Award Data

In response to MDA’s needs for non-eroding throats for controllable axial upper stages , UTRON proposes an innovative near net shape fabrication technology called High Pressure Combustion Driven Powder Compaction (CDC) with tremendous potential for cost-effective manufacturing of advanced cermet type of alloys of ceramics such as micro/nano HfC, HfB2, HfN, ZrC and/or with high temperature ductil ...

Next generation Radars (NGR) for MDA will advance closer to the ideal of a fully digitized array and digital beamforming. In a conventional phased array radar (PAR), analog beamforming networks reduce the entire array into a few combined beams (e.g., sum beam, difference beams) at X-band. Next generation PAR will use a hybrid approach, forming many subarray beams in analog, and then performing a ...

Missile Defense Agency (MDA) requires high performance, high sensitivity and low noise infrared sensors for space based sensing applications that operate in environments where radiation hardness is essential to mission operation. Radiation hard by design (RHBD) readout integrated circuits (ROICs) decrease the overall cost of focal plane arrays (FPAs) by exploiting existing commercial foundries rat ...

Computational Physics, Inc. (CPI) proposes to develop prototype first-principle cloud and terrain physics models integrated into a robust and extensible component architecture that facilitates the assessment of the impact of terrain and cloud radiance and irradiance in the UV/VIS/IR wavebands on missile defense systems. The prototype will also be used to demonstrate support for observational forec ...

Data Fusion Corporation (DFC) and Lockheed Martin Tactical Systems-Naval and Electronic Surveillance Systems proposes the development of Sea-RAD: an analysis and simulation software toolkit for evaluating multi-static sea-based radar registration and data communications algorithms and archi­tectures for centralized and distributed fusion processing. Technology elements will include a multiple-in ...

The performance of the Ballistic Missile Defense System depends on a number of factors; one of the most important is the ability to accurately and efficiently discriminate between threats (reentry vehicles) and non-threats (decoys). The DECISIVE ANALYTICS Corporation (DAC) team proposes to develop a discrimination system based on a novel machine learning algorithm called Maximum Variance Unfoldin ...

Directed Energy Solutions (DES) and the University of Denver Research Institute propose a program aimed at revolutionary advancement of the current Pressure Recovery System (PRS) technology used in used in pumping high-energy chemical iodine lasers. The ABL laser system uses a steam ejector to pump the laser gas effluents. Our approach to PRS enhancement is through optimization of the steam eject ...

Next-generation missile midcourse detection infrared sensing systems will require improved cryogenic cooling technology. Future cryogenic cooling systems must be capable of providing significant cooling capacity at two different temperatures across a two axis gimbal or to multiple locations on a spacecraft. These capabilities will enable reduced payload jitter, lower overall spacecraft mass and ...

Phased array antenna systems are growing in use within military systems. These arrays of thousands of elements need precise control of the aperture distributions to meet requirements for gain, sidelobes, etc. Errors in these phase and amplitude distributions over time will degrade the performance of these apertures. FIRST RF favors simple concepts with little or no hardware impact that fully ch ...

Lucid Dimensions is developing Spherical Detection Systems (SDS) for detecting and tracking infrared(IR) heat signatures in three dimensions. Spherical Detection Systems offer distinct advantages over contemporary imaging systems, significantly enhancing three-dimensional (3D) situational awareness. Sensor systems utilizing a spherical geometry as a foundation can be designed for a variety of appl ...