Award Data

Achieving hypersonic flight with air breathing vehicles using logistics fuels is a demanding task. A significant challenge in the development of single use and reusable systems alike is ignition of the scramjet engine at low Mach numbers. Unfortunately, current ignition systems do not provide reliable performance at low Mach number. Therefore, there is a strong need for a significant ignition capa ...

Ground-based testing of air / space-borne sensors & trackers (SBIRS, GMD, THAAD, etc.) requires achromatic optical collimation systems that can project dynamic scenes & targets at very large apparent distances. The collimation system must undergo major adjustments to optimally accommodate the FOV of various test articles, but the projection quality is extremely sensitive to misalignment of the lar ...

Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries are ubiquitous in space and military applications, generating more efficient and effective systems. The increase in Li-ion cells also represents an increase in hazardous cell failure instances. Electrical shorting, overcharging, over-discharging, and physical damage to the cells can result in thermal runaway (TR), yielding violent and explosive events that can result ...

Miniature

In this SBIR effort we will collaborate with Dr. J.C. Campbell’s research group at the University of Virginia (UVA) in developing a high-power, high-speed, high-linearity photodiode (PD) receiver optimized for operation at 1 micron wavelength. In phase II, we will fabricate, characterize, package and commercialize the 1 micron photodiode that we have successfully designed and studied in our phas ...

Polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolysis is used on-board submarines to generate breathing oxygen for the crew. Expensive noble metals are used as electrocatalysts and these precious metals contribute to approximately 25% of the cost of the electrolysis cell. Greatly reducing or eliminating the amount of noble metal electrocatalysts would significantly reduce the cost of the electrolysis ce ...

In the Phase II effort, CEI will develop an Advanced Direct Digital Exciter for Radar (ADDER) targeted for the AN/SPS 49A(V) (SPS-49) search radar as part of the SPS-49 technical refresh with relevance to other military and commercial applications (e.g. exciter, Software Defined Radio (SDR)). ADDER will directly replace the multi-step Intermediate Frequency (IF) analog conversion with direct-digit ...

This Phase II effort is to develop and test prototype custom oxygen mask designs and fabrication processes. The developed masks will be produced initially as upgrades to existing oxygen masks such as the Gentex MBU-23/p and in the future be issued to pilots directly. Improvements will be evaluated for improved mask discipline. Oceanit shall deliver prototype custom masks and demonstrate custom mas ...

The Navy uses towed arrays in the long-range tracking of submarine contacts. The acoustic performance of the array is dependent on the straightness of the array which is subject to “drooping” as ship velocities decrease and to bending and turning due to currents. The Navy is seeking innovation to autonomously straighten the array and protect the array from damage due to seafloor dragging. Maka ...

Dielectric materials, which store energy electrostatically, are ubiquitous in advanced electronics and electric power systems. Polymer dielectrics have highbreakdown strengths and excellent reliability, are scalable, lightweight and can be shaped into intricate configurations, and are therefore an ideal choice for many power electronics, power conditioning, and pulsed power applications. A variety ...