Award Data

Both pyrolysis and oxidation steps have been considered as the key solid waste processing step for a Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS). Pyrolysis is more amenable to handling mixed solid waste streams in a microgravity environment, but produces a more complex product stream. Oxidation (incineration) produces a simpler product stream, but the oxidation of mixed solids is a complex u ...

Air-Lock, Incorporated is proposing to design fully sealed shoulder and arm bearings with interchangeable bearing housings. The interchangeable housings shall be utilized in trade studies to determine the optimal bearing profile and weight relative to the shoulder and arm position. It is assumed that the next generation of NASA pressure suits will require the crewmember to utilize their suit in ...

The proposed innovation is a static, cathode-fed, 2000 psi, balanced-pressure Advanced Cathode Electrolyzer (ACE) based on PEM electrolysis technology. It electrolyzes water vapor supplied to the hydrogen-evolving electrode and eliminates the need to circulate hydrogen and water on the cathode side of the cell. Innovations include the application of Infinity proprietary cell sealing technology ...

In rotorcraft flight dynamics, optimized warping camber/twist change is a potentially enabling technology for improved overall rotorcraft performance. Recent research efforts have led to the application of active materials for rotorcraft blade actuation to dynamically change the blade camber/twist. However, full-scale aircraft application of these systems in demanding rotor blade environments gets ...

Lead-lag motions of rotor blades in helicopters require damping to stabilize them. In practice, this has necessitated the use of external hydraulic dampers which suffer from high maintenance costs. High operational (lifecycle) cost has prompted rotorcraft industry to use elastomeric lead-lag dampers that result in "dry'' rotors. However, complex behavior of elastomers provides challenges for model ...

Limited downlink data rate constrains the amount of data that can be sent to earth from a spacecraft. Data from the onboard health monitoring sensors needs to be accommodated within a small fraction of this downlink bandwidth. The problem is more acute for interplanetary missions, where the downlink data rate is significantly lower than the low earth orbit missions. Such constraint prohibits trans ...

Qualtech Systems Inc. (QSI) proposes to develop a well defined process for integration of distributed diagnostic schemes. The process includes a set of guidelines to build component diagnostic models/schemes that will undergo integration and an automated/semi-automated tool that will assess the diagnostic efficacy of the integrated scheme so as to suggest modification/redesign of the component dia ...

Developing a quiet fan for Environmental Control and Life Support systems to enhance the livable environment within the spacecraft has been a challenge. A Foil Gas Bearing Supported Fan is proposed which will be quiet, efficient, reliable, contamination free, compact, and lightweight. In Phase I a set of foil gas bearings necessary to prove out the feasibility of the program will be manufactured ...

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are attractive candidates for use as power sources in aerospace applications because they have high specific energy (up to 200 Wh/kg), energy density (~ 500 Wh/L) and long cycle life (1,000 – 30,000 cycles depending on the depth of cycling). Yardney/Lithion, Inc. the leader in cutting edge Li-ion batteries is dedicated in research, development, design and manufactur ...

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