Award Data

The MAI-400SS Space Sextant is a precision attitude determination and control system for CubeSats and Nanosats. The MAI-400SS enables future CubeSat missions with precision fine pointing (0.1deg) and dynamic slewing as will be required for imaging operations of ground targets. A flight control computer, 2 Star Trackers, 3 reaction wheels and 3 electromagnets are incorporated in a 4" x 4" x 3" (3 ...

In this SBIR program, Nanohmics is developing an ultrahigh efficiency MicroElectroMechanical System (MEMS) cryogenic cooling system. The cryocooler is based on a Stirling Engine that is operating in reverse mode (mechanical-to-thermal) transduction. These devices show particular promise as MEMS coolers for integrated circuits and other planar detection arrays. This program improves on past work to ...

Understanding task performance and crew behavioral health is crucial to mission success and to the optimal design, development, and operation of next-generation spacecraft. Onboard resources, like a conventional 2D video camera, can capture crew motion and interaction; however, there is a critical need for a software tool that achieves unobtrusive, non-invasive, automatic analysis of crew activity ...

The key innovation of this effort is the development of future traffic demand for Uninhabited Aerial Systems (UAS) given the various missions they intend to fly, and thereafter populating a data warehouse with these projected flights that can be marketed to the aviation community. We propose developing one flight demand set for each of twenty-five future years from the 2015 through 2040, incorpor ...

OmniSite proposes to continue Phase I effort to develop aptamer-based assays to anthrax spores and SEB for detection instruments based on ECL, FP, and FRET formats. OmniSite will compare the different assay formats to determine which of thesedemonstrates the most sensitivity and specificity, as well as being robust, cost effective, and facile. Performance characteristics of the most sensitive ...

This SBIR project is to develop a novel Hemispherical and Dynamic Camera(HDC) with ultra-wide field of view and low geometric distortion. The novel technology we proposed would lead to ultra-compact, low-power, light weight, and high resolution hemispherical camera for EVAs. We successfully completed the Phase 1 project with a novel optical design, functional prototypes, extensive experimental r ...

Research suggests that: (1) orbital debris has reached the point that, even with no future launches, collisions among large-body debris will lead to unstable growth in debris, and (2) removing as few as five large objects each year can stabilize debris growth. For large-body active debris removal (LB-ADR), new technologies are required to safely capture the target debris. The interactions of these ...

During our Phase I STTR effort, Balcones Technologies, LLC (BT) and The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics (CEM) successfully achieved all Phase I objectives and developed concept designs for controlled Canfield Joint Systems (CJS) for numerous applications that currently employ two-axis gimbal systems, including flywheel energy storage systems, integrated flywheel energy st ...

NASA plans to use intelligent planetary rovers to improve the productivity and safety of human explorers. A key challenge in using robots for human exploration is orienting remote personnel about robot operations, as latency and communication constraints make eyes-on monitoring impractical. Summary measures are needed to identify what progress the robot has made and, when progress is impeded, to i ...

It is often difficult to create autonomous robotic capabilities that match what can be achieved via teleoperation. Even though it is mechanically possible for a humanoid robot such as Robonaut 2 to perform complex coordinated tasks such as tying a knot, exchanging objects between end effectors, plugging in connectors, unscrewing a cap, opening a door, or grasping large objects with two hands, our ...