Award Data

Metallic additive manufacturing (AM) is an attractive technology for the production of lethality test articles due to the potential for significantly reduced lead time and manufacturing cost.However, in order to be effective in providing accurate lethality data, the properties of the AM material have to match closely the properties of conventionally manufactured alloys found in real threat targets ...

Future MDA space missions will utilize small spacecraft with correspondingly small, advanced sensor systems. Cooling of these sensors is required to decrease detector noise and increase detector sensitivity by maintaining the detector at a reduced operating temperature. The cooling system comprises a mechanical cryocooler and its control electronics, both of which are critical technologies to enab ...

The proposed project aims to pursue an innovative approach of utilizing deep learning algorithms to improve the performance of state-of-the-art MEMS Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) to push their performance to fullest extent possible as replacements for existing Fiber Optic Gyroscopes (FOG) systems for navigation and guidance in future missile system avionics including Sounding Rockets. During P ...

Systima is proposing the development of a non-hit-to-kill warhead for hyper-velocity projectiles capable of deploying a volumetrically efficient tungsten payload using advanced manufacturing techniques. Using Wire Electrical Discharge Machining (Wire EDM), the payload packaging efficiency is dramatically increased while also reducing cost due to greater design simplicity and ease of assembly of th ...

Magnesium alloys have 35% lower density compared to aluminum, with improved temperature stability compared to high strength aluminum.They can also be fabricated with minimum gauge thicknesses considerably thinner than fiber composites, and are weldable, with much higher impact resistance.Traditional magnesium alloys, however, have had lower strengths than more developed aluminum alloys.Powder meta ...

Optonicus proposes development of the TAP-LAM (Test Article Printing with Laser Additive Manufacturing for Threat Surrogate Target Production) powder bed fusion and directed energy depositions systems. The TAP-LAM metal additive manufacturing system will advance strategic missile defense system testing capabilities by improving 3D printing methods to rapidly produce large-scale threat surrogate ta ...

The problem of debris propagation and impact location has been studied since the formation of the Missile Defense Agency because accurate prediction of where and with what probability the fragments created during an intercept will impact the ground is crucial to the determination of possible collateral damage. The Kinetic Impact Debris Distribution (KIDD) fragmentation model provides a tool for p ...

Detection, tracking, and identification of ballistic missiles can benefit significantly from improved correlation of the tracks and detections. Track and detections are coming from the optical sensors and the radar sensors for further fusion of data into the single picture of the situation. However, available association methods are not nearly robust enough. Several radar, EO, and IR sensor charac ...

Significant advantages occur in cost reduction, technology maturity, and ease of implementation when using commercial-off-the-shelf components and systems boards in critical military applications. Because COTS components are well documented reverse engineering their contents is very straight forward. The first layer of protection for critical technology is the physical volume that encloses the sys ...

The task of identifying and successfully destroying a missile threat requires a vast network of RADARs, sensors, software, and other resources working together flawlessly. Information from these systems must be fused to provide with their operators an accurate and complete picture of the battlespace. With up-to-date, fused information on threats and targets, operators can make quick, informed de ...