Award Data

The AEgis Technologies Group proposes to develop an innovative real-time thermal solver solution to model hardbody thermal histories. This thermal solver solution will consider the relevant phenomenology associated with MDA targets and other associated objects requiring thermal histories. Modeling of complex objects and advanced features such as model ablation and dynamic surface areas will be co ...

Existing thermal analysis tools for optical signature generation are employed in an off-line manner, and are inadequate for new closed-loop real-time system simulations being pursued by MDA. This STTR project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative simulation tool for the automatic generation and subsequent computation of reduced thermal models for accurate, real-time analysis of complex 3D ...

The MDA is developing satellite based systems that could benefit from ongoing developments in advanced materials for lithium ion batteries. Unfortunately, the driving applications for much of the new materials research have less abusive operational cycles than the frequent cycling, and sporadic pulse loads to deep discharge, of MDA satellite applications. Physics based models of battery performa ...

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 ...

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 ...

Over the past six years, ENTECH, Auburn, NASA, and other organizations have developed a new space photovoltaic array called the Stretched Lens Array (SLA), which offers unprecedented performance (e.g., >80 kW/cu.m. stowed power, >300 W/sq.m. areal power, and >300 W/kg specific power in the very near term) and cost-effectiveness (>75% savings in $/W compared to planar high-efficiency arrays). SLA ...

This 18 months STTR Phase II proposal is based on work completed under the STTR Phase I grant entitled “Multispectral Nanoantenna Infrared Sensors” (Contract No. N00178-04-C-3110). In this Phase II project, we propose the development of multispectral MWIR and LWIR nanoantennas and their integration with an ultra-high speed Cellular Visual Microprocessor operating at 10,000 frames per second. U ...

A new material and processing technology is proposed that will dramatically reduce the cost of manufacturing lightweight mirrors for optical test applications. Such precision mirrors are also required for surveillance, directed energy, and DoD-sponsored space programs. There is a significant amount of research devoted to developing materials and processes for space-born mirrors and ground test use ...

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 ...

The most promising energy conversion and storage system for HAAs is the combination of photovoltaic (PV) arrays with a regenerative fuel cell energy storage system. This system uses the PV arrays during the day to power the airship and electronics, while utilizing excess power to split water with an electrolyzer, generating hydrogen and oxygen at high pressures. At night, the stored hydrogen and ...