Award Data

The use of unattended floats, platforms, and drones addresses the immense challenge of cost-effectively characterizing the chemistry of the oceans. The proposed program strengthens this capability by demonstrating the feasibility of Laser Fluorescence Enhanced Flame Spectrophotometry (LFEFS) for the simultaneous and high precision measurement of calcium and strontium. These are key elements of the ...

The barrier to entry creating efficient, scalable applications for heterogeneous supercomputing environments is too high. EM Photonics has found that the majority of the coding and debugging time is not spent defining the problem physics but instead on balancing computation between multiple heterogeneous devices, handling communication of data, and managing distributed memory systems. The time spe ...

Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) proposes to develop and demonstrate an innovative high power density design for direct internal reforming of regolith off-gases (e.g., methane and high hydrocarbons) within a solid oxide stack. The resulting enhanced heat transfer design offers the potential for higher overall efficiency, simplifies the system, and enables further compactness and weight reduction o ...

Conventional solar cells are limited in efficiency, require heavy weight for high power applications, and tend to degrade rapidly in the harsh radiation environment in space. nVizix LLC proposes to demonstrate a novel concept for high-efficiency solar cells (patent pending), based on the phenomenon of vacuum photoemission (with thermionic enhancement). Recent advances in the technology of optical ...

In this proposal, AlphaSense details the development of a novel laser ultrasound visualization system non-destructive evaluations of composite aircraft structures. The key innovations of this proposal include the following: a) Defect detection and identifications based on direct visualizations of the ultrasound propagation characteristics in the testing articles, b) The application of laser genera ...

In response to NASA 2015 SBIR Topic H4.02, Air-Lock proposes to define the maximum allowable contact stress for Titanium bearings. The modulus of Titanium is lower than legacy spacesuit bearing materials (Stainless Steel). Due to this, Titanium bearings are more susceptible to deflection under man and plug load scenarios. Bearing deflection causes a limited number of balls to absorb the full load ...

With the availability of small geometry SOI processes, STI has shown that it is possible to design and fabricate improved high performance, analog circuits with excellent rad-hard characteristics using Rad-Hard by Design and Process (RHBD and RHBP) techniques. STI has demonstrated rad hard design techniques by designing circuits using several SOI process for Phase I SBIRs including projects for t ...

NASA is interested in a reliable, robust, and low Size Weight and Power (SWAP) input device that will allow for EVA astronauts to navigate display menu systems. The resulting input device should provide mouse-like functionality and need minimal hand use. Cybernet proposes a solution that does not require any hand or glove control. Instead, we propose an input device that uses purposes eye-blinks, ...

New technology is needed to collect, stabilize, recover useful materials, and store human fecal waste for long duration missions, both for crew safety, comfort and resource requirements and planetary protection. The proposed SBIR Phase I project addresses an innovative torrefaction (mild pyrolysis) processing approach that can be used to sterilize feces, control odor, and produce a stable, free fl ...

The goal of this Phase I SBIR program is to demonstrate the use of Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing (UAM) solid state metal 3D printing to create new and innovative materials that enable Space Launch System structures with superior mechanical properties and increased reliability, and validate these advancements with third party testing. Specifically, this effort will demonstrate technical feasibi ...