Award Data

In this Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort, Leiden Measurement Technology (LMT) proposes to design and build the Fluorescence Lifetime Excitation Emission Spectrometer (FLEXEMS), a stand-off fluorescence spectrometer that uses multiple light-emitting diodes to excite fluorescence in samples from the deep-ultraviolet through the visible and employs time-correlated single-photon counti ...

Solar Particle Events (SPEs) represent a major hazard for extravehicular maneuvers by astronauts in Earth orbit, and for eventual manned interplanetary space travel. They can also harm aircraft avionics, communication and navigation. We propose to develop a system to aid forecasters in the prediction of such events, and in the identification/lengthening of "all clear" time periods when there is ...

Parabilis Space Technologies proposes to advance development of an additively manufactured liquid oxygen (LOx) and liquid methane Reaction Control System (RCS) thruster in response to solicitation H2.01, In-Space Chemical Propulsion. This RCS-class thruster will provide a simple, robust, and low-cost solution for vehicle attitude control on upcoming NASA projects. The thruster is additively manuf ...

Masten Space Systems proposes a Phase I SBIR effort in support of the preliminary development of a 25,000 lbf additively manufactured (AM), aluminum alloy, liquid oxygen (LOX)/methane engine for in-space propulsion. The use of AM processes have the potential to realize transformative mass, cost, and schedule savings over current state of the art in the 25,000 lbf thrust class that will enable hum ...

Resilient Ops, working in collaboration with Metron Aviation, Inc., proposes to develop a prototype system for planning Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) trajectories based on user intent and preference information. The system, called DRIFT-UAS (Distributed Resilient Framework for Trajectory Management of Unmanned Aircraft Systems), is intended to support autonomous Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM ...

Large solar arrays (100 kW-1 MW) are required in order to generate the power necessary for solar electric propulsion to drive NASA's future missions, including: Asteroid Redirect Mission, Mars Exploration, and NASA Commercial Supply. The advantages and benefits of large solar array designs will only be realized if the array support structure weight and packaging volume are minimized. SDC's Advanc ...

The gas sensor in the PLSS of the ISS EMU will meet its projected life in 2020, and NASA is planning to replace it. At present, only high TRL devices based on infrared absorption are candidate replacements, because of their proven long-term stability, despite their size and power consumption and failures in the presence of liquid water. No current compact sensor has the tolerance for liquid water ...

Vehicle reentry presents numerous challenges that must be carefully addressed to ensure the success of current and future space exploration missions. As they enter the atmosphere, these vehicles are subjected to extreme hypersonic environments typified by large structural loads, high heat fluxes and temperatures, and an aggressive aerothermal environment where nonequilibrium dissociated gases may ...

Peregrine proposes the combination and use of of Be-38Al, electroless nickel plating, and single point diamond turning to create precision x-ray grazing optical surfaces. Large x-ray telescopes will demand large, high stiffness, and lightweight substrates to provide rigidity to support the production of nested optical surfaces while requiring accurate alignment through the use of stable support st ...

Deployable Space Systems, Inc. (DSS) has developed a next-generation high performance solar array system specifically for NASA's future Lander and sample return missions. The proposed Lander solar array has game-changing performance metrics in terms of extremely high specific power, ultra-compact stowage volume, affordability, low risk, high environmental survivability/operability, high power and ...