Award Data

The mission of the U.S. Air Force has expanded to include responsibility for global intelligence and force projection-the ability to "reach out and touch someone" anywhere on Earth. To meet these mission requirements, the Air Force has greatly expandedits space technology development efforts.Space-deployable membranes have the potential to yield large gains in systems capabilities through the red ...

A need has long existed for a capability to calculate, simulate and predict the electromagnetic field of an anechoic chamber. This capability is realized in Voss Scientific's BAC-SIM (Benefield Anechoic Chamber Simulation Software), but the ultimate goalof perfect simulation has proved challenging. The biggest obstacle to accurate simulation is the lack of adequate information about the chamber ...

The objective of this proposal is to store large numbers of positrons, also called antielectrons, for long periods of time. Antimatter has the largest specific energy known to humankind, i.e. 180 MJ/microgram. An ordnance package containing micrograms ofpositrons stored for days would comprise an extremely powerful, lethal and revolutionary weapon. We will assemble, test, and operate a positron st ...

The objective of this proposal is to store large numbers of positronium atoms, bound quantum states of electrons and positrons, for long periods of time. Antimatter has the largest specific energy known to humankind, i.e. 180 MJ/microgram. An ordnancepackage containing micrograms of positrons stored for days would comprise an extremely powerful, lethal and revolutionary weapon. We will fabricat ...

"Compact Ultra-Wideband (UWB) antennas with broad bandwidth could be of great use in a variety of space-based applications, including radar, communications, and surveillance. The challenge is to deploy a lightweight UWB antenna that is stowable in a smallvolume, that is automatically deployable, and that will be resistant to the harsh space environment. To overcome these challenges we propose an U ...

"This Phase II SBIR research effort addresses several approaches aimed at minimizing lattice constant and thermal expansion mismatches during heteroepitaxial growth of thick (~ several microns) films on Si substrates. A major focus of the research effortwould be one valuation of sub-50-nm linewidth deeply etched one and two dimensional sub-micrometer periodic structures as compliant buffer layers ...

"Our Phase I study proved the feasibility of using monofilament carbon tow and thin resistant wire in a glove system to provide an adequate heat source to keep a soldier's hands comfortable in extreme cold temperatures while retaining hand dexterity andtactility. Our objectives during Phase II are to (1) incorporate our heat generation process into a super thin, non-melting, flame-rerardant materi ...

TPL proposes an entirely new form of imaging technology for NDE of metallic aircraft components. The imaging technology is based on an array of giant magnetoresistance (GMR) sensors that can produce high resolution images of hidden flaws, corrosion,missing parts, and other defects.Minute GMR sensors (1 to 100 ¿m) detect magnetic fields associated with eddy currents induced in the component bei ...

"Kestrel Corporation proposes an adaptation of a new technology that providescompact set of laser wavefront diagnosticsthat have the ruggedness needed for a space based applications. An applicationof a unique grating based phase diversity sensor offers a sensitive wavefrontmeasurement that includes tip and tilt information. The proposed Phase I SBIRwill update theoretical models of the sensors an ...

"The Air Force is pursuing aircraft and satellite-based high power laser systems to engage and destroy missiles at long ranges (hundreds to thousands of kilometers). A precision inertial reference unit (IRU) is critical to successful operation of longrange, high power laser systems for missile defense. The IRU enables the system to accurately point the payload telescope and attached tracking sen ...