Award Data

Within the hypersonic missile community, it is generally known that Mentis Sciences, Inc. (MSI) is developing a candidate Quartz/Polysiloxane radome solution for the Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC3) system. This solution is presently in the process of being evaluated for the relevant hypersonic rain erosion environs and full-scale thermal/structural loading. At this time, it has exceeded all mec ...

Mentis Sciences Inc. (Mentis) proposes to design, develop, and fabricate a high lift to drag ratio (L/D), Dual band Radio Frequency/Infrared (RF/IR), radome assembly suitable for use as a technology demonstrator for hypersonic missile defense applications. The final deliverable will be a full scale RF radome with integrated IR transparent windows in a high L/D form factor. Material models will be ...

Space and military system designers have a significant and growing problem migrating from system solutions using radiation-hardened components to commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) and "rad-hard by design" (RHBD) components. Current testing solutions are either custom built "one-off" solutions, expensive, and/or not easily portable. QuickFlex is extending prior successful work for NASA to create the ...

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 ...

Silicon Space Technology along with its partner Texas Instruments proposes to develop, fabricate and test the world’s first radiation hardened 64Mb Quad Data Rate SRAM for space applications by applying SST’s proprietary hardened-by-isolation (HBI) techniques to TI’s 90nm C027 process. The 64Mb QDR SRAM will be designed using TI’s existing 90nm design rules and manufactured in TI’s 90nm ...

Cornerstone Research Group (CRG) is reducing the variability and lead-time associated with production of carbon-carbon composites using MG Resins, a unique, high char yield material system as a replacement to typical phenolic and pitch precursors. In Phase I, CRG proved feasibility through characterization of C/C composites made with MG Resin, in which no densification steps were conducted. Very h ...

Communication systems being developed for tactical space and missile defense applications must include radiation hardness as a reliability requirement. These systems will use software-defined modems and programmable encryption circuits based on high-performance integrated circuits. But with the required increases in density, performance and complexity of integrated circuits, also comes increased ...

MDA is considering several technologies to upgrade the THAAD sensor. QWIP (Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector) technology is one option being considered. While QWIP has clear advantages (e.g. large formats, high pixel operability, excellent uniformity and image stability, low cost, and proven multi-color capability), its quantum efficiencies have to be improved (to > 40% internal QE, > 15-20% e ...

"Mentis proposes to leverage the advantages of its high-temperature, low-density quartz/polysiloxane composite materials and develop fiber architectures that reduce interlaminar shear stresses. These developments would improve aerothermal longevity and performance and also utilize automated fiber placement methods that increase the affordability of nosecone materials. Mentis proposes to design a c ...

Explosions and high-velocity impacts can create strain rates on the order of 105 to 107 s-1. To simulate these events, first-principles codes require material models that are valid at these loading rates. Currently, the amount of test data, material models and material constants for this strain rate range is extremely limited, and an innovative and cost-effective laboratory test procedure is neede ...