Award Data

Several current and upcoming space-based telescope and laser beam director designs, such as the Next-Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and the Airborne Laser (ABL), call for lightweight, high-stiffness optical components. Using conventionalmirror/director technologies, the cost and weight of these systems would be prohibitive. In addition, conventional materials, such as glass, offer insufficien ...

Lightweight Sandwich Structure Panels for Space Applications The ballistic missile defense system is made up of a variety of components including land-based missiles, satellites, and space based laser. Minimum weight structures are needed, maximizingdisplacement, mechanical strength, reliability, and weight. There is a need for innovative high modulus, fiber-reinforced composites, and novel low-to ...

The overall objective of this project is to determine if Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Time of Flight measurement techniques can be used to enable Unattended Ground Sensors to self-localize. Self-localization would enable systems of ground sensors to provide geographically tagged alarm information thus greatly increasing the value of the reported data. In Phase I, Time Domain produced and field-verified a ...

This effort will demonstrate the optimal sensor architecture for the Apache that provides improved target-to-background contrast using innovative polarimetric sensors coupled with image processing algorithms. As the battlefield becomes more complex and the operator is required to perform an increasing number of challenging tasks, sensor technologies that complement and enhance operational requirem ...

The objective of this proposal is to develop dual-use, real-time simulation technologies that leverage Department of Defense (DoD) High Level Architecture (HLA) concepts to enable advanced technology demonstrations to be conducted in a laboratory generated synthetic battlespace. Radiance proposes to integrate the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Threatlab with the Integrated Demonstrations ...

Information overload is a critical problem in both military and commercial decision-making processes. Sentar's Work-Centered Interface (WCI) provides a generic, highly usable solution to these problems by wedding intelligent multi-agent systems withuser-centered design. Based on Sentar's multi-agent KnoWebr architecture, the WCI integrates distributed information resources to provide situational ...

Modern computer systems often incorporate multiple computational devices such as conventional processors, graphics processing units (GPUs), specialized accelerators, and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). Programmers are able to exploit these new architectures for improved performance and reduced power consumption, but at the cost of increased programing complexity. Further complicating matte ...

Plasma Processes non-eroding throat (NET) technology for aluminized propellants has been significantly matured since 1999.A recent full-scale second stage motor test demonstrated that the technology has strong potential for transition consideration.However, there remain transition steps that must be addressed to enable adoption by a prime.The Phase I was a precursory investigation of transitioning ...

The feasibility of using a low-cost, coal-based carbon foam (CFOAM) for providing lightning and thermal protection for ground-based missile systems was demonstrated during Phase I.Touchstone proposes to build on the Phase I efforts and take the development of this system to the next stage.During Phase I, a concept was developed that will provide sufficient thermal protection to the underlying mate ...

ABSTRACT:The warfighter needs an accurate and reliable source of Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) when GPS is not available. Fortunately, technical advances in navigation sensors and algorithms can reduce dependence on the venerable, yet vulnerable, GPS system. Inertial sensors are becoming increasingly smaller and more accurate. Low cost, powerful embedded computing platforms enable real ti ...