Award Data

Diode-Pumped Alkali Lasers (DPALs) have great potential for high-energy lasers. Proper design of these systems is challenging because many interrelated processes impact their performance, and critical kinetic rate coefficients are not well known. In response, our team is developing a comprehensive physics-based analysis/design tool, and experimentally determining key kinetic rate coefficients. The ...

The Missile Defense Agency is searching for innovative technologies to implement in future interceptor missiles and kill vehicles that will produce weight savings within the systems. To answer this need, Touchstone Research Laboratory proposes to develop fiber reinforced aluminum (FRA) metal matrix composite components to replace those that were originally made from Ti-6-4. The FRA is able to reta ...

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 Phase II effort will complete the development, design, fabrication and hot gas evaluation of unitary, net-shape braided throttleable divert and attitude control system (TDACS) components. The program will demonstrate a low cost, thermally-stable, triaxially braided C-SiC integrated throat / plenum / exit cone structure for advanced DACS application. This structure will be designed t ...

THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL DEVELOP MATERIALS AND SUPPORTING THERMAL TECHNOLOGY LEADING TO DESIGN OF HIGH POWER PULSE CONDUCTORS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS. IN PHSE I WE WILL EVALUATE AN EM GUN SYSTEM, IDENTIFY ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS AND THERMAL APPROACHES FOR SELECTED COMPONENTS, AND IDENTIFY TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS. COMPONENT DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY AND BENEFITS WILL BE DEFINED.

THE NEED FOR INCREASING THE SENSITIVITY OF SPACE-BORNE SENSORS WILL REQUIRE DEVELOPMENT OF LONG-LIFE, HIGHLY EFFICIENT HELIUM LIQUIFIERS. CONVENTIONAL HELIUM LIQUIFIERS EMPLOY A JOULE-THOMSON EXPANSION VALVE TO EXPAND THE HELIUM AT TEMPERATURES BELOW ABOUT 10 DEG K. IT HAS BEEN SHOWN THAT GAINS OF UP TO 30% IN OVERALL CYCLE EFFICIENCY CAN BE OBTAINED IF THE JOULE-THOMSON VALVE IS REPLACED BY AN EX ...

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Future missile detection systems will require improved thermal management for cooling gimbal-mounted sensors and optics. Current systems utilize cryocoolers placed on the gimbal, which necessitates the cryocooler heat to be rejected directly from the gimbal. A far superior approach in terms of payload mass would locate the warm elements of the cryocooler on the stationary platform near the space ...

Missile seekers would benefit from a focal plane array (FPA) that allowed high-speed single or multiple-windowing acquisition of the target or targets while maintaining situational awareness of the rest of the field of view. Such data reduction helps where bandwidth is limited, e.g. arrays with formats larger than 1Kx1K, allowing tracking of high-speed missiles at high frame rates. Readout multi ...

We propose to develop a high-performance longwave infrared focal plane array (FPA) based on Type-II InAs/(In)GaSb strained-layer-superlattice (SLS) technology and deliver it packaged in a portable handheld CAMERA. In Phase 1, a matrix of recipes was designed and grown, several wafers were processed, arrays were fabricated and characterized, and material and process issues identified. In Phase 2, ...