Award Data

The goal of a sensor manager is to cue the right sensor to perform the right service on the right target at the right time. This task essentially implies JDL Level 4 strategies and algorithms for control and action. In response to SBIR MDA04-023, 21st Century Systems, Inc. is pleased to propose researching and developing state-of-the-art "system-of-systems" management for sensor platforms with mul ...

Utilizing recently available exceptional mercurous chloride (Hg2Cl2) acousto-optic material having the largest known optical filter figure of merit, we propose to develop a state-of-the-art high speed and wide-bandwidth long-wavelength acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF). The proposed device has the desirable performance attributes of wide operating wavelength range, low optical loss, low power c ...

This proposal addresses a novel photonic approach to the high performance IR scene generator. The revolutionary design has intrinsic advantages of broadband, high apparent temperature, compactness, high spatial resolution, low background temperature and noise, high reliability, and low cost, as compared with the competitive approaches. The device design overcomes the major shortcomings of the curr ...

We propose to develop algorithms to manage multiple networked sensors embedded in a system with significant latencies. Sources of latency can include limited bandwidth in communication channels; limited capabilities for processing collected data, especially imagery; and data collection times. Latencies must be accounted for by the sensor manager so that it can appropriately hedge. By using sens ...

A boost-phase intercept (BPI) system aims to destroy attacking intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) while the booster rockets are still burning and before they have deployed mid-course decoys or released their munitions. Detection and tracking of the incoming missile under changing atmospheric conditions is a significant challenge for the BPI system. Including a dual-band mid-wave infrared ...

Object discrimination is one of the most important functions in ballistic missile defense since successful engagement and intercept of the warhead requires timely discrimination of lethal objects from decoys and other non-lethal objects. Multiple sensors exploiting diversity in phenomenology and viewing geometry can provide better discrimination information than a single sensor but exploiting this ...

Significant improvements in propulsion systems are necessary in order to support high altitude, long endurance (HALE) missions for airships and UAV's. One of the critical components of the propulsion system is the propeller. The proposed research will demonstrate the feasibility of producing large diameter light weight adaptive propellers from launch through long duration station keeping in a va ...

For this Phase I SBIR, we propose to design, fabricate, and test a colloid thruster integrated with an on/off microvalve. The design leverages Busek's accumulated expertise in colloid thruster development, gained through NASA's ST7 project, toward developing a general-purpose, flexible, and miniaturized micropropulsion system. Busek has already demonstrated a flight-viable colloid thruster arc ...

Hardware in the loop simulations provide important performance and systems integration information without the inherent risks and costs of flight testing. These simulations require real-time high fidelity signal generation with flexible parameters and close modeling of the true signals. This proposal details software controlled GPS signal simulation system compatible with current and future GPS si ...

This proposal describes a plan to use novel GPS/INS integrated system in the navigation, guidance and control system of microsatellites. The novel GPS/INS integration scheme will allow inexpensive attitude and position estimation with high fidelity and robustness. During Phase I we design such system and provide plans for integration within a microsatellite. A laboratory demonstration of the pr ...