Award Data

DISCUS is a generic Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system for swarms of SmallSats. It integrates communications and relative localization with innovative Density Control Algorithms (DCA) enabling robust operation in a variety of uncertain environments. As such, it presents a key enabling technology for future Deep Space missions including space apertures at Lagrangian points, and orbiting ...

In this work, Freedom Photonics will team with University of California, Santa Barbara to develop a hybrid integration platform that integrates yielded, best-of-breed active optical components with low-cost, high functionality Silicon Photonics components in a manner that is compatible with foundry fabrication (such as AIM Photonics). This will be performed in a highly manufacturable manner, using ...

A series of RDT&E activities is proposed to create and demonstrate a reconfigurable, autonomous flight controller for the Aircraft for Distributed Electric Propulsion Throttle-based Flight Control (ADEPT-FC) which was designed and built in Phase I, a 33 lb remote controlled aircraft featuring eight overwing electric ducted fans (EDFs) distributed spanwise along the wing’s trailing edge. The prop ...

.The growing interest in CubeSat swarm and constellation systems by NASA, the Department of Defense and commercial ventures has created a need for self-managed inter-satellite networks capable of handling large amount of data while simultaneously precisely synchronizing time and measuring the distances between the spacecraft. CrossTrac Engineering, Inc., in cooperation with our partners Professor ...

To support development at NASA’s Stennis Space Center (SSC) testing facilities and infrastructure for the monitoring of remote or inaccessible measurement locations, American GNC Corporation (AGNC) and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) have developed the Through Wall Wireless Intelligent Sensor and Health Monitoring (TWall-ISHM) System. This technology allows deploying flexible instrumentat ...

PCKA is partnering with researchers at Purdue University to develop an Autonomous Power Controller (APC) for mission-critical microgrids to supply electric power in a highly autonomous and secure manner to accomplish mission objectives. The APC consists of a centralized controller connected to an array of local component controllers. The centralized controller will be capable of optimal generation ...

Leveraging their prior experience working with automated fiber placement (AFP) of thin-ply composite materials, NextGen Materials & Processing LLC and the University of Massachusetts Lowell will utilize a Design of Experiments approach, combined with analytical modeling, to identify the critical material, slitting, spooling, and AFP parameters that influence the repeatable, high quality laydown of ...

Very low CO2 concentrations that accumulate quickly from human respiration can have dramatic health effects, and thus in NASA’s history many technical removal strategies for CO2 from a confined atmosphere have been suggested and explored. A CO2 removal system that functions in a is a new area of research, as the primary CO2 removal component in the state-of-the-art system doesn’t have the adso ...

In this Project, OEwaves Inc. and Georgia Tech team propose to research and develop a unique RF photonic receiver front-end enabling microwave signal processing at a heterogeneously integrated photonic platform. In particular, we propose to develop a new technology for photonic microwave filters based on the new advances in Si-based integrated photonics. We will exploit the expertise of the team m ...

UbiQD, Inc, is partnered with the University of Arizona, Controlled Environment Agriculture Center to enhance the lighting component of the Mars-Lunar Greenhouse prototype to improve the food production for the system. Ultimately, the goals is for UbiQD to install a down-conversion film composed of Quantum Dots (QDs) into the solar collecting/fiber optic system to not only provide higher quality P ...