Award Data

Leveraging TUI's SWIFT software defined radio (SDR) architecture, we propose to develop a 100 Mbps downlink and intersatellite crosslink capability with ranging and timing synchronization capabilities to enable more sophisticated CubeSat and small satellite missions. This effort will focus on designing a Ka-band communications solution including a high-gain patch antenna array and Ka-band RF ...

NASA missions for planetary exploration require high power, long-life Hall thrusters. However, thruster power and lifetime are limited by the erosion of plasma channel walls. Current plasma channel insulator materials, such as BN or Borosil, have the required low secondary electron emission (SEE) but are susceptible to xenon plasma erosion. New plasma channel insulator materials with low SEE yi ...

We propose to develop an active sensor for in situ measurement of the inherent optical properties (IOPs) absorption and backscattering at multiple wavelengths. Multi- or hyper-spectral absorption of particles and dissolved materials is routinely measured in the laboratory and in situ in order to characterize, for example, the quantities and types of phytoplankton based on concentrations of specifi ...

With the increased demand for and utility of nano- and micro-satellites, the demand for responsive, low-cost access to space has also increased. To meet this demand, multiple private companies are pursuing the development of nano- and micro-launch vehicles (NMLV). However, NMLV builders lack suitable avionics platforms for both development and operational needs. Traditional launch vehicle avionics ...

Methods to reduce the turbulent viscous skin friction stand out as paramount to increasing the energy efficiency, and therefore the aerodynamic efficiency of supersonic aircraft. Eagle Harbor Technology (EHT) proposes to develop and optimize a MHD plasma injector, which will be used to efficiently reduce the viscous skin friction in supersonic aircraft. EHT has developed similar MHD plasma inject ...

TUI proposes to develop and demonstrate a process for fabricating high-performance composite truss structures on-orbit and integrating them with thin film solar cell assemblies to enable the deployment of very large solar arrays with lower cost and increased power-per-mass than SOA array technologies. On-orbit fabrication enables order-of-magnitude improvements in packing efficiency compared to s ...

Systima will develop an innovative light weight self-pressurizing pump (SPP) technology to provide a constant-pressure supply of monopropellant to a spacecraft or tactical propulsion system. The SPP does not require a helium tank and higher operating pressure have a negligible impact on the system mass. Since the SPP has a lower weight than comparable propellant pressurization systems, it provide ...

Proposed is the development of a manufacturing technology that will increase feasible large optics design options and significantly reduce the manufacturing time, cost and risk involved in manufacturing large optic components. Specifically addressed are cutting and light weighting of glass and ceramic optical components.While milling and cutting materials such as ULE or SiC is often performed at ...

Sample return missions, by nature, require high levels of spacecraft autonomy. Developments in hardware avionics have led to more capable real-time onboard computing platforms, which allow for the implementation of more sophisticated algorithms. A real-time convex optimizer named COARSE (Convex Optimizer for Asteroid Rendezvous and Sampling Return) is proposed in order to efficiently guide path ...

nLight proposes the development of high efficiency, high average power 1550-nm laser transmitter system that is based on Er-doped fiber amplifier resonantly pumped by high efficiency 1532-nm fiber-coupled diode laser pumps. To meet the efficiency requirement for space communication, nLight proposes to improve overall laser transmitter efficiency by (1) optimizing diode laser and fiber coupling fo ...