Award Data

For long-term exploratory space travel, there will be a critical need for in-situ diagnosis and assessment of biological specimens from symptomatic astronauts, especially, disease pathogens (virus, bacterium, or fungus) and microbial contaminants. Hence, a real-time, non-culture-based microbial detection, identification and quantification system for on-flight monitoring and evaluation of pathogens ...

We propose to develop a high-efficiency, triple-junction, epitaxial lift-off (ELO) solar cell by incorporating quantum dots (QDs) within the current-limiting subcell. We intend to leverage existing QD epitaxy processes developed by the Rochester Institute of Technology and combine this with MicroLink's expertise in multi-junction cell growth and ELO technology. We will employ QDs to enhance ...

Infrared spectroscopy is an invaluable detection and measurement tool intensively used in Earth Science, Solar Physics and Astrophysics experiments pursued from satellite platforms. The geometrical characteristics and sensitivity of satellite infrared spectroscopy systems is often determined or limited by their optical elements. Improvements in optical components allow one to reduce the mass and i ...

Single multi-sensor teleoperated systems are not optimal for NASA exploratory missions because they limit the coverage area and scope of exploration and create a single point for mission failure. A better solution would use many robots cooperating to maximize exploration area and location accuracy while minimizing total system power and weight. The goal of this research is to investigate pulsed ...

An accurate predictive capability of coupled fluid-structure interaction in propulsion system is crucial in the development of NASA's new Space Launch System (SLS). This STTR effort will develop a multi-disciplinary tool to improve CFD prediction capability in modeling coupled fluid structure interaction (FSI) phenomena for many SLS propulsion applications such as flexible inhibitors for SRMs ...

The goals of reducing total cost and increasing reliability and safety of access to space continue to be top priorities for NASA. The most immediate propulsion launch challenge involves increasing lift weight from 70 to 130 metric tons by developing the heavy lift Space Launch System (SLS). Solid rocket motor analysis tools are needed to simulate ignition and propellant recession during the burn ...

Radiation-cooled, bipropellant thrust chambers are being considered for the ascent/descent engines and reaction control systems for NASA missions such as Mars Sample Return and Orion MPCV. Currently, iridium-lined rhenium combustion chambers are the state-of-the-art for in-space engines. NASA's Advanced Materials Bipropellant Rocket (AMBR) engine, a 150-lbf iridium-rhenium chamber produced by Pla ...

Non-toxic monopropellants have been developed that provide better performance than toxic hydrazine. Formulations based on hydroxylammonium nitrate (HAN) have superior performance as compared to hydrazine with Isp (261 seconds, 12% greater), higher density and volumetric impulse (60% greater density-impulse), lower melting point, and much lower toxicity (No self contained breathing apparatus requir ...

Large-area (3m2), UV-sensitive focal plane arrays are needed for observation of air showers from ultra-high energy cosmic rays (JEM-EUSO) as well as for visible-wavelength spectrographic and photometric instruments planned for future telescopes (OWL). Existing photocathode-based technologies for visible and UV instruments lack sensitivity, are bulky, and have limited reliability. Solid-state silic ...

This Phase II proposal is submitted to further develop and Validate materials and process engineering of the space environment stable, multifunctional conductive thermal control material system (TCMS) that can be applied to space hardware and can enables the hardware to carry higher leakage current through engineering the high electrical conductivity. An innovative space environmental stable TCMS ...