Award Data

Vibration reduction will be an important contributor to the success of future earth observing platforms. Unwanted motion in the micrometer to nanometer range must be prevented from interfering with components requiring precise alignment and pointing such as telescopes and interferometers. Active structural control employing smart materials is an ideal technology for accomplishing this goal, howeve ...

Active Control eXperts (ACX), Inc. proposes a Phase I research and development effort for the development, conceptual design, and proof-of-concept experiment of a hybrid active/passive sound attenuation system for aircraft interiors. While the attenuation of structural vibration and structure-borne sound using passive means is the current state-of-the-art, and active structural acoustic control (A ...

The realization of future space transportation systems and hypersonic aircraft will need the use of ceramic matrix composites that are economical and can withstand high thermomechanical and aerodynamical loads. Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc. (ACR) has recently developed a rapid prototyping process for its patented C3 continuous fiber reinforced ceramic composites for high temperature application ...

For propulsion related applications, materials must be able to demonstrate excellent ablation and oxidation resistance at temperature approaching 3500?C, adequate load bearing capabilities, non-catastrophic failure modes, and ability to withstand transient thermal shock. Advanced Ceramics Research, Inc. (ACR) has developed low cost, flexible-manufacturing processes for Zr & Hf-based carbon fiber r ...

This project concerns the development of a sensor intended to remotely monitor plant stress using active stimulation of plant chlorophyll fluorescence. The intensity and spectral band shape of leaf chlorophyll fluorescence in green plants has been linked to the physiological status of the plants and thus provides a good indicator of plant health. The proposed sensor will measure the relative inten ...

This SBIR Phase1 project will involve the development of a novel method of simultaneously measuring multiple trace chemical species in jet engine exhaust, based upon an extension of the technology of tunable diode laser (TDL) spectroscopy. We will develop and demonstrate a new means of combining the light from two or more diode lasers into a single analysis beam. This will enable a multiplication ...

High pressure ratio compressor operation is enabled by blade cooling, based on an evaporation / condensation cycle. The blade or blisk temperature is defined by the vaporization temperature of a working fluid internal to the blade, with heat transferred to an integral condenser at each blade root. This approach provides heat rejection to a cool, low pressure fluid, such as engine lubricating oil, ...

Prevention of catastrophic failure of engine components is a major goal to the subtopic. Catastrophic failures of turbine engines are often caused by vibration-induced compressor and fan blade fatigue fractures. Existing capacitance systems have been unable to accurately measure blade vibration due to limited spatial resolution and limited system bandwidth. The proposed effort will develop a new c ...

A critically important region of the electromagnetic spectrum is the hard X-ray/soft gamma-ray band from 10 KeV to a few MeVs. In this band, a wealth of astrophysical processes occur in an even greater diversity of astrophysical objects and phenomena, both on a compact and diffuse scale. Surprisingly, for such a pivotal region of the spectrum, the high energy sky is still quite unexplored in that ...

NASA seeks new and innovative technologies for materials, processes, and manufacturing that will provide safe, reliable, lightweight, and less expensive launch vehicle and spacecraft components. This project focuses on improving the strength of the lightest weight material known to man, i.e., aerogels. Improvements in strength would allow these materials to be used on launch vehicles and in spacec ...