Award Data

The CRISSP Phase II effort will mature to TRL-6 recyclable launch packaging materials to enable sustainable in-space manufacturing on the ISS and future manned deep space missions. Our Phase I effort began by testing the recycling of current launch packaging materials, identifying several that are possible to recycle. We then prototyped concepts for sealable bags made with readily recyclable A.M ...

Air-Lock's Phase I effort tested the effects of ball induced contact stresses on Titanium bearing races. The contact stress design limit that would achieve a planetary exploration suit?s required cycle life was determined. These tests were performed on uniformly loaded flat thrust bearing style test plates. The Phase II effort will take this information and use it in a real world application, exi ...

Functional robustness, resulting from superior engineering design, along with appropriate and timely mitigating actions, is a key enabler for satisfying complex mission goals, and for enhancing mission success probability. Fault Management (FM) is a crucial mechanism to ensure system functionality from system design through the operational phase of a mission. FM is implemented with spacecraft har ...

Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) proposes to develop and demonstrate an innovative high power density design for direct internal reforming of regolith off-gases (e.g., methane and high hydrocarbons) within a solid oxide stack. The resulting breakthrough design offers the potential for higher overall efficiency, simplifies the system, and enables further compactness and weight reduction of the fuel ...

Particle size distribution (PSD) is a fundamental environmental measurement, with diverse biogeochemical applications including carbon cycle science, ecosystem and fisheries modeling, and harmful algal bloom (HAB) detection/prediction. There is optimism that estimates of PSD will be available from ocean color measurements (such as NASA's upcoming PACE mission), and will be able to help constrain g ...

Infinity's High Efficiency Advanced Lightweight Fuel Cell (HEAL FC) is an improved version of its current fuel cell technology developed for space applications. The fundamental operation of this Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell is improved over comparable fuel cell technologies, providing simplified system design and longer duration missions. The Non Flow Through (NFT) nature of reactant c ...

The proposed model-based Fault Management system addresses the need for cost-effective solutions that enable higher levels of onboard spacecraft autonomy to reliably maintain operational capabilities. The system will provide onboard off-nominal state detection and isolation capabilities that are key components to assessing spacecraft state awareness. The ability to autonomously isolate spacecraft ...

NASA has invested significant effort in the past decade in developing and maturing technologies that enable efficient and effective use of Next-generation (NextGen) Vertical Lift (VL) systems for a broad class of missions and operations. One of the key barriers it faces to the widespread use of VL vehicles within the National Airspace is the cost of maintenance on the vehicles to keep them safe an ...

As the price of helium has increased substantially in recent years, the interest in finding an efficient and economical method of helium recovery has never been more important. One method that can reduce the cost of rocket test operations is to recover hydrogen and helium gases using an electrochemical process. Sustainable Innovations is developing a commercial electrochemical platform that sepa ...

This Phase I SBIR proposal will address the use of innovative additive manufacturing technologies applicable to Non-Destructive Evaluation (NDE) and Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) strain and temperature sensors at ultra-high temperatures up to 1000 C. Technologies are required that enable flaw detection on atmospheric and space flight vehicles during deep space missions, hypersonic flight and ...