Award Data

In the Phase I STTR, N08-T029 “Novel Fiber Optic Methods for Sensing Shape, Orientation and/or Heading of Undersea Arrays and Tethers” a concept was developed for a fiber optic sensing array and shape reconstruction algorithm to be used for situation awareness of flexible undersea cable structures. Undersea cable structures are deployed in environments unsuitable for direct in-situ observation ...

In phase I, we have proven the feasibility of using the microwave cavity perturbation technique to detect and quantify DoS in marine aluminum alloys. We implemented an alpha version sensor prototype, characterized and validated its performance using ASTM G67 method. We also identified methods to further enhance the sensor sensitivity, so that DoS in the low (a few mg/cm2) to moderate range can be ...

This Phase I STTR effort will be focused on fabricating and scientifically characterizing Mo/Re (59 Mo-41 Re), and W-25Re alloys with other alloying additions such as small % of dispersion strengthening materials such as zirconia, hafnia, tungsten carbide, Hafnium (Hf), Zirconium, TaC, Hf-based carbides in select geometrical shapes using UTRON Kinetics''s innovative, and cost-effective Combustion ...

We propose to investigate the feasibility of obtaining fast and accurate trajectories using global geopotential models representing departures from the two-body plus J2 terms. The proposed geopotential formulations and numerical integration methods rely on multi-core processors and the emerging massive parallel capabilities of Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) available to common personal computer ...

A rapid assay for the detection of T2 trichothecene mycotoxin in water is proposed that will use ANP Technology, Inc.'s established handheld reader and rapid acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor test ticket format. Dipain-II and other candidate Dipain derivatives will be immobilized on cellulose and other solid supports mounted as discs in wells on the existing test ticket, similar to the AChE i ...

Small satellites working in coordinated manner as part of a distributed constellation hold the promise to revolutionize DoD space operations. However, small satellites also have significant inherent limitations. Their size limits the types of sensors that they can accommodate. It also limits propulsion, power generation and attitude control capabilities. One way of overcoming some of these lim ...

Aurora Flight Sciences and MIT have been developing tools and techniques that, together with existing 3D environment decision-making and navigation tools developed by AMRDEC in the PALACE program, are well-suited to the problem of autonomous vertical landing on unprepared landing sites. In this program, Aurora will team with MIT researchers and UC Santa Cruz (UCSC licenses PALACE technologies for ...

Aurora Flight Sciences and MIT propose to develop a model-based adaptive health estimation and real-time proactive control to identify gas turbine engine stability risks and avoid them through control action. In this concept, the engine control system actively monitors sensors and actuators, compares them against physical models, and infers which components may be performing poorly and may need to ...

Aurora and Georgia Tech’s Phase I efforts demonstrated the feasibility of a partially distributed control scheme with separate controllers on the engine core and fan, where the controllers are linked by a supervisory controller. This scheme is representative of the situation encountered in VTOL UAV design and the design of new turbo-props and variable pitch turbofans by the large commercial gas ...

ABSTRACT: Aurora Flight Sciences, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), proposes to further develop and test in realistic settings an innovative method for representing and managing multidisciplinary design information from a wide range of analysis tools. The practical implication resulting from this novel approach is a mathematical framework to confidently determ ...