Award Data

Time Reversal Acoustic (TRA) structural health monitoring with an embedded sensor array represents a new approach to in-situ nondestructive evaluation of air-space systems. The suggested approach is based on a sufficient improvement of recently developed Electro-Mechanical Impedance method and will use a similar array of embedded sensors. The application of TRA principles will significantly improv ...

Using MSI?s Stochastic Optimization of Aeroelastic Response (SOAR) framework, time-savings of several-fold can be achieved during the airframe conceptual design stage. The availability of fast and inexpensive computers along with higher-fidelity design models has provided the opportunity to optimize aeroelastic behavior and consider uncertainty during the conceptual design phase. However, computat ...

This proposal describes the development of passive surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensors and multi-sensor systems for NASA application to remote wireless sensing of temperature and pressure distributions in space vehicles and demanding environments. SAW devices are a mature technology used in numerous commercial wireless communication applications, satellites, and military systems. Research into th ...

The gasdynamic mirror (GDM) plasma thruster has the ability to confine high-density plasma for the length of time required to heat it to the temperatures corresponding to specific impulse requirements. The often-cited plasma confinement time is directly proportional to the mirror ratio and the length, and is inversely proportional to the square root of ion energy. This confinement law, however, i ...

Advanced turbomachinery components play a critical role in launch vehicle and spacecraft liquid rocket propulsion systems. To achieve desired efficiencies, extremely tight tolerances are often imposed between inducer blades and shrouds or other system components which sets up strong interactions that influence both the aerodynamics and the structural performance of blades and vanes. These transien ...

Chemical contamination of spacecraft components as well as thermal and force loading from firing liquid propellant thrusters are critical concerns for in-space propulsion applications. Gas molecular contamination and liquid droplet deposition due to incomplete combustion threaten to damage surface materials, sensitive instruments and optical sensors, and poses major risks for mission success. Liqu ...

GTL?s SNS technology aids in the operation of new or existing structural health monitoring (SHM) systems by integrating data and power pathways into the structure. The use of this technology within a composite structure would allow engineers to place sensors from an SHM system directly where they are needed on a structure with instant power. GTL?s SNS technology offers the potential for developers ...

NASA recognizes the importance of conservation, smart utilization and reuse of resources for their deep space missions to address the need for regeneration of air, water and waste with highly reliable systems to reduce mission payload. Additionally, energy for life support and other systems needs to be obtained from renewable energy sources or waste streams. In order to address NASA's requirements ...

DEC-Shield technology offers the means to generate electric power from cosmic radiation sources and fuse dissimilar systems and functionality into a structural component to create a Multi-functional Structure (MFS). DEC-Shield integrated into MFS technology can be used to generate electric power and provide radiation protection in a space vehicle; even maximizing that protection by spreading the ...

Newly developed phase-engineered and low dimensional materials have opened the door to the design of materials structures that exhibit extremely efficient ionic transport. Recently, a new type of electro-filtration system designed to convert thermal power into purified water from salt water (or other ionic pollutants) has been demonstrated in the lab. The system is based on a bi-phasic nanoplate ...