based, high spectral resolution Lidar (HSRL) measurements. The Phase I effort successfully demonstrated that a diode-based, wavelength-locked seed laser can provide the spectral pur ...

With the goal to reduce astronaut time required to operate experiments on the ISS and advance automated and telerobotic technology, TUI proposes to collaborate with NanoRacks to develop a "Modular Advanced Networked Telerobotic Interface System" (MANTIS) that will integrate TUI?s existing KRAKEN robotic arm in a payload on the ISS. The MANTIS payload will reduce crew member burden to operate exper ...

In the Phase I effort, Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories LLC (GTL) verified the feasibility of generating power from space particle radiation. This effort successfully demonstrated electrical power production from a particle radiation source using an initial proof-of-concept device. The effort also identified a second approach that has the potential for even better power generation and offers enhanced ...

M42 Technologies is proposing to continue development of a RF based crosslink with relative navigation and time transfer capabilities to enable autonomous precision formation flying (PFF) of spacecraft as small as nanosatellites (1 to 10 kg). The solution consists of a multi-channel software defined radio (SDR), and innovative signaling and processing to enable CubeSat scaled spacecraft to measur ...

Substantial progress has been made by NASA in integrating flight avionics and ISHM with well-defined caution and warning system, however, the scope of ACAW alerting and response systems is still limited to a single failure response mapping. While the approach of single Caution And Warning (CW) message mapped to a single response procedure may be sufficient for simple cases, for a well-connected sy ...