Award Data

Functional gradient materials (FGMs) have a microstructurally graded transition in composition (e.g. zirconia to a nickel based superalloy). The graded transition eliminates problems associated with a discrete interface such as poor mechanical strength and transport losses. They are being actively pursued by the engineering community, particularly in Japan, as a means of taking advantage of two di ...

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Passive two-phase heat transport systems, specifically heat pipes and more recently, Capillary Pumped Loops, have been successfully applied to spacecraft thermal management. Loop Heat Pipes, developed in the former Soviet Union, offer the design engineer another alternative, one which combines the reliable, self-starting features of the heat pipe, with the high heat transport capacity and antigrav ...

Future flight vehicles will require incredased speed, precision, and survivability under a wider variety of flight conditions than current technology supports. The traditional role of flight control systems (FCS) in providing stability and command augmentations must be expanded to achieve enhanced maneuverability, combat effectiveness, and self repair. Recent advances in the development of fuzzy l ...

Passive broadband limiter with high response speed is a promising device used to protect optical sensor against determined attack. Lam Optics, Inc. (LOI) proposes to investigate the development of a novel optical limiter using commercially available materials. The optical limiter operates on the following principles. These are beam self-defocusing and total internal reflection induced by absorptio ...

Design and fabrication of a high thermal conductivity carbon fiber/aluminum matrix composite architecture is proposed which consists of discrete segments of functional areas that can respond to complex design calling for thermal management, low-expansion, structural, and low specific weight requirements. Composites will be produced utilizing Hollow and Planar Cathode Magnetron Sputtering Processin ...

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Missile defense systems for battle management require dense computing for several extremely complex simultaneous information processing requirements. The computation architecture must be highly flexible and rapidly reconfigurable. OPTELECOM, Inc. offers to develop a proprietary optical switch concept for use in BMDO applications. The basic switch element is an in-fiber grating whose reflection spe ...

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