Award Data

Light (UV and visible) curing composite matrix resins are being explored as an attractive means for rigidizing inflatable spacecraft for large space-deployed structures such as solar sails, radar and communications antennas, radiometers, and solar arrays. Light curing provides a controlled, clean, low power rigidization technology to harden these inflatable spacecraft once they have achieved the ...

To determine pointing and position vectors in both local and inertial coordinate frames, multi-spacecraft missions typically utilize separate attitude determination and formation metrology systems. For low Earth orbits (LEO), fleet position and geometry knowledge is almost exclusively achieved by using GPS data or ground uplink. In the ab-sence of this information, inter-satellite ranging between ...

To achieve the capability to affordably produce scores of nano-spacecraft for envisioned constellation missions, a new manufacturing process is needed to reduce the time and cost of fabricating and testing the nanosats. However, to achieve substantial savings, a fundamental paradigm shift in how spacecraft are built must be made. Current spacecraft are built with the same processes and procedures ...

NASA has determined that the use of modular and reconfigurable components is critical for the success of future large and complex space systems. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to be able to assemble and reassemble modules both on the ground and on orbit. Therefore, it requires a means to join components that is simple, reliable, and non-intrusive as well as strong and stiff enough ...

The goal of the Curriculum Solutions for Instruction in Middle Mathematics (CSI-M2) Project is to improve mathematics understanding and performance of students in the middle grades by developing and providing Education Data Management System (EDMS) software. The software will generate an individual education plan for each student based on a large test item database constructed by using objectives ...

For a distributed aperture sensor, especially at infrared and optical wavelengths, the relative position of the aperture components must be known and controlled precisely. When the aperture components are on separate independent spacecraft, determining the relative range and bearing is the challenge our proposed innovation addresses. The estimation of the relative range and bearing will be used ...

Barron Associates, Inc. proposes to develop a novel on-line trajectory optimization approach for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) under failure scenarios, targeting alternative abort-landing sites. Key features of the proposed approach are: An innovative on-line optimization approach: By describing decision variables (variables whose optimal solutions are sought) in terms of appropriate basis func ...

To remain competitive, the US aerospace industry must continually improve system performance (e.g. increased adaptation and autonomy), enhance safety (e.g., fault tolerant systems), and reduce costs. These improvements demand avionics software that is orders of magnitude more complex than that used in current operational systems. While software complexity is increasing, there is a tremendous (an ...

Barron Associates, Inc. (BAI) proposes to develop an affordable assistive technology in the form of a motorized joystick with position sensors and associated software that will permit the remediably disabled to operate computers, household appliances, machinery, powered wheelchairs, and other vehicles, with a minimum of fatigue. The system will adapt quickly and robustly to a wide variety of diffe ...

Low school achievement presents a profoundly serious national crisis affecting, not only the lives of students, but the ability of our nation and our people to compete in an increasingly competitive world. This research takes direct aim at this problem by developing a computer assisted process for constructing useable school curriculum plans that will give teachers usable and practical daily guida ...