Award Data

To reduce the cost of new hardware development, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is developing fast new computational tools that enable in-the-loop hardware testing. The MDA and contractors have developed high-fidelity scene modeling tools such as the Fast Line-of-sight Imagery for Target and Exhaust-plume Signatures (FLITES) to test optical signature trackers. Currently, these high-speed tools ar ...

An innovative, super-miniature, fast-switching array-based photonic time delay device is being developed for the active electronically scanned-array (AESA) MDA and Navy radars. The design is based on the fast electro-optic effect, the super miniature fiber-lens collimation array, and the existing WDM photonic true time delay technologies. In Phase I Agiltron has successfully demonstrated the core ...

Triton Systems, Inc., proposes to transition a proof of concept cryocooler developed under the MDA STTR Phase I effort, to a miniaturized cooling system that will have commonality and reducibility to serve multiple MDA missions. The proposed cryocooler uses a novel standing wave design to achieve the miniaturization and low weight needed for MDA focal plane array cooling systems. This cryocool ...

Fine water mist has been shown to be an effective fire suppression option in a number of applications, including oxidizer fires, such as could result from an incident with hydrogen peroxide. ADA Technologies, Inc. and the Colorado School of Mines collaborated in Phase I to design , build and demonstrate the ability of a novel fine water mist system to extinguish target fires enhanced with the addi ...

High-fidelity missile plume flowfield simulations of MDA interest require use of detailed chemical kinetic mechanisms, which significantly improve IR/UV/RCS/visible signature prediction but entail long solution runtimes for completion. These long runtimes result from the required iterative solution of large systems of stiff, non-linear chemical source terms at each CFD mesh point; this curtails t ...

The objective of this program is to characterize the upper atmosphere electrical environment so that the effects of this environment on high altitude airships (HAA) and other platforms intending to operate in this environment can be determined, and protection methods developed. This includes transient luminous events (TLEs), such as red sprites and blue jets and their associated electrical propert ...

Radiation Hardened Multi-color infrared (IR) focal planes are required for MDA/SMDC systems applications . Key to meeting these system requirements is to develop multi-color radiation hardened HgCdTe focal plane arrays for LWIR band ( 7-14 microns) and VLWIR band with wavelength of greater than 14 microns with high pixel uniformity, reduced readout noise, improved resolution, and higher temperatur ...

MDA is developing materials for several applications including hypersonic missiles, ma-neuvering reentry vehicles, advanced solid rocket motors, and divert and attitude control sys-tems. All of these applications employ components that must operate at temperatures above 3000°F. Viable structural materials for these conditions can be loosely grouped as graphite, ce-ramics (e.g. oxides, carbides) ...

This effort will develop an innovative, space-to-ground, encrypted comm system for a microsatellite target system used to calibrate ground and sea based radar assets. For less than $200K, this system will provide the user the versatility to locate and operate a dedicated ground station anywhere on the globe. It will full uplink and downlink encryption and transmit via a unified S-Band frequency.

This program will develop an appliqu"¦ based on a multi-layer film which will be conductive as well as possessing good optical properties (low ¦A, high ¦Å). The film will be designed to be highly resistant to the space environment. This white, conductive appliqu"¦ will be easily applied to most external areas of the spacecraft. The appliqu"¦ is expected to have multiple layers, each indiv ...