Award Data

Busek Co. Inc. and Stanford University propose to develop and test an advanced high power plasma propulsion concept referred to here as a Coaxial High EnerGy Thruster, or CHENG thruster.  The thruster is first and foremost a propulsive device.  However, because the device is pulsed, compact, and efficient the plasma beam is highly condensed and energetic. For this reason, the thruster may also b ...

This program will demonstrate, for the first time, a commercial prototype high power fiber laser in the 3-5µm band, based on Agiltron chalcogenide glass infrared optical fiber technology. High power IR lasers that emit multiwatt output at various infrared wavelengths in the 212µm region are a long-standing technical challenge. Fiber lasers, widely considered the choice for almost all high power ...

ABSTRACT: Modern gas-turbine engines designs for the next-generation warfighter need to reduce exhaust gas temperatures to reduce effective thermal footprint thereby improving the mission capability. In such situations, high-altitude engine operation is often limited by the overall combustion efficiency, lean flame blow out (LBO) limit, and combustion instabilities that results in narrower opera ...

CeraNova transparent polycrystalline alumina - advanced window materials for high energy propulsion.  High total transmission in the visible and the MWIR.  Submicron grains result in high hardness and strength.  High chemical resistance, thermal shock resistance, impact and erosion resistance.  Powder processing enables cost effective near-net shaping of curved parts.  Proprietary technology ...

ABSTRACT: Phosphor materials are currently being utilized in a wide variety of applications. The requirements for phosphors have become more and more stringent with smaller and smaller particles being required. In the Phase I program UES Inc. in collaboration with Penn State University has demonstrated the feasibility of a few approaches for high rate production of high efficiency IR to IR up-con ...

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) and Harvard University will continue our development of atomic oxygen (AO) and UV/VUV-resistant, static dissipative coatings for spacecraft in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).  We will build on our Phase I success and use Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) to produce less-than or equal to 25 nm thick conformal pinhole free coatings on Kapton coupons as well as on materials commonly ...

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Busek Co. Inc. propose to develop high total current (10A) planar and cylindrical cold cathode for high power magnetrons.  The cathode will be based on Vertically Aligned Carbon Nano-Fiber (VA CNF) technology.  Emission uniformity and burnout prevention will be achieved by individual ballasting of the CNFs.  MIT will demonstrate high total current ...

ABSTRACT: Close integration of photonic devices with silicon complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) electronics can yield significant performance improvements in many applications. The recent development of novel integrated structures in silicon including waveguides, resonators, and photodetectors will enable dramatic reductions in size, weight, and power for components implementing compl ...

A core component of aerospace manufacturing is based on cutting-edge technological applications of material design.  Chemical kinetics models are vital for interpreting experimental measurements and predicting the behavior of these complex systems.  Modern computational chemistry software programs are invaluable for the accurate prediction of reaction rates for kinetics models, but their use is ...

ABSTRACT: Due to scarcity of spectrum, Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) becomes a needed technology to improve the utilization of electromagnetic spectrum for DoD satellite communication. However, current DSA approaches are developed for terrestrial communications without addressing the unique challenges for SATCOM environments such as error-prone spectrum sensing, high mobility, and large coverage. ...