Award Data

Maxion Technologies, Inc. (Maxion) proposes to develop and field test a Carbon Monoxide (CO)-sensor prototype for post fire cleanup and CO detection. The sensor will have the dynamic range required to detect and monitor CO from approximately 1 to 500 ppmv with a resolution to 1 ppmv. Maxion will grow, fabricate and test a Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) at a unique single-mode wavelength ideal for CO ...

A new high capacity anode composite based on mesoporous silicon is proposed. By virtue of a structure that resembles a pseudo one-dimensional phase, the active anode material will be able to accommodate significant volume changes expected upon alloying and de-alloying with lithium. The mesoporosity will be created without the aid of a surfactant template using a novel high volume synthetic process ...

The primary goal of this project is to design and develop an autonomous instrumentation and control (I & C) health monitoring system for space nuclear power applications. The system, once fully developed, will be able to detect system anomalies based on analytical modeling technique using data from existing sensors in the power generator.The primary application for the proposed technology will be ...

Atomic layer deposited functional nano-film technology is used to manufacture Microchannel plate (MCP) devices capable of high gain / low ion feedback operation, on glass capillary array substrates, as a means to replace MCP chevron configuration and enable direct photocathode deposition (e.g. GaN) for NASA applications. Commercial MCP devices rely on 1970's manufacturing technology, constrai ...

This program is designed to achieve high operational efficiency for superconducting ADR magnets in space, and to meet space launch requirements. The overall technical objective is to manufacture an efficient magnet using YBCO HTS tapes that can generate 3 T at 30-40 K with an operating current of 5-7 A. To meet this goal we will conduct research and development in areas of:1) Characterization and ...

With more missions at high data rates demanding use of limited spectral resources, NASA's SCaN office recently coordinated a study to identify a space communications architecture to support future missions. The study recommends precoded GMSK and AR4JA LDPC codes as preferred options in most Space Network and Ground Network forward and return links and Deep Space Network return links. This m ...

In the Phase I effort, Busek developed a miniature precision piezo-actuated microvalve weighing 32g and occupying 4.5 cm^3. The valve demonstrated continuous flow regulation of 0-12 sccm nitrogen (15psi supply pressure) thru 0-500 sccm nitrogen (1000psi supply pressure), with a leak rate of better than 1.0 x 10^-5 mbar-l/s. The simple, low part-count design was developed with a critical eye towa ...

This proposal describes a new concept to drive MEMS DMs using low-power, high-voltage multiplexing. Compared to other reported approaches, the proposed architecture will reduce power consumption by a factor of one hundred, to a level of a few hundred milliwatts. This estimate is supported by direct measurements obtained from prototype modules that were demonstrated in Phase I research.In the Phase ...

We propose to design and fabricate a MEMS micromirror array consisting of 1021 ultra-flat, close-packed hexagonal mirror elements, each capable of 6mrad of tip and tilt, and 1.7um of piston (TTP) motion with sub-nanometer precision as required for a space-based telescope using a hyper-contrast coronagraph for terrestrial planet finding. Fabrication process enhancements developed in the Phase I eff ...

In order to support the tools needed to develop the Mars Sample Return (MSR) rendezvous and capture of the Orbiting Sample (OS), Aurora and MIT Space Systems Lab proposed the development of the Mars Orbiting Sample Return (MOSR) Rendezvous & Docking with the OS (RDOS) system. This system supports development of GN & C algorithms to address the "last few meters" operation between the chaser spacecr ...