Award Data

The Phase I STTR project will develop an ignition system for a high density hybrid rocket motor using non-toxic, storable, ionic liquid oxidizers and high density polymer fuels. The program will also research fuel additives to boost ISP and fuel regression rate of the high density, high regression ate fuel.. This high density propulsion system resolves one of the chief drawbacks of hybrid rock ...

Laser & Plasma Technologies (LPT), teamed with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Center for Lasers at the University of Virginia (UVA), proposes an advanced optical fiber coupled hybrid spectroscope for in situ characterization of organic compounds. The proposed approach provides information on organic compounds by analyzing spectra obtained from Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) an ...

The proposed innovation is the replacement of existing test stand and parking lot fixtures with current SSL LED technology. The replacement fixtures will reduce energy consumption, generate less heat and provide maintenance free operation for over 50,000 hours. An explosion-proof fixture is capable of containing an internal combustion event without allowing flames or hot gasses to escape to the s ...

Small and micro-spacecrafts require the efficient, micro-propulsion systems. Chemical micro-propulsion is best suited for use as primary thrust, orbital insertion and attitude control because of its high energy density. When grouped into arrays for larger thrust applications, micro-propulsion devices provide high propulsive flexibility or can be used as igniters. The proposed effort will focus ...

This proposal offers to provide NASA with an automatic mesh generator for the simulation of aerodynamic flows using Reynolds-Averages Navier-Stokes (RANS) models. The tools will be capable of generating high-quality, highly-stretched (anisotropic) grids in boundary layer regions and transition smoothly to inviscid flow regions even in an adaptive context. The objective of the work is to offer a un ...

The ability to restore large amounts of vented gaseous helium (GHe) at rocket test sites preserves the GHe and reduces operating cost. The used GHe is vented into the atmosphere, is non-recoverable, and costs NASA millions dollars per year. Helium, which is non-renewable and irreplaceable once released into the atmosphere, is continuously consumed by rocket test facilities at NASA centers such a ...

NanoSonic has demonstrated that Shape Memory Metal RubberTM (SM-MR) adaptive skins exhibit reconfigurable and durable RF properties. It is hypothesized that such morphing skins shall also exhibit durable radiation resistance upon morphing; a property that few, if any, flexible materials offer. Typical highly filled or metal evaporated nanocomposites crack and spall upon flexation, and cannot be ...

The objective of this NASA STTR program is to develop single wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based ultracapacitors for energy storage devices (ESD) application, using NanoSonic's patented molecular level self-assembly process performed at room temperature. Specifically, we would combine advances in metallic SWCNTs, metal and oxide nanoclusters, and polymeric materials and electrostatic self-assembly ...

The proposed innovation utilizes carbon nanotubes (CNTs) coated with pseudo-capacitive MnO2 material as nano-composite electrode and ionic electrolyte for the construction of ultracapacitors. This novel approach of using nano-structured CNTs architectures provides high surface area of attachment of MnO2 nano-particles to maximize the charge efficiency and power capacity and to reduce series resist ...

The tracking of critical flow features (CFFs) such as stagnation point, flow separation, shock, and transition in flight provides insight into actual aircraft performance/safety. Sensing of these CFFs across flight regimes involves numerous challenges such as a wide temperature/pressure range from subsonic to hypersonic flows. Tao Systems, Mesoscribe Technologies and Virginia Tech propose to devel ...