Award Data

MZA partnered with the Michigan Technological University (MTU) proposes development and testing of key components for our unified Atmospheric Refractivity and Turbulence Sensor (ARTS.) Software upgrades will be made to MZA’s DELTA-Sky sensor to enable atmospheric refraction measurements in addition to existing turbulence profiling. The illuminator assembly to implement the ARTS probe laser ...

The development of compact and telescope-deployable laser sources emitting in the yellow portion of the visible spectrum is critical for the advancement of DoD-relevant adaptive optics capabilities. The objective of this project is to continue the development of novel laser architectures based on optically-pumped substrate-transferred epitaxial gain media capable of efficient thermal management an ...

Current scene projection hardware is challenged to simultaneously meet the requirements for high peak temperature (> 2000K), high resolution (> 1Kx1K), response time < 1 ms, cryogenic and temporally uniform photon flux. MEMS, Resistor arrays, liquid crystals, and photonic crystals all suffer in one or more areas. MEMS suffer from flicker and low dynamic range. Resistor arrays suffer from low frame ...

We will develop hybrid wave propagation approach that implements FFT and EMA (Efficient Matrix Algorithms) propagators in a fashion that is transparent to the user but insures the highest efficiency and accuracy for a given propagation problem. We will develop rules to decide which propagation approach is ideal for a given situation. The propagation algorithms will be coded in Vulkan/CUDA and C++ ...

Over the past 2 years, Roccor has successfully qualified and delivered High Strain Composite (HSC) products for space-flight customers including, 1) RF-Furlable boom, 2) a furlable-antenna system; and is currently qualifying HSC products for space-flight customers including 3) an FCC certified deorbit device, and 4) a solar array deployment system. Three of these missions will be launched in 2018. ...

Adaptive Optics allow ground-based astronomical observatories to overcome atmospheric distortion limited observation by using natural and artificial guide stars to measure the distortion. Sodium-layer guide stars provide near all-sky coverage for high resolution astronomy. Over the last 20 years, Optically Pumped Semiconductor Laser (OPSL), also referred to as Vertically Extended Cavity Surface Em ...

In this proposal, Bluecom Systems proposes to develop a framework in designing and manufacturing smart materials that can be used as adaptive radiating structures to operate at different frequencies, with different radiation patterns, and achieve polarization diversity. The solution proposed, based on optically pixilated Silicon or GaAs surfaces, can be used as reflective surfaces for reconfigurab ...

This project will address the U.S. Air Force needs for single-piece, electronically dimmable eye protection device (EDEPD). In Phase I, InnoSense LLC (ISL) will demonstrate feasibility of the approach by incorporating electrochromic layer on curved polycarbonate substrates. Phase I tests will include optical and physical characterizations regarding transmission range, switching speed, haze, unifor ...

This proposal will outline a bi-directional software defined Free Space Optics (FSO) laser communications testbed with flexible optical elements and reprogrammable waveform and signal processing elements. Vulcan Wireless Inc. currently manufacturers a 1550nm, eye safe, software defined Laser Communications Testbed MD-LC-1 and will use this as a basis for the Phase 1 effort. We will also be teaming ...

The focus of this STTR program is the development and maturation of a novel, room-temperature process to fabricate multi-layer metal-polymer (including PVDF and other smart materials) composites in an additive approach. This overcomes the limitation arising from the large temperature difference between metal and polymer manufacturing processes, and presents a new technology for additive manufactur ...