To solve the problem of autonomous navigation on small satellite platforms less than 20 kg, we propose to develop an onboard orbit determination receiver for small LEO satellites which lack stable Attitude Determination and Control System (ADCS), continuous GPS coverage, or ground tracking.  The system is a refinement of existing spaceborne receiver technology built around a new, innovative collective detection and direct positioning algorithm developed by Dr. Penny Axelrad, a reduced set of GPS hardware, and a compact orbit propagator.  The small satellite collective orbit determination receiver (SCOR) brings together efficient reference orbit representations, snapshot GPS sampling, collective detection and direct positioning, and modular orbit propagation methods, to produce an effective new approach for onboard support of small satellites.  Since the collective detection algorithm does not require continuous GPS tracking to generate navigation solutions, portions of the receiver can be duty cycled to reduce power consumption between measurements.  Additionally, this approach allows for satellites without pointing capabilities to obtain sufficient measurements to generate solutions by taking multiple snapshots when the spacecraft attitude is in a favorable orientation with respect to the GPS constellation.
Advances in structured heterogeneity together with nanomaterials tailoring has made it possible to create thermoelectrics using high temperature, polymer composites.  While such thermoelectrics do not have the capability to approach the efficiency of top performing ceramic modules such as BiTe, they do provide two unique aspects of use in energy scavenging: the ability to cover large areas easily, and the ability to integrate kinetic energy scavenging together with heat scavenging. Recently the group at Wake Forest University has demonstrated a novel design for internal p/n junction formation in such composites, that allows for a significant increase in thermoelectric voltage and power factor while retaining the form factor of a fabric.  This improvement in nanocomposite thermoelectric performance, coupled with effective kinetic energy scavenging makes the piezo-thermo-electric "PowerFelt&amp;#153;" applicable to a wide range of power collection scenarios.  This Phase I program will demonstrate that the PowerFelt&amp;#153; construct can rival small ceramic modules in overall power generation in a fully flexible, lightweight platform. Further, we will show that it is compatible with advanced manufacturing techniques such as printing, with cost profiles of ~$0.5/W.
Creare and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University propose to design, develop, test, and deliver an ultra compact star tracker specifically intended for small satellites such as the CubeSat platform.  Our design is based on proprietary "folded optics" technology previously developed by our partner for use in military and commercial optical applications that require a compact footprint and high performance.  The folded optics design is superior to conventional refractive optics in miniature star trackers because (1) the compact footprint is achieved without sacrificing accuracy; (2) the light-gathering aperture is much greater, leading to better sensitivity; (3) the aperture geometry makes the shielding baffles smaller; and (4) the imaging sensor can be shielded efficiently from cosmic radiation.
During the Phase I project, we will demonstrate the feasibility of our innovation by finalizing the design, performing analysis to determine the optimal design parameters, and testing a benchtop prototype to verify the design models.  In Phase II, we will fabricate the optimized design, test the prototype in the laboratory and in the field, and deliver the prototype to NASA.
The proposed innovation is a low-cost, retrievable and reusable, autonomously guided dropsonde capable of deploying from a host aircraft and performing in-situ atmospheric measurements. We have decided to name this platform the NavSonde&amp;#8722;an autonomously navigable sonde-glider.  The proposed effort focuses on the engineering work involved with the retrieval of high altitude volcanic ash plume samples using this autonomously guided dropsonde.  Small scale particulate sampling equipment for airborne missions is not commercially available. Even for full scale manned systems, many research programs develop their own collection and sensor systems.  A small form factor unmanned aerial sampling system, capable of being deployed from a host aircraft at high altitudes and autonomously guided to regions of interest will offer atmospheric scientists an innovative research tool&amp;#8722;particularly for those seeking unprecedented access to high altitude atmospheric sampling to monitor events that may be deemed too dangerous for manned aircraft.  Autonomously guided dropsondes have several advantages over current dropsondes&amp;#8722;the main ones being their ability to fly to regions of interest and to perform pre-programmed actions at specified locations and/or altitudes (e.g. sample).
NASA has recognized that in future exploration and human missions to Mars, the problem of Martian dust contaminating gas processing systems and human habitats will need to be solved.  The dust content of Martian atmosphere is only sparsely known, and in particular the variation over the surface and the dust particle size distribution are largely unknown.  Creare proposes to develop a compact, integrated dust separation and measurement system that is capable of measuring dust size distribution and removing 99&#37; of all dust particles larger than 0.3 micron.  The two-stage separator is robust and scalable, combining the strengths of inertial and electrostatic precipitators with a novel Mie scattering sizing sensor.  The dust separation and measurement system will be able to integrate with and handle flow requirements as defined for the NASA Mars 2020 Announcement of Opportunity Demonstration Oxygen Production Plant and shows a clear development path to future in situ resource utilization (ISRU) production plants.  In Phase I, Creare proposes to develop, design, and test key components of the design in the lab to determine their feasibility for Martian operation.  In Phase II, Creare plans to develop and deliver a prototype compact, integrated dust separation and measurement system.
EpiSys Science, Inc. and University of Arizona propose to develop, implement, and demonstrate Multi-Function Cognitive Radio Architecture (MF-CRA) for Space Communications, a novel software-defined radio (SDR) architecture that achieves communications configuration autonomy (CCA) with the ability to sense, detect, classify, and adapt to both time-varying communication environment and mission objectives.  The innovations of the proposed MF-CRA system consists of:  (i) meta-cognitive radio engines that learn which Cognitive Engine (CE) is more appropriate to provide the adaptation needed for the application scenario; and (ii) robust, computationally efficient RF sensing, signal detection, and classification algorithms compliant with the Space Telecommunications Radio System (STRS) architecture and specification.   CE is an intelligent agent who observes the radio environment and chooses the best communication settings that best meet the application's goals. We propose a novel concept and design of meta-Cognitive Engine (meta-CE) which has several learning and optimization algorithms in its disposal and is learning which one is more appropriate for the application goals and the radio environment scenarios at the time of operation. To this end, we propose to develop and demonstrate the meta-CE concepts tailored for STRS applications where a meta-CE autonomously manages and controls its STRS radio waveforms and their communication parameters configurations. Our meta-CE features a dynamic RF mapping module, which will sense and record the RF signal levels as a function of the coordinates of the transceivers, the earth's atmospheric conditions, space weather, and trajectory of the transceivers so that it can anticipate the signal changes and seamlessly switch among the available links, waveforms, and parameter configuration settings. Enabling technologies for MF-CRA have been demonstrated through prototype testbed utilizing USRP radios and successful over-the-are tests.
This STTR Phase I proposal addresses a NASA need for improved near-to-mid IR detectors for imaging and spectroscopy. High performance IR detectors with cutoff wavelengths in the range of 2.5 &amp;#150; 5.0 microns will be developed using InGaAs / AlAsSb semiconductor materials. The proposal uses a two-pronged approach to address the problem of detector performance degradation by materials' defects, both "grown in" defects and defects caused by radiation damage. The project will apply an advanced device architecture, the nBn detector, which has been shown to be extremely successful in other IR detectors for suppression of defect-related dark current and noise. Additionally, the project will apply our proprietary defect mitigation technology, which passivates defects via UV hydrogenation treatments. The result of this program will be near-to-mid IR detectors with higher performance, reduced cooling requirements, and improved radiation hardness. 

These detectors are compatible with integration into mega-pixel IR imaging arrays for imaging 2.5 &amp;#150; 5.0 micron wavelengths with improved performance and reduced cost, which will be produced in Phase II.
Amethyst has teamed with the University of Oklahoma and FLIR Systems to ensure that this technology can be readily transitioned to meet NASA mission requirements.
Saber Astronautics proposes spacecraft subsystem control software which can autonomously reconfigure avionics for best performance during various mission conditions.  The approach is to construct performance metrics from spacecraft health and welfare telemetry and learn their relationships in a probabilistic, multi-modal model called a "System Map". In this way the relationships between consumables, mission performance, and spacecraft subsystems can be learned in the same data driven model. 

The significance of the innovation is the ability for immediate, accurate real time assessment of the spacecraft systems-of-systems performance. Immediate assessment leads to immediate action, so the System Map is useful for any spacecraft reconfiguration task, spacecraft repair task, or mission decision assessment.  It can be used in a fully autonomous, decentralized fashion by implanting on an FPGA as investigated in this proposal, or as a decision aid for a human crew.
To address NASA's need for evaluation of bondline and in-depth integrity for lightweight rigid and/or flexible ablative materials, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a novel Thermal Protection System Nondestructive Evaluation Tool (TERRET) providing accurate in situ detection, identification, and spatial localization of internal and surface defects (cracks, voids, delaminations, porosity, and inclusions), and evaluation of bondlines and in-depth integrity of lightweight, rigid, and/or flexible ablative materials and large-area multilayer thermal protection system (TPS) structures with complex geometries. TERRET is based on the POC-patented innovative X-ray Compton imaging tomography technique and POC-patented apodized aperture X-ray imaging optics with high spatial resolution and a wide field of view, substantially modified and optimized to meet NASA's requirements for operation on a wide range of lightweight TPS materials, noncontact operation, portability, and ease of use. TERRET will provide detection and spatial localization of defects and damage in TPS material and structures, with spatial resolution of ~1 mm and sensitivity of 1&#37; in material density difference. In Phase I POC will demonstrate the feasibility of TERRET for NDE of TPS by fabricating and testing a TRL-4 prototype, with the goal of achieving TRL-6 by the end of Phase II.
With the increased demand for and utility of nano- and micro-satellites, the demand for responsive, low-cost access to space has also increased. To meet this demand, multiple private companies are pursuing the development of nano- and micro-launch vehicles (NMLV). However, NMLV builders lack suitable avionics platforms for both development and operational needs. Traditional launch vehicle avionics platforms exceed the SWaP requirements of an NMLV due to their use of redundant, aerospace grade components. To service the needs of NMLV builders, TUI proposes to develop the SWIFT-nanoLV avionics platform by leveraging its existing portfolio of SWIFT software-defined radios and other small satellite component technologies. Through the careful use of COTS components, modular design techniques, and software-defined architectures, the SWIFT-nanoLV avionics platform will not only meet the SWaP requirements of an NMLV, but will also help minimize the operating costs of NMLVs. After developing a concept design and testing brassboard prototypes in the Phase I effort, TUI will build and test a fully functional avionics platform in the Phase II effort.
The proposed contract effort is for the design, development and proof-of-concept demontration testing of a low cost, pressure-fed liquid rocket booster propulsion system concept.  The contract focus will be on four key component technologies in the booster system; (1)composite propellant tanks, (2)pump-fed propellant heat exchanger, (3)self-cooled engine with altitude-compensating nozzle, and (4)annular liquid-liquid engine injector. All four components will be designed and built in subscale in Phase, and will be sized for later incorporation into sub-orbital flight test vehicle. The Phase 1 contract culminates with cold flow testing of the propellant feed subsystem, which is the most novel aspect of the booster.  The proposed low-cost booster design also has a low impact on natural resources, and can utilize inexpensive, renewable biofuels.  The raw materials used in the contruction of the booster do not include any expensive, exotic, or stategically sensitive substances.  The prospect of reusability of most of the booster mass further reduces raw material and energy consumption per launch.
This program proposes to design and evaluate novel technology of X-ray navigation for augmentation and increased capability of high data-rate spacecraft communications. NASA's current concept for an integrated radio and optical communications (iROC) system is being developed to provide communication technology that does not constrain the science yield of their deep space missions. iROC requirements include accurate navigation and pointing solutions so narrow optical beams are precisely transmitted directly to their Earth-based reception stations. X-ray source techniques and methods have been successfully demonstrated to determine independent position and attitude solutions for deep space vehicles. Therefore, ASTER Labs proposes to integrate the X-ray sensors directly into the iROC concept, such that the combined radio, optical, and X-ray system, referred to as iROX, can operate over a wide variety of applications and missions, increasing NASA's capability to explore the solar system. The top-level goals are to evaluate the integrated system and design a prototype detector system that augments the existing iROC concept, evaluate the performance of the integrated iROX system, and identify the feasibility and capability of such a system based upon the design architecture. The successful completion of the integrated navigation capabilities into the full iROX program will provide independent km-level position accuracies throughout the solar system and sub-arcsecond pointing capabilities, such that iROX data transfer will achieve high rates (Gbps-level) for NASA's unique deep space missions with improved capabilities over today's techniques.
As NASA space missions become longer in duration the need for high efficiency power generator sets that can operate on NASA logistical fuel become critical. Historically NASA has used fuel cells as part of the energy solution.  Space bound energy and power systems require rapid start and stop cycle times as well as high power densities. The high operational efficiency, coupled with the use of logistical fuel options make fuel cells vital to the extended future missions of NASA. Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) have been demonstrated on a variety of gaseous and liquid hydrocarbon fuels.  Our team has developed tubular SOFC systems capable of cycling from room temperature to 700C and full power in less than 15 minutes. The system has been cycled more than 250 times and demonstrated life times greater than 2000hrs. Coupling the freeze cast microstructure with the rapid cycling and portability of the tubular systems will lead to a high power density robust SOFC system operating on methane and oxygen capable of space missions.
A submersible, superconducting electric boost pump sized to meet the needs of future Nuclear Thermal Propulsion systems in the 25,000 lbf thrust range is proposed.  The proposed solution combines active electronic speed control technology with state-of-the-art cavitation suppression techniques to meet the near-zero Net Positive Suction Head requirements with up to 50&#37; vapor content and enables a higher level of safety, reliability and operability for the Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) system than turbine driven pumps.  The proposed pump configuration enables placement in, or close-coupled to the tank where it can be shielded from the reactor to prevent neutron flux heating.   Evaluation of NTP power cycles will enable feasibility determination for driving the boost pump, and possibly the main pump, electrically and provides a comparison of approaches for the derivation of requirements needed in the development of an ultra-long life, highly reliable integrated pump system for NTP.  The requirements, system trades and benefits analysis, conceptual design, risk reduction and Phase II planning will be documented to enable further development and TRL transition from TRL 3 at the completion of Phase I to TRL 5 at the completion of Phase II.
The Zero Gravity Mass Measurement Device (ZGMMD) provides the ability to measure the mass of samples in a microgravity environment, like that found on the International Space Station (ISS). One of the primary measurements often taken during science experiments is mass. This is even more relevant in biology, where mass is often one of the key measurements taken for analysis. During the Phase I effort, a ZGMMD prototype was developed, tested, and demonstrated the feasibility of a means to determine the mass of samples less than 1kg, without the use of earth's gravity. The ZGMMD's innovative way of determining the mass, of low mass objects, in microgravity environments has been shown to be feasible, and effective. The Phase I prototype has shown to be able to provide great mass measurement capabilities, exceeding the Phase I requirements, specifically in accuracy and precision.
Albido proposes to develop a Passive Wireless Sensor System for Structural Health Monitoring capable of measuring high-bandwidth temperature and strain of space and aerospace vehicle components operating in extreme environments. The proposed system uses a network of true passive Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) temperature/strain sensors that can be interrogated wirelessly from a distance of several meters. SAW sensors are lightweight, passive (battery-less), simple, reliable, scalable, sensitive, do not disturb the operating environment, can be permanently placed on the critical components, allow quick and inexpensive acquisition of data to diagnose structure performance or failures, and transmit the relevant data to a remote data processing center wirelessly. A low cost software radio approach will be developed to overcome a strategic bottleneck in SAW sensor system development. In Phase I Albido will demonstrate the proof-of-concept of the proposed sensor and the transmission capability in an adequate laboratory environment (TRL 3). Based on a successful completion of Phase I, we will develop a product prototype in Phase II that will be validated in a relevant environment by comparison testing against conventional instrumentation on a test article indicated by NASA. At the end of Phase II, the sensor system will be at TRL 6.
For NASA's human and robotic mission, the battery with extremely high specific energy (&gt;500 Wh/kg) and long cycle life are urgently sought after in order to reduce the payload weight.  Current state-of-the-art lithium ion batteries, such as graphite/LiCoO2 or graphite/LiFePO4 systems, have limited specific energy to around 220 Wh/kg on the cell level.  In order to meet the future NASA mission requirements, new out-of-box battery chemistries and components need to be developed. 
	On the commercial side, electric vehicles (EVs) seem to be promising alternatives to replace the internal combustion engines, which can reduce the consumption of petroleum oil and CO2 emission. However, up to date, the lack of suitable batteries with high energy density and excessive cost of the power sources have hindered the development and widespread market penetration of the EVs.
     Driven by the strong market pull, Bettergy has invented a novel ion selective membrane that can be employed along with Li2S based cathode material to develop the next generation lithium sulfur battery. This novel battery is expected to have 1) high specific energy (&gt;500 Wh/kg); 2) long cycle life (&gt; 1000 cycles); 3) long storage life and 4) great safety feature, which can meet the challenge requirements of the NASA mission.
Vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) is a new technology which can be used for developing high performance laser components for atom-based sensors technology. The narrow linewidth of VCSEL emission combined with good polarization extinction ratio and large spacing between the longitudinal modes, which makes them relatively immune to mode hopping, and their high reliability make them uniquely suited for this application. NASA requires high power (1W) diode lasers at certain alkali atomic lines. 
Princeton Optronics proposes an approach to develop such lasers for NASA in this SBIR using the VCSEL technology. In phase I, we would develop the specifications for the lasers and design and fabricate the devices for one wavelength and demonstrate feasibility for developing high power lasers in phase II.
Accurately predicting Remaining Useful Life (RUL) provides significant benefits&amp;#151;it increases safety and reduces financial and labor resource requirements. Relying on just one methodology for RUL prediction is unsuitable because certain methods of prediction perform better for certain use cases and conditions. Approaches must be combined to maximize accuracy. Encoding these hybrid methods is challenging because their models are complex, change frequently, and represent a wide range of devices, components, and systems. The algorithms associated with these models also require deep mathematical understanding.
We propose using probabilistic programming (PP) to integrate physical models and data-driven methods into a probabilistic model that can predict RUL under the Programming Useful Life Prediction (PULP) project. We will use Charles River's Figaro&amp;#153; probabilistic programming language (PPL) to fuse physical models of critical fault modes and data-driven methods in a hybrid approach to accurately predict the RUL of critical flight systems. Figaro is an ideal solution because it eases construction of Probabilistic Relational Models (PRMs). PRMs can represent a wide range of complex, constantly changing domains that involve uncertainty and require flexibility. Figaro also contains a vast library of reasoning algorithms that can be applied to models, so users do not need deep mathematical expertise.
The proposed work focuses on implementing fast-response pressure-sensitive paint for measurements of unsteady pressure in rotorcraft applications. Significant rotorcraft problems such as dynamic stall, rotor blade loads in forward flight, and blade-vortex interaction all have significant unsteady pressure oscillations that must be resolved in order to understand the underlying physics. Installation of pressure transducers is difficult and expensive on rotorcraft models, and the resulting data has limited spatial resolution. Application of a fast-responding pressure-sensitive paint should provide unsteady surface pressure distributed over the blade surface. Fast PSP measurements have been demonstrated at NASA Langley on a 2-meter rotor model in hover and in forward flight by the ISSI/OSU team using two single camera systems. More recently, measurements were conducted in forward flight using multiple cameras and lasers at two azimuthal positions. We propose expanding this system for production testing. During Phase I, a lens controller + pan/tilt stages with Ethernet control and presets was developed. This device will be used to control the field of view of the system remotely. Mitigation of motion blur at the tip was demonstrated using a galvanic mirror. A temperature measurement capability using TSP was added to the system to allow temperature corrections to be applied to the PSP data. Fast efficient data processing software that included automatic image registration and scripting of repetitive operations was investigated to speed up data processing. These new tools and software will be integrated into the data acquisition package and data processing package to improve accuracy and productivity during testing.
NASA/JPL thermopile detector linear arrays, wire bonded to Black Forest Engineering (BFE) CMOS readout integrated circuits (ROICs), have been utilized in NASA missions such as the Mars Climate Sounder (MCS) and the Diviner Lunar Radiometer Experiment (DLRE). JPL linear array thermopile detectors are fabricated by bulk micro-machining. Micro-machined thermopiles bump bonded to a ROIC are desirable for area (2-D) focal plane arrays (FPAs) because the architecture provides both high detector fill factor and circuit fill factor in the pixel. The proposed innovation is to develop an area array ROIC compatible with bump bondable micro-machined thermopile detectors. The ROIC will be compatible with JPL Bi-Te/Bi-Sb-Te micro-machined thermopile detector arrays to meet requirements of future NASA thermal instruments requiring D-Star &gt; 4 x 109 Jones.  Radiation hard-by-design (RHBD) will be utilized with 180 nm CMOS for low 1/f noise readout, operating temp 77-300 K, radiation hardness and noise immunity with on-ROIC ADC. A small pixel pitch and binning is utilized to cover a desired wavelength detection range of 20 ?m &amp;#150; 100 &amp;#956;m. The Phase I ROIC array design will be fabricated on Phase II.
Fly-by-feel uses distributed sensing of forces along the lifting surfaces of an aircraft. Whether such measurements are made via hot films, pressure sensors, or strain gauges, all can provide distributed force information that must be intelligently fused and utilized to achieve performance goals. Fly-by-feel will be used to achieve robust disturbance rejection, mass property augmentation, and aeroelastic tailoring. Earlier results using acceleration measurements will be duplicated and demonstrated using strain gauge measurements. Aeroelastic tailoring is a generalization of mass property augmentation whereby the modal mass and damping of selected modes will be augmented using a set of strain sensors. Technology for the design, modeling, and construction of small vehicles with flexible wings will be transferred from the university partner. Existing vehicle models will be used and updated as needed to show the feasibility of the new technology. Transition of the technology to larger vehicles will be demonstrated using models and simulation. Hardware testing using a NextGen strain sensor array will begin in Phase I and then continue in Phase II with wind tunnel and flight testing.
Liquidmetal Technologies (LMT) and the University of Southern California (USC)'s M.C. Gill Composites Center team up to develop manufacturing processes for large-scale bulk metallic glass (BMG) and fiber laminate systems for aerospace applications. The proposed innovation consists of the development of a process to manufacture thin BMG sheets (150mm x 300mm x 0.1-1mm) by tube casting and hot rolling along with a process to fabricate fiber metal laminates (FMLs) utilizing the BMG sheets thereof and carbon fiber prepregs. While Phase I would focus on development of a small-scale prototype, the completed Phase I work would also give insight into the feasibility of large-scale manufacturing processes, such as vertical continuous casting, flash processing, autoclave moulding, out-of-autoclave moulding, and press moulding, many of which would be explored in a potential Phase II effort. Thus, in Phase I the technology readiness level (TRL) of the proposed innovation would increase from 2 to 3, and in Phase II the TRL would increase from 3 to 5.
Innovative, reliable, low-power, and low-noise electronics that can operate over a wide temperature range and high radiation are critical for future NASA missions. This project will design, develop, and demonstrate novel Radiation Hardened By Design (RHBD) analog/mixed-signal and RF integrated circuits (ICs) implemented in the latest, best-in-class silicon germanium (SiGe) BiCMOS technology, for operation in extreme environments without bulky and power inefficient shielding and heating/cooling infrastructure.

SiGe is a robust IC technology with superior electronic properties, design flexibility, and resilience to harsh environments. High yield and moderate cost of Si fabrication dramatically reduce mission size-weight-and-power and cost (SWaP-C).  IBM's 90-nm state-of-the-art 9HP SiGe BiCMOS platform delivers higher performance and lower power, and enables highly integrated (sub-) millimeter wave applications not possible with earlier 180-nm or 130-nm nodes. It is therefore, a prime candidate for designing future mixed-signal/RF electronics for NASA. Currently, however, there are few wide-temperature/radiation data and models, and no radiation/wide-temperature tolerant circuits in this platform. Advanced Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools are also essential for in-depth analysis to optimize design, predict behavior, and assess performance of 9HP-based electronics.  

CFDRC and Georgia Tech will perform laser-based and heavy ion irradiation testing on the newest generation 9HP SiGe HBT devices and circuits, and develop new models and upgraded CAD tools. The wide-temperature/radiation experimental data will help validate the models and understand associated failure mechanisms. This new knowledge, data, and upgraded CAD tools will be used in Phase II for development and optimization of novel RHBD mixed-signal/RF circuits and systems, which will be fabricated in the IBM 9HP SiGe process, extensively tested at low temperatures and radiation, and delivered to NASA.
QuinStar Technology proposes to develop an efficient, solid-state power amplifier (SSPA), operating at Ka-band frequencies, for high data rate, long range space communications. Specifically, we propose to develop a 20 W power amplifier with an associated PAE of 60&#37; operating over the 31.5 to 34 GHz band. This will be accomplished by employing two major innovations. First, we plan to utilize wide bandgap Gallium Nitride (GaN) on Silicon Carbide (SiC) device technology. Operating at a higher voltage (typically 20-28 V versus 4-5 V for GaAs), GaN permits power densities which are 5-10 times higher than GaAs or InP. In addition to the power density, high-voltage operation results in lower matching and cell combining losses, making these MMICs more efficient. Secondly, we are proposing to utilize a switching mode (Class F) to enhance the device efficiency. While this method has demonstrated PAE levels of &gt;80&#37; at 2 GHz, it has not yet been demonstrated at Ka-band. Computer simulations, contained in this proposal, indicate that by using this method, PAE levels ranging from 65&#37; to 80&#37; are possible. This was verified by device models from three different foundries. Finally, we will utilize our high-efficiency, H-tee combiner technology to combine 4 of these chips to achieve 20 W output power.
Future manned space exploration missions will require space suits with capabilities beyond the current state of the art.  Portable Life Support Systems for these future space suits face daunting challenges, since they must maintain healthy and comfortable conditions inside the suit for long-duration missions while minimizing weight and water venting.  We propose to develop an innovative, multipurpose garment for thermal and humidity control inside a space suit pressure garment that is simple, rugged, compact, and lightweight.  Our approach is to make simple modifications to a conventional liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) so that it can directly absorb latent heat as well as sensible heat.  This hybrid garment will prevent buildup of condensation inside the pressure garment, prevent loss of water by absorption in regenerable CO2 removal beds, and conserve water through use of Creare's lithium chloride absorber/radiator (LCAR) technology for nonventing heat rejection.  In Phase I we will prove the feasibility of our approach by sizing the critical components for the hybrid garment, developing fabrication methods, building and testing a proof-of-concept system, and demonstrating by test that its performance is suitable for use in space suit life support systems.  In Phase II we will optimize the overall design for integration with space suit systems, produce a full-size prototype garment, and demonstrate operation in a prototypical environment.
Aurora proposes to develop a vision-based subsystem for incorporation onto Mars vehicles in the air (VTOL) and on the ground. NOAMAD will be an embedded hardware device with associated firmware for payloadlimited UAVs, performing autonomous navigation, obstacle avoidance, guidance using bio-inspired methods, and communication of information between agents within the autonomous team. NOAMAD will transition University of Maryland methods for insect-inspired, lightweight, vision- and optical sensor-based navigation methods into a subsystem that enables expansion of the exploratory capability of the vehicles on which it is installed. The subsystem will provide (1) localization (without a global navigation system or compass) using optic-flow based odometry combined with landmark detection, (2) obstacle detection and avoidance using optic flow, and (3) autonomous guidance using position information together with bio-inspired behaviors. Taken together, these functions will allow air and ground vehicles to work together to achieve progressively refined maps of an exploration region.
CU Aerospace proposes the development of a new parallel nonlinear program (NLP) solver software package. NLPs allow the solution of complex optimization problems, and there exist today a number of capable NLP solvers typically used within the astrodynamics community.  Unfortunately, none of them take into account the capabilities of a high performance computer with thousands of processors, nor use the recent advances in graphics processing unit (GPU) calculation.  Many NASA optimal trajectory packages (OTIS, MALTO, EMTG) have already streamlined and optimized their own code to run as fast as possible, and it is now the serial-execution nature of the existing packages that represents the largest bottleneck.
The new parallel NLP solver to be developed by CU Aerospace in partnership with the University of Illinois will represent a novel, ground-up redesign of this kind of solver.  It will be built to be transparently usable by the existing optimal trajectory solvers used at NASA; however, it will also take advantage of high performance computing and/or GPU processing to reduce the run time by orders of magnitude.  This has strong implications for NASA's mission design groups, as the time to solution for the trajectory teams will be significantly improved.  Further, an improved optimization tool will have applications across all fields at NASA which user optimization, from engineering design to cost analysis.  
CU Aerospace is uniquely positioned to develop this new parallel NLP solver, with a team of experts, and the nearby proximity to the high performance computing resources at the National Center for Super Computing.
In response to the need for higher performance, Fibertek has developed a new generation of solid-state lasers capable of meeting the requirements for higher efficiency and scalability to output powers over 100 W.  The first examples of higher-performance lasers for space-based lidar are the ATLAS transmitters now being manufactured for the NASA ICESat-2 mission.  Under the present SBIR opportunity we propose to begin development of a laser transmitter designed to address requirements for second-generation lidar  missions but with advanced capability including:
*	Average output power of 50-100 W at repetition rates of 500-1000 Hz
*	Electrical efficiency 10&#37; from satellite bus power
*	Multiline single-frequency output capability at 1064 nm, 532 nm, and 355 nm
*	Narrow linewidth output in the blue-green region selectable between 450 and 490 nm.

The last feature will allow the transmitter to be used for measurements of deep subsurface ocean scattering, providing unprecedented capability for direct depth-resolved measurements of the ocean ecosystem.
Southwest Sciences proposes to develop small, lightweight, low power instrumentation for the in situ balloon-borne measurement of several trace gases of importance in the atmosphere of Venus.  Using low power vertical cavity diode lasers (VCSELs) at carefully selected wavelengths in the 2400 nm region, the instrument will be capable of simultaneous measurements of carbon monoxide, water vapor, hydrogen fluoride, carbonyl sulfide, and possibly sulfur dioxide. The Phase I effort will concentrate on identifying the best wavelength regions for measurement of multiple trace species with a minimum number of lasers (ideally no more than two), while establishing important design parameters for development of more rugged prototype instrumentation in Phase II.
Based on the sampling requirements, we propose an Inverted Pyramid sampling system. Each face of the pyramid includes a cutting blade which is independently actuated by redundant pyrotechnic actuators. Such sampler shape has a number of advantages. The pyramidal V shape acts as an arrow piercing into the comet surface at a steep angle. The 4 opposing blades offset tangential forces, meaning that only vertical forces would need to be reacted during impact. These forces could be minimized by making the pyramid height low (and in turn the pyramid would be more flat). 
In the latest Decadal Survey, the committee recommended selecting a Comet Surface Sample Return mission as one of the five New Frontiers 4 (NF4) missions, solidifying the importance of studying returned physical samples from a comet. Lunar South Pole-Aitken Basin Sample Return could also benefit from the development of this sampling approach.
The thermal transport requirements for future spacecraft missions continue to increase, approaching several kilowatts. At the same time the heat acquisition areas have trended downward, thereby increasing the incident heat flux. Current incident heat flux for laser diode applications is on the order of 5-10W/cm2, although this is expected to increase towards 50W/cm2. This is a severe limitation for axial groove aluminum/ammonia constant conductance heat pipes (CCHPs). The maximum heat flux in a CCHP is set by the boiling limit, which typically start at 5 W/cm2 for axial grove wicks, and 20-30 W/cm2 for powder metal wicks. The innovation is to develop CCHPs with either a sintered wick, or a hybrid grooved and sintered wick. A hybrid grooved and sintered wick CCHP will allow operating at higher heat fluxes as compared to axial groove design and can also operate against gravity on the planetary surface, operate in space, carrying power over long distances, act as a thermosyphon on the planetary surface for Lunar and Martian landers and rovers, and demonstrate a higher transport capability than an all-sintered wick.
NASA has a critical requirement for a wearable device that can provide objective measures of sleep and activity for its crew during long duration spaceflight. In the proposed program, we will develop an unobtrusive wrist worn monitor that places minimum burden on the crew in operating the device. The device, once worn, requires no action from the crew and automatically records and analyzes actigraphy and sleep data. The device will have battery life of about one year and wireless data transfer so the crew will not be burdened with recharging the device and downloading data from the device. The monitoring device will provide real-time feedback on the level of activity and duration and quality of sleep. The proposed device is based on an existing sleep and activity monitor which we will modify and enhance to make it suitable for use in spaceflight environments. Data format, including epoch length and sleep statistics provided by the proposed system will conform to formats currently used in sleep research. In Phase 1, we will deliver a set of fully functional devices that can be deployed in spaceflight analogs. We will also perform feasibility studies of a Phase 2 unit, which will measure, in addition to sleep, activity and heart rate, other physiological parameters such as heart rate variability, blood pressure, vasoconstriction, pulsewave velocity, and electrodermal activity. Since the work is based on an existing sleep and activity monitoring platform, we expect that the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of the Phase 1 unit to be at 7, and the Phase 2 unit to be at 8.
This proposal presents a hybrid metal-CMC turbine blade.  A SiC/SiC CMC airfoil section will be bonded to a single crystal superalloy root section in order to mitigate risks associated with an all-CMC blade inserted in a superalloy disk.   This allows current blade attachment technology (SX blade with a dovetail attachment to a slotted Ni disk) to be used with a ceramic airfoil.  The bond between the CMC and single crystal will be primarily mechanical in nature, and enhanced with clamping arising from thermal expansion mismatch.  Two single crystal root sections will be bonded to each other using diffusion bonding and/or transient liquid phase bonding at temperatures near 2200 0F.  The single crystals will form a clam shell around the CMC, with little or no gap between the metal and ceramic.  Upon cooling, the metal will shrink around the CMC spar to firmly clamp it. Single crystals will resist stress relaxation at an operating temperature of 1500 0F, thus maintaining clamping loads for long lives.  The use of an inter layer ("compliant layer") between the CMC and the single crystal may also be entertained.   1500 0F is a reasonable upper limit for chemical reactivity issues between the metal and ceramic.
Improvements to solar cell efficiency that is consistent with low cost, high volume fabrication techniques are critical for future NASA space missions. 

In this project, we propose a novel, ultra-thin (UT), Si photovoltaic cell technology that combines enhanced light trapping (LT) and absorption due to nanostructured surfaces, separation of photogenerated carriers by carrier selective contacts (CSC), and increased carrier density due to multiple exciton generation (MEG). Such solar cells have a potential to achieve the efficiencies of 40+&#37;, while being rad-hard, lightweight, flexible, and low&amp;#150;cost, due to use of Si high volume techniques.

CFDRC will partner with the QESST ERC center at Arizona State University (ASU) to develop and demonstrate a novel, ultra-thin, nanostructured Si photovoltaic cell technology.  
Phase I project will include modeling and experimental design, for a UT flexible Si based solar cell, that can achieve &gt;25&#37; AM0 conversion efficiency. Additionally, several approaches will be investigated to improve Si solar cell radiation hardness/tolerance.

In Phase II, the physical mechanisms currently limiting light trapping, open-circuit voltage (Voc), and MEG will be identified, and addressed. The UT rad-hard cell design will be optimized (for &gt; 36&#37; efficiency) and a solar cell will be fabricated and presented for testing.
Accurate estimates of the radiative effects of clouds and aerosols
are essential for an understanding of the Earth's climate system.
Under the EOS program, NASA has placed into orbit a series of satellites
devoted to long term observations of the climate state. Central to the observation of the radiation balance are the CERES instruments that fly on both the Terra (2000-present) and Aqua (2002-present) platforms, each in tandem with a MODIS imager.
Another CERES instrument has been launched (late 2011) upon the Suomi NPP satellite along with the MODIS successor, VIIRS. The CERES mission depends on an aerosol assimilation system to augment information from MODIS-based aerosol inversions and allow for the creation of datasets such as surface radiative fluxes. This project will enhance the existing CERES aerosol assimilation system in several ways.
(1) We will construct assimilation functionality for VIIRS aerosols,
merged MODIS and VIIRS aerosols and potentially aerosol retrievals from other instruments.
(2) To facilitate multi-sensor data assimilation we will create an IDL toolkit, SatelliteDL, for the analysis of satellite Earth observations
from a diverse set of platforms and sensors. The design will feature an abstraction layer that allows for easy inclusion of new datasets in a modular way. The core function of the toolkit will be the spatial and temporal alignment of satellite swath and geostationary data.
(3) We will construct an ensemble Kalman filter aerosol assimilation system. This will allow for robust statistical uncertainty estimates in aerosol quantities of importance to the radiative forcing of the climate.
Two recent advances have made such an approach possible.
First, the MODIS mission has quantified aerosol retrieval uncertainties based on extensive comparisons to surface measurements, and second, the international AeroCom collaboration has established the feasibility of generating aerosol ensembles based on statistical model emulation.
We propose an energy and space efficient high power continuous wave (cw) narrow linewidth broadband fiber Raman amplifier (FRA) with spectrally tunable multi-Watt-level average power output in the near and shortwave infrared (1080 &amp;#150; 2000 nm) that can be used in remote sensing systems on both atmospheric and terrestrial space-borne platforms. The all-fiber amplifier design concept for power amplification of a lower power commercially available tunable laser seed source (master oscillator) uses a single gain stage architecture based on germanosilicate (GeO2-SiO2) fibers specifically designed to suppress stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), one of the main factors limiting the maximum output power from narrow linewidth cw fiber amplifiers. The amplifier will be pumped by a fiber Raman laser whose spectral output can be tuned by compressive fiber Bragg grating technology. For this proposal TIPD will demonstrate power levels beyond what has been previously demonstrated for this technique, necessary for pumping the SBS suppressed gain fiber amplifier stage to its maximum potential output power.  By implementing techniques for suppressing SBS in highly doped germanosilicate fibers it is anticipated that the amplifier wall-plug efficiency will reach 10&#37;. In addition, the single gain stage architecture is compatible with distortion-free amplification of a phase/amplitude modulated seed source, useful for sensors that rely on sophisticated signal processing for detection.  During Phase I, we will validate the broadband FRA proof-of-concept through modeling and benchtop demonstrations of both the power amplifier and tunable pump laser stages. Furthermore, appropriate designs for both the tunable laser source and SBS suppressed germanosilicate gain fibers will be formulated and assessed in terms of performance that best meets the target technical specifications for the FRA for a potential Phase II effort.
Future manned exploration spacecraft will need to operate in challenging thermal environments.  State-of-the-art technology for active thermal control relies on sublimating water ice and venting the vapor overboard in very hot environments.  This approach can lead to large loss of water and a significant mass penalty for the spacecraft.  We propose to develop a Space Evaporator Absorber Radiator (SEAR) that uses heat pumping and energy storage by LiCl/water absorption to enable thermal control without venting water even in the most adverse thermal conditions.  The LiCl absorber technology has the potential to absorb over 800 kJ per kg of system mass, compared to phase change heat sink systems that typically achieve ~50 kJ/kg.  Successful, subscale tests have already shown the potential for significant mass savings and radiator size reduction.  We propose to develop an experimental package that will enable SEAR testing on ISS.  In Phase I we will prove feasibility by assessing thermal environments for future exploration spacecraft, designing the thermal control system, and producing a conceptual design for an ISS test package.  In Phase II we will design, build, and test a prototype experimental package suitable for demonstrating SEAR performance in an ISS internal rack.
Over the past decade, the importance of understanding the sources and sinks of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases has been recognized. A variety of research studies funded by NASA, DOE and NOAA to measure the fluxes of CO2 from average conditions have been performed. In particular, flux measurements of CO2 in the boundary layer are critical toward understanding the carbon budget for this important greenhouse gas.  The World Meteorological Organization has met its goal of 0.1 ppm CO2 accuracy for land based field sensors with gas chromatography and non-dispersive infrared instruments. However, these instruments are poorly suited for UAV use because of their high power requirements, large size and/or weight specifications. This proposal directly addresses NASA's need for high accuracy, UAV-compatible, CO2 instrumentation for their Global Hawk, Sierra, Dragon Eye or other unmanned aircraft. To address the lack of appropriate high accuracy CO2 instrumentation for UAVs, Southwest Sciences proposes to develop a compact, low power, diode laser based instrument designed to achieve dry-air corrected, high accuracy measurements of CO2 .  We will target NASA's desired accuracy of  1 ppm CO2 (~1 part in 400) or better in 1 second using absorption spectroscopy in the 2.7 micron CO2 absorption band.
This project proposes to develop/demonstrate higher strength, low print-through, low mass, discrete core joint design and analysis method for large, lightweight, thermally-stable, composite sub-mm reflectors. Two SMLS reflector demonstrators delivered by Vanguard to JPL were optimized for thermal stability and specific stiffness. The full aperture was divided into three zones where core slots are aligned approximately perpendicular to the reflector skin. This approach was defined and selected based on: 1) a baseline core module; 2) CTE test data indicates the core laminate is anisotropic; and 3) the desire to reduce temperature induced astigmatism by use of alternating core slots. Discrete ribs were bonded up to +/-30? from the front facesheet. The project will evaluate and mature the SMLS design for NASA and JPL. Design modifications will be identified and demonstrated to preserve/improve the previously demonstrated thermal stability and stiffness.
Lightweight, thermally stable, low-cost laminate designs, adhesive materials, and manufacturing methods are required to adequately strengthen rib-to-facesheet butt joints and redistribute local rib-to-facesheet loads. To minimize impact to existing SMLS' demonstration reflector mass and thermal stability, development of a novel, supplementary modular rib/clip and joining method is envisioned.  
The proposed approach will require finite element analyses, design activities, coupon tests, and model-to-test data correlation. Analyses will include modal, acoustic response, and strength evaluation. Potential mass reduction opportunities will be identified.  Existing coupon failure modes will be evaluated and lessons learned applied to enhanced strength joint concepts. Previous demonstration reflector thermal distortion test results and correlation activities will be reviewed to reduce model uncertainty and evaluate the influence of the several types of rib/clip joints on figure change due to temperature soak.
Aerodynamic control surfaces with excessive free-play can cause limit cycle oscillations (LCO), a sustained vibration of constant amplitude that is caused by a combination of aeroservoelastic effects and free-play. The LCO can impact handling qualities, ride quality and can cause structural fatigue, ultimately leading to structural failure. Due to the negative impacts of free-play induced LCO, very stringent absolute free-play limits have been established for control surfaces on both military and commercial aircraft. Systems Technology, Inc. (STI) and Boeing propose to develop an innovative, robust, and reliable active control concept that alleviates the adverse effects of control surface free-play, relieving costly requirements associated with manufacturing, inspection, and part replacement. The solution involves a novel linear fractional transformation framework for relevance to models of varying complexity and a robust control approach that exploits the piecewise-linear nature of the free-play nonlinearity. To aid in control design and to provide practical real-world relevance, a combined analytical and experimental approach is proposed by the STI-Boeing team. The proposed solution is minimally intrusive, providing for application to a wide array of existing and future aircraft (including both high speed fighters and transport aircraft), ultimately resulting in significant cost savings and increased pilot safety.
We propose to design a working prototype Geospatial Decision Support Toolkit (GeoKit) that will enable scientists, agencies, and stakeholders to configure and deploy their own web based applications containing maps, forms, algorithms, and a rich set of functionality related to visualization, analysis, querying, and publication of geospatial data and information. GeoKit will focus on development of a suite of tools that will operate on data, to create rule-based applications for risk analysis, risk mitigation, operations management, and science research support. GeoKit will enhance the the use of data from NASA and other sources, provide a tool for non-software developers to create a website with custom functions and tools that operate on geospatial data, and provide a framework for development of new tools to support risk assessment, risk management, and operational analysis of spatially- explicit data from NASA platforms, climate reanalyses, and user-defined sources, as well as allow real-time publication of results in standard geobrowser compatible formats.
Thick, 3D woven carbon/phenolic composites offer potential improvement over legacy thermal protection systems (TPS) for re-entry vehicle heat shield applications.  However due to the scale and complexity of typical re-entry vehicle structures, it is likely that multiple 3D woven panels would need to laid up to create the overall heat shield, creating a potential weak spots at the panel joints.    T.E.A.M., Inc. proposes to address the joint issue by developing an innovative stitching process capable of forming mechanically reinforced joints between densely woven, 3D carbon fiber pre-forms up to 3" thick.   The Phase I scope will include design, model  and fabrication of multiple stitched joint specimens, which will be tensile tested to characterize relative strengths of various joint configurations as a function of stitching parameters used.  Results will enable calibration of the initial model as well as initial design of a scaled up process capable of producing a full scale, net-shape re-entry vehicle structure within Phase II.
Between 1998 and 2003, Hi-Z Technology developed and built a 40 mW radioisotope power supply (RPS) that used a 1 watt radioisotope heater unit (RHU) as the energy source.  This RPS represented a continuation of 30 years of development that began in the Thermoelectrics Division of General Atomics  in the 1960's.  This system is the most efficient of its size to this day, and has been validated by extensive life testing.  We now propose to devise improvements to the design giving it increased resistance to mechanical shock.  In the Phase I we will conduct simulations to inform a trade study examining multiple options of up to 10,000 G of shock tolerance and up to 40 mW of output power.    We will also build TEM modules for destructive testing to measure mechanical properties.  In Phase II, we will fabricate prototypes that use electric heaters and weights to simulate an RHU.  These will be subjected to shock testing at NASA Ames.  After iterations of design, build and test, we will present a new RPS design that offers valuable new mission capabilities to the space program.
The use of automated robotic tooling is required in a number of space missions. It is possible to have better tool control if the robotic arm could report loads experienced by the tooling. ATI Industrial Automation proposes to develop and prove technologies to be used in a low weight, low outgassing multi-axis force and torque transducer that can be used at cryogenic temperatures. The transducer will require strain gage excitation electrical power and output strain gage level voltage signals. These signals can be digitized and then mathematically transformed into values that represent the transducer's loads as forces in the X, Y, and Z axes and torques about the X, Y, and Z axes. The primary goal of this phase I proposal is to develop, produce, and characterize a proof of concept simplified transducer that can survive the harsh environments expected to be encountered on a Mars lander mission.

The technical objectives are:
1. A transducer element capable of surviving temperatures from -135&amp;#176;C to +125&amp;#176;C.
2. The transducer element in objective 1 with temperature compensation to minimize span and offset drift from -80&amp;#176;C to +70&amp;#176;C.
3. The transducer element in objective 2 constructed so that it will sense properly in an atmospheric vacuum of 1E-5 torr.
4. The transducer element in objective 3 made of low-outgassing materials that are compatible with an interplanetary sample-collecting mission.
5. The transducer element in objective 4 constructed so it can survive vibrations of a rocket launch.
6. The transducer element in objective 5 instrumented with redundant sets of strain gages.

Two transducers will be built and tested: one with foil strain gages and one with silicon strain gages.
Optical Physics Company (OPC) proposes to develop a high accuracy version of its interferometric star tracker capable of meeting the milli-arcsecond-level pointing requirements.  Such high accuracy tracker can be used for precision pointing of the large telescope, and can permit open-loop pointing of  narrow-beam laser signals. The latter can enable deep-space lasercom missions without the technical and operational complexity of a ground based beacon.  OPC has already built multiple versions of this star tracker for several applications for various DoD customers.  Current technical maturity of the star tracker is TRL 5- which is expected to advance to TRL 6 during the proposed Phase I project due to space readiness and flight tests under parallel efforts.    During the proposed Phase I effort, OPC will first develop requirements.  This will be followed by design trades and formulation of a detailed design.  Phase I will conclude with a Preliminary Design Review (PDR).  During Phase II, the design will be advanced to the Critical Design Review (CDR) level and a prototype will be built and tested.  Given that the existing baseline designs for OPC's visible and SWIR band interferometric star trackers are at TRL 5, OPC has a head start.
Optical Physics Company (OPC) proposes to adapt the precision star tracker it is currently developing under several DoD contracts for deep space lasercom beam pointing applications.  The advantages of using an interferometric star tracker for beam pointing are numerous, these include the following: 

1.	Celestial reference based beam pointing eliminates need for having a ground based beacon for return beam pointing.  

2.	Precision star tracker can be part of the spacecraft attitude control subsystem, thus allowing a single high performance instrument to support both attitude control and lasercom beam pointing functions.  

3.	By allowing the lasercom system to point with a faint beacon and/or weak stars, the same lasercom system architecture can be employed for both deep space flight terminal and the near-Earth terminals operational from near orbit to very deep space mission.

The Phase I effort will be a firm foundation for Phase II:  We will not only have developed the concept and the design of the Precision Pointing Platform but also validated the functionality and performance using detailed simulation that includes models of the active isolators and the jitter environment with high fidelity.  The simulation will use a realistic star background.  Furthermore, Phase I work will also produce a pointing error budget that takes into consideration effects of SNR, unrejected platform jitter, alignment errors and optical fabrication errors.
To address NASA need for sustainable space operations and full utilization of the International Space Station (ISS) and specifically to advance the "Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems and Manufacturing" Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Universal Orbital Material Processing Module (UniMatPro), an orbital scientific payload that will be capable of optical fiber draw on board ISS. The specific product of this development is "ZBLAN", an optical fiber based on a fluoride glass composition. Due to its unique transmission from ultraviolet to midwave infrared, ZBLAN has immediate applications ranging from medical fiber lasers to military airplane countermeasures. ZBLAN glass and glass fibers, when produced on Earth, exhibit excessive insertion loss due to crystallization; however, this crystallization can be suppressed in zero gravity. Low down-mass and the high value of low-loss ZBLAN fiber make it an ideal candidate for commercial ISS utilization. In Phase I POC will design the processing unit for ZBLAN fiber manufacturing on the ISS based on a novel draw process without recoating. We will demonstrate the feasibility of battery-powered wireless operation for a TRL-4 prototype, achieving TRL 6-8 by the end of Phase II, followed by an opportunity to expand the UniMatPro module utilization for processing other prospective materials.
Sealing glasses, either rigid glass-ceramics or viscous, non-crystallizing compositions, will be developed and sealing processes will be optimized based on NASA's solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) designs. SOFC design constraints, including material selection and operational conditions, will guide compositional development, and then these new compositions will be used for long-term (&gt;500 hours) material compatibility tests under SOFC operational conditions. Prototype seals will be produced and will be thermally cycled between room temperature and 850&amp;#176;C to test the thermo-mechanical compatibility of the sealing materials with SOFC components. At the end of this Phase I project, sealing compositions and processes will be identified for SOFC applications identified by NASA.
Closed wind tunnel beamforming for aeroacoustics has become more and more prevalent in recent years. Still, there are major drawbacks as current microphone arrays are rather larger and hard to install and conventional beamforming and deconvolution techniques do not work well in low signal-to-noise environments. Outlined in the proposal is a phased airfoil imaging microphone array located inside the wind tunnel which utilizes Functional Beamforming, a modification of conventional beamforming. A completed unit would be comprised of several airfoils with microphones placed in a linear fashion along the leading edges. Functional Beamforming is a breakthrough algorithm that will allow for much better beamform mapping with much smaller arrays than what is currently available. Because of the potential small size of the array, it would be easy to install and implement. Placing the array in the tunnel also allows for numerous viewing angles of the test models as opposed to a single view provided by wall arrays. Phase I will focus on designing, building, and testing the multi-arm airfoil array to troubleshoot operation and eliminate showstoppers. Functional Beamforming software is currently available and does not require further development the rights of which are owned by OptiNav, inc. The PI has a plethora of experience and knowledge in acoustical testing and phased imaging arrays and was a key investigator in early closed wind tunnel acoustical testing. The proposal outlines a work plan which includes testing in the Kirsten Wind Tunnel at the University of Washington which has already agreed to support the tests.
Mesa Photonics proposes to develop an Airborne Multi-Gas Sensor (AMUGS) based upon two-tone, frequency modulation spectroscopy (TT-FMS). Mesa Photonics has developed a fiber-coupled implementation of TT-FMS that leverages telecommunications lasers as sources and WiFi electronics for signal processing. With this approach, sensitive trace gas detection in a robust, compact and low-power package has been achieved. In work to-date, we have demonstrated the capability of this TT-FMS concept in a single channel. In the proposed project, we aim to demonstrate multiplexing of TT-FMS to provide simultaneous, real-time measurement of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). In addition to demonstrating the extensibility of TT-FMS, the Phase I project would address key performance limitations encountered in early feasibility work. 

The objectives of Phase I are to:
 - Implement and test polarization management during phase modulation to reduce baseline variation induced by observed in previous work,
 - Build a two-channel TT-FMS with breadboard components,
 - Establish baseline (single-channel) performance of TT-FMS when polarization maintaining phase modulation is included,
 - Calibrate and evaluate the full AMGUS (two-channel, TT-FMS) apparatus.

Accomplishment of Phase I objectives would yield a benchtop technology ready for transition to a UAV-compatible AMUGS prototype in Phase II.
The IDA4D and AMIE data assimilation methods are currently of limited use for real-time space weather applications because either they don't run in real-time (IDA4D) or the real-time version (AMIE) does not ingest the full complement of data needed to provide high fidelity outputs. To correct this situation, in Phase-I, we propose to demonstrate the feasibility of augmenting these algorithms so that they run in real-time, with the full complement of available data for ingestion. In Phase-I we will establish detailed system performance requirements and conceptual designs that will drive the development efforts to be performed in Phase-II. This will include constraints such as the size and resource expectations for the codes, as well as the necessary interfaces and resources for the collection and storage of data sets to be used in the assimilation, and how to respond to missing or corrupted data. An assessment of costs to build a real-time assimilative modeling capability using IDA4D and AMIE, and the cost to maintain and upgrade in the future will also be provided. The research conducted in phase-i will show a clear path towards a phase II prototype demonstration.  In future Phase-II work, ASTRA will implement the augmentation of the existing IDA4D and AMIE algorithms to real-time operations, based on the conceptual designs and requirements established in Phase-I. Each requirement will be associated with a method of verification to be implemented in Phase II. The resulting data assimilative algorithms will be transferred to NASA, where they will be transformative for space weather operations. This innovation will enable the development of near real-time data-assimilative models and tools, for both solar quiet and active times, which allow for precise specification and forecasts of the space environment, beginning with solar eruptions and propagation, and including ionospheric electron density specification.
The Holomorphic Embedding Load Flow Method (HELM) is a breakthrough that brings significant advances to the field of power systems.  It provides a non-iterative procedure to compute, with mathematically proven guarantees even near voltage collapse, the correct operative power flow solution, to the desired accuracy. Unlike iterative methods, which are inherently prone to non-deterministic convergence failures, HELM can be used as the fundamental block for building reliable real-time network applications. The most advanced applications, which rely on optimal search techniques in the state-space of the power system and perform thousands of exploratory power flows, would be unfeasible with any of the iterative methods. This proposal addresses one of the needs of Topic S3.03, namely the need for intelligent, fault-tolerant PMAD technologies to efficiently manage system power for deep space missions. It does so at a foundational level, as it lays down the algorithmic technology that will enable a new class of real-time intelligent algorithms based on reliable, model-based computation. An example of this in terrestrial grids, which has been proven in actual deployments at some large utilities, is a Restoration plan builder, able to compute detailed restoration plans in real time, equaling or surpassing the abilities of human operators. The approach for Phase I consists in applying the new HELM power flow technology to the relevant models for the micro-grids present on current and projected spacecraft power systems, validating and benchmarking the simulation results against other current power flow technologies. This will demonstrate how this technology is better than the state of the art. By highlighting the mathematical properties of the method (unequivocal results, 100&#37; reliability) on the models specific to autonomous DC spacecraft, we will establish the validity and also the status of HELM as the building block of future intelligent applications.
Legacy refractory materials that have origins dating to the original Saturn program are commonly used in current launch facilities. Although they fail to meet the target requirements, they are the only approved material.  Our research team has demonstrated a baseline system during the Phase I effort that combines a non-cement binder, a high temperature macro aggregate, and reactive nano aggregates to produce an  Ultra High Temperature Refractory (UHTR).  Our UHTR system has sustained short term exposures to 3000C in a laboratory test and excellent resistance to environmental aging.  The Phase II effort will optimize the mechanical and thermal behavior based on rocket plume exposure testing.
This Phase I SBIR proposes to develop high performance (low dark current, high quantum efficiency, and low NEdT) infrared epitaxy materials based on Type II Strained Layer Superlattice (SLS) for large format space-based sensor applications. The epi materials will be grown with Sb-capable multi-wafer production Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) reactor at IntelliEPI-IR.  The initial goal includes achieving QE of at least 30&#37; with LWIR spectral wavelength band near 12 &amp;#956;m.  The SLS detector design will be done in collaboration with Dr. Sarath Gunapla's infrared device group at JPL to ensure that the effort addresses NASA needs.  Successful device architecture shorter wavlengths will be evolved to longer wave large-format application.  If successful, a Focal Plane Array may be fabricated during Phase II.
The overall goal of the project is to develop reliable reduced order modeling technologies to automatically generate nonlinear, parameter-varying (PV), aeroservoelastic (ASE) reduced-order models (ROMs) for aerostructural sensing and control. The Phase I effort will focus on developing several key engines, including parameter-varying aerodynamic ROMs (AeroROM), structural dynamics ROM, as well as a scheme to integrate the AeroROM, structural ROM, sensor, actuator, and control law for integrated ASE analysis in the entire flight envelope. A modular software framework will be established for automated data exchange, PV AeroROM and structural ROM generation, ROM integration, computation, and verification. The feasibility of the proposed technology will be demonstrated for several ASE test problems of NASA interest (e.g., Aerostructures Test Wing and X-56A MUTT). The Phase II effort will focus on: (1) ROM engine optimization in terms of functionality, execution efficiency, and automated parameter selection; and (2) software environment enhancements with direct interfacing to NASA-relevant simulation and controller design tools, and fully automated ROM process for technology insertion and transition; and (3) extensive software validation and demonstration for ASE and flight control analysis of realistic aircrafts of current NASA interest.
Planned future NASA missions in astrophysics will push the state of the art in current opto-mechanical technologies. Specifically, precision deployable structures will be required to facilitate large aperture deployable optical telescopes given current and foreseeable payload volumes. Fundamental to these deployable structures are enabling components that are capable of precise, repeatable deployments and that are stable in the orbital environment.
MMA Design LLC proposes to advance the state of the art in highly reliable and cost effective deployable optical systems by developing precision mobile-joint and latching technologies that are integral to a deployable optical telescope. This proposal focuses on research and development of innovative precision deployment technologies that initially target a 6U CubeSat to ESPA-class optical platform but that are highly scalable to 16 meter class or larger optical systems.
The primary innovations in the development of the proposed precision deployable technologies include:
?	Scalable System Design &amp;#150; The deployable system and components can be proportionally scaled to accommodate larger aperture systems.
?	Repeatable Multiple Degree-of-Freedom Joints &amp;#150; Use of flexible elements and preloading of movable parts enables deployment repeatability and precision.
?	High Performance at lower cost &amp;#150; The proposed approach utilizes innovative concepts for latching and joint mobility that will yield significant improvements in performance at lower system cost.
The proposed innovation is a methodology for advanced process control and deposition analysis built around using signals generated by beam-component interactions in the Electron Beam Free Form Fabrication (EBF3) system. These signals have the potential to be used for many forms of both metrology and process control. While many material properties might be studied by using this interaction, our initial focus is an investigation into beam and sensor characteristics for geometric analysis of the deposition.    Signals derived from the electron beam-component interaction could offer spatially resolved dimensional information about the deposited material, as it is being deposited. This is important, as the ability to monitor a parameter during deposition creates the possibility of controlling that parameter during the deposition process.    As a further refinement, the ability to collect and store a spatially resolved pass-by-pass map of the deposition path geometry may have value in on-the-fly adjustments to subsequent build passes. Such mapping would allow working with the layer-by-layer nature of the deposition process to fine tune the deposition geometry. Such spatially resolved, layer-by-layer deposition mapping could also be stored, giving a three dimensional mapping of the as-built deposition path geometry. This could prove valuable for component quality assurance.
The proposed project aims to develop a multi-channel analog to digital converter (ADC) required for a fluxgate magnetometer (EPD) employed on NASA's planetary exploration missions. The ADC has to feature very high resolution, radiation hardness (tolerance to SEE and TID), low power consumption and be suitable for operation over a wide temperature range.
The proposed 3-channel sigma-delta ADC will be a wide-tunable device which will achieve resolution from 17 to 23.5 effective number of bits (ENOB) at 51.2kS/s rate. The combination of the innovative reconfigurable architecture and low distortion topology will permit to optimize the ADC's power consumption within a wide range and to ensure 3.5fJ figure of merit (FoM). The offset cancellation technique will be implemented to the ADC to solve the offset problem common to all magnetometers. Radiation hardening techniques such as RHBD, RHBL and RHBS will be employed. The proposed novel 17-level sub-ADC's topology requires two times fewer comparators than classic topology, which also helps to save power and to reduce the on-chip area. The ADC will be implemented using IBM's deep submicron SOI CMOS technology with connected body option.
Phase I work will provide the proof of feasibility of implementing the proposed ADC. Phase II will result in the silicon proven ADC's prototypes being ready for commercialization in Phase III.
In response to NASA SBIR solicitation H3.01 "Thermal Control for Future Human Exploration", Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is proposing a novel Phase Change Material (PCM) vapor chamber to ameliorate the temperature fluctuations encountered during planetary (or lunar) orbit.  The PCM vapor chamber will consist of a packed bed of micro-encapsulated PCM beads surrounded by a two-phase working fluid.  The PCM beads will act as both a highly efficient thermal storage medium, as well as a wick structure for capillary pumping of the two-phase working fluid.  The two-phase heat transfer by the working fluid increases the effective thermal conductivity of the PCM by a factor of 1000 or more.  This approach eliminates the need for embedding thermally conductive metal fins or carbon foam, which typically consume at least 50&#37; of the system mass in traditional PCM heat exchangers.  The PCM vapor chamber not only has the potential to exceed a 2/3 PCM mass ratio using paraffin wax, but also provides several advantages over the state-of-the-art, water-based PCM heat exchangers.  The concept proposed by ACT will eliminate the need for metal fins and foams, and significantly reduce the mass of non-PCM materials.  In addition, the PCM vapor chamber can serve as either a stand-alone thermal capacitor or a dual thermal capacitor/heat exchanger.
Space structures are unique in that once they are deployed, there is little to no opportunity for manual inspection to assess their integrity.  Even on the space station, where there is a continuous human presence, traditional non-destructive evaluation (NDE) is impractical due to complexity of necessitating a space-walk, not to mention the training required to obtain meaningful results. These structures are subject to damage caused by the extreme launch environment, micrometeorite and orbital debris (MMOD) impact, thermal cycling and even atomic-level corrosion.  Nevertheless, it is desirable for space structures to be designed with as small safety margins as possible due to the significant cost of placing objects into space.  Therefore, NASA seeks reliable structural health monitoring (SHM) techniques to be able to remotely inspect space structures.  Such a system could be used as an early warning system for manned space missions, to indicate when a critical repair may need to be conducted, or an emergency abort event is necessitated.  MDC proposes the use of a conformal CNT applique for providing SHM capabilities to space structures while only adding 10 GSM mass and 100 micron thickness.  Four separate detection methods will be demonstrated using the multi-physics properties of this unique material.
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Software for processing time series of satellite remote sensing data was packaged together with a computer code that uses web services to download the data sets from a NASA data archive and distribution system. The new application package was able to be quickly deployed on a cloud computing platform when, and &lt;em&gt;only for as long as&lt;/em&gt;, processing of the time series data is required to support emergency response. Fast network connection between the cloud system and the data archive enabled remote processing of the satellite data without the need for downloading the input data to a local computer system: only the output data products are transferred for further analysis.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;NASA was a pioneer in cloud computing by having established its own private cloud computing data center called Nebula in 2009 at the Ames Research Center (Ames). Nebula provided high-capacity computing and data storage services to NASA Centers, Mission Directorates, and external customers. In 2012, NASA shut down Nebula based on the results of a 5-month test that benchmarked Nebula&amp;rsquo;s capabilities against those of Amazon and Microsoft. The test found that public clouds were more reliable and cost effective and offered much greater computing capacity and better IT support services than Nebula.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
Instrument Incubator Program
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;The project determined specific performance metrics and discrete technology development goals with which to gage proposed investments in ground propellant systems operations at SSC.&amp;nbsp; Historical center studies/investigations were examined and surveyed on hydrogen and helium conservation and recovery. Additionally, a base analytic model of the Liquid Hydrogen (LH2) propellant tank at SSC&amp;rsquo;s E1 test facility was developed and documented using Thermal Desktop&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;reg;/&lt;strong&gt;FlowCAD&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt; &lt;em&gt;FloCAD&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;strong&gt; is a &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Thermal Desktop&lt;/em&gt;&amp;reg;&lt;strong&gt; module that allows a user to develop and integrate both fluid and &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;thermal&lt;/em&gt;&lt;strong&gt; systems within a CAD based environment.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;AIM 1. Refine ultrasound probes to detect, reposition, and fragment kidney stones. Task 1.1. Select imaging probe for stone repositioning. Clinical trials are underway with the C5-2 probe of ISS Ultrasound 1. Awaiting delivery of probe to be used with NASA FUS-GDU. Task 1.2. Custom design probe to image, reposition, and fragment stones. Developed and tested probe. Integrating probe with FUS and modifying imaging portion to be smaller.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AIM 2. Validate probes to visualize, reposition, and fragment stones. Task 2.1. Validate capability to displace an obstructing stone. Pursuing initial test in current clinical trial and applying for follow-on trial. Pre-clinical investigations of safety and effectiveness conducted with upgraded outputs. Task 2.2. Validate capability to displace a ureter stone. Followed schedule and did not pursue in year 1. Task 2.3. Validate capability to comminute a stone. Invented, patented, and reported burst wave lithotripsy BWL. Appears to have faster comminution than SWL, comminute stones that are difficult to break with SWL, have effectiveness and safety feedback, and be operable in a safe range. Task 2.4. Validate capability to expel a stone attached to tissue. Enhanced outputs and developed BWL to address this task. Testing underway.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;AIM 3. Refine and validate imaging to guide therapy. Task 3.1. Refine and validate capability to measure stone size. Reported and patented significant enhancement with our technology and technique. Task 3.2. Refine capability to localize a stone. Initiated clinical validation now at the end of year 1. Task 3.3. Refine and validate capability to detect a ureter stone. Followed schedule and did not pursue in year 1.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Several manuscripts have been submitted or are in final preparation for submission from the Phase I data. Phase II has been completed, with a total of 12 subjects finishing the protocol. Each subject attempted to complete 9 laps of our obstacle course at two different paces; one representing the average pace of the Apollo astronauts during lunar EVAs (VO2 of ~20 ml/kg/min) and one at an estimated suited Martian cost of 30 ml/kg/min. All subjects were able to complete the course at the Lunar pace. However, at the Martian pace, 5 of the 12 subjects failed ~ lap 5. Subjects who completed the Martian pace had a VO2max on average of 44.3 &amp;plusmn; 5.0 ml/kg/min, while the 5 who failed (3 men, 2 women) had a VO2max of 36.8 &amp;plusmn; 2.9 ml/kg/min. Further, the Martian pace was likely at or above the critical speed of the subjects who failed. EMG and Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (NIRS) signals differed by pace, but were not different between those who successfully completed both paces and those who failed at the Martian pace. Initial analysis of EMG and NIRS data failed to find any differences in the responses between those that failed and those that successfully completed the 9 laps. These results are being written up for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In addition, the hoist suspension system is operational to the point of being able to conduct pilot experiments. We have acquired preliminary VO2 responses during ambulation at 3 mph under 1-g, Martian (3/8-g), and Lunar (1/6-g) offloading. In addition, during the Lunar offloading, subjects naturally and unconsciously assumed an almost skipping stride pattern, very similar to that adopted by the Apollo astronauts during lunar EVAs.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Project uses short-duration activities to establish early-stage concept and technology feasibility for high-potential solutions. Internal teams propose ideas for overcoming key barriers associated with large-scale aeronautics problems associated with ARMD&amp;rsquo;s six strategic thrusts. The teams will conduct initial feasibility studies, perform experiments, try out new ideas, identify failures, and try again. At the end of the cycle, a review determines whether the developed solutions have met their goals, established initial feasibility, and identified potential for future aviation impact. During these reviews, the most promising capabilities will be considered for continued development further by other ARMD programs or by direct transfer to the aviation community. In the dynamic environment of new ideas, ARMD also gains significant value from the knowledge gained in activities that do not proceed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In order to enable new capabilities in commercial aviation, the CAS Project&amp;rsquo;s focus is on merging traditional aeronautics disciplines with advancements driven by the non-aeronautics world.&amp;nbsp; The Project will draw on external collaborators to supplement in-house NASA expertise in technologies and disciplines that broadly support advancements in all ARMD strategic thrusts.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The LEARN Project explores the creation of novel concepts and processes with the potential to create new capabilities in aeronautics research through awards to the external community including university and industry teams. The LEARN Project incorporates a competitive review process of the external teams&amp;rsquo; proposals to develop integrated solutions for complex technical problems captured in the ARMD strategic thrusts, followed by short duration activities for feasibility assessment. Follow-on phases of the most promising ideas are also funded. LEARN also utilizes challenges and prizes to the external community.&amp;nbsp; With these processes, NASA funds also help catalyze investments from the aerospace and non-aerospace communities toward solving problems aligned with NASA interests.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI) has been established to achieve the LEARN Project&amp;rsquo;s goals.&amp;nbsp; NARI will complement other ARMD efforts in seeking early-stage innovative concepts applicable to a broad spectrum of aeronautical challenges in the nation&amp;rsquo;s air transportation system by sponsoring research solicitations and by hosting future competitive challenges. The Institute will coordinate these efforts and communicate the outcome of the research conducted to interested parties both internal and external to NASA. ARMD&amp;rsquo;s goal is to mature the new concepts in order to infuse them into current ARMD research programs, to enable new avenues of aeronautics research that are not currently supported by ARMD program and project funds, or to achieve practical application by the aeronautics community.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Strategic Technology Development&lt;/p&gt;
Physics of the Cosmos Program
&lt;p&gt;
	Strategic Technology Development for COR future projects.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;The Variable Vector Countermeasure Suit (V2Suit) is a specialized spacesuit designed to keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space exploration missions and help stabilize them while they work in microgravity. The initial V2Suit prototype will integrate gyroscopes and accelerometers to track the position and orientation of body segments and use flywheels to provide a &amp;ldquo;viscous resistance&amp;rdquo; during movements to replicate the sensation of gravity during movements in 0-G.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Similar to the concept seen in recent &amp;lsquo;Transformers&amp;rsquo; movies, this work explores how reconfigurability can enable mobility across diverse, uncertain terrains. Beyond sensing and controls challenges, there has been little work done exploring the application of transformative reconfigurations that deviate from traditional wheeled-rover design. Investigation of real-time repeatable, reversible changes in physical configuration will yield solutions capable of significant changes to system form. Outcomes from this work will include identifying technologies that facilitate reconfigurability, assessing their strengths and limitations, and developing proof-of-concept prototypes. (This is a project within the NASA Innovative Advanced, NIAC, program.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	This concept addresses the fact that space exploration is costly, primarily due to our current need to bring everything with us from the Earth&amp;rsquo;s surface. Truly robust and affordable space exploration will require that we use all the available resources we can find in space. The plasma wave concept deals with two facts: 1. Many planets, and the Sun, possess an ambient environment of magnetic fields and plasmas 2. Plasmas with magnetic fields can support a variety of waves, which transmit energy and or pressure, like light or sound waves. Many of these waves are at radio frequencies (kHz to MHz), and can be generated using the appropriate antenna. &amp;quot;Appropriate&amp;quot; means the right size and shape. Plasma waves are considered in fusion power systems, semiconductor manufacturing, and in some very theoretical electric propulsion thrusters, such as VASIMR, which still must carry its own propellant. In contrast, this concept simply uses an on-board power supply and antenna on a vehicle that operates in the existing plasma. The spacecraft beams plasma waves in one direction with the antenna, which would generate momentum that could propel the vehicle in the other direction without using any propellant on the space ship. Such a system could maneuver in the plasma environment for as long as its power supply lasted, without needing to be refueled. One particular wave to consider is the Alfven wave, which propagates in magnetized plasmas and has been observed occurring naturally in space.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	The amount of debris in low Earth orbit (LEO) has increased rapidly over the last twenty years. This prevalence of debris increases the likelihood of cascading collisions that cause the debris generation rate to outstrip the rate at which debris deorbits, falling into the atmosphere and burning up. This accumulation creates debris belts that render many orbits unusable. Current strategies emphasize debris mitigation, as there is no practical method for debris removal. Raytheon BBN Technologies (BBN) and the University of Michigan will study the Space Debris Elimination (SpaDE) system to remove debris from orbit by firing focused pulses of atmospheric gases into the path of targeted debris. These pulses will increase drag sufficiently to cause the deorbit rate to exceed the debris generation rate. The pulses themselves will fall back into the atmosphere, leaving no residual trace in orbit to interfere with LEO satellites. In contrast to other proposed methods, SpaDE is failsafe, in that it places no solid material in orbit where a malfunction could create new debris. This project will conduct technology risk reduction analyses and modeling. The research will produce an academic paper and presentation describing the technical results and providing the foundation for future work, to include prototyping, field experiments and ultimately deployment of a SpaDE system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	High-mass planetary surface access is one of NASA&amp;rsquo;s Grand Challenges involving entry, descent and landing (EDL). During the entry and descent phase, frictional interaction with the planetary atmosphere causes a heat build-up to occur on the spacecraft which will rapidly destroy it if a heat shield is not used. However, the heat shield incurs a mass penalty because it must be launched from Earth with the spacecraft, thus consuming a lot of precious propellant. This project proposes to fabricate entry heat shields from the regolith of moons and asteroids. This in situ heat shield fabrication can save tons of mass (and millions of dollars in cost) that has to be transported from Earth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	This study will investigate the development of an atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion solar-powered vehicle to explore planets such as Mars. The vehicle would use atmospheric gas for propellant, eliminating the need to launch and carry the propellant from Earth. The propulsion thruster would be electric where the gas is ionized in a plasma and accelerated by electromagnetic fields. The combination of high efficiency and high specific impulse of the electric propulsion thruster and free propellant in-situ will result in an exciting and enabling technology. At the completion of this development, NASA will be able to perform missions of extended lifetime and capabilities beyond those available by typical chemical rockets. Phase I will formulate feasibility of the concept through modeling, calculations and preliminary laboratory experiments and push validity into Phase II research.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Almost all robotic space exploration missions and all Apollo missions to the moon used Radioisotopic Thermoelectric Generators (RTGs) to provide electrical power to instruments. The RTGs rely on the conversion of the heat produced by the radioactive decay of an isotope of plutonium (Pu-238) to electricity. Unfortunately, the supply of Pu-238 is about to run out. Developing a reliable supply of Pu-238 is crucial to almost all future space missions. We propose to investigate an economical production method for Pu-238 that will allow NASA or a private venture to produce several kilograms per year without the need for large government investment. The Center for Space Nuclear Research will evaluate the production rate in a commercial nuclear reactor, optimize the transit times of the target material in the reactor, assess costs of facilities to produce the isotopes, and estimate any costs to handle the waste stream from the process.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Economically viable and reliable building systems and tool sets are being sought, examined, and tested for extraterrestrial habitat and infrastructure buildup. This proposal uses a unique architecture weaving an automated building technology called Contour Crafting with designs for assisting rapid buildup of an initial operational capability lunar base. Using CC technology, this proposal intends to draw up a detailed plan for a high-fidelity simulation at NASA&amp;rsquo;s Desert Research and Technology Studies (D-RATS) facility, to construct certain crucial infrastructure elements in order to evaluate the merits, limitations, and feasibility of adapting and using the CC technology for extraterrestrial application. Elements suggested to be built and tested include roads, landing pads and aprons, shade walls, dust barriers, thermal and mm protection shields and dust-free platforms as well as other built-up structures utilizing the well known in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) strategy. Several unique systems including the Lunar Electric Rover, the unpressurized Chariot rover, the versatile light-weight crane, and Tri-Athlete cargo transporter as well as the habitat module mockups and a new generation of spacesuits are undergoing coordinated tests at NASA&amp;rsquo;s D-RATS. This proposal intends to draw up a detailed synergetic plan to utilize these maturing systems coupled with the CC fabrication technology, tailored for swift and reliable lunar infrastructure development. This proposal intends to increase astronaut safety, improve buildup performance, ameliorate lunar dust interference and concerns, and attempts to reduce time-to-commission, all in an economic manner. As part of this proposal, a figure-of-merit methodology will be created and employed to gain some quantitative insight into the efficiency of using the CC technology to augment these other systems already in place.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	The objective of this effort is to develop a mission architecture that allows the systematic and affordable in situ exploration of small Solar System bodies (such as asteroids, comets, and Martian moons); the exploration of these objects would significantly contribute to constrain the Solar system origin and its early evolution, would allow the evaluation of small bodies&amp;#39; potential for in situ resource utilization in view of future manned missions, and would allow the assessment of the astrobiological relevance of different small bodies&amp;#39; populations. The proposed mission architecture stems from a paradigm-shifting approach whereby small bodies&amp;#39; low gravity is directly exploited in the design process, rather than being faced as a constraint. At a general level, a mother spacecraft deploys on the surface of a small body one or more mobility platforms, each sealed in one enclosure and with minimal internal actuation (critically enabled by the micro-gravity environment). Each mobility platform can perform either 1) long excursions (by hopping), or 2) short traverses to specific locations (through a sequence of controlled &amp;quot;tumbles&amp;quot;), or 3) high-altitude, attitude-controlled ballistic flight (akin to spacecraft flight). The proposed robotic platforms would behave as spacecraft/rover hybrids, capable of accessing most destinations on virtually any small body. The minimalism and motion capabilities of such spacecraft/rover hybrids would allow multi-asset missions where not only specific targets on small bodies&amp;#39; surface could be closely observed, sampled, and cached, but also high-risk, high-payoff measurements could be taken (since the loss of one hybrid would not spell the end of the mission).&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Fabrication of large space optics that are accurately shaped to better than a 1,000th of the width of a human hair is an enormous challenge. Traditional space telescope fabrication methods require rigid and therefore heavy mirrors, expensive spacecraft and massive rocket launch vehicles. This breakthrough technology allows every molecule of a polymer substrate to also serve as a laser powered nano-actuator. These molecules are used to control the shape of a super thin inexpensive large curved mirror, reducing cost and mass by a factor of 100. The NIAC telescope OCCAM mirror will be less dense than a feather.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Description: building a small microrover that employs energy generated by a bacterial source Objective: investigate the usability of a microbial fuel cell to power a small microrover, design low-power electronics for effective power management, and develop an efficient low-power non-traditional locomotion system to propel the light-weight vehicle forward The Naval Research Lab is developing a 1 kilogram microrover that utilizes a novel power system concept &amp;ndash; bacteria! Certain microbes can be harvested to effectively change chemical sugars into electricity through a fuel cell, which can provide a higher power density than a traditional lithium-ion battery. This process will be used to slowly build up a storage of electricity, which will provide a burst of energy to the vehicle&amp;rsquo;s novel hopping or rolling mobility system. In this Phase I study, the study team will investigate the usability of a microbial fuel cell to power a small microrover, design low-power electronics for effective power management of this system, and develop an efficient low-power non-traditional locomotion system to propel the lightweight vehicle forward. Small microrovers with this power system could one day support long-duration research studies on planetary surfaces without the need for large solar panels or complex power systems. (This is a project within the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts, NIAC, program.)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	The future of manned space exploration and development of space depends critically on the creation of a vastly more efficient propulsion architecture for in-space transportation. Nuclear-powered rockets can provide the large energy density gain required. A small scale, low cost path to fusion-based propulsion is to be investigated. It is accomplished by employing the propellant to compress and heat a magnetized plasma to fusion conditions, and thereby channel the fusion energy released into heating only the propellant. Passage of the hot propellant through a magnetic nozzle rapidly converts this thermal energy into both directed (propulsive) energy and electrical energy.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Ghost imaging is an optical imaging technique that utilizes the correlations between optical fields in two channels. One of the channels contains the object, however lacks any spatial resolution. In the other, empty channel a space-resolving optical detection is allowed. The image is reconstructed by correlating the signals from two channels. In the original implementation, the channels had to be coupled to quantum-correlated (entangled) optical fields. Later it was shown that this approach could also work with ordinary thermal light (e.g., star light), which also possesses correlation properties. However the ghost imaging geometry remains poorly compatible with the imaging of astronomical objects. Specifically, creating the correlated optical channels requires a beam splitter to be placed between the source and the object. The study team recently re-examined this requirement and found a possibility to avoid it, therefore potentially opening the doors to the ghost-imaging of distant objects using natural light. The key to the proposed approach is the understanding that an optical mode can be coupled in two channels not only by splitting its amplitude with a beam splitter, but also by sub-mode detection, which occurs naturally when the object is smaller than the transverse coherence length. In Phase-I the team will discuss the requirements arising for this type of ghost imaging and theoretically validate the novel approach.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Phase 1 of this study intends to leverage advances in laser optical trapping technology in order to study the feasibility of a system that could remotely capture a quantity of particulates over a period of time. These particulates would be delivered to instruments on a spacecraft or lander for continual analysis. Therefore, instead of recording data from one pass of an orbiter or being at the mercy of a solid sample inlet, scientists could choose their targets over a wider range, bringing significantly more value to planetary missions.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	This study seeks to look beyond the use of radiation pressure for thrust, and to explore a means of solar navigation whereby a solar craft would be steered by use of radiation pressure. The idea is based on a recent discovery by the study team. They found that transparent refractive objects may settle into a position where they feel a force that is perpendicular to the incoming light direction. This transverse force is akin to the lift experience by an airplane wing and other airfoils. Thus they call it &amp;ldquo;optical lift.&amp;rdquo; Objects in their experiments simultaneously thrust forward. The combination of lift and thrust allows for the optical steering of optical wings. In the coming year they will conduct experiments and computer modeling to advance this discovery for future space missions employing solar sails. The long-term goal is to devise a means to allow solar sails to navigate through space using only the power of sunlight. In the short term they will design and fabricate small-scale arrays of optical wings and test them in the laboratory to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. They will also perform numerical modeling to determine optimal design parameters for optical wings.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Description: provide framework to realize fusion propulsion for long-range space travel; analyze &amp;ldquo;hybrid&amp;rdquo; schemes with a solar or fission primary energy source along with a sub-critical fusion reactor used as a plasma space propulsion system Objective: conduct a feasibility study for a novel, fusion-powered, space propulsion architecture that can ultimately change drastically the potential for human and robotic space exploration. The object of this proposal is to conduct a feasibility study for a novel, fusion-powered, space propulsion architecture that can ultimately change drastically the potential for human and robotic space exploration. The proposed design is based on neutron-free nuclear fusion as the primary energy source. An innovative beam conditioning/nozzle concept enables useful propulsive thrust directly from the fusion products, while some fraction of the energy is extracted via direct conversion into electricity for use in the reactor and spacecraft systems. This study focuses on providing the framework required to make fusion propulsion an appealing proposition for long-range space travel (by integrating the power generation and propulsion systems) rather than on the development of a specific fusion reactor concept. However, the scope of this study is not constrained by the immediate availability of fusion energy since it also analyzes &amp;ldquo;hybrid&amp;rdquo; schemes with a solar or fission primary energy source along with a sub-critical fusion reactor used as a plasma space propulsion system.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	A new technology, the Fission Fragment Rocket Engine (FFRE), requires small amounts of readily available, energy dense, long lasting fuel, significant thrust at specific impulse of a million seconds, and increases safety by charging the reactor after arrival in LEO. If this study shows the FFRE potential, the return could be immense through savings in travel time, payload fraction, launch vehicle support and safety for deep space exploration.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Human space exploration exposes astronauts to particularly hazardous environments unique from Earth-based hazards. A substantial risk for exploration beyond the confines of the Earth&amp;rsquo;s geomagnetic field is radiation exposure from energetic solar protons and Galactic Cosmic Radiation. The concept of shielding astronauts with magnetic/electric fields has been studied for over 40 years and has remained an intractable engineering problem. Superconducting magnet technology has made great strides in the last decade. Coupling maturing technology with potential innovative magnet configurations, this proposal aims to revisit the concept of active magnetic shielding. The focus of the proposed work is to analyze new coil configurations with current technology and compare shielding performance and design mass with alternate passive shielding methods.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Missions to date have orbited and roved, but sub-planetary worlds elude exploration. This investigation proposes to develop technology for venturing underground and conceiving mission architectures for robotic expeditions that explore skylights, lava tubes and caves. The investigation will identify effective designs for mobile robot architecture to explore sub-planetary features. By creating and implementing robotic technology to explore skylights, lava tubes, caves and canyons, this investigation will pioneer sub-planetary exploration.&lt;/p&gt;
Demonstration of Autonomous Cooperating Symbiotic Robotic Explorers Project
Development of Personal Spacecraft Project
Mars Atmospheric Lidar Project
A Suite of Next Generation Instrumentation for Planetary Exploration Project
Active Space Radiation Shielding for Long Duration Human Missions Project
Air Traffic Operations Robotics Lab (ATORLab) Project
Biofunctional Approach to Promote Wound Healing Project
Novel Fabrication of Integrally Stiffened Cylinders for Improved Safety and Reliability of Metallic Cryotanks Project
Rapid Development and Demonstration of Robotics Capability in Space Assembly and Manufacturing Project
Tool-less Fabrication of Complex-Shaped Launch Vehicle Components Project
Two-Dimensional Printing of Hierarchical Membrane Structures for Lightweight Spacecraft Project
Airborne Wind Energy Harvesting Project
Collaboration Environment Based on Digital Ecosystems Technologies Enhanced with a Virtual Panel of Experts Project
Exploring Martian Lava Tubes Using Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) concepts Project
Autonomous Fuel Supply Module (AFSM), Lunar Surface Access Module (LSAM), Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) concepts Project
Service Life Testing, Assessment and Prediction for Advanced Thermal Protection System Materials Project
Development of an Optical Urine Sensor Project
Mini Dipole Array for Radiation Shielding Project
Unmanned Microgravity Flight Program Project
OLED Interactive Display Helmet Project
Making Sense of Complex Data Project
ISS Clothes Cleaning Machine Project
Get a TrueSense of Water in Spaceflight Project
A Stochastic Turbulence Model Project
Ozone for Spacecraft Urine Pretreatment Project
Integrating EDGE and MAPS for Mission Planning Project
Ozone Sanitation of Crew Clothing and Equipment Project
Multipurpose Bottlebrush Polymers for Health Care Project
Cognitive Radio Communications and Networking Project
On-board Virtual Reality Trainer for EVA Project
Google Liquid Galaxy + NASA World Wind Mashup Project
High Reliability Heaters and Temperature Sensors Project
Common S&amp;MA Databases for Future JSC Projects;
Real-Time PCR Capability in Space Project
Innovative Application of Lobster-Eye X-Ray Transient Detector to ISS Hydrogen Leak Detection Project
Nanostructures for advanced imaging and detector devices Project
Graphene as Transparent Conductive Electrodes for High Density Focal Plane Assemblies Project
Cleaning Telescope Mirrors with Electron Beams Project
High Resolution Terahertz Spectroscopy - Bypassing the Quantum Limit Project
Pulsed Light Atom Interferometer for Space Applications Project
Development of Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Thermal Control Systems for Meso-scale and Micro-scale Applications Project
&lt;p&gt;The new JPL Metallurgy Facility is a small-scale foundry-type laboratory with capabilities for fabricating new metal alloys and metal-matrix-composites, casting prototypes, and performing mechanical testing.&lt;/p&gt;
Game-Changing improvements in electromagnetic modeling Project
&lt;p&gt;There is a well-established need for more sensitive detectors in the 10 - 200 um wavelength range with high detectivity, D*&amp;gt;1010 cm-Hz1/2/W to increase the mapping speed for Earth and planetary science applications. LTS direct detectors with background limited performance are being widely deployed in arrays, in both space and ground-based situations (up to 104 pixels in the latter case). Megapixel array Si Blocked Impurity Band (BIB) and HgCdTe detectors are also widely used, but have a very sharp cutoff in sensitivity for &amp;gt;30 um. In addition, Si BIBs and LTS detectors require multi-stage refrigeration to 1000 at temperatures up to 75 K. The shift in resonance frequency under infrared irradiation, due to increasing temperature, enables each device to function as a thermometer for a separate bolometer pixel. Our current effort is directed towards achieving similar results with membrane-isolated devices by placing HTS resonators on SiNx membranes on Si substrates. Single transition edge sensor bolometers on SiNx membranes were demonstrated at JPL in 1995. We are employing an improved micromachining approach to membrane fabrication that is currently used to fabricate large arrays of resonator-based sensors based on low temperature superconductors. Our near-term goals are: (1) Development of a suitable fabrication process, including buffer layer and superconductor deposition, microresonator and readout circuit patterning, passivation, and membrane micromachining. (2) DC and microwave device characterization versus temperature and frequency. Follow-on work will concentrate on optical characterization of working detector arrays and extension to 2D arrays.&lt;/p&gt;
Nanofabricated Optomechanical Whipering Galler Mode Resonators for Acceleration and Gyroscopic Sensors Project
The focus of our initial efforts is on the proper techniques for measurement of motor/ controller efficiency and total energy used measurement techniques. Further efforts will include propeller efficiency and acoustic measurements, battery performance, hybrid configurations and environmental performance in the aircraft environment.
The goal of this CIF project is to develop a static propulsion test stand for measurement of thrust, torque, RPM, efficiency, and noise of individual components along with the integrated systems.  The data from the system will be used to understand configuration and optimization problems on a smaller scale before moving to larger scale by providing basic research ?answers?. This will help technology products with maturity levels that enable advancement toward large transport and general aviation aircraft, as well as N+3 vehicles

Technical Plan
The project is to determine the best test approach, perform systematic testing akin to airfoil testing during the NACA days, and publish the results. This will allow manufacturers access to a publicly available database to compare and design new electric systems.
Wing Morphing for Optimal Drag Reduction in Formation Flight Project
Active/Adaptive Flexible Motion Controls with Aeroservoelastic Project
Robust (LPV) Adaptive Aeroservoelastic Control utilizing Physics-Based Aerodynamic Sensing Project
Woven TPS Project
Manipulating the Toughness of Rocks through Electric Potentials. Project
Mars Micro-Mapping Mineralogical Spectrometer (M5MMS). Project
Game Changing Transformable Entry System Technology (TEST) Project
cryogenic propellant storage Project
Cloud Computing Project
Use of plants for air quality associated with long duration space flight and space colonization Project
Automated component management technology Project
Fission-Fragment Propulsion Project
Traditional photovoltaics are limited in two major ways: by the availability of light and the wavelengths that can be absorbed. Nighttime, seasons, and latitude limit the amount of radiation to absorb, and the available bandgap of materials for photovoltaic cells limits absorption to ?shortwave? radiation (near-IR wavelengths and shorter).  However, the Earth absorbs incident sunlight and re-emits the energy as ?longwave? blackbody radiation, peaking in the 10 ?m wavelength range, known as ?earthglow? (as opposed to ?earthshine?, the visible light directly reflected by the Earth). Earthglow continues during nighttime, varying only about 25&#37; during a 24-hour period. It is difficult to harvest with traditional photovoltaics, but not  alternative radiant energy harvesting methods. An approach employing plasmonically-active nano-antennas offers a potential solution due to the tuneability of the resonant wavelength via antenna geometry.  The ultimate goal of this project is to produce nano-antennas able to rectify infrared optical energy (terahertz frequencies), such as earthglow, into DC electrical current. The concept of nano-antennas has been around for many years, but due to fabrication difficulties, researchers have only recently begun to actually demonstrate them in the lab. Theoretically, single-junction photovoltaics have a light-to-electricity conversion efficiency limit of around 30&#37;. Nano-antennas have a theoretical capture efficiency (incident light absorbed) of up to 95&#37;, with lab demonstrations reaching 80&#37;. The challenge facing researchers is converting this potential abundance of captured light efficiently into electricity, but nano-antennas promise a greater upper limit to energy production than present technology. Work on the energy harvesting project places NASA on the cutting edge of nano-antenna development. The design begins with an insulating substrate that is covered by a bottom electrode of metal film.
High Efficiency Thermoelectric Devices for In-Space Propulsion Project
Copper-Carbon Nanotube (Cu_CNT) Composite for Combustion Chamber Liners in Advanced Rocket Engines Project
High Strength, Low-Cost Carbon Nanotube (CNT) Composites Project
Advanced propulsion technologies such as Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) have been partially limited by the mass of thermal rejection systems.  NEP was proposed for the Jupiter Icy Moons Obiter (JIMO).  Use of novel, lightweight, high-temperature radiator materials, such as those which will be studied in the proposed effort could greatly reduce the mass required for the radiators and help enable NASA exploration missions like JIMO using NEP or other advanced propulsion technologies. Other areas that would potentially benefit from the results of this work include spacecraft heat rejection systems and surface nuclear power. 
Graphene is a two-dimensional atomic-scale honeycomb lattice made of carbon atoms.  This same honeycomb lattice is the basic structural element of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and carbon fibers.  While high-quality graphene films are only available in atomic-scale thicknesses, high-conductivity carbon fibers and woven cloth made from CNTs are available commercially in quantity.  A novel aspect of the proposed effort is to use graphene-based materials including both high-conductivity carbon fibers and CNT cloth in radiator applications in order to take advantage of several key properties of these materials: low density, high thermal conductivity and anisotropic heat transfer.  Modeling results show that a carbon-fiber-based radiator can provide a ten-fold improvement in heat transfer per unit mass compared to the current state-of-the-art molybdenum-based high-temperature radiators.
The heat pipe simulator developed in Phase 1 of this effort will be used for testing.  A heater is used to simulate the heat pipe envisioned in space.  A test article fabricated using the material to be studied is secured to the heater and placed in chamber and heated to the test temperature in a vacuum of about 10-6 Torr.Temperatures in the range of 400 ? 600 :C were tested. Optical diagnostics provide temperature data, including pyrometry and thermal imaging.
Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Operating on JP8 and Other Logistic Fuels Project
Self Powered Thermo-Piezo Actuation for Cooling, Flow Control and Vibration Control Project
Pressure Monitoring Based on Alpha Particle Interactions Project
Molecular Electronics as Building Blocks for Novel Communications and Computing Devices Project
Enhanced and Efficient Film Cooling of Turbine Blades Using Fluidic Diverters Project
High Temperature Advanced Fibers/Interface Composed of Boron Nitride Nanotubes Grown on SiC Project
Self-Refueling Mars Hopper Project
High Thermal Conductivity Nanomaterials for Spacecraft Propulsion Project
Look-down Sensor for Soil Erosion Project
Switchable Architecture Materials/Systems for both Conduction and Insulation Project
&lt;p&gt;
	This project is involved with transferring information through the vast distances of space. The challenge is that it is difficult to get many photons from a transmitter on Earth to a distant satellite or vice versa. Therefore, one wants to be able to store and transmit as many bits of information as possible on each individual photon. This is the eventual goal of this project. In order to achieve this the team will be looking at what benefits can be obtained by using pairs of photons that are &amp;ldquo;entangled&amp;rdquo; with each other. Entanglement is the quintessential quantum mechanical phenomenon that describes the bizarre correlations that can exist between two quantum systems that have interacted with each other at some point in the past. The simplest example would be two coins, each of which are equally likely to give heads or tails when flipped, but somehow both always give the same result when flipped. And in reality, quantum entanglement is even a bit weirder than that. In any event, using entanglement may enable faithful transmission of more information per photon than conventional means; the goal is to demonstrate that, and see what the limits are.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	SPS-ALPHA (Solar Power Satellite via Arbitrarily Large Phased Array) is a novel, bio-mimetic approach to the challenge of space solar power. If successful, this project will make possible the construction of huge platforms from tens of thousands of small elements that can deliver remotely and affordably 10s to 1,000s of megawatts using wireless power transmission to markets on Earth and missions in space. The selected NIAC project will enlist the support of a world-class international team to determine the conceptual feasiblity of the SPS-ALPHA by means of integrated systems analyses, supported by selected &amp;quot;proof-of-concept&amp;quot; technology experiments.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	Today, Solar System exploration missions are the exclusive domain of space agencies and their scientists and engineers who can muster multi-hundred-million dollar budgets. While their accomplishments are broad, highly sophisticated and literally out of this world, the high cost limits our pace of important discoveries. Interplanetary CubeSats offer an opportunity to conduct focused science investigations around the inner Solar System at a cost ten times lower than missions mounted today. In much the same way that CubeSats weighing a few pounds have dramatically increased low cost access to space experimentation in low Earth orbit, this study intends to focus development of six technologies in unison so as to enable dramatically lower cost exploration of the Solar System and our Earth&amp;rsquo;s more distant environs. Using the pressure of sunlight, a gravitationally defined Interplanetary Superhighway, advanced electronics and instrumentation, and laser communications, may extend the turn-of-the-millennium CubeSat standard for nanosatellites to distances far beyond Earth&amp;rsquo;s magnetic cocoon. CubeSats in low Earth orbit have enabled dozens of universities to develop and place in orbit student-led, student-designed, student-built, and student-operated satellites investigating all manner of scientifically exciting phenomena, while giving graduates of these programs a competitive edge they bring to American technology and industry. Additionally, CubeSats have enabled Government-sponsored space experimentation and technology development on an accelerated schedule for unprecedented low cost. If successful, this system study of the technologies to enable Interplanetary CubeSats will open the door to a similar revolution in access to space and new discoveries beyond Earth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	The sources of power used for deep space probe missions are usually derived from either solar panels for electrical energy, radioisotope thermal generators for thermal energy, or fuel cells and chemical reactions for chemical energy and propulsion. This NIAC study will investigate the ability to access local resources on planetary bodies and to transform them into forms of power that will expand the capabilities of future robotic and human missions, which will face new challenges as we continue to explore planetary bodies beyond the Moon. The surface materials found on asteroids, comets and terrestrial moons and planets consist mainly of minerals composed of metal oxides, but they also contain ices of substances such as water and carbon dioxide all of which can be vaporized thermally into gases at moderate temperatures due to low atmospheric pressure conditions. Phase I of this NIAC study will focus on verifying the assumptions currently made about the properties of solid volatile ices found throughout the solar system, and demonstrating through experiments how much gaseous material can be produced from them to provide useful mechanical power for such activities as lifting objects using actuators and for providing cold gas propulsion. The work will also investigate new engineering concepts for using the gasification of ice and mineral rocks found inside asteroids and comets in order to divert their path away from a potential collision course with Earth.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	The objectives of the proposed research are to develop a space radiation shielding material system that has high efficacy for shielding radiation and also has high strength for load bearing primary structures. The NASA Langley Research Center, Jefferson National Lab, and National Institute of Aerospace as joint owners have recently synthesized long, highly crystalline boron nitride nanotubes (BNNT) using a novel pressure/vapor condensation method. The BNNT have extraordinary strength and high temperature stability. The BNNT are made up entirely of low Z (atomic number) atoms - boron and nitrogen. The BNNT can theoretically be processed into structural BNNT and used for load bearing structure. The BNNT are nanotubes; their molecular structure is attractive for hydrogenation. A comprehensive literature search - as well as independent thinking - will be performed to determine what is the best processing approach for hydrogenating the BNNT. Neutrons are produced as secondary radiation when the galactic cosmic radiation and solar energetic particles interact with the walls of the space structure and also with the regolith on the surfaces of Moon or planets. This secondary neutron radiation has largely been ignored in previous space architectures and yet neutron radiation is known to be damaging to humans especially with regard to the formation of radiogenic cancers. Radiation protection is an enabling technology for future exploration missions. The Agency cannot support human missions greater than approximately 90 to 100 days beyond LEO without developing shielding and/or biological countermeasures to remain below Permissible Exposure Limits. The Success Criteria are adequate shielding measures to enable safety of crew and hardware during long duration human missions up to 1 year in space. It is the intent of the proposed research to bring the Agency closer to extending space missions beyond the 100 days, with 1 year as a long-term goal.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;
	This study will seek to test and validate an electrostatic gossamer structure to provide radiation shielding. It will provide guidelines for energy requirements, dose reduction and deflection efficiencies, and effective enhancements of dual electrostatic-passive (material) shielding technologies, and &amp;#39;engineering-feasible&amp;#39; architectures.&lt;/p&gt;
Study: Edison 1 Mission Candidates (EtherSat and Planetary Hitch Hiker) Project
Strong Tether Project
Power Beaming Project
Green Flight Challenge Project
&lt;p&gt;
	Solar energy is a renewable source that would be available on the Moon and at other destinations in space. To enable practical system demonstrations of diverse design solutions by independent teams, Phase I of this Challenge will be conducted in an ambient Earth environment. Phase II will entail testing energy storage systems in NASA thermal and thermal-vacuum chambers to demonstrate applicability to the space and lunar environment. The Phase I Challenge will be to demonstrate a portable energy storage system through two cycles of lunar daylight and darkness. Phase II will be for one lunar cycle. During the daylight period, systems will receive electrical energy from a simulated solar collector. During darkness, the stored energy will be used for simulated thermal management, scientific experimentation, communications, and rover movement. The competitors may store and extract the energy by any means they desire. A winning system must exceed the performance of a reference state-of-the-art system by a specified margin. The winning system would be the one that has the highest energy storage density. The available prize purse is $1.5 million. Completing this Challenge could enable: development of mobile systems to collect solar energy, store that energy, and later use it productively; innovations in energy storage technology for space operations and, in particular, to meet the demands imposed by the daylight/darkness cycle on the Moon; and dual-use energy system innovations to benefit terrestrial applications, including vehicles and renewable energy generation systems.&lt;/p&gt;
Clean Tech Open Project
&lt;p&gt;
	Description: explore mission architectures to the Moon&amp;#39;s southern Aitken Basin, the surface of Saturn&amp;rsquo;s moon, Titan, and the surface of Venus that do not rely on Plutonium for power, but instead are powered by a metal-combustion engine. Objective: Using advanced metal combustion systems for power generation through turbines and Sterling engines rather than relying on radioisotope power systems Several targets of interest in solar system exploration require non-solar power sources due to permanent shading from craters or clouds due to extreme distance from the sun. These missions are typically considered with radioisotope power sources, but the scarcity of such fuel reduces the number of missions that NASA can execute in any decade. This study will explore mission architectures to the Moon&amp;#39;s southern Aitken Basin, the surface of Saturn&amp;rsquo;s moon, Titan, and the surface of Venus that do not rely on Plutonium for power, but instead are powered by a metal-combustion engine. The Applied Research Lab at Penn State has been developing advanced metal combustion systems for power generation through turbines and Sterling engines that have significantly higher energy density than chemical batteries. This NIAC study team will choose one of these missions to study in detail at the NASA Glenn Research Center&amp;#39;s COMPASS Lab, resulting in a mission concept report. Proving the feasibility of using metal combustion to power spacecraft in sunless regions would be a breakthrough and shift our expectation of what explorations are possible through Discovery and New Frontiers missions without relying on radioisotope power sources.&lt;/p&gt;
"Touch" Ideas through 3-D Desktop Personal Fabrication Project
Project Firefly: An MMOD Space Environment Sensor
Voice Recognition: Time for a Space Application Project
Next Generation Microcalorimeters Enabling "Revolutionary" Solar Observations (Cross-Cutting) Project
LIASON: Linked, Autonoums Inerplanetary Satellite Orbit Navigation Project
MLMT: Mulitfunctional Liquedfied Gas Micro Thruster Project
Advanced Structural Tailoring: Drag, Weight Reduction and Response Tailoring of Transport Aircraft Composite Integral Wing Project
The aim of this proposal is to develop a low power consuming solid polymer electrolyte based, miniaturized electrochemical CO2 sensor that can continuously, accurately and rapidly monitor CO2 for monitoring and control approaches of plant-production environments, to aid in NASA's biomass (edible food) production research. The proposed sensor will introduce a much simpler, lower cost and more accurate alternative to the existing infrared CO2 measurement technology to measure CO2 and study its effects on plant growth. During Phase I, in addition to concept feasibility demonstration, the ability of the proposed sensor to detect (0 - 10) &#37; CO2 in a wide temperature (15 ? 45)degrees C, and humidity (10 ? 99) &#37; RH was demonstrated. In Phase II the sensor will be integrated into a complete instrument and will undergo extensive testing for accuracy, specificity, longevity and statistical comparison to existing technology. The instrument will be small, lightweight and will allow for independent operation of the sensor complete with calibration routine, adjustable applied potential settings and digital display of numeric results. The unit will be battery operated with an AC converter and battery re-charger.
Primary mirrors for large aperture telescopes (&gt; 10 m) are collections of smaller (1-2 m), typically hexagonal, often aspheric, optical segments.   NASA's next generation specifications demand high precision optical surfaces with practically zero edge exclusion in order to maximize image contrast and resolution.  Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) is a sub-aperture process demonstrated to be effective for fine figure control and polishing of a variety of optical glasses and crystals.   The relatively small size and high removal rate of the MRF tool could allow efficient correction of  "print-through" patterns (or other mid-spatial frequency errors) often observed after conventional polishing.  MRF, however, can suffer from edge effects, because the MRF polishing spot changes as it moves over the edge of the part.  Current control algorithms assume the spot remains constant, resulting in edge errors on the order of half of the spot size in width. In Phase I, we identified a promising method of counteracting edge effects. In Phase II, we will develop, test, and refine three software- and process-based solutions, and apply them to polishing an optic of relevance to NASA's needs.
There currently are no analytical or CFD tools that can reliably predict unsteady cavitation dynamics in liquid rocket turbopumps.  Cavitation effects, particularly at low-flow, off-design conditions, generate large amplitude pressure fluctuations that result in performance loss, and may interact with other components to generate damaging system-wide instabilities. The innovation proposed here is the development of a numerical tool that can predict amplitudes and frequencies of dynamic pressure loads in cryogenic turbopumps.  This innovation will address the inclusion of advanced unsteady cavitation models for cryogenic fluids, development of boundary conditions that include interactions with other system components, and unsteady turbulence models for off-design conditions.  The resulting product, a specialized version of the multi-element unstructured CRUNCH CFD&lt;SUP&gt;REG&lt;/SUP&gt; code, will be a well-validated and reliable analysis tool that can be used to predict off-design performance of liquid rocket turbopumps.  Furthermore, this tool can provide unsteady loading information necessary for stress and fatigue life modeling of inducer blades. It would also be able to quantify an inducer's mean head breakdown characteristics as a function of design variables. Thus this simulation software will be used for providing design support, as well as being an analysis tool for diagnosing cavitation related anomalies in operational systems.
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. proposes to develop a hybrid cooling loop technology for space thermal control. The proposed technology combines the high heat flux performance of active cooling loops with the effective fluid management of passive cooling devices. The result is a simple, robust and high performance cooling technology that allows maximum degree of packaging flexibility. Phase I has demonstrated the technology in cooling high heat fluxes in excess of 350W/cm2 from large areas in excess of 4cm2 with low thermal resistances (0.008 to 0.065&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C/W/cm2). The prototype hybrid loop was tested at various orientations to verify its robust operation. The Phase I results indicated that the hybrid loop is capable of substantially outperforming the state of the art heat pipes, loop heat pipes and spray cooling systems. The principal Phase II objectives are to develop advanced performance features and qualify the hybrid loop technology for space thermal control through testing of multiple generations of prototypes and ground qualification testing of engineering units. The Phase II results will elevate the technology to a TRL 6: Prototype demonstration in a relevant environment. The follow-on Phase III will conduct flight qualification testing of the technology to address micro gravity operation issues.
The Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop a compact, robust in situ spectrometer capable of detecting multiple gas-phase species in planetary atmospheres with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity.  This instrument will employ a novel room-temperature, widely tunable mid-infrared laser source in conjunction with cavity ringdown spectroscopy.  During Phase I, both the novel laser and the cavity ringdown technology were demonstrated in the 3.3 micron spectral region.  During Phase II, a flight-ready instrument will be constructed, enabling access to a variety of species, including methane, ethane, ammonia, and formaldehyde.  The ultra-high sensitivity of the proposed system will enable these species to be detected at concentrations below 7*10^7/cm^3 per minute, which corresponds to a detection limit of &lt;30 pptv in Earth's atmosphere.  The unique laser source to be constructed in Phase II will also be capable of being integrated into other spectroscopic platforms, in many cases providing a direct replacement for cumbersome cryogenic diode lasers while at the same time significantly improving the spatial mode quality and increasing spectral coverage.
The need for in-flight event detection and monitoring systems is clear. To address this and other safety and security needs, IEM proposed the Reactive In-flight Multisensor Security System (RIMSS) an affordable system which would improve safety and security within an aircraft by:
?detecting abnormal events (including but not limited to unusual passenger/crew activities, losses of pressure, deviations from flight plan, movement or fire in cargo areas, etc.)
?automatically alerting the crew to these events
?recording the entire event

Phase I demonstrated that this system was feasible, practical, and well positioned to assist in NASA's Protected Asset Flight System (PAFS). In Phase II, IEM will develop a full prototype of RIMSS featuring:
?an innovative and unique multisensor data fusion engine, IEM's Smart Sensor Situation Understanding System Architecture (S3USA)
?unique hardware (optics, DSP-based integrated processor, imaging and acoustic arrays)
?Proprietary and innovative software (object/event detection, identification, tracking, biometrics, etc.)
?aircraft certified automatic communication with ground stations when events detected
?compression for video over limited bandwidth
?other innovations as detailed. 

Boeing's Phantom Works is keenly interested in RIMSS' potential for aircraft safety monitoring, and will assist in the development and demonstration of RIMSS.
It is proposed to develop an accurate, in-service transmission life-use estimation system for the prediction of remaining component and system life for a helicopter transmission system.  Once proven in the helicopter environment, this life- use estimation system will be of use to a wide variety of transmission systems.
	The transmission-life estimating system will include three separate algorithms: an in-flight service monitoring algorithm, a pre-flight and post-flight transmission analysis algorithm, and a component-life tallying algorithm.  The in-flight service monitor will treat the transmission as a whole. The transmission analysis algorithm will determine the transmission's operating parameters from those of its components.  It also will determine the life and reliability of the individual components.  The component-life algorithm will accumulate life and reliability tables.
	The Phase I effort developed the algorithms.  In the Phase II effort, the life-use monitor algorithm will be placed in its appropriate hardware and flown in a commercial helicopter to provide an improvement in that aircraft's safety. 
	Maintenance record comparisons will be made between the predicted maintenance intervals and the present maintenance pattern for the aircraft.  Any increase in flight safety will be documented.
	The deliverable product of the Phase II effort will be the on-board life-use monitor.
The TerraBlocks&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; 3D terrain data format and terrain-block-rendering methodology provides an enabling basis for successful commercial deployment of flight-appropriate and certifiable Synthetic Vision (SV) systems. The methodology focuses on mission-critical, real-time, embedded terrain rendering with emphasis on 1) efficient and compact terrain/texture dataset storage, 2) rendering accuracy, 3) rendering determinacy, and 4) a lightweight embedded computer and data storage platform.

The innovation exploits the use of an encoded terrain data storage format coupled with real-time, terrain-block-based 3D rendering. The compact and efficient TerraBlocks encoded terrain data format inherently provides zero-error full-mesh near-field terrain data, powers-of-2 levels of detail, and data compression of full-mesh source terrain datasets. The TerraBlocks terrain block-based rendering provides deterministic render rates bounded by worst-case processing requirements, an on-the-sphere rendering model, and spatially-filtered, smoothly continuous, level-of-detail rendering.

TerraBlocks technology closes the gap between existing visualization/simulation (VisSim) terrain-rendering approaches and the accuracy, performance, and platform demands of flight-deployable SV systems. The Phase I project conclusively showed the technical merit and feasibility of the TerraBlocks methodology.

The Phase II project objective is to provide a flight-appropriate, research SV 3D terrain-rendering toolkit for NASA's Aviation Safety and Security Program (AvSSP) and the solid basis for Phase III, flight-certifiable SV avionics embodiments.
In this SBIR project we propose to integrate spacecraft control and vehicle health functions to improve the robustness and productivity of space operations. The main advantages of the proposed approach is that it allows the spacecraft to utilize failed control components with degraded performance to the maximum extent, and to conduct health status test with minimum or no impact on the mission, all in an autonomous manner.  The  proposed approach  is innovative because traditional approaches typically abandon the failed component completely after the first sign of malfunctioning. Putting all the burden on the remaining components wear them down faster and shorten their useful life. Through the integration of accurate health monitoring  and control reconfiguration algorithms in a hierarchical architecture, the proposed approach adjust  the command signal to the failed component  according to its degree of degradation, with the shortfall distributed among the remaining undamaged control components.  This results in balanced utilization of all the available resources at all time, and increase the mission life of the spacecraft. During Phase II,  the developed algorithms will be integrated into an Autonomous Spacecraft REconfigurable Control System (ASRECS) prototype for NASA testing and evaluation.
Traditional design methods for aircraft turbine engine control systems have relied on the use of linearized models and linear control theory. While these controllers can provide satisfactory performance, they do not exploit all the available knowledge about the nonlinear engine dynamics. Recent advances in computer-aided nonlinear control system design technology have made it feasible to design control systems using a detailed model of the engine. These nonlinear engine control systems have the potential to deliver a more precise control of the engine dynamics while satisfying multiple operational requirements.  
	Using a NASA-supplied engine model, Phase I research will develop a nonlinear engine control system that can deliver uniform performance over the entire operating region. Operation at multiple operating points and transitions between them will be demonstrated during the Phase I research.
	Phase II work will develop a rapid-prototyping design environment for nonlinear engine control systems and real-time controller code generation for implementing the nonlinear control on engine control computer. Advanced engine control concepts such as active clearance control and adaptive engine control will also be demonstrated during the Phase II work.  The design software and the control technology developed under the present SBIR will be commercialized during the Phase III research.
Micro-electro-mechanical System (MEMS)-based gyroscopes, accelerometers
and rate sensors are essential to miniaturizing the guidance, navigation
and control electronics of satellite systems.  Wafer level packaging is
the preferred method of sealing MEMS devices to achieve low cost.
However, devices are currently housed in expensive hermetic packages.
In the case of gyros, high vacuum levels need to be created and
maintained to achieve high Q values.  Current hybrid hermetic packages
are expensive, heavy and bulky.  Although there is considerable activity
in developing wafer level sealing techniques, there is currently no
universal approach to seal MEMS devices at the wafer level.  SiWave
proposes to develop a universal wafer level sealing technology that:
does not require processing of the device wafer, achieves room
temperature sealing enabling encapsulation of sensitive devices and
provides for an evaporable getter to maintain a high vacuum over the
life of the package.  SiWave will package a very high accuracy, absolute
pressure sensor to demonstrate the concept as well as to quantify the
effectiveness of the proposed approach. Once sealed at the wafer level,
the device can be singulated and packaged using conventional plastic
packaging techniques or housed in a low cost, plastic enclosure
depending on the application.
This Small Business of Innovation Research Phase I proposal seeks to
investigate and prove the feasibility of developing highly efficient,
ultra-lightweight SiC semiconductor based power electronic converters
for Earth science mission vehicles. With high temperature operation of
power electronics components, heatsinking and active cooling thermal
management strategies can be significantly downgraded; thus reducing the
size, volume, and weight of the overall power electronic systems by as
much as an order of magnitude.  This would translate directly to savings
in space launch costs and in improving vehicle payload capacity. SiC
power devices have a theoretical junction temperature operational limit
of over 600 &lt;!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
                      "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"&gt;
&lt;sup&gt;o&lt;/sup&gt;
C, and with the recent advancement of these devices, high efficiency
ultra-lightweight power electronics system will become a reality within
the next 5 years. SiC power devices also offer other improved
performance characteristics over their silicon counterparts, including
10? the blocking voltages, 10? the power densities, reduced switching
losses, and improved switching frequencies up into the 10s of GHz range.
Modularizing these SiC power converters for easy utilization in all
facets of NASA vehicular power management and distribution applications
would provide the potential for substantial financial savings, improved
reliability, and improved performance.
Locating, summarizing and presenting large collections of Earth science data in a highly distributed and networked environment is critical in NASA's mission for Earth Sciences. Technologies supporting management, storage, search and retrieval of very large, distributed, geo-spatial earth science data volumes are urgently needed to cope with the impending data survivability crisis. For instance, the EOSDIS archive data growth rate is currently about 1 petabyte/year. NRC's Committee on Coping with Increasing Demands on Government Data Centers recently made a series of recommendations on which emerging technologies can help data centers meet user needs and build and maintain the long-term record of environmental change. In this proposal, we propose to design, develop and prototype Extrieva - a low cost scalable Archive Storage Management System innovation, which embraces several of the NRC technology recommendations. In particular, Extrieva is a disk-based solution as assessed by NRC to be now competitive with tape for long-term, archival-class storage. Moreover, with its self-management and automation features implemented over commodity Linux clusters using distributed indexing and load balancing algorithms, Extrieva offers a low cost scalable solution with unprecedented ease of management addressing the needs of EOSDIS' diverse global users base.
Development of a candidate bi-propellant system consisting of a gelled
hydrocarbon fuel coupled with a highly energetic gelled oxidizer
suitable for outer planetary missions is proposed. Theoretical
calculations suggest that this innovative combination can meet NASA's
propulsion requirements for low power consumption (i.e. minimal use of
heaters) while providing a vacuum specific impulse of ~ 360 seconds.
Gelling the propellant provides the advantage of higher volumetric
efficiency and suspending energetic fine particulates (e.g. boron,
carbon, or aluminum) increases the energetic yield. Furthermore, gels do
not spread if spilled and have greatly reduced vapor pressure making
their handling far less hazardous, compared to current spacecraft
fueling procedures that employ highly toxic liquid hypergols. The Phase
I program objectives will include the 1) formulation of gel propellant
fuel samples, 2) measurement of their rheological properties as a
function of temperature, 3) simulation of a gel-fueled thruster
propellant flow network using NASA's GFSSP code, and 4) high-fidelity
simulations of the gel propellant tank expulsion process at outer planet
equilibrium temperatures. The Phase II will include further properties
assessments, high-fidelity simulations of the bi-propellant combustion
process followed by experimental gel thruster test and evaluation. This
innovation will improve the safety, operability reliability, and
performance of in-space propulsion systems and extend the existing
technology base for human and robotic exploration missions.
The proposed SBIR effort will employ a systems approach to develop motor/controller/screw element systems adequate for demanding launch thrust vector control and control surface actuator applications.  This approach will utilize high bandwidth, high efficiency, redundant motor systems coupled with appropriately paired motor controls.   The actuator system will consist of a high efficiency permanent magnet motor with a high number of current channels for system redundancy, an H-bridge based controller with a high number of parallel current channels and sufficient current capability to enable high system response, and conventional screw-based linear actuator elements.  The linear actuation elements will be designed with corrosion resistance, increased resistance to nut jamming, and inherent features preventing incorrect installation of the device.  These innovations are necessary to overcome the inherent limitations of today's actuator systems, which were developed based on the limitations of traditional motors, power electronics, and available actuator hardware. Phase I of this project will focus on the design requirements, key features, and suggested solutions for thrust vector control actuator systems.  The Phase II portion of the project will deliver a working prototype actuator.
The purpose of the proposed effort is to provide a novel and innovative
reconfigurable software defined radio (SDR) development system that
supports the design and implementation of SDRs for human Moon/planetary
surface exploration and deep space missions.  This type of revolutionary
technology provides significant assistance to the SDR designer, enabling
the development of a wide class of radio systems and supports
customization at any level within the radio architecture.  The proposed
development system is ideally suited for design and implementation of
ultra simplified and efficient forms of SDR.  The focus of this proposal
is to demonstrate the applicability and feasibility of this particular
SDR development technology to space exploration through analysis,
design, and implementation.   Successful completion of the proposed
Phase I technology effort will culminate in a demonstration of
interoperability with at least one NASA communications system.  In
addition, it will permit a Phase II effort to produce hardware and
software that can be used to demonstrate the performance and impact of
the proposed technology in some on-going NASA project, through
demonstrating interoperability with at least two NASA communications systems.
The purpose of the proposed effort is to provide a novel and innovative precision landing sensor (LandingNav) for Mars.  LandingNav supports space exploration by significantly enhancing real-time landmark recognition and navigation capabilities, thus substantially improving the Mars landing accuracy.  The LandingNav system integrates two novel technologies.  The first is a unique feature detection method based on edge detection and the Hough transform coupled with motion stereo and stereo correlation.  The second is a novel multi-resolution learning algorithm for highly efficient terrain mapping.  Together these innovations enable high-fidelity system-level landmark navigation solutions for the precision landing problem.  This technology has a broad operational range and can be used for high-altitude navigation as well as terminal navigation (i.e., landing hazards avoidance).  This proposal focuses on demonstrating, through analysis, simulation, and design, the applicability and feasibility of this particular terrain navigation technology for space exploration.  Successful completion of the proposed Phase I effort will permit a Phase II effort to produce a functional prototype to demonstrate the increased landing precision and feature detection performance.
This SBIR Phase I effort proposes an innovative class of refractory
metal intermetallic composites as alternatives to high temperature
metallic materials presently used and/or considered for in-space
propulsion components.  In addition to a superior high temperature
performance potential, these niobium-based intermetallics could offer
significant cost savings over conventional refractory alloys, provided
they can be affordably manufactured into near-net shapes.  An advanced
reactive metal casting technology is applied to produce the most
sophisticated Nb-based intermetallic composite component shape ever
attempted.  Innovative shape processing techniques are needed for
Nb-based intermetallics, since they are critical to manufacturing cost-effectiveness.
The National Research Council's Decadal Study released in July of 2003 recognizes Venus as an important and probable target for a New Frontiers mission within the next decade.  NASA's New Frontiers missions are directed towards answering key scientific questions regarding planetary formation and evolution. Specifically, by drilling and taking in-situ measurements on Venus, insight into what global mechanisms affect the evolution of volatiles on planetary bodies, why the terrestrial planets evolved so differently from each other and how these processes operate and interact, will be gained.  Honeybee proposes to develop a concept for an arm-deployed high-temperature/pressure (HTP) sampling system capable of drilling to a depth of 30-cm or more and quickly acquiring multiple core and/or unconsolidated samples from selectable depths. A Phase I award and subsequent Phase II award will bring a high-temperature/pressure sampling system to sufficient Technology Readiness Level in time for proposal of a landed Venus mission in the next round of New Frontiers solicitations. Funding under this year's SBIR program would be a critical step in the development of a flight-ready sampling system for inclusion on a Venus landed mission to be launched by 2011.
Various technologies available to space system designers that operate at
different voltage levels.  It is, however, important to interface,
maintain, and update these systems.  For example, the Sun Earth
Connection (SEC) missions are likely to have a variety of experiments
needing to be accomplished with a single nanosatellite. A rad-hard
reconfigurable bi-directional level shifters would allow them to
accomplish this goal despite the various multi-voltage level systems
employed within the satellite.  Additionally, a level shifter could be
used to extend and/or expand the life of existing space systems.
Presently and in the future, nanosatellites and other spacecraft have
need for rad-hard reconfigurable bi-directional level shifters to enable
there existing systems the ability to communicate logic signals to other
lower voltage level systems.  This proposal is to develop such a level
shifter.   This will allow these systems to continue to conduct
operations and missions for the existing and a growing number of future
users.  Space system applications for SEC missions have mass, power,
cost, and rad-hard limitations on all of their circuits.  A rad-hard
reconfigurable bi-directional level shifter design would provide for
these needs between multilevel voltage technologies to aid in their missions.
For electric propulsion systems for large aircraft it is desirable to have very light weight electric motors.   Cryogenic motors offer much lighter weight than conventional iron room temperature motors.  Superconducting cryogenic motors can offer much more lighter weight motors than just cryogenically cooled copper motors.  Magnesium diboride, a light-weight superconductor wire, cooled in the available liquid hydrogen fuel, is the ideal candidate coil material for large aircraft motors.   During the Phase I we will demonstrate using this new wire in coil forms that will show feasibility of fabricating exciter, rotor and stator coils in a Phase II motor demonstration.
The purpose of the Generic ISIS Transport Module is to provide a means to bring living specimens to and from orbit. In addition to living specimens, the module can be used to carry subpayloads that require precise environmental control or continuous data recording. In order to maximize the amount of science for a given mission, many biological experiments require initiation while still on the ground. In these types of experiments, it is imperative that the specimens are housed in a very precisely controlled and accurately quantified environment. The GITM has the ability to control temperature, humidity, light level, fluid level, air circulation and air exchange rate with cabin. Sensors and cameras continuously monitor the contents of the chamber and have the ability to record images. The module meets both the Single Middeck Locker interface as well as the ISIS 6 Panel Unit Interface. By meeting both interfaces, specimens within the module can be launched/returned with power on the Space Shuttle Middeck and transferred to the ISS where it interfaces with the Life Sciences Glovebox. Specimens can then be transferred to the long duration test facility for the remainder of the experiment without direct exposure to the crew.
Future NASA planetary exploration missions require batteries that can operate in deep-space environments, including high radiation and extreme temperatures, and deliver high specific energy and power density. A novel electrode material that exploits the high gravimetric and volumetric capacity of the carbon monofluoride nanoparticles with high rate capability coated by an electronically conductive thin-layer of carbon is proposed in this work as a composite cathode for lithium primary batteries. Nanoscale carbon-carbon monofluoride composites will be prepared by high energy ball-milling method. The surface coating and dispersion effect of the carbon black as conductive additive will play a beneficial role in obtaining samples with small and uniform particle size, as well as in enhancing their overall electronic conductivity. The composite anode is expected to yield high specific capacity exceeding 1000 mAh/g, high rate capability, and good shelf life. The lithium primary battery based on this new kind of CFx-based cathode material will lead a high rate primary battery with an energy density exceeding 750 Wh/kg.
This SBIR Phase 1 project shall investigate concept radiator fins that incorporate novel carbon materials for improved performance of segmented high temperature space radiator systems based on heat pipes with attached radiator fins. The novel carbon materials apply to improvements in several critical features: thermal emissivity, in-plane conductivity, fin stiffness, fin/pipe thermal interface, and lightweight shielding against micrometeorites.  
Phase 1 will obtain system requirements from a prime contractor for nuclear space power, and assess the potential benefits compared with current baseline materials. A small carbon radiator fin component will be fabricated and integrated with a relevant pipe to demonstrate the materials concepts.
Aircraft icing continues to be one of the major safety and operational
concerns of the FAA, elements of the military, and the foreign military
and civilian counterparts. Attempts to develop methods to directly
detect aircraft icing meteorological conditions have met with mixed
success. Combining microwave radiometers with radars has shown great
promise, but deficiencies of the radiometers have limited their value.
In this proposed effort we will develop a fast sampling multifrequency
profiling and dual polarization narrow beam radiometer system to
overcome these deficiencies. In this proposed radiometer system, all
beams are collinear and match the antenna gain pattern of weather
research radars. The radiometer will have the capability of profiling
(ranging) water vapor along the beam as well as discriminate ice and
water phase hydrometeors. We will also develop a fast beam steering
system to operate in concert with the radar. Phase II will produce a
turnkey radiometric system, ready to deploy.
Many properties of intermetallic compounds (IMC's) would make them strong candidates for vehicle structures, tankage, secondary structures, and appendages for NASA exploration systems.  This includes excellent specific strength, creep, and oxidation resistance.  However, the lack of ductility in these IMC's generally does not allow these materials to meet the design requirements for those vehicle structures.  On the other hand, base alloys themselves, such as Ti-6Al-4V or Inconel, have sufficient ductility, but do not have the other desired attributes.  Using a novel fabrication technique (plasma transferred arc solid free form fabrication, or PTA SFFF), MER will develop composite materials of IMC's with a strong, ductile base metal.  These composite materials will have a combination of overall properties that cannot be obtained today in an IMC structure.  The PTA SFFF process has the capability to scale up these composites to the large shapes required for vehicle structures.
The NASA vision of Space Exploration requires new approaches to radiation shielding.  Both Spiral 2 and Spiral 3 concepts are extremely sensitive to weight reduction.  Currently used thermal protection (TPS) and radiation shielding concepts are separate identities.  As a result, the net weight of current TPS/radiation shielding concepts is very significant.  In an effort to greatly reduce the mass of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), a totally new concept is proposed. It merges a novel approach to TPS combined with a totally new approach to radiation shielding.  A boron carbide foam will be produced by a novel method.  This foam will be integrated into a CEV TPS concept.  As a result, the TPS will serve a multiple function including radiation shielding resulting in a significant weight saving.
Work done at Water Resources Center, University of Minnesota has demonstrated the feasibility of performing regional assessment of lake water quality using Landsat imagery.   Microtel LLC is proposing to tune algorithms available from this research to process imagery collected by NASA Advanced Land Imager (ALI) to generate water quality mappings (secchi depth transparency and chlorophyll a) of the Chesapeake Bay.  Extensive ground truth measurements collected routinely and specifically during satellite overflights by Maryland DNR will be utilized to verify results.  This proposal is innovative because it will determine the suitability of NASA earth science data for managers concerned with stewardship of the earth's inland water resources.  This proposal is significant because it will develop innovative technology that allow the routine use of NASA Earth science results in automated water quality decision support tools.  This proposal addresses solicitation subtopic E4.01 "Innovative Tools and Techniques Supporting the Practical Uses of Earth Science Observations".  Accurate and timely water quality maps of the Chesapeake Bay will provide a valuable source of information for water management and policy decision makers.
The reentry spacecraft and hypersonic cruisers of the future will require advanced lightweight thermal protection systems that can provide the dual functionality of thermal protection and structural capability. In the proposed project, Ultramet will fabricate a lightweight, reusable, highly efficient, multifunctional, structurally robust thermal protection system consisting of a high thermal conductivity, porous carbon/carbon body encased in a high temperature capable (up to 4500&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;F) ceramic matrix composite skin. The proposed materials will not only be able to withstand the aggressive environments that are encountered during reentry or that are common to hypersonic vehicles, but they will also have the potential for structural capability when integrated efficiently with the main body of the aircraft. Through use of a cost-effective variant of Ultramet's innovative melt infiltration processing, the complexity and time required to fabricate the proposed thermal protection system elements to net shape will be reduced.
NASA's planned future missions set stringent demands on the design of the Portable Life Support Systems (PLSS) used to cool the astronaut and provide them with air.  Dramatic reductions in weight, decreased reliance on supplies and greater flexibility on the types of missions are all needed.  The CO2 and humidity control unit in the existing PLSS design is relatively large, since it has to remove 8 hours worth of CO2.  If the sorbent regeneration can be carried out during the extravehicular activity (EVA) with a relatively high regeneration frequency, the size and weight of the sorbent canister can be significantly reduced.  

TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes to develop a compact, regenerable sorbent-based system to control CO2 and humidity in the space suit ventilation loop.  The sorbent can be regenerated using space vacuum during the EVA, eliminating many of the duration-limiting elements in the life support system.  

In the Phase I project, TDA will develop a suitable sorbent and carry out a preliminary design and engineering assessment of the system to determine whether the concept merits further research and development.
The water content of clouds, whether in liquid or ice form, is a key variable to be measured when either calibrating remote sensing systems or when calculating the climatological effects of clouds.  While a variety of sensors exist for making these measurements, all of the existing sensors require far too much power or other energy input to be used on small platforms with limited payloads such as UAVs, balloons, and kites.  
	Anasphere has developed and completed preliminary testing of a novel cloud water content sensor which does not require any external energy input, but is capable of measuring both liquid water and ice content of clouds.  Preliminary results have been extremely promising. 
	Phase I work will include the fabrication and demonstration of proof-of-concept sensors based on the designs investigated in the preliminary research, culminating in a balloon-borne flight with a radiosonde through a cloud.  Phase II work will include the refinement of the design, extensive laboratory testing, and extensive field intercomparisons and trials.
The innovation (AGATE, for Autonomous Go And Touch Exploration) will enable single-sol "go and touch" instrument placement from distances of up to five meters for scientific exploration rovers. It will reduce the number of sols required to examine objects of scientific interest, while increasing the accuracy of instrument placement relative to visually-specified targets.  AGATE, based on the proposing firm's patented MCSM control algorithm, is innovative in providing, for the first time, stereo-vision based precision control of the mobile base of the rover and the onboard robotic arm relative to a visually-specified target. This provides a significant advantage over current MER technology since the new system will automatically compensate for wheel slippage and kinematic inaccuracy in order to ensure accurate placement of the instrument relative to that target.  The algorithm will use the NASA-JPL standard CAHVOR stereo-camera model used on the Sojourner, Spirit, and Opportunity rovers. A key element of the innovation will be the capability of autonomous, precise, and robust transfer of target information from the navigation cameras (used for long-range) to the front hazard cameras (used for positioning the robotic arm). In the commercial market, AGATE will enable a vision-guided forklift to engage autonomously pallets located on high shelves.
Based on current observations Titan is believed to have a rich, dense atmosphere.  If the findings of the Cassini and Huygens missions corroborate this, the next mission to Saturn is likely to include an autonomous vehicle capable of buoyant flight in its atmosphere.  In the absence of oxygen hydrogen is the best choice of a buoyancy gas.  Maintaining buoyancy for the duration of the one year mission will require a substantial supply of hydrogen to make-up for gas permeating through the gas bag.  This gas can be obtained by reforming the methane, which is abundant in Titan's atmosphere.  We propose to reform methane with a plasma reformer.  This type of reformer converts methane to hydrogen gas and solid carbon, making separation and disposal of the carbon waste a straight forward process.  It requires only methane and electrical power to operate, is tolerant of all impurities, and will reform all of the hydrogen containing materials fed in.
Lynntech has already demonstrated this technology in a larger unit.  This project will lead to the development of a small unit that operates on a few Watts of power.  Methods for harvesting methane and separating the hydrogen and the carbon will also be developed.
A high efficiency low scatter echelle grating will be developed using a novel technique of multiple diamond shaving cuts. The grating will have mirror surfaces on both faces for high efficiency in high orders. The grating will be manufactured using a 3/4 ton air bearing grating carriage that oscillates at 30 strokes per minute between two non-contact magnetic fields. The groove spacing will be controlled by an interferometer measuring system and feedback system between the optical blank and diamond cutting tool.
The proposal addresses the NASA's need to enable scientific discovery and the topic's requirements for: processing large volumes of data, commonly available on the Internet, into useful information; intelligent search of large, distributed data archives and data discovery through searches of heterogeneous data sets and architectures; and search agents that support the use of NASA data.   A precondition for data discovery in large distributed data environments, is the accurate and consistent characterization of the data stored in the archives.  To accurately and consistently characterize data requires  an enterprise policy and process for tagging data with metadata.  Our proposal for a Taxonomy Enabled Discovery system (TED) provides a process and technology that assists and automates the process of generating and harvesting metadata. The approach employs a highly innovative taxonomy management platform, based on a hybrid of linguistic, statistical, machine learning, and advanced visualization techniques, enhanced with NASA data, supporting open metadata standards and a grid architecture. We demonstrate the feasibility of our approach in a NASA NTRS OAI-PMH (Open Archives Initiative ? Protocol for Metadata Harvesting) environment and prototype.
The I-Logix team proposes development of the Service Oriented Spacecraft Modeling Environment (SOSME) to allow faster and more effective spacecraft system design using a model based design process.  The SOSME consists of several innovations:
1.	Service-Oriented Architecture for Spacecraft System Modeling (SOASSM).    
2.	General-Purpose Spacecraft Reference Model (GPSRM) implementing the SOASSM.
3.	Requirements-Driven Model Customization Application (RDMCA) to aid in customizing the GPSRM to reflect a specific spacecraft system design.  
4.	Mission Scenario Generation Application (MSGA) to aid in capturing mission scenarios and execute models developed using the SOASSM against the mission scenarios.  

The significance of these innovations is that they will:
1.	Enable and facilitate a model based system design process for spacecraft systems.
2.	Enable rapid development of spacecraft system models in support of Trade Studies.
3.	Enable more effective and accurate trade studies by executing models against mission scenarios while capturing quantitative measures of performance.
4.	Provide graphical and executable artifacts for use in project and peer reviews.
5.	Enable system level validation against mission scenarios throughout the design process.
6.	Facilitate the integration of detailed design models by providing standard interfaces for spacecraft services.
7.	Facilitate Simulation Based Acquisition.
8.	Enable Model Based Contracting.
Autonomous and semi-autonomous robotic systems require information about their surroundings in order to navigate properly. A video camera machine vision system can supply position information of external objects, but no range information. Ideally, a system that, in one package, provides 3-dimensional relative information about external objects is needed. To this end, Nanohmics will develop a lightweight, compact, low-power, low-cost modular sensor system that produces a color depth map of the surroundings. By combining a color optical camera, a multi-element range finding or LiDAR system, and digital processing electronics, a single low-cost sensor system can be designed to provide relative position and anti-collision information. For additional reliability, the design will not involve any moving parts. By making this sensor system modular, and with a simple-to-use serial interface, it could be used in many varying robotics applications including, but not limited to, autonomous planetary surface rovers and semi-autonomous free-flying space station inspection robots.
As solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) approach commercialization, interest in broader applications of this technology is mounting.  While the first commercialized systems are being designed to provide 3-5 kW in stationary and automotive auxiliary power unit (APU) applications, military and aerospace users are already considering integrating SOFCs into larger, airborne systems with considerable commercial payback.  SOFCs are aligned to displace inefficient, noisy, and polluting technologies such as diesel generators that will provide both economic and environmental motivation to prospective users.  NexTech Materials proposes to develop sulfur-tolerant autothermal reforming (ATR) catalysts for fuel processors of SOFC systems that operate with sulfur-containing aviation (Jet-A) fuels.  The Phase I work will focus on synthesis and characterization of novel composite catalysts, design and construction of a reactor for catalyst performance tests, and evaluation of the performance of experimental catalysts for autothermal reforming of Jet-A fuel.   Phase II of the project will involve further optimization of catalyst formulations, scale-up of the catalyst synthesis technology, development of monolith-supporting technology for the catalysts, and evaluation of monolith-supported catalysts in prototype ATR reformers.
An important mission for NASA is the development of revolutionary flight concepts and technology.  The development of Micro unmanned air vehicles (Micro-UAVs) and Mars aircraft has received considerable attention in recent years.  Unlike conventional aircraft and UAVs, Micro-UAVs and Mars aircraft suffer from operation in an extremely low Reynolds number flight regime.  Both Micro-UAVs and Mars aircraft can have operational Reynolds number regimes from 20,000 to 120,000.  At these extremely low Reynolds numbers, the aerodynamic flow features are dominated by laminar separation and separation bubble effects, which are the primary source of poor performance in both drag and maximum lift for this class of vehicles.  It is proposed to use a robust and powerful active transition fixing technique to eliminate the effects of these large separation bubbles and provide revolutionary performance as of yet unobtainable by this class of ultra low Reynolds number vehicles.  By artificially transitioning the flow upstream of the laminar separation bubble, the bubble itself can be eliminated resulting in a greatly reduced drag.  The increased resistance to separation of a simple turbulent boundary-layer can pay revolutionary dividends at these very low Reynolds numbers.
Sierra Engineering Inc. (Sierra) believes that the subject triaxial liquid propellant swirl injector has the potential to meet many of NASA's Earth-to-Orbit (ETO) propulsion systems goals. The triaxial swirl injector is ideally suited to a wide range of liquid oxidizers and fuels, including hydrogen and a variety of hydrocarbons.  It holds the potential of excellent high-frequency combustion stability characteristics, low injector production cost, and deep throttling capabilities similar to a pintle injector.  Additionally, this injector offers the potential for excellent thermal compatibility and outstanding propellant atomization characteristics.  The concept is well suited for both main chamber and preburner applications.  This Phase I SBIR focuses on developing prototype mechanical designs and the supporting analysis necessary to justify fabrication and testing during a follow-on Phase II effort.
Insta-Pro International, proposes the design and development of a
versatile, compact, lightweight, energy efficient, and easy maintained
seed processing equipment that can be operated in low gravity
environments. The proposed equipment, a scale down refinement based on
successful current large scale Insta-Pro processing systems, can be used
for cooking, shaping, texturizating, dehydration, phase separation, and
stabilization of crops such as rice, beans,  peanuts and soybeans to
support human planetary explorations. The equipment will be designed to
use internally generated heat for processing food to reduce or eliminate
the need for inherently inefficient heating from an external source. In
addition, the equipment will be optimized to minimize the Equivalent
System Mass (ESM) while maximizing the quality of the final product.
Anticipated results for Phase I will be detailed plans for the design of
the optimized food processing equipment attained by computational
simulation of various concept designs . This optimum design will provide
the basis for hardware development and testing in Phase II and the
manufacture and marketing (in Phase III) to a wide array of users.
It is proposed to develop compact and lightweight ceramic heat exchangers and chemical reactors suitable for high temperature processes.  These devices will have micro-scale geometric features that would result in very high heat and mass transfer rates per unit volume and per unit frontal area.  The process for fabrication of these devices is based on a novel micro-machining and joining technique that promises to deliver ceramics components that can survive temperatures in excess of 1000 oC, and moderate to high pressures.  As ceramics are the natural host for a large number of catalysts, the proposed devices would allow fabrication of extremely compact chemical reactors capable of operating at high temperatures.  These devices can be used to thermally couple exothermic and endothermic reactions.  Furthermore, temperature-sensitive reactive streams can be coupled to heat transfer streams to achieve temperature-controlled chemical reactions at high catalytic conversion and selectivity.  Examples would include integrated catalytic combustor and heat exchanger, coupled catalytic combustion and steam reforming, and coupled Sabatier and Reverse Water Gas Shift reactions.
Diamond Data Systems (DDS) proposes the development of a new, advanced
architecture, algorithms and software to support the end-to-end
processing of LIDAR data to derive a Digital Elevation Model (DEM).  Our
approach is innovative in three ways.  First, we propose a complete
end-to-end system instead of a solution that addresses only a single
step of the complex problem of accurately gathering, processing, and
reporting of the data.   Secondly, we propose a system that is designed
to minimize human interaction and manual data entry.  Thirdly, and
possibly the most important part of this innovation, is that we propose
both the implementation of multiple algorithms to perform the data
processing, as well as an extensible software architecture which allows
new algorithms to be incorporated into the system in the future.  This
approach allows for the development of a dynamic system which can be
extended in the future as better algorithms are developed.  Our proposal
is relevant to topic E3.03 in that it provides for the efficient
production of a DEM product from an active imaging system (LIDAR).
Current approaches to this problem only solve parts of the problem and
do not provide an integrated system for end-to-end processing.
ORBITEC proposes to analyze, design, and develop a device for autonomous lunar surface/subsurface sampling and processing applications.  The Sample Acquisition for Materials in Planetary Exploration (SAMPLE) allows a sample to be quickly and completely encapsulated, minimizing vibrational effects and sample disruption (e.g., loss of volatiles).  Subsequent analysis or processing can then be performed on the acquired sample from within the device, which is completely sealed from the surrounding environment.  SAMPLE interfaces with a robotic arm that allows versatile sample selection at a chosen site.  Sample disposal involves no additional hardware, operating in an analogous manner to acquisition.  The SAMPLE is capable of housing various sensors, small instruments, and utilities, providing a processing "chamber" in which numerous solid analyses and experiments can be performed.  Because of the sampling mechanism employed, the SAMPLE will provide NASA with a reliable means of acquiring planetary surface material and support of process/analysis hardware.  SAMPLE could be designed to operate anywhere on the surface of the Moon, Mars or various asteroids.  This would include operation in the cold traps that exist at the north and south poles of the Moon.  Phase I will involve definition of system requirements, prototype design and testing, and preliminary space flight design.
High-speed devices using InP play a critical role in the realization of power amplifiers for wireless and optical communication systems. Current gain cut-off frequencies in excess of 200 GHz have been demonstrated for InP HBTs, indicating the potential of these devices for use in high bandwidth communication systems and high-speed direct digital synthesizers.  To achieve a higher output power and higher efficiency, InP HBT based on GaAsSb base layer is proposed in this research effort. This novel material technology offers the highest potential to achieve the highest output power and efficiency at W-band.  We would like to achieve at least 1W of output power at W-band with at least an efficiency of 40&#37;.
A new type of a photon-counting photodetector is proposed to advance the state-of the-art in deep space optical communications technology. The proposed detector would operate at 1064 and 1550 nm, and combine high speed of operation with very gain and ultra low noise.  The minimal expected parameters are a bandwidth of over 500 MHz (10 GHz might be possible), internal gain of over 1000 (100,000 expected), excess noise factor of less than 1.1 and count saturation rates of over 50 Mcounts/s.  The detector would not require cryogenic cooling.

The detectors are based on the breakthrough technology of internal discrete amplification to achieve the unparalleled combination of high gain, low noise, and high speed.  This represents a radical new approach to increasing sensitivity and speed of photodetectors.

The superior parameters of the proposed detectors could enable meeting the stated NASA mission goals of boosting data transfer rates in optical communication by a factor of 10-100 relative to the current state of the art.  The new capabilities of the proposed detectors could lead to important advances in deep space and other optical communication systems.
Manned space exploration requires radiation protection, particularly since the impact of radiation on the health and safety of humans on extended missions is not known.  The best material candidates are those with high hydrogen contents and low molecular weight, and thus polymers are excellent choices. However, their thermal stability and mechanical properties need to be improved.  MER proposes to achieve this using a combination of DWNT with hydrogenated fullerenes, where the latter can be deposited inside the prior, achieving the so-called "peapod" materials.  Developed composites will be characterized for mechanical performance and radiation hardness as a screening tool.  Selected composites of varying thickness and composition will be chosen for more comprehensive testing in Phase II.
To meet the challenges of rapid prototyping, direct hardware fabrication, and on-the-spot repairs on the ground and on NASA space platforms, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposed a new Holographic Optical Element-Based Laser Diode Source (HOELDS) system for direct metal deposition (DMD). HOELDS uniquely combines multiple high-power laser diode bars with holographic optical elements, efficient thermal management and innovative focusing optics to achieve a 600 W, 100-micron focused spot for DMD materials processing.  The 7-kilogram, 0.1 cubic meter HOELDS system will be ten times as energy efficient as current 1000 kilogram, 20 cubic meter DMD systems, making in-space DMD processing possible for the first time. HOELDS can process aluminum, which is extremely difficult for state-of-the art DMD systems. In Phase I, POC developed a preliminary HOELDS system, theoretical analysis, computer simulation, and component specifications leading to a proof-of-concept prototype. Melting of lead-tin solder with this prototype was demonstrated at NASA Marshall Space Center. The Phase II effort will optimize the system design, optimize fabrication of the holographic optical elements, and scale up the system into a compact high-power HOELDS system prototype capable of DMD.  The prototype system will be performance tested for in-space DMD, and will be space qualified.
The proposed research is focused on developing an aerocapture decelerator
that is substantially lighter than other approaches by using lightweight,
fiber-reinforced films in its construction and by being a smaller size
(higher ballistic coefficient) than previously studied ballutes that operate without thermal protection.  A second objective is to develop an innovative method of control for deployable aerocapture decelerators employing shape-morphing lift modulation.  Aerocapture is strongly enhancing for planetary exploration because the decelerator mass is less than the fuel mass needed for the same delta-V, and therefore results in a higher payload fraction in orbit.  Inflatable drag devices are a promising type of aerocapture decelerator because (1) they are lighter than conventional fixed-geometry aeroshells, and (2) they can be much larger than the interior of a launch fairing and thus enable heavier spacecraft.  This aerocapture technology also applies to supersonic decelerators for Entry, Descent and Landing Systems (EDLS) and to other systems requiring supersonic deceleration and stabilization.  Trajectory control by shape-morphing lift modulation also enhances EDLS as part of precision guided landing capability.  The anticipated Phase II results include the design,
manufacture and testing of a full-scale, flight-weight inflatable torus,
advancing the key inflatable technology for aerocapture decelerators to TRL
4.
One of the key areas of study of NASA's Earth Science enterprise is the role played by clouds in climate change.  The duration of conventional research aircraft is limited so that long-term measurements required to validate satellite observations are not practical.  Small uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) and tethered balloons, however, are now capable of making sustained, long-term (30 hr) measurements, so that data sets can be collected that provide much better statistical comparisons with results from satellite retrieval algorithms.  In Phase I we produced system designs and performed laboratory tests to investigate the feasibility of manufacturing a small, lightweight (&lt; 1.5 Kg) cloud particle imager, called a Micro-CPI, for application on the Aerosonde Piccolo, the most-widely used small UAV for weather research.  In Phase II, Micro-CPIs will be fabricated and flight-tested on the Aerosonde UAV at the Aerosonde facility located at the NASA Wallops Island Research Facility.  The Aerosonde Corporation has agreed to commit technical consulting and materials to support the Phase II effort.  The Micro-CPI will measure the size distributions of both water and ice particles.  The extremely high resolution images (3-micron) of ice crystals can be used to determine their shape and light-scattering properties, information that is crucial for reliable validation of satellite retrievals used to monitor global climate change.
Supercritical air at cryogenic temperature is an attractive source of breathing air because of its very high density and low pressure.  However, heat leak into the cryogenic tank causes the stored air to expand and vent, thus limiting the storage life of a charged system.  We propose to develop a storage system for supercritical air packs that provides cryogenic cooling that will enable long-term storage of charged, supercritical air packs with zero venting. In Phase I we proved feasibility through design trade-off and optimization analyses that led to a conceptual design and operational description of a supercritical air storage system.  The innovative, mechanical cryocooling system provides flexible coupling and quick disconnection, as well as high reliability and efficient, low-power operation.  The system can be used to charge the tanks with supercritical air without the use of expendable cryogens. In Phase II we will build and demonstrate a prototype storage system for supercritical air self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs).  Critical components will be designed and tested individually, then integrated to produce a complete cooling system.  We will couple the Phase II prototype with a supercritical air pack and demonstrate long-term storage with zero venting.
Aerobot vehicles for missions on Titan require envelope materials that are strong, light and durable. In particular they must be able to withstand flexing at liquid nitrogen temperatures (77K) without developing pinhole gas leaks. To meet this requirement, it was proposed that a multiple layer laminate of thin PET films would be better than an equivalent thickness single layer of the same film.

In the Phase I work, some of the laminating variables were studied. Through this effort, significant improvements in the material for Titan aerobot use were realized. The cold temperature flex durability against pinhole failure was increase by 70&#37; due to changes in the weave counts of the fabric. Tests also demonstrated that a 50&#37; reduction could be made in the adhesive weight used to laminate the films without sacrificing bond or flex durability.

This Phase II proposal is for continued development of the Titan aerobot envelope material based on the results of Phase I. Since materials must function as part of a product the proposal also is to begin testing of seaming methods for the material and to prove the results by fabrication of an actual aerobot envelope for pressure testing and possible flight demonstration.
Vescent Photonics determined the feasibility of a miniaturized, robust, Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for either in-situ or remote chemical and spectral analysis.  During this phase I effort we investigated innovative, optical waveguide technology, capable of providing an unprecedented, entirely electro-optic replacement for millimeter or even centimeter scale mechanical mirror translation. This technology, developed by Vescent Photonics, enables a fully integrated FTS chemical sensor unit. The attributes of this sensor: i) small size, comparable to a book of matches, ii) low mass, only tens of grams, iii) small energy consumption, &lt; 10-3    Watt-hours per measurement, iv) high sensitivity, detectable chemical densities &lt; 1013  per cm3, and v) robust monolithic construction, are aptly suited for future NASA missions.  Such a sensor can be integrated and deployed with a variety of exploration platforms. A single device will provide identification and quantification of multiple compounds (e.g., biogenically important CH4, NOx, NH3, H2O, and many more).
High-efficiency UV detectors will be developed in the Phase II program with ZnO and its alloy (ZnBeO). ZnO and ZnBeO are a very suitable material for fabrication of high-speed, high-detectivity, and radiation-hard UV detectors due to their unique structural, electrical and optical properties.  The proposing company (MOXtronics) has shown the feasibility of fabricating new ZnO p-i-n UV detectors in the Phase I. Such UV photodiodes will be improved for high-efficiency UV detection by using heterojunction p-i-n structures and/or Schottky contacts.  In the Phase II efforts, commercial-typed heteojunction ZnO/ZnBeO-based PIN and MSM photodiodes will be fabricated and demonstrated.  These photodiodes will be used for broad near-to-far UV detection.
The VirexLab, the centerpiece of this Tietronix proposal offers significant innovation to NASA and to the Marshall Space Flight Center, implementing the Biological and Physical Research Enterprise education and outreach activities. VirexLab will be a collection of rich immersive settings with both hands-on and virtual components. These settings will focus on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning objectives. The objectives will integrate learning across the boundaries of subject matter, platform (setting), and institution yielding intellectual merit rarely seen in a single learning tool, an innovation in OBPR?s educational excellence. Tietronix proposes to develop a Virtual Reality (VR) educational system that can be used in multiple formats such as multimedia CD-ROMs, kiosks for museum settings, VR stations, and web sites that can be accessed from anywhere in the world. The VR lab would allow the students to experiment with devices as if in the microgravity of space or Earth gravity. The significance of our proposed innovations is that learners, both students and adult life-long learners, will participate in hands-on, immersive environments to experience NASA?s missions and discoveries.
It is accepted that adaptive aerospace vehicles whose flight avionic systems are reconfigurable are needed to respond to changing flight parameters, vehicle system performance degradation, or external threat environments. To this end shape modification of aerospace structures during flight can provide significant performance improvements derived from matching the aerodynamic shape to particular flight conditions. To address this need, new sensor technologies are required for both R &amp; D testing and operational deployment that permit high observability into the shapes generated.

Luna Innovations proposes to develop high-spatial resolution distributed fiber-optic shape sensors to provide feedback as part of a closed-loop control system for vehicles with yadaptivey attributes (i.e. y ysmarty wings, etc.). These shape sensors, when embedded in aircraft wings or other structures of interest, will monitor the dynamic shape of the structure independent of the temperature or load environment, thus enabling real-time active control of reconfigurable avionics. By providing a reliable, low cost, lightweight feedback mechanism, the risks associated with employing smart vehicle technology are substantially mitigated.
Research on next-generation air traffic control systems are being conducted at several laboratories. Most of this work is being carried out using custom software. In order to provide a more uniform research platform, NASA Ames Research Center has recently developed a software package called FACET for investigating future air traffic management concepts. While the FACET software incorporates all the features needed for conducting advanced air traffic control research, extending its capabilities require significant investment in programming. 
	The proposed research will develop a scriptable software environment for accessing the capabilities of the FACET software. This interactive environment will enable users to readily build-in additional functionality and will allow integration with other commercial software packages.  This will make the FACET capabilities accessible to a larger population of researchers, making it a powerful platform for rapid prototyping of air traffic management algorithms. Phase I research will develop an initial version of the software.  The use of the software will then be illustrated by formulating several research problems. Integration of the software with commercial software packages will be demonstrated. Complete version of the proposed software will be developed during the Phase II work. Phase III will commercialize the software to the ATM community.
The Phase II research comprises designing, constructing, and testing a chip-based capillary electrochromatography (CEC) prototype for separation and analysis of organic and inorganic molecules including amino acids and ions.  The innovation of the proposed technology stems from its ability to achieve high sample retention and selectivity and yet maintain high separation efficiency, thus filling an important gap between the current technologies of capillary electrophoresis (CE) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).  Such microfluidics devices will enable analyte samples to be prepared, processed, and analyzed in "lab-on-a-chip" (LOC) type instrumentation in Micro Laboratories applications. In addition, they will be engineered for integration with established LOC analysis systems.  The Phase II Research will address issues related to the performance and production methods for the technology.  Commercial devices based on the Phase II prototype will be constructed and subsequently refined and commercialized during Phase III.
Maintaining a healthy atmosphere in closed life support systems is essential for crew well being and success of space missions. Current trace contaminant control (TCC) systems for removal of trace contaminant gases from cabin air are based on activated carbon filters and high temperature catalytic oxidation (HTCO). However, HTCO suffers from poisoning, and activated carbon suffers from absorbent saturation, which leads to off gassing. It also generates a secondary waste stream and becomes a microorganism breeding ground. During the Phase I effort, a bench scale TCC system utilizing a nanoparticulate photocatalytic filter was fabricated. Testing performed successfully demonstrated the technology feasibility for eliminating airborne chemicals and microorganisms. Preliminary equivalent system mass analysis shows the system efficacy and applicability to space missions. During the Phase II, a scaled-up, fully operational, flight qualifiable, microgravity compatible breadboard will be developed, tested with chemicals known to be present in International Space Station (ISS) cabin air, and delivered to NASA. Benefits of this reagentless approach are its low cost, low maintenance, reliability, longevity, size, performance, and elimination of a secondary waste stream. Photocatalytic unit implementation would serve to expand the capabilities of TCC technologies for missions beyond the ISS including Lunar and Martian exploration.
Seldon Laboratories, LLC, proposes a lightweight, low-pressure water purification device that harnesses the unique properties of carbon nanotubes and will operate for an extended period of time to remove microorganisms from large quantities of water. Seldon's proprietary production process results in a membrane composed largely of carbon nanotubes fused to one another. This project will build on the successful results of the Phase I testing to treat higher volumes of water by creating larger membranes and housings suitable for use in spacecraft. The very low pressure requirements will significantly reduce energy and other input requirements. The device will be sufficiently versatile so as to be incorporated into existing systems or used as a standalone system for water treatment.
NRC's Committee on Government Data Centers made a set of technology recommendations for data centers meet user needs and develop the long-term record of environmental change. ArC is a low cost scalable Archive Storage Management System that will help NASA respond to the NRC recommendations.  The ArC architecture is innovative in the replacement of current tape-based archival systems with a highly distributed disk-based system that provides unprecedented ease of use implemented over commodity Linux clusters using scalable indexing and load balancing algorithms. 

The Phase II Technical Objectives are to develop a full-scope prototype system, evaluate its performance using the EOS Science Investigator-led Processing System (SIPS) on OMIDAPS, and incorporate performance improvements. The prototype will provide a 36TB archival system that will enable archive administrators automate the day-to-day operations of the archive, ensure the preservation of authenticity, provide audit constructs, and achieve  the lowest possible cost of operation.
The proposed innovative technology addresses the need to understand and develop countermeasures for the skeletal and cardiovascular changes to astronauts during prolonged exposure to microgravity environments. During the proposed program we will apply our innovative functional imagery approach, developed in Phase I research, to the problem of microgravity-induced cellular changes in osteoblasts, cells that are responsible for bone growth and repair. As part of the program we will develop a 593-nm diode-pumped, solid-state (DPSS) laser that will be combined with a commercially available 473 nm DPSS laser to enable simultaneous visualization of three cellular proteins that are genetically fused to fluorescent reef coral proteins (RCFPs). The genetic constructs we will generate, integrin aV-ZsGreen, p130CAS-DsRed2 and HcRed-a-actin, will enable space biologists to monitor changes in cytoskeletal structure as well as changes at the focal adhesions in vivo and in real time with no manipulation or reagent addition. Those same genetic constructs could be expressed in different cell lines to examine the effects of microgravity environments on cardiovascular tissue. We expect that the improved understanding of cellular changes that our innovative model system will deliver will enable rapid development of countermeasures to microgravity-induced changes in humans.
Many space missions require relative navigation between several spacecraft systems or between spacecraft and rovers or remote controlled probes, such as spacecraft inspection, docking, rover control, formation flight, automatic landing of UAVs, and automatic material handling. Ranging and communication are key functions for these types of applications. The ranging update rate and data rate directly affect the performance of relative navigation. UWB radios are very suitable to the above needs because it can be made to be very low power, low-cost, compact, and lightweight. Furthermore, UWB transceivers for relative navigation will have wide field-of-view compared to optical or image based sensors. Another benefit of UWB is that can co-exist with other radio equipment used by the spacecraft without causing co-site interferences or being interfered by other radio transmission. UWB radios have been demonstrated to be able to perform high-speed communication and good ranging rate separately, but the data rate or the ranging update rate will be greatly compromised if one wants to perform UWB communication and tracking simultaneously. The goals of this Phase II project are to develop a superior UWB transceiver that can provide higher update rate and can provide the maximum ranging update and data rate simultaneously.
The Phase I Project demonstrated the capability of the Pyrowave? manufacturing process to produce fiber-reinforced ceramics (FRCs) with integral metal features, such as attachment lugs or tubes.  In addition, the Phase I Project demonstrated the utility of thermography as a simple, rapid, and inexpensive inspection tool.  
With the increased emphasis on the exploration of space, technologies supporting fission-powered spacecraft, such as those under development through Project Prometheus, will become increasingly important.  For the Phase II Project, Thor Technologies, Inc. will team with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), a computational design firm, a small NDE firm, and a major spacecraft OEM to design, manufacture, and deliver a prototype lightweight, high performance thermal radiator component for fission powered spacecraft, such as the Jupiter Icy Moons Orbiter.
The project team has the experience and capability to execute the proposed development plan within the Phase II budget and schedule.  The proposed technology will simplify the design and facilitate the utilization of fission-powered, which are essential to the exploration celestial bodies more distant from the Sun than Mars.
The Mars Aqueous Processing System (MAPS) is a novel technology for recovering oxygen, iron, and other constituents from lunar and Mars soils. The closed-loop process selectively extracts and then recovers constituents from soils using acids and bases. The emphasis on Mars is production of useful materials such as iron, silica, alumina, magnesia, and concrete with recovery of oxygen as a byproduct. On the Moon, similar chemistry is applied with emphasis on oxygen production. 

Most lunar LOx processes only reduce FeO, which is generally present at just 10 to 15 percent in soils. All of the soil must be heated to reduce the contained FeO, resulting in substantial heat transfer issues. Thermal power requirements per unit of oxygen recovered are reduced by an order of magnitude and hydrogen losses are minimized if only a small mass of high-grade iron oxide concentrate, such as that produced by MAPS, is subjected to hydrogen reduction.

MAPS is significant because it can be co-developed for Mars and Moon applications. The process would be commissioned first for oxygen production on the Moon. Modular enhancements for manufacture of additional products would be implemented on the Moon and then on Mars, thereby reducing risks and costs.
Future NASA programs like Tertiary Planet Finder (TPF) require high-density deformable mirrors with up to 16,000 actuators to enable direct imaging of planets around distant stars. Xinetics has been developing high-density module actuator arrays that will enable deformable mirrors to be fabricated with array sizes up to 128 by 128. These monolithic actuator arrays have eliminated the need for discrete wires by using internal electrical conductors that terminate at the back of the module. Concepts for electrical attachment have been developed to allow laboratory testing and evaluation, but reliable interconnect technology must be developed that will allow the module mirror technology to meet space qualification requirements. Environmental requirements for the interconnect include radiation, mechanical, thermal and life cycle loads. The interconnect must also survive subsequent assembly processes including thermal and coating vacuum cycles. We are proposing under Phase I to investigate electrical interface options, materials and processes for the module arrays compatible with future space qualification requirements. During a follow on Phase II a high density interconnect for a full scale 32 by 32 mirror would be built and assembly processes qualified with rigorous testing.
Xinetics has demonstrated the technology required to fabricate a self-compensating highly adaptive silicon carbide primary mirror system having embedded actuators, sensors, and neural control with an areal density less that 10Kg/m2. The system architecture complete with feedback sensors, and neural algorithm was conceived, modeled and tested, and appears scaleable to 10-30meter class deployable systems. Highly adaptive telescopes require self-compensating telescope components to enable autonomously optimized optical trains to achieve very low total system wavefront error. High sensitivity semiconductor strain gages were shown to have adequate resolution for shape control. Resistance RTD sensors were shown to provide more than adequate temperature sensitivity. Analysis of strain gage placement conducted during this Phase I showed that the strain sensors required for neural control will require very high precision strain measurement (less than 1 microstrain), potential sensors were tested and characterized. Phase I data acquisition system limitations prevented full closed loop hardware demonstration. As a result Xinetics demonstrated the closed loop function using FEA analysis to provide simulated data to train the MATLAB based neural control algorithm. Phase I results show very encouraging performance and provide design information for a solid technical plan for full hardware demonstration in a phase II.
Our innovation is a high-speed method for the prediction of aerodynamic debris fields that employs an extensive database of generalized empirical equations coupled with interpolation and localization techniques.  An essential element of our innovation is the vehicle independence of the equations database which allows it to be generated once and applied to any vehicle.  The large-scale operation of unpiloted aircraft within the National Airspace (NAS) will require a very high tempo of flight risk assessments, both for pre-mission planning and in the event of unplanned anomalies or deviations from the approved flight path.  These risk assessments will require a large number of debris field predictions each of which will involve predicting the expected impact point and impact dispersion of many distinct representative debris pieces.  Our innovation is aimed at making this volume of predictions feasible and cost-effective.
The objective of this Phase II project is to develop and demonstrate a compact and reliable oscillator technology for the frequency band from 100 ? 250 GHz for use in terahertz local oscillators and transmitters. The new oscillators rely on MMIC technology that is reliable and robust, offers the best overall performance and will be suitable for volume production and commercialization. These oscillators meet immediate needs for NASA's Earth Science program, specifically for terahertz radiometers for studies of the atmosphere and climate change. The oscillators are also useful for a wide range of other scientific, military and emerging commercial applications. The Phase I study demonstrated the feasibility of the new oscillators through the development and demonstration of an oscillator at 146 GHz suitable as a driver for an 874 GHz cloud ice radiometer being developed at NASA/GSFC. This new component greatly exceeds the performance of any other commercially available oscillator technology while maintaining a compact size, power efficiency and all solid-state construction. The Phase II research is focused on achieving greater power for higher frequency terahertz sources, improving power efficiency, achieving more compact integration of the subcomponents and extending the basic design concept throughout the 100 ? 250 GHz band.
Faced with ever-increasing projections of air traffic, airport expansion plans, changes in operational requirements and introduction of advanced technologies are all being considered to increase airport capacity.  These enhancements serve to improve throughputs at the airports, but the resulting increases in surface traffic and airport complexity would lead to taxi delays and surface traffic congestion that offset some of the expected benefits.  New operational concepts are needed to preserve the envisioned benefits.  A Surface Operation Automation Research (SOAR) project has been exploring a concept of collaborative automation between surface traffic management and the flight deck.  The Phase I research represents a major step towards the concept of a Flight-deck Automation for Reliable Ground Operation (FARGO) system, with results that demonstrate the feasibility of guidance and control technologies to deliver high-precision taxi performance, and interface technologies capable of conveying guidance and control information to the flight crew to achieve the precise taxi control.  The proposed Phase II effort focuses on the development of a complete FARGO system, including operational procedures, aircraft guidance and control reference and monitor displays, and traffic monitor display and alert systems.  Efforts beyond Phase II should target the transition of the FARGO technologies to the avionics community.
It is proposed to develop and implement a computational technique based on Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) for interior noise prediction of advanced aerospace vehicles that will expand NASA's noise prediction capability at the early stage of design process. In many situations, aerospace structures are subjected to high frequency mechanical and/or acoustic excitations. Presently, noise performances of these products are determined experimentally, which is not feasible at the early design stage or by using computational simulation technique based on Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA). SEA requires high level of analyst expertise and in some instances, testing of the product's components. An alternative computational simulation technique for high frequency vibration and noise prediction based on EFEA conceptually offers several unique features. EFEA can predict the spatial variation of the energy in structures and the acoustic cavities. Local power input and damping treatments can also be modeled in EFEA. More importantly, EFEA is based on extensively used and comprehensively developed finite element method. The use of finite element method for both low and high frequency noise and vibration problems will provide the users a unified framework for the resolution of problems where the frequency spans a wide range.
Research on next-generation air traffic management systems is being conducted at several laboratories using custom software. In order to provide a more uniform research platform for en route air traffic management research, NASA has recently developed the FACET software package. While FACET incorporates most of the features required for conducting research, it is sometimes necessary to extend its capabilities. However, this can demand a significant programming investment.
	The Phase I SBIR project developed the prototype version of scriptable software that allows simpler access to FACET functionality. This software is termed CARAT# (Configurable Airspace Research and Analysis Tool ? Scriptable). The first version of CARAT# is built upon a commercial software platform, while a second version employs a freely available, scriptable environment as its foundation. The use of CARAT# was illustrated by formulating four research problems during the Phase I research. By making the capabilities of FACET accessible to a larger population of researchers, CARAT# can help accelerate the pace of air traffic management research. 
	The complete version of the CARAT# software will be developed during the Phase II work. Additional research problems will also be formulated. The software will be commercialized to the ATM research community towards the end of Phase II research.
Two low-mass, linear throttling, high-efficiency, leak-proof cryogenic valves of diameters 1/2" and 4" will be built and tested.  Based upon cryogenically-proven Venturi Off-Set Technology (VOST) the valve has no stem-actuator, few moving parts, and an overall cylindrical shape.  The valve geometry will help reduce launch vehicle complexity and facilitate assembly and testing.  Reliability and safety will be enhanced due to the inherent simplicity and leak-proof design of the VOST valve.  Potential NASA uses include launch, descent, and extraterrestrial use.  Ground-based embodiments will benefit from enhanced thermal performance which will reduce recurring costs.  Non-NASA uses include military and civilian aircraft, chemically corrosive industrial environments, superconductivity and medical applications.
A system for autonomous detection and exploitation of weather phenomena for endurance or range enhancement for loitering unmanned air vehicles is presented. The proposed system consists of hardware and software for coarse identification of geographical areas where advantageous weather phenomena (such as soaring conditions) are present. A custom autopilot and sensors enable the fine detection of the phenomena, and cause the UAV to adopt an optimal flight path that exploits the phenomena. The proposed system consists of custom hardware, software, and sensors. We have demonstrated a simulation of the system in Phase I, and we will render this in hardware in Phase II. We will also complete full flight test of the system on our 40 lb class UAV in Phase II.
To meet the demands of future high-capacity free space optical communications links, a high bandwidth, near infrared (NIR), single photon sensitive optoelectronic receiver will be designed, manufactured, and demonstrated. The unique vertical charge transport electron avalanche photodiode (EAPD) exploits the bandgap properties of HgCdTe to achieve high quantum efficiency and avalanche multiplication that preferentially ionizes electrons to achieve nearly noiseless gain exceeding 1000 with an excess noise factor approaching 1.0 and bandwidths greater than 500 MHz. In Phase II, a segmented 1 mm x 1 mm back-illuminated detector will be integrated with a low noise CMOS integrated circuit to realize a photoreceiver capable of both single photon detection and photon number discrimination. Unlike Geiger Mode detectors, the receiver can operate at 77K, without the limitations of afterpulsing, so that dark current can de reduced and bit errors rates reduced. A cold laser line filter is used to select the spectral response anywhere within the 1064-2400 nm spectral band. 

Optical communications has been identified as a critical technology for future NASA missions, and the innovation satisfied the currently unmet need for a single photon sensitive, large area, high bandwidth NIR photoreceivers that is not served by contemporary approaches.
The overall goal of this project is to develop an onboard, autonomous Multi-spacecraft Supervisory Engine (MSE) for formation-flying guidance, navigation and control (FF-GNC), suitable for a wide range of formation flying topologies and distributed, multi-spacecraft missions. MSE will be developed in the context of specific NASA formation flying missions, using Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) as the target FF-GNC system architecture. Other missions, such as the Stellar Imager and/or MAXIM will also be studied.
It will be developed using the concepts of Intelligent Systems, Formal Methods for Finite-State Automata modeling and Hybrid Model Predictive Optimization. 
Specific problems to be addressed include: formation initialization and calibration maneuver planning/control, formation reconfiguration (including conflict/constraint resolution), FF-GNC resource allocation and optimal resource management, and FF-GNC health maintenance and reconfiguration.
In collaboration with the relevant technology teams at NASA-JPL, we propose co-development of MSE technology in parallel with (and interfaced to) NASA-JPL's FF mission and GNC analysis testbeds (ie. Formation Algorithms and Simulation Testbed, FAST and Formation Control Testbed, FCT).
The Phase II project will deliver MSE system designs, prototype software, analysis tools and techniques.
A Technology Infusion Roadmap for MSE technology will also be provided for NASA Program Office planning purposes.
Several instruments that are potential candidates for future space-based NASA missions require a highly stable, single frequency laser oscillator that is wavelength tunable. It should be a cw source with an output in the 10-100 mW range.  Most of the applications either require that the wavelength be near 1064 nm or can use that wavelength.  To meet many of the applications, the laser should have a short-term frequency drift of &lt;1 MHz/min and a long-term frequency stability of +/-50 MHz. The more demanding applications require long term stability of +/-1 MHz.  Some commercial lasers meet the less stringent performance requirements, but to our knowledge, Lightwave Electronics is the only domestic laser vendor that has built any space-qualified units.  None of the commercial lasers meet the +/-1 MHz long term stability requirement.   At this time no domestic laser manufacturers, including Lightwave Electronics, appear to be interested in supplying a laser that meets the +/-50 MHz long term stability requirement in a space-qualified version.  We are proposing to build a space-qualified version of the required laser based on a design that is an innovative synthesis of microchip laser technology, space-qualifiable thermal control systems, frequency locking techniques that use a simple I2 absorption cell, and compact packaging technology.  In addition to the basic cw laser development that was begun in Phase I, we are proposing to develop a next generation of compact control electronics.  We are also proposing to demonstrate the utility of the system by using it to injection seed a Q-switched, 10 kHz repetition rate Nd:YAG laser oscillator. The required laser development strongly overlaps the technology development areas defined in the SBIR topic E1.02, Lidar Remote Sensing.  The areas of overlap include the more specific categories of High Spectral Resolution Lidar systems, lidar for direct wind detection, and innovative laser component technologies.
A new type of calibration standard is proposed which produces a pair of microwave noise signals to aid in the characterization and calibration of correlating radiometers. The proposed Correlated Noise Calibration Standard (CNCS) is able to generate pairs of broad bandwidth stochastic noise signals with a wide variety of statistical properties. The CNCS can be used with synthetic aperture interferometers to generate specific visibility functions. It can be used with fully polarimetric radiometers to generate specific 3rd and 4th Stokes parameters of brightness temperature. It can also be used with spectrometers to generate specific power spectra and autocorrelations. It is possible to combine these features and, for example, generate the pair of signals that would be measured by a fully polarimetric, spectrally resolving, synthetic aperture radiometer at a particular pair of polarizations and antenna baselines for a specified scene over a specified frequency band.  The proposed CNCS will cover all the frequencies used for radiometric observations in the 1 to 40 GHz range. In specific, the Phase II project will develop the system prototypes for L and X bands. While intended for ground based characterization of radiometer systems, the technological approach is amenable to on-orbit calibration.
Highly reflective optical coatings with low scatter properties are needed to image very faint objects such as extra-solar planets.  Silver has the highest reflectivity of all metals but tarnishes readily upon exposure to atmospheric pollutants.  In this research, Surface Optics Corporation (SOC) will develop a non-tarnishing silver mirror coating based an ion assisted, thermal evaporation process.  The recipe for this durable silver mirror system was patented by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and is based on an alternative deposition method, namely, reactive sputtering.   Developing a methodology to manufacture protected silver by ion assisted evaporation will allow these proven designs to be fabricated with SOC?s large aperture coating facility.  SOC recently developed and implemented a unique vacuum coating system that utilizes a computer controlled, translating evaporation source.  This system is capable of producing highly uniform optical films with low scatter properties, on curved substrates up to 3-meters in diameter.  The combination of SOC's novel coating methods and LLNL's novel coating designs, will establish a unique and very valuable coating resource for the astronomical community.
Laser induced thermal acoustics (LITA) is a nonintrusive, transient-grating optical technique that provides
simultaneous high-accuracy measurements of velocity, sound-speed, and thermal diffusivity among other
parameters. In a fluid of known composition, sound speed and thermal diffusivity are readily correlated to
temperature and density. Thus LITA provides a measurement of thermodynamic state. We are developing a
computer-controlled semi-portable LITA system for robust, long-baseline measurements. This novel system
automatically adjusts its own alignment to optimize accuracy. In prior work, LITA velocimetry was incorporated
into this system and demonstrated. System level requirements for multi point LITA measurements were identified
and system components, which as a whole, meet these requirements were designed or identified. In the proposed
effort, elements of the design will be separately validated and will then be incorporated into a complete system for
delivery to NASA in Phase II. By providing velocimetry and multi point capability the proposed system will beideal
for high-value ground-test experiments.
Maintaining a healthy atmosphere in closed life support systems is necessary for the well being of the crew and success of a space mission. Current trace contaminant control systems for removal of trace contaminant gases from cabin air are based on activated carbon filter and high temperature catalytic oxidation. However, activated carbon and high temperature oxidation air cleaners suffer from absorbent saturation and poisoning, which leads to off gassing. Also, the units become a breading ground for microorganisms, and the activated carbon generates a potentially hazardous secondary waste stream. In this Phase I project Lynntech proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of using a reagentless advanced low temperature catalytic air-revitalizing unit based on a nanoparticulate photocatalytic filter to eliminate both chemicals and microorganisms from air. The benefits of this approach are its low cost, low power consumption, longevity, diverse flow rate capacity, size and performance. In addition, it is reagentless and it does not generate a secondary waste stream. In the Phase II project, a fully operational prototype will be delivered to NASA.
We propose combination of software intelligent agents to achieve decentralized reasoning, with fault detection and diagnosis using PCA, neural nets, and maximum entropy methods.  The goal of the work is to achieve integrated system health management and self-reliant systems, including integration with the maintenance and logistics scheduling systems to achieve fully automated end-to-end solutions. At low levels the agents will evaluate raw sensor signals to detect and diagnose the cause of anomalies.  At the next higher level, the agents will combine the diagnostic results from multiple lower level agents to detect and diagnose anomalies in the interaction between components or subsystems.  If there is a maintenance action or a spare part indicated by the prognosis, a Task Agent and/or a Spare Parts agent will be spawned to interact with the appropriate agent-based Scheduling System to insure that the requirements are met.  Agents at each level are also responsible for performing graceful degradation in the event of a failure at their level.  At the low level, we have demonstrated that the PCA algorithm can greatly reduce the amount of diagnostic data that must be shared between hierarchical levels.  We have also demonstrated other algorithms for anomaly detection, diagnosis, and diagnostic data-fusion.
The proposed innovation is a wireless laser power transmission system employing a dual-use photovoltaic concentrator at the receiving end. Specifically, the laser receiver/converter employs thin stretched-membrane Fresnel lenses to focus continuous or pulsed laser light onto small photovoltaic cells, thereby reducing cell cost and improving cell conversion efficiency. The dual-use approach can be implemented in several ways, to allow the same photovoltaic concentrator array to be used as a solar array and/or a laser receiver/converter array. Specifically, the photovoltaic concentrator employs multi-junction cells for high-efficiency solar radiation conversion, and single-junction cells for the high-efficiency laser radiation conversion. A prototype lens/cell unit was successfully tested in Phase I, and a more optimal array will be built and tested in Phase II.  The new modular laser/solar photovoltaic concentrator will have many NASA, military, and commercial space applications. Applications include spacecraft arrays receiving laser input from other spacecraft or from Earth; lunar or planetary arrays receiving laser input from nearby spacecraft or from Earth; and Earth-based arrays receiving laser input from space solar power (SSP) spacecraft. The dual-use capability enables state-of-the-art solar operation when sunlight is available (e.g., illuminated orbit portion), and laser operation when sunlight is not available (e.g., eclipse orbit portion).
Enabling a new generation of high-speed civil aircraft will require breakthrough developments in propulsion systems, including novel techniques to optimize inlet performance in multiple operating conditions.  Maximizing propulsive performance while minimizing weight and mechanical complexity is a key goal, and rapidly maturing smart
materials technology can enable adaptive control of inlet geometry to allow in-flight optimization of engine flows.  Phase I of this effort built on established device technology using high strength Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators and initiated development of adaptive inlet concepts for application to Supersonic Business Jets (SSBJs).  Leveraging this work as well as prior efforts in SMA device design and testing has permitted the first steps in the development a family of actuation and flow control devices for use in flight applications. Phase II will build on this work with mutually supporting design, analysis, and test activities including: detailed definition of the effectiveness of geometry adaptation in improving installed engine performance at low and high speeds; construction and test of a benchtop adaptive inlet component demonstrator using high temperature SMA alloy actuators; high-speed wind tunnel testing of sectional components with realistic thermal and aerodynamic loads; and construction of a model 3D adaptive inlet.
In this project, the development of a novel panoramic, stereoscopic video system was proposed.  The proposed system, which contains no moving parts, uses three-fixed position cameras equipped with NASA's Panoramic Refracting Optic (PRO) to generate stereoscopic images over a hemispherical work area.  This system will provide an immersive remote environment for robot operation during space missions, enhancing operator effectiveness.  In Phase I, a prototype imager was designed, constructed, and tested.  This prototype was used to record stereoscopic images throughout its hemispherical viewing area.  These tests demonstrated that the system can generate good stereoscopic views for any chosen viewing direction, thereby proving feasibility.  In Phase II we propose to develop an advanced prototype system with an improved optical design that will enhance the system's imaging resolution.  We also propose to couple the system with a head-mounted display, equipped with a head-tracking unit, to allow the user to effortlessly view the hemispherical workspace in three dimensions by simply moving his or her head.  The Phase II project will therefore substantially increase the level of maturity of the Phase I innovation.  The project will culminate in the delivery of the advanced prototype imaging system to NASA.
NASA uses a number of water electrolysis units for generating oxygen and hydrogen gas for space applications. These missions range from generating propellants to supplying oxygen to crew and habitat. Consequently, the electrolyzer systems employ a variety of designs and system approaches that can generate high pressures or product gases with varying degrees of moisture, however, most of these approaches result in heavy and bulky systems. 

A new water electrolyzer was developed by MicroCell Technologies that allows pressurized gas to be generated in a lightweight and compact design. In a Phase I SBIR program, we demonstrated the feasibility of the electrolyzer to generate pressurized oxygen and hydrogen gas in a compact and lightweight electrolyzer design that can operate in a passive mode without requiring water pumps. Based on these results, we propose to scale the process in a Phase II program to a rate of 0.5 kg O2/hr in a device with a mass of 1000 g and a volume of 300 cc. This translates into high power densities of 6 kW/kg and 18 kW/liter, competitive metrics for an electrolyzer that can also generate high pressure to 2000 psi in a passive balance of plant approach.
Efficient and stable clock signal generation requirements at extreme
temperatures (-180C to +450C)and radiation (&amp;gt;250 Krad TID) are not
met with the current solutions.Chronos technology proposes to design and
fabricate RTXO as a new, comprehensive and scalable solution that
simultaneously addresses the attributes of a reliable clock source in
extreme environments. RTXO offers very small form-factor 5X7mm surface
mount device utilizing high-Q Quartz material and CMOS/SOI for the
extreme cold temperatures of Mars surface up to +110C. For extreme high
temperature (to +450C) it uses Silicon Carbide (SiC-4H) semiconductor
technology, high quality Gallium Orthophisphate (GaPO4) piezo-electric
resonator material in a non-adhesive configured innovative assembly. All
the different elements and processes used in the RTXO technology have
been investigated in phase I to comply with the intended performance.
This includes the individual elements, packaging, interconnecting method
and manufacturing processes. RTXO offers standard signal interface, wide
operating voltage range, conventional microelectronic packaging, and
industry standard and reliable metal to metal as well as glass to metal
sealing processes. RTXO delivers its exceptional performance over a wide
(application specific) frequency range to 100 MHz from a single supply
voltage and requires very low power.
This proposal is for the development of new Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers for efficient high power 2-micron fiber lasers capable of generating an output power of up to hundreds watts.  We propose to use Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers because silica glass fiber is not the ideal host for lasers at wavelength of 2-micron and longer. Germanate glass exhibits lower phonon energy compared to silica glass, increasing the quantum efficiency of 3F4 level of Tm3+ ions. Importantly, Tm3+ can be highly doped into germanate glasses, which results in so called cross-relaxation, dramatically improving the quantum efficiency. We will develop double-clad single mode germanate glass fibers with greater than 6wt&#37; Tm3+ concentration to take full advantages of this Tm3+ cross-relaxation process, developing highly efficient fiber lasers at 2-micron. This type of fiber laser is useful for LIDAR applications, can also be used to pump Ho3+ doped crystals to generate extremely high power 2-micron lasers.
The current push to develop small satellites, the need for formation flying constellations, and the desire to replace reaction control wheels have resulted in the need for thrusters that can deliver very small impulse bits.  The required thrusters are much smaller than those available today, so new technologies will have to be developed.  In Phase I, Ultramet focused on the development of catalysts that could be scaled down to the dimensions required for such small thrusters.  To facilitate testing of these catalysts, Tridyne was used as the propellant, and several dozen catalyst beds were tested in a 5-lbf test engine.  Several of the catalyst beds tested showed faster temperature rises and higher steady-state temperatures than a similar sized bed of Shell-405.  For all of the Ultramet catalysts, the supports were monolithic materials that could easily be scaled down for use in microthrusters.  Phase II will build on this technology, and enable the resulting catalysts to be used with other propellants, such as hydrazine or HAN-based monopropellants.
NASA?s In-Flight Propulsion Program is investigating aerocapture as a rapid, highly efficient method for insertion of probes into long-duration scientific orbits.  Aerocapture, an aggressive braking maneuver intended to achieve a scientific orbit directly (?capture?) from a hyperbolic approach trajectory, places extremely high peak heat loads of short duration on the leading surfaces of the spacecraft.  Flexible silica aerogel composites, a class of super-insulation material recently developed by Aspen Aerogels, has not been utilized before in high temperature TPS designs.  Thermophysical characterization data will be collected during the Phase I program for high-temperature durable, flexible aerogel composites at different densities, pressures and temperatures.  The test data will be used to run detailed thermal performance simulations for the Titan aerocapture mission using TPS designs incorporating the best performing material.  During the Phase I program, an aerogel augmented TPS lay-up using the best performing materials will be sized to maintain the aeroshell bondline temperature below 250 ?C for the duration of the Titan aerocapture maneuver.  The aerogel TPS design is likely to save over 60 kg of parasitic forebody TPS weight for the Titan Orbiter aeroshell compared to the most promising non-aerogel alternative (TUFROC).
Nanobiotechnology is a rapidly advancing frontier of science with great potential for beneficial impact on society. However, successful design of these systems is an extremely complex, laborious task with large failure rates. Current models describing the molecular behavior are too slow (nanoseconds) and expensive while device design codes lack the necessary nanophysics. Our overall objective is to develop a generalized, multiscale, multiphysics CFD (continuum)-based design software where nanoscale effects of arbitrary biosystems are accurately, efficiently and seamlessly integrated with coarse-grained models carrying molecular information. To accomplish this task we propose a three-level modeling effort. First molecular calculations (Molecular Dynamics, Monte Carlo) are undertaken to elucidate the fundamental and essential molecular behavior. Next, stochastic simulation methods (Master, Fokker-Planck, or Langevin) will be seamlessly integrated with continuum approaches are developed to describe the mesoscale, fast time scale averaged behavior of these molecules.  Finally, the information from the stochastic models is coupled to the continuum CFD model. In Phase I, the feasibility of this approach will be developed and demonstrated in the context of nanopore based sequencing device.  The Phase II work will focus on model generalization, validation and improved usability (speed, robustness, GUI). The research is leveraged on substantial prior effort in the area.
Space vehicles for deep space exploration rely on microwave and millimeter wave links for communication with earth stations. As the mission of space probes expands, the data rate to be transmitted increases, and effective, compact, methods of modulating the RF carrier with high-speed data become a critical necessity.  Passive MMIC modulation approaches introduce loss into the RF path and analog phase shifters in particular can exhibit significant shortcomings such as insertion loss variations and phase-shift range limitations. For more complex digital or hybrid modulation schemes, passive modulator components may also need elaborate calibration look-up tables to achieve desired phase and amplitude modulation accuracy with respect to process and temperature variations. Hittite has recently developed high-performance, active I/Q vector modulator MMICs for communication systems operating up to C-band, based on SiGe and GaAs HBT process technologies. As part of this program, we propose to apply similar circuit techniques together with more advanced device technologies to develop high-performance active vector modulators for both X- and Ka-band frequencies.
This SBIR Phase I project will address the feasibility of using a fiber Bragg grating array as a means of detecting liquid and slush hydrogen in gravity and zero gravity environments.  Fiber optic Bragg grating sensors offer the advantages of a single fiber feed through into the cryogenic vessel for reliability and the ability to multiplex many sensors on a fiber in order to locate a liquid level or a floating mass.  The detected parameter will be the differences in the thermal properties of the three hydrogen phases.  Methods will be developed to extend the sensitivity of the Bragg grating sensors to at least ten Kelvins.  In Phase I, the signal processing for each sensor in a short array will be performed using a robust tunable laser and a curve-fitting algorithm. The feasibility of the method will be demonstrated by using a four-sensor array to detect levels of liquid nitrogen and a single point sensor calibrated to 10K to demonstrate low temperature sensitivity.  In Phase II, an array of 50 sensors will be demonstrated and advanced signal processing will be developed.  The ability of the tunable laser to withstand launch stresses will be tested.
There is a need for high energy (~ 200 Wh/kg) and high power (&gt; 500 W/kg) density rechargeable Li-ion batteries that are safe and reliable for several space and consumer applications.  State-of-the-art rechargeable Li-ion batteries are incapable of fulfilling these stringent requirements.  We propose to develop high energy and power density nanocomposite cathodes that will lead to thermally stable, high energy and power density Li-ion batteries.  Working in collaboration with a leading developer of Li-ion polymer batteries, in Phase I, we will demonstrate that it is possible to produce a stable and high power density nanostructured cathode, along with good energy density.  As part of Phase I work, the electrochemical properties of these nanostructured cathodes will be evaluated in Li and Li-ion test cells with a liquid electrolyte.  In Phase II, prototype batteries will be fabricated and tested for performance, along with the optimization and scaling of the nanocomposite synthesis process.
International Electronic Machines (IEM) Corp., a leader in multisensor monitoring solutions, proposes the design (in Phase I) and creation (in Phase II) of the Reactive In-flight Multisensor Security System (RIMSS). RIMSS would be an extremely affordable (less than $5,000) system which would improve safety and security within an aircraft by detecting abnormal events (including but not limited to unusual passenger or crew activities, losses of pressure, deviations from flight plan, movement or fire in cargo areas, and so on), automatically alerting the crew to these events, and recording the entire event. This will be accomplished through the combination of proprietary and innovative imaging hardware, acoustic monitoring, IEM?s unique and proprietary event and object detection, tracking, and identification software. RIMSS would continue to function even in the event of power loss through a unique backup system, and would be able to transmit data securely to designated ground stations. The imaging portion of the system will work in all lighting conditions and the entire system will be rugged and able to endure for many years of reliable service. RIMSS is made possible through IEM?s extensive experience in all relevant fields, including imaging, 360? vision systems, acoustic /visual target detection, and many others.
The system proposed in this effort will allow the handicapped individual with hand/arm motor impairment to use the computer and access digital libraries on the Internet and in internal networks in a more effective manner. Furthermore, the system allows full use of the actual keyboard and mouse so that terminals enabled with the proposed software are still useful for the general public. Because of supporting internal IR&amp;D, in Phase I we will create a complete pre-production prototype and Cybernet will initially provide this system free of charge for download from NASA digital library sites (as a NASA public service to the profoundly handicapped).
This proposed project aims to demonstrate the feasibility and utility of a data mining system designed to facilitate the interpretation of information obtained from distributed information sources. Each source providing data on high value data would be modeled as an information retrieval system. This approach is effective whenever several systems are available that are used by different groups to retrieve information from databases defined in the same information universe. 
For purposes of insuring comparability and defining a shared information universe for investigative operations, a uniform resource identifier (UFI) will be used to filter the raw data. An independent retrieval system, defined on the distributed databases of UFIs, will be implemented for the sources. The collective results of these systems will be used to determine (in real-time) a norm for any given search. This norm will then be used to identify either high-profile or unusual activities that warrant further investigation.
OPTRA proposes to develop an optical tracking system that is capable of recognizing and tracking up to 50 different objects within an approximately 2 degree x 3 degree field of view. The system output will be 3-dimensional trajectories for each of the objects. The primary function of the system is to monitor the first 2 minutes of a space vehicle launch; following any catastrophic event at launch this system will provide a wealth of detailed information that can be used both in real time, and in subsequent accident analyses. The proposed system consists of three high-resolution digital cameras with telephoto lenses mounted on GPS-equipped servo-controlled ALT/AZ platforms. The system hardware will consist largely of commercially available off-the-shelf components, resulting in proven performance, high reliability, and low cost. A key element in the proposed effort will be the development of robust target identification and tracking algorithms, as well as the algorithms needed to convert the 3 separate 2D trajectory sets to a single 3D trajectory set
We propose to utilize a new detector material, polycrystalline mercuric iodide, for background suppression by active anticoincidence shielding in gamma-ray spectrometers. Two proposed NASA missions will require anticoincidence shielding for gamma-ray spectrometers: the Mars Lander and a Space Science Vision Mission expected to visit Titan, one of Saturn?s moons. Shielding improves the performance of gamma-ray spectrometers by reducing the effect of charged particle interactions which can not be distinguished from true gamma-ray interactions by the spectrometer. Active shields produce a blanking signal when a charged particle is detected, so that the signal from the spectrometer can be ignored during the spectrometer?s charged-particle interaction. While it is well know that this technique produces significant improvement in gamma-ray spectrometer performance, the technology to implement it is lacking. The attributes of mercuric iodide make it an excellent candidate for anticoincidence shielding detectors. Because of its detection characteristics, light weight, small size, low cost, robustness, and ease of application to non-planar geometries, this material can replace the costly, heavy, and bulky scintillator/photomultiplier tube (PMT) systems currently in use. The application of this new material for space-based astrophysical observations will provide excellent background suppression with improved mass and volume characteristics.
Future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science Enterprises will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology. Temperature control for microelectronic and optoelectronic components is often accomplished with thermoelectric (TE) coolers. Because of the performance limit of thermoelectric (TE) materials, a commercial one-stage TE cooler can provide about, at most, 70 K maximum temperature difference, when its hot end remains at room temperature. Therefore, multistage thermoelectric coolers should be applied to obtain larger temperature differences at better coefficient of performance (COP). In the proposed SBIR program, Reveo will develop and commercialize a revolutionary manufacturing technology, which can package an enormous amount of thermal couplers into a miniaturized volume, thereby significantly improving the cooling capability of multistage thermoelectric devices. This enabling process technology is known as Massive Filo-layer Technology (MFT). Compared to current technology, Reveo?s approach enjoys numerous advantages:

?	Extremely compact. MEMS level miniaturization.
?	Exceptionally high cooling capability (150K and below)
?	Manufacturing process can be integrated into industrial thin film device process.
?	Great cost saving by consuming less thermoelectric material.
?	Highly scalable and upgradeable.
?	Enabling much more flexible multistage thermoelectric device configuration.
The development of advanced methods for Microwave Enhanced Freeze Drying of Solid Waste (MEFDSW) is proposed.  Methods for the recovery of relatively pure water as a byproduct of freeze drying will also be fully developed. The Phase II project will result in the design, assembly, thorough testing, and delivery of a technology demonstrator prototype which may be employed over a broad range of mission scenarios.  The prototype system will recover water initially contained within the wastes and stabilize the residue with respect to microbial growth.  The dry waste may then be safely stored or passed on to the next solid waste treatment process.  Using microwave power in a closed microwave cavity, water-ice present in the frozen solid waste can be selectively and rapidly heated. This results in a more energy efficient lyophilization process, and therefore hardware based upon this technology will have a lower Equivalent System Mass (ESM) than currently available systems.
JEM Engineering proved the technical feasibility of the FlexScan array?a very low-cost, highly-efficient, wideband phased array antenna?in Phase I, and stands ready to develop it into a fully-functional, flight-qualifiable prototype in Phase II.  JEM developed an S-Band (2.0-2.3 GHz) antenna array design appropriate for the stratospheric balloon application through requirements definition, modeling, and performance predictions. The critical technology for this array is an electrically-controlled Variable Delay Line (VDL), used to provide true time-delay for beamsteering.  VDLs were designed, built and tested, and shown to have excellent performance. The VDLs were tested over 2.4 million cycles without degradation, indicating good life, especially for the balloon application.  A 4-port linear beamformer was built, and used to validate the beamformer concept. The objective of the proposed 24-month Phase II effort is to develop, prototype, and demonstrate a flight-qualifiable FlexScan phased array that achieves the bandwidth, antenna gain, and scan range required for a balloon-borne TDRSS data link in S-band, while meeting environmental requirements. Upon completion of Phase II, the FlexScan array will be ready to commercialize for the balloon-borne application, with other NASA and non-NASA commercial applications soon to follow.
We propose to design, build, and test a major new instrument capable of both measuring and polishing the surface of aspheric mirrors up to 1.2 meters in diameter, and up to f-0.5 in speed, either concave or convex.  In the successful Phase I proposal, we laid out the instrument to the component level, and laid out and analyzed every critical subsystem.  We also investigated and experimented with the fluid jet polishing to be used by this instrument, setting the stage for further experiments and ultimate usage in Phase II.  The metrology accuracy goals, supported by previous measurements, are 1 nanometer rms for full aperture figure, and 0.1 nm rms for mid-frequency and micro-roughness.  The full-aperture and mid-frequency metrology approaches are based on previous successful SBIR projects, while the micro-roughness metrology is an improvement on standard Total Integrated Scatter measurements developed under Phase I.  All of the metrology instrumentation is integrated into a single measurement head.  At the end of the project, we will polish and measure an f-1.1, 560 mm parabola, and possibly an 890 mm, f-2.5 sphere.
This NASA Small Business Innovative Research Phase II project will develop a compact, low-cost, wavelength locked seed laser for injection locking high powered Nd:YAG lasers used in a range of lidar remote sensing applications including molecular profiling of the atmosphere.   Precise wavelength control of the seed laser will be achieved by actively locking the laser wavelength to an absorption line in molecular iodine. The key innovation in this SBIR effort is the use of nonlinear optical waveguides both to frequency modulate and to frequency double a portion of the seed laser beam  to generate the appropriate optical signal for locking to the iodine absorption line.  Using an all-waveguide based approach will result in a compact, robust package that will withstand temperature, shock, and vibration levels associated with NASA's airborne and space based remote sensing platforms.
We are proposing to utilize quantum dots to develop a super high-efficiency multijunction III-V solar cell for space.  In metamorphic triple junction space solar cells, pioneered by Essential Research, Inc., the InGaAs junction or bottom cell of the three-cell stack is the current limiting entity.  In Phase I of this program, we demonstrated that InAs quantum dots can be formed by MOVPE, and then incorporated in an InGaAs cell to provide sub-gap absorption and thus improve its short-circuit current.  For the Phase II work, we propose to optimize this quantum dot InGaAs cell, and develop a three-cell stack to achieve a space solar cell whose efficiency would dramatically exceed current SOA standards.  A theoretical estimate predicts that a InGaAlP(1.95 eV)/InGaAsP(1.35 eV)/InGaAs(1.2 eV) triple junction cell incorporating quantum dots to improve the bottom cell current would have an efficiency exceeding 40&#37;.

Quantum dots will allow NASA not only to improve device efficiency by expanding the spectral response of individual cells, but to improve the temperature coefficients and radiation tolerance as well.  This is extremely important as NASA attempts to increase array specific power with new concentrator designs and continues to expand the range of environments to be encountered in future missions.
Integration of three proven, non-contact, optical metrology techniques with an emerging new polishing approach in a single machine will enable the rapid production of large aspheric mirrors with nanometer-class overall accuracy, excellent smoothness, and nearly arbitrary radius of curvature (concave or convex) and aspheric form.

Two of the metrology approaches are a multi-point profilometer that we have previously demonstrated to have nanometer-level accuracy for low spatial frequencies; and a curvature-measuring profilometer that we have previously demonstrated to have 0.1-nanometer-level accuracy for mid-spatial frequencies.  In addition, we propose the simple addition of a scatterometry-based measurement head for high spatial frequencies.  The baseline polishing approach is fluid jet polishing, which has been shown to be capable of both fine grinding and polishing. A new understanding of the synergism of these metrology techniques with ductile polishing promises to take in situ metrology and optical fabrication to a major new level.

NASA is continually pushing the frontier in astronomical and earth-observing optical systems.  Many of these systems, whether they operate in the x-ray (at normal incidence), ultraviolet, visible, or infrared, have the meter-class (and beyond) optics that would greatly benefit from this technology.
NASA?s Next Generation Launch Vehicle Technology Program has an interest in robust TPS materials with the highest level of thermal performance at the lowest possible areal weight.  The materials need to be oxidatively stable and insensitive to water vapor, and able to perform with a minimum of material hysteresis over many cycles.  Flexible silica aerogel composites, a class of super-insulation material recently developed by Aspen Aerogels, has not been utilized before in high temperature TPS designs.  Thermophysical characterization data will be collected during the Phase I program for high-temperature durable, oxidatively stable, flexible aerogel composites at different densities, pressures and temperatures.  The test data will be useful for re-entry TPS sizing studies, using existing aeroframe design and affiliated heat loads and environmental conditions for the re-entry trajectory.  The materials optimized in the Phase I program will be available for thermal testing at NASA Langley under conditions relevant to Earth re-entry by reuseable launch vehicles for the coldest layers of the TPS system.  Aerogel augmented TPS designs are likely to save significant parasitic TPS weight compared to the most promising non-aerogel alternatives available today.  The aerogels will be compatible with all high temperature capable face-skin materials.
The key to achieving high-power solar arrays for NASA applications is the development of high-efficiency, thin-film solar cells that can be fabricated directly on flexible, lightweight, polymer/plastic substrates. Current thin-film cell fabrication approaches are limited by either the ultimate efficiency that can be achieved with the device material and structure or the requirement for high-temperature deposition processes, especially of the transparent conducting electrode, which are incompatible with all presently known flexible polyimide or other polymer substrate materials. In this proposed R&amp;D effort Materials Modification, Inc. will develop a novel, low-temperature and cost-effective technique for the preparation of nanostructured thin films of a transparent conducting oxide, for use as electrodes in Plastic solar cells.. In addition, a prototype plastic Heterojunction solar cell will be fabricated with this nanostructured material as an electrode instead of the conventional ITO, and the superiority of this system will be established
A method for providing endurance enhancement for unmanned aerial vehicles based on atmospheric phenomena is presented. The proposed method allows the UAV to sense certain atmospheric phenomena, and adapt itself to exploit these phenomena. The Phase I effort consists of understanding the physics of such flight, and developing the control laws for enabling the UAV to exploit these atmospheric phenomena. Flight tests are planned for Phase II, where the control laws will be further refined.
The proposed innovation is a microfluidic device designed to effect a 2-dimensional resolution of a mixture of proteins based on isoelectric point (pI) and molecular weight (MW).  The innovation performs tasks similar to those performed by 2-dimensional ("2-D") gel electrophoresis. To achieve 2-D-gel equivalence with minimal complications and maximum exploitation of the advantages provided by microfluidics a novel approach is proposed.  In this approach the user dissolves or mixes a sample to be tested for proteins into a sample buffer and injects this into a plastic card consisting of microfluidic channels and electrodes.  The card is inserted into a compact "reader" (small enough for space flight) that, within four hours, electronically reports the abundance of each protein detected.  In Phase II research SHOT will (1) establish fabrication parameters for the card and manufacture prototypes, (2) build a breadboard reader and (3) test the Microfluidic Analytical Separator using mixed protein solutions. The innovation is useful in detecting specific protein ratio changes in blood or plasma, in extracts of experimental organisms subjected to varying environmental conditions, and in the medium-resolution high-throughput screening of pharmaceutical agents.
There exist a need to develop, identify, and classify various materials that can be used in the fabrication of electrodynamic tethers for various applications.  These applications consist of but not limited to power generation, orbital maneuvering, and planetary exploration.  A momentum exchange (MXER) tethers utilizes the electrodynamic tether interaction with the planetary magnetic field to provide thrust to a payload in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).  While technological challenges, both materials and non-materials related, currently limit the utilization of the MXER concept, significant advances in materials science will allow the maturation of the system into a viable technology for propulsion in and beyond LEO.  Tether materials-related advances are primary for improving the operation and lifetime of the propulsion system.  Critical materials properties in need of improvement include increases in tensile strength, electrical conductivity, shock resistance, continued flexibility during exposure to an environment rich in radiation and energetic atomic oxygen.  Furthermore, the tether design must incorporate materials with the required characteristics in a manner to allow tolerance to repeated micrometeorite impacts without significant loss of the aforementioned properties.
The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) project is considering several approaches to discovering planets orbiting stars far from earth and assessing their suitability to support life. One approach is based on a coronagraph design operating in the visible wavelength regime, which requires both very high surface quality, large aperture, telescope optics and advanced optical systems to reject direct, scattered, and diffracted starlight that is on the order of 1x109 brighter than the light reflected from the planet. The project has the need for advanced optical modeling and design tools that include physical optical calculations to support propagation results at a contrast level of 1x10-11 at the image plane of the coronagraph. The CODE V software is the most advanced software available for a wide variety of optical system modeling tasks and would be ideally suited for the TPF project once the proposed capabilities are integrated. Optical Research Associates proposes to extend capabilities of a proprietary method for beam propagation to support the optical modeling needs of the TPF coronagraph project. The result will be an optical design and analysis tool, available to only current CODE V product licensees, that provides another means for predicting the performance of this astronomical asset.
Building on the success of our Phase I efforts, Mikro Systems, Inc. (MSI) proposes to advance the state-of-the-art in high resolution, high-aspect-ratio X-ray/gamma-ray collimator fabrication by reducing slit pitch by a factor of ~2, from 35 microns to 20 microns, using an innovative hybrid micro-machining technology.  

Fine grids having high-aspect-ratio (&gt;50:1) and made from dense materials are the enabling components for solar and astrophysical imaging missions requiring high angular and/or spectral resolution at X-ray/gamma-ray energies.  Instruments for these missions are severely constrained by size and mass considerations, and any technology that allows a reduction of size and/or mass without reducing image quality would contribute significantly to NASA's ongoing instrumentation development.

Angular resolution is a function of the grid-pitch and distance between grids in a bi-grid collimator. Consequently, this advance in technology will have a significant effect on the angular resolution and/or instrument length and mass of grid-based optics required for x-ray and gamma-ray imaging in space. In Phase I, MSI demonstrated the technical feasibility of producing collimator grids with pitch as fine as 16 microns.
The overall goal of this proposed Phase II SBIR program by Epitaxial Technologies is to develop a compact, low-cost, low power, low noise and ultra-sensitive avalanche photodiode (APD) arrays with built-in optical pre-amplification (in addition to internal electrical gain) and having a fill factor and bandwidth of 90&#37; and 5.0 GHz respectively. In Phase I, we established the feasibility of the concept by demonstrating APDs and APDs with built-in optical amplification with 3 GHz bandwidth and estimated NEP of 1 nW. In Phase II, we will build on these results and optimize the novel APD structures and the APD/optical amplifier integration process. To do this, we will design, model and simulate the performance of the APD arrays with built-in optical pre-amplification and optimize the fabrication process for array production. . In particular, a hybridization technique will be developed to integrate the arrays with readout integrated circuits (ROIC) using an innovative bonding technique at the wafer level. Further, we will design, fabricate and test 1 x 16 datacomm photoreceiver arrays with -52 dBm sensitivity at 1E-9 BER and 2.5 Gbps, along with 32 x 32 imaging ladar arrays with 1 pW NEP that are capable of true photon counting.
Michigan Aerospace Corporation has developed spaceflight qualified compact tunable Fabry-Perot interferometers for a number of applications, from ranging direct detection Doppler wind LIDAR applications to IR spectroscopy. Under a previous phase I SBIR, Michigan Aerospace developed a design for a spaceflight qualified lightweight tunable Fabry-Perot etalon for cryogenic applications utilizing reaction bonded silicon carbide for the etalon mount and support rings and successfully delivered a mount and rings cast from silicon carbide for use in a phase II, or another application, to house an etalon. Under the proposed phase II effort, Michigan Aerospace will develop and fabricated a lightweight, rugged tunable Fabry-Perot interferometer that will be spaceflight qualified. Also, under this proposed phase II effort, Michigan Aerospace will design and produce a digital etalon controller. Further, Michigan Aerospace will produce a detailed plan by which the digital etalon controller design can be transitioned from demonstration unit to flight qualified hardware.
The overall goal of this program (through Phase III) is to develop an analyzer that can be integrated into International Space Station (ISS) toilets to measure key chemicals in urine.  The analyzer will employ a novel metal-doped sol-gel material to both separate these key chemicals from urine and provide surface-enhanced Raman spectra to identify and quantify these chemicals.  The Phase I program successfully demonstrated feasibility by chemically extracting 3-methyl histidine, a muscle-loss indicator, and raloxifene a bone-loss inhibitor from simulated urine.  In flowing experiments, both chemicals were measured at 10 nanogram/mL, below the required detection limit of 1000 ng/mL for 3-methyl histidine, and near the required detection limit of 1 ng/mL for raloxifene.  The Phase II program will develop the method of analysis using some 50 bio-indicators, drugs and metabolites, and potential interfering urine components.  The program will also design and build an automated extraction, measurement and analysis system suitable for integration into Hamilton Sundstrand's proposed ISS toilets.  Hamilton Sundstrand has agreed to an on-site demonstration that includes initial measurements using the proposed analyzer and their equipment to initiate a Phase III collaboration.
Automated detection of land cover changes between multitemporal images (i.e., images captured at different times) has long been a goal of the remote sensing discipline.  Most technology in this area has focused on methods for detecting and identifying land cover or surface object changes in two or more images, but precise co-registration of images remains a key challenge. In fact, image-to-image registration and image-based change detection are intricately related, as the success of conducting both relies on the precision of the other; software that supports these functions should do so in an integrative manner. Image registration is the key factor influencing the success of detecting land cover changes at or near pixel scale.  We will develop tools in the form of a "software development kit" (SDK) specifically optimized for precise co-registration of two or more images with minimal user interaction, with the primary motivation to enable change detection algorithms to focus on salient changes rather than highlight image registration errors.  The SDK will be available to NASA at no cost, after which we will build user applications based on the SDK for commercial offering.
The development of a testbed for the development and demonstration of technologies needed by tethered formation flying satellites is proposed.  Such a testbed would support dynamic modeling and control algorithm development for missions such as NASA?s Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) mission.  The testbed would be based on the successful Synchronized Position Hold Engage Re-orient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) system that has been developed and is being flown on-board the International Space Station.  As part of its first flight, SPHERES will demonstrate metrology, formation flight, and autonomy algorithms. The effort proposed here would adapt the SPHERES system first for ground testing and subsequently for a follow-on mission to the ISS to serve as a testbed for Tethered Spacecraft Interferometer (TSI) autonomous software technologies.  Tethers are being considered as the means for maneuvering sub-apertures spacecraft in order to eliminate reliance on propellant consumables. The SPHERES-Tether testbed would aid in streamlining the development of spacecraft formation initialization and deployment and retraction algorithm development, and significantly reduce the risk involved with testing this critical SPECS mission operation, including coarse spacecraft formation initialization, deployment and retraction, and multi-stage precision pointing control.
Our innovation is a high-speed method for the prediction of aerodynamic debris fields that employs an extensive database of generalized empirical equations coupled with interpolation and localization techniques.  An essential element of our innovation is the vehicle independence of the equations database which allows it to be generated once and applied to any vehicle.  The large-scale operation of unpiloted aircraft within the National Airspace (NAS) will require a very high tempo of flight risk assessments, both for pre-mission planning and in the event of unplanned anomalies or deviations from the approved flight path.  These risk assessments will require a large number of debris field predictions each of which will involve predicting the expected impact point and impact dispersion of many distinct representative debris pieces.  Our innovation is aimed at making this volume of predictions feasible and cost-effective.
With the advent of mobile commerce technologies, the realization of pervasive computing and the formation of ad-hoc networks can be leveraged to the benefit of the NASA Spaceports in several technical areas.  The Automated Service Discovery (ASD) architecture will allow a portable real-time Expert System to be used to aid in the Service Discovery, management of communications links, and fault detection isolation and recovery for vehicle health management.  The ASD system will allow significant cost reductions for fielding and maintaining systems at the Spaceports.  Flight systems can save weight by relying on encrypted wireless links rather than connections to a wiring harness for data transfer.  Ground based systems can reconfigure on the fly using wireless and connection oriented ad-hoc networks.

This proposal also addresses the need for a standardized command, control and monitor system for ground and space infrastructure.  ASD will use the same Expert System for execution of the ASD algorithms to derive suggestions for least-cost paths for data connectivity.   The ASD system will provide a capability for the real-time Expert System to query for service capabilities and adjust goals and constraints based on available resources.  The ASD implementation will be machine, language, and operating system neutral.
We propose an innovative, cost-effective flight experiment that will not only reduce the technology risk for future NASA missions but also take full advantage of the unique capabilities available on the International Space Station (ISS).  For our Phase II effort, we plan to modify the Synchronized Position, Hold, Engage, and Reorient Experimental Satellites (SPHERES) system to serve as an on-orbit testbed for Tethered Spacecraft Interferometer (TSI) autonomous software technologies. The SPHERES system, developed by Payload Systems Inc. and the MIT Space Systems Laboratory, is currently scheduled for its first mission aboard the ISS in 2005 to demonstrate metrology, formation flight, and autonomy algorithms. The modifications proposed here would include the addition of a tether reel, momentum wheels, and software modules to the existing SPHERES satellite system.  These modifications would enable several new functions, including coarse spacecraft formation initialization, deployment and retraction, and multi-stage precision pointing control, as would be needed for tethered satellite constellations such as the NASA's Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) mission. Our proposed effort would result in a flight-identical qualification hardware and software at a small fraction of the typical development cost.
One of the ultimate goals of sensor research is to build an integrated unit that harnesses its energy from its surroundings and reacts to, and transmits, any changes in its environment in a predictable and reliable manner.  There are several components to this universal goal of a self-contained sensor unit: the power module, the sensor module, the control module, and the transmission module.  The goal of this proposal is to develop a whole class of truly stand-alone, large-area, distributed sensor systems on a flexible substrate ? a MEMS skin.  
The Phase II program will deliver a suite of novel processes to fabricate large-format, self-sufficient sensors on flexible, multilayer substrates.  The first layer, a copper-on-flex substrate, acts as the interconnect layer for power distribution.  The second, a Si-on-flex substrate, utilizes a thin-film a-Si solar cell, integrated with Anvik's technology to integrate MEMS and IC devices.  The two substrate layers are connected using photoablated micro-via patterns in the Si-on-flex layer.  These sensors could include strain gauges for surface stress measurements, IR imagers, environment pollution/quality monitoring, etc. Our results in Phase I have given us an excellent footing to launch our Phase II workplan and to layout a preliminary Phase III commercialization strategy.
The goal of this proposed research is to investigate and develop a workflow based tool, the Software Developers Assistant, to facilitate the collaboration between different participants of multiple activities within a Software Development Process. Distributed development teams are becoming the norm for today?s software projects. These distributed teams are faced with the challenge of keeping software projects on track and keeping all involved developers using a consistent and efficient process. Workflow tools have been used for several years to support activities of distributed organizations such as the International Space Station Program. Workflow tools are efficient at automating very constrained and tightly controlled processes such as Change Requests processes. A Software Development Process, though, requires a more informal type of process automation allowing the project manager more control rather than enforcing tight rules through the workflow engine. Issues to be addressed during this project include researching the effects of multiple factors involved in the successful insertion of this technology within NASA organizations. Engine characteristics required to give flexibility to the software development team will be researched. Multiple processes will be captured within the workflow tool to evaluate different needs of process participants, such as Project Management, Requirements, Design, Implementation, and Testing.
The original goal of Phase I was to study the feasibility of developing an electric sensor that can be used for as many NASA sensing applications as possible. During Phase I, in discussion with the COTR, the development of a ground-based miniature sensor for detecting and measuring the electrostatic potential and charge distribution generated on payloads, spacecrafts and landers was identified as a need of immediate importance to NASA operations at the KSC spacecraft assembly facility and throughout NASA.

The innovation proposed in Phase II is the world's first wearable static electric voltage detection system. This system will be able to detect a static potential at sufficient range to prevent the system's wearer triggering a discharge. Versions of the system will be demonstrated for mounting on a hardhat or helmet of a protective suit, and on the forearm over a sleeve. In addition, the same core technology will be tested in the stationary mode, attached to a doorway to screen personnel entering a restricted area, and on a surface of sensitivity equipment to detect the increase of ambient electric field that might trigger an electrostatic discharge.
Aviation and Air Traffic Management researchers are increasingly utilizing complex regional or NAS-wide simulations to evaluate future concepts.  These analyses require many thousands of flights (a flight schedule) that are each accurately defined for every stage of the flight (a flight plan).  Current methods of generating these huge input datasets are costly and time-intensive. The largely manual nature of the current process and lack of existing automation tools leaves great potential for significant errors in the data sets.  We propose to develop a powerful automated system for future demand generation. This tool will be able to input a variety of existing FAA and NASA flight data sets, provide the user with extensive options on defining the future demand data set, and output new flight data sets in formats compatible with major research simulation and analysis tools.  This capability will provide NASA and FAA research programs with significantly better analysis conclusions through the new ability to perform extensive sensitivity studies on new concepts to ensure they are robust to alternate potential future demand scenarios.  This is crucial to ensuring the decision to proceed with a multi-million dollar Decision Support Tool development is robust to alternate future demand possibilities.
Proposed is the development the extended depth of field (EDF) or confocal like imaging capabilities of a breakthrough multispectral high resolution imaging flow cytometer. This platform shall have unparalleled cellular analysis capabilities intended to further biological space research (fundamental, micro-gravity and radiation biology) and the potential capability of monitoring astronaut health. The proposed platform shall simultaneously combine the high throughput analysis rates of flow cytometry, the high resolution imaging capabilities of multiple forms of high resolution microscopy (brightfield, darkfield and four fluorescent imaging channels) and the ability to image all cellular components in focus utilizing extended depth of field imaging. This cell observation platform shall find additional utility in NASAs biology space research given Amnis complimentary technologies, specifically: i) Amnis in-suspension labeling techniques for staining cellular structures and probing specific molecules in the nucleus, cytoplasm and membrane including fluorescent in situ hybridization. These in-suspension techniques eliminate the time consuming manual glass microscope slide preparation of cells which is problematic for micro gravity environment, ii) Amnis sample containment/injection pump operates similarly to NASAs rotating wall culture vessel allowing cells to be continually suspended via a rotational axis perpendicular to gravity.
Development of multifunctional, structural materials for applications in terrestrial and space-based platforms is proposed.  The principle innovation is the development of an epoxy-based thermoset that undergoes a phase separation reaction during cure to form interpenetrating networks (IPN) of a structural thermoset (epoxy) phase and a second phase that is tailored to provide ancillary function.  Both phases are co-continuous and nano-structured, having typical dimensions of 40-200nm.  The second phase has controllable viscoelastic properties to provide mechanical damping and other strain-rate dependent behavior.  Additional functionality is obtained by sequestering appropriate materials into the second phase.  Examples include ionizable salts to provide ionic conductivity, reducible and oxidizable materials for power source applications and reactive species for composite self-repair.  In the phase I, the IPN epoxy was used as a matrix for graphite fiber reinforced composites.  Within this matrix material, a novel mechanism for vibration damping was revealed and reactive oligomers for self-repair were successfully incorporated without loss of reactivity.  Internal electrochemical reactions, which can be used for electrical power generation and myriad other applications, were demonstrated. In the phase II, high performance IPN epoxies, capable of extended service at 150??C and above will be developed and optimized for vibration damping and self-repair functionality.
CCT has designed and prototyped, as part of the Phase-1 SBIR, a generic platform independent software capability for exchange of semantic control and monitoring information. In addition, CCT has laid the foundation for auto-generation of semantic construction and interpretation libraries from semantic databases that can be used for message-based communications between loosely coupled systems. This new capability will reduce development, operations, and support costs for legacy and future systems that are part of ground and space based distributed command and control systems. It will also establish a space systems information exchange model that can support future highly interoperable and mobile software systems. CCT has also leveraged Phase-1 results to develop a common data description language approach for NASA-ELV launch operations, creating a pathfinder that will eventually allow all launch service providers, range systems, and ground operators to use common data descriptions, processes, and tools for ground systems configuration.
Interface coatings for fiber-reinforced composites are an enabling
technology for high temperature ceramic matrix composites. Because of
their availability and relative cost, graphite fibers are preferred for
many structural composite of interest for space propulsion applications.
However, high temperature stable silicon carbide fibers are also of
interest, even though they are higher cost. Recent work at Synterials,
has suggested that a thin layer of carbon at the surface of the fiber is
key to preventing corrosion of the fiber and subsequent fiber strength
reduction on graphite fibers. The proposed work will evaluate three
interface coatings one three graphite fibers and one silicon carbide
fiber. The coating are: B4C, Si-doped BN/Si3N4 and HfC. The coatings
will be evaluated by preparing mini-composites via a polymer plus CVI
processing route.
The product of the Phase II effort will be a Multi-Use Non-Intrusive Flow Characterization System (FCS) for densified, normal boiling point, and two-phase cryogenic flows, capable of accurately measuring several fluid parameters in real-time.  Cryogenic fluids are ubiquitous in the aerospace industry; however, adequate flow instrumentation to support terrestrial, in-space, and planetary operations is currently unavailable.  FCS was originated to address this issue and greatly enhance the quantification, reliability, and safety of propulsion test operations, as well as reduce operational expenses.  FCS will also play a significant role in initiatives for the exploration of the Moon and Mars through supporting the design, development, and operation of gravity-dependant processes.  FCS handles both transient and steady state flows, and can operate in the following five modes: (1) on-line analysis of fluid mixtures; (2) mass flow rate measurement; (3) temperature measurement; (4) fluid conditioning and health monitoring; and (5) model validation for a cryogenic or non-cryogenic fluid flow.  The Phase II effort will develop an FCS system that has broad application throughout NASA and the rest of the aerospace community.  A fully functional FCS system will be delivered to NASA/SSC upon completion of the program for use in the E1 or other facility.
Safe and effective interactions between humans and complex systems represent a requirement for practically all of NASA's missions. The first-of-a-kind nature of such systems and the range of unpredictable events they are likely to be confronted with raises considerable design issues. To address this challenge we propose the development of an environment for Evolvable Work-practice Interfaces between Humans and Agents, which adapts activity theory to the situated nature of action. During Phase I we have developed a scenario for modeling interactions with Advanced Life Support Systems, we have modeled the associated human activities, and criteria through which activities and actions are employed. The experiments conducted using the BRAHMS work-practice simulation environment have demonstrated the feasibility of the approach and its potential to generate and capture critical interaction cases.
During Phase II we will expand our scenario to include additional potential challenges, we will expand our model for describing work activities and work practices, and the way they operate during human system interaction. We also propose to expand the simulation capabilities of the BRAHMS environment to increase the insight of experimenters into their simulations, and we will provide criteria for evaluating the soundness and performance of the proposed model and implementations.
All research and development in the nation's space program is being aligned around the new Exploration Systems Enterprise vision. The proposed work product for this SBIR II, a Universal Model Repository (UMR) to reduce time and costs for a wide range of mission simulation and training applications, is designed to serve that vision. The UMR will allow NASA and its contractor community to use a license-free online database to store 3D geometry, procedures, animation, functional specifications and simulation assembly templates. The UMR will be delivered with the following three critical template simulation applications: 1) simulation template and applications for crew medical training in health and safety on long duration missions for ISS and Constellation/CEV; 2) simulation template and applications for the design of human-robotic systems and work practices to support long duration surface facilities on the Moon or Mars; and 3) simulation template and applications for rapidly developed, low cost just-in-time virtual training for in-flight ISS and future Constellation/CEV crews.
We propose to develop a novel, high-accuracy, high-fidelity, multiresolution (MRES), wavelet-based framework for efficient prediction of airframe noise sources and acoustic propagation. In Phase I, 2D and 3D models of MRES methodology were developed. An acoustic analogy module based on Ffowcs Williams and Hawking technique was developed to accurately propagate the near-field acoustic signals to far field with minimal dissipation and dispersion. An innovative Runge-Kutta temporal update was developed to advance all grid levels independently. The feasibility and accuracy of the MRES technology was demonstrated by predicting noise sources and acoustic waves generated by vortex shedding. The Phase I results indicate that the proposed technology will provide up to two orders-of-magnitude reductions in CPU time over existing techniques.

In Phase II, we propose to improve the 3D MRES software to handle multi-block, curvilinear, viscous and massively parallel applications. An efficient data structure will be developed and implemented to store and update the multiresolution data to improve the cost-saving factor. Unsteady turbulence models based on DES and PANS will be implemented to better resolve the sources of noise. The acoustic module will be improved to account for surface motions and quadrupole source terms. The developed modules will then be coupled to a large-scale CFD code to expand the application base of the technology. The technology will be demonstrated and validated using typical aeroacoustic applications such as Energy Efficient Transport (EET) airfoils and landing gear models.
Space vehicles for deep space exploration rely on microwave and millimeter wave links for communication with earth stations. As the mission of space probes expands, the data rate to be transmitted increases, and effective, compact, methods of modulating the RF carrier with high-speed data become a critical necessity. Passive MMIC modulation approaches introduce loss into the RF path and analog phase shifters in particular can exhibit significant shortcomings such as insertion loss variations and phase-shift range limitations. For more complex digital or hybrid modulation schemes, passive modulator components may also need elaborate calibration look-up tables to achieve desired phase and amplitude modulation accuracy with respect to process and temperature variations. Hittite has recently developed high-performance, active I/Q vector modulator MMICs for communication systems operating up to C-band, based on SiGe and GaAs HBT process technologies. Our Phase I study has shown the feasability of  implementing a high-performance X-band modulator on the same 40-50 GHz Ft process. We propose to fabricate and evaluate this modulator as part of this Phase II program. We also propose to use this modulator in conjunction with frequency multipliers recently developed by Hittite to implement a high-speed,linear phase modulator at Ka band.
Radiation shielding simulations showed that epoxy loaded with 10-70&#37; polyethylene would be an excellent shielding material against GCRs and SEPs.  Milling produced an elemental boron coating on the polyethylene particles suitable for protecting against low energy neutrons.  For up to 30 volume percent particle loading of the composite there was the near random distribution of particles needed to produce an excellent radiation shielding material.  The mechanical properties of the composite system were found to decrease ~1000psi with each 10&#37; increase in particle loading.  The specific strength of the 10&#37; B coated polyethylene particle epoxy composite was 206,529 in, within 85&#37; of the specific strength of Al 2219.  Using a stronger epoxy matrix, the specific strength of the composite developed during Phase II could easily equal or surpass that of Al 2219.  During Phase II, radiation testing will be performed.  Prototype shielding panels will be constructed.  High tensile strength epoxy matrices will be investigated to provide sufficient tensile strength while optimizing the radiation shielding capabilities given by loading the matrix with B coated polyethylene particles.  An integrated thermal protection system (TPS) for the optimized composite will be developed that also provides increased strength and impact resistance against micro-meteorites.
Aquilent, Inc. proposes to support ad-hoc, content-based query and data retrieval from virtual observatories (VxO) by developing 1) Higher Order Query Services that will work together with the Virtual Space Physics Observatory (VSPO) effort. These services will enable scientists to generate derived quantities and event-lists interactively based on existing science data and existing temporal and phenomenal event lists, as well as perform discontinuity and correlation analysis of time series derived from local low/medium resolution datasets. The framework architecture will be designed so that it can be adapted and extended for application to other VxO's. 2) Develop a metadata/data access toolkit that enables visualization and data analysis clients to browse VxO resources directly and retrieve discovered data from the source (PI) archive and demonstrate the capability through extensions to the VSPO Gateway API using VisBARD. 3) Support the creation, validation, and maintenance of product description metadata for VxO's through simplified metadata management tools whose configuration is driven by the same XML Schema that defines the VxO's data model. The tools include a configurable metadata editor backed by a central repository and XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformations) utility scripts. The XSLT scripts enable generation of the tool configuration schema from a master XML Schema, output of product metadata that complies with the VxO data model, and partially automate the update process for product description metadata as the VxO and SPASE data models evolve.
The objective of this proposal is to deliver state-of-the-art, bench-top deployable, large-throw and tip/tilt, low cross-talk, high resolution, highly scalable and fast response wavefront control devices (deformable mirror, or DM) based on micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) fabrication processes. The device consists of Segmented Membrane Arrays (SMA). The design uses highly uniform (both mechanically and optically) arrays of mirror pixels to eliminate the cross talk with adjacent elements, which is usually observed in continuous membrane devices. It opens new opportunities to make ideal deformable mirrors with large-throw and independent addressing capabilities.
Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to design, build, test, and deliver to NASA a THz wavelength absorption sensor for continuous monitoring of atomic oxygen concentration in hypersonic flowfields.  In a successful Phase I effort, PSI developed a THz wavelength Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) at 63.2 microns, corresponding to a strong fine-structure transition of atomic oxygen.  Using an external cavity design, we showed that the laser wavelength could be coarsely tuned to the atomic oxygen transition.  Rapid and repeatable injection current tuning at this wavelength was also demonstrated.  In the proposed Phase II program, the external cavity QCL design will be refined to include a wider continuous tuning range, higher laser operating temperature, and improved output power.  The laser operation will be automated and integrated into a computer-controlled atomic oxygen sensor, providing continuous, real-time measurements of atomic oxygen concentration with a sensitivity of 10^13 atoms per cubic centimeter in a 10 Hz bandwidth.  PSI will deliver, install, and test the sensor at the NASA Ames Aerodynamic Heating Facility, an arc-jet heated high-enthalpy flow facility.
This SBIR Phase II effort involves the development of a novel rodent spaceflight habitat, focusing on care and monitoring of mice for gravitational physiology studies. The effort is tightly linked with the Mars Gravity Biosatellite (MGB) program, a university-led initiative developing a partial gravity free-flyer research platform. It leverages both the Murine Automated Urine Sampler (MAUS) accomplished by Payload Systems, Inc. and MIT during Phase I, including demonstrating biochemical preservation of key analytes for up to five weeks, and further hardware design and prototyping conducted under separately-funded MGB activities. MAUS extends earlier NASA and other laboratory waste management and preservation techniques in a novel manner, enabling solid-state storage and quantitative analysis of small animal urine. In Phase II, we will further refine both the hardware and biochemical techniques developed for the MAUS under Phase I, and integrate these elements into a fully-functional Animal Support Module (ASM). Along with the MAUS, the ASM will include air circulation, cage lighting, video collection, food provision, water supply and additive injection, instrumented floor, and contingency euthanasia systems. This Phase II project will result in critical hardware for the MGB program and important innovations for other rodent-based flight and ground research.
Based on the prototype photon counter developed during Phase I, we will deliver a next-generation photon counting detector optimized for LIDAR applications within the near-infrared spectral band.  

For maximum flexibility, the system will employ user-interchangeable plug-in detectors optimized for performance in specific spectral bands commonly used in LIDAR applications.  One such detector will be optimized for the 0.9 to 1.7 micron band for use with 1.55 micron eye-safe lasers, and another will be optimized for the 0.9 to 1.1 micron band for use with neodymium lasers.  By optimizing the bandgap of the InGaAsP APD for operation near 1 micron, we expect to obtain much higher QE than commercial silicon APDs simultaneously with dark count rates comparable to those of commercial silicon photon counters.

The entire system will be packaged in a compact and rugged modular unit requiring only 110 VAC power and passive ambient air cooling.  An entirely solid-state miniature refrigeration system based upon the system developed in Phase I will enable operation of the APD detectors at temperatures below 200 K without the need for cryogenic liquids or external liquid chillers.  This miniaturization will be a significant step towards construction of near-infrared photon-counting systems suitable for spaceborne platforms.
The objective of this proposed Phase II SBIR effort is to continue Phase I efforts to develop and assess the feasibility of an innovative new flight instrument proposed to replace the traditional Turn Coordinator (or Turn-and-Slip Indicator) currently found in most general aviation (GA) aircraft. The primary innovation is the inclusion of climb-dive information and gyroscopic heading, in addition to the turn-rate information now available, in one low-cost display. In essence, this new "r-Gamma" display concept will "fuse" flight information on one display that the pilot must now gather and correlate from among five separate indicators whenever the aircraft experiences loss of the Attitude Indicator (AI) and the Heading Indicator (HI) due to vacuum system or gauge failure. The innovative technology that makes this concept feasible and affordable, with a projected cost similar to that of today's Turn Coordinator, is derived from a technique recently developed and flight tested by our firm under an SBIR contract that involved tracking the flightpath of a small USAF sensor vehicle. We firmly believe this concept has the potential to improve significantly the safety of emergency "partial-panel" flight operations in GA aircraft.
The goal of this proposed research is to investigate and develop a workflow based tool, the Software Developers Assistant, to facilitate the collaboration between different participants of multiple activities within a Software Development Process. Distributed development teams are becoming the norm for today?s software projects. These distributed teams are faced with the challenge of keeping software projects on track and keeping all involved developers using a consistent and efficient process. Workflow tools have been used for several years to support activities of distributed organizations such as the International Space Station Program. Workflow tools are efficient at automating very constrained and tightly controlled processes such as Change Requests processes. A Software Development Process, though, requires a more informal type of process automation allowing the project manager more control rather than enforcing tight rules through the workflow engine. Issues to be addressed during this project include researching the effects of multiple factors involved in the successful insertion of this technology within NASA organizations. Engine characteristics required to give flexibility to the software development team will be researched.   Multiple processes will be captured within the workflow tool to evaluate different needs of process participants, such as Project Management, Requirements, Design, Implementation, and Testing.
This Phase II SBIR proposal is aimed at developing a non-invasive, optical method for monitoring crew member state of awareness in operational environments.  All active devices used in this monitoring system will consist of commercially available components.  Continuous monitoring of the mental state of personnel engaged in critical activities could provide a means of protection against human performance lapses resulting from unforeseen circumstances.  If a deterioration of the state of awareness of an individual can be detected before that individual's performance is affected, serious accidents or lapses in operator performance could be avoided.  A computer-controlled four-wavelength breadboard cerebral oxygen monitor was designed, fabricated, and demonstrated during Phase I.  Using phantoms with controlled blood-oxygenation levels, high sensitivity and motion artifact rejection by proper algorithm use was demonstrated.  Based on these successful Phase I results, Phase II will miniaturize the system size to a wearable format, and optimize the system performance.  The new cerebral oxygen monitor performance will be evaluated, and more refined algorithms to eliminate motion artifacts will be developed.   A portable, prototype version of this crew cerebral oxygen monitor will be designed, fabricated, evaluated, and delivered to NASA at the completion of the program.
Significant emphasis has been placed on aircraft fuel tank safety following the TWA Flight 800 accident in July 1996.  Upon investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) determined that the explosion of the center wing tank (CWT) resulted most likely from ignition of the flammable fuel/air mixture.  The growing concern of aircraft fuel tank safety has taken an added dimension in the post 9/11 world where both commercial and military aircrafts are vulnerable to terrorist attacks utilizing MANPADS (MAN-Portable Air Defense Systems), explosives in shoe/socks, and small arms fire.  Fuel tanks also need protection from explosions caused by ballistic impact, lightning, and other sources of ignition.  In Phase I,  InnoSense LLC has demonstrated the feasibility of an all-optical oxygen sensor capable of detecting oxygen at 40,000 feet elevation down to the ambient level.  This Phase II proposal discusses how InnoSense LLC would develop a prototype and perform field testing. The project team possesses seventy person-years of optical sensor related hardware and software expertise.  InnoSense has attracted $300,000 in Phase III follow-on funding for further engineering.  Innosense will deliver the prototype to NASA, complete with software, manuals, and schematics.
Future NASA planetary and astrophysics missions will require various enhancements in multi-stage cryocoolers.  These include increased efficiency, reduced vibration and reductions in overall system mass and power consumption.  For the small coolers required, pulse tube and Stirling coolers offer the best opportunities.  At present, the efficiency of these coolers is limited by the effectiveness of low-temperature-stage regenerators.  Below about 60 K, two factors play key roles in reducing the effectiveness of regenerators.  One is that the heat capacity of most materials falls rapidly with decreasing temperature, thereby, severely limiting the number of useful materials to a few in common use.  A second factor is that these commonly used materials are only available in powder form, a form known to raise reliability issues.  In this effort, we will address both factors.  We will use newly developed materials with high heat capacities at temperatures below 60 K, higher than that of commonly used materials.  Further, we will develop a novel low-temperature regenerator matrix that will address both the aspect of high-efficiency and regenerator durability.  Both the void fraction and the ratio of surface area to solid fraction of the regenerator matrix will be varied to achieve high efficiency.
Mobitrum Corporation has demonstrated the feasibility in the Phase I of " A Wireless Sensor Portal Technology" and proposes a Phase II effort to develop a wireless portal device with Ultra-wideband transceiver targeted for NASA's Earth Science applications, Rocket Propulsion testing, and Center Management and Control for field personnel to send/receive digital and analog data from various sensors for data input, analysis and distribution purposes.  This effort addresses an important NASA technology gap for integrating a system together to link distributed sensors, data acquisition devices, and center control and management.  This effort will include: 1) Wireless sensor portal hardware fabrication; 2) Ultra-wideband sensor module and mini-PCI circuitry design; 3) Ultra-wideband sensor module and mini-PCI hardware fabrication; 4) Hardware integration and testing; 5) Software development and testing; and 6) System integration and testing. The proposed enabling technology will provide NASA a wide range of capability including distributed sensing, monitoring, tracking, and data acquisition. The wireless portal technology will provide an effective tool for Earth Science, Rocket Propulsion Testing, and Data relay for environmental and other sensors for situational awareness.
The focus of this program is the development and validation of formulations, and development methodologies, for optimizing high-performance particulate-loaded bipropellant gels to maximize specific thrust, taking into account not only composition but the effect of particle size and properties on maximum achievable combustion performance. The approach quantifies the maximum attainable loading for given particle size, and the subsequent tradeoff with impacts on combustion efficiency due to incomplete solid phase burnout of larger particles, and conversely the degree of pre-oxidation of smaller particles. The method also allows the physical properties of the gel to be optimized. This improves the competitiveness of gelled bipropellants with equivalent liquids, while incorporating the safety and handling advantages of gels. ERGC Corporation has worked to address this solicitation objective in cooperation with subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Technology (NGST) Propulsion Systems, the leader in gel propellant technology.

The Phase II program will continue experimental refinement and property testing of gel formulations (including freeze/thaw cycling to ensure properties are maintained under projected mission conditions), employ combustion modeling to determine those formulations expected to provide the best actual performance, and conduct engine tests to validate the performance of the most promising candidates.
This project seeks to design, fabricate, characterize and commercialize large area, uncooled and radiative hard 4H-SiC EUV ? soft X-ray detectors capable of ultra low noise photon counting. The detector design and advanced processing technologies combined with the unique material property of 4H-SiC are expected to lead to orders of magnitude improvements to the performance of large area solid state detectors including much lower noise due to the wide bandgap and substantially improved lifetime due to the greatly increased radiation tolerance in comparison to state-of-the-art solid state EUV-soft X-ray detector technologies. In Phase II, detectors and 2D arrays will be designed and fabricated. Eight batches will be fabricated with different detector sizes and different active abs thicknesses. Concentration will be focused on achieving very low dark current and high quantum efficiency based on a novel design. The fabricated detectors and 2D arrays with different optical window sizes will be characterized, including dark current, forward current ideality factor, quantum efficiency. The dominant source and mechanism of the dark current will be investigated to help identify approaches to further reduce the dark current in the privately funded Phase III which will be concentrating on pushing up the yield over 3" wafer for commercialization within one year after the completion of Phase II.
Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) space power system is one of the most efficient energy conversion technologies for nuclear and solar electric propulsion. The recuperator is critical to enhance CBC efficiency. An advanced light weight recuperator was proposed to significantly reduce the mass (up to 70&#37;) of the State-of-Art (SOA) metallic recuperator and to improve its performance by using advanced high conductivity carbon-based materials. In phase I, prototype cores were fabricated and tested successfully. In Phase II, performance of recuperator cores will be investigated in detail, integration technologies will be improved, structural and assembly issues will be addressed, a 30 ~ 50 kWt subscale recuperator will be designed, prototyped and tested.
Organically modified silica (Ormosil) aerogel beads developed at Aspen Aerogels, Inc. offer several advantages for retrofitting perlite insulation in NASA's ground tanks storing liquid hydrogen and oxygen.  Through both Phase I and internal R&amp;D efforts, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and glutaraldehyde-crosslinked chitosan (GAC) hybrid silica aerogels were developed and evaluated. The hydrophobic aerogel beads have excellent compression strength, resisting thermal cycling and mechanical loads without breaking or settling.  Investigations of the thermal performance of hybrid aerogel beads by nitrogen boil-off tests and the mechanical strength by compression tests have shown that carbon-opacified PMMA beads of diameter below 1 mm outperform perlite to the greatest extent.  The Phase II work will continue with PMMA systems to optimize the formula and to determine the processing conditions required for controlling bead size distribution and achieving the desired thermal and mechanical performance characteristics.  A scale-up of the process is planned to achieve pilot volumes (30-50 liters/hour).  We will also demonstrate reproducibility in final bead performance through study of raw material variability (lot-to-lot) and process settings (batch-to-batch).
NASA seeks new and innovative technologies for materials, processes, and manufacturing that will provide safe, reliable, lightweight, and less expensive launch vehicle and spacecraft components.  The proposed project will develop aerogel insulation materials for composite cryotanks and TPS.  Introduction of aerogel materials to reusable launch vehicles will result in significant reductions in the weight of cryogenic insulation and high temperature Thermal Protection Systems.  Aspen Aerogels? materials typically demonstrate 2-4x improvement in conductivity over traditional insulation materials.  When specifically engineered to work with current integrated insulation systems, a marked reduction in thickness and overall weight will be realized. Therefore, with team partner Northrop Grumman Corporation, Aspen Aerogels proposes to develop durable and lightweight aerogel insulation for current spacecraft such as the shuttle and future reusable launch vehicles.  During the proposed effort we will investigate fiber reinforced aerogel composites for use as cryogenic and high temperature insulation for reusable launce vehicles.  We will also investigate organic modified silica aerogels as an approach for improving their strength at cryogenic temperatures.  A low-cost, environmentally benign manufacturing process will be used.
Polarimetric radar interferometry (PolInSAR) is a new SAR imaging mode that is rapidly becoming an important technique for bare earth topographic mapping, tree height estimation, and small-scale surface deformation monitoring in vegetated and snow covered regions. Vexcel has developed two processing techniques which may prove to be important for the successful realization of operational PolInSAR systems.  First, primarily ad hoc techniques have been developed for extracting information from PolInSAR data with the result that estimated geophysical parameters have lower accuracy than necessary and associated confidence bounds cannot be computed.  This is unacceptable for both scientific and commercial mapping applications.  We have developed a maximum likelihood inversion formalism which yields the optimal estimates with confidence bounds.  In addition, PolInSAR systems are thought to require extremely accurate calibration, possibly resulting in significant extra expense for antennas with high crosspol isolation, etc.  We have developed a PolInSAR specific calibration algorithm that alleviates these problems, thereby reducing the cost of a PolInSAR system. Phase I concentrates on developing extensions to the basic techniques and theoretically validating their usefulness.  Phase II focuses on experimentally validating the techniques using data from the various PolInSAR systems that will become operational in the next 1-2 years.
The overall goal of this program (through Phase III) is to develop an analyzer to measure chemical signatures of life in extraterrestrial settings.  The analyzer will employ a lab-on-a-chip to extract biochemical signatures from soil or water samples and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) to detect and identify the signatures.  The Phase I program successfully employed a metal-doped sol-gel to both chemically separate and generate SERS of amino acids in flowing water.  This novel approach measured 19 of the 20 protein amino acids typically at 1 microg/mL (1 part-per-million) in 1 minute with estimated limits of detection of 10-100 nanog/mL (10-100 part-per-billion).  The Phase II program will design, build and test a prototype lab-on-a-chip using 96 chemicals.  The program includes a clear path to improving sensitivity by 4-orders of magnitude to part-per-trillion sensitivity.  The prototype will be demonstrated at Hamilton Sundstrand's Pomona facilities to initiate a Phase III collaboration.
Loci-STREAM is a CFD-based, multidisciplinary, high-fidelity design and analysis tool resulting from Phase I work whose objectives were: (a) to demonstrate the feasibility of implementing a reacting-flow pressure-based algorithm in the Loci framework, and (b) to test the robustness of a real-fluid methodology in the pressure-based framework.  Loci is a rule-based programming framework which automatically handles parallel computing and provides for easy integration of multidisciplinary physics.  Key current capabilities of Loci-STREAM are: (i) all-speed formulation, (ii) generalized grids, (iii) distributed memory parallel computing capability, (iv) finite rate chemistry, and (v) steady and unsteady turbulent flow capability.  Phase II work will enhance Loci-STREAM and make it a reliable and practical simulation tool by incorporating the following into it: (1) high-resolution discretization schemes, (2) conjugate heat transfer, (3) real-fluid modeling, (4) efficient operator-splitting for stiff chemistry, (5) robust time-stepping, (6) improved turbulence models for unsteady flows, and (7) coupling with solid stress analysis.  It is anticipated that the above capabilities coupled with smaller memory requirements of the pressure-based methodology embedded in Loci-STREAM will make computations of complex problems encountered in thrust chamber assemblies of rocket engines such as multi-element injector flows requiring large grids (100 million nodes or more) a reality.
Why are rugged, low temperature actuator materials important? By themselves, they are useless; however, when fabricated into thin films and integrated into optical devices that require movement of optical surfaces for functionality, they extend the device operational envelope into temperature and environmental extremes not previously accessible. The actuator media also serves as a compliant adhesive that holds optical surfaces to rigid mechanical supports and allows optical devices to survive extremely low temperatures and harsh vibration environments such as vehicle launch without producing deleterious high voltage. Our actuator technology enables tunable optical devices without a media like liquid crystals in the optical path. Consequently, our optical devices will have superior optical performance limited only by the quality of the optical coatings and substrate surfaces. Several areas will be advanced by this new low-temperature actuator technology. High-resolution tunable optical filters such as Fabry-Perot optical filters are needed in direct-detection LIDAR applications to spectrally resolve the back scattered radiation broadened by temperature and Doppler-shifted by atmospheric winds. When used in imaging spectrometers, the ability to cool the narrowband optical filter and retain etalon plate motion will allow greater instrumental sensitivity to resolving trace ChemBio species. Our rugged low temperature actuator technology could enhance device operation on airborne and satellite platforms.
The intent of this project is to develop and validate means to alert, constrain and thereby alleviate loss of control (LOC) associated with unfavorable pilot-vehicle systems (PVS) interactions present in high gain, closed-loop PVS operations.  While the effective aircraft dynamic properties involved in these events have been extensively studied and understood, similar scrutiny has not been paid to the many aspects of the primary manual control system that converts the pilot control inputs to motions of the control surfaces.  It has often been tacitly assumed that the adoption of fly-by-wire (FBW) systems has eliminated the primary manual control link as an important player in LOC situations. Consequently, the impact of static and dynamic control system effects that distort "ideal" pilot to surface relationships, the near absence of manipulator tactile cues for some FBW systems, as well as the total elimination in FBW systems of some favorable cues present in traditional hydro-mechanical systems have not received detailed attention.  The purpose of the Smart-Cue developments proposed herein are to redress this neglect, to develop and, ultimately, to validate remedial manual control systems.
In February 2004 NASA released "The Vision for Space Exploration", which describes a strategy for exploring our solar system that builds upon the policy announced by President Bush earlier in the year.  The goals of this strategy include extending human presence in the solar system culminating in the exploration of Mars.  To accomplish this goal, affordable, new propulsion technologies must be developed.  A key component to this goal will be the development of reusable launch vehicles that use single stage to orbit (SSTO) or two stage to orbit (TSTO) propulsion systems.  These vehicles generate high heat loads and require additional cooling capacity from the fuel, which can get very hot in the process.

Unfortunately when hydrocarbon fuels are heated, carbonaceous deposits (coke) can form in the heat exchanger, reducing heat transfer and potentially inhibiting fuel flow.  If vehicles are reused, then coke accumulation eventually will become a serious problem.  However, if the coke could be removed periodically between missions, then the dangers associated with coke accumulation could be avoided.  In this Phase I project, TDA developed a process to remove these deposits. The process is safe, inexpensive, and is conducted at low temperature and at ambient pressure.
The Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) engine currently being developed at NASA Johnson is an attractive technology for minimizing transit time and crew harm during future space exploration missions.  One of the critical challenges in developing a flight engine is thermal management of the high-temperature, superconducting electromagnets used to constrain and accelerate the plasma.  The innovation of the proposed project is a high-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocooler for this application.  The cryocooler has heritage in the space-qualified cryocooler that was developed by Creare and installed on the Hubble Space Telescope.  Turbo-Brayton cryocoolers are lightweight, compact, efficient, and highly reliable.  The technology scales well to high cooling capacities and is simple to integrate with multiple cooling objects; attributes that are particularly beneficial for VASIMR systems.  In Phase I, we developed a preliminary design of the thermal management system, addressing key issues regarding the application of turbo-Brayton cooling technology to VASIMR engines.  In Phase II, we plan to build and demonstrate a brassboard thermal management system.  Phase II is justified by the feasibility demonstrated in Phase I, by the relevance of the project to a development effort at NASA, and by the importance of this technology to NASA's goal of space exploration.
We utilize a new detector material, polycrystalline mercuric iodide, for background suppression by active anticoincidence shielding in gamma-ray spectrometers. Two proposed NASA missions will require anticoincidence shielding for gamma-ray spectrometers: the Mars Lander and a Space Science Vision Mission expected to visit Titan, one of Saturn's moons. Shielding improves the performance of gamma-ray spectrometers by reducing the effect of charged particle interactions which can not be distinguished from true gamma-ray interactions by the spectrometer. Active shields produce a blanking signal when a charged particle is detected, so that the signal from the spectrometer can be ignored during the spectrometer's charged-particle interaction. While it is well know that this technique produces significant improvement in gamma-ray spectrometer performance, the technology to implement it is lacking. The attributes of mercuric iodide make it an excellent candidate for anticoincidence shielding detectors. Because of its detection characteristics, light weight, small size, low cost, robustness, and ease of application to non-planar geometries, this material can replace the costly, heavy, and bulky scintillator/photomultiplier tube (PMT) systems currently in use. The application of this new material for space-based astrophysical observations provides excellent background suppression with improved mass and volume characteristics.
Our phase 1 study has revealed many significant benefits of a new class of DC-to-DC power converters with performance that cannot be matched by current flight power systems.
 The goal of low stored energy has been demonstrated while producing a record-breaking efficiency of 95.5&#37;. This new converter claims this remarkable accomplishment not at just one full power point but at two distinct points. The converter was able to delivery its full rated power of 1kW at 2850V and 5000V load voltages without any physical adjusts.
 This new converter demonstrated low arc energy and rapid recovery response while powering NEXIS like sub-scale ion optics at Colorado State University. The 1kW prototype's stored energy was less than 1.9mj at 5000Voutput and less than 700?j at 2850V output. 
In phase 2 we will integrate this new technology into a computerized ion thruster test system capable of delivering 24kW screen power. The planned test system will serve to gain confidence with the new topology and to initiate power system designers to an exciting new technology.
Radiation shielding is a requirement to protect humans from the hazards of space radiation during NASA missions.  Multifunctional materials have the potential to provide both non-parasitic radiation protection and structural requirements.  Because of the radiation only low atomic number materials can be used.  Boron and carbon meet the radiation requirement and in fibrous form meet the structural requirement.  In Phase I it was demonstrated feasible to produce boron fibers on graphite fiber tow substrates.  Composites produced with the boron fibers showed modulus increase and high strength compared to graphite fiber composites.  Phase II will optimize the processing to maximize the boron fiber properties and the composite properties fabricated from the boron fibers.  Continuous production of boron fiber processing and prepregging of the fibers will be demonstrated.  The boron fibers produced will be utilized to demonstrate the fabrication of large size composites and delivery of both fibers and composites to NASA.
There is significant need for arrays of miniature sensors that are completely wireless.  Ideally these sensors would be built as an integrated device, including sensing elements, computation/signal conditioning, communication, and an on-board power supply.  However, they have not been developed due to the difficulty with integrating sensing ele-ments, and the absence of miniature power supplies.  The purpose of this Phase I program is to address these two issues, and make viable, wireless, miniature sensors. Bipolar Technologies has pioneered the development of micro-scopic rechargeable batteries, built with IC processes, for direct integration into microcircuits.  When combined with miniature energy scavengers, a hybrid power supply can be created, to provide autonomy for wireless sensors.  During Phase I, the concept of using a miniature hybrid power supply will be demonstrated with arrays of prototype sensors, built with commercial off-the-shelf components.  Microscopic, microfabricated lithium polymer batteries will be engineered, fabricated and used as part of the hybrid power supply.  Phase II will be used to refine the micro-fabrication processes used to make batteries and sensors, so that completely integrated multisensors can be delivered to and used by NASA.  This micropower supply will enable a new class of completely wireless sensors.
The use of cryogenic propellants in next-generation launch vehicles and rockets relies to a great extent on the availability of rugged, high accuracy (0.2&#37;), fast response sensors to measure the temperature, flow and fluid levels under high pressure and high flow-rate conditions. Current cryogenic sensors suffer from a variety of defects such as inaccuracy, slow response, and narrow temperature range of operation. Materials Modification, Inc. proposes to overcome the above drawbacks with Nanotechnology. The aim of this proposed research is to use nanotechnology to improve the temperature-dependent electrical resistance of an RTD material for the fabrication of cryosensors.  An in-house microwave plasma process will be used to synthesize nanoparticles of the sensor material, which will be used to fabricate a nanostructured cryosensor element, which is accurate, and exhibits fast response even under flow conditions. Subsequent Phase II work will aim at fabricating a commercial RTD using the nanostructured material.
Improving safety while increasing the pace of space launches requires improved communications capability. An increasing volume of real-time data from numerous sensors and systems can be transmitted to the ground if connecting links can be improved. One way to accomplish this is to use existing commercial satellites to supplement overburdened NASA communications systems. Used as an adjunct service, additional commercial capacity would act to increase launch safety, allowing an increased amount of data to be transponded to ground systems without detracting from the reliability of existing communication systems. Existing NASA links could continue to be used for mission critical requirements.
Limitations of two technologies prevent the transponding large amounts of data via commercial satellites. The first is a conformal antenna technology that can provide high gain by steering its beam toward the GEO satellite. The second is high-speed modem technology that can track a remote modem despite the wide dynamics experienced during launch and maneuvers. 
Paratek proposes to design a dual-beam, passive, electronically steered phased array (utilizing our proprietary Parascan?, phase shifters) and a highly dynamic modem to provide the communications link for spaced-based range applications. The system will leverage commercial Intelsat C-Band transponder network (4 GHz &amp; 6 GHz).
This innovative SBIR Phase II proposal will develop next generation products for Thermal Control Material Systems (TCMS) an adhesives based on the next generation nano-cluster chemistry based new binder systems, through the systematic investigations to tailor required unique performance properties with reliability and durability.  The efforts address a critical need of NASA which plans to undertake challenging exploration missions in high radiation orbits for high power thermal management.  This Phase II product development and validation is mainly proposed to fulfill the issues related to the material obsolescence and the technology gap, and to present next generation product concepts from the new class of binder material chemistries that are dielectrically engineered with required secondary emission properties.  Thus, this timely proposal can fulfill the need of the multifunctional binder based products that have a required thermal shock, thermal cycling performance and potential to improve the affordability.  The proposed efforts will generate needed validation data to generate the confidence in the developed products and will carry out needed optimization of the proposed products.  It will also provide needed input to Phase III opportunities to the mission officials from JIMO, ISS and to the various officials of DoD and NRO on the issues, where the next generation materials can make a significant difference.
In this Phase II SBIR contract Tai-Yang Research Company of Tennessee proposes to design, fabricate, and test an ultra-lightweight High Temperature Superconducting (HTS) magnet utilizing Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) diamond technology. The proposed CVD/HTS magnet will combine ultra-lightweight and ultra-high reliability and thermal stability. When built, the CVD/HTS magnet will be the most technologically advanced conduction-cooled HTS magnet ever constructed.
The NASA Space Science Enterprise has 2 themes requiring large, lightweight cryogenic mirrors: Astronomical Search for Origins and Planetary Systems (ASO) and the Beyond Einstein Initiative of the Structure and Evolution of the Universe (SEU).  The long wavelength Far Infrared/Submillimeter (FIR/SMM) instruments of Space Technology 9, the SAFIR Observatory, the Space InfraRed Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT), and the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) missions require the highest possible signal-to-noise ratio to resolve the emissions of protogalactic objects and galaxies.  The development of 10-25 meter diameter cryogenic optics for the 20-800 microns bandwidth, with an areal density &lt;5 kg/m2, and a surface figure specification of lambda/14 at 20 microns is required.  There is a premium for wavelengths &gt;100 microns to achieve mirror temperatures &lt;10K.  In fact, at 200 microns wavelength, the point source sensitivity is more dependent on temperature than on aperture size!  During the Phase II project Schafer proposes to design, build and test a 0.5-m diameter actively cooled SLMS&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; Far Infrared Submillimeter Prototype (FISP) mirror suitable for NASA FIR/SMM missions, thus maturing SLMS&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; cryogenic mirror technology to TRL 5-6.  Active cooling of SLMS&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; mirrors to 4K is an enabling technology for future FIR/SMM instruments.
Airport configuration is a primary factor in various airport characteristics such as arrival and departure capacities and terminal area traffic patterns.  These characteristics, in turn, are central to a variety of Air Traffic Management (ATM) decisions that in turn affect delays and efficiency in the National Airspace System (NAS).  There is presently poor knowledge about the airport characteristics at each airport and even less information available about how those characteristics are expected to change in the future.  This lack of knowledge about airports results in inefficient local and national traffic management decisions.  Metron Aviation will develop and test a set of models that generate information about airport configuration and related airport characteristics.  This information, which is not currently available or is of poor quality, will improve traffic management decisions, and automation to support those decisions, both at the airports and on a national scale. This work addresses existing gaps in air traffic management automation technologies.  The proposed technology development promise immediate improvements to the NAS.  Rather than requiring a new tool or system to be deployed, the information generated by this work could be absorbed into existing systems and information networks to transparently improve traffic management on a local and national scale.
NASA seeks new and innovative technologies for materials, processes, and manufacturing that will provide safe, reliable, lightweight, and less expensive launch vehicle and spacecraft components.  The proposed project SBIR Phase II project will develop aerogel insulation materials for composite cryotanks and TPS.  Introduction of aerogel materials to reusable launch vehicles will result in significant reductions in the weight and volume of cryogenic insulation and high temperature Thermal Protection Systems.  Aspen Aerogels' materials typically demonstrate 2-4x improvement in thermal conductivity over traditional insulation materials.  When specifically engineered to work with current integrated insulation systems, a marked reduction in thickness and overall weight will be realized.  Therefore, with team partner Northrop Grumman Corporation, Aspen Aerogels proposes to develop durable and lightweight aerogel insulation for current spacecraft such as the shuttle and future reusable launch vehicles.  During the proposed effort we will develop and characterize fiber reinforced aerogel composites for use as cryogenic and high temperature insulation for reusable launce vehicles.  We will also optimize the organic modified silica aerogels developed during the Phase I effort as an approach for improving their strength at cryogenic temperatures.  A low-cost, environmentally benign manufacturing process will be used.
Applied Science Innovations, Inc. proposes a new tool of 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) for cellular level imaging at video frame rates and dramatically reduced probe cross-section.  Existing commercial OCT tools are focused in ophthalmology, where examination is external to the eye, the size of the probe is not important, and cellular level resolution is not required.  The patent-pending 3D OCT will provide three-dimensional imaging in scattering media with improved resolution, depth of field, and minimal mechanical adjustment.  The proposed approach is based on novel probe designs, original coherence scanning, and advanced signal processing.  The flexible imaging probe will have dramatically reduced cross-section, compared to the existing systems, enabling the first "3D camera through a needle" for functional imagery, including in-vivo histological examination.  Phase I has demonstrated the proof of concept by theoretical studies and implementation of a limited experimental prototype.  First generation packaged prototype will be developed in Phase II of the project and delivered to NASA Glenn Research Center for evaluation and field tests.  Commercial applications are envisioned in NASA's future space missions, biomedical imaging, and industrial inspection.
NASA missions are being designed for multi-sensor data collection and synthesis using diverse temporal, spatial and spectral resolutions for use by multiple teams of mission specialists and scientists.  This project offers two closely related technologies of 3D surface and volume (a) meshing, modeling and compression, and (b) registration and matching that will benefit the distribution, sharing and use of fused datasets. Various machine intelligence and data-driven methods are used to generate a novel 3D meshing, modeling and compression methods based on hierarchical tetrahedral and binary triangular decomposition schemes applicable to surfaces and volumes, providing high compression performance. Meshing is progressive and adaptive to any resolution and for any selected region in the scene/data, thus making it possible to model certain regions with high resolution while leaving the remaining parts coarse. (2) Registration is performed iteratively to search for optimal alignment of overlapping 3D models by minimizing an error objective function subject to an error tolerance. Following alignment, an integration algorithm fuses overlapping models. The anticipated results are effective 3D surface and volume meshing, modeling, compression and registration technologies that significantly benefit NASA's missions.
The development and implementation of passive phased array antennas (PAAs) offers significant performance benefits over the current active arrays. The keys to successful development are the low-loss phase shifters and the integration of these phase shifters into modular and scaleable antenna architecture for broad utilization for high data rate communications.  The Phase I effort designed a dual-beam, dual-band 4GHz and 6 GHz along with an optimized High Dynamics Modem to support SATCOM telemetry utilizing commercial satellite services, specifically the Intelsat system. The proposed effort will build on this Phase I Phased Array ? High Dynamics Modem design development and include the fabrication, testing and integration of the PAA antenna and high dynamics modem with appropriate RF transceiver (COTS) such that an Intelsat ready communications system test unit is built, tested, validated and delivered to NASA for evaluation.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II proposal to NASA requests $596,750.96 support for Policell Technologies, Inc. to develop a series of separator membranes having a selectable thermal shut-down temperature for a period of 24 months. The separator will be used in the making of high performance batteries. This proposal responds to Topic Number F3.09, "Power Technologies for Human Missions".

The innovation is the development of a novel separator membrane that has a selectable thermal shut-down temperature. The Phase II plan is to develop the following 5 grades: 120, 110, 100, 90, and 80oC. 

The significance of the innovations is that with the use of the novel separator, the resulting rechargeable lithium-ion battery will: 1) have a selectable and significantly lower thermal shut-down temperature than that of the commercial separators. Thus, the cells will be much safer, 2) offer higher energy density, 3) have longer cycle life, lower as well as stable impedance during charge-discharge, 4) offer ultimately overall low cost. 

The commercial applications include for making battery as mobile power sources for devices such as cellular phones, notebook computers, military used devices, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The NASA applications include mobile power sources for space.

The Principal Investigator, Dr. Luying Sun, is qualified to perform this work as he has been an expert in this field. Since 1993, the Principal Investigator has been involved in the research and development of separator membrane, electrolyte, and lithium-ion battery.
The proposed research is indented to lead to the development of a commercial product that can create a virtual meeting presence by displaying the remote user?s face to achieve a presence. The goal is to render computer-generated objects and visualize them as real objects for the user, thus creating augmented reality system. The first step of achieving a virtual teleconference will be to capture the user?s face. Furthermore, we will use a head-mounted display (HMD) to project the other meeting attendees as if they are at the same location as the user while they are remotely located. A key difference between our proposed product and other efforts is that we offer means for 3D visualization at a cost effective desktop-level. Another key difference is that we offer mobile indoors and outdoors solution providing full face capturing capabilities without the requirement of many cameras (i.e. ?Sea of cameras? proposed by University of North Carolina for example) and is easily calibrated. Adastra Labs? vision for our final product is cost-effective deployable VTMC accessible for everyone.
The proposal addresses technologies relevant to NASA's new Vision for Space Explorations in the areas of robotics, teleoperations, and macro and micro imaging systems, while developing a generic biology research facility.

In order to carry out NASA's new vision of exploration and prepare for eventual human presence beyond Low Earth Orbit and on the surface of the Moon, Mars, and beyond, we must collec-tively understand how life and specific biological systems adapt, respond, and thrive in these unique environments.  Planning for extended human presence in the reduced gravity environ-ments of the Moon and Mars will require a solid biological understanding from the sub-cellular to the whole organism level.

The proposed facility supports space-based technologies that enable cross-species comparative biological research and will include in-situ autonomous capability to extract genetic, genomic, proteomic, and metabolic information while providing tools to utilize and interpret such data.  Of critical importance is the incorporation and utilization of these monitoring and control systems that will successfully accommodate and adapt to the changing needs of biological systems or specimens over long periods of time.

The facility will be the first scientific payload equipped with automated in-situ technology that allows detection and analysis of fluorescence, which is crucial to the fundamental understanding of biological properties of cellular, sub-cellular, and whole organisms during exploration of space and planets.
NASA requires a small, lower power "ranging" sensor that produces a depth map of the scene (the exterior of the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station or a future Space Solar Power Satellite) to inspect for damage.  By combining innovative designs with MEMS-based scanners and off the shelf electronic and optical components, this program will develop a low power, miniature LADAR system with 1 mm resolution at 10 meters weighing &lt;300 g, costing orders of magnitude less compared to the state-of-the art systems.  This LADAR will be capable of providing high resolution 3-D images of Space Shuttle Thermal Protection System for damage assessment.
In this Small Business Innovation Research Phase II Program, Syscom Technology, Inc. will implement an integrated processing scheme to fabricate a conductive multifunctional high-strength, high-modulus Metal/Polymer Composite Fiber (MPCF) for power and signal transfer and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications in space and aerospace vehicles. The Phase I study has successfully demonstrated that High phosphorous Electroless Nickel (HPEN) can be readily deposited onto properly etched PBO fiber. The HPEN coated PBO fiber showed the superior mass retaining (31.5 to 38.5) characteristic comparing to that of the uncoated PBO fiber in atomic oxygen erosion test. Additionally, the tensile mechanical strength and the DC conductivity of the MPCF essentially unchanged after a fluence of 5.04x1020 (atoms/cm2) atomic oxygen. In Phase II program, the revised processing scheme enables a full control of the processing conditions, such as fiber tension, bath chemistry during each step of the fiber preparation leading to the optimization of the mechanical and electrical properties of the PBO fiber. It is anticipated that the metal coating will not only protect the underlining polymer from harsh space environment, but also affords the resulting MPCF with advantages over metal wires in weight savings, mechanical flexibility, durability and strength.
The proposed innovation is to combine traditional and cutting edge optimization techniques into an existing powerful object based organic enterprise decision network called FrameworkCT.  This combination would represent not only a leap in the field of optimization itself but also in the methods by which these models are produced for optimization process in the first place.  This will be the first time ever that (i) multidisciplinary model integration, (ii) distributed parallel processing, (iii) statistical simulation, and (iv) optimization algorithms will be put together to solve complex systems engineering optimization problems.

In our Phase I research we have not only demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed innovation but in our preliminary tests we uncovered important synergies between the existing neural network database foundation of FrameworkCT and neural network optimization as well as between the current massive parallel processing capability and genetic optimization algorithms.  Or overall effort is closely aligned with NASA's new initiative of going back to the moon, mars and beyond.  This alignment with a current enterprise decision system will help insure the ultimate usefulness of the proposed innovation to NASA as well as industry and result in a tangible benefit during and immediately following the conclusion of the project.
Icing environments are of great concern in commercial and military aviation. An aircraft-based, imaging probe is being proposed for the reliable and accurate measurement of liquid water content (LWC) and droplet size distributions in environments variously referred to as freezing rain, freezing drizzle, supercooled drizzle drops, and supercooled large drops (SLD). The innovative aspect of the proposed probe is the use of multiple laser beams (of differing wavelengths) to create high quality shadows of individual particles (droplets and ice crystals) on a 2-d CCD array. Conventional aircraft-based probes such as the OAP suffer from measurement uncertainties arising from the detection of droplets that are out-of-focus. The use of multiple intersecting laser beams will also minimize the background noise created by other particles that may be present along the laser beam path but outside of the measurement volume. Finally, the incorporation of a means for differentiating between ice-crystals and droplets, while counting and measuring both, allows computation of water content in both liquid and solid phases. These innovations, and the other features of the probe to be discussed later, directly address the need for aircraft-based icing monitoring systems that NASA has identified in topic A1.02 of the 2003 SBIR solicitation. The Phase I study has clearly demonstrated the feasibility of the probe. A prototype system will be developed in Phase II.
Obtaining high quality, intact RNA from cells is an ubiquitous need in the pursuit of space biology. Our overall objective is to develop and commercialize a microfluidics based miniaturized platform (MED-RNA) that can fully automate the complex process of RNA isolation. Starting from harvested whole mammalian cells in a culture medium, MED-RNA will lyse, capture, and isolate RNA content for later analysis, in a fully integrated fashion with minimal user intervention. In addition to higher yields and faster process times, losses and contamination will be minimized as a result of the miniaturization and automation. A novel and unique plastic card based fabrication technology from Micronics Corp. will be leveraged for low-cost microfabrication. 

The Phase I study successfully demonstrated concept development and design of three critical aspects of the MED-RNA, (1) on-card reagent based cell lysis, (2) non-toxic electric field driven cell lysis, and (3) RNA capture and elution in a microfluidic extraction chamber. Physical prototypes of the components were fabricated and experimentally demonstrated. During Phase II, we will further optimize the individual component designs. Optimal components, along with necessary valving will be integrated on a plastic, microfluidic lab card. The fully integrated prototype lab card will be demonstrated on chosen cell lines. Further ensuring success, CFDRC has assembled an experienced, multidisciplinary team.
In Phase II we will develop transparent Nd:Yttria ceramic laser materials that can operate at 914 nm and 946 nm suitable for applications in ozone LIDAR systems. We will strive to further optimize Nd:Yttria ceramics with a focus on improving the overall transmission of the material as well as optimizing the Nd dopant concentration. The goal is to develop Nd: Yttria laser materials with high figure-of-merit (FOM) that do not suffer from Nd concentration quenching. We will investigate Nd:Yttria ceramics as solid-state laser materials. Initial testing will be done at the primary emission wavelength of 1.07 ?m. Laser performance studies will be based on pulsed, quasi-cw, and cw  end-pumping schemes. We will also develop the Nd: Y2O3 ceramics for laser applications at 914 nm and 946 nm. The optimized ceramic materials developed will be used for laser experiments at 914nm and 946nm. Initial experiments will be carried out at reduced temperature (77K). After successful demonstration of low-temperature lasing at 914nm/946nm, the possibility of efficient lasing at higher temperatures (up to 300K) will be explored. Different laser designs will be employed including end-pumping schemes and the thin-disk laser configuration.
Limitations on the design, monitoring and diagnosis of complex microwave systems due to insufficient models, the reality of imperfect physical conditions, and the reliance on trial-and-error iteration for system improvement serve to increase the time and costs of radar development. While microwave characterization is traditionally the realm of conventional, port-based measurements, the proposed concept suggests an alternative: the development of a novel network of electro-optic sensors that probe the near-field amplitude and phase of microwave signals at strategic locations within prototype or field-deployed radar systems. Such a sensor network, which would rely on optically-coupled, non-conductive, ultrawideband probes, would provide an unprecedented combination of negligible invasiveness, freedom from electrical interference, and the ability to capture signal information at frequencies from UHF to W-band. It would impact the development of virtually the entire range of technologies relevant to active microwave earth-science instruments. The proposed program will thus lead to the development of an instrument that can aid in areas such as deployment, calibration, and phase correction in large arrays, as well as in the identification of sources of electromagnetic-interference signals and the isolation of faults and failures.
SiWave proposes to develop a compact, low-cost MEMS-based pressure sensor for very high temperatures and low pressures in hypersonic wind tunnels.  Most currently available pressure sensors use a micromachined diaphragm whose deflection is dependent on pressure.  The deflection is typically measured by techniques that are not suited for high temperature (&gt;~200?F) operation, or that are insensitive to small (&lt;~0.1 psi) pressure changes.  As a result, no commercial sensors cover 0-5 PSI at temperatures above 200?F, despite the fact that this regime is important for NASA?s hypersonic wind tunnel testing programs, as well as for hypersonic flight avionics.  SiWave?s proposed pressure sensor is a novel implementation of squeeze film resonant sensor approach, with a sophisticated multi-element resonator designed for very high Q and temperature stability, made from silicon carbide.  The device is controlled by distant external electronics.  These innovative features result in a sensor with high accuracy (0.005 PSI) over an unprecedented temperature range (up to 650?F), and the potential to be manufactured in dense arrays.
Black Forest Engineering has identified innovative modifications in uncooled focal plane array (UFPA) architecture and processing that allows development of large format long wavelength infrared (8-14 ?m) imaging sensors to meet future NASA system requirements for a light weight, low power, and radiation tolerant imager. These modifications allow development of bolometer-based large format UFPA, with a pixel pitch of 20-?m and 1024x768 pixel elements with sensitivity comparable to commercially available UFPAs with 30-?m pixel pitch. The identified modifications are applicable to amorphous silicon bolometer-based UFPAs, such as those manufactured by Raytheon Commercial Infrared in Dallas, Texas.
A prototype Next Generation MK III Lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly will be fabricated and delivered during Phase II.  Maximum weight reduction for the Hard Upper Torso - Hatch assembly will be acheived via the innovative material selection and cross sectional redesign investigation Air-Lock conducted during Phase I. The intent is to fabricate a lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly best suited for space &amp; planetary (or lunar) exploration. This Next Generation MK III Lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly will be a rear entry assembly and have full "plug and play" capability with previous MK III suits.
The proposed innovation is the development of a novel Heterojunction Interfacial Workfunction Internal Photoemission (HEIWIP) detector responding up to a cutoff wavelength ~300 microns using the well developed GaAs/AlGaAs system. The detection is by free carrier absorption in  doped emitter layers followed by internal photoemission of the carrier over the interfacial workfunction and collection of the photoemitted carriers. The workfunction, and hence cutoff, can be adjusted by varying the composition of the emitter and barrier layers. The key properties of the proposed detectors are broadband response and the ability to tailor cutoff and a NEP of 10^{-20} W Hz^{-1/2}. In Phase II, the HEIWIP detector will be combined with an LED to form an up-conversion device whose output can be read with a conventional NIR CCD. The HEIWIP-LED detector system would have the ability to cover the range from 40-300 microns or longer in an array format without the use of a multiplexer with spatial resolution determined by the NIR CCDs. Because the HEIWIP would not be divided into pixels, the HEIWIP-LED would not have the difraction problems affecting focal plane arrays responding to 300 microns.
Acoustic Emissions (AE) are associated with physical events, such as
thermal activity, dielectric breakdown, discharge inception, as well as
crack nucleation and growth.  Previous empirical experiments have
demonstrated that the unprecedented quality of AE measurements available
with the Research and Development configuration of a Robust Laser
Interferometer (RLI) developed by Epoch Engineering, Inc., provides
measurement of AE that enables early recognition of information of
interest.  Examples include the AE alertment that pre-fire conditions
exist, adn AE alertment of mechanical system component failure inception
and/or fault development.  This effort is structured i.) to conduct
empirical experiments that demonstrate the presence of Acoustic
Emissions when e.g., electrical equipment problems develop, and ii.) to
develop sufficient knowledge to establish the basis for pursuing an AE
electrical systems' health monitoring functional capability.
Quantitative information is developed relative to RLI electrical system
AE measurement capabilities.  Configuration(s) developed include
identification of hardware and software for the proposed Phase II/follow demonstrations.
The objective of the proposed NASA SBIR program is to design, fabricate and evaluate the performance of self-assembled nanostructured sensors for the health monitoring of advanced aerospace materials and structures.  NanoSonic would work with a major U.S. research university and a large U.S. aerospace company to develop such sensor materials based on molecular-level self-assembly processes.  NanoSonic?s prior research has shown that thin film materials having a wide range of controlled constitutive properties may be formed by its patented electrostatic self-assembly synthesis techniques.  Specifically, electrical and thermal conductivity, permeability, permittivity, elastic modulus, chemical reaction, molecular transport and other properties may be integrated into bulk materials, graded through the thickness of such materials, or patterned in two dimensions in thin planar materials.  The ranges of values of the corresponding constitutive parameters are determined by the specific molecules that are self-assembled, and their order through the thickness of the material.  Through the proposed program we will extend this work to form similar materials that change their properties in response to external environmental changes and thus act as sensor elements.  Such elements may be directly integrated into aerospace composite materials and/or attached to large structural components as part of onboard health monitoring systems.
Light (UV and visible) curing composite matrix resins are being explored as an attractive means for rigidizing inflatable spacecraft for large space-deployed structures such as solar sails, radar and communications antennas, radiometers, and solar arrays.  Light curing provides a controlled, clean, low power rigidization technology to harden these inflatable spacecraft once they have achieved the required shape.  The Phase I program will address the potential use of leaky fiber optics incorporated into the composite structure to provide cure illumination from a diode laser.  Fiber optics are a potentially attractive alternative to illumination using LEDs.  The advantage is that the fiber optics can be intimately commingled with the composite fibers and matrix resin so that the light located right in the area to be cured.  Additionally, a single diode laser can illuminate numerous fiber optics, resulting in a potential weight savings and risk reduction.  Matrix chemistry will be formulated to be compatible with the fiber optic illumination system and cure in the space environment using photocurable cationic epoxies.  Thermal reversibility of photocured composites and the potential for self repair of misshapen structures will also be addressed. Sample composite tubes will be deployed and rigidized to demonstrate the concept at the end of the Phase I program.
A laboratory-on-a-chip design based on magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) microfluidics and integrated microelectrochemical detection is proposed.  The proposed device is well-suited for the rapid, automatic and highly sensitive detection of a wide variety of biomolecules of potential interest to NASA.  Interest in MHD microfluidic devices has previously been limited by their tendency to generate obstructive bubbles and to suffer quick erosion of the electrodes.  The proposed approach solves these problems and provides for very high flow rates and long electrode lifetimes.  In addition, the proposed device can be operated at very low voltage, and contain no moving parts, features that currently are not available with other forms of microfluidic devices.  In the present approach, the many significant advantages of MHD-based microfluidic systems are retained, including compatibility with a much wider variety of materials and solvents than electrokinetic based systems.  An integrated, self-contained microelectrochemical detection approach can be used in turbid, colored, or complex samples with a minimum or absence of false positives and false negatives.  Together, the two technologies offer a unique platform for biomolecular analysis.  For space applications where minimum sample handling steps and maximum automation are typically highly desired features, the proposed system should excel.
TRS Technologies proposes to develop a variety of single crystal actuators for adaptive optics deformable mirrors.  Single crystal piezoelectric actuators are proposed as a means of increasing actuator authority while maintaining strain precision for adaptive optics deformable mirrors used in future space observatory missions.  Single crystals based on PZN-PT or PMN-PT represent a revolutionary advance in piezoelectric actuator technology.  These materials exhibit 5 to 10 times the strain of conventional ceramic piezoelectrics with equivalent deliverable force.  Therefore, they offer a much broader design space for adaptive optics systems than is currently available with ceramic actuators, electric motors or magnetic devices.  The attributes of single crystals relevant to adaptive optics include: piezoelectric coefficients &gt; 2000 pm/V and field induced strains &gt; 0.5&#37;, blocking forces equivalent to conventional piezoelectric and electrostrictive ceramic, very low strain-electric field hysteresis for high strain precision, much broader operating temperature range than electrostrictive PMN ceramic, very good cryogenic performance, and very high transverse piezoelectric coefficients (d32 better than -1600 pm/V).  In the Phase I program TRS will measure the performance of both stack and flextensional-type actuators and SRS will model the impact of incorporating such actuators into state-of-the-art deformable mirror designs.
NASA?s future space science missions cannot be realized without the state of the art energy storage devices which require high energy density, high reliability, and low cost dielectric materials. T/J Technologies proposes to develop and demonstrate high energy density, fast-rise, and high reliability dielectric materials for these applications. The key element of our approach is the development and demonstration, in a breadboard configuration, the feasibility of a new high energy density polymeric dielectric film based on organic-inorganic nanocomposites with tailored structure and composition that will increase the dielectric constant and dielectric strength of the host polymer, polypropylene. This material will possess the high reliability, high dielectric constant, and high dielectric strength needed to develop energy storage devices such as capacitors that will meet or exceed the stored power system needs for the aforementioned applications. Future work of this proposed research, during phase II, will be mainly focused on developing all the associated technologies. The research will enable the development of high-energy electrical storage systems that is critical for NASA space mission as well as for tactical and strategic pulse power applications such as electric armor, particle beam accelerators, high power microwave sources and ballistic missile applications
The Next Generation MK III Lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly will maximize the Hard Upper Torso - Hatch assembly weight reduction through the combination of innovative material selection and cross sectional redesign. The intent is to research, identify and down select robust lightweight materials that are best suited for space &amp; planetary, (or lunar) exploration.  This Next Generation MK III Lightweight HUT/Hatch Assembly will be backwrd compatible with previous MK III suits.
This proposal targets development of a LED light activated photocatalytic water polishing system that enables reduction of  organic impurities (TOC and microorganisms) in the processed water to levels less than 0.25 ppm for NASA?s future long duration mission. The proposed photocatalytic oxidation reactor is novel in two ways: 1) Strongly oxidative nanostructured TiON photocatalysts under visible light activation, which enables miniaturized water treatment devices utilizing energy efficient LEDs and/or solar radiation in space; and 2) A novel catalyst support approach that enables optimization of the structure to maximize exposed surface area and induce turbulent water flow for very high mass transfer rates. Rapid decomposition of organic contaminants in the water stream translates into a low energy, low volume, and lightweight method of polishing reclaimed water on manned spacecraft. In Phase I, TiON coated reticulated structures will be fabricated and evaluated in a test cell spiked with organic contaminants similar to those in process wastewater streams on board spacecraft using LEDs. Contaminant destruction rates will be compared for using different purification system such as photolysing and photocatalysis using titania and UV light.  Phase I results will be used to design a pilot scale treatment system in Phase II.
Using innovative chip thinning technology married with recently available packaging technology, this effort will produce Mechanically Flexible Multifunctional Active Silicon chips.  By thinning pre-fabricated silicon chips down to the order of microns, bonding and encapsulating them in flexible polyimide materials; the resulting crystalline silicon chip can be flexed like a piece of paper where all the components ? the wiring, passives, and active silicon chips ? can be rolled, bent, and folded to virtually any shape and size.A Mechanically Flexible Active Silicon System is the next generation of MCM-D technology.  Evolving from Chip-on-Flex to Chip-IN-Flex where the active silicon chips are themselves mechanically flexible, this technology will enable countless space, mobile, sensing, and advanced architecture systems for NASA.
The objective of the proposed SBIR Phase I program is to develop highly thermally and electrically conductive nanocomposites for space-based flip chips for performance over a wide service temperature range (-60 ?C to 400 ?C).  Novel polyorganosiloxanes with controlled concentrations of pendent complexing moieties for metals, oxide-fillers, or nanotubes would be crosslinked to generate highly conductive elastomeric nanocomposite networks.  NanoSonic has recently demonstrated electrical resistance of 0.1 Ohm through adhesively bonded polycarbonate substrates with a poly(organo-complexing)siloxane Ag composite.  Low stress interfacial adhesives remain flexible under cryogenic conditions, effectively bond highly mismatched CTE substrates, offer superior corrosion resistance towards fuels, are impervious to UV and ozone degredation, and offer significantly greater adhesive strength over typical polysiloxanes.  Polysiloxanes are an ideal candidate material for space systems yet have not been exploited to their full potential due to poor adhesion and the inability to evenly disperse polar conductive fillers (resulting in segregation and adverse insulating locales).  The proposed poly(organo-complexing)siloxanes yield stable even dispersions with polar conductive fillers and would be developed during Phase II for microelectronics packaging on space platforms and with a major electronics company for microelectronics as an environmentally sound, low-cost replacements for current lead-based soldering systems.
As solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) approach commercialization, interest in broader applications of this technology is mounting.  While the first commercialized systems are being designed to provide 3-5 kW in stationary and automotive auxiliary power unit (APU) applications, aerospace and military users are considering integrating SOFCs into larger, airborne systems with considerable commercial payback.  SOFCs are aligned to displace inefficient, noisy, and polluting technologies such as diesel generators that will provide both economic and environmental motivation to prospective users.  NexTech Materials will develop a solid oxide fuel cells that demonstrate high power density, targeting 2W/cm2, a level of performance that will enable the compact, lightweight systems required for aerospace applications to become a reality.  Such high power density SOFCs will provide the bridge from stationary residential power systems to airborne auxiliary power units.  The fuel cells that result from these applications will lead the way to efficient and clean aircraft.  This Phase I work will focus on processing and evaluating highly conductive electrolyte and electrode materials and the incorporation of these materials into high power density, SOFC cells suitable for commercial stack fabrication in Phase II.
Evaluation and enhancement of the acoustical performance of turbomachinery requires knowledge of the acoustic sources. However, the noise generation mechanisms associated with turbomachinery are complex and as result it is not easy to identify these noise sources. The development of an integrated experimental/numerical technique that is based on holography and is applicable for the identification and ranking of complex noise sources is proposed. A new technique based on potential integral equations will be developed to rapidly evaluate the noise sources of complex structures. Generalized acoustical holography that is applicable for arbitrary geometry is extended by incorporating aeroacoustic noise sources in the presence of mean flow.
The ever increasing volume of the information to be transmitted and processed demands fast communication systems that can fulfill a throughput of 1 Tb/s or even 10 Tb/s. This requires more than 100 times improvement of performance over today?s fiber optic communication systems, and calls for the development of terahertz or femtosecond technologies. Applied Quantum Systems proposes an innovative photodetector for ultrahigh speed or terahertz applications. The success of this program will lead to drastic improvement of device performance in response speed, gain, responsivity and detectivity. Phase I of this program is to demonstrate the proof-of-concept, while Phase II will be built on the success of Phase I and seek the commercialization of the technology.
This proposal addresses a NASA solicitation topic A2.06 need for propulsion system flow control.  A dual mode ram/scram engine is the most likely cycle for the high-speed propulsion flowpath of turbine and rocket based combined cycle engines, but its feasibility with storable liquid hydrocarbon fuels remains to be demonstrated.  A key reason is that a stable, low drag engine pilot for the needed operational envelope has eluded us.  Due to its simplicity, the cavity flameholder is the subject of renewed investigation, but it suffers from acoustically coupled combustion instabilities originating in the shear flow.  Active control of the shear flow over the cavity could substantially improve flameholding stability.  Therefore, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes an active control strategy having no moving parts to manipulate the spectral content and amplitude of shear layer disturbances, and hence control the coupling responsible for resonance and unsteady flow response that leads to premature flame extinguishment.  The proposed experimental and analytical development effort will produce a robust, stable and low drag scramjet engine pilot.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I program addresses NASA?s need for long duration shelf stable food by developing a high oxygen/moisture barrier polymer system with good optical quality and extended durability for food packaging.  At the present time, processable polymers with good optical quality have only intermediate barrier properties, e.g., Nylon-6 and Polyester.  Several groups have successfully reduced their moisture and oxygen transmission rates to 30&#37; of their initial values by adding surface treated clays and/or oxygen scavengers, but the transmission rates are still too high.  In this program, T/J Technologies will dramatically improve the barrier properties of transparent polymers by tailoring the processing and microstructure of nanocomposite systems.  Specifically, we propose to achieve lower transmission rates using a combination of a high barrier polymer, a range of selected additives that can be oriented to reduce gas and vapor permeation, and solution based processing to improve additive dispersion and the ability to orient the additive.  We anticipate the resulting materials will show &gt;50&#37; enhancement in oxygen and moisture barrier properties when compared to existing barrier polymer systems.
TRS Technologies proposes a novel single crystal piezomotor for large stroke, high precision, and cryogenic actuations with capability of position set-hold with power-off.  The proposed concept will advance the state-of-art cryogenic actuations considering the excellent cryogenic properties (with d33 and d31 at 30K similar or higher than that of PZT at room temperature) and the great electromechanical coupling of single crystal piezoelectrics, and the novel design of the ?wobbling mode? piezomotor with ?33 mode? single ring stacks instead of the conventional ?31? mode plates for excitation. In the Phase I project, the cryogenic properties of single crystal piezoelectrics with various crystal cut will be investigated. FEA modeling that takes into consideration the special properties of single crystals and a cryogenic environment will be conducted and a novel piezomotor with ?33? mode single crystal ring stacks and screw driven structures will be built and characterized at temperatures from 300 to 20K. At the conclusion of Phase I program the feasibility of ?wobbling mode? piezomotor for large stroke cryogenic actuation will be demonstrated. Optimization of the single crystal piezomotor design and the development of a large aperture cryogenic mirror or reflector will take place in Phase II.
Launch vehicle subsystem preliminary design tools that are fast, accurate, and seamlessly integrated into an electronic design and optimization environment have become an essential part of the preliminary design process. A Phase I study is proposed to significantly enhance the capabilities of the existing Aerospike Design and Performance Tool (ADAPT) computer code for use in the design and analysis of launch vehicle concepts employing altitude-compensating nozzles. Proposed Phase I enhancements include: 1) provisions to enable the analysis of user defined nozzle geometry, 2) consideration of base pressure with and without base bleed in the performance calculations, 3) methods to accommodate user defined combustion devise and nozzle efficiencies, and 4) methods to estimate potential side (control) forces resulting from asymmetric throttling of individual thrusters on an aerospike, plug, or plug-cluster engine. The proposed Phase I enhancements fit within a broader and more comprehensive Phase I-II plan. Future (Phase II) enhancements will include: 1) extension of the design and analysis methodology to other altitude compensating nozzle types, 2) modification of ADAPT allowing it to be used as an analysis module within a broader multidisciplinary optimization (MDO) framework, and 3) a web-based user interface.
There is presently poor knowledge throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) of the airport configurations currently in use at each airport.  There is even less information about expected future configuration changes.  The airport configuration is a primary factor in various airport characteristics such as arrival and departure capacities and terminal area traffic patterns.  These characteristics, in turn, are central to a variety of Air Traffic Management (ATM) decisions, such as setting arrival restrictions to avoid airborne holding.  Consequently, uncertainty about the current or future airport configuration can result in traffic management decisions that under-utilize or overload airports, resulting in unnecessary or inefficient delays.  Moreover, air carriers would make use of configuration information.  FedEx, for example, selects parking gates for arrivals to Memphis based on expected departure runways to minimize taxi congestion and time.  The proposed effort will develop an airport configuration recognition and prediction system.  The airport configuration depends on a variety of factors; Phase 1 will consider local weather, arrival and departure demand, noise restrictions, and airport-specific considerations.
The objective of the proposed project is the development of technology for more efficient and effective human-computer supervision of complex systems. Systems that combine humans and automation in a synergistic or cooperative manner may be termed hybrid systems. Hybrid systems offer advantages over both purely automated systems and purely manual systems in many circumstances. However, future hybrid systems will be even more complex than contemporary ones. This gives rise to a serious need to develop methods for integrating humans more closely?and more efficiently?than is possible now within hybrid systems.  We propose to apply a recent Raven Research innovation, Achievability Control Theory (ACT) to the problem of integrating multi-agent autonomous and semi-autonomous systems into human-machine teams. ACT is a superset of Supervisory Control Theory (SCT) which more synergistically combines human and machine capabilities and enhances the flexibility and effectiveness of hybrid robotic and automated systems. This approach allows for integration of multiple agents in a system and at same time promotes human-centric understanding and design of such a system.
Accurate absolute position, velocity, attitude and precise relative navigation are critical capabilities for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) to improve their autonomy and reduce the mission life-cycle cost. This Phase I project investigates a low cost, miniature reconfigurable autonomous navigation system for all flight missions of the UAV. The proposed approach employs a flexible Federated Kalman filtering architecture and an onboard knowledge-based expert system to integrate a MEMS IMU, a multi-antenna GPS receiver, a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) receiver, a data link receiver for DGPS corrections, and a radar altimeter. The configured integrated GPS/MEMS IMU system presents a high degree of navigation performance for UAV?s flight phases, release, cruise, approaching, and landing. The configured multi-antenna GPS interferometer/MEMS IMU integration provides a navigation solution for the UAV?s cruise operations, while the configured GPS/WAAS/MEMS IMU/Radar Altimeter integration provides precise approach and landing capabilities for the UAV. An intelligent neural network is applied to perform multi-sensor failure detection and isolation, and redundancy management. AGNC commercial products and AGNC US patents providing advanced integration technologies for MEMS IMU, GPS, WAAS, and radar altimeter will insure a successful project.
Two new catogories of wireless batteryless sensors are proposed: magnetoelastic and LC type.  These sensors are also chipless which provide significantly lower cost and also higher operating temperatures than chip-based sensors.  This technology is al alternative to SAW (surface acoustic wave) wireless sensors that cannot operate through many materials layers, such as in a vehicle structure or fuel tank.  Magnetoelastic sensors and LC sensors operate at lower frequencies that have better penetration and also enable lower-cost readers and antenna arrays to be constructed.  Among the parameters that can be sensed are: temperature, pressure/strain, humidity, and chemical enviroment. The PI is the inventor on several patents (others pending) for these sensor technologies.
The benefits of periodic cruise operation of flight vehicles have been known for three decades.  Although a number of papers and doctoral dissertations have studied the periodic cruise phenomenon, they have not been systematically evaluated in any flight test program.  The objective of the present research is the flight test evaluation of endurance-maximizing periodic cruise trajectories. Flight tests will be conducted in collaboration with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center on a research UAV. A secondary objective of the proposed research effort is to investigate the use of dynamic soaring maneuvers for enhancing the UAV endurance performance.
Phase I research will demonstrate the improvements in endurance performance using a UAV simulation model. Realistic UAV dynamics and atmospheric characteristics will be included in these simulations.  Guidance algorithms for flying the periodic trajectories will also be developed. Based on the research findings of the Phase I research, Phase II work will refine the guidance algorithms and conduct flight test evaluation of endurance-maximizing periodic cruise trajectories. Development of periodic cruise flight control systems for production UAVs will be undertaken during the Phase III work.
High Test Peroxide (HTP) Highly Compatible High Sealing Conical Seals are necessary for ground test operations and space based applications.  Current conical seals are all made from relatively incompatible materials and the most compatible materials have limitations: stainless steel seals are hard to seat, especially at large sizes and are still only acceptable for short term exposure at best, whereas aluminum seals corrode quickly when exposed to HTP and other metals such as stainless steel.  The other common materials for conical seals, copper and nickel, are unsuited for HTP applications.  A highly compatible conical seal is non-existent, and the best seal available is stainless steel which is at best Class 2 and difficult to seal.  High compatible conical seals will permit long term storage HTP systems to be created and will improve operations which are currently using short term HTP systems.
Laser diodes are the key component in many space-based applications ranging from communication systems to optical sensors/detectors.  Laser diode emitters however dissipate large amounts of waste heat of their own from the small footprint of the device.  As a result, the dissipating heat flux from the laser diodes can reach a level as high as 1kW/cm2.  The performance and reliability of laser diode arrays can degrade severely if the waste heat is not properly managed.  Indeed temperature control is critical when the laser diode arrays are used for pumping a solid-state laser such as Nd:YAG.  The solid-state laser has a narrow absorption bandwidth and requires a narrow pump source.  Any variation in temperature throughout the array will cause the emitters to emit different wavelengths, thus increasing the bandwidth of the array.  Spray cooling is probably the only available thermal control technology capable of dispersing heat fluxes of this extreme level (&gt;200W/cm2).  Spray cooling is a heat removal method by an evaporative heat transfer process.  In this research project, a novel concept that combines a conventional refrigeration cycle and spray cooling technique into one system is proposed as the solution to extremely high heat flux problems.
Aseptic plant culture plays a significant role in biotechnology and plant physiology research and in vegetative propagation of many plant species. The development of an Aseptic Plant Culture System would provide a mechanism for experimentation as well as for transporting and storing vegetatively propagated plant material in space. Most culture systems are passive, with no environmental monitoring or control. This project proposes to develop a full environmental control and monitoring system for aseptic culture that can accommodate, without modification, a variety of standard culture vessels. The system would consist of a base unit into which culture vessels can be plugged or unplugged as desired. Multiple culture vessel sizes and shapes could be accommodated using a generic connector system. Environmental parameters controlled and monitored would include light level and spectral quality, photoperiod, air and media temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition. Using innovative, high precision miniature environmental control components would allow each vessel to maintain independent control set-points if desired. Particular challenges include development of a miniaturized humidity control system, precise control of the gaseous environment in small volumes, and maintaining sterility for an extended duration.
Differential gene expression by RNA profiling is a universal and critical step in space biology experiments, which seek to link specific molecular events with disease phenotypes. Current RNA preparation methods are tedious, require substantial astronaut time, and necessitate exposure to toxic chemicals. They often have poor, unreliable yields due to RNase contamination. Our overall objective is to develop and commercialize a microfluidics based miniaturized platform (MED-RNA) that can fully automate the complex process of RNA extraction. Starting from harvested whole mammalian cells in a culture medium, MED-RNA will lyse, capture, extract/isolate and freeze/store RNA content for later analysis, in a fully integrated fashion with minimal user intervention. In addition to higher yields and faster process times, losses and contamination will be minimized as a result of the miniaturization and automation. A novel and unique plastic card based fabrication technology from Micronics Corp. will be leveraged for low-cost microfabrication. In Phase I, we will develop detailed design for the microfluidic lab card and the integrated system. We will also fabricate and demonstrate critical components (lysis and capture) of MED-RNA. The design process will be based on the state-of-the-art, multiphysics biochip design software from CFDRC. In Phase II, a fully integrated microfluidic lab card (including storage) will be developed and demonstrated on chosen cell lines.
NASA Space Science missions require energy systems with high energy density with power levels up to several kW. Advances in mission electronics technology have resulted in smaller, lighter components yet power and energy requirements are increasing.  RBC Technologies proposes to work with Moltech Power Systems to develop a novel electrochemical system, silver metal-hydride.  This cathode/anode combination offers potential for very high energy with high specific power.  Working prototype cells will be prepared in the Phase I effort.  The ultimate program goal will be to demonstrate a sealed cylindrical cell that can achieve 140 Wh/kg and 1800 W/kg.  Innovation will be required to develop separator materials that can simultaneously meet the electrochemical requirements of silver cathode and metal hydride anode.  Full-scale battery development including shock and vibration hardening appropriate to the application would take place in Phase II, if awarded.
Preliminary results have shown that low temperature eddy current sensors can provide excellent resolution for blade tip timing, and have the ability to see ?through the case? of an engine and measure blade passings, without having to drill into the case material or subject the sensor to the harsh environment of the gas flow.  What is needed is a rugged, high resolution sensor that can be used for applications up to turbine temperatures, and that can easily overcome issues of velocity dependent calibration, low pass filtering through cases, varying case materials and thicknesses, high temperature, and limited standoff distances.  Eddy current is the only technology that can provide the solution to these problems, and at the same time operate in dirty environments (oil, steam, etc.)  This SBIR plans to develop an eddy current sensor technology that can be used at turbine temperatures, be mounted outside the engine case, work in hostile environments and provide Generation 4 resolution for Non-Intrusive Stress Measurements (NSMS) of turbine blades.
WaveBand Corporation in collaboration with Virginia Commonwealth University proposes to design and fabricate a new sub-millimeter source based on an InAlGaN superlattice (SL).  Semiconductor SLs have proven their ability to deliver high-frequency current oscillations caused by specific electron dynamics in a narrow miniband.  For this project, WaveBand proposes to demonstrate SLs based on one of the GaN-family materials that deliver high temperature and high power operation superior to those provided by conventional III-V materials based on GaAs and InAs alloys.  The idea of Bloch oscillators has been around for a while, yet actual example has not been demonstrated.  The reason is that dc-current instability prevents oscillations at high frequency.  The innovation of the proposed work is that we plan to use short-period SLs with complex miniband electron energy dispersion that suppresses the dc-instability and allows electrons to oscillate at multiples of the fundamental Bloch frequency.  MBE-growth of short-period SLs will be performed using formation of spontaneous superlattices from an immiscible composition.
Evaluation of the technical and scientific feasibility of developing a model and sensor for the analytical optical determination of particle biogeochemical properties in natural waters is proposed.  The objective of the proposed work is 1) to develop an inversion model, termed the General Optical-Biogeochemical Inversion (GOBI), for the analytical determination of particulate organic carbon (POC) and other biogeochemical properties from optical measurements, and 2) to develop an in-situ optical sensor (in Phase 2) for measurements of POC and other biogeochemical properties in natural waters based on the GOBI.  For the first time, the model would allow in-situ analytical determination of POC irrespective of changing particle composition.  Current empirical models are not applicable in case II waters. The GOBI model will be based on recently peer-review published analytical inversion models authored by the Principal Investigator and collaborators.
RBC Technologies has significanly improved the cycle life and wet life of silver/zinc battery technology through novel separator and anode formulations.  This advanced silver/zinc technology may be further developed to work reliably in the low temperature and pressure environment of the upper atmosphere.  The objective of the proposed program is to develop sealed spirally wound cylindrical silver cells and demonstrate their capability to deliver high specific energy and specific power at temperatures to -30C.  This will be accomplished by the innovation of coated silver cathode and zinc anode formulations suitable for incorporation in high performance wound sealed cells with low freezing point electrolytes.  In Phase I RBC will work with Moltech Power Systems to design and assemble test cells and assess energy, power and fade characteristics.  In Phase II, RBC would build upon these results to design and assemble complete cells and batteries that would meet or exceed a modular battery specification for NASA earth science missions.
We propose a dual objective innovation that has valuable NASA applicability and tremendous commercial potential.  The first innovation is the structure determination of osteoporosis, immune system diseases, and radiation damage repair proteins utilizing proprietary neural network based algorithms.  The long-term results from this innovation could provide effective medical countermeasures for bone loss, immune system compromise and harmful radiation effects seen in astronauts upon long-duration space missions. The second innovation is a commercial grade multipurpose neural network based informatics system configurable for automated, real-time sensory data input and automatic correlation identification applicable to autonomous astronaut health monitoring and environmental correlation.  This innovation also has significant commercial applications in the health care industries as a hospital wide health monitoring and environmental correlation system.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used as an analysis tool to help the designer gain greater understanding of the fluid flow phenomena involved in the components being designed. The next step in the design process is to modify the design to improve the components performance, typically performed manually by the designer in a trial and error fashion. The innovations proposed herein will provide important advances in the state-of-the-art of automatic CFD shape deformation and optimization software. Optimal Solutions Software (OSS) has been developing a software program called Sculptor, which provides capabilities to perform shape deformation and optimization in CFD design. When the innovations proposed herein are included in Sculptor, and coupled with NASAs Stennis Space Centers (SSC) CFD codes, a truly innovative and significant design tool will be available to perform automatic shape optimization. Sculptor can find new geometric shapes, in a timely manner that likely would not have been discovered without its use. Therefore Sculptor can innovate when used by knowledgeable engineers.
Trace contamination of the International Space Station (ISS) by formaldehyde -- a known carcinogen -- is a significant threat to crew health. The spacecraft maximum allowable concentration (SMAC) in air is only 40 parts per billion and ambient concentrations appear to be increasing as formaldehyde outgasses from a variety of plastic components. Monitoring formaldehyde levels is difficult because few analytical methods can achieve sufficient sensitivity from instrumentation that can be adapted for space-based operation. The current detection method -- using absorbent "badges" -- relies on post-flight analysis of the adsorbent material. Some of those measurements show formaldehyde concentrations close to the SMAC upper bound. As a result, a need exists for a reliable, fully automated analyzer that can provide continuous monitoring of formaldehyde concentrations on board the ISS. The target detection sensitivity is 10 ppb and the response time should be &lt; 10 minutes. Southwest Sciences proposes the development of an optical analyzer for formaldehyde that is expected to meet the requirements of space-based operation. The instrument will be compact, light weight, require little electrical power and no consumables, and will be able to operate for extended periods (months to years) without maintenance or re-calibration.
Ballutes, or inflatable decelerators, offer significant advantages over rigid shells for aerocapture of planetary spacecraft and for earth reentry of cargo by providing mass savings and simplified packaging features. Traditional ballutes, however, have provided little or no trajectory control. For new platform functionality, high drag must be accompanied by some degree of control; also, incorporating thermal protection into the design provides additional weight savings. Ballutes are typically designed to create a low ballistic coefficient, reducing heating rates. However, a low ballistic coefficient also makes them inherently susceptible to insertion trajectory errors, atmospheric density variations, and winds. The use of a variable drag design allows for in-flight adjustment of ballistic coefficient. This significantly lowers downrange dispersions, resulting in a higher reliability recovery system. The specific innovation proposed is the design of a forward-attached, variable drag ballute for atmospheric entry. To demonstrate dispersion control in a forward-mounted ballute, Andrews proposes two flight tests of a subscale, pressure-supported, symmetric ballute that modulates drag by internal pressure control. The experiments are designed to demonstrate the ability to actively vary drag and prove transonic stability while avoiding an aeroheating environment requiring specialized thermal materials.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new class of electronic devices called solid state vacuum devices (SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;s), a highly enabling technology for extreme high temperature radiation hard electronics.  SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;s merge solid state semiconductor technology, including process fabrication techniques, with vacuum electronics, and, in this case, specifically thermionic vacuum electronics. SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;s have already been demonstrated for highly demanding high frequency applications. Thermionic SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;s, in which vacuum transport is by thermionically emitted electrons, are especially promising due to their intrinsic internal high temperature operation and radiation hardness.  SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;s are extremely well suited for extreme environments that, for example, exist on or near Venus.  InnoSys proposed and successfully demonstrated in Phase I of this SBIR project SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; triodes/field effect transistors and the associated assembly and sealing to meet the requirements needed for extreme high temperature electronics.  In particular, SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; electronics were successfully experimentally demonstrated fully operational at 500C. In addition, radiation insensitive SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; electronics were also successfully experimentally demonstrated during Phase I of this SBIR project.  Small scale extreme temperature, radiation insensitive SSVD&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; integrated circuits (ICs) will be developed during Phase II of this SBIR project.  Currently no other existing electronics can address this extreme environment.
TA&amp;T, Inc. proposes an enabling fabrication process for high voltage isolators required in high power solar electric and nuclear electric propulsion (SEP and NEP, respectively). Future high thrust, high specific impulse engines will have to support beam voltages up to 10kV to meet performance requirements. If existing isolator designs are simply scaled-up for higher voltages, then a significant mass penalty is incurred. The proposed fabrication approach, known as ceramic stereolithography (CSL), is an automated, layered manufacturing process that enables net shape, monolithic ceramics with complex geometry. The Phase I effort successfully demonstrated fabrication and high voltage testing of three prototype isolator designs that would be very difficult to fabricate using conventional ceramic processing.  The Phase II objectives include refinement of the CSL process to the point where it is a reliable fabrication approach for high voltage isolators, development and demonstration of an isolator design with maximum voltage standoff in a minimum volume, assessment life-limiting issues and accelerated life testing.  The Phase II project will result in a new fabrication tool for high voltage isolation and insulation components, and a new optimized isolator design suitable for HiPEP and NEXIS ion engines.
Next-generation aerospace systems will require increased autonomy to modify system behavior based on changing mission requirements, environmental factors, and system performance. For example, intelligent systems have been employed to improve safety by adaptively compensating for unexpected failures or damage. Despite many successful demonstrations of autonomous and intelligent control laws in simulations and flight tests, the difficulty associated with the verification, validation, and testing of adaptive and nondeterministic systems poses a significant barrier to their use in safety-critical systems.  The proposed Phase II research addresses this challenge through the development of innovative V\&amp;V algorithms and easy-to-use software tools that will provide intelligent, automated, and interactive test plan generation and execution.  The tool will integrate state-of-the-art analysis and numerical methods to automatically generate test vector sets, execute high-fidelity simulations or monitor pilot-in-the-loop simulations, analyze simulation results, and adapt/modify future test vectors based on observations to date. The result will be a significant reduction in cost associated with system testing while simultaneously offering a significant increase in the probability that system problems are uncovered early in the development process. The tool will have broad applicability for aerospace as well as non-aerospace applications.
Physical Sciences Inc. and Advanced Solutions, Inc. propose a novel approach for on-orbit assembly of a modular spacecraft using a unique universal, intelligent, electromechanical interface (AUTOCONNECT) on surfaces of individual modules.  AUTOCONNECT not only provides mechanical fastening between modules (irrespective of precise alignments and orientations), but also automatically configures electrical connections among modules. Mechanical attachment occurs due to docking and physical contact between modules with sufficient initial momenta.  The mass properties of the assembly are determined on orbit and the entire assembly functions as a spacecraft unit.  In Phase I we simulated spacecraft assembly in two dimensions using instrumented hexagonal modules  supported on air bearings with yaw control provided by a reaction wheel on each module.  We demonstrated the feasibility of attachment via AUTOCONNECT, power and data transfer across the interface, and angular orientation control of the assembly.  In Phase II, we propose to simulate orbital assembly of a spacecraft configuration as an AUTOCONNECTed assembly of multiple instrumented modules, where each module functions as a spacecraft subsystem or payload, and demonstrate command and control of the entire assembly.  Additionally, we will address the system level design issues for AUTOCONNECT-equipped spacecraft modules and the concept of operations for their on-orbit assembly.
Capacitor size and reliability are often limiting factors in pulse power, high speed switching, and power management and distribution (PMAD) systems.   T/J Technologies is addressing these limitations through the development of nanocomposite polypropylene films with enhanced dielectric strength, dielectric coefficient and thermal stability.  These improvements translate to better performance, including higher energy density, higher volumetric efficiency, and increased working temperature.  During phase I of this program, T/J Technologies demonstrated novel nanocomposite dielectric films with a &gt;100&#37; increase in dielectric strength as compared with conventional polypropylene materials, while also realizing modest improvements in dielectric constant.  Future work in phase II will focus on transitioning this new film into a higher volumetric efficiency power filter capacitor technology that will reduce the size and enhance the reliability of NASA PMAD subsystems. The major target for Phase II is to develop and demonstrate an ultra-thin capacitor film with high volumetric efficiency (&gt;50&#37; improvement over State-of-the-art polypropylene capacitors), high temperature (&gt;125?aC), low dissipation factor, and excellent mechanical properties (windability).  This research will enable the development of lighter, more reliable PMAD subsystems for NASA space missions.  Other commercial and defense applications include pulse power conditioning for high power electronics and high voltage AC systems.
Primary mirrors for large aperture telescopes (&gt;10m) are collections of smaller (1-2m), typically hexagonal, often aspheric, optical segments.   NASA?s next generation specifications demand high precision optical surfaces with practically zero edge exclusion in order to maximize image contrast and resolution.  Magnetorheological finishing (MRF) is a sub-aperture process demonstrated to be effective for fine figure control and polishing of a variety of optical glasses and crystals.   The relatively small size and high removal rate of the MRF tool could allow efficient correction of  ?print-through? patterns (or other mid-spatial frequency errors) often observed after conventional polishing.  MRF, however, suffers from edge effects, because the MRF polishing spot changes as it moves over the edge of the part.  Current control algorithms assume the spot remains constant, resulting in edge errors on the order of half of the spot size in width. This proposed effort, therefore, is directed at improving the edge performance of the MRF process, through development of novel software algorithms, improved process methods and/or hardware improvements.  This will be an essential part of a low cost solution for efficient fabrication of large lightweight optics.
This proposal addresses the need for food processing equipment for crews on long-term Advanced Life Support Systems (ALSS) missions. It is proposed to design a food extruder that will efficiently process wheat and rice flour into breakfast-cereal-type food. In addition, the design will incorporate an oil extraction system for peanuts, and a milling/grinding system for wheat, rice, soybean and peanuts. The design of this food processing system will rely on the use of a single lightweight motor, with interchangeable attachments to do the extrusion, oil extraction, and milling/grinding. This work will merge the extruder-building expertise of Wayne Machine &amp; Die Co. with the food processing expertise of Rutgers University's Food Science team to produce a unique and versatile food processor design for the planetary surface missions. The deliverable of this project will be a complete engineering design of a food processing system, including AutoCAD drawings from which the hardware could be manufactured in a Phase II contract.
A mapping solution will be developed that allows for geospatial-reality intelligent linking database with remotely sensed images.  This system is designed to use Earth Science datasets to support NASA Center Operations.   Mobile Online Intelligent Decision Support Systems (MOIDSS?) can be deployed in a variety of NASA facilities and commercial industry facilities.  This solution will support a range of technologies, such as, handheld field computers, Real-time Kinematic Global Positioning Systems (RTK-GPS), and wireless networking systems.  This solution will utilize current of the shelf (COTS) technology, which is presently integrated in the NASA facilities.  Commercial software will be developed for automated data collection and validation of spatial information.   The innovative technology and theory will enable fusion of data in situ by using the geospatial-reality intelligent linking database (GRILD).  This solution can be used by emergency response management teams, homeland security groups, and engineering staff to make vital decisions with all available spatial data. The goal of this project was to develop an innovative idea using advance methods and technologies to help NASA Earth Science and Center Operation directorates.  Geospatial Research Innovation Design (GRID) proposes and supports this SBIR.
We propose to develop a versatile and affordable system to measure the average diameter of primary soot particles along with their mass concentration in aircraft engine exhausts. This work will expand upon our recent experience applying laser-induced incandescence (LII) to obtain the first successful quantitative measurements of spatially and temporally resolved, non-intrusive soot particle mass concentration in an aircraft engine test. The proposed system will take advantage of recent research suggesting that particle size can be obtained from the LII decay rate. Advances in laser and photodiode technology should enable compact, inexpensive components to be used. A simple calibration procedure will help minimize the requirements for operator expertise and training. Advanced, experimentally validated algorithms will be used to compute soot particle size and mass, with the results displayed in real time during an engine test. The tasks described in this proposal are essential steps leading to a versatile LII system that can be routinely applied to engine testing programs, and subsequently commercialized. Our goal is to develop an LII system suitable for widespread use; therefore, it will be portable, inexpensive, and easy to operate. The proposed Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of this system.
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG) proposes to develop a bonded
composite patch repair and re-use system based on CRG's Veritex&lt;!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
                      "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"&gt;
&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;
 materials. Veritex&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;
 is a composite material consisting of common reinforcement fibers such
as e-glass or carbon and one of CRG's shape memory polymers. Veritex&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;
 is a fully-cured, stiff thermoset composite at most system operating
temperatures, yet it can be made to be flexible by heating it above an
activation temperature. This feature enables the use of Veritex&lt;sup&gt;TM&lt;/sup&gt;
 as a composite patch system that is shape-adaptive and can be used for
repair of many different types of structural members and/or for joining
of structural members to assemble new systems. The development of a
simplified patch repair and re-use system will enable effective and
efficient structural material repair and system assembly that can be
performed by humans as well as robots.  This technology will require
less material and energy resources than the current state-of-the-art for
terrestrial bonded composite patch repair making it a desirable solution
for current and future self-sufficient space systems.  This repair and
re-use technology could find immediate implementation on current NASA
platforms such as the International Space Station and future
implementation on platforms such as the lunar excursion vehicle.
This proposal outlines a plan for enhancing and integrating new breakthrough technologies to provide accurate real-time noise prediction of V/STOL aircraft in maneuvering flight within a flight simulation environment.  Loading, thickness and BVI noise sources, which often dominate the noise spectrum, will be predicted from first principles by coupling Continuum Dynamics, Inc.'s unique real-time full-span free-vortex wake model with Penn State University's innovative PSU-WOPWOP maneuvering flight noise prediction method.  General rotorcraft configurations will be supported (e.g., tiltrotor, coaxial, tandem, main rotor/tail rotor) as well as ducted fan and powered lift aircraft.  Other noise sources (e.g., broadband, engine, and self-noise) will be modeled using the most advanced empirical methods available today.  Atmospheric absorption, spherical spreading, ground reflection, attenuation and acoustic phasing will be modeled through a direct coupling with Wyle Laboratory's state-of-the-art RNM code to provide accurate ground noise assessment required for low noise flight path planning.  Further enhancements could lead to onboard flight management systems able to monitor and reduce ground noise levels in flight, a capability that would both improve public acceptance of V/STOL aircraft introduced into the National Airspace System and save the lives of military aviators operating rotorcraft in hostile territory.
Cornerstone Research Group, Inc. (CRG), has developed sandwich core composite material (SynLam(TM)) and related fabrication technology to address the drawbacks of conventional materials and fabrication processes for space-based mirrors.  The resulting technologies will directly address NASA's requirement for advanced, low-cost, high quality large optics fabrication processes for building imaging systems that support the Space Science Enterprise's Structure and Evolution of the Universe Theme.  Extending recent CRG advancements in syntactic composites by tailoring the material system to cryogenic applications, the new material will achieve a balance of mass, structural, thermal, and optical properties that dramatically advances the state-of-the-art for space-based mirrors.  The new material will also enable mirror fabrication techniques that are significantly faster and cheaper than current practice.  Currently available syntactic materials show the potential of this class of composite for application in lightweight mirrors.  Integrated development of the new material and new process technology will yield synergy in advancing the state-of-the-art in both areas.
Noise mitigation for subsonic transports is a continuing high priority, and recent work has identified successful exhaust mixing enhancement devices that have demonstrated substantial capability for reducing aircraft engine noise in critical takeoff and landing conditions. Existing fixed-geometry versions of such devices, however, are inherently limited to optimal noise mitigation in a single operating condition and also can impose significant performance penalties in cruise flight.  An adaptive geometry device using smart structures technology offers the possibility of maximizing engine performance while retaining and possibly enhancing the favorable noise characteristics of current designs.  The proposed Phase I effort will demonstrate the feasibility of this concept, focusing on design and demonstration of variable geometry chevrons using rapidly maturing Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuation technology.  This work represents an extension of prior successful development of solid state smart structures, though it will exploit new high temperature SMA (HTSMA) materials technology to enable the devices to operate in both low temperature (fan) and high temperature (core) exhaust flows.  While important in its own right, this development also holds the promise of being the first step in development of a range of smart materials devices for a spectrum of aeropropulsion applications.
The innovation of the proposed project is the development of High Efficiency Lighting with Integrated Adaptive Control (HELIAC) systems to drive plant growth. Solar radiation is not a viable option for growing plants on the moon or on Mars for multiple reasons. On the other hand, lighting plants with electric lamps and rejecting the associated waste heat has energy costs that have driven NASA toward other options to provide food and fresh air to future Mars crews. The solution offered by this project improves upon the efficiency of a novel new light-distribution technology involving low-power, solid-state sources that emit specific-wavelength photons to match plant photoreceptors. The HELIAC lighting system consists of small individual "light engines" that provide a level of control precision far in excess of standard lamps. This precision enables lamp configuration to be adapted to species specific growth habits so that photons can be absorbed efficiently by all available photosynthetic tissues. HELIAC will also provide the capability to adapt spectral balance automatically to plant development stage. Finally, it will have the capability to automatically detect the proximity of plant tissue and power only adjacent light engines, thereby greatly decreasing power requirements, particularly during early plant development.
Advanced Technologies Group, Inc. proposes the development of a Cryogenic Flow Sensor (CFS)  for determining mass flow of cryogens in spacecraft propellant management. Current point sensor technology is incapable of determining high pressure, high flow rate cryogenic fluid quality and mass flow rate, and has proven to be inaccurate in attempting to rapidly measure cryogen depletion.  If there is an abrupt change in fluid quality, turbo-machinery can over-speed causing catastrophic failure.  The CFS will provide a means to avoid these failures as well as providing fluid quality data for a wide range of flow systems. Experimental hardware was able to detect the onset of two-phase flow and the presence of debris in the flow of water.  The innovation clearly shows that it can discern between entrained gas bubbles and unwanted debris.  The sensor has the potential to determine size and quantity of the contaminant.  In addition, a non-intrusive method for determining the Mass-Flow?Rate of the fluid propellant has been designed, and is the focus of this phase I effort.  A cryogenic sensor with these capabilities is very desirable to the cryogenic fluids management community, as well as other fluid management systems,  and has many commercial applications.
We propose an innovative high performance cryogenic heat exchanger manufactured of titanium by photo-etching and diffusion bonding. This is a parallel plate design of thin laminated titanium foils. Titanium is used because of it low thermal conductivity which allows more compact heat exchangers with lower parasitic heat loss. Photo-etched patterns in the foils create the flow passages for the hot and cold flows with solid barrier foils separating the streams. A difficult problem with high performance heat exchangers is balancing the mass flow rate between multiple flow passages required for all but the smallest levels of cooling; this problem can degrade exchanger ineffectiveness by factors of more then 3. Our manufacturing technique allows us to include flow balancing features within the flow passages to automatically balance the flow rates. Recuperative cycle cryocoolers, such as reverse Brayton, Joule-Thomson or their hybrids, require high effectiveness heat exchangers to reach cryogenic temperatures. Higher effectiveness leads directly to improved system efficiency or allows lower temperatures to be reached. Improved heat exchanger performance will directly lead to lower input power cryocoolers particularly for the 4-10 K temperature range where cryocooler system efficiencies are very low.
The technology required to deploy Directed Energy Weapons (DEW) for use against hardened military targets may be constrained to just a few nations, but for soft targets like commercial aircraft and Air Transportation System (ATS) assets options are plenty for terrorists, organized crime or rogue states hoping to inflict harm. These devices are readily configured for covert operations favored by such groups. This work will identify, quantify and provide guidance to intercept RF, EMP and HPM weapons terrorists might deploy against the ATS. Designs within this group will be categorized by type of design, quantitatively analyzed to determine threat parameters and broken down into components that can be screened by ATS personnel. The end product of this work will directly improve the safety and security of the ATS.
Continuum Dynamics, Inc. (CDI) has developed a Multiple Aircraft Simulation Tool (MAST) that revolutionizes the ability to predict and assess wake interactions associated with multiple aircraft operating in the vicinity of one another.  This tool incorporates CDI's state-of-the-art free-vortex wake modeling methods and aircraft wake diffusion and dissipation models within established flight simulation technology.   This new technology is ideally suited to support the U.S. air traffic management system in evaluating methods to safely improve operational efficiency.  The proposed effort is to enhance and repackage this technology in a manner targeted directly toward modeling "series" and "parallel" fixed (and rotary) wing aircraft approach patterns.  The large body of recent data obtained from field tests and advanced CFD will be utilized to provide a new level of accuracy and efficiency in the prediction of the influence of turbulence, wind shear, stratification and ground effect on vortex wake evolution and decay.  The final tool will be unprecedented in its range of application, accuracy and ease of use in modeling the wake interactions of multiple fixed wing and rotary-wing aircraft operating in a terminal area environment and will be ideal for planning and evaluating NASA's multiple corridor and simultaneous non-interference operational concepts.
In this project advanced acoustic blankets for improved low frequency interior noise control in aircraft will be developed and demonstrated. The improved performance is achieved with a novel lightweight composite system that has been previously experimentally demonstrated on laboratory structures. The advanced blanket system will also satisfy new flammability and toxicity requirements with minimal integration issues. Work will be carried out with our partner NEVA Associates and acoustic material manufacturers to design commercial versions of the advanced blankets suitable for aircraft. Integration issues related to application in aircraft fuselages will be considered.
This proposal is submitted under the Innovative Tools and Techniques
Supporting the Practical Uses of Earth Science Observations topic. We
seek to evaluate and demonstrate technical approaches for linking remote
sensing rangeland products with a soil biogeochemical model to form a
decision support system for improved rangeland management. The resulting
decision support system will be unique and innovative by not only
providing operational remote sensing observations of rangeland
condition, but also web-based tools that utilize these observations to
provide critical information on soil fertility/productivity, greenhouse
gas emissions, and potential erosion and sedimentation. Our Rangeland
Decision Support System will build off of existing RANGES and DNDC
tools. Landsat and MODIS prototype processing algorithms for rangeland
condition (height, forage production, fractional cover) have been
developed under the previous RANGES project. Our decision support system
will couple RANGES products with the DeNtrification-DeComposition (DNDC)
model. DNDC is a unique, spatially explicit, soil biogeochemical model
that simulates both aerobic and anaerobic soil conditions, estimates
crop yields based on a detailed crop physiology-phenology model, and is
designed for assessing the net impact of alternative management on
long-term soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics and emissions of N2O, NO,
CH4, and NH3  for upland and wetland agricultural ecosystems.
This NASA SBIR project will develop modular spray-cooled assemblies that satisfy NASA power and mass budgets and can be scaled to cool multiple heat sources subjected to high heat fluxes and microgravity conditions.  Much of the work on spray cooling has been experimental in nature and technological improvements have been the result of extensive experimental work.  There is a need for a better theoretical understanding.  Power Electronics Leveling Solutions L.L.C. (PELS) analytical team has formulated mathematically the conditions for extracting high heat fluxes from a heated surface in addition to the latent heat of vaporization that takes place in the formation of the bubble under phase change.  PELS has now the opportunity of combining its analytical and experimental capabilities to develop modular assemblies based on spray cooling with the goal of achieving heat fluxes in excess of 100 W/cm2 while satisfying power and mass budgets.
This project consists of developing a Vibrating Sample Holder (VSH) for planetary X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) instruments.  The principle of this novel sample handling technique relies on vibrations generated in a sample holder to create movements in the powdered sample.  The major benefit over conventional sample handling techniques is the possibility to characterize materials with grain-sizes up to two orders of magnitude larger, with no degradation in the data quality.  It allows existing planetary sample-preparation systems such as rock crushers and drills to be used in place of fine-grinding mills normally required for quality XRD analysis.  A secondary benefit of the VSH is that it offers a simple means of loading and removal of samples, with a limited number of moving parts.  This research will answer a critical need for sample handling devices for conducting definitive mineralogy analyses in Solar System Exploration.   The Phase 1 effort will focus on a feasibility study of two critical components of the system:  the thin X-ray windows required for the sample holder, and the mechanism for controlling the granular flow.  The Phase 2 R&amp;D work will lead to a VSH brassboard prototype that can be remotely operated and interfaced to a planetary XRD instrument.
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) demand state-of-the-art
ultra-stable and low noise coherent lasers. This is a proposal to
develop a space qualified high power, single mode, low noise and narrow
linewidth fiber laser based on a &amp;quot;virtual ring&amp;quot; laser cavity
at the 1.06 micron spectral band.  This novel laser architecture enables
traveling-wave oscillation in a compact, linear and all-fiber cavity.
This leads to unprecedented low noise and stable laser oscillator. The
all fiber device also offers a highly reliable, compact and power
conserving solution. We have already demonstrated virtual ring
oscillators at the 1.55 micron band that rival the state of the ring
laser architecture. In this research we will develop a 1.06 micron laser
that can meet or exceed the LISA experiment required laser specifications.
This is a proposal to investigate the feasibility of developing a low
cost, compact, lightweight, high power (&amp;gt;500m W) and narrow linewidth
1.5 and 1.06 micron fiber lasers based on a &amp;quot;virtual ring&amp;quot;
laser cavity. We have already demonstrated &amp;quot;virtual ring&amp;quot;
laser prototypes at 1.5 micron that push the performance envelope to
unprecedented levels in a number of important parameters but with powers
below 40 mW. In this research will increase the laser oscillator power
to (&amp;gt;100 mw)  and also boost it with  a MOPA section. We will also
investigate the feasibility of exending the virtual ring technology to
the 1.06 micron band.
Improvements in radiation shielding materials are needed to support NASA's human and robotic exploration programs.  Shielding for both electromagnetic radiation (gamma and x-rays) and particles (protons and neutrons) are critical.  Ideally, the shielding should be part of a multifunctional, structural composite material to maximize mission payload.  To meet this need, ASI will develop structural composites enhanced by novel carbon nanofiber (CNF) materials.  One version is CNF whose hollow cores are filled with heavy elements for electromagnetic by a novel intercalation technique. Another is hydrogenated CNF for particle shielding.  The enhanced CNF will then be included in the resin of a standard carbon fiber reinforced structural composites where they will add radiation blocking functionality and enhance strength properties.  In addition, the intercalated nanofibers will be compounded into polyethylene, a known proton absorber, to create a shielding material that simultaneously blocks all relevant forms of radiation.  Materials will be tested for gamma, x-ray, and proton shielding, as well as multifunctional structural and electrical properties.
As the focus of space system architectures changes from single, to multiple, and eventually to many spacecraft flying in formation, a greater demand on total lifetime impulse and precision control becomes unavoidable.  A unique property of these spacecraft clusters is that controlling only relative positions within the cluster is normally sufficient to satisfy most metrics of performance.  This opens the possibility of using inter-spacecraft forces and torques (such as those generated electromagnetically) as the primary means of control, eliminating the need for onboard propellant.  Eliminating the dependence on a non-replenishable consumable (propellant) in lieu of a replenishable resource (electricity) allows even aggressive maneuvers to be repeated without limit for as along as the other subsystems last.  A testbed has been developed at the MIT Space Systems  that uses a combination of steerable magnetic dipoles and reaction wheels on each spacecraft allows for all relative degrees of freedom within a cluster to be controlled.   Payload Systems proposes to design an avionics and software system which would not only be usable with the existing testbed, but would also be appropriate for an on-orbit demonstration.  This effort would drastically reduce the risk and effort required to transition the technology from ground to flight.
This proposal details a novel mobile data transceiver solution that supports standalone wireless sensors and concurrently acts as a gateway between multiple sensor webs. This innovation uses Software Defined Radio (SDR) technology to communicate with a variety of sensor technologies using many different radio waveforms and communication protocols. The proposed system is designed to be adaptable to mission requirements and all aspects of its operation can be remotely modified after deployment. When possible, the solution uses commercial of the shelf technology (COTS) components and incorporates open data operability standards for information visualization.
The goal of this project is to produce a monolithic Spatial Heterodyne
Spectrometer (a Fourier Transform Interferometer) for use in Solar
System exploration.  In Phase I, the gratings and beamsplitter for a
visible-wavelength SHS (operating near 633 nm) will be constructed and
aligned, to demonstrate that an isomorphic IR monolith can function.  A
complete IR monolith, with novel construction, will follow in Phase II.
The viability of both the Phase I and Phase II constructs will be shown
by detecting and analyzing interferograms for a monochromatic and a
polychromatic source.  The analysis of that data will use Fourier
Transform code written by the experimenters in Interactive Data Language
(IDL).  It is expected that, in each phase, complete spectra of both
sources over the spectral range of the instrument will be readily
obtained from these tests.  The Phase II instrument will be available
for further research
MMCC is proposing herewith a hybrid structured mirror that combines the advantages of SiC membrane and magnesium graphite composite.  The significance of magnesium graphite composite is that it can be produced with quasi-isotropic properties and closely matched CTE down to cryogenic temperatures.  In the proposed hybrid mirror, SiC membranes are used as the front and back faces of the mirror and an egg crate structure made of magnesium graphite composite is sandwiched between the SiC membranes.  The proposed hybrid mirror structure is expected to have high specific stiffness, good thermal stability, be light weight, and producable at moderate cost.
We propose to improve the effectiveness of air cargo prescreening by
enabling background knowledge about companies and products to be used
for threat assessment.  The Transportation Security Administration's
(TSA) current approach for pre-screening air cargo shipments is based
primarily on the Known Shipper Program, which has several
shortcomings. By combining sophisticated data extraction and
integration technology with state-of-the-art data mining capabilities,
threat assessment rules can be developed to help identify high-risk
cargo. However, threat assessment relies on having data about the
entities being assessed.  In this project, we propose to develop novel
data aggregation methods to automatically gather information about
companies and products from corporate web sites, business directories,
and other internet sources. We can then augment primary data sources
(cargo manifest, database of past cargo shipments, package
characteristics such as weight and volume) with additional background
data (shipper and receiver information, shippable goods information)
to perform threat assessment, and thereby route high-risk cargo for
additional inspection.  The use of this background data has great
potential to significantly improve the ability of the TSA to detect
vulnerabilities that may arise in the shipment of air cargo to, from,
and within the United States.
In response to the NASA need for a free-standing immersive virtual scene display system interfaced with an exercise treadmill to mimic terrestrial exercise experience in space, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Earth Virtual-environment Immersive Scene (EVIS) display system based on omnidirectional image projection and a wraparound multiplexed holographic collimating projection screen.  A single unique, high-resolution omnidirectional wraparound image projector projects continuous wraparound imagery onto thin, curved, three-color-(RGB)-multiplexed holographic optics, which collimate the projected light into a virtual image.  EVIS will thus display a greater than 180 degree (up to full 360 degree) free-standing FOV of flowing virtual earth scene to a crew member on a treadmill.  Without multiple projectors, bulky optics, or a tiled screen, EVIS will be compact, lightweight, and power-efficient.  It is producible at low cost by integrating commercially available microdisplays for the omnidirectional projector and by mass producing the multiplexed holographic collimating screen by means of established POC technologies.  In Phase I POC will design in detail an EVIS display system for a treadmill, and fabricate a proof-of-concept model to demonstrate feasibility.  Phase II will focus on optimizing both the material technology and components so that a fully operational prototype is completed.
This proposal is submitted for research on using MEMS technology to make
unique, highly reliable, miniaturized capillary pumped coolers in the
application of Thermal Control for Instruments (subtopic: E1.07).  The
proposed miniaturized thermal-cooler can be fabricated on Si wafer or
directly on the back of the IC circuits.  The proposed micro-cooler
potentially has high mechanical reliability.  The proposed micro-cooler
has its own coolant supply and needs no extra coolant reservoir and supply.
Poly(benzoxazole) (PBO) is a new polymeric material extremely promising for external spacecraft structural applications, including, e.g., debris and micrometeoroid shields and crew suits. One of its drawbacks is its reduced resistance to the far-UV and atomic-O. If a well-adhering, protective coating for PBO fibers and sheets could be found, a plethora of space applications would be opened up. In ongoing work with very thin, flexible, Variable Emittance panels for spacecraft thermal control applications, this firm has developed new unique, proprietary, very thin (&lt; 0.4 micron), very light weight coatings which are applied  on the top conducting polymer  (CP) layer of these devices (the layer which faces the space environment).  These coatings provide protection against UV/VUV, atomic-O, Solar Wind and electrostatic discharge in space, and have very high flexibility and very good adhesion. In further work, these coatings were deposited on PBO, and shown to have excellent adhesion and impart good UV protection. The present work seeks to further develop this technology by testing and refining a large number of these coatings on a variety of PBO substrate types. Extensive mechanical, UV and space vacuum testing, and at least one atomic-O and one Solar Wind test, are planned.
This proposal introduces an innovative concept aimed to significantly
enhance the quantum efficiency of a far-infrared GaAs photoconductor and
achieve sensitivity levels of 10E-18 W/SQRT(Hz) or better.  We propose
to employ a microwave source to assist the photoionization process by
pumping the infrared-generated electrons from the excited states to the
continuum.  Since the microwave photons are low in energy, they are not
available to directly ionize the ground state of the shallow donors.
Therefore, the microwave pumping process is not expected to generate
additional leakage current and the associated noise.  This will allow us
to cool the detector as low as necessary to reduce the thermal leakage
current and improve the detector's noise performance.  GaAs covers the
100-310?m spectrum where no other photodetector operates, it can be
fabricated in large arrays, and is compatible with the established
silicon readout technology. The proposed concept can be applied in a
broader scope to other photodetectors, such as Ge:Ga, to exploit their
excited state photoconductivity and extend their long wavelength
response.  This effort fits well within the scope of the SBIR Subtopic
S2.01 and will be a benefit to many large and small NASA projects such
as SOFIA and SAFIR.
It is proposed to develop and demonstrate an integrated total-system
risk and reliability analysis approach that is based on dynamic,
probabilistic simulation.  This will be achieved by adapting a
methodology and software that were originally developed for long-term
safety analyses of nuclear waste disposal, and that are currently used
by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
among others.  The approach will provide a valuable new systems analysis
capability to complement current NASA approaches, and will address many
of the goals of the X8.01 Technology-Systems Analysis and Infrastructure
Modeling research topic.  In particular it will be useful for impact
studies, risk/cost/benefit analyses, risk/uncertainty analyses, model
integration, and Model-Based Design/Model-Based Engineering.
An experimental research program focusing on design, development, and testing of a novel nonequilibrium plasma ignition module is proposed. The ignition module will be based on the use of diffuse high-pressure transverse discharge technology recently developed at Ohio State using Air Force support. The proposed research is of critical importance for development of nonequilibrium plasma igniters modules for airplane jet engines. The primary objectives of the proposed research are (i) extending the use of the new nonequilibrium plasma ignition / flameholding method demonstrated in previous research by the current proposers to higher static pressures (up to P=0.5-1.0 atm), (ii) measuring the NOx emissions in the pulsed plasma stabilized flames and the plasma power budget, and (iii) studying the effect of the pulsed plasma on flame blow-off and relight. The proposed research will be conducted using gaseous hydrocarbon fuels. The results would have direct impact on development and the use of nonequilibrium plasma ignition modules for lean combustor operation and high altitude turbojet relight. The results would also elucidate kinetic mechanisms of plasma assisted ignition and flameholding.
Advanced cathode materials having high red-ox potential and high specific capacity offer great promise to the development of high energy density lithium-based batteries. A novel advanced cathode material having higher capacity and operating voltage than conventional CFx cathode is proposed to develop high energy density lithium batteries. The proposed cathode material will be synthesized and characterized using different analytical and electrochemical techniques. 

Several prismatic design lithium pouch cells will be developed with the proposed cathode material and lithium anode in carbonate-based lithium hexafluorophosphate electrolyte and will be tested to demonstrate the proof-of-concept.
This proposal responds to the urgent need for improved pilot interfaces in the modern aircraft cockpit.  Recent advances in aircraft equipment bring tremendous resources within the reach of the today's pilot.  Unfortunately, these advancements are often accompanied by increases in system complexity and pilot workload.  In many cases, the detailed interaction required by modern avionics significantly interferes with the pilot's need to scan instrument gauges, maintain visual separation from other aircraft, and attend to other critical tasks.
 
To address these concerns, PragmaSoft's proposal combines innovations in robust speech recognition and interface design with powerful application language constraints to deliver highly effective voice interface solutions.  Development efforts are carefully target at high workload pilot tasks to ensure substantial benefits and commercial acceptance.  Initial product sales are leveraged to collect an extensive corpus of actual (in-flight) speech and operational data for subsequent research and development.
 
PragmaSoft believes that the lengthy and focused attention required to operate some aircraft devices presents an unacceptable safety risk to flight operations.  The proposed innovations deliver effective and commercially attractive voice interface solutions that allow pilots to interact with their cockpit environment in a safer and more efficient manner.
The proposed S-band telemetry transmitter will operate in the exterior Venusian corrosive, high pressure, 460&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C ambient atmosphere without being contained in a thermally protective container.  The sealed, radiation-hardened, high-reliability, silicon-carbide-based transmitter uses an ambient heatsink to cool its single high temperature transistor without the power, volume, and weight of auxiliary cooling.  An innovative circuit architecture requires only one semiconductor device; other components are ceramic or temperature-compensated machined metal parts.  Operating life on Venus is limited only by the external power source and acid erosion of the case; several months is anticipated.  The transmitter accepts digital data and primary power in, and provides radio power out to its antenna.  The transmitter's 10 watt RF output power to an integral omnidirectional antenna provides ample link margin for 50 kbps to a 2000 mile altitude relay satellite, and may be linearly scaled in power, data rate, and/or range as desired.  Our proposed solution includes the complete communications system design and analysis, including modulation, link power budget, receiver, and antenna.  This solution can also be applied to very cold Titan-like applications as well.
XC Associates proposes to build on prior work to develop and
characterize a very high efficiency, lightweight radiator constructed
from high thermal conductivity carbon fibers.  The radiator will be
suitable for use on instruments carried by future spacecraft.  The phase
I effort will address the thermal performance and size limitations of
the composite design. Since cryogenic applications are becoming more
common the thermal characteristics of the radiator will be measured down
to 45K. Modern spacecraft thermal control needs to be low mass and low
cost. Composite thermal radiators will realize a greater than 60&amp;#37; weight
saving compared to aluminum and the costs can be addressed by the use of
standard technology that can be easily applied to new designs. The major
innovation to be demonstrated by this project is the use of highly
orientated fibers that completely eliminates the low through thickness
thermal conductivity normally associated with traditional carbon fiber
laminates. This highly oriented lay-up also allows the thickness of the
radiator to be tapered down to less than 0.020&amp;quot; while retaining
very high stiffness.  Therefore, the radiator is much thinner than the
equivalent aluminum radiator, which combined with lower density of
composite construction, accounts for the significant weight reduction.
A novel approach is proposed for reducing the degree of interaction of a high gain flight control system with the airframe structural vibration modes, representing a complete departure from the traditional approach of using notch filters.  In principle it offers similar or better performance than notch filters, while not suffering from the attendant low frequency phase lag that has an adverse effect on pilot handling qualities.  Structural mode interaction can be a significant problem in high performance aircraft and other aircraft with low frequency vibration modes.  Use of notch filters requires a compromise to be reached between airframe structural stability and handling qualities.  Successful application of the proposed method will relieve the flight control system designer of the need for managing this compromise and will allow the achievement of full potential system performance with better handling qualities.  Basic feasibility has already been established and Phase I will broadened this to cover practical implementation issues and to define test evaluation plans.  Phase II will extend the method into actual test evaluation, either by laboratory test or flight test, or both.  Other possible applications such as aircraft active control systems and control of space structures will be considered during the research program.
The work proposed herein would establish a concurrent design environment that enables aerospace hardware designers to rapidly determine optimum risk-constrained designs subject to multiple uncertainties in applied loads, material properties, and manufacturing processes. This means that the design process no longer would consist of a sequence of separate code invocations to: (1) obtain the geometry model, (2) determine the various loads, (3) determine performance, (4) perform a structural analysis, (5) perform design optimization, and (6) perform a probabilistic risk assessment. Instead, all of these functions would be automatically incorporated into a single framework using existing physics-based deterministic modeling codes and a set of computer-generated data transfer interfaces.  Thus, a design engineer would be able to rapidly explore the design space to identify the minimum weight design that meets a given reliability constraint ? thereby avoiding both an overly conservative design and a too-risky design. For example, the software tools that implement this innovation could be used to determine the wall thickness of a launch vehicle's external cryogenic propellant tanks exposed to high but uncertain thermal and aerodynamic loads and with a reliability probability of 0.99999.
New challenges and mission requirements constantly emerge, establishing the need for versatile equipment and instruments to perform the new/expanded tasks. AlphaSniffer propose the development of a compact chemical monitoring system that provides highly sensitive, selective, and rapid detection of trace contaminants that will be able to meet such new requirements. The monitoring system will have low power consumption and remain stable and reliable for 12 months or longer. The system is based on unique technology of detecting a chemical reaction/interaction of the sought-after chemical in a (polymeric) transducer material through real-time dynamic optical holography. Significant advantages over other competing sensor technologies include: fast response and recovery times (sub second), low ppb sensitivity, low power and compact size. Additionally transducer elements may easily be replaced if they are damaged/contaminated.  The implementation of a single optical contact between the polymeric transducer element and the holographic detection system minimizes complications of replacing the sensing agents/transducers. Due to the rapid response, the transducer elements are only briefly exposed to the reacting/interacting chemical, drastically improving long-term stability and repeatability. When completed, this research should lead to the development of a compact state-of-the-art trace chemical monitoring system, with superior versatility and performance over other sensors.
The objective of this Phase I project is to demonstrate an automated on-line structural health monitoring system for aircraft structures using a combination of wireless data acquisition and fault detection filter via a sensing network for vehicle-embedded large arrays of MEMS sensors and actuators. A fault detection filter, whose functions are to identify and localize the damage, is considered as a new concept in the field of structural health monitoring. Sensor validation is implemented in the distributed sensor network to ensure only validated data are sent to the central station for further system utilization. Wireless communication provides a safe, affordable, and more efficient method for the online health monitoring of vehicle subsystems and information monitoring.  It also involves signal processing to support decision-making related to safety, maintenance, or operating procedures.
Micron-thin surface hot-film signatures will be used to simultaneously obtain airspeed and flow direction. The flow-angle and airspeed sensor system  (FASS) will provide airspeed with practically zero-lag and to less than one knot accuracy and flow angularity to a fraction of a degree, with natural immunity to EMI and RFI. Unlike Pitot-static and other conventional techniques, which experience serious limitations in accuracy, pneumatic lags, and frequency response in thin upper atmospheres, FASS will measure airspeed all the way to zero knots and perform equally well at sea level as well at high altitudes and even in the thin Martian atmosphere. The FASS addresses important flight-operation and flight research problems with crucial impact on vehicle performance, stability &amp; control, structural loads, and pilot action. FASS will permit easy integration with aircraft avionics systems including conventional instruments used for pressure, temperature, and density measurements. Sensor elements will be coated to withstand harsh environment and waterproofed for underwater applications. FASS will be developed and marketed both as a stand-alone device and as an embedded, non-intrusive system. Commercial applications include aerospace vehicles, submarines, ships, boats, atmospheric wind sensing, oceanographic measurements, and tall structures.
Volume reduction is a critical element of Solid Waste Management for manned spacecraft and planetary habitations.  To this end, a Heat Melt Compaction System is under development at Ames Research Center.  During the heating process, certain volatile organic vapors are produced.  Here we propose the development of a catalytic system for the treatment of these gaseous byproducts which will decomposed volatile organics into harmless inorganic substances such as carbon dioxide and water.  These products may then be rerouted to the Life Support System for reduction to produce water (from CO2), and electrolysis of water to yield oxygen.  Feasibility of the catalytic methods will be demonstrated during the Phase I research.  The follow-on Phase II effort will result in the design, assembly, rigorous testing, and delivery to NASA of a prototype system, sized to operate in conjunction with the NASA developed compaction system.
Carbon bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) insulating material is the basis for several highly successful NASA developed thermal protection systems (TPS).  Among the innovative TPS are Genesis, PICA (phenolic impregnated carbonaceous ablator) currently employed on the Stardust Mission and TUFROC (Toughened Uni-piece Fibrous Reinforced Oxidation-resistant Composite).  NASA-Ames has a patent pending concerning TUFROC and the technology is planned for transfer to Boeing for fabrication of the X-37 leading edge.
Carbon bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) utilized in the above mentioned TPS is attractive because of its low cost and density, superior thermal performance and compatibility with other components.  However, the current CBCF manufacturing processes do not produce materials engineered to the necessary control required of these emerging and highly innovative TPS designs.  This program will develop and demonstrate advanced processes and manufacturing approaches to consistently fabricate CBCF insulating material to desired specifications.  The benefits derived include significantly improved flexibility for the TPS design engineer as well as more cost efficient CBCF derived TPS fabrication. It will also enable greater availability to this class of superior insulating materials.
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)is the leading chemical agent causing human fatalities following inhalation exposures.  The overall aim of this project is to develop and produce an inexpensive, highly selective and sensitive solid-state chemical micro-sensor with low power consumption that is suitable for rapid detection of very low-level (ppb) concentration of H2S in ambient air.
The technology principle used to develop the micro-sensor is based on the knowledge that H2S is adsorbed into gold at an operating temperature range.  By using a gold thin-film, and MEMS technology, we will produce a micro-sensor with the following specifications 1 mm x 1 mm micro-sensor, 3 seconds response and recovery time, 10 mW power consumption, and detection in the ppb range.
Phase I will investigate the feasibility of the design, fabrication, testing, and validation of the micro-sensor in collaboration with researchers from the Integrated Nanosystems Research Facility at the University of California Irvine.
During Phase II, the innovative solid-state micro-sensor will be integrated in a miniaturized battery powered wireless instrument for applications in biomass fouling detection.
It is proposed to develop a high efficiency solar furnace core that greatly lessens the heat losses from the furnace core, either greatly reducing the amount of solar radiation needed to reach a specified temperature, or greatly increasing the temperature it can achieve. Specific program goals include: 1) Specification of the techniques to be used for generating the appropriate vacuum in the furnace and the vacuum level that must be achieved to provide insulation from gas convection. 2) Improved heat and solar radiation shields, 3) Improved crucible technology, and 4) Very high temperature furnace technology (2500oC). Thanks to extensive furnace technology development work at TvU, the relevant technologies can be demonstrated within the limited resources of a Phase 1 program, allowing concentration on overall solar furnace designs. TvU will deliver a small prototype solar furnace to NASA at the end of Phase 2, together with a variety of furnace technologies, depending on NASA's present and future needs.  Improved solar furnaces will lead to significant new extra-terrestrial materials processing capabilities.
Microcide proposes to develop novel multipurpose non-toxic sanitizing wipes that are aqueous based, have shelf life of 3-5 years, have broad spectrum microbicidal activity, detergency for cleaning and chelating properties to bind toxic metal ions. The proposed wipes can eliminate undesirable characteristics of presently used commercial sanitizing wipes by NASA. The commercial sanitizing wipes use ethyl and isopropyl alcohols, hydrogen peroxide, quaternary ammonium compounds (Qacs), bezyl-4-chlorophenol and phenylphenol as active microbicidal agents. 

The proposed sanitizing wipes will use FDA approved food additive non-corrosive ingredients. By raising the pH, the microbicidal activity of the wipes can be terminated, which can help biodegradation and recycling the wipes. The wipes will also use recyclable cellulose carrier fabric. With food additive ingredients, these wipes will be safe for use on environmental and food contact surfaces, on fruits and vegetables as well as on skin, hands and outer body parts. The wipes will be free from any undesirable organoleptic properties. The wipes will have efficacy against a broad spectrum of environmental, pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and also against both antibiotic sensitive and resistant bacteria. These wipes will be suitable for prolonged space missions for use on the shuttle, the ISS and the Planetary Outposts.
This Phase I SBIR project will demonstrate sensitive measurements of
magnetic field gradients by nonlinear atomic spectroscopy.  The
gradients are determined by measuring the magnitudes of the magnetic
fields in two atomic vapor cells.  A vertical cavity surface emitting
laser is used to create an atomic coherence.  This coherent state is
long lived because of the special construction of the atomic vapor cell.
A measurement of the Larmor precession frequency of the coherent state
gives a precise measurement of the magnetic field.  The field
measurement precision should be 0.3 fT in a 1 Hz bandwidth.  Two such
probes can be tethered at the ends of 80 m cables from a rotating space
craft.  Typical geophysical gradients of ~ 250 fT can be measured from a
single spacecraft with excellent signal/noise.  The system uses no
cryogenic fluids, no consumable chemicals, and will operate from a few
Watts of electrical power.
CFD based analyses are playing an increasingly important role in supporting experimental testing of rocket propulsion systems. The focus of this proposal is towards identifying and characterizing flow induced instabilities in the experimental test facility. Computational simulations will be carried out with advanced turbulence modeling extensions to the hybrid unstructured framework that has been previously shown to accurately and efficiently predict steady flowfields in complex valve configurations used at SSC.  The computational framework will be comprehensive to include instabilities ranging from turbulent pressure fluctuations due to vortex shedding in bends and elbows of the piping system to large scale fluctuations due to collapse of vapor cavities in flow control elements such as venturis.  Furthermore, the development in this proposal will include prediction of system response such as amplification and attenuation of dominant instability modes from coupling between components. In Phase II of the proposal development will focus on fluid structure interaction, structural vibrations and resonance.  This will greatly enhance the current CFD technology utilized for performance analyses of valve and feed based systems and improve the ability to exert flow control, gauge system response, regulate pressure and suppress instabilities in rocket propulsion test facilities.
With its constantly evolving portfolio of highly technical systems requiring human construction maintenance and operation, NASA has an extreme form of a common yet challenging training problem: how to ensure that personnel are qualified on the (often changing) procedures required to work on or with these systems.  Simulation-based training that enables learning while doing is a proven approach, but dependence on hardware-based simulators and the requirement for human instructors to develop and supervise training scenarios raise costs and limit flexibility in delivering training and retraining.  We propose to build a distributable intelligent tutoring system (ITS) exploiting a unified representation of human and robotic mission activities that can be used to (1) trace student activity to assess, prompt, and correct their actions, (2) simulate robotic activity, (3) control training scenario generation/selection, (4) cover both general and specific cases, (5) allow for varying degrees of detail in human and robotic activity, (6) support extended scenarios involving multiple procedures, and (7) track detailed re-training requirements resulting from changes in procedures.  The innovative merger of general procedure descriptions with specific scenario scripts will facilitate more efficient authoring of consistent broad-coverage automated simulation-based training while retaining the ability to author specific scenarios when needed.
Water reclamation is one of the basic functions of the closed regenerative life support systems needed for manned space missions. To assure the quality of the recycled water, particularly for human consumption, monitoring of key water quality parameters, such as total organic carbon (TOC), pH, and conductivity is critical. TOC instruments are used to assess the levels of organic contaminants present in recycled water. NASA seeks for significant improvements in miniaturization, accuracy, precision, and operational reliability, as well as long life, real-time measurement, in-line operation, self-calibration, reduction of expendables, low energy consumption, and minimal maintenance for those monitors. Current available TOC analyzers do not meet those standards. This proposal concerns the development of a small, effective, energy-efficient, reagentless carbon analyzer (RCA). It will combine (i) electrochemical technology to produce two key elements in TOC analysis, acid and oxidant, and (ii) photolysis for the complete oxidation of organic carbons to carbon dioxide. It will also incorporate a microfluidic design. During the Phase I effort, the feasibility of the proposed system will be demonstrated. During the Phase II project, a microgravity-compatible, automated system will be fabricated and delivered to NASA.
Highly-integrated, reconfigurable radar antenna arrays fabricated on flexible substrates offer high functionality in a portable package that can be rolled up and transported on the ground, or deployed into space. High levels of integration allow for: reconfigurability of operating frequency and / or gain pattern; integration of control, information processing, and communications functions directly onto the antenna substrate; integration of MEMS sensors into the antenna substrate to monitor the system health during deployment and in service; and opto-electronic beam forming networks, providing immunity to electromagnetic interference. While the advantages of highly-integrated flexible antennas are significant, their fabrication is highly challenging due to the lack of manufacturing technologies that can meet all of the processing requirements on flexible substrates. In this program we will develop and demonstrate a lithography-based process technology that enables a variety of critical processes that cannot be carried out using existing patterning technologies, in particular: the fabrication of the radar elements and feed structures on very-large-area substrates; the reduction of manufacturing costs by using photoablation processes; high levels of integration by means of laser-crystallization, allowing for the integration of high-performance ICs; and a combination of processes to produce MEMS for on-board sensors and for reconfiguring the array.
This proposal presents a novel intelligent hierarchical approach to detection, isolation, and accommodation of primary aerodynamic actuator failures. The proposed architecture has three main components. First, a nonlinear fault diagnosis scheme is used to detect any fault occurrence and to determine the particular fault type. The proposed method can directly deal with nonlinear systems and nonlinear faults, unstructured modeling uncertainty, and new and unanticipated faults. Second, a controller module consists of a primary nominal controller and a secondary adaptive fault tolerant controller. While the nominal controller can be any existing conventional flight control system, the secondary neural network (NN) based adaptive controller is designed to accommodate primary control surface failures by utilizing control redundancy. A pseudo-control hedging method is used to prevent the NN from adapting to various actuation anomalies. Third, a reconfiguration supervisor makes decision regarding controller reconfiguration and control reallocation by using on-line diagnostic information. The proposed architecture is attractive in particular as a retrofit to previously certified flight control systems for improved flight safety. Our primary Phase 1 research objective is feasibility demonstration through extensive simulation studies.  In Phase 2, we will refine the algorithms and develop the real-time control software.
We propose to design and develop easy-to-use Ground Control Station (GCS) software for low-altitude civil Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) operations. The GCS software will allow a UAV user to 1) specify the mission in the user's language, rather than the traditional jargon of mission and flight plan-ning, and 2) execute the mission without relying on additional personnel who have specialized piloting skills. The user specifies the mission through a combination of natural-language instructions and graphi-cal interfaces, and the GCS software translates the user instructions into a mission plan that is executed autonomously. This innovation will enable a paradigm shift in UAV operations by freeing end users from their dependency on expert operators to fulfill the mission. The proposed Phase I work focuses on requirements analysis and the design and demonstration of a prototype GCS User Interface. We will also develop a plan for a Phase II effort to further develop and demonstrate the GCS software with an existing UAV platform for a specific application. This research directly addresses the NASA Earth Science Enterprise requirement for Automation and Planning technologies that "allow either spacecraft or ground systems to robustly perform complex tasks given high-level goals with minimal human direction."
For a space-based fabrication effort to be effective, the weight, power requirements and footprint must be minimized.  Because of the unique beam forming properties at the millimeter-wave frequency of 83 GHz, a compact and efficient materials heating system can be devised that can satisfy this need.  To date, microwave and millimeter-wave based systems for materials processing have been developed only for terrestrially based manufacturing operations.  The purpose of this SBIR proposal is to begin the development and to perform proof-of-concept tasks to demonstrate the feasibility of the microwave approach to space-based materials processing.  Current conventional heating technology requires the heating of the complete volume of the furnace in order to achieve the temperatures necessary to perform a fabrication activity.  This is typically a slow and energy intensive process.  At 83 GHz, technology is available that can focus a multi-kilowatt beam into an area of 4 cm2 or smaller.  Based upon the absorptive capability of the material, this may result in a temperature rise of several hundred degC/min which is confined to the immediate area of beam impingement.  The result is one of putting the energy where it is needed to perform the task (e.g., ceramic joining, glass melting) more effectively.
Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) proposes to develop a nation-wide informal technology education program that integrates math, science, engineering and technology (STEM) through its Think Tek Learning Lab.  The goal of the Lab is three-pronged: providing an after-school enrichment program for teens; arousing interest in math and science; and achieving outreach for NASA commercial technologies.  The Lab will serve middle/high school students through after-school and Saturday classes, summer institutes, and school visits.  The focus of this informal technology learning laboratory includes hands-on experimentation and exploration, design and construction, and interaction with a variety of technologies, scientists, and learning materials.  The Lab will be a living NASA outreach spin-off with experiments that showcase real-life NASA commercial technologies.   The project will support NASA's efforts to publicize the positive ripple effects that the space funding generates on the domestic front.
SplashNote Systems is proposing to develop a more effective and innovative approach to project collaboration in distributed teams.  The proposed system uniquely gives a non-technical user the ability to configure and structure ? within minutes ? the information context for team action as well as the functionality of the interaction.  A key innovation is an intuitive Design Builder, which allows users to assemble a project page via drag-and-drop commands.  Another key innovation is a transformation grammar, which converts semantic-based instructions into machine codes.  

The resulting technology is especially well suited to the operational requirements of NASA.  A web-based architecture allows distributed teams to collaborate from anywhere with Internet access.  The project portal design enables everyone on the team to share the same contextual information, and to take action based on the latest information.  Importantly, the ease with which the project interface can be defined allows each project to be quickly customized to the specific interactive demands of that project.  

Phase I will focus on developing the design of the system, showing its feasibility, and researching the system's usability for NASA.  Phase II will perform the engineering development of the system, and will result in a field-installable prototype ready for trials at NASA.
This proposal is for the development of new compact, high power and
extremely reliable 2 micron seed laser using newly developed Tm3+ doped
germanate glass fibers, which exhibit high quantum efficiency. This type
of fiber based seed laser is needed for constructing high energy pulsed
2 micron Ho-doped crystal lasers for LIDAR applications. We propose to
use highly Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers with high gain per unit
length to form a short linear cavity to generate single frequency fiber
laser operation. Germanate glass exhibits lower phonon energy compared
to silica glass, increasing the quantum efficiency of 3F4 level of Tm3+
ions. Importantly, Tm3+ can be highly doped into germanate glasses,
which results in so called cross-relaxation, dramatically improving the
gain per unit length and the quantum efficiency. The single frequency
fiber laser will be used to construct seed lasers by integrating with
controlling electronics.
Building on prior success in detector electronics, we propose to design and fabricate a 256 channel readout ASIC for solid state gamma radiation array detectors having a power consumption of less 100 microW/pixel, an event detection throughput of more than 10,000 events/sec, and a dynamic range of 20-600KeV, while providing a spectral resolution of 1&#37; or less in a footprint of less than 12 x 12 mm.  This will allow the creation of high-speed 20 x 20 mm CZT detectors with 256 to 512 pixels (1 mm or less pitch). Starting with prior proven designs, we will introduce an innovative, patent-pending readout scheme that reduces digitization to only one signal per channel.  We will also replace polling methods with sparse access and an innovative technique that can keep most of the pixels operating while reading out data. These innovations may increase the ASIC event detection rate by orders of magnitude while reducing system power and processing requirements.  These innovations are essential for upgrading current gamma detection technology for future missions. There exists no ASICs today that can come close to achieving this performance.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will investigate a new architecture for photovoltaic devices based on nanotechnology: photovoltaic wire.  The device comprises an array of silicon nanowires about an aluminum core in a p-i-n junction structure.  High conversion efficiency (&gt; 20&#37;) devices can be realized as a result of the high broadband absorption of the nanowire array structure arising from quantum dot-like effects using the periodicity of the nanowires in the array.  This innovative device will make it possible to weave large two and three-dimensional photovoltaic panels that are light weight, can be stored in a small enclosure and have high power density in excess of 1000 W/kg.  In addition, photovoltaic fabric power arrays can be directly integrated into many spacecraft subsystems such as space suits, instrumentation and solar propulsion systems. The low cost, high volume manufacturing processes used to build photovoltaic wire will allow the technology to be incorporated into a wide array of consumer applications in addition to high-end space systems.
To improve aviation safety, NASA requires crew-centric technologies that ensure appropriate situational awareness through improved information presentation.  Presenting information by 3D display can significantly facilitate human perception and counteract biases and error-tendencies, leading to improved aviation safety.  To address this NASA need, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new 3D COckpit Display (3D-COD) system for aircraft flight decks, based on fast scanning liquid crystal (LC) optics, to create a compact multiuser, multiperspective 3D display system that has no moving parts and requires no 3D glasses.  This interactive system brings automultiscopic viewing to pilots and crew members on the flight deck, with a greater than 60 degree FOV, 2048x2048 resolution, 60 Hz flicker-free full-color, high-brightness, and crosstalk-free operation, introducing 3D display technology to the cockpit.  The use of LC technology well developed for flat-panel LC displays, reduces cost and makes the system commercially attractive.  In Phase I POC will develop a scaled-down version of the fast-scanning LC optics display system and demonstrate its 3D operation on a laboratory 3D testbed system.  This testbed will be upgraded to a fully packaged optimized prototype in Phase II.
The goal of the proposed FieldTrainer control system is to enable astronauts to teach Robonaut on-orbit how to perform new complex tasks using EVA tools.  Employing a show-and-tell approach to robot training, the control system acquires rule-based task plans through verbal dialog between robot and astronaut, and acquires neural network-based skills incrementally though verbal, visual, and manual inputs.  The project builds upon previous research that demonstrates the viability of verbally constructing non-trivial task descriptions.  In Phase I, a simulator for a Robonaut-based Hubble rescue mission is developed.  Baseline tool manipulation behaviors are created using an existing behavior development system.  Verbal construction of high-level rule-based behaviors is demonstrated.  Refinement of motion sequences through verbal training of neural networks is studied whereby perturbations are added to nominal rule-based task execution.  The training methodology is also evaluated for its potential use in education.  FieldTrainer technology is expected to give Robonaut an unending ability to learn and flightcrews the ability to customize Robonaut's behavior for routine tasks and unexpected situations.
Makel Engineering, Inc. (MEI) and USRA propose to develop microchannel reactors for In-Situ Resources Utilization (ISRU) using nanofabricated catalysts.  The proposed technology seeks to develop and demonstrate an exoskeletal support concept using carbon nanotubes (CNT) as catalyst support within microchannel reactors.  Affordable planning and execution of prolonged manned space missions depend upon the utilization of local resources and the waste products which are formed in manned spacecraft and surface bases.  Successful ISRU will require component technologies which provide optimal size, weight, volume, and power efficiency.  The use of advanced CNT supported catalysts within the microchannel reactor structure will enable the efficient chemical processing of in-situ resources.  The reactors can be designed for the processes that generate the most benefit for each mission.  For instance, propellants (methane) can be produced from carbon dioxide from the Mars atmosphere using the Sabatier reaction and ethylene can be produced from the partial oxidation of methane.  Ethylene is a feedstock for systems to synthesize ethanol and polyethylene.  Polyethylene can be used in the construction of habitats, tools, and replacement parts.  Ethanol can be used as a nutrient for Astrobiology experiments, as well as a precursor for the production of nutrients (e.g. sugars) for human crew.
The best low-noise receiver solutions for frequencies above about 800 GHz rely on either a low-noise bolometric direct detector or a hot electron bolometric mixer. These receivers yield near quantum limited noise performance and have ultra broad signal bandwidth [ , , ]. However, due to their extreme sensitivity and inherently broad bandwidth the receivers are very sensitive to stray radiation. For direct detectors an input filter is required to define the receiver's frequency band and reject out of band energy. In the case of a heterodyne receiver, the signal band is defined by the back-end electronics, however, input filters are required to eliminate stray radiation that can saturate the mixer or create signal artifacts that degrade performance and prevent accurate calibration. Through this SBIR project VDI proposes to create a new generation of high performance and cost effective metal mesh filters for terahertz receivers based on innovative filter designs and fabrication techniques. These new technologies will allow the development of cost-effective and practical filters with the range of characteristics required for NASA's terahertz frequency space science and Earth science remote sensing programs.
A number of future space sciences missions require optical surfaces that
are accurate to nanometer and sub-nanometer levels.  These applications
include large aperture systems such as the Terrestrial Planet Finder
(TPF) chronograph, where mid-spatial frequency surface error content is
restricted to 2 nm RMS, and EUV wavelength applications, like SHARPI,
where full aperture surface errors need to be reduced to the single
nanometer level.  In most cases these optical systems require components
which are generalized aspheres, with no simple point tests.  Computer
Generated Holographic (CGH) null optics are typically applied to test
these optical surfaces.  As the quality requirements placed upon these
optics gets tighter, the precision associated with CGH manufacturing
needs to improve as well.  CGH's are produced using laser or e-beam
based pattern generation tools which were originally developed for
photomask generation in the lithography industry.  Tinsley Laboratories
proposes to develop CGH improvements in the area of substrate
preparation and pattern placement errors.  Tinsley, an industry leader
in the application of CGH testing approaches, will work closely with
Diffraction International, Inc. the industry leader in the area of CGH
manufacturing.  Tinsley's experience with the application of CGH tools,
and our state-of-the-art Computer Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS)
manufacturing processes, make us well suited to address issues related
to implementation and substrate preparation.  Diffraction International
will provide support with regard to techniques which can provide
improvements in the pattern placement area, and the evaluation of
alternative manufacturing platforms that might be utilized to provide
higher quality diffractive nulls.  Our overall goal is to provide a 10x
reduction in the residual error associated with current
state-of-the-technology CGH null optics.
For Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators(ADR's) for space it is
desirable to have very light weight, small diameter, high current
density superconducting wires that can operate at temperatures in the
10-30 K range.   Magnesium diboride, a light-weight superconductor wire
is the ideal candidate coil material for ADRs in the 10-30 K range.
During the Phase I we will determine how small of wire can be
manufactured, and that coils can be made from the small diameter wires.
This will lead to the development of full size ADR coils in a Phase II effort.
Cornerstone Research Group inc. (CRG) proposes to demonstrate the feasibility of a lightweight, deployable Veritex &lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; supporting annulus structure to support large radio frequency (RF) antennas.  Veritex&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt; composites are similar to other high-performance composites, with the exception that CRG's shape memory polymer (SMP) resin, Veriflex&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;, is used as the matrix resin. This allows for easy manipulation of the composite above the activation temperature, making it a unique material for use in dynamic structures and other applications requiring both load strength and "shape-shifting" modulus flexibility. In this Phase I program, CRG will develop and evaluate materials and related fabrication technologies based on Veritex&lt;SUP&gt;TM&lt;/SUP&gt;, and develop a deployment scheme with built-in redundancy.  This technical approach fulfills NASA's requirement for a very large, lightweight, on-orbit deployable RF antenna aperture structure by offering a practical, deployable, structural support that will address the short comings of current rigidized inflatable structures.
This proposed Phase I addresses the selective conversion of CO2 to hydrocarbons via integrated CO2-to-methanol, methanol-to-olefins, and olefins-to-aromatics processes.  Existing pathways to olefins and aromatics via methane exhibit low per-pass conversion.  Fischer-Tropsch synthesis can provide much higher conversion, but into a broad spectrum of products.  In contrast, it is possible to achieve high conversion and selectivity to specific olefins and aromatics via the proposed methanol pathway, with minimal net hydrogen consumption.  Interest stems from in situ resources utilization (ISRU) of planetary (e.g., Martian) resources to reduce mission weight and cost with enhanced safety.  Olefins and aromatics are attractive target species because of their high hydrogen leverage as well as their potential utility as fuels and feedstocks for polymers or other chemicals.  Phase I will consist of the following:  1) identify, prepare, and characterize the best potential catalysts for principal process stages; 2) test catalysts under representative conditions; 3) identify the best route for converting CO2 to olefins and aromatics; and 4) estimate potential performance of an integrated system.  During Phase II each process stage will be optimized, the stages integrated, and a working breadboard system designed and fabricated.
This proposed Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Phase I addresses the development of advanced gel propellants and determination of their suitability for selected applications.  Currently, propellant gels consist of fuel (or oxidizer) combined with a polymeric gellant such as a cellulose derivative and suspended aluminum (or silica) particles.  However, higher specific impulse and density specific impulse, more efficient (i.e., finer) spray formation, and reduced pumping requirements are desired so that formulations incorporating combustible particulate species (solid additive and particulate gellant, which, ideally would be the same) are sought.  Phase I will consider a matrix of formulations drawn from various highly combustible solid nanoparticulate species and additives.  Properties (density and Isp) of various formulations will be calculated.  Formulations with the desired calculated Isp will be prepared and measurements of surface tension between various system components performed.  Rheological properties of the resulting gels will be measured and the flow and spray characteristics of candidate formulations evaluated.  Finally, initial testing of preferred gel systems arising from Phase I will be conducted.  Phase II will consist of extensive testing of preferred propellant formulations and determination of their suitability for various applications.
Technology is needed to provide real-time assessment and evaluation of hematological parameters during prolong space flights and planetary missions.  A key hematological parameter is the monitoring and measurement of emboli in the brain especially during Extra-Vehicular Activity (EVA) on planetary surfaces as well as orbital flights. A non-invasive, compact Transcranial Doppler (TCD) measurement device will provide monitoring of flight crew blood physiology during extended duration missions and deliver this data to onboard flight surgeons.  

To address this need, GeneXpress Informatics (GXI) and Leonid Bunegin and Dr. Claudia S. Miller of the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) at San Antonio proposes to develop a non-invasive, portable TCD sonogram based diagnostic system for real-time monitoring and detection of cerebral artery air embolisms.   The detection system uses intensity audio signals and Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) analysis to detect and locate the TCD audio signals of air bubbles in the middle cerebral artery (MCA). 

In Phase I, GXI proposes to develop and demonstrate the non-invasive use TCD measurements for the determination of air emboli.  In Phase II, GXI will proceed to a prototype development which will include construction and fabrication of a handheld field portable frequency-domain TCD measurement system.
This project will develop a much-needed multidisciplinary analysis tool for predicting the impact of aeroelastic effects on the functionality of inflatable aeroassist vehicles. High-fidelity computational modules for fluid dynamics, heat transfer, structural dynamics, and dynamic motion will be coupled into a multidisciplinary computing environment. The multi-disciplinary system has been successfully applied for aeroelastic and dynamic simulations of fighter aircraft, hypersonic vehicles and planetary probes. The application range will be extended to the rarefied regime through integration of an existing NASA DSMC flow solver.

In Phase I, continuum flow regime sample analyses will be performed for a trailing ballute configuration to demonstrate the capabilities of the software environment. Simulations will demonstrate the insight gained into the aerodynamic, material stress and localized heating effects from various levels of simulation fidelity: steady and unsteady flow, rigid or flexible structure, and static or dynamically moving vehicles. The feasibility of implementing the DSMC flow solver in the multidisciplinary simulation framework will be demonstrated for the case of a steady-state shape deformation prediction. Phase II efforts will focus on fully implementing the DSMC code and other NASA codes in the multidisciplinary environment. Extensive verification and validation studies will be performed, leveraging planned aeroelastic ballute windtunnel tests.
An understanding of the basic cellular mechanisms organisms use to cope
with extreme environments is important as we search for life in other
parts of the universe and seek to adapt terrestrial life beyond earth.
Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. proposes to build an automated,
high-throughput instrument to measure changes in protein expression
levels in single living cells during passage in a space environment.
Commercial libraries of clones expressing GFP (green fluorescent
proteins) fused to individual yeast proteins are available for the
entire yeast proteome. We will test the feasibility of using
fluorescence measurements of these chimeric fusion proteins as an
indicator of changes in the expression levels of the endogenous proteins
upon exposure to radiation. Our instrument consists of a continuous,
multi-well, suspension culture bioreactor that provides yeast clones
that are sampled in a microfluidic flow cytometer. Light scattering and
fluorescent signals from the yeast particles under flow will activate an
in-line cell sorter to collect cells of interest for follow-up analysis.
Since the instrument is self-contained, has low power consumption and a
small footprint, and uses fluidic based cell separation, it will be
suitable for collecting single cell protein expression information in a
space laboratory.
We propose a cognitively inspired architecture for deploying an automated intelligent onboard operator assistant. This assistant facilitates the onboard control while finding a compromise between increasing the operator's awareness of the system tasks and decreasing the operator's workload. The core of this assistant is an adaptive algorithm (AA) that determines the appropriate level of automation (LOA) for the current mission phase depending on factors such as the operator's workload and situation awareness, mission phase requirements and state, as well as human-automation interactions and supervisory control issues.

The goal of our proposed agent-based architecture is to facilitate the creation and evaluation of AA algorithms. In order to easily define AA strategies, the architecture provides facilities to explicitly represent, reason with, and update the state of the different knowledge structures needed by the AA. We will develop a testbed to evaluate different AAs regarding the operator's situation awareness in a multi-agent dynamic scenario. To promote experimenter control and rapid evaluations, a graphical behavior language will be used to define the behavior of entities in a simulator-based experimental scenario. Phase I will focus on the definition of the testbed and in creating a system prototype. Phase II will focus on making the architecture robust and testing it in a high fidelity simulator.
An integrated framework is proposed for efficient prediction of rotorcraft and airframe noise. A novel wavelet-based multiresolution technique and high-order accurate WENO scheme is proposed for efficient capturing of noise sources and unsteady flowfield. A wavelet compression is used to store the flowfield as a multi-level representation in functional space. The primary solution progresses using a coarse grid. The regularity of the flow field data is used to identify regions of steep variation. These regions are selectively solved recursively in the finer grid-levels and accurate information is injected into the coarse grids to correctly represent all flow features. 
	
In Phase I, a three-dimensional wavelet-based multiresolution algorithm, and an acoustic analogy module based on the Kirchhoff-Ffowcs Williams and Hawking methodology will be developed. The feasibility of the proposed technology will be demonstrated by prediction of three-dimensional noise source and acoustic waves of vortex-blade interaction problems. The proposed technology will provide 2-3 orders-of-magnitude reductions in CPU requirements over existing techniques. In Phase II, the wavelet compression methodology will be integrated into a high-fidelity CFD module. An efficient data structure will be developed to store and update the multiresolution data. The modules will be coupled with a nonlinear finite-element structure dynamic module for noise prediction of flexible structures.
This Phase I project will demonstrate the feasibility of providing
panoramic stereoscopic images for remote-controlled robotic space
operations using three fixed-position cameras.  Remote-controlled robot
operations are an important element in orbital and planetary space
missions.  Advanced display systems can greatly enhance the
effectiveness of these operations.  In the system proposed here, human
operators will be immersed in a virtual environment composed of a mosaic
of stereoscopically encoded images.  The operators will readily view
3-dimensional images of the robot?s workspace over a full hemisphere.
The panoramic stereoscopic imaging will be achieved through an
innovative optical design, employing three of NASA?s Panoramic
Refracting Optics, each providing a hemispherical view to one camera.
The proposed system will be simple, lightweight, energy efficient, and
will contain no moving parts.  It will therefore be compatible with
space launch and environmental requirements.  The proposed system will
increase the effectiveness of NASA?s robotic operations during orbital
and planetary missions, and directly addresses the subtopic need to
?improve the robotic teleoperator?s efficiency through advanced display systems.?
The objective of the project is the design and development of an open architecture, computer aided control design toolbox for distributed parameter systems, in particular to aerodynamic control for high performance applications in aerial vehicles. Especially, for unmanned aerial vehicles, small actuators can have a big aerodynamic impact. An effective controlled network of distributed micro actuators and sensors can enable aggressive performance not possible through traditional control surfaces like aileron, elevator, rudder and flaps. Even for larger aircraft the emerging paradigm for control involves an array of actuators and distributed sensing. In addition to enhanced performance this provides much greater redundancy that can be utilized to confront battle damage or actuator and sensor failures in commercial jet liners. We propose the use of integrated set of computing tools including 3D drawing tools, symbolic processing tools, numerical tools and visualization software for 3D animated graphics for the development. With continuing advances in distributed actuation and sensing technologies these tools will find widespread application in emerging unmanned aerial vehicle industry. The toolbox in conjunction with commonly used numerical software will provide designers the ability to seamlessly test control design by integrating and automating several key steps in the design cycle.
A propulsion system is proposed that is based on acceleration of ions emitted from a thin, solid-state electrochemical ceramic membrane.  This technology would provide a versatile propulsion system that would be suitable for long-term, low-thrust missions throughout the deep-space to near-Earth range.  The specially formulated and fabricated membrane in combination with an applied bias voltage will be used to ionize propellant electrolytically and selectively pass ions from the membrane through an ion acceleration stage thereby producing an energetic ion beam and generating thrust.  Previously, electrostatic ion propulsion systems have used ion production mechanisms based on electron bombardment ionization, contact ionization, or direct ion extraction from field emission structures.  In contrast, ceramic membranes operate at modest temperatures and are theoretically capable of forming ions at ion energy costs that approach dissociation energies (e.g., ~1-2 eV/ion).  In addition to being readily scalable to larger sizes, the ion flux through the ceramic membranes is easily controlled over large ranges and this enables deep throttling capabilities.  Ceramic membranes are rugged and insensitive to contamination from atmospheric gases, and they have displayed very long lifetimes in similar applications.  Furthermore, ceramic membranes do not require the high voltages associated with field emission schemes.
In this Small Business Innovation Research Phase I Program, Syscom Technology, Inc. (STI) will fabricate a metallized multifunctional composite fiber from a high-strength, high-modulus poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in wiring and cable applications in space vehicles. High phosphorous content Electroless Nickel (HPEN) will be coated uniformly onto the PBO fiber by utilizing a novel fabrication process recently invented by STI. It is anticipated that the superior corrosion resisted HPEN coating will not only protect the PBO fiber from the harmful atomic oxygen (AO) erosion and ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage but also will protect the underlining PBO fiber from the impact of debris and micrometeoroid. In case the HPEN coating was damaged during operation, the high phosphorus content in the EN coating (10 to 13 wt&#37;) may "self-heals" and form a protect phosphate layers after AO exposure and therefore protects the inner materials from further decomposition.
The overall goal of the proposed program by Epitaxial Technologies is to develop a compact, low-cost, low power, low noise and ultra-sensitive Avalanche Photo Diode (APD) arrays with built-in optical pre-amplification (in addition to internal electrical gain) and having a fill factor and bandwidth of 90&#37; and 5.0 GHz respectively. We will accomplish this by developing novel APD structures and integrating the APDs with vertical cavity semiconductor optical amplifiers (VCSOAs). In Phase I of this project, we will design, model and simulate the performance of the APD arrays with built-in optical pre-amplification having -47 dBm sensitivity and lower noise than existing APD operating at 1550 nm. We will design and fabricate the 4 x 4 photodetector array with internal optical gain of 20 dB and assess its performance. In Phase II, we will design, fabricate and test the 256 x 256 arrays along with monolithic photoreceivers using detectors having built-in optical preamplifier and internal gain. In particular, we will combine photodetector arrays having built-in optical preamplifier with the Readout Integrated Circuits (ROIC) using an innovative bonding technique at the wafer level, in order to demonstrate single photon counting by operating in the Geiger-mode for solid state imaging LADAR receivers.
An improved electrolyzer is needed by NASA for generating propellants in low-gravity environments using water or ice as the reactant. It is desired to minimize the mass and energy requirements for the electrolyzer system to lessen launch and operational requirements during gas generation. The operation of the electrolyzer system in a low-gravity environment also possess challenges to the flow of two-phase gas/liquid flows in the electrolyzer system. MicroCell Technologies proposes a Phase I program to develop and demonstrate a compact and energy efficient electrolyzer that may generate high-pressure hydrogen and oxygen gas. This pressurized gas is generated within the electrolyzer directly without compressors up to 2000 psig that may be used for post-processing the fuel and oxidant into cryogenic storage vessels. Our electrolyzer system generates this pressurized gas within a compact and energy efficient device of 1.1 kW/kg at a hydrogen production rate of 1.8 liters/hr (STP) with an efficiency of 85&#37;.
Advanced materials are required to insulate cryogenic storage and distribution systems for liquid propellants such as hydrogen and oxygen, used in orbital transfer and interplanetary missions. Development of cost effective, robust cryogenic insulation systems that operate at soft vacuum level constitutes a main target for NASA from the energy and economics point of view. 

The lightweight aerogel materials developed by Aspen Aerogels Inc. have already demonstrated excellent insulation performance at both ambient and low pressures.  Aspen Aerogels proposes to develop novel organically modified aerogel beads with superior compression resistance that will successfully replace perlite insulation in large ground tanks for storage of liquid propellants.  The lightweight ormosil beads with optimized thermal conductivity at cold vacuum pressures will help extend the propellants storage life.    Additionally, the stiff beads are not easily crushable and unlike perlite, will not settle in the vacuum jacket.  Reducing boil-off losses at moderate vacuum level will minimize total storage cost for cryogenic fluids. It is anticipated that the proposed solution will result in over 80&#37; reduction of the insulation areal density and save 40&#37; in cost over Perlite.
Silicided niobium alloy (C103) combustion chambers have been used extensively in both NASA and DoD liquid rocket propulsion systems. Niobium alloys offer a good combination of temperature capability, density, and cost, while the silicide coating has been successful in providing moderate oxidation resistance. However, the silicide coating is now proving to be the limiting factor in achieving the required chamber performance and/or lifetime, and the chamber manufacturing cost is excessive for many applications. NASA is seeking advanced bipropellant propulsion systems for Earth science spacecraft with a specific impulse exceeding 360 seconds, and intends to extend the life of the current space shuttle orbiter reaction control system vernier thrusters to 300,000 seconds of operation to meet demands for increased usage. DoD is seeking economical and high-performance bipropellant thrusters for liquid divert and attitude control systems for kinetic energy weapon kill vehicles being developed for ballistic missile defense, a high-volume application.  These goals cannot be achieved using silicided C103 chambers. In this project, Ultramet proposes to demonstrate a combustion chamber with substantially improved manufacturability, cost, and performance. This will be accomplished by combining rapid prototyping, for the fabrication of precision removable chamber mandrels; a low cost niobium alloy component forming process; and chemical vapor deposition, which will be used to apply a high temperature oxidation-resistant coating.
A program is proposed to research the applicability of a unique phased array technology, dubbed FlexScan, to S-band and Ku-band communications links between stratospheric balloons and TDRSS satellites.  If successful, FlexScan phased array technology will provide high antenna gain with a narrow beam that can be steered up to 60? off broadside from a planar, low cost, low profile package.  Compared to fixed, broad-beam antennas, this can be translated to increased communication range, higher data rate, reduced weight, and reduced power consumption.  Concept feasibility will be assessed by modeling, prediction of array performance, and the fabrication and test of breadboard demonstration hardware for critical technology components.
This Small Business Innovation Research program will develop a novel surface-enhanced Raman (SER) sensor that will perform real-time chemical analysis of urine.  It will provide key physiologic information to monitor astronaut health and indicate appropriate preventative treatment.  The Phase I program will demonstrate feasibility by establishing the ability of sol-gel chemistry to both select key chemicals: amino acids, biomarkers, drugs, and metabolites, and enhance their Raman signals.  The Phase II program will design and build a prototype ?On-Demand Urine Analyzer? for ground-based measurement.  This will include interfacing the SER sensor between a sampling system and a Raman instrument.  The Phase II program will also design a low mass, low power version of this system (Figure 1) to be used on the International Space Station (ISS) and other vehicles employed during extended space flight missions (e.g. Mars expedition).
TRS Technologies proposes to develop high temperature electrostrictors from bismuth-based ferroelectrics.  These materials will exhibit high strain and low loss in the 400 to 500?C temperature range, enabling the development of robotic components such as high power ultrasonic transducers and high force actuators for NASA?s planned missions to Venus.  Such devices are currently made from piezoelectric Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 ceramic (PZT), which does not operate above 350?C.  Existing high temperature piezoelectrics (such lead titanate and quartz) are only useful for sensor applications.  They do not have high enough properties or low enough electromechanical loss for actuators and transducers.  Electrostrictive materials have been successively used for high precision positioning actuators and high power sonar projectors.  They have inherently low losses regardless of operating temperature. The materials developed on Phase I will be specifically designed to operate at 460?C, the Venus surface temperature.  Other types of actuators such as pneumatic, hydraulic, electro-active polymer, and shape memory alloy will be difficult if not impossible to implement at such high temperature.  In the Phase I program TRS will fabricate 460?C electrostrictors and demonstrate their feasibility for transducers and actuators with strain vs. field measurements.  Actuators and ultrasonic devices will be developed in Phase II.
Vescent Photonics details a miniaturized and robust Fourier transform spectrometer(FTS) for in-situ chemical and spectral analysis. Phase I research will focus on innovative electro-optic technology that
enables moving mirror replacement. A successful phase I effort will pave the way for a phase II chemical sensor prototype. The attributes of this sensor: i) small size, comparable to a book of matches, ii) low mass, only tens of grams, iii) small energy consumption, &lt; .001 Watt-hours per
measurement, iv) high sensitivity, detectable chemical densities &lt; 10^13 per cc, and v) robust monolithic construction, are aptly suited for future NASA missions. Such a sensor could be integrated and deployed with a variety of exploration platforms. A single device would provide identification and quantification of multiple compounds (e.g., biogenically important CH4, NOx, H2O, CO, etc.).
An electrochemical power plant is proposed by MicroCell Technologies to provide power to terrestrial flight platforms. Our power plant is based upon a proton exchange membrane fuel cell that is coupled with a hydrogen fuel supply cartridge that will provide readily scalable power levels up to 1 kW of power at 24 VDC. The hydrogen supply cartridge may be readily exchanged between missions helping to shorten the turn-around time for the flight vehicle. The design of the fuel cell power plant is based upon using hydrogen and ambient air that will operate over varying temperatures, humidity, and altitude to provide reliable power to the air vehicle. During the phase I program, we will demonstrate the feasibility of our power plant operating at a lower module wattage near 50 watts with an integrated fuel supply that will last for 12 hours. A phase II program will develop and deliver a 1000 W, 24VDC power plant that may operate for up to 12 hours.
We propose to develop a new and innovative method for the detection and classification of emboli flowing into the brain through Carotid arteries, specifically for situations involving space traveling.  The present technique does not utilize Doppler technique, rather the advanced pulse-echo ultrasound technique based on detecting the nonlinear parametric scattered ultrasound pulse-echo wave from emboli.  The proposed technique is predicted to have a resolution more than 10 times better than that of the Doppler technique, and to be able to exactly measure the size of and classify the type of emboli.  Furthermore, the implementation of the proposed technique into a Holter-monitor type device is predicted to be much easier than the Doppler technique.  This Phase I study propose to investigate the feasibility of the proposed technique in vitro.
The Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF) project is considering several approaches to discovering planets orbiting stars far from earth and assessing their suitability to support life. One of these approaches is based on a coronagraph design operating in the visible wavelength regime, which requires both very high surface quality, large aperture, telescope optics and advanced optical systems to reject direct, scattered and diffracted starlight that is on the order of 1x109 brighter than the light reflected from the planet. The project has the need for advanced optical modeling and design tools that include physical optical calculations to support propagation results at a contrast level of 1x10-11 at the image plane of the coronagraph. The CODE V software is the most advanced software available for a wide variety of state of the art optical engineering tasks, and would be ideally suited for the TPF project once the proposed capabilities are integrated. Optical Research Associates proposes to extend capabilities of a newly researched method for beam propagation to support the optical system modeling needs of the TPF coronagraph project. The result will be an optical design and analysis tool to provide another means for predicting the performance of this important astronomical asset.
The main objective of the proposed work is to design and develop a multi-layer intelligent Loss-of-control Prevention System (LPS) for flight
control applications. The proposed LPS consists of several interconnected modules: (i) FDIR module that detects and identifies the failure; (ii) Achievable Dynamic Performance (ADP) calculation module that calculates the maximum performance that can be achieved with the control authority available after failure; (iii) System's Variables Prediction (SVP) module
that calculates the relevant variables of the system over a prediction horizon to predict if the system will enter an Unsafe Mode Set (UMS); and (iv) Command Limiting System (CLS) that recalculates the new command constraints and corresponding commands that prevent entering the UMS.
In Phase I the emphasis will be on the loss-of-control due to the
hard-over failures of the critical flight control effectors. We
plan to demonstrate through computer simulations that the proposed
LPS will effectively prevent the loss of control and assure the
avoidance of unsafe modes of operation. Boeing Phantom Works (Mr. James Urnes, Sr.) will provide technical and commercialization support throughout the project.
The innovation is a Multi-Use Non-Intrusive Flow Characterization System (FCS) for densified, normal boiling point, and two-phase cryogenic flows, capable of accurately measuring several fluid parameters in real-time.  Cryogenic fluids are ubiquitous in the aerospace industry.  Their low temperatures inherently promote heat transfer from the ambient environment which often results in two-phase flows that cannot be adequately characterized by existing instrumentation. FCS was originated to address this issue and greatly enhance the quantification, reliability, safety, and autonomous operations of propulsion test operations. FCS handles both transient and steady state flows, and is anticipated to have a fast response time.  The technology can non-intrusively operate in the following five modes: 1) on-line analysis of fluid mixtures; 2) mass flow rate measurement; 3) temperature measurement; 4) fluid conditioning and health monitoring; and 5) model validation for a cryogenic or non-cryogenic fluid flow. Phase I has been structured to provide design, analytical, experimental, and data analysis groundwork toward the successful development of the proposed technology, including the characterization of high pressure LOX flows.  The Phase II program will produce a prototype commercial FCS System for delivery to NASA Stennis Space Center, and use at several other NASA centers and commercial facilities.
Unlike the world wide web or general libraries, digital libraries typically serve a specialized community of experts sharing a relatively narrow focus, such as some aspect of law, science, technology, or business. Moreover, these experts are not ?casual users?; they have stringent information requirements. For these reasons, digital libraries increasingly invest in sophisticated methods for indexing and retrieving their information assets.  This proposal describes an innovative approach towards indexing and data retrieval that will dramatically imporove this process.

The goal of our research is to develop and test a method of knowledge-based information retrieval, in which a request for information is posed as a question, and information sources are identified that pertain to steps in the logical process of answering the question. We aim to develop automated methods that:
1) Receive a user?s question requesting information,
2) Find relevant information sources, and
3) Explain their relevance to the user?s request. 

To evaluate our results, we plan to build an information retrieval system for the wide variety of users needing information on the effects of global climate change, and to measure its success compared with human experts and conventional systems.
We propose to replace the Gunn Diode Oscillators (GDOs) in NASA?s millimeter- and submillimeter-wave sensing instruments. Our new solution will rely on modern and reliable microwave integrated circuit technology. Specifically our systems will use highly developed microwave oscillators to achieve a low noise and highly stable reference signal in the 10 ? 30 GHz band. Compact amplifiers based on commercial MMIC chips will then increase the signal strength. Finally, our innovative integrated varactor multiplier circuits will be used to increase the frequency to the 60 ? 150 GHz frequency band with high efficiency and minimal added phase noise. With this technology we expect to achieve phase noise and stability comparable to the best Gunn diode oscillators and fundamentally improved output power and frequency agility. The millimeter-wave integrated circuit process and diode technologies are the critical innovative technologies that are required for this research. Through this SBIR project these innovative technologies will be extended to achieve highly compact multipliers for the 60 ? 150 GHz band. These new multipliers will be integrated with highly developed microwave components to achieve a robust and cost efficient replacement for the GDOs presently used in NASA?s Earth Science program.
An electrochemical cell is proposed for the efficient generation of 3&#37; hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in pure water using only power, oxygen and water.  H2O2 is an attractive biocide for space-based missions, because no harmful chemical residues are produced, yet planktonic, biofilm-forming, and surface microorganisms are effectively controlled using low concentrations.  The major hurdle to expanding the use of H2O2 aboard spacecraft has been the absence of an effective H2O2 generator. A new cell design employing new materials will be used to accomplish this goal.  First, an innovative conductive polymer cathode will be utilized to form H2O2 efficiently and selectively.  Second, a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) combined with an innovative anode - SPE - cathode design will be utilized to efficiently transfer H+ ions from the anode to cathode, where H2O2 is formed.  This approach circumvents problems encountered with previous electrochemical cells designed to produce H2O2.  The Phase I will clearly demonstrate the feasibility of these concepts by producing H2O2 in pure water.  The Phase II will improve cell efficiency and decrease equivalent system mass (ESM) through cell miniaturization.  Long-term performance tests will validate the basic cell design, forming the basis for a multitude of applications in space and commercial markets.
Modern bifurcation analysis methods have been proposed for investigating flight dynamics and control system design in highly nonlinear regimes and also for the validation of control systems prior to flight. In this project we propose to build a computer analysis system that integrates symbolic and numerical methods within an interactive graphical framework. The system will be designed to enable flight dynamical analysis and control system design and analysis around bifurcation points. It will based on prior work by the investigators, bringing together bifurcation analysis tools, nonlinear control design tools and new methods developed by them that addresses bifurcations in controlled dynamical systems. The project is unique in three respects: 1) it integrates symbolic and numerical computing methods to achieve more efficient and more reliable results, 2) it provides a powerful user interface that allows essential visualization options and enables the analyst to build and modify models and choose from a variety bifurcation analysis tools, and 3) it integrates symbolic nonlinear control system analysis constructions so that the analyst has the means to ask the appropriate questions in this highly nonlinear regime.
Icing environments are of great concern in commercial and military aviation. An aircraft-based, imaging probe is being proposed for the reliable and accurate measurement of liquid water content (LWC) and droplet size distributions in environments variously referred to as freezing rain, freezing drizzle, supercooled drizzle drops, and supercooled large drops (SLD). The innovative aspect of the proposed probe is the use of multiple laser beams (of differing wavelengths) to create high quality shadows of individual particles (droplets and ice crystals) on a 2-d CCD array.  Conventional aircraft-based probes such as the OAP suffer from measurement uncertainties arising from the detection of droplets that are out-of-focus. The use of multiple intersecting laser beams will also minimize the background noise created by other particles that may be present along the laser beam path but outside of the measurement volume. Finally, the incorporation of a means for differentiating between ice-crystals and droplets, while counting and measuring both, allows computation of water content in both liquid and solid phases. These innovations, and the other features of the probe to be discussed later, directly address the need for aircraft-based icing monitoring systems that NASA has identified in topic A1.02 of the 2003 SBIR solicitation.
Improvements to aviation safety will be made by the development and validation of means to alleviate, alert, and inhibit loss of control associated with unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions.  These unfavorable interactions are caused in part by deficiencies, called ?dynamic distortion,? in the manual flight control system. Many sources of dynamic distortion such as friction, preload, and backlash have been reduced or eliminated in modern aircraft by improved hydraulic systems and by the replacement of mechanical linkages with fly-by-wire systems. Other sources of dynamic distortion remain, such as rate and position limits, power reductions, jammed effectors and mis-rigging. In older systems with mechanical linkages the pilot was at least aware that distortion was occurring, whereas in many modern, powered systems these cues are missing. An innovative concept is proposed whereby the pilot is provided with manipulator tactile cues when dynamic distortion occurs. These cues are hypothesized to improve aircraft safety by reducing the likelihood of unfavorable pilot-vehicle interactions. This improvement will be demonstrated in Phase I, first by modeling and simulation and then by conducting a PC-based manned simulator experiment. In Phase II the concept will be further developed and then validated with a flight test experiment.
Makel Engineering Incorporated (MEI) and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) propose to develop a MEMS based, minature solid state sulfur oxide sensor for use in emission measurements.  The result of this effort will be a compact, robust means of SOx monitoring in high temperature gas emission streams has not been developed previously.  The proposed system is based on previous research on advanced micro-machined gas detection sensors developed for sensitivity to other gaseous components (e.g. CO2, O2, NOx).
NextGen Aeronautics, Inc. proposes the development of the innovative use of morphing structures for maneuver and flight control as a project for NASA?s Revolutionary Flight Concepts (Topic A7.02).  Although aircraft morphing for mission performance enhancement is currently receiving much attention from the research community, there is not a great emphasis on utilizing the same technology for flight control.  NextGen, with its extensive experience in smart structures, smart actuation and aircraft morphing has a unique combination of skills and background to develop the proposed concept.  NextGen has proposed a morphing fan wing concept as the platform for this project, based upon well-understood flight characteristics and apparent ease of integration.  Asymmetric deployment of the fan wing will be utilized to effect roll control of the aircraft.  NextGen intends to verify the feasibility of this concept in Phase I, with an eventual flight test planned for Phase II.  NextGen will address the critical issues involved with this concept (structures, actuation, skin technology, etc.) in bringing the technology to maturation.
Development of technology for Microwave Enhanced Freeze Drying of Solid Waste (MEFDSW) is proposed. The present state of the art for solid waste stabilization using lyophilization is very effective at removing water (up to 99.9&#37;), but suffers from long processing times and high specific energy, because system equipment must operate continuously over the duration of the process.  For conventional freeze drying operations, the system vacuum pump and the heat transfer system are in continuous operation.  By utilizing microwave power to provide the necessary phase change energy to convert solid water to water vapor via sublimation at low pressure and temperature, the conductive heat transfer rate limitation that plagues conventional freeze dryers can be short-circuited.  In addition, since the product quality of the dried solid waste is less of an issue than for food and pharmaceutical products, the sublimation envelope can be pushed.  If the eutectic temperature is exceeded in localized regions in the solid waste during processing and partial melting to liquid water occurs in these regions, little significant impact, if any, will be made on the final state of the dried solid waste, but the rate of drying may be greatly accelerated,  making the overall process more efficient.
SSG/Tinsley proposes an innovative optical manufacturing process that
will allow the advancement of state-of-the-art Silicon Carbide (SiC)
mirrors for large aperture UV and EUV applications.  The manufacturing
process combines three critical technologies: a slip cast, Reaction
Bonded (RB) SiC, an amorphous silicon (Si) coating, and Computer
Controlled Optical Surfacing (CCOS) technology.  This combination of
technologies addresses two critical areas required for enabling cost
effective precision optics for large aperture UV and EUV applications:
lightweighting of the optical substrate and polishing effort required
for reaching final figure and finish.  The proposed optical
manufacturing flow provides solutions in both of these areas.  The
ability to near net shape lightweight RB SiC significantly reduces the
machining required to prepare the substrate for optical surfacing.  The
use of a Si-coating on the RB SiC makes it possible substantially
improve the removal rate-reducing the time and cost required to
precision figure and finish the optic.  CCOS superpolishing techniques
will be developed that deterministically achieve excellent figure
accuracies (&amp;lt;0.01 waves RMS) and low microroughness (&amp;lt; 10
Angstroms RMS) for very low areal densities (~10 kg/m2 at an aperture of
1 meter).   Phase 1 process development and demonstration will lead to
flight-ready optics in Phase 2.
This SBIR project is to develop field emission electric propulsion (FEEP) thruster using carbon nanotubes (CNT) integrated anode.  FEEP thrusters have gained considerable attention for spacecrafts disturbance compensation because of excellent characteristics.  The application of current FEEP has been slow in developing mainly caused by high specific power, which limit the milli-Newton thruster development due to insufficient onboard power.  Dramatic field improvement from nanometer CNTs is a big advantage to increase the FEEP thrust more than 10 times under constant specific impulse (power).  The CNT based FEEP thruster with low specific power and stable long-term operation will meet spacecraft needs with micronewton to millinewton thrust capability.  The new FEEP device will be constructed innovative in three aspects: (a) Integration of CNTs into the ion emission anode, (b) Structural combination from the metal tip emitter and the slit emitter, and (c) Selectable operating thrust units.  In addition, a solid state thruster based on Cs intercalation with CNTs will also be investigated.  The power consumption of the thruster will be reduced by a factor of 5 and more.  The CNT ion emission design may also lead to the development of miniature ion source, benefiting ion source based analytical and material processing facilities.
Currently the United States space program is recognized as the world leader in providing access to space.  However, in order to maintain this position, it will be necessary to reduce the very high cost of reaching low Earth orbit by using single stage or two stage to orbit vehicles.  Some components of these vehicles have exceptionally high heat loads and require additional cooling capacity, which can be accommodated by utilizing the additional fuel heat sink capacity available from endothermic cracking reactions.  Unfortunately, cracking reactions lead to coke deposition in the heat exchanger, which can be a potentially serious problem if it is allowed to accumulate. Therefore in this Phase I proposal, TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) will develop methods to remove the coke from the heat exchanger flow path.  Previously, several different coke formation mechanisms were though to occur during cracking and the selection of an appropriate method to remove the coke would depend on the mechanism responsible.  However, as a result of previous work, we have identified the mechanism primarily responsible for coke deposition with JP-7 and JP-8.  Thus, the methods we develop in this SBIR Phase I proposal have a high probability of success.
American Remote Vision Company (ARVC) will research and develop a novel new type of non-pyrotechnic latch and release system for use in servicing umbilical applications (as well as an enormous range of other aerospace and commercial applications). This device (whose starting point is the ancient "chinese fingercuff") will be a robust, reliable, reusable latch; scalable over many orders of magnitude in size and load; capable of gripping or releasing in milliseconds; and useful in lunar regolith environment. The concept has already been proved at the 1,000 pound level. We will develop the theory of operation in grab, hold, and release modes (and maybe failure modes). We will build prototypes and test them to verify the math models.
NASA requires innovative guidance, navigation and control (GN&amp;C) technology that addresses the high performance, reliability, power and volume requirements of future Earth Science (ES) missions. Specifically, ES architectures will include platforms of varying size and complexity in a number of mission trajectories and orbits. Novel approaches for autonomous control of large fleets of spacecraft, rockets, balloons and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are desired. Special interest is apportioned to augmenting and providing alternatives to GN&amp;C, relative range and attitude determination during close formation, and proximity operations using video image processing technology. Broadata Communications, Inc. (BCI) proposes a novel vision-based attitude determination and relative range GN&amp;C system called Guiding Stars, Sun and Light (GSSL). It is based on an innovative, real-time, video image, point distance set based, recognition technology that works well with the problem at hand.
This proposal presents a dual approach to the development and certification of an alternative system for ice protection of turbine engine inlets.  It combines a new generation low power ice protection system with a novel path to certification that is based upon requirements that turbine engines be capable of operation in a hail environment.  Eliminated are requirements for high voltages and currents characteristic of all previous impulsive or expulsive deicing systems.  It is postulated that if the engine can operate safely in the hail environment as defined by the FARs, then it can be expected to operate safely and economically in the presence of particles shed by the deicer which are demonstrably smaller and less hazardous than hail. Such a system presents a viable alternative to the use of hot air ice protection systems.
SMH Consulting proposes to develop a web-based decision support system to assist in Rapid Assessment, Monitoring, and Management (RAMM-DSS) on a regional scale. SMH Consulting will focus on the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and collaborate with the Chesapeake Bay Program (CBP) for the RAMM-DSS development during Phase I. The RAMM-DSS will supplement operational decision support tools already in use with tailored data products routinely derived from NASA's MODIS data. Delivery of data products and information will be through a web portal where users can view, query, and download data for a specified area and time period of interest. The RAMM-DSS will support NASA missions by (i) lowering technical and logistical barriers to the use of ESE data, (ii) making ESE data easy-to-use for practitioners, and (iii) supporting educational initiatives on use of RS data in operational scenarios. The web delivery of data and information tailored to client requirements will bridge the gap between RS data providers and applicational users. Further, the educational component consisting of real-world, hands-on case studies and RS and satellite/sensor overviews, will aim to eventually close this gap altogether by making practitioners more knowledgeable and aware of the use of RS data in their daily operations.
Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) can render microwave radiometer
measurements useless.  We propose a method and an architecture that can
be used to identify sources of RFI and be used to identify an optimal
scheme for the mitigation of RFI.  The system consists of a fully
functional digital radiometer that can collect data in the field and
pipe the pre-detected signal into, for example, a spectrum analyzer for
in-situ analysis or into removable flash memory for later analysis. The
digital radiometer employs a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for
employing flexible mitigation strategies.  It will also use a
programmable noise source for generation of artificial RFI in the
laboratory setting, allowing for efficient mitigation algorithm
development in a laboratory setting, independent of actual RFI, which
may be intermittent.  Thus this one instrument can be used to identify
RFI, develop mitigation approaches for RFI, and validate the mitigation
strategy.  A flexible system is essential for this task since RFI takes
many forms.
Current design concepts of nuclear reactors for space applications are well advanced in core configurations and architectural design. There is a need to determine how such systems will be monitored and instrumented. We propose to adapt a Wide Range Neutron Detector (WRND) system currently in use at nuclear research facilities for its operation in the space environment. This new system can then be utilized to monitor and control a space-based nuclear power reactor. The system is capable of measuring neutron fluxes in the whole reactor's operation range, from a neutron flux of 10E0 n/cm2/sec up to a flux of more than 10E10 n/cm2/sec. In this way, a single instrument chain can be used instead of having different instrumentation for each of the operation ranges of the reactor (start-up, ramping-up, and nominal power) This is a clear advantage for space applications where mass, size, and power consumption constraints are of premium importance. A WRND would allow for a reduction in the complexity of space-based nuclear instrumentation and control systems. A ground version of the proposed system is presently being installed in a research reactor in Australia.
Embedded wireless sensors of the future will enable flight vehicle systems to be "highly aware" of onboard health and performance parameters, as well as the external flow field and potential threat environments.  Because there will be no opportunity to replace batteries on a regular basis, these systems will have to rely on energy harvesting strategies to convert ambient energy into electrical energy to provide long-lived power.  TPL proposes to develop a MEMS-scale power system that will combine TPL's patented volumetric electrochemical micro-devices (microbatteries and microsupercapacitors) with energy harvesting for long lived power.  Volumetric electrochemical devices are a unique and critical feature of our approach, which provide energy storage capabilities and high power density to minimize the total volume and footprint of the micropower system.  The proposed effort will evaluate designs combining microbatteries, microsupercapacitors and energy harvesting devices with respect to the trade-offs between size, maximum power, duty cycle, and energy source availability.  TPL's partner, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL), brings expertise in the space arena, and will provide technical guidance and advice on sensor requirements, integration and packaging for space.  This partnership will be critical to realizing space-qualified devices.
Technology Applications, Inc. (TAI) proposes to advance In-Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) capabilities by applying advanced cryogenic technology to perform collection and purification of volatile propellant materials extracted from moderate to high vacuum environments such as those found on the Martian and lunar surfaces. In this Phase I program, TAI will perform design and analysis of critical ISRU subsystems and develop innovations in thermal management to demonstrate the feasibility of effective volatile collection, separation, purification, liquefaction, and long-term storage capabilities for cryogenic fluids. Production of propellant from the lunar surface is a technically feasible approach to avoid the cost prohibitive task of launching sufficient amounts of propellant from earth to establish continual human habitation on the moon. When regolith resources are extracted and refined, there exists the potential for sustainable long-term human habitation on the moon and Mars. Thermal system design for an ISRU system will determine the propellant generation power requirements for complete human habitat system specifications.
We propose to develop ytterbium (Yb) fiber lasers with an electrical-to-optical efficiency of nominally 64&#37; by directly coupling 80&#37;-efficient diode lasers with Yb fiber laser structures that are capable of 80&#37; optical-to-optical power conversion. These would be single spatial mode lasers, which are diffraction-limited light sources capable of long-range propagation in a narrow beam. As such they would provide a key technology element for wireless power transmission systems that are based on photovoltaic receiver technologies. The high efficiency diode lasers that form a key part of the proposed light source are currently being developed with DARPA funding under the Super High Efficiency Diode Sources (SHEDS) program. Yb fiber lasers have received a great deal of development effort in the broader laser community and have produced both the highest efficiencies and the highest output powers seen to date from fiber lasers. The innovation provided by this project would be the development of a simple, robust and highly efficient means of coupling the specific SHEDS diode structures to Yb fiber lasers by using laser micromachining to form an integral mirror and Brewster input port on the Yb fiber.
In the proposed development, SiC JFET control circuitry and normally-off SiC JFET power switch will be integrated in a single SiC chip that will provide digital output for driving piezoelectric, electrostatic, or electromagnetic actuators.  Innovative device design, metallurgical ohmic contact and die attach development, and coordinated packaging approaches will result in SiC power I.C. technology capable of sustained operation at 465?C, an industry first. This development will result in a unique lightweight, low-cost, packaged all-SiC Smart Power Module able to reliably operate in extremely high temperature, pressure, and radiation environments.  Silicon carbide active components (vertical SemiSouth SiC power transistors) will be evaluated for 465C ambient operation.  Improvements in the metallurgical ohmic contacts, die attach, wire bond, and package will be investigated to extend the reliable operating temperature range.  Additionally, passive components such as thick film resistors, NPO and diamond capacitors, will be investigated as well.  Finally, all of this information will be used to develop compact device and circuit models to propose a complete packaged commercial solution for 500C capable SiC based driver circuits.
Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) proposes to develop a unique Advanced Vortex Hybrid Rocket Engine (AVHRE) to achieve a highly-reliable, low-cost and extremely versatile propulsion technology.  The benefits of AVHRE result from the combination of ORBITEC's patented vortex injection technique; high-regression rate, paraffin solid fuels; and a new fuel formulation innovation to control the solid fuel regression characteristics and provide improved structural integrity of the grain.  A vortex injector generates a coaxial vortex pair, driving high solid-fuel regression rates and improved combustion efficiency.  In addition, paraffin also regresses very rapidly, further enhancing the systems flexibility.  The rapid regression rates and many design degrees of freedom offered by AVHRE offers the potential for: (1) increased propellant mass fractions; (2) the ability to tailor and optimize a hybrid propulsion system for a specific application; (3) increased ISP efficiency; (4) a reduction or elimination of residual fuel; (5) improved grain structural integrity and increased melting temperature; (6) reduced need for thermal insulation.  Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility and merit of AVHRE through design, analysis, laboratory testing, and hot firings of up to 1,000 lbf thrust.
NASA strives to make space travel safer, faster, and cheaper, expanding our horizons for a new generation of space exploration and colonization. This cannot be accomplished solely through improvements in the launch vehicle; the launch site and ground control systems must be equally enhanced. The next generation cryogenic propellant storage and distribution system must integrate an efficient overall structure and layout of the launch site.  Many of the components in propellant distribution systems can be complex and require an insulation that can be formed to these irregular shapes.  Aspen Aerogels bead technology can provide NASA with a solution.  Aerogel beads are configurable to virtually any shape and offer a lightweight viable insulation solution with substantial improvements over conventional insulations such as superior thermal performance at moderate vacuum levels.  As an improvement over silica aerogel, Aspen proposes the use of higher strength and more resilient organically modified aerogel beads to insulate cryogenic pipeline applications.  During the proposed effort we will investigate two types of materials for the generation of clamshell type insulation with far superior thermal insulation properties; aerogel beads held together with a binder, and novel self-adhesional aerogel beads, both encapsulated in evacuated vacuum panels.
Technology Application, Inc. (TAI) is proposing to demonstrate feasibility of implementing silicon germanium (SiGe) strained-gate technology in the power complementary metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (CMOSFET) and logic devices for a logic and power transistor controller for space-approved stepper motors at cryogenic temperature.  Power electronic systems contain digital and analog circuits, and the increasing complexity of these systems required for deep space missions and naval electric-powered propulsion requires a new approach in material and processes to operate efficiently at cryogenic temperature.  The metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) is the building block for both digital and analog circuits.  Silicon (Si) is a good material for fabricating power MOSFET and electronic devices for operation from 300 K to 77 K.  Devices made from Si suffer from carrier freeze-out below 77 K.  Silicon carbide (SiC) is another material suitable for power switch transistors;  however, SiC deivices suffer from carrier freeze-out at temperature higher than that of Si.  SiGe heterostructure bipolar transistor (HBT) devices are good candidates for low temperature operation.  However, SiGe HBT devices suffer changes in characteristics as the operating temperature gets colder.  SiGe HBT device switching waveform of a dc-dc converter became distorted below 120 K.
ET Materials, LLC developed the first ever electrically controlled
extinguishable solid propellant (ECESP).  The original propellant
developed under Air Force SBIR contracts became know as ASPEN.  The
start/stop capabilities were first demonstrated in end burning
configurations that operated by feeding the propellant against
stationary electrodes.  Continuing research by ET Materials led to a new
family of ECESP propellants prepared as solution solid propellants.
These propellants provided higher performance than the ASPEN, but are
more electrically conductive.  This feature was not as desirable as
first thought because the electrode gap has to be much narrower to cause
the propellant to ignite at the surface, which makes it more difficult
to scale for larger motors.  The high conductance of the propellant
makes it ideal for a MEMS application as the propellant can be cast in
thin layers.  Since the propellant will only sustain combustion when
electrical power is supplied stacked layers of the propellant could be
ignited separately without causing ignition of neighboring layer.  This
provides more versatility than similar MEMS designs utilizing
conventional solid propellants.  In the Phase I study &amp;quot;micro
cluster thrusters&amp;quot; will be fabricated and tested under vacuum
conditions to establish the power and controller requirements.
Resodyn Technologies proposes a new technology that enables the application of polyimide based cryogenic insulation with low hydrogen permeability.  This effort supports the Vision for U.S. Space Exploration policy and the Exploration Systems Enterprise.  This technology will benefit designers of cryogenic fuel tanks envisioned for new Earth-to-Orbit (ETO) Transportation vehicles.  Specifically the need exists to reduce the loss of hydrogen through the walls of the proposed carbon/polymer composite cryogenic fuel tanks in order to achieve zero boiloff long-term storage capability.  Resodyn Corporation's proposed use of its Thermal Spray Technology will enable the processing of engineered materials, high performance polymers, and high temperature foams that have not been possible to date.  One example investigated will be a combination of polyimide micro-balloons in a liquid crystal polymer (LCP) matrix.  Also contained in this foam would be a dispersion of reflective glass microspheres.  This combination of materials provides insulation, a hydrogen barrier and a thermal radiation barrier.  Foam samples will be fabricated and evaluated for physical and mechanical properties including density, compressive and shear strength, permeability, and insulative qualities.  This new foam is referred to as Multi-functional Cryogenic Insulation (MCI).
Relatively small concentric thin film FRESNEL lenses and fresnel-like Multiple Parabolic Reflecting Surface (MPRS) reflectors have been successfully produced from molds machined with diamond turning lathes, which are limited in size to less than 15 feet diameter.  This size limitation prevents using this fabrication method for production of molds for operational size space concentrators and off-axis (non-concentric) patterns cannot be produced at all with lathes.  UAT has been demonstrated that computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines that can readily machine complex geometries, including any radius of curvature, can be used to produce mold segments representing any portion of any size MPRS.  These mold patterns can then be replicated on thin film sheets, which are then appropriately integrated to produce solar concentrators of the desired size. Multiple focal lengths/points, concentration ratios, and controlled flux distribution can be incorporated in a single reflector panel allowing substantial and previously unavailable Wireless Power Transfer System design flexibility.
	The Phase I program will verify the thin film performance capabilities and scalability of the MPRS concept and the Phase II program will provide a full scale concentrator applicable to Wireless Power Transfer technology for testing and deployment.
NASA's Advanced Extravehicular Activity (EVA) program requires the need for materials that can protect astronauts and spacecrafts from ionizing radiations such as low and high energy X-rays.  Currently, lead and lead-based material are used to fabricate shields not only for X-rays but for other types of radiation as well. Lead is heavy and toxic. In this Phase I project, MMI proposes to develop a polymer composite that utilizes a nanocrystalline heavy metal salt for radiation shielding.
One of the most significant challenges in exploration of
extraterrestrial planets such as Mars is the availability of efficient
and reliable sources of fuel and energy that can be generated from
resources available in situ. In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) of
Martian materials to produce power can result in a reduction of mass
requirements for exploration missions, a reduction in mission risk and
cost, and expanded human presence in extraterrestrial planets.
Methanol-based fuel cells are promising energy sources since methanol
can be generated carbon dioxide that is found in Mars. Although there
are already catalysts that can produce methanol from carbon dioxide, the
efficiency of the synthesis has to be improved manifolds for the
catalyst to be of use in Mars. There is therefore a need to improve
existing catalysts. In this Phase I effort, Materials Modification Inc.
proposes to utilize the principles of nanotechnology to prepare a novel
nanoshell-type catalyst that is expected to exhibit higher efficiency of
conversion compared to existing catalytic systems for the synthesis of
methanol from carbon dioxide. Phase II will involve optimization of the
nanoshell synthesis process, rigorous testing and commercializing the
product/technology in collaboration with industrial partners and NASA
for use in ISRU applications.
NASA requires protocols and architectures that will allow reduced levels of mission funding, shorter mission development schedules, and facilitate high availability of flight electronic components. The administration is strategically moving towards Internet based architectures and technologies. Internet protocols, however, are not designed for space communications and must be seamlessly adapted to support the characteristics of this environment.  We are proposing the development of a Universal Space IP Transparent Proxy that leverages an innovative modular architecture to achieve accurate network monitoring and measurement as a means to effectively deal with design and performance problems of IP protocols in space environments.
BRO will provide commercially available optics software that dependably calculates image plane irradiance to the precision required by TPF missions. Calculations will be compared to those predicted in the published literature. BRO will use the Gaussian Beam Decomposition Algorithm (GBDA), which works within fully 3D systems, simulates interferometers and deformable mirrors, includes polarization, and calculates fields at all propagation distances.  In Phase II, BRO will increase the speed of the GBDA, write software to estimate the errors in calculations to include the effects of polarization aberrations on the irradiance and add optimization capabilities.
NASA's safety mandate for crewed and high value spacecraft currently necessitates design requirements that create a cost barrier for commercial companies trying to provide on-orbit logistics services for NASA. The proposed innovation offers a means to facilitate commercial involvement in on-orbit servicing by developing a spacecraft that removes this burden from commercial vehicles. The spacecraft will:
?	Perform automated rendezvous and capture to ferry commercial spacecraft to target spacecraft
?	Provide a safe interface between simple, low cost, commercial spacecraft and high value targets (ISS, CEV, Lunar Lander, propellant depot, or high value satellites)

This will serve as key infrastructure element to enable emerging commercial space companies and other developers of low cost systems to play significant roles in NASA's Exploration program and/or ISS re-supply activities.  This infrastructure will:
?	Prevent restrictive and extremely expensive fault tolerance, safety, and Human Rating requirements from being levied on the commercial vehicles,
?	Remove the need for commercial vehicles to design, develop, and test independent automated rendezvous and docking (AR&amp;D) systems,
?	Reduce the amount of expensive AR&amp;D and safety related hardware launched and discarded on each flight, and
?	Reduce the cost of integrating each spacecraft through standardized interfaces.
The objectives of this proposal are to identify and develop breakthrough technologies that have potential to provide increased scientific return at lower cost, and to enable missions and capabilities beyond current horizons.  Advanced thermal materials are needed as thermal protection system (TPS) materials for reentry.  Aspen Aerogels Inc. proposes a particularly innovative lightweight aerogel material !V silicon oxycarbide aerogel that will advance the state-of-the-art for thermal protection.  The material will have maximal operational temperature in air on the order of 1200 ?aC, will have low thermal conductivity at high temperatures and low density.  Thermal stability of the material will be tested at conditions simulating the conditions of Earth reentry.
The key innovation proposed here is the use of agent-based modeling and
simulation to evaluate the safety of the National Airspace under crisis
operations and develop tools for real-time planning, scheduling, and
resource allocation decision aids for crisis management.  We view the
problem as one of simulating and controlling the emergent behavior of
autonomous agents (aircraft and air traffic service providers in this
case) in crisis situations.  We propose to use NASA's agent-based
Airspace Concept Evaluation System as the modeling framework into which
we will integrate our models. We propose to evaluate the impacts of
these malicious agents on the safety of NAS by using simulation to
assess short term and long term NAS-wide safety impacts in terms of loss
of separation, near misses, collisions, re-routes, controller workload,
and economic impacts. The agent-based system will provide a real-time
planning, scheduling, and resource allocation decision aid to be used
for crisis management, by providing the user capabilities to develop and
execute playbooks that represent various policies.  Finally, we propose
to develop safety metrics that will provide command center traffic
management coordinators indicators to predict off-nominal activities in
the airspace.
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop a low cost, robust, highly precise and accurate CO2 monitoring system. This system will employ a novel mid-infrared laser source, which will be demonstrated during Phase I and integrated into a bench-scale laboratory instrument to perform CO2 concentration measurements.  The results of these tests will demonstrate the precision and accuracy of the approach, and will be used to determine specifications for the Phase II instrument.  The Phase I research will identify COTS sources for the system subcomponents of the Phase II prototype, which can potentially modified for the detection of other target species such as CO2 isotopes, methane, and CO.  Commercial systems based on the Phase II prototype will be refined and marketed during Phase III.
In this SBIR project, a new Morphing Flight Control Surface (MFCS) will be developed.  The distinction of the research effort is that the SenAnTech team will employ our innovative High Deformable Mechanism (HDM) to develop MFCS.  The utilization of energy is the important concern to accomplish this research goal. Energy is chosen because it provides a mechanism where all concepts can be represented and judged in a consistent fashion.  Ultimately, this research will provide a novel methodology for predicting the type, placement, and operation of actuators and sensors for aerial vehicles that incorporate large-scale shape changing for the improved flight performances.  The MFCS will consist of hardware, software and processing units.  The actuators, sensors, wiring, signal conditioning and, associated electronics will be selected as required.  Modern systems technology like controllability and observability of the system will be examined for the optimal actuator and sensor placements. Also, shaped or digitized electrode technology will be applied to measure the spatial energy distribution of the deformable wing.
Future Exploration Initiative missions will require substantial reductions in ESM for water processing hardware. Significant reductions can be achieved using water treatment systems based upon thermally regenerable ion-exchange (TRIX) resins.  Ion-exchange (IX) has been the preferred method for removal of aqueous ionic contaminants due to the efficiency of flow-through beds.  Attributes of IX systems include ambient temperature and pressure operation, minimal energy use, rapid and efficient contaminant removal, and compared to other purification technologies, failure mechanisms are relatively benign.  However, strong acid and alkali are required to regenerate these beds, making regeneration aboard spacecraft impractical.  New hybrid TRIX resins developed at UMPQUA RESEARCH COMPANY offer the potential to remove ionic contaminants from water with an acceptable ESM, while retaining the intrinsic advantages of flow-through IX beds. Testing and further development of TRIX is proposed for removal of ionic contaminants from wastewater generated by future transit and early planetary base missions.  The primary program objective will be the demonstration of efficient salt removal from different wastewater sources using TRIX resins.  Phase I will demonstrate feasibility of water purification based upon TRIX.  Phase II will result in development and testing of a fully functional system suitable for further independent testing by NASA.
To date, the majority of the gearboxes used on the rovers have been based on very conventional materials, process and designs.  This has primarily been a result of the fast paced schedules associated with rover development.  With little time for recovery, these programs are extremely risk adverse and the idea of developing new technology on the program is absolutely impractical.  As there is no rover planned for the 2007 there is a longer than normal dwell between rover programs.  The hope is to capitalize on this time to advance the technology used on the common gearboxes employed on the rover.  This will allow new technology to be introduced into the gearbox designs.  
The plan for reducing the gearbox mass relies on a three pronged approach.  First, design innovations above and beyond AGMA standards will be evaluated for incorporation into the basic planetary gearbox design.  Second, advanced materials and processes will be evaluated for use in gears and planet bearings.  And lastly, the cost implications of the advanced technology will be compiled to insure the correct balance is maintained between weight reduction and cost expense.
Radiometers are a crucial element in NASA's studies of Planet Earth.  This proposal addresses the basic need for a miniature spectrometer, flexibly configurable and optimized for above and in-water optical property measurements.  The innovation we are proposing develops a 1 cm diameter photodetector module, called a "microradiometer."  The microradiometer will consist of a photodetector, preamplifier with controllable gain, high resolution analog to digital converter (ADC), microprocessor, and an addressable digital port, all on one small, thin circuit assembly.  We anticipate that the design will result in significant improvements in dynamic range, sampling speed, reliability, and reduced power consumption over existing instruments.  In one embodiment, a single microradiometer forms the basis of a very small (much less than 2.5 cm diameter) single-channel submersible light sensor.  In another application, clusters of microradiometers can be matched with front-end optics (collector/window/filter stack) to form small, fast, less expensive multiwavelength radiometers for a variety of measurements ? even hyperspectral applications.  The envisioned microradiometer-based systems can be packaged into small underwater housings suitable for deployment on drifters, moorings, towed vehicles, and vertical profilers.  Networks of these multiwavelength radiometers, configured to measure irradiance or radiance, can be operated synchronously by a central data acquisition computer.
We intend to develop the technology for lightweight composite structure
suitable for both cryogenic fuel depot storage as well as human in-space
habitat.  These will incorporate improved impact technologies for
micro-meteor/space debris protection and radiation capable composite
technologies.   The application of filament wound composite pressure
vessels to uses requiring pressurized storage at cryogenic temperatures
has been undertaken at HyPerComp Engineering with promising results.
Progress has been made in expanding the knowledge of how filament
winding fibers and matrix systems (resins) react to loads and strain at
extremely cold temperatures, such as would be encountered in in-space
fuel storage depots.  As with the cryogenic composite pressure vessel
research, HyPerComp Engineering has been conducting research and has
patented, jointly with NASA, a robust impact resistant composite
pressure vessel technology.  This technology shows great promise in its
resistance to performance degradation from impacts, such as might be
experienced in the space environment in the form of micrometeoroids and
space debris.  This &amp;quot;robust&amp;quot; technology has also demonstrated
&amp;quot;non-catastrophic failure-mode&amp;quot; capabilities which could
potentially reduce mission losses and tankage losses due to both space
debris and other incidental impacts.  We intend to develop a baseline
composite material capable of both cryogenic and radiation applications.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to prove
the feasibility of developing high power density modular power
electronic building blocks based upon high temperature silicon carbide
(SiC) multichip power module (MCPM) technologies. The modular approach
will allow for auto-configurable stackable modules to be built up in
series and/or parallel configurations (through a &amp;quot;plug and
play&amp;quot; fashion) in order to increase overall system power handling
capabilities. The MCPM building blocks will utilize a decentralized
control and communications structure, with a communications network
established between the core silicon-on-insulator (SOI) controllers of
the MCPMs, but with no single controller in command of the system. The
decentralized control scheme will allow for the construction of highly
flexible power systems which could perform a wide variety of power
electronics applications, including power conversion, motor drive, and
power distribution functions. In addition, the development of the MCPMs
will be based upon high-temperature SiC power electronics technologies,
thus driving the building block designs towards very miniaturized, high
power density, high efficiency systems. Due to the high switching
frequency capabilities of the SiC power switches, filter and magnetics
components will also be reduced in size, thus further miniaturizing the
MCPM building blocks. The reduction in size, weight, and volume will
create significant savings in space launch costs, while the modular
building block designs will increase flexibility, reduce engineering
costs and time, improve reliability and fault tolerance, and allow for
the implementation of auto-reconfiguration in the case of phase-leg or
module failures.
NASA missions are being designed for multisensor data collection and synthesis using diverse temporal, spatial and spectral resolutions for use by multiple teams of mission specialists and scientists.  This project offers two closely related technologies that will benefit the distribution, sharing and use of fused datasets.(1) Artificial intelligence and machine learning is used to generate a novel intelligence-based 3D meshing, and compression method based on hierarchical tetrahedral and binary triangular decomposition applicable to both surfaces and volumes, providing high compression performance . Meshing is progressive and adaptive to any resolution and for any selected region in the scene, thus making it possible to model certain regions with high resolution while leaving the remaining parts coarse. (2) Meshing is then interleaved iteratively with registration to search for optimal alignment of overlapping 3D models by, in one case minimizing an error objective function, and in another case maximizing a similarity measure for aligning decomposition trees associated with the overlapping models. Following alignment, an integration algorithm fuses overlapping models. The anticipated results are effective 3D modeling and registration technologies that significantly assist NASA?s R&amp;D mission.
A new type of calibration standard is proposed which produces a pair of microwave noise signals to aid in the characterization and calibration of correlating radiometers. The Correlated Noise Calibration Standard (CNCS) is able to generate pairs of broad bandwidth stochastic noise signals with a wide variety of statistical properties. The CNCS can be used with synthetic aperture interferometers to generate specific visibility functions. It can be used with fully polarimetric radiometers to generate specific 3rd and 4th Stokes parameters of brightness temperature. It can be used with spectrometers to generate specific power spectra and autocorrelations. It is also possible to combine these features and, for example, to generate the pair of signals that would be measured by a fully polarimetric, spectrally resolving, synthetic aperture radiometer at a particular pair of polarizations and antenna baselines for a specified scene over a specified frequency band.  The CNCS covers those frequencies used for radiometric observations in the 1 to 40 GHz range. While intended for ground based characterization of radiometer systems, the technological approach is amenable to on-orbit calibration.  Also, the CNCS can serve as an artificial radio frequency interference (RFI) generator for validating instrument performance in the presence of RFI.
GMA Industries, Inc. proposes produce a lightweight, fully polymeric but intrinsically conducting hybrid material that can be applied towards the production of next-generation sealants, structures and components.  This will be achieved through the production of a single wall nanotube (SWNT)-containing matrix material, using wet chemistry processes and methods.  An ability to incorporate the significant electronic, mechanical, thermal properties, scattering- and optical-limiting properties of carbon nanotubes into a homogeneously dispersed covalently-bound structural matrix will provide a platform for the creation of a new class of composite matrices that addresses NASA's desire for multifunctional composite materials that harness superior thermal, mechanical, and optoelectronic efficiencies.  Furthermore, it is anticipated that a capability for real-time, in-situ monitoring of the structure's health can be incorporated within the architecture of these composites?whose susceptibility towards an assortment of phenomena (mechanical, chemical, optical, electrical, magnetic, etc.) can be further manipulated?through synthetic modifications of the SWNT component of the matrix.  No such carbon-nanotube derived material is currently available.  In Phase 1, the feasibility of producing such a composite will be demonstrated.  Phase II will involve the further process optimization, development, and full characterization of this material.
This NASA SBIR Phase I program proposes the development of a high thermal conductivity (400 W/mK), low coefficient of thermal expansion (7-10 ppm/?K), and light weight (3-4 g/cm3) functionally graded material (FGM) heat sinks for microelectronic packaging applications. The uniquely defined ?FGM concept? pursued in this project uses a metallic package base that consists of a light metal matrix composite material to provide low thermal expansion and a high thermal conductivity functional core to  cool the high power semiconductor die. The thermal performance of the heat sink is doubled by using the high thermal conductivity functional core bonded through the body of the heat sink.
This Phase I SBIR proposal is aimed at developing a non-invasive, optical method for monitoring the state of consciousness of crew members in operational environments.  Utilizing differences in wavelength-dependent optical absorption between oxygenated and deoxygenated blood, pulsed laser diodes of selected wavelengths and symmetrically-placed photodetectors will be used to monitor the scattered light signals.  Changes between these light signals and those established by prior baseline measurements will be monitored and interpreted using appropriate algorithms.  Continuous monitoring of the mental state of personnel engaged in critical activities could provide a means of protection against human performance lapses resulting from unforeseen circumstances.  Operational crew members are often subject to stress, increasing the possibility of operator mistakes or oversight.  If a deterioration of the state of consciousness of an individual can be detected before that individual?s performance is affected, serious accidents or lapses in operator performance could be avoided.  Phase I will establish feasibility, and Phase II will produce and evaluate a prototype monitoring instrument.
The development and performance evaluation of new carbon/carbon (C/C) and carbon/silicon-carbide (SiC) composite structural components has been hampered by the lack of reliable strain sensors that can survive up to the exceedingly high temperatures (3000 F)  up to which these materials must be tested. Existing off-the-shelf high-temperature strain sensors, including free filament electrical strain gages and optical fiber based strain sensors, currently do not have the necessary performance characteristics to tackle the next generation of C/C and SiC composite material testing programs.    Free filament electrical strain gages cannot be used reliably over 1800 F (1000 C) and  conventional optical fiber strain sensors with the appropriate protective metal coatings can operate reliably only up to close to the melting point of the silica (2000 F/1100 C).   To meet the growing needs for strain sensors that can withstand future high temperature testing regimes, Lambda Instruments, Inc. proposes to develop sapphire optical fiber sensors.  The 3600 F (1987 C) melting temperature of optical quality sapphire fibers, their low profile geometry, and the inherent immunity of optical fiber sensors to electromagnetic interference make sapphire fiber-based sensors particularly well suited for the proposed application.
Potential commercial applications include the retirement of satellites that have become unresponsive or unstable.  For instance when this occurs in a constellation of satellites, where relative position to each other is critical, removing the defective satellite and replacing it with a new one is of great importance.  A potential military application is the retirement of a spacecraft that attempts to maintain its orbit because it has become unresponsive and does not know not to fight the de-orbit process.  It could also be applied to a satellite that is still responsive but it is still desired to de-orbit it.
Luna Innovations proposes to develop a distributed fiber-optic shape sensor to provide a control system for the deployment of ultra-lightweight inflatable support structures for solar sails. This shape sensing system will provide the full-field 3D shape of the lightweight inflatable booms of solar sails at all points to sub-millimeter accuracy, permitting the monitoring of the dynamics of the structure before, during, and after deployment. These shape sensors, when fully integrated with the booms of solar sails and other inflatable space structures, will permit real-time active control of the deployment by providing a closed-loop feedback mechanism. Because the sensors and the system to monitor them will cost and weigh substantially less than the stereoscopic cameras currently used to monitor the 3D shape, this approach is highly desirable. By providing a reliable, lightweight means to monitor the dynamic solar sail deployment process, the risks associated with employing sail technology as a means of spacecraft propulsion will be substantially mitigated. This development will broadly enhance NASA's 'Missions in the Exploration of the Solar System' theme.
Autonomous multiple spacecraft formation flying represents a critical enabling technology for future space missions, including NASA's Space and Earth Science Enterprises.  The overall goal of this effort is to develop a general-purpose, onboard Autonomous Multi-spacecraft Supervisory Engine (AMSE) for guidance, navigation and control (GNC) functions, suitable for a wide range of formation flying and distributed, multi-spacecraft missions. It will be developed using the concepts of Intelligent Systems and Hybrid Model Predictive Optimization.  The proposed approach will use systematic methodologies for formation modeling, optimal resource allocation and task/activity sequencing and control.  During the proposed effort, SSCI will develop and demonstrate an AMSE system for selected multiple-spacecraft formation-flying tasks, using representative constraints for onboard and formation resources.  AMSE technology will provide a general framework for implementation of onboard autonomy for future multiple spacecraft missions, which is both resource and constraint-aware. The AMSE design is most relevant to distributed S/C Formation Flying missions (such as Terrestrial Planet Finder), although the concepts and technology are generically applicable to all autonomous S/C systems.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an innovative solar cell design that combines nanotechnology with conducting polymer photovoltaics to achieve extremely low weight, flexible solar cells of almost any size and shape that far surpass current solar cell efficiencies. This proposal demonstrates the potential of this design for increased efficiency and low weight by prototyping single-layer solar cells (compatible with future tandem-cell architecture) with spectral responses tuned to the solar spectrum.  The project develops approaches to explore the four main technical areas that are currently limiting nanocomposite photovoltaic cell performance: illumination intensity saturation, conduction efficiency, charge-separation efficiency and dispersion control of nanomaterials in a host matrix at high concentration.  In Phase I, these technical areas are explored to determine the magnitude of potential performance improvements that can be achieved by optimizing these parameters in Phase II, and compare these projections to the maximum performance predicted by theory.  In Phase II, the information gathered in Phase I will be used to produce a prototype of an optimized, lightweight, low-cost, flexible solar cell with efficiency greater than 15&#37;; amenable to large-scale, low-temperature manufacturing and eventual transition to tandem-cell designs for efficiency &gt; 30&#37;.
Satellites that record imagery of the same sea surface area, at times separated by a few hours, can be used to estimate ocean surface velocity fields based on the apparent motion of patterns observed in a pair of images.  Human interactive, statistical, model inversion, and feature correspondence methods have all been applied to this problem in the past.  Previous methods used Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, which offered only long time separations, and geolocation inaccuracies that were often detrimental to the accuracy of the retrieved velocity vectors.  Also, the previous methods were developed as scientific studies, and as such, require scientific sophistication or computing facilities that make them poor candidates for commercialization.  This proposal addresses the development of a new method that uses genetic algorithms to minimize a cost function based on conservation laws and dynamical constraints.  The method will utilize Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery that has important improvements over AVHRR imagery.  Surface current estimates are important to forecasting drift of harmful algal blooms, oil spills, downed pilots, lost boaters, and free-floating mines. Many of these applications are crucial to decision support systems that NASA is currently supporting or investigating for future support.
Propulsion test stands are designed for thermal and pressure loads for certain classes of engines.   These plume induced loads are:  radiative heating, acoustics and direct impingement convective heating and pressure loads.  Existing test stands will be used to test a wide variety of new propulsion systems, engines and engine components which will require the evaluation of the test stand design to handle loads that are a function of engine location, chamber pressure history and gimbaling.  Existing models require large numbers of individual calculations to evaluate the various engine operating parameters.  The Phase I effort will utilize existing models to develop a PC based test stand design constraints model that automatically determines engine operating limits for existing facilities.  The Phase I effort will establish test stand design data base requirements, modify existing test stand environments models to automatically cycle through the entire range of engine operating parameters for a single design variable, and demonstrate the model for an existing stand.  The Phase II effort expands the models capabilities for all design constraints and develops a CAD module for importing test stand design information.  This effort is innovative in that it will greatly reduce the cost/time for testing new engine designs.
Ultra-lightweight membranes may prove to be very attractive for large aperture systems, but their value will be fully realized only if they are mated with equally high strength, low-mass support structures. The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of a new innovative structure concept using space qualified flexible thin film polyimide to produce large ultra-lightweight inflation deployed self-rigidizing structural tubes/booms with very low areal density, small packaging volume, and extremely high buckling/bending strength to accurately deploy and provide precision structural support to very large aperture systems. This material can be thermally formed to virtually any shape to produce booms, elbows, tees, flanges, and flat or curved panels to support or connect aperture system components and facilitate in-space assembly. Thermally formed polyimide (TFP) tubes are deflated for launch packaging, pressurized for deployment, and then self-rigidizing for the operational lifetime without any maintenance gas required. This innovative collapsible/deployable structure can potentially revolutionize the manufacture and use of structures for space applications. Phase-I will result in design, fabrication, and testing of sub-scale tubes and modular multifunction components. Phase-II will produce and demonstrate full-scale mission applicable tubes, booms, or truss assemblies and associated interface hardware.
Several cases of minor cuts in microgravity have been reported not being able to heal until return to Earth.  While the exact cause for the slow healing in space environment is still been theorized, initial studies on cells exposed to micro- and hyper-gravity have suggested that the growth of human cells is heavily regulated by the gravity.  As the gravitational force increases or decreases, the cell function responds in a linear fashion.  Typically, the faster the cell growth, the quicker the healing process.  Thus, development of technologies that can accelerate the wound healing is crucial to NASA's space exploration mission.
Recent advances in molecular biology have offered promising opportunities for developing high-value transgenic plant materials that originally have no commercial utilities and for producing recombinant proteins in transgenic plants.  Such plant genetic engineering will not only benefit the agricultural industry by creating elite crop varieties with improved qualities and unique features but also benefit the pharmaceutical industry by developing plant-based antibodies and vaccines, which is cost-effective and safe.

A fundamental requirement for the development of transgenic plant materials is to have an effective gene transfer system, which is able to produce high transformation events.  Literature survey shows that existing transformation technologies face severe challenges with most of monocots and dicots cultivars.  However, gene transfer experiments conducted by WCSAR during STS-95 and STS-101 showed that the transformation rates were significantly higher than the same experiments conducted on ground, which opened a door for the commercial investment of space-based plant genetic research facilities.  The challenge is to develop in-flight analytical capability so that the science return is less dependent on the post mission process/analysis and the success of each flight.  For example, the gene transfer experiment WCSAR conducted during STS-107 experienced 100&#37; science loss due to the lack of analytical data during the flight.

The goal of this proposal is to develop an automated and ground-based controlled ISS-based research tool that is able to in-situ detect fluorescent proteins, the reporter genes widely used for in-vivo monitoring gene expression, using active imaging spectroscopy sensors.  Such technology can be incorporated into existing research facilities to enhance the science return, and minimize crew involvement time.  This is crucial to research fields of plant transformation, gene manipulation (sequencing/knocking out), and plant genomics.
NASA is pursuing novel technology for FTS instruments.  The use of the conventional actuator technology is limited by the weight of optical components.  The innovation of this Phase I lies in the application of composite membrane optics technology to device applications.  In particular, ultra-lightweight retroreflectors will be manufactured in Phase I.  Phase II will integrate this novel technology with stiff actuators.
This program will utilize a well-characterized Pulsed Plasma Thruster
(PPT) to test experimental high-energy extinguishable solid propellants
(HE), instead of standard Teflon propellant.  ET Materials LLC
originally formulated this material as an environmentally friendly
automotive airbag inflator propellant.  In preliminary testing, the
material was found suitable for use in PPTs.  Electric arc discharges of
the PPT apparently causes only thin surface layers of the energetic
propellant to be ignited, without uncontrolled propagation to underlying
propellant.  The current Isp of these propellants is ~225 sec. but newer
formulations appear to be reaching an Isp of 245 sec., essentially that
of ammonium perchlorate propellants. The relative thrust contribution
from plasma ionization and thermal expansion of non-ionized combustion
gases will determine how much the energetic fuel enhances PPT
performance. All testing and evaluation of the HE propellant will be
conducted using the Aerojet Modular Test Unit Pulsed Plasma Thruster.
This modular test unit was specifically designed to evaluate new flight
configurations of the EO-1 PPT design.  Using the high-energy propellant
in the EO-1 PPT, should increase dramatically increase.  This program
will provide NASA with directly applicable results for a high-energy
drop-in alternative propellant for the EO-1 PPT, providing new mission capabilities.
Lite Cycles, Inc. (LCI) proposes to develop a direct-detection Doppler lidar (D3L) technology called ELITE that improves the system optical throughput by more than an order of magnitude.  This improvement has the potential to enable wind sensing via Doppler lidar from spaceborne platforms, as well as improving the warning time for on-board clear air-turbulence (CAT) sensors used in commercial aircraft.  The ELITE concept will be modeled and tested in Phase-I, and the feasibility for spaceborne implementations will be assessed.  A prototype D3L system that utilizes the ELITE technology will be built and tested in Phase-II.  The test results will be used to assess the feasibility of ELITE-based spaceborne Doppler lidar.
Xinetics is poised to support NASA in answering questions such as:  When and how did the first stars form and what is the history of galaxy evolution and energy/element production in the universe?  We will contribute by developing an Ultra-Lightweight Large Aperture Cryogenic Active Mirror (Ultra-CAM) technology that operates near 5 K.   The Ultra-CAM design will provide an active, lightweight, stiff, large aperture mirror substrate to collect infrared (IR), far-IR and submillimeter (sub-mm) radiation from a space observatory.  Since the Earth?s atmosphere absorbs this part of the electromagnetic spectrum, far-IR and sub-mm wavelengths must be studied in space and at cryogenic temperatures.  These spectrums hold the key to answering these questions.  To avoid radiation noise from the telescope, the telescope including the primary mirror must be maintained near 5 K.  Xinetics? SiC and cryogenic actuator technologies have been performance tested and proven at cryogenic temperatures previously.   Since NASA is planning missions such as the Single Aperture Far-IR telescope (SAFIR) that will require deployable large aperture optics that operate near 5 K, Xinetics intends to develop the Ultra-CAM mirror technology necessary to achieve NASA?s future mission goals for programs such as SAFIR.
Crossfield is proposing to develop a low cost, single chip plant bio-monitor using an embedded MEMs based infrared (IR) spectroscopy gas sensor for carbon dioxide and oxygen sensing, a temperature sensor, a visible light sensor, and a MEMs based soil moisture sensor.  In addition, the signal conditioning, A/D converter, and processor will be implemented on the same monolithic chip, providing NASA with a smart biosensor chip for monitoring and data logging plant life environmental stress.  A second, commercially available chip will provide a wireless interconnect to a remote monitoring station, enabling any suitably equipped computer, such as a laptop or a fixed display station to monitor the condition of a networked array of such sensors.  The MEMs sensors are innovative Crossfield designs and the small, two-chip Wireless BioSensor is sufficiently low power to enable indefinite life time by energy scavenging from the environment.  Under Phase I, the system will be demonstrated using analysis, simulation, and a demonstration breadboard of key elements.  The monolithic sensor will be fully developed under a Phase II effort.
The current push to develop small satellites, referred to as microsatellites (&lt;100 kg) and nanosatellites (&lt;10 kg), has resulted in the need to miniaturize several key technologies, including the propulsion system. Trade studies have been performed for these small satellites, and optimization of the propulsion system with respect to mass shows that cold-gas systems will result in the lowest overall system mass despite their low specific impulse. One way to improve the overall performance of a cold-gas propulsion system without suffering a weight penalty is to use Tridyney instead of helium or nitrogen cold gas. Tridyne, a non-explosive mixture of nitrogen (or helium), hydrogen, and oxygen, offers a 20-28&#37; increase in specific impulse over nitrogen. The limitation of Tridyne for small satellites is that the particle size of commonly used granular catalysts is unsuitably large for use in a micronewton thruster. Coarse particles will result in propellant channeling with little reaction taking place, and a loss of performance. In this project, Ultramet proposes to build upon its experience with monolithic catalyst beds and develop a small, low pressure drop, monolithic catalyst bed optimized for use with Tridyne.
The proposed innovation will utilize self learning neural network technology to determine the structure of osteoporosis, immune system disease, and excess radiation DNA damage target proteins that will facilitate drug development to enhance crew health in long term space flight missions. This system is innovative because: 1) the proprietary neural networks will provide a unique understanding of the often non-linear crystallization process of the targets; 2) the system will objectively utilize the osmotic second virial coefficient to identify optimal screen components; 3) a commercial predictive database will be developed that may eliminate the need for initial crystallization screening and increase the rate of structure determination thus offering tremendous commercial potential as a fee based service.  This dual use innovation is applicable to subtopic B4.01 Space Commercialization because this approach will focus on the development of osteoporosis, immune system disease, and excess radiation DNA repair targets which will improve crew health on long term space missions and will provide an earth-based commercial service to drug discovery entities.
SiWave proposes to develop an innovative, ultra-compact, high resolution, long range LADAR system to produce a 3D map of the exterior of any object in space such as the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station or a future Space Solar Power Satellite to inspect for damage.  Our approach combines coherent optical detection with a small transmitting beam for high-speed scanning and fast electronics for image processing.  The use of coherent detection overcomes the problems of weak signals (due to the limited power) and signal fluctuations caused by surface roughness. The resulting LADAR system weighs less than 300 gm and has a resolution of 1 mm at 10 m.
The Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop a compact, robust in situ spectrometer capable of detecting multiple gas-phase species in planetary atmospheres with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity.  This instrument will employ a novel room-temperature, widely tunable mid-infrared laser source in conjunction with cavity ringdown spectroscopy.  During Phase I, the 3.3 to 3.5 &amp;#61549;m spectral region will be targeted, which overlaps the spectral absorption features of variety of hydrocarbons, including methane, ethane, and formaldehyde.  The ultra-high sensitivity of the proposed system will enable these species to be detected at concentrations below 7*107/cm3 per minute, which corresponds to a detection limit of &lt;30 pptv in Earth?s atmosphere.
Low cost, reliable atmospheric entry technology is needed to support NASA cargo recovery from the ISS, earth return of small payloads, planetary aerocapture, and planetary probe missions.  Fixed aeroshields and winged structures are well proven, but are not appropriate for many missions due to envelope, weight, and cost constraints.  Inflatable ballute technology offers a low weight, cost effective alternative.

Studies and demonstrations of ballute re-entry technology have focused on fixed drag designs (e.g., Small Payload Re-entry Inflatable Transporter (SPRINT), Inflatable Re-Entry Descent Technology (IRDT)).  Fixed drag results in large downrange landing dispersions that cause regulatory and recovery challenges.  A variable drag ballute significantly reduces downrange dispersions and allows trajectory tailoring to meet peak heating and deceleration constraints.

Andrews Space is pursuing a variable drag ballute system for re-entry of payloads.  The   aerodynamic and aeroelastic behavior of the ballute during the transonic regime is a key development issue.   The complexities of this flight regime warrant an early flight test.

The Phase I objectives are to design a ballute transonic flight experiment, design the test unit, and define test requirements and plans.  These preparations would lead to the construction and transonic flight testing of the variable drag ballute during Phase II.
Micro Analysis and Design (MA&amp;D) proposes to develop and build a tool to assist in the automated design and evaluation of graphical user interfaces (GUIs) under standard windowing environments.  GOMS (Goals, Operators, Methods and Selection Rules) based techniques provide a quantitative method for evaluating alternative system designs, but are labor intensive to create.  We propose abstracting the Keystroke Level Model GOMS technique to a higher level, the user interface component level.  This abstraction will be integrated into a tool that will combine goal and task data with a model of the interface to predict the time to accomplish the goal and the user interface efficiency.   The application will also provide a framework for the future development of metrics related to the interface design, user goals, and user characteristics.
This proposal is based on a new, compact, solid-state electric potential sensor that has over an order of magnitude lower voltage noise than the prior state-of-the-art. This proposal offers configuration of miniature sensors mounted on the extremities of a spacecraft or lander to measure the local electric potential, field, and field gradients at state-of-the-art levels. This technology has never before been adapted for specific NASA applications. This program will constitute a transition from DOD applications to NASA. We propose to study NASA requirements, set ranges for mission parameters, and optimize the electric sensor for related applications. We will design and test various configurations, and select space-qualified components for building the sensor. We expect to produce a sensor for detection of electrostatic field and its hazards with sensitivity beyond what is offered by current technology in use. The sensor has applications in the areas of military use, medical applications, lightning detection and prediction, geological science, and other scientific instrumentation.
TA&amp;T, Inc. proposes an enabling fabrication process for high voltage isolators required in high power solar electric and nuclear electric propulsion (SEP and NEP, respectively).  State-of-the-art propellant voltage isolators have sufficient performance for existing ion and Hall thruster engines with voltages of a few kilovolts.  However, future high thrust, high specific impulse (Isp) engines will have to support beam voltages &gt;10kV to meet performance requirements.  If existing isolator designs are simply scaled-up for higher voltages, then a significant mass penalty is incurred.  The proposed fabrication approach, known as ceramic stereolithography(CSL), is an automated, layered manufacturing process that enables net shape, monolithic ceramics with complex geometry.  The process is beneficial as a rapid, low cost fabrication approach that enables exploration of novel isolator designs with complex internal flow passages.  The process is also beneficial for isolator production, because it is capable of making the complex structures as a single piece ceramic, eliminating the liability associated with multi-piece construction necessary using conventional ceramic fabrication methods.  The Phase I project will involve process development, device design, prototype fabrication and testing in collaboration with Aerojet Corporation (Redmond, WA).
The Live from Space Station? Outreach Payload (LFSSOP) is a technologically challenging, exciting opportunity for university students to conduct significant research in the biological or physical sciences culminating in a university student built payload that is launched and placed on the International Space Station. Experiment features will be accessed and controlled by high school students via a Live From Space Station? (LFSS) Internet computer interface. A national competition for university students will be implemented to award the payload contract.  A separate national competition designed for elementary students will be initiated to help the university awardee name their payload.  Museums and science centers will be the LFSSOP curriculum dissemination and training sites, as well as public outreach sites intended to intrigue and excite individuals of all ages. Exhibit kiosks running LFSS systems data, audio, video and student payload-related computer interfaces will stimulate public interest in the space sciences and the uniqueness of on-orbit research.  Further, the excitement of working on a scientific problem, devising a payload to collect data, and analyzing results to prove a theory that will contribute to the body of knowledge in the biological or physical sciences will motivate and inspire students to study math and science.
RTI will design and optimize an 80 W, 77K cryocooler based on the reverse turbo Brayton cycle (RTBC) with four identical coldheads for distributed cooling. Based on preliminary analysis, the single centrifugal compressor with integrated motor will be 10 cm in diameter and 15 cm in length, and rotate at about 100,000 rpm. Each coldhead (consisting of a recuperative heat exchanger, turbo-expander and cold side heat exchanger) is expected to be about 6X6X15 cm in linear dimensions, and weighs about 0.2 kg. Key technical innovations are superior aerodynamics for a compact, reliable and efficient compressor, distributed RTBC cryocooling with a single compressor, and techniques to drastically minimize performance-degrading axial conduction in recuperative heat exchangers. Microfabrication is a key enabler for implementation of this concept. Phase I will involve system design, and design and fabrication of the compressor. The Phase II goal is to integrate the compressor with motor, electronics and gas foil bearings with a target isentropic efficiency of 80&#37; at a pressure ratio of 1.75. It is expected that the coefficient of performance of the overall RTBC system when completed would be at least 0.12, with the minimum and maximum cycle temperature being 64 K and 440 K respectively.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I proposal to NASA requests $69,367.13 support for Policell Technologies, Inc. to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a novel battery separator membrane having a selectable thermal shut-down temperature (from 60 to 120 deg C). The separator will be used for making high energy density rechargeable battery. This proposal responds to Topic Number F3.09, ?Power Technologies for Human Missions?.

The significance of the innovations is that with the use of the novel separator membrane, the resulting rechargeable lithium-ion battery will:1) have a selectable thermal shut-down temperature to meet the requirements for any particular application. Therefore, the battery will have an improved safety and reliability,2) offer higher energy density, 3) have longer cycle life, lower as well as stable impedance during charge-discharge cycling and 4) offer low cost since the separator could eliminate the use of such safety device as PTC and circuitry for lithium-ion battery.

The innovation in the separator will be to develop a separator system which has a selectable thermal shut-down temperature. 

The commercial applications include: used for rechargeable battery as mobile power sources for such devices as cellular phones, notebook computers, military used devices, and hybrid electric vehicles (HEV). The NASA applications include: mobile power sources for space.

The Principal Investigator, Luying Sun, Ph.D., is qualified to perform this work as he has been an expert in this field. Since 1993, the Principal Investigator has been involved in the research and development of separator membrane, electrolyte, and lithium-ion battery.
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase I proposal seeks to develop an ultrasensitive, multispecies sensor system for use in determining the efficacy of air revitalization systems in space vehicle environments such as the International Space Station (ISS). The proposed instrument will be capable of determining absolute concentrations of numerous target molecules in real time, including CO2, CH4, H2O, NH3, and CO.  Aside from CO and NH3, these species will be monitored with a precision and accuracy of 0.1&#37; for commonly encountered levels.  The detection limits (S/N=2) for CO and NH3 will be 50 and 5 ppbv, respectively.  This compact, lightweight instrument will be capable of long-term unattended operation, and require minimal power. The Phase I research will demonstrate the feasibility of the technology by performing measurements on priority targets using a bench-scale laboratory instrument that employs a single, frequency agile laser source.  The results of these tests will be used to quantify detection limits for a Phase II instrument that will employ a multiplexed diode-laser configuration. The proposed system will be capable of rapidly detecting numerous species with high precision and specificity. Commercial systems based on the Phase II prototype will be developed and marketed during Phase III.
The proposed innovation is a Powder Handling System (PHS) that will
deliver powdered samples to in situ planetary XRD instruments and
provide unique means of analysis optimization through real-time control
of the sample characteristics: internal motion for improved statistics,
continuous flow of material, controlled thickness, insertion of
calibration standard, etc.   The major improvements over conventional
sample handling are the simplicity of the system and the potential to
characterize larger grain-size material, resulting in a significant
relaxation of the constraints on sample preparation (grinding).
Proof-of-concept prototypes tested in a CheMin XRD/XRF instrument have
shown a dramatic enhancement of the quality of the XRD data, even with
samples that would normally be impossible to analyze. The PHS will
require few or no moving parts and will be robust, lightweight, and
compact enough to be imbedded in the host instrument.  While developed
primarily for XRD applications, the proposed technology could serve a
large variety of in situ instruments that require powdered materials.
This innovation is a key enabling technology for in situ XRD surface and
subsurface mineralogy characterization and directly addresses NASA needs
for defined Mars and Venus missions.
Space deployable and rigidizable structures which are ultra-lightweight, and have high rigidity, space durability, and high impact resistance are desirable to improve the reliability and affordability of space structures. Some of the components currently in use such as shelters or transhabs use double-wall thick films with high internal pressure.  All these hollow components are vulnerable in space because of the debris and meteorites that can strike them.  They will lose their functions if hit and damaged by foreign objects. Besides, these deployable structures in space typically rely upon electro-mechanical mechanisms and mechanically expandable booms to deploy structures and maintain them in space for use, which occupy over 90&#37; of the total mass budget in many cases. In this Phase I project, we propose to develop self-deployable, low-density microcellular foamed sandwiches from shape memory polymers or CHEM as structural components of space habitats.   Such a structural module can be compacted into a very small volume to facilitate launching.   The deployment energy is the heat from the sun.  This concept greatly simplifies the entire operation, reduction in weight and cost, and improves reliability.  They also feature great impact resistant.  Foams processed by the conventional chemical-blowing agent have toxicity problems. Our microcellular CHEM foamed sandwiches do not involve any toxicity and will have higher mechanical properties than those processed by the conventional techniques.
Visidyne proposes to develop a design for a small, lightweight, high resolution, in x, y, and z Doppler imager to assist in the guidance, navigation and control (GN&amp;C) of satellites as for a chaser-target vehicle type scenario.  It could therefore be used for rendezvous, circumnavigation, inspection and docking.
	Key elements for the design are Visidyne?s patented imaging LADAR or monocular 3-D camera design and an innovative, CCD chip extracted from MIT/Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC).  A novel feature is the ability to cancel, null any gross relative motions between vehicles, thereby greatly improving on the achievable attitude, pose precision.
Foster-Miller will demonstrate a novel processing method to develop environmentally resistant C/SiC composites for turbomachinery.  The need to reduce the weight, size, and costs of current systems make the use of SiC ideal in these high temperatures and extreme environments.  Traditional processing of SiC materials are inherently limited in terms of component thicknesses and overall sizes that can be processed, as well as uniform densification.  Also, pure SiC matrices are subject to attack in the environments expected for these components, e.g., hydrogen rich steam and oxygen rich environments.  

Foster-Miller proposes a protected C/SiC composite from preceramic polymer as a solution to NASA systems? weight, environmental resistance, and cost requirements.  A number of specimens will be fabricated to demonstrate mechanical strength, thermal capability, and environmental durability of these materials.  The Phase II program will demonstrate repeatability in properties and produce relevant CMC components that will be tested under simulated service conditions. (P-040053)
Picarro, Inc proposes to develop the first cavity ringdown spectroscopy (CRDS) system to measure fluorescence, absorption, and scattering properties of atmospheric aerosols in real-time and in-situ. These unique capabilities will enhance NASA?s studies of aerosol properties including single-scatter albedo, size distributions, and particle types. The fluorescence spectra will enable discrimination between biological and non-biological aerosols. The flight-deployable instrument will weigh less than 25 kg and have a measurement time resolution of 1 second. Our approach utilizes a high-finesse CRDS cavity to measure extinction and to enhance the scattering and fluorescence signals attainable using low power diode laser based light sources.
Higher detection efficiency and better radiation tolerance imagers are needed for the next generation of EUV instruments. Previously, CCD technology has demonstrated EUV instability as well as degraded performance in radiation environments. Fortunately, CMOS imager technology has evolved to the stage that it is now feasible to fabricate multi-pixel arrays of diodes that can be absolutely calibrated and that are robust against radiation damage. CMOS sensors are less susceptible to radiation damage of the type that would disable entire regions of a CCD sensor. Nevertheless, the technology requires improved radiation tolerance. There currently does not exist a high performance, rad hard, EUV CMOS sensor. 

To address these needs, Voxtel Inc. proposes to optimize the design of a radiation-hard, SOI CMOS back-illuminated EUV sensor with enhanced sensitivity and stable operation. The innovation?s reduced optical cross section (app. 500nm) increases the imager?s resolution, reduces radiation effects, and reduces the operating voltages required for silicon depletion. The ultra thin charge collection region is achieved through a novel, back-thinning method that offers superior manufacturability, stability, and reliability while maintaining compatibility with mainstream semiconductor fabrication processes. The low capacitance of SOI combined with our ultra-low noise amplifier design achieves previously unobtainable EUV imaging capabilities.
Future NASA programs like Tertiary Planet Finder (TPF) require high density deformable mirrors with upto 16,000 actuators to enable direct imaging of planets around distant stars. Xinetics has been developing high density module actuator arrays that will enable deformable mirrors to be fabricated with array sizes upto 128 by 128. These monolithic actuator arrays have eliminated the need for descrete wires by using internal electrical conductors that teminate at the back of the module. Concepts for electrical attachment using Ball Grid Arrays (BGA), Pin Grid Arrays (PGA) and conductive epoxies have been developed to allow laboratory testing and evaluation, but reliable interconnect technology must be developed that will allow the module mirror technology to meet space qualification requirements. Environmental requirements for the interconnect include radiation, mechanical, thermal and life cycle loads. The interconnect must also survive subsequent assembly processes including thermal and coating vacuum cycles. We are proposing under Phase I to investigate electrical interface options, materials and processes for the module arrays compatible with future space qualificaiton requirements. During a follow on Phase II a high density interconnect for a full scale 128 by 128 mirror would be built and assembly processes qualified with rigous testing.
The NASA Space Science Enterprise is studying various future missions to explore the Evolution of the Universe (SEU). For example, normal incidence telescopes with a primary optic of 40 m are being studied for deployment beyond geo-synchronous orbits (e.g. L2) and requiring operation to 4K. These missions will require optics of unprecedented optical tolerances to achieve scientific success and extremely low weight in order to be deployed. The optics will most certainly be adaptive in order to obtain initial optical figure and eliminate aberrations due to thermal or other environmentally induced drift. New actuation and control technology will be required to obtain areal densities well below that of 15kg/m2 currently being considered for the Webb Telescope. Light weight CERAFORM silicon carbide based optics with embedded actuation and sensing is the approach taken in this proposal for making a large primary segmented mirror. In addition, by using local mirror sensing and neural control technology, the computational complexity associated with an extremely high actuation count in a large optic system can be greatly reduced. These two technologies currently being developed with Xinetics will be integrated to demonstrate the feasibility of this approach to meet NASA goals.
Gamma titanium aluminide (TiAl) alloys with their low density (~3.9g/cm3), good elevated temperature strength, stiffness, creep resistance and acceptable burn and oxidation resistance have excellent potential for use in high temperature aerospace applications at temperatures between 500oC to 1000oC instead of the currently used high density (~8.9g/cm3) Ni-based superalloys. However, its poor intermediate and room temperature ductility cause conventional manufacturing operations such as rolling, forging or drawing to be difficult for titanium aluminides, thus leading to very high cost of TiAl components (currently up to $10,000 per 30? by 12? by 0.04? sheet from an offshore source, Plansee in Austria). In the proposed program cost-effective flat products (sheet/foil) and NNS ?chunky? components of monolithic TiAl and composites concepts (TiAl/Ti high-temp alloy/TiAl, TiAl/Ti3Al/TiAl, and TiAl/ceramic concepts) will be fabricated by a patented loose sintering approach. This low cost approach, which allows flexibility in gauge product, a hot pressing approach, microstructure and mechanical properties of the products as well as formability and joining/diffusion bonding capabilities will be evaluated with the goal of achieving the requirements for structural use. These components can be used in next generation launch vehicle airframe (experiencing extensive aerodynamic heating) and engine applications.
NASA?s program for Exploration of the Solar System requires
high-resolution microwave spectrometers for the analysis of chemical
composition and  physical properties of solar system atmospheres. The
anticipated results of the proposed R/R&amp;amp;D effort (Phase I and II),
if the project is successful, are to demonstrate experimentally the
first digital auto-correlation spectrometer on a single chip for
spaceborne microwave radiometers with the following important
characteristics: (a) a bandwidth of 200 MHz, (b) 4096 spectral channels
for high-resolution spectroscopy,  (c) less than 3 W power consumption,
(d) a mass of less that 800 grams, and (e) a space-qualifiable design
and fabrication technology.  The innovative approach proposed for
achieving these  significant objectives consists of a synergistic
combination of the following: (a) a unique parallel architecture that
will reduce the operating clock frequency,  relative to a single-stream
architecture, by a factor of 2 and consequently will lower significantly
the power consumption,  (b) novel differential analog and digital
circuits that will improve robustness while operating in the presence of
total dose natural radiation found in the space environment, and (c) an
advanced 0.13 um CMOS fabrication process  available from IBM for
manufacturing high-performance, low-power, reliable,  and robust (total
dose radiation and latch-up resistant) space-qualifiable chips.
For a distributed aperture sensor, especially at infrared and optical wavelengths, the relative position of the aperture components must be known and controlled precisely.  When the aperture components are on separate independent spacecraft, determining the relative range and bearing is the challenge our proposed innovation addresses.  The estimation of the relative range and bearing will be used in the positioning and control of remote sensors.  Using a laser cross-link between the spacecraft, the fine positioning (25 cm) stage can be accomplished using the network protocols, message structure and by leveraging a balanced system of range and synchronization we have developed and employed on experimental and operational systems.  For hyperfine position (1 micron) we propose to use the same cross-link since the laser wavelength is the same size as the requirement.  Tuning is accomplished by setting up an interference pattern between the two satellite laser beams and adjusting the focal plane for the maximum intensity.   To solve the phase ambiguity that will arise, we propose to further modulate the lasers with a pseudo-random noise code and integrate over several code chip intervals to resolve the ambiguity and reach the 1 micron requirement.
Trace contamination of the International Space Station (ISS) by formaldehyde?a known carcinogen? is a significant potential threat to crew health.  The spacecraft maximum allowable concentration (SMAC) in air is only 40 parts per billion and ambient concentrations appear to be increasing as formaldehyde outgasses from a variety of plastic components.  Monitoring formaldehyde levels is difficult because few analytical methods can achieve sufficient sensitivity from instrumentation that can be adapted for space-based operation.  The current detection method ? using absorbent ?badges? ? relies on post-flight analysis of the adsorbent material.  Some of those measurements show formaldehyde concentrations close to the SMAC upper bound.  As a result, a need exists for a reliable, fully automated analyzer that can provide continuous monitoring of formaldehyde concentrations on board the ISS.  The target detection sensitivity is 10 ppb and the response time should be &amp;#8804;10 minutes.  Southwest Sciences proposes the development of an optical analyzer for formaldehyde that is expected to meet the requirements of space-based operation.  The instrument will be compact, light weight, require little electrical power and no consumables, and will be able to operate for extended periods (months to years) without maintenance or re-calibration.
The new generation of, high performance electric propulsion missions will require high mass throughput and most likely the use of grided ion thruster equipped with carbon based grids will be required to meet the extremely high life requirements.  However, because of the high susceptibility of these carbon based grids to damage during recycle event they will require a low stored energy beam power DC-DC converter.   An innovative three-phase resonant DC converter, which produces high levels of DC beam power with minimal stored energy is proposed.  This new design combines proven industrial technologies with a innovative new design that relies on combined outputs of phase-shifted converters to produce a low ripple DC voltage without output filtering. It is anticipated that stored energy can be reduced by two orders of magnitude when compared to the ?present state of the art? converters.  Additionally, the resonant power conversion topology facilitates both higher switching frequencies and power densities, which in turn lowers power module mass.  Once complete, these new DC-DC converters will significantly increase the current state of the art by reducing both the stored output energy and mass of the beam DC-DC converter.  These changes will enable the present state of the art carbon based grids to obtain the required life for high performance deep space missions.
This project focuses on providing an infrastructure to aid the building
of ontologies from existing NASA applications, in a manner that leads to
long-term risk reduction. Currently numerous stove-pipe systems are in
existence in the ISS (International Space Station) and Space Shuttle
Program (SSP) which need to be integrated for studying the operational
trade-offs through various risk-analysis tools. However, knowledge
inside and across such systems has to be captured in ontologies for such
systems, at appropriate abstraction levels and in a reliable manner, so
that they can be analyzed holistically by existing tools. Based on our
experience in using a clustering approach for analyzing knowledge bases
from both NASA and non-NASA systems, we propose to build a semantic
mediation toolkit that focuses on providing various types of ontological
engineering aids during knowledge entry, leading to long-term quality
assurance and interoperability of NASA systems. In Phase I of this
project, the feasibility of applying Pragatiys MVP-CA methodology on a
candidate system relevant to NASA will be demonstrated. In particular we
will demonstrate feasibility of automating detection of ontological
concepts, quality assurance issues and mapping and merging of concepts
from NASA systems so as to lead to long-term risk reduction. The
ultimate aim of the project is to reduce the risks involved in utilizing
ontologies built for NASA systems.
ZONA proposes to investigate a novel family of algorithms designed to solve the boundary condition identification problem (BCIP) to extract accurate multi-dimensional heat transfer coefficient maps that are required for the design of advanced/revolutionary turbomachinery components. ZONA will develop, implement, and verify FILM-ID a general-purpose package based on a Boundary Element Method (BEM) inverse algorithm for accurate retrieval of multi-dimensional film coefficient distributions (h) using either transient or steady temperature inputs. This method can be used with broad-band or narrow-band thermochromic crystal or laser induced fluorescence thermal imaging techniques and incorporates a new technique which provides robustness to input temperature uncertainties. The proposed method is flexible and easy to implement for examination of arbitrarily complex geometries encountered in turbomachinery as it requires only surface mesh.  

Phase I will focus on: (1) establishing the importance of the multi-dimensional modeling of the inverse boundary identification problem, (2) developing analytical methods for narrow-band thermochromic liquid crystal, and (3) fine-tuning the regularization process. Phase II will focus on code development, extensive verification, extension to 3-D modeling, and development of user-friendly interfaces and help manuals. It is anticipated that the proposed method will replace the conventional 1-D method for heat transfer coefficient retrieval.
Hyperspectral sensors offer great opportunities for increasingly sensitive automated target recognition (ATR) systems though a common problem is the lack of sufficient training data.  Also, the inherent high dimensionality of hyperspectral signatures requires the design of a hyperspectral ATR to have a large number of training samples.  This is due to the fact that the number of training samples required is directly related to the dimensionality of the classifier.  In order to avoid this problem, the hyperspectral datasets must be preprocessed, thereby reducing the dimensionality to an acceptable level.  Other challenges include uncertainty associated with measurements and missing/sparse data sets.  To meet these challenges, the PERL Research and Mississippi State University will develop a unique ATR system for data reduction and rapid analysis of hyperspectral data.  Our proposed approach is based on the integration of two concepts:  localized discriminant bases and support vector machines.  Our proposed ATR system will be able to rapidly cope with limited/sparse training data while producing optimal target recognition accuracies.  Furthermore, the ATR will provide a unique capability for easy integration with various sensors and other ATR systems.
This innovative SBIR Phase I proposal will develop new binder systems
through the systematic investigations to tailor required unique
performance properties and reliability through tailoring Nano-cluster
chemistry. The efforts address a critical need of NASA which plans to
undertake challenging missions in high radiation orbits for high power
thermal management. This feasibility evaluation mainly proposed to
fulfill the material and the knowledge gap, and to present concepts for
the new class of binder material chemistries that are dielectrically
engineered with required secondary emission properties. The proposed
efforts also for first time investigate possible proton quenching
concepts that can help also in mitigating proton damage. Thus, this
timely proposal can fulfill the need of the multifunctional binder that
has an excellent thermal shock performance and potential to improve the
affordability. The phase I efforts will generate needed data to suggest
the processing success windows and the efforts to carry out further
optimization of the binder material system during the phase II efforts.
The proposed NASA Phase I SBIR will generate closed-cell foam thermal protection system materials which do not need waterproofing, and which can be applied as a coating to replace impregnation densification processes and which can potentially protect critical structural elements from penetration of hot reentry gases in the event of damage to the external insulation.  Specifically, the program will demonstrate preceramic-polymer derived syntactic foams and  plasma sprayed syntactic foam coatings which can survive exposures to 2500 F erosive gases while being waterproof and able to withstand high pressure water-jet cleaning processes.  The proposed foams and low density TBC?s could replace a portion of the foam insulation on the SRB and external tank, as well as providing a backup TBC to protect space transportation system structures in the event of localized insulation failure.
Efficient and stable clock signal generation requirements at extreme
temperatures and high radiation are not met with the current solutions.
Chronos Technology proposes to evaluate RTXO as a new and comprehensive
solution that simultaneously addresses the requirements of a reliable
clock source in extreme environments. RTXO utilizes the larger band-gap,
smaller intrinsic carrier concentration, high radiation tolerance and
extreme temperature capabilities of Silicon Carbide (Sic-4H)
semiconductor technology. We will validate (thru FEA &amp;amp; other
analysis) the trade-offs of advanced, high-Q Quartz and Gallium
orthophosphate resonator material (in thickness shear mode resonance),
configuration, processing, electronic interface and a matched mechanical
support structure. Packaging technology approach addresses the unique
needs of integrating an environmentally sensitive high-Q resonator
operating in the same environment as the rest of the components.
Suitable processes will be evaluated to yield reliable and repeatable
manufacturing of RTXO as a viable and real life solution. All the
different elements and processes identified in this solution must comply
and dovetail in order for a compact, robust, mono-metallically
interconnected and hermetically sealed housing configuration
(interconnection) to encapsulate the assembly. RTXO technical objective
is to deliver exceptional performance over temperature ranges from
-100?C and exceeding 400?C and radiation exceeding 300Krad (TID).
In the Phase I research, Surface Optics Corporation (SOC) demonstrated a durable silver mirror coating based an ion assisted, thermal evaporation process.  The recipe for this durable silver mirror system was developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) but was based on a reactive sputtering process.   In the Phase II research, process scale-up issues will be addressed so that the process may be implemented in SOC's large aperture coating facility.  SOC recently developed a novel vacuum coating system that utilizes a translating electron beam evaporation source.  This system is capable of producing highly uniform optical films on curved substrates up to 3-meters in diameter.  The combination of SOC's novel manufacturing methods and LLNL's coating designs, will establish a unique and very valuable coating resource for the astronomical community.
High information content electronic displays remain the most difficult element of the human-machine interface to effectively miniaturize.  Mobile applications need a high-definition display small enough to variously be comfortably worn, easily integrated into crowded cockpits, or fit into spacecraft workspaces?environments where even current LCD flat panels, especially when their power sources and waste heat are considered, are much too large.  In particular, NASA would benefit from: high-resolution displays worn inside the space suit to enhance EVA productivity, wide-field stereo displays for robotic teleoperators, head-up displays (HUD) for spacecraft and vehicle guidance, and lightweight low-power displays for long-duration space habitats.  We propose here to develop microdisplay modules that are radically smaller, radically brighter, and have radically lower power consumption than previously available technology.  These modules will enable all the use modes shown in Figure 1.  The new display electronic architectures and pixel designs, novel folded reflective viewing optics, and efficient LED illuminators to be developed here will extend our proven low-cost commercial display platform to meet these higher resolution and performance requirements, while enabling private-sector electronic viewfinder (EVF) and micro-projector applications with potential annual revenues exceeding $50 million.
TRS Technologies proposes to develop low-temperature multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) capable of operating at cyrogenic temperatures (&lt;77K).  These capacitors will be based upon quantum paraelectrics and relaxor ferroelectrics. The MLCCs will have high volumetric efficiencies, low dielectric losses, and a reduced temperature coefficient of capacitance.  In the Phase I program TRS will fabricate MLCCs that operate at or below 77K and will demonstrate their feasibility for cryogenic capacitors by characterizing the dielectric properties (capacitance, loss, insulation resistance, breakdown strength, etc.) at temperature from 12K to 300K.
This proposal is responsive to NASA 2003 SBIR Topic E2.05, ?On-Board Propulsion," addressing Thruster Technology and in particular "Suitability of propellant gellation to enhance operability and performance of in-space propulsion operations." EERGC Corporation proposes to address the solicitation objective in cooperation with subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Technology (NGST) Propulsion Systems (formerly TRW Space and Electronics Propulsions Systems Center), the leader in gel propellant technology. The innovation is the development of formulations (and development methodologies) for optimizing high-performance particulate-loaded bipropellant gels to maximize specific thrust, taking into account not only composition but the effect of particle size on maximum loading and on combustion performance. The approach is an innovation as it quantifies the maximum attainable loading for given particle size, and the subsequent tradeoff with impacts on combustion efficiency due to incomplete solid phase burnout if particles are large. The method also allows the physical properties of the gel to be optimized. The project is relevant as it improves the competitiveness of gelled bipropellants with equivalent liquids, while incorporating the safety and handling advantages of gels. The proposed program takes gel technology beyond that developed by EERGC under prior and ongoing DoD programs.
Altitude compensating nozzles continue to be of interest for use on future launch vehicle boosters and upper stages because of their higher mission average Isp and superior packaging efficiency compared with conventional bell nozzle designs. The plume physics and performance of altitude compensating nozzles have been characterized through extensive cold gas wind tunnel testing, limited hot gas testing, and computational fluid dynamic modeling. However, no altitude compensating nozzle has ever been validated in flight. Questions remain regarding performance through the critical transonic regime (Mach 0.6-1.5) where a high degree of interaction is expected between the external flow around the vehicle and the hot gas plume. A Phase I study is proposed to establish feasibility of validating transonic performance for an altitude compensating nozzle using the NASA F15B Propulsion Flight Test Fixture. Under this Phase I program we will derive requirements for the test, develop preliminary designs for the flight test article, establish test plans and procedures, coordinate closely with the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to assure experiment safety and seamless integration with the F15B/PFTF, finalize plans for Phase II, and document our results. Test article fabrication, integration, and testing will be performed during a subsequent Phase II effort.
The goal of Phase I study was to investigate advanced pattern recognition techniques for use in fault diagnosis. Three individual experts have been developed based on Auto Associative Neural Networks (E-AANN), Kohonen Self Organizing Maps (KSOM), and the Radial Basis Function based Clustering (RBFC) algorithms. We have used a Matlab Simulink model of a Chiller system to test our algorithms. The set of individual experts are later managed by a Gated Expert algorithm which assigns the experts based on their best performance regions. 
In Phase II, we propose to implement our results on two dynamic systems.  The first is a Chiller system at the Texas A&amp;M University.  The second is an engine under study in Pratt and Whitney under a contract to Professor George Vactsevanos from Georgia Tech. The end deliverable of Phase II will be a complete dynamic Case Based Reasoning (GED-CBR) system managed by a Gated Experts algorithm all coded in Matlab. GED-CBR will be highly applicable to dynamic systems that can benefit from the power of Dynamic Case Based Reasoning managed by a powerful Gated Experts architecture.  It is expected that GED-CBR will find applications in prognostics of the nuclear reactor on board the JIMO spacecraft.
Lightweight, high-temperature radiators are needed for future, high-efficiency power conversion systems for Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP).  Creare has developed flexible radiators that are extremely lightweight, stowable in small volumes, and deployable with small forces, but are limited by materials to temperatures below 350 K. These novel radiators incorporate integral micrometeorite protection.  Our innovation is a material combination and fabrication method that produces radiator panels with low weight, high fin efficiency, and excellent strength at temperatures.  Our goal is to provide a radiator technology based on prior technologies and provides a major advancement toward NASA's goals for light weight and high temperature operation in advanced radiators.  The innovative approach does not require development of new materials, simply refinement of processes to join standard metal tubes and foils in the configuration desired.  In Phase I we proved the feasibility of the concept and demonstrated the ability of the panel to operate at high temperature.  Our lightweight radiator panel offers a factor of four reduction in weight compared with present honeycomb structures and will approach 1.5 kg/m? at a fin efficiency approaching 80&#37;.  During Phase II we propose to build, test, and deliver an subscale radiator that demonstrates the advantages of the technology.
Aseptic plant culture plays a significant role in biotechnology and plant physiology research, and in vegetative propagation of many plant species. The development of an Aseptic Plant Culture System would provide a mechanism for experimentation as well as for transporting and storing vegetatively propagated plant material in space. Most culture systems are passive, with no environmental monitoring or control. This project proposes to develop an environmental control and monitoring system for sterile culture that can accommodate, without modification, a variety of standard culture vessels. The system would consist of a modular base unit into which culture vessels can be plugged as desired. Multiple vessel sizes and shapes could be accommodated with a generic connector system. Environmental parameters controlled and monitored would include light level and spectral quality, photoperiod, air and media temperature, humidity, and atmospheric composition. Using innovative, high precision miniature environmental control components allows each vessel to maintain independent control setpoints if desired. Subsystem modularity means the system can be reconfigured for use in specific carriers or to meet an investigator's specific need. Particular challenges include development of a miniaturized humidity control system, precise control of the gaseous environment in small volumes, and maintaining sterility for extended periods.
Reduced-mass polymer composite materials are crucial to the success of aerospace systems for reducing vehicle weight.  But, composite material adoption is inhibited because the autoclave consolidation required is prohibitively expensive for the large tanks and skins contemplated in the Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) Program.  To remedy this, NASA-LaRC has been developing cost-effective, lightweight, high-performance thermoplastic composite materials for years.  These materials have the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of large aerospace structures, because they allow processing without resorting to hugely expensive autoclaves.  Unfortunately, NASA lacks a robust, cost-effective fabrication process to tape-place these emerging materials into laminates and to build contoured structure, and thus can't evaluate usefulness of NASA materials.

This SBIR II program fabricates for NASA-LaRC the automated deposition head successfully designed in the recent SBIR I to complete the tape placement process and in situ consolidation without an autoclave.  The composite deposition head, creel, and associated machine and process control system Accudyne will build in Phase II is designed to operate on NASA-LaRC's tape layer.    

Automated deposition heads can later be sold to industrial companies for existing tape layers and placement machines so that industry can benefit from NASA composite materials by using out-of-the-autoclave thermoplastic tape placement.
We propose to develop the NJM Sense-It system based on small sensor tags, which include a cardiopulmonary MEMS sensor for measuring heartbeat and breath rates continuously. In addition, the proposed sensor system can be operated in extended bandwidth mode to measure detail cardiopulmonary pattern upon control from the reader. The system operates using a central reader at 915 MHz with as many as 32 sensor tags. A single sensor worn as a Band Aid-like adhesive or strapped tag on the astronaut monitors cardiopulmonary activities. Additional sensors are worn depending on the detail of heart and lung sounds diagnosis data desired. This system has the advantage that tag sensors measuring many additional physiological functions can be added at later date. The extended bandwidth cardiopulmonary data can be displayed locally or telemetered to earth stations and reviewed by clinicians in any situation as desired.
Polarimetric SAR interferometry (PolInSAR) is a recently developed synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imaging mode that combines the capabilities of radar polarimetry and interferometry, as well as adding new capability from a synthesis of the two techniques.  PolInSAR holds the promise of being able to provide unique data that can be of great value to the earth science community.  By observing scattering volumes such as vegetation canopies, ice sheets, and dry soils using this new SAR technique, one can obtain and decompose scattering from within that volume.  In traditional SAR imaging, all scattering that arises from within a three-dimensional resolution cell of the volume is collapsed into a single pixel value due to the layover effect.  PolInSAR provides a method of separating the various scattering center locations based on their polarimetric properties.  PolInSAR techniques, therefore, can address many issues of interest to the vegetation and environmental community, providing measurements of foliage structure and density, and potentially contribute directly to our understanding of the carbon cycle budget.
Silicided niobium alloy (C103) combustion chambers have been used extensively in both NASA and DoD liquid rocket propulsion systems. Niobium alloys offer a good combination of temperature capability, density, and cost, while the silicide coating has been successful in providing moderate oxidation resistance and use temperature. However, for many current applications the silicide coating is now proving to be the limiting factor in achieving the required chamber performance and/or lifetime, and the chamber manufacturing cost is excessive. NASA is seeking advanced bipropellant propulsion systems for Earth science spacecraft and space exploration vehicles, while DoD is seeking economical and high-performance bipropellant thrusters for liquid divert and attitude control systems in kinetic energy kill vehicles for ballistic missile defense (a high-volume application). These goals cannot be achieved using standard silicided C103 chambers. In this project, Ultramet proposes to develop and demonstrate a combustion chamber with substantially improved manufacturability, cost, and performance. In Phase I, Ultramet successfully demonstrated both improved chamber manufacturing and a more robust and higher performance oxidation-resistant coating as a replacement for the silicide. This was accomplished through a unique manufacturing process involving low temperature spray deposition of C103 on removable plastic mandrels produced by rapid prototyping. Thin vapor-deposited platinum coatings were shown to substantially improve oxidation resistance relative to the standard silicide coating. In Phase II, Ultramet will expand upon the Phase I results by performing a comprehensive optimization of the combustion chamber processing including mandrel development, cold-spray material/process optimization, and oxidation-resistant coating optimization. Performance will then be demonstrated through hot-fire testing.
The development and performance evaluation of new carbon/carbon (C/C) and carbon/silicon-carbide (SiC) composite structural components has been hampered by the lack of reliable strain sensors that can survive up to the exceedingly high temperatures (3000 F) up to which these materials must be tested. Existing off-the-shelf high-temperature strain sensors, including free filament electrical strain gages and optical fiber based strain sensors, currently do not have the necessary performance characteristics to tackle the next generation of C/C and SiC composite material testing programs. Free filament electrical strain gages cannot be used reliably over 1800 F (1000 C) and conventional optical fiber strain sensors with the appropriate protective metal coatings can operate reliably only up to close to the melting point of the silica (2000 F/1100 C). To meet the growing needs for strain sensors that can withstand future high temperature testing regimes, Lambda Instruments, Inc. proposes to develop sapphire optical fiber sensors. The 3600 F (1987 C) melting temperature of optical quality sapphire fibers, their low profile geometry, and the inherent immunity of optical fiber sensors to electromagnetic interference make sapphire fiber-based sensors particularly well suited for the proposed application.
Aquilent, Inc. proposes to support the effort of Virtual Space Physics Observatory (VSPO) by developing services to expand the VSPO search capabilities, developing tools that facilitate metadata conversion and input, and integrating existing standalone visualization applications to operate in the VSPO environment. 

This proposal seeks to:
?	Enable scientists to execute advanced search queries. (Queries which rely on more then product description metadata)
?	Enable scientists to utilize VSPO middleware capabilities directly from visualization applications.
?	Develop services that provide support for advanced search queries. Integrate these services into the VSPO architecture.
?	Develop a metadata editor tool, designed to simplify metadata entry/mapping associated with describing data products. 
?	Integrate standalone visualization applications such as ViSBARD[1] to work seamlessly with VSPO middleware.
Enabling a new generation of high speed civil aircraft will require breakthrough developments in propulsion design, including novel techniques to optimize inlet performance across a wide speed range.  Maximizing propulsive performance while minimizing weight and mechanical complexity is a key goal for such systems, and rapidly maturing smart materials technology can enable adaptive control of inlet geometry to allow in-flight optimization of engine flows.  This proposal will build on established device technology using high strength Shape Memory Alloy (SMA)  actuators and will initiate development of adaptive inlets for high speed applications.  Leveraging prior work in design and testing of SMA devices in challenging aerospace and marine applications will allow a jump start in development a family of actuation and flow control devices suitable for use in practical flight applications.  Actuation systems employing a combination of high temperature SMA alloys and active heat control systems will be developed, along with complementary analysis and design tools for aero/thermo analysis of integrated actuators.  The modeling and benchtop testing work proposed for Phase I will lay the groundwork for testing in representative high speed conditions in Phase II.
The integration of the analysis tools with the advanced visualization capabilities in The Intelligent Flight Support System (IFSS)  can provide a unique method for investigating dynamic spatial problems.  The IFSS will use a simple joystick driven navigation paradigm to navigate throughout the environment by simply flying through the space.  In this manner, the FC has the ability to move around and into the ISS while maintaining a fixed gaze towards the ISS.  This allows the FC to view the ISS and Space Shuttle from different perspectives and perform several different analyses that provide input to the IFSS visualization software.  The user interface will be comprised of two distinct data and intelligent components.  The data component provides FCs with all currently used displays at MCC while the intelligent component is used to provide the FCs with what-if, goal-seeking and graphing capabilities.  In addition, an expert system will be embedded in the intelligent component allowing FCs to perform more sophisticated analysis, such as dual angle operations, feathering for docking, shadow analysis, auto tracking.
Barron Associates, Inc. proposes to develop a novel on-line trajectory optimization approach for Reusable Launch Vehicles (RLVs) under failure scenarios, targeting alternative abort-landing sites.  Key features of the proposed approach are:
An innovative on-line optimization approach: By describing decision variables (variables whose optimal solutions are sought) in terms of appropriate basis functions, the trajectory optimization problem can be reformulated to find the relatively few basis function coefficients that characterize the desired trajectory. This significantly reduces the search domain, enabling rapid convergence to feasible solutions.  This key idea will be coupled with a numerical optimization approach known as Piecewise Linear Programming (PLP), which has been used successfully in related programs requiring on-line, real-time optimal solu-tions.
A generic bootstrapping capability: To improve the speed and robustness of the on-line procedure, a method will be developed to generate initializing trajectories for the on-line optimization that are suitable for all recoverable ranges, vehicle configurations, energy conditions, and abort scenarios.
Phase I simulation studies will demonstrate on-line generation of alternative re-entry trajectories for dif-ferent landing targets and vehicle configurations.  Computation time and accuracy will be assessed from the simulation studies.
Many future advances in NASA's ability to perform cutting edge space science will require improvements in cryogenic system technology, including the development of light-weight, low vibration, highly-efficient, long-life cryocoolers. One such cooler, currently under development, is the pulse-tube/reverse-Brayton (PT/RB) hybrid cooler. Of critical importance to success of the PT/RB is the development of the small-scale turbine required for the reverse-Brayton stage. We propose to build such a turbine for inclusion in a brassboard PT/RB soon to be constructed under a separate contract. The turbine will incorporate pressurized bearings that generate a supporting force by applying a high-pressure source of gas to a flow restriction that exhausts into the bearing clearance and onto the turbine shaft surface. Pressurized bearings provide support even in the absence of shaft rotation and therefore eliminate rubbing contact and increase the life and reliability of the bearing. Also, because pressurized bearings do not directly depend on viscous action for operation, relatively larger clearances can be used without significantly sacrificing rotordynamic performance at low temperatures, thus making them cost effective.
We offer a novel liquefier that has the potential to simultaneously increase thermodynamic efficiency and significantly reduce complexity.  The ?active gas regenerative liquefier? (AGRL) uses an array of discrete micro compressor-expander units  in a periodic heat exchanger to accomplish extremely efficient liquefaction of hydrogen and other cryogenic fluids.  When an array of these units are combined into a highly effective regenerator with excellent heat transfer, low pressure drop, and low longitudinal conduction, the potential for a extremely efficient regenerative refrigerator and/or liquefier is created.  The capability to directly couple the compression of a working gas within a unit with the simultaneous expansion of a working gas within the same unit allows distributed work input and recovery from near ambient temperature to cryogenic temperatures as low as ~20 K.  By using this micro compressor-expander unit, the net work input is reduced substantially to that required for a very efficient refrigeration cycle, no matter what the temperature span of the liquefier.
Effort explores using innovative hybrid reinforced carbon-carbon, refractory ceramics, super alloys and composite materials as thermal protection system specifically in the 4000?F range with leading edge radii of between 0.03? and 1.0?. The RLV leading edge is the primary TPS that space vehicles use re-entering the atmosphere traveling at hypersonic speeds. Depending on the Mach number spacecraft surface temperatures are as high 4000?F. 

The shape of the RLV leading edge, primarily the radius affects the functionality of the spacecraft including RLV drag, lift and leading edge aero-thermal heating. Sharper leading edges create lift and re-entry cross range capabilities. The downside of sharp leading edges is that aero-thermal heating is increased, resulting in steep thermal gradients. These thermal gradients create high thermal stresses. Blunt leading edges leading edges have less thermal gradient and therefore thermal stresses are lower. However, the cross range capabilities of the vehicle are reduced.

Tasks include parametric definition of hybrid composite material architectures RLV leading edge for maximum lift, cross range and durability at temperatures of 4000?F for radii in the 0.03 to 1? range. The goal is finding the optimal hybrid composite material combinations/coatings and architectures for given leading edge radii. RLV.      

Analyses for hybrid leading edge designs include: Micro-mechanical material computations for hybrid material property, calculation of leading edge aerothermal heating heat transfer coefficient, heat rate and pressure load as a function of leading edge radius. Transient heat transfer analyses for calculation of leading edge thermal gradients. Thermal stress analyses using temperature gradients. Evaluation of leading edge response, as a function of hybrid material architecture via material failure ratios. 

The result of these analyses will provide the best hybrid material candidates and RLV leading edge designs.
Automated detection of land cover changes between multitemporal images has long been a goal of the remote sensing discipline.  Most research in this area has focused on methods for detecting and categorizing changes captured by two or more images [Jensen, 1991, Singh, 1989; Coppin and Bauer, 1996], but precise coregistration of images is required and remains a key challenge [Dai and Khorram, 1998, Stow and Chen, 2002, Verbyla and Boles, 2000].  This SBIR project team proposes to develop a software package specifically optimized for automatic and precise coregistration of two or more images, which will in turn enable change detection algorithms to focus on salient changes rather than highlight image registration errors.  In accordance with this subtopic?s guidance to  ??focus on the systems engineering aspect of application development rather than fundamental research??, our project will emphasize integration of state of the art methods to create a flexible, robust, and easy to use tool.   Presuming success through Phase II, this will enable NASA researchers and unsophisticated users to minimize or eliminate false ?changes? caused by image coregistration errors and thus increase utilization of Earth Science observations from NASA sensors and other data sources (IKONOS, aerial photography, etc.).
The overall goal of this program (through Phase III) is to develop an astrobiology analyzer to measure chemical signatures of life in extraterrestrial settings.  The analyzer will employ a lab-on-a-chip to extract biochemical signatures from soil or water samples and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy to detect and identify the signatures.  The goal of the Phase I program is to demonstrate feasibility by separating mixtures of amino acids in SER-active sol-gel capillary columns.  This will be accomplished by developing new sol-gels that selectively extract the amino acids from flowing water, while at the same time providing SER activity to identify the amino acids, individually and as a class.  The Phase II work will design, build and test the proposed prototype lab-on-a-chip analyzer.  This will be accomplished by incorporating the sol-gel coated capillaries into a lab-on-a-chip, and performing chemical separation and Raman signal enhancement sufficiently to identify chemical signatures of life.
For Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV), Either a Rocket-based or Turbine-based Combined Cycle (RBCC or TBCC) engine will power the Next Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV). Both TBCC and RBCC engines include operation as a scramjet. The RBCC and TBCC environments are exceedingly hostile, and actively cooled components are likely to play critical roles in both engines. The development of actively cooled fiber-reinforced ceramic (FRC) composites for combined cycle engines has the potential to increase performance and reduce component cost by replacing exotic metals, such as rhenium.  Unfortunately, effective methods of processing FRCs are lacking, and active cooling strategies cumbersome. In addition, reliable methods of inspecting FRC components after manufacture and following assembly are needed.  Thor Technologies, Inc. will team with Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and and engine company to validate an innovative process that produces novel hybrid metal/FRC composite materials suitable for use in combined cycle engines, with the goal of developing an actively cooled FRC nozzle. In addition, Thor Technologies will work with another small business to refine non-destructive evaluation (NDE) methods with the potential for assuring the quality of hybrid metal/FRC composites as manufactured and following assembly.
Architecture Technology Corporation (ATC) will design, model, implement, and demonstrate extensible, embedded agents that will continuously adapt the behavior of the Internet-standard Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) to the unique requirements of near-Earth space communications.  These embedded agents will enable TCP to adapt its behavior based on exogenous information, such as satellite ephemeris and ground station locations, or the current characteristics of the communications path as determined by lower-level protocols or periodic end-to-end tests.  By extending the transport protocol, this approach will improve near-Earth communications for all higher-level protocols that use TCP, such as FTP or HTTP, and will eliminate the need to modify these applications for space communications.  Initially, embedded TCP agents will enable TCP to maintain sessions, transparently to applications, across temporary losses of communications, such as when a satellite passes between ground stations.  Embedded agents can easily be extended to mitigate other effects of near-Earth communications, such as variable latencies or bit error rates.  While TCP has been widely researched, modeled, and extended, embedded TCP agents are unique in providing an extensible, production-quality platform for quickly integrating cutting-edge research results into products that will support the unique needs of near-Earth space communications and other demanding communications environments.
Future manned space exploration missions will require high power electric propulsion.  VASIMR thrusters are the most attractive option because they offer short transit times and low propellant usage.  A key component in VASIMR thrusters is the cryogenic electromagnets.  Cooling systems for the magnets do not currently exist.  The innovation of the proposed project is a high-capacity turbo-Brayton cryocooler for thermal management of VASIMR electromagnets.  The cryocooler has heritage in the space-qualified unit that was developed by Creare for the Hubble Space Telescope.  Turbo-Brayton cryocoolers are ideal for space applications because they are lightweight, compact, efficient, highly reliable and have long maintenance-free lifetimes (&gt;10 years).  Furthermore, the technology scales well to high cooling capacities and is inherently simple to integrate with multiple cooling objects; attributes that are particularly beneficial for VASIMR systems.  In Phase I we will design thermal management systems for VASIMR thrusters at power levels consistent with near-term flight experiments and future manned space exploration missions.  During Phase II, we will demonstrate a prototype thermal management system.  In Phase III we will develop the complete thermal management system, integrate the system with a VASIMR thruster, and demonstrate the system through tests in a thermal vacuum chamber.
This phase I SBIR project will develop a micromachined charged particle energy collimator plate to be used as a principle component in a micromachined plasma spectrometer.  The construction of a micromachined device will enable plasma spectrometers to be easily accommodated into NASA?s strategy for using many small nanosatellite spacecraft to perform scientific measurements.  A novel high aspect ratio etch process for silicon will be combined with other semiconductor processes to produce a device 1 cm ' 1 cm in area capable of collimating charged particles with energies up to 100 keV.  The advantages of the silicon micromachining approach are that very high aspect ratio (&gt;50:1) channels can be built which will significantly lower the voltage required for energy selection.  The use of semiconductor processing techniques also addresses the issues of high volume manufacturing, reliability and quality control.  The phase I project will demonstrate the basic fabrication process for the collimator plate.  Phase II will be used to refine the design and mate the particle collimator plates with the energy discriminator under development at NASA Goddard and the Applied Physics Lab at Johns Hopkins and a backend microchannel plate stack to build a complete spectrometer unit.
CCT proposes an advanced data description exchange approach for space/spaceport systems that will provide a generic platform independent software capability for exchange of semantic control and monitoring information. This new strategy will reduce development, operations, and support costs for legacy and future systems that are part of ground and space based distributed control systems. It will also establish a space systems information exchange model that can support future highly interoperable and mobile software systems. The concept seeks to provide a solution that will ease the adoption of a common data definition and exchange standard for legacy and future systems by minimizing or eliminating the need for custom software modifications.
Phase 1 of the research will determine the viability of creating common access services for the space ground systems domain based on use of emerging exchange standards for telemetry, and drive out architecture strategies for cross platform generation of monitoring (e.g. health and status) service middleware. Phase 2 will seek to expand the scope of the target domain to also include control services and create a complete usable suite of services for a broader range of heterogeneous systems.
The objective of this proposal is to demonstrate the feasibility of manufacturing large-throw, low cross-talk, high resolution and fast responding-speed wavefront control devices based on micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) fabrication process. The device consists of Segmented Membrane Arrays (SMA) and bottom electrodes with Backside Solder Bump (BSB). The design is going to use arrays of mirror pixels to eliminate the cross talk with adjacent elements, which is usually observed in continuous membrane devices. Each mirror pixel could perform both piston motion and tip-tilt motion to eliminate diffraction noise from the mirror edges. Since each mirror pixel is independent from each other, the resonant frequency of the arrays will not decrease as the array aperture scales up. The BSB provides the packaging solution for high-resolution devices by direct electric contact through solder bump, instead of conventional wire bond techniques. It opens new opportunities to make ideal deformable mirrors with large-throw and independent addressing capabilities.
The innovation of the work herein proposed is the development of standards for software autonomous agents.  These standards are essential to achieve software agent-based systems whose software is reusable and interoperable.  For NASA, many new developments, from scheduling, to planning and resource allocation, to simulation, to transportation logistics, etc are exploiting the emerging technology of software agents.  Because software agents do not use any form of calling hierarchy to create a total system they are inherently more easily reused and inherently more interoperable than conventional software.  On the other hand, NASA and other users of software agent technology will not fully benefit from this advantage without a better understanding of what is required for software agents to be reusable and interoperable, and without the development of formal specifications and eventually standards that enable diverse developers to build reusable and interoperable software agents. The proposed work will help insure that future software agents developed for KSC are more reusable and more interoperable than what is achieved today.  It also offers Intelligent Automation, Incorporated and KSC the opportunity to make an international impact on agent-based software for the next decade and beyond.
The purpose of this project is to demonstrate, based on a new class of electronic devices called solid state vacuum devices (SSVD?s), a highly promising enabling technology for extreme high temperature radiation hard electronics.  SSVD?s marry solid state semiconductor technology, including the process fabrication techniques, with vacuum electronics, and, in this case, specifically thermionic vacuum electronics. SSVD?s have already been demonstrated for highly demanding high frequency applications. Thermionic SSVD?s, in which vacuum transport is by thermionically emitted electrons, are especially promising due to their intrinsic internal high temperature operation and radiation hardness.  SSVD?s should be extremely well suited for extreme environments that, for example, exist on or near Venus.  Currently no existing electronics can address this extreme environment.  InnoSys proposes to demonstrate thermionic SSVD? triodes/field effect transistors and the associated assembly and sealing to meet the requirements needed for extreme high temperature electronics.  In particular, to demonstrate this capability, 460oC electronics for low noise (less than 10 nanovolt/square root(Hz)) and 0 to 100 volt or higher output circuitry and appropriate innovative temperature and pressure assemblies and sealing techniques needed for reliable and sustained operation of SSVD? devices for NASA robotic, sensor and actuators applications will be studied.
To remain competitive, the US aerospace industry must continually improve system performance (e.g. increased adaptation and autonomy), enhance safety (e.g., fault tolerant systems), and reduce costs.  These improvements demand avionics software that is orders of magnitude more complex than that used in current operational systems.  While software complexity is increasing, there is a tremendous (and appropriate) pressure to ensure that new designs are safer to operate than the simpler systems they replace.  In many cases (e.g., damage-adaptive control), methods that can improve vehicle performance are not used because verification and validation (V&amp;V) tools that help ensure the complex system will not behave in an unexpected way are not available.  The proposed research will lay the groundwork for such a tool by building on prior work by the authors in four unique areas: (1) the tool will work in the MATLAB/Simulink environment and will be easy to set up and operate, (2) the tool will be modular and allow easy integration of a variety of closed-form analysis methods, (3) the tool will aid in evaluating system performance as well as stability, and (4) the tool will assist in piloted simulation and flight test design.
Los Gatos Research, Inc. (LGR) proposes to develop a flight ready instrument, capable of deployment on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to simultaneously measure in situ aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients.  The instrument will be lightweight, compact, robust, integrate into UAV platforms, and be capable of simultaneously measuring aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients to 0.1 Mm-1 with a 1 second sampling rate.  This highly innovative instrument, based on cavity-enhanced laser spectroscopy, will operate autonomously, and continuously stream data for storage or downlink.  By significantly increasing the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of in situ aerosol optical property measurements this instrument will enhance NASA flight studies of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on the radiative balance of Earths atmosphere.  These studies seek to identify how aerosol optical properties vary through the lower troposphere, and further determine under what conditions surface-based measurements of these properties be used to calculate the direct aerosol radiative forcing from a measured aerosol optical depth.  These studies are also of great use in determining how in situ measurements compare to remote sensing measurements.  The ability to gather in situ aerosol optical property data from UAV-based instrumentation will both complement and greatly enhance existing ground based and flight instrumentation.
A design and analysis computational tool is proposed for simulating unsteady reacting flows in combustor devices used in reusable launch vehicles.  Key aspects guiding the development are: (a) accuracy, (b) efficiency, and (c) integration of multidisciplinary techniques.  To accurately reflect the physics, the tool must include unsteady, all-speed flow modeling with real-fluid effects and be multidisciplinary, including solid-phase thermal and stress analysis.  Efficiency necessitates large-scale parallel computing.  Finally, the computational framework must allow an efficient integration of multidisciplinary physics.  The key features of the proposed tool are:  (1) a rule-based framework called LOCI which automatically handles parallel computing and multidisciplinary algorithm integration;  (2) all-speed pressure-based CFD methodology (embedded in a code called STREAM);  (3) unsteady flow solver with finite-rate chemistry on unstructured grids; (4) real-fluid modeling (RFM); (5) tightly-coupled multidisciplinary physics, including solid-phase thermal and stress analysis.  Phase I work will consist of: (a) implementing unsteady finite-rate combustion capability into LOCI-STREAM and (b) laying the foundation for implementing real-fluid models into LOCI.  Phase II will accomplish: (a) integration of real-fluid models into LOCI-STREAM; (b) integration of solid-phase heat transfer and finite element stress analysis with the fluid flow solver.  The resulting CFD tool will be called LOCI-STREAM-RFM.
Through recent manned spacecraft expeditions, it has become clear that there are significant hazardous features that affect the health and vitality of space crewmembers. To make extended manned space missions a practical reality, it is critical to monitor and to provide countermeasures for a variety of health threats. These monitoring and remediation systems must also fit the space environment, must be lightweight and unobtrusive, and must provide continuous monitoring, recording and reporting of crewmembers? vital signs. Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) proposes just such a system. It meets the critical need for a portable, unobtrusive sensing array system, in situations where ambulatory equipment is not available. This integrated system will facilitate important medical decisions, leading to improved crew health. The design uses advanced optical fiber sensing technologies to measure the electrical activity of the heart and arterial blood pressure, together with sophisticated digital data acquisition and real-time signal processing modules. The proposed integrated system can be used continuously without limiting the physical activity or dexterity of the crewmember. By the end of Phase II, IOS will produce a system prototype that will be capable of acquiring human ECG and blood pressure measurements using an array of optical sensors.
The switching fabric (SF) is a key component of the next generation back plane interconnects. Extremely low-power, radiation-hardened, high-bandwidth upgradeable communication between computer nodes is of utmost importance for future NASA missions. The state-of-the-art binary SF interconnect architectures have high power consumption and low latency in order to perform internal data conversion and synchronization that allow for recognition of redundant bits and extraction of useful information from the data stream. The high power consumption of SF limits its application in the next generation nano-satellites. In order to minimize latency and reduce power consumption, we propose a novel, easy-to-align SF based on multi-level power-efficient Low Voltage Differential Signal interface. Our approach uses differential 3-level signals to mark a high-level reference bit position in one of the differential channels. Because the marked pilots follow the high-level logic in one of the differential outputs, they will regularly occur at the same bit position and ensure stable and easy recovery of the low-speed clock signal, which will be used as a reference for multi-channel data alignment and will synchronize a high speed clocking circuitry using a standard clock multiplier technique.
A fundamental component of traffic flow management (TFM) is the rerouting of aircraft to alleviate congestion in constrained airspace. An integral concept in the future of TFM is a more collaborative process in which TFM disseminates airspace constraints and the users react with a selection of a (possibly) limited number of rerouting options. With the advent of more elaborate and collaborative traffic management initiatives, the NAS operators are now confronted with a myriad of options in rerouting and delay absorption that they have never before encountered. The only decision support tools currently available to the airlines are flight planning tools, which choose an optimal route for an isolated flight given the physical properties of the aircraft and some forecasted winds. This completely ignores the effects of traffic congestion and, therefore, the potential intervention of air traffic service providers. We propose to develop a flight rerouting decision support tool for use by the airlines that will allow rerouting choices to be made in the face of forecasted airspace constraints and traffic congestion.
CITTP provides an intelligent tutor system (ITS) framework for individuals to rehearsing their team tasks using computer based high-fidelity simulations. CITTP is used as a complement and a cost effective means to make join team integration more effective. CITTP concentrates in defining three key elements that a team ITS must have: (i) authoring tools to define training scenarios; (ii) intelligent simulated entities that play team members roles in these scenarios; and (iii) natural language understanding capabilities that allow simulated team members to react intelligently to the trainee communications. CITTP will allow instructors to create operational scenarios and to customize methods to automatically evaluate trainee decisions. CITTP will monitor student's actions in order to provide feedback identifying the concepts where the student has demonstrated either a satisfactory proficiency or a need for remediation. CITTP will also formulate a remedial course of instruction tailored to the student needs. In phase I we will identify the modeling techniques and the natural language capabilities needed to create effective intelligent simulated team members.  We will also develop a limited prototype of CITTP to demonstrate its feasibility and effectiveness. In phase II we will deploy CITTP for the NASA domain and team identified during phase I.
New lithium battery electrolytes must be developed if these they are to be successfully deployed on NASA Platforms operating at -100oC to +100oC.  Giner, Inc. has proposed an approach to preparing lithium ion conducting electrolytes which will provide cell current densities sufficient to carry the microwatt to milliwatt levels required for Low Earth Orbital Applications.  Phase I will examine the low temperature phase behavior of the new electrolytes, ionic conductivity and chemical electrochemical stability in primary and secondary lithium cell environments, with exposures of up to +100oC in order to assess the likelihood of long cycle-life performance.
Innovative lightweight radiation shielding materials are enabling to shield humans in aerospace transportation vehicles and other human habited spaces. Multifunctional materials which provide non-parasitic shielding as well as structural performance is needed.  Boron can provide neutron and cosmic radiation shielding, but the only available boron fiber is a large diameter monofianant on a tungsten substrate whose high Z number preclude it use in radiation applications.  This program will develop boron fibers on carbon (low Z no.) fiber tow substrate utilizing an existing system for spreading carbon fiber tow and chemically vapor depositing (CVD) coatings.  Processing will be optimized to produce high strength boron fiber tow which will be utilized in select polymer matrix composites to demonstrate the multifunctionality of structural and radiation shielding.
Mars Aqueous Processing System (MAPS) is an innovative method to produce useful building materials from Martian regolith. Acids and bases produced from the regolith are used to aid the preparation of metals (such as iron) and cement ingredients (such as lime and aggregate) for construction of habitats and infrastructure needed for early human colonization.  As more regolith is processed, more acids and bases will be produced for use in manufacture of plastics, metals, polymers, and reagents useful for later, larger-scale human habitation. With the apparent abundance of water in certain locations on Mars, the proposed technology will enable the manufacture and fabrication of a variety of materials using only Mars indigenous materials with the use of processing equipment and catalysts brought from Earth.

The proposed processing methods are capable of extracting and separating regolith constituents via aqueous extraction followed by selective precipitation based on solution pH and oxidation potential. Thermal treatments such as drying (to remove moisture), roasting (to remove volatile sulfate and chloride acid precursors), and oxide reduction (using hydrogen, carbon monoxide, or carbon derived from Martian water and atmosphere) are integrated with the aqueous extraction methods to manufacture the basic building materials required to facilitate human habitation.
One of the key areas of study of NASA?s Earth Observing System (EOS), a constellation of satellites equipped to remotely measure the earth's surface and atmospheric properties, is the role played by clouds and aerosols in climate change. However, these remote measurements of the size, shape and concentration of cloud and aerosol particles are determined by mathematical inversion of (passive and active) radiative signatures from distances of 700 km.  Thus in situ validation of cloud and aerosol properties is essential.  The duration of conventional research aircraft is limited, restricting the usefulness of validation measurements.  Small uninhabited aerial vehicles (UAVs) and tethered balloons, however, are now capable of making sustained, long-term measurements, so that data sets can be collected that provide much better statistical comparisons with results from satellite retrieval algorithms.  In Phase I, we investigate the feasibility of adapting three existing sensors, a hot-wire liquid water content probe, a particle scattering spectrometer probe, and a cloud particle imager (CPI), for use on small UAVs and tethered balloons.  In each case, new, innovative technologies are used to drastically reduce the power and weight of these sensors.  The sensors are targeted for application on the Aerosonde UAV, small tethered balloons, (untethered) radiosonde balloons and dropsondes.  In Phase II, we plan to build prototypes of the candidate sensors, and flight-test them on a motor glider and on tethered balloons.
This project seeks to design, fabricate, characterize and commercialize very large area, uncooled and radiative hard 4H-SiC VUV detectors capable of near single photon sensing.  The detector design and advanced processing technologies combined with the unique material property of 4H-SiC are expected to lead to significant improvements to the performance of large area solid state detectors including much lower noise due to the wide bandgap and substantially improved lifetime due to the greatly increased radiation tolerance in comparison to state-of-the-art based on Si UV technologies. In Phase I, detectors with optical window up to 1cmx1cm will be designed and fabricated. Two batches will be fabricated with different semitransparent metal thicknesses. Concentration will be focused on achieving very low dark current and high quantum efficiency. The fabricated detectors with different optical window sizes will be characterized, including dark current, forward current ideality factor, quantum efficiency. The dominant source and mechanism of the dark current will be investigated to help identify approaches to further reduce the dark current in Phase II which will be concentrating on pushing up the quantum efficiency over a wider spectrum range, further reducing the dark currents, and characterizing reliability and lifetime.
The Mars Solar Balloon Lander (MSBL) is a novel concept which utilizes the capability of solar-heated hot air balloons to perform soft landings of scientific payloads on the Martian surface. In the MSBL concept, a dark colored or metalized zero pressure balloon is inflated with Martian atmospheric CO2 during initial descent suspended by a parachute.. As a result of the favorable optical qualities of the balloon?s coloration, the gas inside the balloon is warmed to temperatures considerably exceeding the surrounding ambient atmosphere, thereby providing buoyancy. The MSBL can thus achieve stable level flight during daylight, or can be used to deliver payloads to the ground with arbitrarily low rates of descent. After the payload is landed, the balloon can be released for a free flight remote sensing mission, or can be  retained as a tethered asset by the lander serving many useful functions, including local aerial imaging, communications, or lander towing. Key technical challenges to the MSBL concern dealing with horizontal velocity during terminal descent. However the MSBL is competitive on a mass basis when compared to alternative landing technologies such as airbags, and offers many novel additional capabilities for combined surface and aerial operations.
An AutoCategorizing Knowledge Management Engine ("AKM") will automate key capabilities for both human-human and human-agent collaboration tools in aerospace information systems:
*  Automatic organization of shared and new information, by a standards-based interface to other knowledge tools, based on an effective auto-categorization engine;
*  Immediate incorporation of new knowledge into auto-updated taxonomies, and extension for new topics; 
*  Automatically updated knowledge organizations for groups, individuals, and specialized activities;
*  Knowledge discovery of new and emerging themes in data and discussions.
The result is that AKM will:
*  Improve usability and collaboration potential for shared sites of working, learning, and discussion;
*  Help to build communities of practice for growing technical efforts such as the NASA Taxonomy;
*  Speed and improve sharing of knowledge within NASA and with its larger community;
*  Help to evolve the shared, developing, interoperating NASA ontologies.
AKM will be prototyped in Phase I as an extension of three existing products (Taxonomize's Auto-Categorizer, Resource Aid, and Stochastic Analyzer) and applied to selected NASA information programs.  In Phase II AKM will be productized for extended NASA, government, and commercial application.
NASA has determined that the use of modular and reconfigurable components is critical for the success of future large and complex space systems.   In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to be able to assemble and reassemble modules both on the ground and on orbit.  Therefore, it requires a means to join components that is simple, reliable, and non-intrusive as well as strong and stiff enough to withstand multiple connections and disconnections.  AeroAstro?s solution is to apply a new micro-scale mechanical joining technology, Vaccro, to the modular space systems.  Created by VACCO Industries, Vaccro is analogous to ?metal Velcro? in that two surfaces will mechanically adhere to each other upon contact.  Depending on the type of Vaccro used, these bonds can be either permanent or reversible.  With this technology, the surfaces of space system components and modules would be micro-machined with Vaccro features during the ground fabrication process.  With slightly different channel geometries, the surfaces can be peeled apart and rejoined, or they can be made such that the surfaces lock together permanently.  AeroAstro along with VACCO Industries, proposes to determine the specifications for and material qualities of a space suitable Vaccro product.
This proposed Small Business Innovative Research Phase I addresses the  development of a catalytic system for efficient conversion of carbon dioxide and hydrogen to hydrocarbon and organic species via carbon monoxide. This approach is particularly relevant to future Mars missions, since the Martian atmosphere is comprised of over 95&#37; CO2. The proposed approach will utilize Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) chemistry to selectively convert CO produced by CO2 reduction, e.g., from  reverse water gas shift (RWGS), into hydrocarbons and oxygenates for many applications. The proposed approach is complementary to previous effort by Eltron in which nanoscale catalysts were developed for promoting RWGS. The proposed approach meshes ideally with RWGS in that stoichiometric mixtures of carbon dioxide and hydrogen lead to an H2:CO ratio of approximately 1.5 at the RWGS exit. Phase I will consist of the preparation, characterization, and evaluation of 12-15 candidate catalysts anticipated to have exceptional activity for selective (essentially CO2 free) FTS. Downselection of catalysts and identification of preferred conditions will result during Phase I. Phase II will involve the fabrication and testing of a closed loop system for converting CO2 and hydrogen into fuels, chemicals, plastics, etc.
SHOT proposes an innovative microfluidic device designed to effect a 2-dimensional resolution of a mixture of proteins based on isoelectric point (pI) and molecular weight.  A novel approach is proposed to achieve 2-D-gel equivalence.  The first dimension is to be immobilized isoelectric focusing, and the second dimension will utilize an array of 100+ size-exclusion chromatography columns in microchannels.  Molecular weight is recorded as each protein leaves each microcolumn.  The output column number can be translated into pI.  Thus each combination of output peak position and column number gives the combined values of pI and MW for each protein in the same way as does a ?spot? on a 2-D electrophoresis gel.    Phase I research objectives are to (1) demonstrate the measurement of protein concentration in microchannels using a proposed electrical impedance method (2) construct and test immobiline channels and demonstrate their function in determining pI (3) construct a size-exclusion chromatography channel and demonstrate its function in determining molecular weight, and (4) identify fabrication steps for the integrated ?chip? to be tested in Phase II research. Also in Phase II research the device will be incorporated into an automatically controlled cassette configuration for operation in space flight and in the laboratory.
Many satellites, spacecraft, and radar antennas with spun and de-spun configurations require the transfer of power across rotating interfaces in lieu of slip rings and/or flexures.  This is particularly true for systems that have to demonstrate a long life expectancy.  The rotary transformer has desirable characteristics of high reliability and low noise, which qualify it as a viable replacement for slip rings.  The rotary transformer is essentially the same as a conventional transformer, except that the geometry is arranged so that the primary and secondary can be rotated with respect to each other with negligible changes in electrical characteristics.  The power transfer is enabled by magnetic coupling across an air gap.  There are not any wearing contacts, noise or contamination problems due to lubrication or wear debris.  The development of a rotary power transformer will use the same ?Quiet Converter? technology that was used on WF/PC-II, Articulated Fold, Mirror Actuators (Hubbell Space Telescope), MISR and Mars 05 Op-Nav Camera.
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) proposes to develop a hybrid cooling loop and cold plate technology for space systems thermal management. The proposed technology combines the high heat flux performance of active cooling loops with the effective fluid management of passive cooling devices. The result is a simple, robust and high performance cooling technology that allows maximum degree of packaging flexibility. The principal Phase I objective is to demonstrate the basic concept of combining mechanical pumping and capillary force for improved heat flux capability and fluid management. This objective will be fulfilled through modeling/analysis and proof-of-concept testing. It is expected that the Phase I results will bring the proposed concept to the NASA defined Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4: Breadboard validation in a laboratory environment. Phase II will verify the technology?s operational robustness under transient and startup conditions and package the technology in miniaturized and lightweight configurations for compact system cooling. The follow-on Phase III will conduct flight qualification testing of the technology to address the micro gravity effects and the system integration.
Clear Science Corp. proposes to develop computational methods for designing active flow control systems on aerospace vehicles with the primary objective of controlling lift, drag, and flow separation.  Simulated control inputs will include moving boundaries for aerodynamic shaping and aspirating walls for virtual shaping and separation control.  The software will include model order reduction, system state estimation, integration of low-dimensional models and estimators with high-order CFD-based models for control-in-the-loop simulations, and the integration of turbulence models with control models.  CSC is developing reduced-order flow control models for laminar, incompressible flow based on a proper orthogonal decomposition of the primitive flow variables, and we will extend the methods to compressible formulations with conserved variables and turbulence models.  We will develop and demonstrate our computational methods using LaRC's CFD code, CFL3D.  Control models and estimators will be modular in the form of both embedded and pre-processing subroutines, enabling off-line and in-the-loop control design and testing. The project will include the application of modeling and estimation techniques to moving-mesh problems for control simulations with time-dependent system disturbances (e.g. changing angles of attack) and wing warping control input.   Phase I work includes a demonstration of the technical merit of the tool and the development of a detailed Phase II work plan.
We propose to develop the NJM Sense-It system based on small sensor tags, which include a cardiopulmonary MEMS sensor for measuring heartbeat and breath rates continuously. In addition, the proposed sensor system can be operated in extended bandwidth mode to measure detail cardiopulmonary phonic pattern upon control from the reader. The system operates within a central reader at 915 MHz with as many as 50 sensor tags. 
A single sensor worn as a Band Aid like adhesive or strapped tag on the astronaut monitors cardiopulmonary rates. Additional sensors are worn depending on the detail of phonocardiograph diagnosis data desired. This system is based on the mature technology of phonocardiography now thought at all medical school. This system has advantage that tag sensors measuring many additional physiological functions can be added at later date. The extended bandwidth cardiopulmonary data can be displayed locally or telemetered to earth stations and reviewed by clinicians in any situation as desired.
The aim of this proposal is to develop a low power consuming solid polymer electrolyte based, miniaturized electrochemical CO2 sensor that can continuously, accurately and rapidly monitor CO2 concentrations in closed or nearly closed environments for monitoring and control approaches for plant-production environments, to aid in NASA?s biomass (edible food) production research. The proposed sensor will introduce a much simpler, lower cost and more accurate alternative to the existing infrared CO2 measurement technology to measure CO2 and study its effects on plant growth. During Phase I, in addition to concept feasibility demonstration, the ability of the proposed sensor to detect (0 - 10) &#37; CO2 in a wide temperature (15 ? 45) oC, and humidity (10 ? 99) &#37; RH will be demonstrated. The proposed sensor will be evaluated for its fast response and continuous and uninterrupted operation for 100 hours. In Phase II the sensor will be integrated into a complete instrument, which will be small, lightweight and will allow for independent operation of the sensor complete with calibration routine, adjustable applied potential settings and digital display of numeric results. The unit will be battery operated with an AC converter and battery re-charger.
The main goal of spacecraft thermal control systems is to maintain internal and external temperature within acceptable boundaries while minimizing impact on vehicle mass, complexity and operability. Paragon is proposing to develop an integrated radiator/structure design approach that will permit efficient thermal performance of the integral radiator while simultaneously serving as a load bearing structure member. The innovation in the proposed design is to integrate the radiator within the stressed skin of the vehicle thereby achieving a superior lb/sq ft penalty over conventional designs while establishing a baseline coating system that will survive the ground, launch pad and ascent environments.  An additional possibility will be to achieve survival of coatings in a leeward reentry environment for added benefit to reusable OSP concepts. Our proposal would advance the state-of-the-art in integral radiator designs for conformal structure applications by reducing the key technology development risks so they can be considered for the next generation manned space systems, such as the OSP, as well as other applications.  The central objective of the combined Phase I and Phase II work plan is to take load bearing, environmentally compatible radiator designs from the present position of TRL 3, to TRL 5 or 6.
Nanoelectronic devices, and circuits based on such devices, are expected
to be more susceptible to the effects of radiation than the previous
generation of devices and circuits.  Circuits that can operate in harsh
radiation environments are essential components of commercial satellite
communications systems, space exploration vehicles, and national defense
systems.  Hence there is a critical need to understand and quantify the
effects of radiation on the present and next generation of
nanoelectronic circuits, and to develop methods to render such circuits
insensitive to radiation.  In this project we intend to identify and
characterize (as a function of device dimension if possible) the
deleterious effects of radiation on nanoscale devices.  More
importantly, we intend to build on the standard models, which describe
the effects of radiation, and develop software that would enable the
modeling and simulation of radiation effects.    First we will consider
conventional nanoelectronic devices --- that is those where charge
transport is based on the usual principles of drift and diffusion.
Then a tool for the effects of radiation on single electron transistors
and amplifiers (including those based on carbon nanotubes) would also be
developed. Using the software, methods to mitigate the effects of
radiation by rad-hard designs will be examined.
Proposed is the development the extended depth of field (EDF) or confocal like imaging capabilities of a breakthrough multispectral high resolution imaging flow cytometer.  This platform shall have unparalleled cellular analysis capabilities intended to further biological space research (fundamental, micro-gravity and radiation biology) and the potential capability of monitoring astronaut health.  

The proposed platform shall simultaneously combine the high throughput analysis rates of flow cytometry, the high resolution imaging capabilities of multiple forms of high resolution microscopy (brightfield, darkfield and four fluorescent imaging channels) and the ability to image all cellular components in focus utilizing extended depth of field imaging. 

This cell observation platform shall find additional utility in NASA?s biology space research given Amnis? complimentary technologies, specifically: i)  Amnis? in-suspension labeling techniques for staining cellular structures and probing specific molecules in the nucleus, cytoplasm and membrane including fluorescent in situ hybridization.  These in-suspension techniques eliminate the time consuming manual glass microscope slide preparation of cells which is problematic for micro gravity environment,  ii)  Amnis? sample containment/injection pump operates similarly to NASA?s rotating wall culture vessel allowing cells to be continually suspended via a rotational axis perpendicular to gravity.
It is proposed to create a rugged, reliable, compact, standardized imaging system for hypervelocity and re-entry vehicles using sapphire windows, small imagers, and independent telemetry.  Such a system is a novel creation that can tolerate the severe aerothermal environment associated with hypervelocity flight.  The proposed system answers a critical need for enhanced situation awareness, performance characterization, and rapid anomaly resolution.  Images of control surfaces, vehicle health, separation deployment, plume dynamics, combustion behavior, and many other vehicle properties provide a rapid, global assessment of the flows and control status of aerospace vehicles and propulsion systems using a standardized diagnostic package.  The system design includes a window, window mounting system, camera, and independent telemetry system.  Work in Phase 1 will include computational aerothermal modeling, window, mount, camera, and telemetry design, preliminary hazards analysis, and feasibility/ applications assessment.  A Phase 2 prototype will be designed and fabricated for testing at a NASA facility, and finally used on a variety of vehicles in Phase 3.  It is expected that the imaging system will have broad application for NASA, DOD, and commercial aerospace vehicles.
Tai-Yang Research of Delaware proposes to design and fabricate an HTS double-pancake coil in support of the VASIMR experiment. The proposed HTS coil will implement novel CVD diamond technology for a lighter system weight with greater thermal uniformity and stability. CVD diamond technology in combination with HTS magnets offer significant advantages over traditional technology in terms of system reliability.
Mars is a planet where life forms or their remnants may be found, all lander or probe missions to Mars must be cleaned and sterilized to the Category IV planetary protection requirements. Cross-contamination during sampling for in situ life-detection missions and sample turn missions remains a problem. It is desirable to develop a simple, portable sterilization device which would enable in situ cleaning and sterilization of collection devices when sampling on Mars. 
PlasmaSol Corporation (PlasmaSol) is a company dedicated to developing and commercializing atmospheric pressure plasma applications. The company consists of experienced physicists, chemists and engineers (see attached CVs) with an extensive expertise in plasma and plasma chemistry. We have recently developed a non-thermal atmospheric-plasma technology for cleaning and sterilizing spacecraft surfaces for NASA. We propose to configure our plasma technology for use in a Martian CO2 atmosphere. This will require:
(1)	the redesign and optimization of the plasma unit, 
(2)	confirming the cleaning and kill efficiency of the unit in a Martian atmosphere. 
If successful, this SBIR will develop a portable, effective solution to cross contamination.
The purpose of this program is to develop a compact and efficient ultraviolet laser for use in space-based uv-Raman instruments. The basis for this system will be a diode-pumped neodymium-yttria (Nd:Y2O3) ceramic laser which is frequency-quadrupled to generate uv light at 237nm.  The unique combination of a low-cost and robust ceramic laser with efficient 4th harmonic generation will provide an ideal ultraviolet source for NASA missions to planets and moons in the Solar System.
Recognizing the needs and challenges facing NASA Earth Science for data input, manipulation and distribution, Mobitrum is proposing a ? Wireless Sensor Portal Technology? specifically for field personnel to send/receive digital and analog data from various sensors for data input, analysis and distribution purposes.  The need for development of cooperative communications at distributed sensor network encompasses the design of portable wireless computing device, which in real-time send and receive digital and analog data from variety of sensors, provide effective initial field verification of data, and distribute the data to various nodes and servers at collection, processing and decision hub site.  A Sensor Wireless Portal Technology is therefore needed for sensor communications at distributed and networked environments where the operations include multiple sensor data input, manipulation and distribution.
TerraMetrics proposes an SBIR Phase I R/R&amp;D effort to develop a key 3D terrain-rendering technology that provides the basis for successful commercial deployment of flight-qualified Synthetic Vision (SV) systems. The proposed innovation exploits the use of an encoded terrain data storage format coupled with real-time, terrain-block processing that inherently provides true, display-limited rendering accuracy and deterministic frame rates, eliminates "vertex-popping" artifacts, and supports a spherical rendering model as well as lightweight computer and data storage platform requirements. Significant preceding computer graphics research has targeted terrain rendering, but the focus has been on non-rigorous, ground-based visualization/simulation (VisSim) and gaming applications. The accuracy and performance demands of a flight-deployable, SVS terrain-rendering environment have not been adequately addressed to date, due to minimal commercial demand. The proposed innovation provides a flight-qualifiable, SV avionics 3D terrain-rendering solution to NASA?s Aviation Safety Program (AvSP) and downstream SV commercial embodiments.
Future instruments and platforms for NASA's Earth Science Enterprises will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology, and cryogenic applications will become increasingly more common. For example, Fourier Transform Spectrometers capable of high-accuracy cloud-profile measurements will require cryogenically cooled optics and detectors. While a number of cryogenic refrigeration systems may be considered for such applications, none offers the same potential for low vibration, reliability, and efficiency as the pulse tube. Typically, regenerative coolers such as pulse tubes, many of which are currently under development, have small cold heads that must be conductively coupled to heat loads. However, conductively cooled loads are often linked to their respective cryogenic systems through massive structures that must simultaneously have high thermal conductivity and low electrical conductivity y a combination not simple or economical to achieve. This work proposes to develop an innovative, light-weight, continuous-flow cooling loop for cooling distributed loads such as those represented by large deployable structures, including optical mirrors, actively cooled sunshades, and on-focal-plane electronics. The basis of the loop is a rectifying interface that converts the oscillating flow of a regenerative cryocooler into a steady flow of cold gas that can readily be distributed over distances of several meters.
This proposed work will develop a pump, which is based on two novel and unique design features.  The first feature is a lobed pumping mechanism which operates with orbital motion.  The second feature is the novel manner in which the orbital motion is generated.  This pump has monolithic construction, is intrinsically sealed, and mechanically balanced.  Power is provided to the pumping mechanism by electromagnetic drives, which are incorporated into the pump mechanism forming a compact, integrated unit.  The unique features and simplicity of this design promises to provide a pump, which is compact, has low mass, and has quiet, safe, and reliable operation.  This pump will be ideal for the long-term, space-based applications.  Its development will focus on cryogenic fluids pumping including liquid oxygen.
Gaia Genomics proposes to develop an instrument for the detection of earthborn and/or planetary life forms that are based on a nucleic acid paradigm.  Highly sensitive reagents will be developed to detect DNA- or RNA-based organisms.  The components of the proposed system are simple, rugged, stable, and inexpensive, and detection will be both rapid and highly sensitive.  In Phase I, we will synthesize the diagnostic reagents and demonstrate proof-of-concept by their ability to detect nucleic acids.  In Phase II, they will be incorporated into a portable prototype instrument designed for single- or multi-sample detection.  The resulting device will be ideal for use as a survey tool for NASA Astrobiology interplanetary missions (Topic S4, Sub-topic 05).
A prognostic system needs to separate nominal component behavior from the faulty ones even in the cases when those behaviors are similar. Advanced pattern recognition techniques are required to separate nominal and faulty input-output component data vectors in a complex high-dimensional space. 

We propose to develop the Multi-agent Prognostic Health and Usage Monitoring (Multi-PHUM) and test it in a subsection of an aerospace vehicle. MULTI-PHUM is hierarchical with the lower levels performing ordinary diagnostics and prognostics using graph-based fault diagnosis technique to place alarms on safety-critical components and handle situations with multiple faults. At the intermediate level of hierarchy, MULTI-PHUM uses neural network techniques such as the Extended Auto Associative Neural Networks (E-AANN) to detect the faults not detected by lower level graph-based method. Yet at a higher level of hierarchy, MULTI-PHUM performs advanced rule-based pattern recognition for abnormalities in the system not detected by lower levels. The essence of MULTI-PHUM is based on the latest tools in the information age and hence has a strong commercial potential for the management of other systems that have to economically maintain healthy fleets such as airline systems with many aircrafts or future swarms of UAVs.
There are two distinct approaches to aerocapture: drag modulation and lift-vector control.  All current research under the NASA ROSS In-Space Propulsion Technology Program is based on the drag modulation approach.  However, a growing number of researchers are convinced that lift-vector control will be necessary, particularly for the more challenging planetary destinations such as Neptune.  Vertigo will research concepts for spacecraft aerocapture using an innovative attached inflatable forebody decelerator that employs lift-vector control.  Compared to drag modulation, lift-vector control expands the entry corridor to provide the needed margin for the total of the statistical uncertainties associated with navigation and atmospheric property estimation.  Because aerocapture uses aerodynamic forces and not propulsion to decelerate, the amount of fuel required for a mission is greatly reduced.  During Phase I Vertigo will define a concept for an attached inflatable forebody decelerator that incorporates lift-vector trajectory control.  The results of the Phase I research will form the basis for a Phase II program in which we will perform a detailed evaluation of all aspects of the conceptual aerocapture system to converge on a single design concept for multiple aerocapture missions, and completely analyze the characteristics of spacecraft utilizing the selected aerocapture concepts.
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is used as an analysis tool to help the designer gain greater understanding of the fluid flow phenomena involved in the components being designed. The next step in the design process is to modify the design to improve the componentys performance, typically performed manually by the designer in a trial and error fashion. The innovations proposed herein will provide important advances in the state-of-the-art of automatic CFD shape deformation and optimization software.  Optimal Solutions Software (OSS) has been developing a software program called Sculptor, which provides capabilities to perform shape deformation and optimization in CFD design.  When the innovations proposed herein are included in Sculptor, and coupled with NASA's Stennis Space Center's (SSC) CFD code, a truly innovative and significant design tool will be available to perform automatic shape optimization.  Sculptor can find new geometric shapes, in a timely manner that likely would not have been discovered without its use.  Therefore Sculptor is an innovator in and of itself, when used by knowledgeable engineers.
Thorleaf Research, Inc. proposes to develop a miniaturized high pressure atmospheric sampling inlet system for sample acquisition in extreme planetary environments, such as those encountered in the lower troposphere of Venus or the atmospheres of the gas giants, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. This addresses a key technology gap for planetary studies, mainly how to acquire and prepare samples for in situ analysis while meeting challenging mass, volume and power constraints. Although miniaturized mass spectrometers and other low power instruments are under development by NASA for in situ measurements, the great potential of such instrumentation for exploration of the Solar System will not be realized without complementary developments in the technology for collecting and preparing samples for analysis.  Our proposed approach collects an atmospheric gas micro-sample at high pressure and transfers it into a protected low pressure environment within a small pressure housing for analysis by GC/MS, mass spectrometry or other techniques that inherently require low pressures for operation. This new technology will enable in situ measurement of the composition and key isotope ratios in high pressure planetary atmospheres down to trace levels.
An innovative surface micromachining technique is described for the fabrication of closely-packed arrays of transition edge sensor (TES) x-ray microcalorimeters. This technique enables individual TES microcalorimeters to be suspended on a thin membrane for thermal isolation from the bath temperature. The TES detectors are fabricated from normal metal/superconductor bilayers with a transition temperature of around 0.1 K. The proposed surface micromachining technique will simplify the fabrication of closely-packed TES microcalorimeter arrays, which are needed for numerous applications in astronomical x-ray spectroscopy.
We propose a Phase I SBIR research project that will result in a feasibility demonstration of a miniature divert engine producing precise impulse bits smaller than 100 millinewton-second. The miniature engine will be suitable for stationkeeping and attitude control for a miniature light-weight satellite. This technology demonstration program will capitalize on miniature engine technology developed by Enigmatics and SAIC under MDA SBIR Phase I and Phase II projects, combined with a novel engine design for the proposed application.
Prediction and enhancement of vehicle interior noise due to high frequency excitation, based on computer simulation, allows the application of the technology at the early stage of design process thereby improving the quality and reducing the cost. Traditionally, Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) has been used for this  purpose. Modeling of SEA is rather complex and requires high level of analyst expertise as well as occasional testing of the product's components. In this proposal, a comprehensive Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) software will be developed for the evaluation of vehicle interior noise. Since the low frequency noise and vibration modeling is traditionally performed using finite element method, the development of an EFEA software will provide a unified framework for the both the low and high frequency noise and vibration analyses.
TeamVision proposes that we research the feasibility of incorporating an adaptive object based optimization system into an existing multi-user object oriented application integration framework.  Successful implementation of such a system would save NASA and industry billions of dollars annually by reducing significantly the false starts, redundant effort, long lead times and globally non-optimal solutions characteristic of the early decision process of complex systems.  Fortunately, recent breakthroughs in software engineering have demonstrating a practical and proven strategy to this seemingly intractable problem.  The wide spread adoption of Object Oriented languages like C++ in the last ten years has created a revolution in modern software development.  This move away from serial and procedurally based languages to Object Oriented languages has allowed teams of software programmers to collaborate on large and complex software development projects unthinkable under the old language paradigms.  TeamVision is the first company, through a previous NASA-SBIR?s and private funding, to develop and commercialize a software solution that utilizes this approach in the early decision process.  The proposed innovation builds on this successful track record and would significantly expand the field of optimization into new areas.
A refrigeration cycle is proposed for development which can reduce compressor work and increase cooling effect, by eliminating a portion of the irreversabilities associated with the reverse-rankine cycle refrigeration process.  This process improves efficiency without the use of complex turbines, multi-stage architecures, or mechanical expanders, all of which add system complexity and reduce reliability.
The innovation is a powerful Ultra-Compact High-Definition Hyperspectral Imaging System (UC-HDHIS) for UAV deployment. UC-HDHIS concurrently acquires pushbroom hyperspectral imagery using a grating imaging spectrometer, and framing multispectral imagery using four-selectable-band CCD cameras, along with synchronized sky spectral irradiance measurements. Adapting miniaturized optics, camera and computer components, positioning/attitude measuring devices, and real-time software suite into a modular design, UC-HDHIS is highly configurable with a variable mass 3-15 lbs and a variable volume 125-650 cubic inches. Its CCD hyperspectral module covers 400-950nm spectral range with a spectral resolution better than 2.5nm and a swathwidth better than 752 pixels, which is extendable to 400-1700nm by docking an InGaAs module. The multispectral imaging format is 1024x768 pixels.  Minimum quantization depths are 10 bits for hyperspectral and 8 bits for multispectral imagery. Using CompactFlash as mass storage and a special real time recording technology, UC-HDHIS has no mechanically moving/rotating parts and is rugged and vibration-resistant.  A dual-Earth-imaging feature calibrates and compensates each part for better radiometric and geometric measurements. With mission automation and simultaneous Earth/sky spectral imaging and position/attitude sensing appended to the hyperspectral/multispectral data, high-quality geo-referenced spectral images are obtainable by a small UAV.
Applied Science Innovations, Inc. proposes to develop a new tool of 3D optical coherence tomography (OCT) for cellular level imaging at video frame rates and dramatically reduced probe cross-section.  Existing commercial OCT tools are focused in ophthalmology, where examination is external to the eye, the size of the probe is not important, and cellular level resolution is not required.  The patent-pending 3D OCT will provide three-dimensional imaging in scattering media with improved resolution, depth of field, and minimal mechanical adjustment.  The proposed approach is based on novel probe designs, original coherence scanning, and advanced signal processing.  The flexible imaging probe will have dramatically reduced cross-section, compared to the existing systems, enabling the first ?3D camera through a needle? for functional imagery, including in-vivo histological examination.  Phase I will include theoretical studies and implementation of a limited experimental prototype to arrive at the proof of concept.  First generation packaged prototype will be developed in Phase II of the project and delivered to NASA Glenn Research Center for evaluation and field tests.
Schafer proposes to demonstrate 2 different methods for actively cooling our 5-7.5 kg/m2 areal density Silicon Lightweight Mirrors (SLMS?) technology for future NASA far infrared and sub-millimeter missions.  In Phase I, direct internal cooling will be demonstrated by directly flowing liquid nitrogen through the continuous open cell core of the SLMS?.  Indirect external cooling will be demonstrated by flowing liquid nitrogen through a CTE matched C/SiC manifold that is bonded about the circumference of the SLMS?.  During Phase II we plan to exercise our Space Act Agreement to helium test the SLMS? at NASA MSFC XRCF.  Previously, under Contract No. NAS8-01174 entitled, "Silicon Lightweight Mirrors (SLMs) for Ultraviolet and Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Mirrors" performed for Drs. Andrew Keys and Phil Stahl, Schafer produced a SLMS? UV Demonstrator Mirror (UVDM) with 9.8 kg/m2 areal density, 0.021 waves rms HeNe figure accuracy, and 4 ? rms surface roughness.  The SLMS? UVDM was cryo-tested from 300 K to 27 K at NASA MSFC in the 4-foot XRCF chamber on 2 separate occasions, once uncoated and once with a multiple-layer dielectric coating. We demonstrated extreme dimensional stability with a relative deformation &lt; /60 rms HeNe for the 275 K temperature excursion.
Aerobot vehicles for missions on Titan require envelope materials that are strong, light and durable. Unlike terrestrial balloon materials, these must be able to withstand flexing at temperatures of 90K without developing pinhole leaks. To meet this requirement, it is proposed to use Lamart?s experience in lightweight laminated sailcloth and ultra light film lamination to create a material for this application. This will be a laminated combination of multiple thin films and fabric. Test capabilities will be created and correlated to those already done at NASA-JPL. Literature search and sample testing will determine the appropriate film, adhesive, fibers, and fabric weave. Further testing will determine the minimum manageable film thickness and the minimum amount of adhesive needed to meet the mission requirements. Laminations of multiple layers of thin film will be tested to determine the benefit of this schedule compared to single layer equivalent films. Small quantities of the most promising film and fabric laminate designs will be produced on a narrow width laminator that duplicates the process used to produce full sized products and tested for flex durability.
The tasks of this Phase I proposal are designed to establish the
feasibility of an optical sensor for real-time, in situ monitoring of
the ullage environment of an aircraft fuel tank.  This all-optical fuel
tank ullage sensor (FTUS) will be unaffected by fuel splashing and
sulfur deposits on the sensor.  By combining an innovative oxygen and
temperature sensor, this project will enable NASA to offer technologies
to monitor the performance of OBIGGS (on-board inert gas generating
system).  In commercial application, it is imperative that an on-board
sensor is in place to identify if OBIGGS, which is safety related, is
malfunctioning.  FTUS represents a platform technology, which can be
used across NASA enterprises, where sensitive monitoring of the ambient
environment is required.  By using single mode optical fiber in the
design, ISL will address size, weight, and cost concerns of the aircraft
industry.  Tasks are proposed to demonstrate the sensor?s ultrahigh
sensitivity and immunity to fuel splashes and deposits of sulfur
compounds.  To assure success, ISL has assembled a project team having a
cumulative 60 person-years of experience in the development of
opto-chemical sensors.
Future NASA planetary and astrophysics missions will require various enhancements in multi-stage cryocoolers.  These include increased efficiency, reduced vibration and reductions in overall system mass and power consumption.  For the small coolers required, pulse tube and Stirling coolers offer the best opportunities.  At present, the efficiency of these coolers is limited by the effectiveness of low-temperature-stage regenerators.  Below about 60 K, two factors play key roles in reducing the effectiveness of regenerators.  One is that the heat capacity of most materials falls rapidly with decreasing temperature, thereby, severely limiting the number of useful materials to a few in common use.  A second factor is that these commonly used materials are only available in powder form, a form known to raise reliability issues.  In this effort, we will address both factors.  We will use newly developed materials with high heat capacities at temperatures below 60 K, higher than that of commonly used materials.  Further, we will develop a novel low-temperature regenerator matrix that will address both the aspect of high-efficiency and regenerator durability.  Both the void fraction and the ratio of surface area to solid fracton of the regenerator matrix will be varied to achieve high efficiency.
To achieve the capability to affordably produce scores of nano-spacecraft for envisioned constellation missions, a new manufacturing process is needed to reduce the time and cost of fabricating and testing the nanosats.  However, to achieve substantial savings, a fundamental paradigm shift in how spacecraft are built must be made.  Current spacecraft are built with the same processes and procedures used in the 1960?s, whereas electronics technology has gone far beyond that of the early days.  So while the size of satellites has steadily decreased, the manufacturing time has not experienced similar reductions.  Given that labor to build a satellite remains the single largest element of cost, the opportunity remains to dramatically shorten program schedules and lower cost through the infusion of new techniques and innovative processes in the construction of structures, electronics, harnessing and most importantly the testing process.  AeroAstro proposes to set aside the conventional rule book and explore a broad range of Design for Manufacture material and process innovations that could lead to a dramatic shortening of the micro/nano-satellite manufacturing timeline with concomitant savings in unit manufacturing cost.
Quantum dots are nanoscale materials that have already improved the performance of optical sensors, lasers, and light emitting diodes.  The unique properties of these nanomaterials offer tremendous benefit in developing high-efficiency photovoltaic solar cells as well.  Theoretical studies predict a potential efficiency of 63.2 &#37;, for an array of quantum dots sandwiched between the p and n-type layers in a typical photovoltaic junction.  This would yield an increase in efficiency of a factor of 2 over any state-of-the-art (SOA) devices available today.  We are proposing to utilize quantum dots to develop a super high-efficiency multijunction III-V solar cell for space. 
In metamorphic triple junction space solar cells, pioneered by Essential Research, Inc., the InGaAs junction or bottom cell of the three-cell stack is the current limiting entity.  We propose an InGaAs cell which incorporates InAs quantum dots to provide sub-gap absorption and thus improve the short-circuit current.  This cell could then be integrated into a conventional three-cell stack to achieve a space solar cell whose efficiency would dramatically exceed current SOA standards.  A theoretical estimate predicts that a InGaAlP(1.95 eV)/InGaAsP(1.35 eV)/InGaAs(1.2 eV) triple junction cell incorporating quantum dots to improve the bottom cell current would have an efficiency exceeding 40&#37;.
Ground test facilities are used by NASA to simulate the conditions present during flight at hypersonic velocities, to test thermal protection materials for existing spacecraft and develop new hypersonic aircraft.  To ensure the accuracy and usefulness of ground test results, the state of the gas in the ground test facility must be known.  Key components of the test gas, such as atomic oxygen and atomic nitrogen, can be monitored today using pulsed laser sources operating in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.  However, this measurement scheme is not fast enough to detect rapid fluctuations which may be present.  Our innovation is a sensor based on compact, portable source of tunable laser radiation in the far-infrared (terahertz) region of the spectrum which can be used to measure the number density and velocity of atomic oxygen continuously during a ground test.  During Phase I we will prove feasibility by showing that a laser with the required wavelength, tuning range, and linewidth can be constructed.  During Phase II we will prove practicality by optimizing the properties of the laser, building a prototype sensor, demonstrating the detection of atomic oxygen, and delivering the sensor to an appropriate NASA test facility.
A fundamental challenge in the development of automation to aid a human user, and a primary metric for the success of the design, is acceptance by the user community.  This is particularly true of air traffic control (ATC) automation.  The proposed work hypothesizes that a lack of robustness to uncertainty leads to automation designs that are not human-centered and, therefore, are unacceptable or unusable to the users.  Automation must frequently provide advisories, make control decisions, or alert in the presence of uncertainty about the state of the world.  Contemporary automation typically bases outputs on deterministic estimates, discarding available knowledge about uncertainty because techniques for using this knowledge in the automation?s algorithms or displaying uncertainty information to the user are not available.
The proposed work studies two approaches to handling uncertainty.  First, we will investigate automation designs that incorporate knowledge of uncertainty in the automation?s calculations and decisions.  Second, we will investigate presenting confidence/uncertainty information to the user.  Finally, we will evaluate how these approaches to incorporating knowledge about uncertainty improve the usability and acceptability of decision support tools.  We will study this problem in the context of ATC automation.
There currently are no analytical or CFD tools that can reliably predict unsteady cavitation dynamics in liquid rocket cryogenic systems.  Analysis of cavitating cryogenic systems presents a challenge, and is poorly understood, because the phase change process couples with the temperature fluctuations in the fluid.  In particular when large scale flow unsteadiness is present at low-flow, off-design conditions, this coupling can lead to significant enhancement of vaporization and possibly lead to cavitation instabilities.  These large amplitude, dynamic loads can interact with other system components and cause severe damage.  The innovation proposed here is the development of an unsteady numerical framework that can predict amplitudes and frequencies of dynamic pressure loads in cryogenic fluids.  This innovation will address the inclusion of advanced unsteady cavitation models, validation for pressure fluctuations in cryogenic fluids, and development of unsteady boundary conditions for coupling the turbopump to other system components.  An experimental program will be set up in the Phase II effort to obtain unsteady flow data for code validation.  The resulting product, a specialized version of the multi-element unstructured CRUNCH CFD code, will be a well-validated and reliable analysis tool that can be used to predict unsteady, off-design performance of liquid rocket turbopumps.
The Energies and Power Densities of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells (DMFCs) are limited by the size and weight associated with the liquid pump, which must circulate the methanol/water fuel mixture so that 1) methanol and water can be added as needed, 2) heat can be removed, and 3) CO2 can be removed.  Automating these needs with appropriate control is difficult, especially under zero-gravity conditions.  New design strategies are necessary with reduced overhead, if miniature DMFCs are to become a reality for Robotic terrestrial and Earth observation missions.  The proposed work will demonstrate a DMFC with a means for continuous adjustment of water and methanol content in the anode fuel mixture of an air-breathing DMFC using piezoelectric micropumps.  The micropumps are expected to be tolerant to zero-gravity and potentially will work more efficiently in the absence of gravity and thus provide an added benefit for DMFCs used in space.
The design of a UAV mounted Fire Mapper system is proposed. The system consists of a multi-band imaging sensor, a data processing system and a data communication system that are capable of detecting fires and providing fire information in near real time to an Incident Command Team. The sensor incorporates high performance QWIP IR detectors and a compact, lightweight scanner derived from an earlier NASA SBIR program. Location and platform attitude measurements are made and this information is combined with a DEM and applied to the image sensor output, producing fire and terrain image information that is GIS compatible. The Phase I work will assess available technologies, develop algorithms, evaluate tradeoffs and produce a preliminary design for a prototype system that can be built and flight demonstrated in Phase II with a NASA supplied UAV platform.

To accomplish these goals, the program will leverage the background of the NASA science team, the USDA Forest Service fire crews, SenSyTech airborne imaging experience and other SenSyTech customer experience; all of which have contributed to methods and systems for wildland fire detection and mapping.
The proposed innovation is a wireless laser power transmission system employing a dual-use photovoltaic concentrator at the receiving end.  Specifically, the laser receiver/converter employs thin Fresnel lenses to focus continuous or pulsed laser light onto small photovoltaic cells, thereby reducing cell cost and improving cell conversion efficiency (&gt; 70&#37; near term).  The dual-use approach employs a novel four-terminal multijunction cell interconnection design to allow the same photovoltaic concentrator to be used as a state-of-the-art solar array.  Specifically, the photovoltaic concentrator uses multijunction cells for the high-efficiency solar radiation conversion (&gt; 30&#37; near-term), but only the top junction of such cells for the high-efficiency laser radiation conversion.  After system optimization in Phase I and system demonstration in Phase II, the new modular laser/solar photovoltaic concentrator will have many NASA, military, and commercial space applications.  Applications include spacecraft arrays receiving laser input from other spacecraft or from Earth;  lunar or planetary arrays receiving laser input from nearby spacecraft or from Earth;  and Earth-based arrays receiving laser input from space solar power (SSP) spacecraft.  The dual-use capability enables state-of-the-art solar power operation when sunlight is available (e.g., illuminated orbit portion), and laser operation when sunlight is not available (e.g., eclipse orbit portion).
Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP) technology holds great promise for power and propulsion demands of NASA current and future deep space explorations. Closed Brayton Cycle (CBC) space power system is one of the most efficient energy conversion  technologies for nuclear electric propulsion. There are three heat exchanges in CBC and the recuperator is very important to enhancing CBC efficiency. An advanced light weight recuperator is proposed for reducing mass of the State-of-Art (SOA) metallic recuperator in CBC while improving its performance by using advanced materials. The feasibility of the proposed recuperator will be demonstrated and key technical issues will be investigated during Phase I. Three concept designs of heat exchanger cores will be developed and prototyped. Their performance will be determined. Based on experimental data, a sub-scale recuperator for CBC will be outlined preliminarily. The proposed recuperator is anticipated to offer significant mass saving in comparison with the metallic recuperator.
The Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry states that reducing the cost to orbit is an essential ingredient for progress. This Phase I project will focus on the development of composite sandwich panel technology for large rocket payload fairings that shows promise to greatly reduce production costs compared to current large-fairing constructions.  An innovative foam and fiber preform technology will be used with Vacuum Infusion Process (VIP) molding to produce high-performance, damage-resistant sandwich panel designs that enable cost reductions in tooling, materials, and processing, and that are free of the size limitations imposed by existing autoclaves.  The preforms are fabricated from low-cost fiber forms and foams using high-speed, automated processes.  The preforms work well with VIP molding, an environmentally friendly, non-autoclave process suitable for large, integrated structures.  The orthotropic tailorability of the preforms will be exploited by using a linked local/global design analysis to achieve minimum-weight composite sandwich designs for a selected large-diameter fairing application.  Sandwich panel designs will be fabricated and tested for mechanical and physical properties.  The designs will be assessed by comparing structural performance and projected fairing fabrication costs against the baseline aluminum honeycomb/prepreg/autoclave technology.
This Phase I proposal seeks support to extend the BrahmsVE architecture to support a multi-agent human-centric simulation of a hypothetical future ISS which is equipped with interior agents (PSA) and exterior tele-operated agents (Robonaut). An Agent Broker module will be constructed as well as detailed interior and exterior ISS 3D virtual world models containing PSA, Robonaut, human (astronaut-agents) and major subsystems. Input from expert advisors at several NASA centers will be sought to create this macro-level simulation of work practice within a hypothetical future ISS.
This program will result in the creation of the first technology designed to provide robotic explorer vehicles with the ability to ?learn and remember? the terrain over which they travel.  While it is described as a geographic information system it will be used to explore artificial satellites like the space shuttle as well as planet surfaces.  The SmartTopo software system will be developed to be portable and robust so that it can be used by NASA in a variety of general and embedded applications.  It will be used in robotic inspection of spacecraft on-orbit, and as such will aid NASA in Return to Flight.

The idea is simple ? a robot explorer (aircraft, spacecraft, satellite, planetary rover or submersible) will be sent forth with an internal digital map of the topography of an area to explore.  As exploration proceeds sensors on the explorer will collect data as always, but now the SmartTopo software will process the data and update the original digital map data in real time.  This will result in a higher resolution topographic model of the surface area over which the explorer is collecting data.
We propose to develop, test, and prove the feasibility of a methodology for an inferential system for the generation of crash site likelihood maps. These maps will assist in the prioritization of candidate aircraft crash sites to be searched by Search and Rescue (SAR) operations. The crash site likelihood maps will be created by the fusion of the knowledge and experience of experts in aircraft crash site identification, together with, among others,  knowledge about weather condi-tions, terrain information, and aircraft models.  These maps will indicate the most likely areas where an aircraft may have crashed, and will allow SAR operations to focus their resources in these areas first, leading to faster and more efficient rescue operations.  The proposed work di-rectly and innovatively addresses NASA's Search and Rescue (SAR) mission, by targeting the improvement of SAR operations.  This proposed approach offers the innovation of the intelligent fusion of a variety of data, information and knowledge sources to generate crash site likelihood maps.
Mikro Systems, Inc. (MSI) will advance the state-of-the-art in high resolution, high-aspect-ratio x-ray/gamma-ray collimator fabrication into the micro-slit regime (slit pitch on the order of 10-20 microns) through the use of an innovative hybrid micro-machining technology.  To achieve high resolution imaging at hard x-ray and gamma-ray energies, grid-based optics are currently required.  Fine grids, having high-aspect-ratio (&gt;50:1) and made from dense materials, are the enabling components for solar and astrophysical imaging with high angular resolution at x-ray and gamma-ray energies.  Instrumentation for these missions is severely constrained by size and mass considerations. Since the angular resolution scales with the grid-aperture to instrument-length ratio, the ability to produce grids with finer pitch has the direct result of higher angular resolution and/or overall reduction in instrument size and mass.
Lightweight, high-temperature radiators are needed for future, high-efficiency power conversion systems for Nuclear Electric Propulsion (NEP).  Creare has developed flexible radiators that are extremely lightweight, stowable in small volumes, and deployable with small forces and incorporate micrometeorite protection.  The present technology is limited to 350 K operating temperature due to the use of thermoplastic adhesives in the construction.  In this proposal we plan to develop a high-temperature radiator panel to extend the range of operation needed for NEP systems.  Our innovation is a novel material combination and fabrication method that enables radiator panels with low weight, high fin efficiency, and adequate strength at high temperature.  Our lightweight radiator panel offers a factor of four reduction in weight compared with present honeycomb structures and will approach 1 kg/m?.  In Phase I, we will prove the feasibility of the fabrication process and demonstrate the ability of the panel to operate at high temperature.  During Phase II, we will develop a subscale radiator to demonstrate the advantages of the technology.
Decision support tools that make use of surface surveillance technologies data can potentially make it possible to increase airport throughput, better accommodate NAS user needs and improve safety.  Currently, the major emphasis of tools like NASA?s Surface Management System and the FAA?s Departure Spacing Program has been on improving the performance of the FAA.  However, to fully achieve the potential benefits, corresponding tools must be made available to NAS users.  To this end, we propose to develop a sophisticated suite of tools for the NAS users that make integrated use of data about airport surface and airspace operations, and that will allow them to work more effectively in coordination with FAA staff.  Two classes of tools will be explored under this SBIR.  The first class will consist of programmable alerts and critiquing functions that monitor for important events.  The second will focus on the design of advanced algorithms that assist with departure planning and execution.  Phase I will result in the development of a prototype system that demonstrates the capabilities of these tools, along with appropriate formative evaluations.  Phase II would result in the completion of an operational suite of tools.
Stirling Technology Company (STC) proposes to integrate an existing Multi-Cylinder Free-Piston Stirling Engine (MPFPSE) with innovative compact linear alternators. Future manned and unmanned scientific and exploration missions will require substantially more electric power from nuclear, solar, and other heat sources than existing launch-capable systems can effectively provide. A scalable, cost-effective, safe, reliable, low mass, robust, high-efficiency, heat-to-electric power convertor is proposed. Innovative aspects include: 1) increased power density through the use of a double-acting MCFPSE, 2) increased system efficiency by improving phase angle and reducing alternator losses, and 3) an innovative duplex linear alternator design with the potential to improve efficiency and reduce mass. This advanced dynamic power system for heat-to-electric power conversion is based on a free-piston implementation of the well-known Siemens four-cylinder heat exchanger interconnection arrangement combined with highly reliable, flexure-supported linear alternators. These proven technologies provide high power density, while retaining the simplicity and long-life inherent with flexure-supported hardware, as evidenced by an on-going 79,000-hour (9-year) maintenance-free, degradation-free endurance test at STC. Power convertors based on this innovative arrangement are scalable up to tens of kilowatts, while modular combinations of coaxially-aligned, opposed power convertors will produce very low net vibration forces.
Due to the extensive amounts of data generated from the genome sequencing projects, the focus of genomics has shifted from elucidating DNA sequence to the interpretation of gene function.  In addition, as proteins are most often the targets of drugs, a method of studying the genome at the protein level is fueling the pharmaceutical industry?s interest in proteomics.  By interpreting the interacting partners of a protein of interest and stimuli that affect these conditions, much can be learned about the protein?s function.  To help fuel the proteomics revolution, Agave BioSystems, in collaboration with Dr. Robert Boyd, of the Institute of Optics at the University of Rochester, proposes to develop an ultra sensitive analytical tool based on whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator technology for the detection of protein-protein interactions.  Simulations have demonstrated that WGM resonator technology can provide several orders of magnitude greater sensitivity as compared to current detection mechanisms such as SPR.  The microfabrication of this detection mechanism, coupled with microfluidic systems to be developed in the Phase II, will result in a disposable biochip that can be readily used in a small, compact and portable instrument.
A new servo-drive technology is available to support energy storage and navigation for micro-satellites.  Exploiting the ?pinning? effect of high-temperature superconductors, high-speed momentum wheels can be suspended in a stable condition that is virtually independent of speed (unlike magnetic levitation).  Aside from the motor drive, this levitation system is compact and highly energy efficient.  To be effective it requires a drive that is equally compact and energy efficient.  It also requires extremely high servo performance with especially low torque ripple.  Barrett proposes an innovation to support such a compact/efficient drive amplifier.  Phase I will focus on feasibility of this approach and Phase II will support prototype design and aggressive space qualification of this unit.
Self-bearing or ?bearingless? motors perform both motor and bearing support functions but such devices have not yet achieved speeds above 15,000 rpm.  The innovation proposed for a self-bearing motor-generator (M-G) will achieve speeds above 30,000 rpm, moving the technology to a new frontier, not only for the motor but the generator functions as well.  As applied to a flywheel energy storage system (FESS), the concept replaces the permanent-magnet bearings, conventional M-G, as well as the need for the active damper.  The self-bearing function is implemented with a proportional integral derivative control and has adjustable damping as in conventional active magnetic bearings.  As a result, the flywheel end rotors are shortened substantially and could enable running at much higher speed without concerns regarding the first bending critical speed.  Further, elimination of rotor parts will enhance the reliability of the mechanical system.  Although a self-bearing approach could result in a less efficient magnetic bearing combined with a less efficient motor, the proposed approach will solve the efficiency problem, making it ideal for the high energy efficiencies required for FESS.  With such improved efficiencies and reliability, the self-bearing M-G will serve as a modular building-block technology for the power management and distribution  systems used in observation platforms for earth science missions.
NASA requires clear antistatic coatings that can withstand exposure to the rigors of the space environment. Agiltron proposes a coating consisting of inorganic conducting particles and space environment resistant polymer that shares the best features of inorganics and organics currently available. Such a coating could potentially be processed by common polymeric routes yet have the optical/electrical performance advantages of inorganic materials. The electric resistance of the coating can be easily adjusted by changing the composition and concentration of the inorganic conducting particles for a resistance required for antistatic applications (106-1010 ohm/sq). This new material system would overcome traditional drawbacks, such as the light scattering due to the aggregation of the inorganic particles, providing the high transparency and desired conductivity for many applications. Elimination of light scattering is achieved by dispersing transparent conducting particles into an optically matched polymer matrix. Moreover, the transparent and conducting particles are designed to chemically bond to the engineered polymer composite for excellent stability and reliability that are required in space environment applications. The process of applying this type of transparent antistatic film is as simple as applying paint, which would allow the application of these coatings to flexible and rigid materials suggesting potential even in very cost-sensitive applications.
The proposed expandable depot storage tanks would make it possible to have an on-orbit tank larger in volume than any existing or planned launch vehicles.  The size of the tank would be diameter limited by the launch vehicle, but not limited in length.  It would take several additional launches to fill the depot tank for use.  Because of the light load on launch the inner tank support system could be much lighter and less conductive than that required for loaded tanks and thus have low thermal loads for the final tank configuration.  The tank could be fully assembled before launch which would greatly reduce on-orbit problems.  Materials can be selected to give optimal configurations with different cryogenic fluids.  The entire tank could be configured to have a zero loss rate by the use of cryogenic reliquefier(s).  Protection against micrometeorites and monatomic oxygen would be built into the outer surface of the tanks.     


The inflatable storage tanks will have many additional military and commercial applications in  space in the arena of storing large quantities of fluid for laser fuel, space tugs and long duration space flight.  The primary use will be in cases where the required fluid volume is greater than can be achieved with a single launch vehicle.
A compact, autonomous and rugged instrument to measure the concentration of inorganic ions, and possibly organic acids, in atmospheric aerosols is proposed.  This instrument will combine an innovative method for particle concentration and collection with emerging ?laboratory on a chip? analytical methods.  The analytical microchip, measuring a few centimeters across, will contain all of the critical components for chemical quantitation, including the collection reservoir, capillary electrophoresis separation column and conductivity detector.  Atmospheric aerosol will be deposited directly on the analytical chip using a new, thermally diffusive, laminar flow, water condensation technology that enlarges nanometer diameter particles into the micrometer size range.  Transfer from the collection reservoir to the separation channel will be accomplished electrodynamically.  Within the column, ions are separated by electrophoresis, and detected by conductivity.  Cations and anions will be determined quantitatively.  Subsequent work could expand this approach to organic acids.  This instrument is in direct response to NASA solicitation for ?systems and devices for measurement of atmospheric aerosol chemical.. properties?.  It further fits the stated desire for ?autonomy.. for ground-station network applications and deployment aboard aircraft.?  The system will be automated, yielding continuous, 5-min data at global background concentrations.
Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent software agent technologies are key and revolutionary technologies that are needed to fulfill spacecraft autonomy and robustness operations capabilities and functions. The Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent spacecraft autonomy and robustness system integrates real time control and health monitoring with planning and scheduling to achieve the long-term mission objectives. This project develops the Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent software agents consisting of automation in multi levels, knowledge base, inference mechanism, and communication. The proposed Distributed Reconfigurable Intelligent software agents for operations assistant takes advantage of innovative techniques of individual decision and control methodologies and emphasizes the synergism among all subsystems to assure the overall system performance. At the end of the project, a demonstration system will be established to evaluate the proposed software system.
We propose to design and deliver a turn-key photon counting detector module for near-infrared wavelengths, based on large-area InGaAs/InP avalanche photodiodes (APDs) that have been optimized for photon counting.  The detector module will incorporate all of the essential photon-counting detector system elements: thermoelectric cooling, high-speed bias gating and avalanche quenching circuits, power supply, control and signal interfaces, optical fiber input, and a large-area APD.  Previous near-infrared photon-counting systems have been severely limited by the use of commercially-available telecommunications-grade APDs, designed for linear operation at room temperature and low internal gain.  These APDs are far from optimum for single photon counting at reduced temperature and very high internal gain. Work by our company has demonstrated that both quantum efficiency and pulse jitter can be greatly improved using APDs developed specifically for photon counting.  During Phase I we will develop and deliver a prototype photon counting detector module optimized for low jitter and high single-photon quantum efficiency at wavelengths between 1.0 and 1.6 microns.  During Phase II we will deliver a more advanced detector module having interchangeable APDs individually optimized for photon counting in the 1.0, 1.5, and 1.9 micron wavelength bands.
To determine pointing and position vectors in both local and inertial coordinate frames, multi-spacecraft missions typically utilize separate attitude determination and formation metrology systems.  For low Earth orbits (LEO), fleet position and geometry knowledge is almost exclusively achieved by using GPS data or ground uplink.  In the ab-sence of this information, inter-satellite ranging between all member elements (e.g. RF, optically) is required in or-der to determine the system topology.  While this represents a functional solution, the Earth Science (ES) Enterprise program has established a priority for the deployment and coordination of large fleets of space platforms.  In re-sponse, AeroAstro proposes to develop an integrated vision-based GN&amp;C system technology for attitude and forma-tion determination of multi-spacecraft missions.  To achieve this capability, the design will incorporate a novel miniature star tracker (currently under development by AeroAstro), with a suite of innovative network algorithms.  Requiring only a single node-node range measurement and communication of processed vision data from member platforms, fleet geometry determination will be insensitive to orbit altitude, topology, near-field interference, and proximity.  In addition, AeroAstro will utilize its significant experience in developing microsatellite systems to de-liver a design that is optimized around simplicity, cost, and efficient use of available platform resources.
Crystal Research, Inc. proposes an integrated high-speed digital optical true-time-delay module for advanced synthetic aperture radars.  The unique feature of this proposed approach is that both the true-time-delay waveguide circuit and high-speed electro-optic switching elements are made by using a single polymeric waveguide system and are monolithically integrated in a single substrate.  As a result, it significantly reduces the device size while eliminating the most difficult packaging problem associated with the delicate interfaces between optical fibers and optical switches.  Such a monolithic approach offers great precision (0.11 microns) for the RF phase control due to the sub-micrometer accuracy of lithography-defined optical waveguide delay lines.  More important, the proposed optical switched true-time-delay network requires very low electrical power consumption (&lt; 1 micro watts) due to very low power operation of electrically-switchable electro-optic waveguide gratings.  Furthermore, the electrically-switchable electro-optic waveguide gratings have a very fast switching speed (&lt;50 micro seconds) that is at least 100 time faster than any existing commercial optical switches.  Other advantages of using the proposed switched digital optical true-time-delay lines include: microwave true-time-delay compatible, small, light weight, low loss, and immune to electro-magnetic interfere.
Future space missions will require Solar cell arrays having specific power ratings in excess of 1000 W/kg. Conventional crystalline photovoltaic technology comprised of epitaxial photovoltaic semiconductor materials grown on single crystal semiconductor substrates, cannot provide these specific ratings. We propose to synthesize nano-precursors of solar cell materials of uniform size by Solvo-thermal process. These nano-precursors will be deposited as nano-thin film on low cot and flexible metal foil substrate by Electrophoretic technique. Through subsequent , insitu annealing, thin films with grain size &gt;50 microns will be produced. GaAs, Ge and InP will be investigated to determine which material can be deposited as high quality large grain thin film without contamination. The synthesized nano-precursors, electrphoretically deposited nano-thin film and large grain thin film produced after annealing will be fully characterized. A combination of crystalline thin film photovoltaic layers having an efficiency of just 25&#37; fabricated on low cost, light weight flexible substrate such as a metal foil, would yield a specific power rating of &gt;1200 W/kg. During Phase II multi-junction solar cell will be grown on the large grain thin film produced during Phase I on flexible/low cost metal foil substrate.
Crucibles comprised of an internal ceramic liner in direct contact with a metal reinforcement are desired to maximize heat transfer between the sample and the furnace for materials processing experiments in microgravity.  Previous work by Plasma Processes Inc. has demonstrated forming techniques to provide reinforced crucibles that survive quenching and produce samples with enhanced microstructural features compared to samples processed in conventional ampoule/cartridge assemblies.  However, incorporation of thermocouples has been limited to either inside the crucible cavity or on the external surface of the metal reinforcement.  The science requirements of several NASA principle investigators prevent the placement of thermocouples in these locations.  In addition, a failure detection technique based on the use of krypton gas is required on some microgravity furnaces.  Therefore, ?smart? crucibles are needed that incorporate thermocouple grooves and a reservoir for krypton gas storage within the crucible wall.  Because of intimate contact between all the layers of the ?smart? crucible, optimum heat transfer rates are maintained.
Over the past decade, many research groups have developed reconfigurable computing systems built from Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) for on-board processing of remote sensing data.  Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to exploit the run-time reconfiguration capabilities of SRAM-based FPGAs to demonstrate an innovative extension to the current state-of-the-art -- an autonomous, adaptive digital signal processor.  PSI?s Reconfigurable Environmentally Aware Computing Technology (REACT) will automatically customize applications executing on a reconfigurable FPGA processing system based on external inputs.  In Phase I, we will validate the REACT concept by processing images from a digital video camera with a variable-precision 2D integer wavelet transform in a Xilinx Virtex-II FPGA.  Wavelet transforms enable image data compression with dynamically tunable compression ratios.  Quantization of the filter coefficients will be controlled by a master state machine with inputs from a GPS receiver and PSI?s SEU Alarm, a compact sensor that monitors the surrounding environment for radiation hazards.  Furthermore, PSI will develop a Phase II system design capable of performing a full-scale demonstration using hyperspectral imagery.
Supercritical air at cryogenic temperature is an attractive source of breathing air because of its very high density and low pressure.  However, heat leak into the cryogenic tank causes the stored air to expand and vent, thus limiting the storage life of a charged system.  We propose to develop a storage system for supercritical air tanks that provides cryogenic cooling that will intercept heat leaks to prevent venting and enable long-term storage of charged, supercritical air tanks.  The innovative, mechanical cryocooling system provides flexible coupling and quick disconnection from the storage tanks, as well as high reliability and efficient, low-power operation.  In addition to storage, the system can be used to charge the tanks with supercritical air without the use of expendable cryogens.  In Phase I, we will prove the feasibility of the system through design trade-off and optimization analyses that will produce a conceptual design and operational description of a supercritical air storage system.  The system will be designed to store multiple units of NASA?s existing supercritical air self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) system.  In Phase II, we will build and demonstrate a prototype storage system for supercritical air SCBAs.
It is proposed to develop an accurate, in-service transmission life-estimation system for the prediction of remaining component and system life for a helicopter transmission system.  Once proven in the helicopter environment, this life-estimation system will be of use to a wide variety of airborne and land-based transmission systems.  Its use will improve the safety and reduce the maintenance costs of the monitored systems.
	The transmission-life estimating system will include three separate algorithms: an in-flight service monitoring algorithm, a pre-flight and post-flight transmission analysis algorithm, and a component-life tallying algorithm.  The in-flight service monitor will treat the transmission as a whole in response to sampling data of mast torque and speed.  The transmission analysis algorithm will determine the transmission's operating parameters from those of its components. It also will determine the life and reliability of the individual components based on the service monitoring algorithm's output.  The component-life algorithm will accumulate life and reliability tables.
	  The Phase I effort will develop the life-monitoring and supporting life-estimation and reliability algorithms.  In the Phase II effort, the full life-estimating system will be assembled and tested with a helicopter main-rotor transmission.
We propose to develop an innovative, versatile and extensible, continuous-thrust trajectory optimization tool for planetary mission design and optimization of continuous-thrust spacecraft missions. A working title for this new tool is ?Apache.? Apache will be a platform-independent and user-friendly tool that eliminates piecewise optimization. A key to Apache?s versatility and extensibility is the use of object-oriented Java language. Specific innovations and features include: 

* Operates in complex gravity models,
* Automatically and seamlessly handles multi-body transitions,
* Supports solar and nuclear electric, electrodynamic tether, solar sail and hybrid propulsion options, 
* Includes non-gravitational force models such as solar pressure or atmospheric drag,
* Models solar occultation periods appropriately and automatically,
* Calculates radiation dosage from trapped radiation belts,
* Optimizes static and dynamic variables using a gradient-based algorithm to size spacecraft systems, and to select flight times and thrust-steering profiles,
* Uses analytical solutions to generate a good initial guess for the optimization method, and
* Written in Java to facilitate the development of an extensible architecture and promote platform independence.

Apache responds directly to the subtopic call for ?continuous-thrust mission design consisting of a synthesis of trajectory, vehicle, and operations considerations,? which enables analysis capability to lead technology development.
Los Gatos Research proposes to develop wafer-based capillary electrochromatography for lab-on-a-chip (LOC) applications.  These microfluidic devices will be engineered for integration with chemical and biomolecular LOC detector systems.  For Phase I, a chip-based capillary electrochromatography system will be constructed and tested.  The Phase I Research will address issues related to the performance of, as well as production methods that can be used for the technology. An integrated microfluidic system will be designed, and specifications for the Phase II Prototype will be determined.  The suitability of the technology for present NASA LOC applications will be assessed, and relevant commercial markets and products will be identified.  Commercial devices based on the Phase II prototype will be constructed and commercialized during Phase III.
NASA is committed to measuring precipitation on a global scale. In 1997, NASA launched the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission which carried the first spaceborne precipitation radar (PR). Operating at 13.8 GHz, the PR demonstrated the potential of spaceborne radars to map global precipitation. To improve rainfall estimates, the next generation system being proposed for the NASA Global Precipitation Mission is a dual-wavelength (Ku/Ka-band) PR. While operating at two different frequencies will yield additional information on the drop size distribution, it will also mean a significant increase in size, mass, power consumption and cost. 

The proposed Phase I effort will investigate the required innovations to design and build a Ka-band differential frequency PR. Such a system will potentially provide the same advantages as a dual-band PR without the same increase in size, mass, power and cost. This Phase I study will focus on developing a wide-band (10&#37; BW) Ka-band amplifier, a wide-band matched-beam single aperture antenna and a novel Ka-band differential frequency PR system design. This design will lead to a prototype system that can be flown on high-altitude platforms such as the NASA ER-2.
Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) for microspacecraft is a rapidly growing technology area for the use of fiber optics and MEMS. Morgan Research Corporation proposes an innovative system called a fiber optics sensor suite (FOSS) that combines the strain/damage detection capability of fiber with the temperature, acceleration, and shock determination of MEMS. The proposed research allows for optical fiber to be used as a distributed backbone-sensing member with nodes of environmental sensors placed at strategic locations along the structure. The optical fiber is able to sense damage and external or internal loads on the structure while MEMS nodes monitor the spacecraft?s surroundings. The optical fiber acts as a communication link between the nodes and to acquire and transmit data in a format not susceptible to EMI or environmental noise.
The proposed technology genetically labels intracellular structures and visualizes protein interactions in living cells using a compact, confocal microscope with solid-state laser illumination.  The proposed innovation will allow advanced study of cellular biology in microgravity environments.  The recently introduced reef coral proteins fluoresce over a broader range of wavelengths than GFP and its derivatives.  This allows simultaneous fluorescence labeling of three, and possibly four, cellular constituents simultaneously.  The proposed confocal microscope will be based entirely on compact, low-power solid-state laser technology and will allow high-resolution imaging of structures within living cells in three colors simultaneously at standard video frame rates.  As part of this innovation we will develop a 594 nm solid state laser for improved resolution of HcRed, the most red-shifted of the reef coral proteins.  In Phase I we will set up a biological model that incorporates three different protein fusions.  Phase I microscopy studies will determine the specifications for spectral and spatial resolution for the Phase II device.  That Phase II device will comprise a compact system that uses low-power solid-state laser illumination.  The device will have broad applicability for space cell biology research and also for terrestrial-based cell biology research.
IAI has successfully used principal component analysis to detect even subtle latent faults in a subsystem.  An advantage of the PCA for this application is that the system can be real-time, even when there are very large data sets to be analyzed.  IAI has also successfully used software autonomous agents to provide robust, flexible, optimized control of large complex decentralized systems such as air traffic control, battle management, etc.  The innovation of this proposal is the integration of these previously separate technologies to provide system health management and self-reliant systems.  The system to which we will apply this innovation is a power grid where nodes can be power producers, power consumers, power transmission elements, and in some cases nodes can be either producers or consumers at different times.  Our software agents interact with each other based on a contract net paradigm.  IAI has been working on agent-based systems for a decade and has an extensive library of tools and techniques to design and implement agents interacting via a contract net.  These tools and techniques will be used in the proposed work and will allow us to implement a simulation of a non-trivial system even during Phase 1.
NASA is seeking improved methods of rapid prototyping, which are best achieved by using directed metal deposition (DMD).  Current DMD systems consume a great deal of power, are inefficient, require significant flow of cooling water, and are fixed in one location.  To address the need for a rapid prototyping DMD laser, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new holographic optical element-based laser diode source (HOELDS) to replace conventional DMD lasers.  The proposed laser source is an innovative combination of extended laser diode arrays with a non-imaging beam combiner to produce over 500 W output in a 100 micron diameter spot.  HOELDS will greatly increase efficiency, resulting in a less expensive prototyping system that can be moved from laboratory to laboratory as needed, requiring only wall plug power, and cooled without water.  In Phase I, POC will design, assemble, and test a HOELDS model to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed technology.  In Phase II, HOELDS technology will be optimized to produce a prototype DMD laser for evaluation in an engineering environment.  This project will be followed by a smooth transition to a commercial prototype that will be compact, power-efficient, and portable.
Premature breakdown is a key obstacle in developing AlGaN-based avalanche photo diodes (APD) for ultraviolet (UV) light detection. Novel materials growth techniques, such as Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy (HVPE) allows for reduction of dislocation density only to approximately 10^7 cm-2. In order to reduce the number of growth defects and dislocation density in AlGaN-based APDs we will use single crystal bulk AlN substrates. We recently demonstrated that the use of a bulk AlN substrate allows us to reduce the dislocation density in the epitaxial AlN layers by more than four orders of magnitude down to 10^4-10^5 cm-2.  The reduction of dislocation density below 10^4 cm-2 would enable us to fabricate up to 100 ?m diameter devices in dislocation-free areas of the wafers. Hence, we expect that AlGaN-based APDs on bulk AlN substrates will exhibit major improvements in the breakdown voltages required for stable performance of the devices.
We propose the development of a CTE-matched, liquid-cooled, high thermal conductivity heat sink for use in spacecraft thermal management applications.  The material of construction of this heat sink has four properties that are critical: high normal and specific thermal conductivities, low CTE, high temperature resistivity, and moldability.  Its thermal conductivities are higher than that of copper, so the thermal resistance across this heat sink will be lower than one made of copper.  At the same time, it has a low CTE, which is slightly less than silicon and close to the CTE?s of most semiconductor and optical materials.  CTE-matching is critical in space applications because of the wide variations in ambient temperatures, which can lead to delamination of heat sinks from electronics or their fracture.  This material can withstand very high temperatures, so a faster CVD diamond deposition process is feasible.  The diamond layer maximizes the thermal spreading at the heat sink-device interface (important for devices that are sensitive to temperature gradients) and also provides electrical isolation of the electrical components being cooled.  Finally, the material is moldable, so heat sinks with complex external geometries, e.g. curved for optics, and internal surfaces can be fabricated inexpensively.
High-performance, radiation-hard, widely-tunable integrated laser/modulator chip and large-area avalanche photodetectors (APDs) are key components of optical transmitters and receivers that can dramatically lower the barriers to deployment and operation of high capacity in-space optical communication links.  Agility Communications develops and manufactures widely-tunable CW sources and transmitters based on chip-scale integration of a Sampled-Grating Distributed Bragg Reflector (SG-DBR) laser with an Electroabsorption or Mach-Zehnder modulator. The performance characteristics of these devices include 40 nm wavelength coverage, multi- Gigabit/sec data rates, low drive voltage, and compatibility with high spectral efficiency and high-sensitivity modulation formats. Agility has licensed low-noise APD structures patented at the University of Texas at Austin.  These devices have achieved record-setting noise and gain-bandwidth performance and are ideally suited for space-based, high-bandwidth optical links.  During Phase I of this project we will study the effects of proton irradiation for SG-DBR lasers, InGaAsP bulk electroabsorption and electro-optic modulators, and APDs with InAlAs multiplication structure. Based on the results of Phase I, optimum chip design and process technology will be selected for development of small, efficient, radiation-hard integrated optical components in Phase II of the project.
In this Phase I SBIR proposal we describe our plan to develop two key technologies for future combined radar/radiometer systems operating at L-band.  The first, a dual frequency, dual polarization microstrip antenna array, will allow a 1.2 GHz radar and a 1.4 GHz radiometer to share a single aperture. The second, an integrated transmit/receive (T/R) module, will combine a 2W transmitter with digital phase and amplitude control with a low-noise down-converting receiver. Phase I research will involve selecting appropriate broadband patch and feed network designs, evaluating their performance using GENESYS, a commercial RF simulation package. Candidate T/R module designs will also be evaluated using GENESYS. The imaging capability of the resultant designs will be tested on realistic ocean and land scenes using a custom software package developed by ProSensing.
In this program, we will develop a novel process for fabricating large-area ultraviolet diffraction gratings on curved surfaces. This process is based on a unique conformable maskless projection lithography system technology that has been developed by Anvik Corporation. The UV gratings that will be fabricated using this technology would be attractive for integration into imaging spectrometers, for example, for studying the solar corona and solar emissions, and their influence on the earth environment. In this program we will identify the patterning requirements for curved UV gratiings and we will demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating gratings using conformable maskless lithography. Anvik?s conformable maskless technology offers a number of advantages compared with currently available grating fabrication techniques, most significantly, it enables the patterning of sub-micron gratings on substrates having large sags.
A cylindrical, low-mass, high-efficiency, leak-proof cryogenic valve will be designed using composites and exotic metals.  Based upon cryogenically-proven Venturi Off-Set Technology (VOST) the valve has no stem-actuator, few moving parts, and an overall cylindrical shape.  The valve geometry will help reduce launch vehicle complexity and facilitate assembly and test.  Reliability and safety and will be enhanced due to the inherent simplicity and leak-proof design of the VOST valve.
Faced with ever-increasing projections of air traffic, NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have been developing advanced technologies to increase traffic-handling capacity at existing airports.  Efforts to increase airport capacity approach the problem on two fronts: the first is to increase the number of runways (i.e. more usable space), and the second is to develop new technologies to achieve reduction in aircraft separation and consequently increase in landing rate per runway (i.e. higher density). Although increasing usable runways is ultimately inevitable, doing so often imposes new technical problems that compromise efficiency and safety.  Modifying an existing airport layout increases surface traffic complexity with a higher level of aircraft and surface vehicle traffic, resulting in increased occurrences of runway crossing.  A previous NASA-funded research addresses the air traffic control needs for ground-control operations with the development of a Ground-Operation Situation Awareness and Flow Efficiency (GO-SAFE) system.  A new Surface Operation Automation Research (SOAR) project explores the concept of collaborative automation between the GO-SAFE system and a Flight-deck Automation for Reliable Ground Operation (FARGO) system. The currently proposed effort will advance the interface technology to help the flight crew achieve the precise taxi control envisioned for the FARGO system.
Radiation-hard UV detectors will be developed with ZnO in Phase I efforts by MOXtronics, Inc. (MOX).  ZnO is a very suitable material for fabrication of high-speed, high-detectivity, and radiation-hard UV detectors due to its unique structural, electrical and optical properties.  MOX has achieved several breakthroughs for making p-type ZnO and ZnO p-n junction/Schottky diodes, which allows fabrication of ZnO UV detectors.  High-efficiency ZnO UV detectors will be fabricated on ZnO substrates by using ZnO PIN structures.  In Phase I, ZnO PIN diodes for UV detection will be fabricated and demonstrated.  High-efficiency solar-blind ZnO UV detectors will be developed in future Phase II efforts.
There exist a need to develop, identify, and classify various materials that can be used in the fabrication of electrodynamic tethers for various applications.  These applications consist of but not limited to power generation, orbital maneuvering, and planetary exploration.  A momentum exchange (MXER) tethers utilizes the electrodynamic tether interaction with the planetary magnetic field to provide thrust to a payload in Low Earth Orbit (LEO).  While technological challenges, both materials and non-materials related, currently limit the utilization of the MXER concept, significant advances in materials science will allow the maturation of the system into a viable technology for propulsion in and beyond LEO.  Tether materials-related advances are primary for improving the operation and lifetime of the propulsion system.  Critical materials properties in need of improvement include increases in tensile strength, electrical conductivity, shock resistance, continued flexibility during exposure to an environment rich in radiation and energetic atomic oxygen.  Furthermore, the tether design must incorporate materials with the required characteristics in a manner to allow tolerance to repeated micrometeorite impacts without significant loss of the aforementioned properties.  Decreases in density and cost per unit length are also required to achieve viability.
The success of the International Space Station in meeting NASA?s goals for completing the maximum amount of scientific research aboard the orbiting outpost is directly related to the proportion of astronaut time spent on scientific endeavors versus the time spent maintaining all of the ISS facility resources.  In order to reduce the amount of crew time involved with inventory and logistics activities, the research and development of a highly automated, robust, scalable inventory and object tracking system based on recent advances in commercially available Surface Acoustic Wave passive ID tags is proposed.  Through the combination of monitoring the movement of equipment and expendables through hatches, monitoring the contents of storage racks on a periodic basis, and by providing searching capabilities for particular objects, the system would significantly reduce crew workload, improve crew efficiency, and provide ground personnel with expanded knowledge of the on-board configuration of vehicle resources.  The use of passive SAW tags will ultimately provide for lower cost tags with extended reading range, lower emissions, and expanded temperature range since the tag is not rectifying transmitted energy in order to power active circuits.  In addition to the network of readers, PC software will be developed for simple crew interfacing.
In order to safely explore space, humans must be protected from radiation.  There are 2 predominant sources of extraterrestrial ionizing radiation, namely, Galactic Cosmic Rays (GCR) consisting primarily of nuclei of atoms (up to Fe) and Solar Energetic Particles (SEP), which includes mainly high-energy protons.  In addition, neutrons that are formed due to breakdown of the incoming radiation flux in the shielding material have to be accounted for.  An innovative, castable, boron coated, polyethylene epoxy is potentially a cost-effective lightweight radiation shielding material possessing structural as well as shielding properties.  During Phase I, techniques will be evaluated for coating polyethylene particles with boron to prevent sedimentation of the higher density boron in the epoxy.  In addition, techniques will be developed to uniformly disperse these particles in an epoxy matrix.  Radiation simulations will also be performed.  From these simulations it will be determined what parameters, such as volume percent boron coated, polyethylene particles, are necessary for this material to provide optimal protection to humans and electronics in a deep space environment.  During Phase II, the fabrication techniques will be optimized.  Samples will be produced for extensive mechanical properties testing as well as for radiation testing.
Uncooled focal plane arrays have improved dramatically and array sizes of 320x240 elements in a 50-?m pitch are commercially available at affordable cost. Black Forest Engineering proposes to design a readout integrated circuit to allow fabrication of a large format 1024x768 element uncooled sensor. The significant innovation is the use of 0.18 ?m CMOS design rules, high duty cycle signal sampling, and power reduction techniques to create a thermal sensor that provides high sensitivity readout of large format microbolometer detection elements sensitive to 8-14 ?m infrared. The thermal IR sensor will be low weight, small volume, low power and robust making it compatible with remote sensing applications such as aircraft, balloon-borne and space flight platforms
Remotely sensed Earth Science datasets are characterized by their complexity and size, which results in difficulty in effectively disseminating this information to decision-makers.  Part of this complexity is due to meta-information, or, characteristics of information such as uncertainty, staleness, etc. that add to the decision-making burden.  Knowledge regarding this meta-information, and methods for effectively portraying it, have the potential of relieving the decision-maker?s workload and encouraging more situationally aware decisions.  To support the decision-maker, we propose to develop visual representations of meta-information in remotely sensed geospatial data.  Three core components characterize the proposed approach.  First, we will perform a cognitive task analysis of a selected set of case studies to develop a principled categorization of the key types and sources of information and meta-information required by the decision-maker in existing NASA display systems.  Second, we will design and prototype a toolkit for augmenting incoming data with the identified meta-information types and for rapidly creating new meta-information visualization methods.  This toolkit will support integration of prototype visualization methods with existing NASA display systems.  Third, we will develop an evaluation methodology, including metrics of the utility of each meta-information visualization technique.  We will demonstrate feasibility of our approach for Phase II development.
The objective of this proposed Phase I SBIR effort is to develop and assess the feasibility of an innovative new flight instrument proposed to replace the traditional Turn Coordinator (or Turn-and-Slip Indicator) currently found in most general aviation (GA) aircraft.  The primary innovation is the inclusion of climb-dive information and gyroscopic heading, in addition to the turn-rate information now available, in one low-cost display.  In essence, this new ?r-Gamma? display concept will ?fuse? flight information on one display that the pilot must now gather and correlate from among five separate indicators whenever the aircraft experiences loss of the Attitude Indicator (AI) and the Heading Indicator (HI) due to vacuum system or gauge failure.  The innovative technology that makes this concept feasible and affordable, with a projected cost similar to that of today?s Turn Coordinator, is derived from a technique called ?Air-Data Tracking,? recently developed and flight tested by our firm under an SBIR contract that involved tracking the flightpath of a small USAF sensor vehicle.  We firmly believe this concept has the potential to improve significantly the safety of emergency ?partial-panel? flight operations in GA aircraft.
An integrated unit that harnesses its energy from its surroundings and reacts to, and transmits, any changes in its environment in a predictable and reliable manner would be of significant benefit to the sensor community.  Advances in Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS), silicon, SiGe, and GaAs fabrication technologies have helped to constantly add new sensing and communication functionality in a given device footprint.  A significant limitation with the current state-of-the-art processes though, is the constraint to fabricate devices and circuits on a relatively high-cost, defect-free, single-crystal, base substrate.  This has also limited the potential of an integrated mixed-material design solution that is a key to high-performance communication systems.  Finally, a lack of large-area processing tools has precluded the development of a stand-alone, large-area sensor skin.  Building on Anvik?s proven, large-area, excimer laser based recrystallization and annealing technologies, and ongoing efforts in developing MEMS process technologies on flexible substrates, we propose to develop a fabrication technology to enable wireless communication circuitry on low-cost, flexible base substrates for large-area ?skins?.  There are several applications for this technology in free-moving sensor systems, space-based MEMS and distributed sensor networks for health-monitoring of space based systems, and commercial applications such as cell-phones and PDAs.
There is an important need for compact, light weight, short pulse laser sources for LIDAR applications. Recently, over 100 Watts of output power has been demonstrated from a glass fiber laser. Two advances have made this possible. These are the availability of high power diode lasers for pumping and the development of double cladding of the fibers. For several reasons it is possible to achieve significant improvements in these results by using single crystal fibers rather than glass fibers. Using the Laser-Heated Pedestal-Growth (LHPG) technique to grow single crystal fibers of Yb:YAG, we are proposing to develop a diode-pumped, double-clad fiber laser of Yb:YAG emitting at 1.03 microns and Q-switched using a new passive material.
A space-qualified, single-frequency oscillator operating at 1064 nm is a critical component for a number of active optical measurement systems that have been proposed for both ground and space-based NASA missions.  These include metrology for space-based interferometers, direct detection wind lidar systems, atmospheric aerosol measurement systems, and  differential absorption lidar (DIAL) systems for ozone measurement.  These applications all require a frequency-stabilized cw 1064 nm oscillator with an output power in the 10-100 mW range.  We propose to design and build a space-qualified version of the required laser oscillator.  We will base our design on a diode-pumped microchip laser.  It will incorporate both active temperature control and locking to a narrow molecular absorption to provide a high level of frequency stabilization.  Redundant diode pumps, thermally and mechanically robust packing, and a careful choice of materials to minimize contamination effects will ensure the design will be space qualifiable.  Our Phase I work will demonstrate that the key technology goals can be met in a space qualifiable design.  In Phase II we will accomplish the detailed design, assembly, and qualification of a space-qualified single frequency laser that meets the required performance goals.
This SBIR application proposes to develop, evaluate, and implement an Internet-based educational outreach site focusing on the varied biological effects of microgravity.  We will develop a website, BodiesInSpace.com, to host the curriculum and courses on the Internet.  The curriculum development process will be based on reviews of existing secondary school biology curricula and current NASA publications regarding microgravity and its effects on physiology.  The curriculum will be further revised by microgravity researchers, educational design specialists, and teaching physicians.  Learning theories that encourage skills and knowledge transfer, such as cognitive flexibility theory, will provide the foundation of the curriculum. Modules will be learner-oriented and support the development of decision-making skills through interactive scenarios.  Conveying the excitement of space research, BodiesInSpace.com will focus on relaying information in a manner that will enhance the meaningfulness of the investigations.  The website shall provide enhanced remote access allowing secondary school students the ability to access, learn, and participate in science activities.  Such interaction will enhance the next generation of explorers' knowledge about and interest in the progress of NASA missions and discoveries.
The goal of this project is to develop an innovative way of using Time Modulated Ultra Wideband (TM-UWB) transceivers (radios) to provide high performance integrated communication and relative navigation. Many future near-earth or deep space missions requires spacecraft operating in a formation. A unified transceiver that can perform multiple functions is highly desirable.  TM-UWB is an exciting new technology, whose small size, low power, robustness to interference, and very high data rate make it particularly useful for use on small satellites, and especially for satellites flying in formation because of simultaneous communication and range measurement capability.  Under the Phase 1 work we will primarily address the design issues of UWB transceivers for integrated communication and relative navigation.  The most important issue is the development and analysis of a high performance UWB communication/tracking scheme, which with current approaches can severely limit the achievable data rate and the update rate.  IAI proposes a novel approach to allow the same update rate as the ranging-only cases and the same data rate as the communication-only cases.   Under the proposed work we will develop the details of this scheme and analyze the system performance for integrated communication and relative navigation applications.
Michigan Aerospace Corporation has been funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) over the past several years to investigate on-orbit satellite docking and servicing technology.  One of the key technologies required for all of those operations (rendezvous, docking, and inspection) is the sensor.  For rendezvous and docking, the guidance sensor(s) must measure bearing angle, separation, closing rate, and the six degree of freedom (6-DOF) orientation between the two spacecraft.  Currently, multiple sensors are required to measure these variables under limited dynamic conditions.  Michigan Aerospace Corporation proposes to take one of the steps in establishing the feasibility of using the Sandia Scannerless Laser Radar (SLR) as an end-to-end rendezvous, docking and inspection sensor.  This Phase I effort will focus on developing a methodology and preliminary algorithms for processing the range data to extract information about a target spacecraft, such as position, orientation and rates.  Sensor performance requirements, hardware development and risks will also be assessed.
Proposed is a pressure vessel with 25&#37; better Fracture Strength over equal strength designed Fiberglass to help reduce 10 to 25&#37; weight for aerospace use. 

Phase I is a proof-of-concept to make a 4? diameter x 24? long cylindrical vessel. Phase II will make 12? or larger diameter x 48? long vessels.  The vessel will be used to store compressed gases and liquids for aerospace applications where impact damage is a possibility.

A pressure vessel has openings for nozzles etc. Fracture toughness (KIC ) and strength are both used to design a safe vessel which would meet leak-before-fail and other conditions.  In the proposed innovation high toughness 580 KSI (4000 MPa) steel wires woven in net shape will be used. Wire counts are proportional to transverse and longitudinal stresses and a polymer covers the net. The ends are uniquely overlapped to preserve maximum strength.  Cost is substantially low.
Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc. (BNS) proposes to develop an Electro-Optic Imaging Fourier Transform Spectral Polarimeter (E-O IFTSP). The polarimetric system is based on BNS? patented FTS technology, where ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) polarization switches control device operation. The designed system has simple drive/calibration requirement, and the capability to acquire complete Stokes polarization information simultaneously with the spectral imaging information. This information is collected using short data acquisition times due to the fast electro-optic tuning (sub-millisecond response for FLC switches) and the high optical throughput of the spectrometer.  The spectral region of interest is the 0.5 ? 1.5 micrometers to allow high-resolution, high-speed measurement of a large number of different atmospheric aerosols. Our approach uses non-moving parts in a compact geometry, which is expected to produce a simple and reliable system needed for critical NASA missions. The compact, low-mass E-O IFTSP will be particularly suitable for use on small aircraft platforms to advance capability in the spectral imaging polarimetry of aerosols and clouds in Earth?s atmosphere, and for integrating into Earth orbiting satellites for long-duration monitoring of atmospheric trace gases.
This NASA Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop a technique to greatly improve the direct coupling of a diode laser to an optical waveguide with embedded Bragg grating using no intermediate lenses.  The key innovation proposed for this SBIR effort is a method for generating adiabatic tapers at the input end of optical waveguides in potassium titanyl phosphate (KTP).  This innovation will significantly reduce the size, weight and complexity of the Bragg stabilized laser directly addressing NASA?s need for a compact, rugged, electrically efficient, tunable laser for injection seeding high power lasers for lidar.  By injecting the output of the single-frequency, cw, seed laser source into a high power laser, such as a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser, longitudinal mode beating is eliminated that can cause random shot-to shot intensity fluctuations and excessive intra-cavity intensities that damage the internal optics in the laser cavity.  The seed laser also enables high frequency stability and spectral purity from the high power host laser required by Doppler wind and atmospheric molecular lidar.  A compact, robust seed laser is a critical component to extend the lifetime and achieve high frequency stability of high power laser systems used for lidar applications.
Electrophoretic focusing is a new separation method intended to achieve
high resolution within very short sample residence times because one
fraction is separated at a time instead of all fractions at once, a
characteristic of capillary and other zonal separation systems.  Sample
is inserted within a continuous buffer flow steam as a thin lamina and
is collected in a single port at the exit end of the chamber. Applying
an electric field transverse to the incoming sample and opposing this
field with a carefully configured buffer flow a sample constituent can
be selected and focused into the collection port for subsequent
analysis. Monotonically changing either electric field or buffer
cross-flow will yield a scan of the entire sample population.  Stopping
the scan increases the collection time for minor constituents.
Extraneous sample is deflected out of the separation chamber through
porous walls while the selected sample is focused in the center-plane of
the separation chamber and collected without contact or interaction with
the walls.  Adverse effects of electroosmosis and other spurious flows
are minimal.  The design limits Joule heating and electrohydrodynamics
during the electrophoresis process and thus should achieve a high
resolution of separation in an analytical or preparative mode.
Sensing gas molecules is critical to environmental monitoring, control of chemical processes, space missions as well as agricultural and medical applications.  Existing electrical sensor materials are based on semi-conducting metal oxides, silicon devices, organic materials and gas responsive polymers or ceramics.  To achieve high chemical sensitivity, semi-conducting metal oxide sensors must be operated at elevated temperatures (200 to 600?C).  This need for high temperature operation increases the device complexity and renders them unsuitable for real-time portable applications.  On the other hand, conducting polymers and organic semi-conductors are suitable for room temperature operation, but exhibit limited sensitivity.  Clearly, there is a need to develop new technology that will allow for operation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and provide for high-sensitivity measurements and low response times.  We have already experimentally demonstrated under our own Internal R&amp;D funding, that carbon nanotubes provide this enabling technology
This effort will experimentally demonstrate a new nanotube sensor technology, which is a radical departure from conventional nanotube sensor approaches.  Tests already performed with the proposed carbon nanotube sensor indicate that the electrical response of each gas is unique and that the individual gas concentrations can also be determined.
The health of the astronauts during space flight is critical to the success of NASA?s space program.  Astronauts are exposed to tremendous environmental challenges, such as cosmic radiation, microgravity and confined space.  Their immune systems are easily compromised.  To study these effects, biomarkers such as nucleic acids and protein are measured to determine how the body reacts and adjusts to the stresses.  Current detection methods rely on traditional molecular techniques that are time-consuming and require skillful operators.  Also, the equipment needed is bulky and require high-power consumption.  Therefore, many measurements are not conducted near real time but are completed after the samples are frozen and returned to earth.  This leads to uncertainty on the reliability of the data.  In order to overcome these problems, Lynntech proposes a novel method to fabrication a nano-electronic biochip that potentially can provide single DNA/protein detection in near real time.  The proposed biochip will be more sensitive, smaller, more reliable, lower cost, and easier to operate for NASA?s mission than the most commonly used optical methods.  The ultimate goal is to develop a small real-time nucleic acid and protein detection biochip capable of conducting measurements for long duration space missions.
This SBIR Phase I proposes to investigate the use of proprietary coating materials to enhance the sensitivity, efficiency, and lifetime of microchannel plate (MCP) detectors. These detectors would be the basis for novel active layer multi dynode detectors for Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry as well as detectors of energetic photons. Previous work has led to the discovery that these materials have excellent potential for use as enhanced secondary electron emission yield (SEEY) coatings.  We have observed up to a factor of three increase in SEEY from these coatings when compared to commercial detectors. High SEEYs are particularly crucial to the detection of high mass molecules: The low detection efficiency for large biomolecular ions is a major limitation of commercial MCP detectors. Furthermore, the materials under development have high thermal conductivity and sputtering resistance and are thus ideally suited for long life and high count rate detectors. Under this proposal, we intend to undertake a detailed investigation of the use of proprietary coating materials to improve on commercial MCPs. We will characterize the SEEY of these new detectors under the impact of mono-energetic ions, large biomolecules, and x-rays in order to test their potential use for high-mass MS energetic photon applications.
For materials processing experiments in microgravity, crucibles comprised of an internal ceramic liner in direct contact with a metal reinforcement are desired to maximize heat transfer.  Previous work has demonstrated the advantages of reinforced crucibles for producing samples with enhanced microstructural features compared to samples processed in conventional ampoule/cartridge assemblies.  However, incorporation of thermocouples is limited to either inside the crucible cavity or on the external surface of the metal reinforcement.  The science requirements of several NASA investigators prevent the placement of thermocouples in these locations.  In addition, a failure detection technique based on the use of krypton gas is required on some microgravity furnaces.  During this investigation, "smart" crucibles are being developed that incorporate thermocouple grooves and a reservoir for krypton gas storage within the crucible wall, i.e., intimate contact between all layers is maintained.  These same techniques can be used to fabricate refractory metal heat pipes where the wick/capillary structure is an integral part of the structure.  Currently, a heat pipe cooled nuclear reactor concept (SAFE-400) is being considered for advanced space power and propulsion systems.  Such an advanced reactor configuration would enable near-tern ambitious space exploration.  During Phase II, smart crucibles and heat pipes will be fabricated.
Rolling wall vessels (RWV) utilizing both single cell lines and co-cultures with two or more cell types are contributing significantly to our understanding of tumor development, cell biology and the role of cell-cell interaction in physiological processes.  These studies would be significantly enhanced if the various populations of cells could be individually identified and monitored over the course of experimentation. Optical and ultrasound technologies will be employed to monitor the development and structure of these constructs. Multiple studies could be further enhanced if it were possible to grow three dimensional constructs comprised of multiple human tissues in immunodeficient mice and image these with ultrasound and optical technologies.  Constructs grown in mice may well develop far beyond what is currently possible in vitro. This could open the door for a multitude of previously impossible routes of investigation. We propose to introduce genes coding for firefly luciferase and GFP into various human  cell types to allow each population to be monitored in real time over the course of experimentation. By using imaging technology to visualize and quantify different cell populations incorporated into the three dimensional constructs that are the result of RWV culture, our understanding of cell-cell interaction, anti-cancer drug efficacy and specificity and other aspects of cell biology will be greatly enhanced. By implanting these imagable three dimensional constructs into immunodeficient mice, it may be possible to continue growing these multicellular structures thereby affording researchers opportunities to study tumor and cell biology, cellular interaction and many other areas not currently possible.
Nassau Stern Company is investigating an approach for manufacturing oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) aluminum in bulk rather than powder form.  The approach combines novel ceramic injection molding technology to produce preforms for subsequent pressure infiltration casting with aluminum.  The preforms contain between 30 and 40 volume percent sub-micron aluminum oxide and 60 to 70 volume percent nano-porosity.  The resulting ODS aluminum could be near net-shape or as a billet ready for secondary processing.  If successful, this approach will eliminate defects associated with consolidating powders into bulk form, such as contamination, adsorbed gas and non-uniform packing.  Elimination of these defects will allow the ODS aluminum to perform closer to theoretical tensile strength, especially at elevated temperatures.  ODS aluminum is also expected to possess exceptional elevated temperature fatigue behavior, vital for aerospace propulsion components and structures.  The high level of aluminum oxide will also improve thermal expansion and stiffness behavior of the ODS aluminum.  The envisioned elevated temperature performance of ODS aluminum will open up a wide range of space and aviation applications not feasible for conventional aluminum alloys.
During our Phase I SBIR research, we propose to integrate a novel low-temperature large-strain actuator technology into Fabry-Perot optical filters. The resulting ruggedized tunable optical filters will be able to withstand severe temperature extremes, shock and vibrations. The low-cost actuator contains integrated metrology, which is used to reference wavelengths and compensate for vibration and temperature fluctuations. Ruggedized tunable Fabry-Perot optical filters with integrated meterology will find imaging and LIDAR applications on airborne and spacecraft platforms. Commercially, the actuator technology will find applications in telecommunications and storage media devices.
The SmartTopo SBIR phase I program resulted in the creation of the first technology designed to provide robotic vehicles with the ability to "learn and remember" the terrain over which they travel. The SmartTopo software system is designed to be portable and robust so that it can be used by NASA in a variety of general and embedded applications. It will be used in robotic inspection of spacecraft on-orbit, making re-entry safer for manned spacecraft. It will also improve the safety of air travel by producing a new type of aircraft altimeter which will tell the pilot the true position of the aircraft above the ground.  A vehicle (aircraft, spacecraft, satellite, planetary rover or submersible) is sent forth with an internal digital map of the topography of an area to explore. As exploration proceeds sensors (video cameras for example) on the explorer will collect data as always, but now the SmartTopo software will process the data and update the original digital map data in real time, resulting in a higher resolution topographic model of the surface that it has surveyed.  RIS has developed and demonstrated the key elements of this technology during Phase I.
The recent development of magnesium diboride superconducting wires makes possible the potential to have much lighter weight superconducting coils for heavy aircraft motors than with any other potential metal or ceramic superconductor. The magnesium diboride superconductor can be cooled to 20 K by the liquid hydrogen fuel.   The lighter weight coils, especially in the rotor, will enable a lighter weight support structure so the motor weight will be reduced even more for the same horsepower motor.  For this NASA SBIR Phase II our objective is to design, construct, test, and assembly MgB2 rotor coil packs to replace the copper rotor coil packs for the cryogenic motor test bed being built for NASA
Switching fabric (SF) is the key component of the next generation of back plane interconnects. Low power, TID and SEU resistant and high bandwidth upgradeable communication between computer nodes are of utmost importance for future NASA missions. The current state off-the-art binary SF interconnect architectures have high power consumption and latency due to the necessity to perform internal data conversion and synchronization in order to recognize redundant bits and extract useful information from the data stream. The high power consumption of the SFs limit their application in the next generation of nano-satellites. In order to minimize latency and reduce power consumption, we propose a novel, robust, radiation tolerant and easy-to-align SF based on a multi-level power efficient Low Voltage Differential Signal interface. Our approach uses differential multilevel signals to mark a reference high-level bit position in one of the differential channels. Because the marked pilots will follow the high logic level in one of the differential outputs, they will regularly occur at the same bit position and ensure stable and easy recovery of the low-speed clock signal, which will be used as a reference for multi-channel data alignment and will synchronize high speed clocking circuitry using a standard clock multiplier technique.
The objective of the project is to develop an open architecture, computer aided analysis and control design toolbox for distributed parameter systems, in particular, this effort aims at creating computational tools for emerging applications in aerodynamic analysis and control of high performance aerial vehicles. For small-unmanned aerial vehicles a well-designed network of micro actuators can enable aggressive performance not possible using traditional control surfaces such as ailerons, elevators, rudder and flaps. Even for larger aircraft the emerging paradigm of control involves an array of actuators and distributed sensing and actuation. In addition to enhanced performance these control architectures can provide greater redundancy to confront actuator failures. In Phase I, various aspects of the model definition, control parameterization, model reduction, control design and simulation for verification were illustrated for a benchmark problem. In addition, a computational architecture leveraging commonly available tools to the scientists/engineers was defined. The proposed toolbox in conjunction with commonly used general purpose software will provide designers the ability to seamlessly test control design for aerodynamic applications by integrating and automating several key steps in design cycle. These tools will find commercial applications not only in the emerging unmanned aerial vehicle industry but other land, sea and air vehicles as well.
The purpose of the project is the development of a computational package for bifurcation analysis and advanced flight control of aircraft. The development of relevant analytical and simulation-based technologies for the prediction and control for fail-safe adaptivity under adverse and upset conditions is an important step in advancing flight safety goals. Impaired aircraft operate much closer to bifurcation points than a fully functional vehicle. Thus, it is necessary to be able to evaluate aircraft and flight control system performance near stability boundaries. Understanding behavior near operational limits and developing control and recovery strategies for these circumstances is fundamental to achieving that goal. To that end TSi proposes an integrated set of computing tools involving symbolic, numerical and visualization environments. In phase I, the architecture was validated using a benchmark problem. Phase II proposes the extension of the results from Phase I into a commercial package to be made available to the analyst/designer of fault tolerant control algorithms.
GRID has had a successfully completed Phase I 'Mobile Online Intelligent Decision Support System' (MOIDSS).  The system developed into a total solution that supports the ability to send and receive digital and analog data from sensors such as photography cameras, spectrometers, infrared and thermal scanners and other system sensors using the 'cube' computers and mobile Personal Data Adapters (PDA's).  The data from the sensors can be accessed rapidly in real-time within a GIS using GRID 'geospatial-realty intelligent linking database' (GRILD) autonomously using GPS geospatial authentication.  The system has successfully received data using wireless networking systems such as spread spectrum, UHF, and satellite communication systems.  Using commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) solutions allows a solution that is not proprietary and proven security biometric identification. This system uses GRID's customized software with partners ESRI and Leica Geosystems.  The solution was designed with input from local first responders and facility managers. GRID is prepared to move to the next phase to enter the market with a valuable product.
It has been proposed by NASA JSC studies, that the most mass efficient (non-nuclear) method of Lunar habitat cooling is via photovoltaic (PV) direct vapor compression refrigeration.  This system uses a thermal radiator, a solar PV array, and a vapor compression refrigeration device.  Such a system significantly reduces total system mass as compared to an all radiator cooling architecture.  Since the start of initial prototype testing in the mid 1990s, several refrigeration systems have been proposed, studied, built, and tested.  The basic goal of each system has been to achieve the highest possible efficiency at the optimal system lift.  Most notably, a two-stage refrigeration system and an expander turbine for a single-stage system were developed.  Both sought to eliminate or recover the energy loss associated with irreversible expansion at the throttling valve, but both fell short of efficiency targets.  Then, Paragon proposed a novel refrigeration architecture that was successfully demonstrated during the Phase I period.  This system can achieve, in theory, near Carnot efficiency limits and does so in a practical and achievable way.  Not only can this technology provide significantly improved performance (reduced weight) for NASA's Lunar habitat cooling application, but it has excellent potential as a commercial product.
The proposed project will develop sensors and electronic components from metal oxide based nanotubes and nanowires.  These nanostructured materials will be grown under controlled conditions and characterized via electron microscopy in order to relate the effects of variations in growth parameters to the resulting morphology.  The focus will be on the fabrication of nanotubes and nanowires with varying aspect ratios and chemical composition.  Then the morphology of the nanostructures will be related to the electrical and chemical properties of the material.  Finally, the results of these studies will be used to guide the preparation of improved chemiresistive sensors and varistors.  Although carbon nanotubes and commercial ceramic powders with roughly spherical geometry are common, the control and exploitation of novel geometric nanostructures for improved performance in sensors and other applications is unusual.  Through precise control and understanding of the material structure at the nanoscale, Synkera Technologies believes that significant gains in device performance will be achieved.
Development of a multifunctional, structural material for applications in terrestrial and space-based platforms used for instrumentation in earth observation is proposed. The principal innovation is the development of an epoxy-based thermoset that undergoes a phase separation reaction during cure to form two interpenetrating networks of a structural thermoset (epoxy) phase and a second phase that is tailored to provide ancillary function. Both phases are co-continuous and nanostructured, having typical dimensions of 40-200 nm. The second phase has controllable viscoelastic properties to provide mechanical damping and other strain-rate dependent behavior. Additional functionality is obtained by sequestering appropriate materials into the second phase. Examples include reactive species for composite self-repair, ionizable salts to provide ionic conductivity, reducible and oxidizable materials for power source applications, and nanoscale materials, such as carbon nanotubes, for mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties enhancements. The thermoset will be used as a matrix in structural fiber composites. In Phase I, incorporation of functional species into the thermoset and fabrication of fiber composites will be demonstrated. In Phase II a structural composite for a specific NASA application would be developed. These multifunctional composites will reduce weight and allow incorporation of novel designs and functional features into terrestrial and space-based platforms.
Physical Sciences Inc. and Advanced Solutions, Inc. propose a novel
approach for on-orbit assembly of a modular spacecraft using a unique
universal, intelligent, electromechanical interface (AUTOCONNECT) on
surfaces of individual modules.  AUTOCONNECT not only provides
mechanical fastening between modules (irrespective of relative
alignments and orientations), but also automatically configures
electrical connections among modules. Mechanical attachment occurs due
to docking and physical contact between modules with sufficient initial
momenta.  The transmitted forces during docking will be much less than
the launch forces for which the spacecraft modules are designed. The
mass properties of the module assembly are determined on orbit and the
entire assembly functions as a spacecraft unit.  Benefits of on-orbit
assembly using AUTOCONNECT include: (i) Configurability;
mission-specific spacecraft construction by assembling desired subsystem
modules (ii) Reconfigurability; adapt to new missions by adding new,
advanced technology modules, (iii) On orbit Repair/Refurbishment of
existing spacecraft with new, advanced technology subsystems/payloads,
and (iv) Lower costs and increased space access by launching smaller and
lighter spacecraft modules.  In Phase I, we will demonstrate
autoconfiguration of electrical connections between two
AUTOCONNECT-equipped modules.  We will experimentally simulate the
docking and on-orbit assembly of up to three modules, including
real-time mass properties determination and attitude control.
Considerable design work has been devoted to the development of cryogenic liquid storage containers.  Containers which hold cryogenic liquids such as liquid nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, etc. often are double walled vacuum insulated or super insulation flasks, bottles or tanks.  Vessels so designed for space applications have the lowest cryogen evaporation rates of any available, but research is ongoing to render these containers less permeable to heat flux.  We propose a different approach to increasing the cryogenic liquid hold time.  We propose increasing the heat needed to drive off the cryogenic liquid by fundamentally changing the heat needed to cause evaporation of the cryogenic liquid.  Our unique approach should not be confused with technology developed to support cryogens during shipping or other mechanical gyrations, exploits the unique physics and chemistry of nanomaterials and their interaction with the cryogenic liquid.  Successful development of the proposed technology will result in longer hold times, decreased payload mass, lower volume, increased safety and decreased energy utilization.
The purpose of the research into ?Compliant Actuator? design will be to demonstrate to prototype level a low profile fully integrated control mechanism. This mechanism will be the first of its kind in that it enables independent multifunctionally integrated control including all i/o, processing, control and power functions in a single compliant package that uses a active piezoceramic substrate. A compliant actuator can integrate a choice of piezoceramic actuators including piezoceramic wafers, MFC?s, NASA Flex-Pak or QorTek?s Thunder bimorphs etc. as its substrate/activation component as to yield a wide variety wideband controlled actuation systems with high s/n ratio. Used as a strain actuator, it extends with internal applied voltage while bonded to the surface of a structure. Used as a bimorph actuator, it bends with applied voltage while clamped firmly at one end in response to the internal thin film sensor measurements
Integral radiators integrate the primary structural system and the thermal rejection system into a dual function subsystem allowing for reduced weight. The design of these systems require a careful trade-off of thermal fluids, structural materials, thermal coatings and structural shape.  The Paragon Crescent panels are a family of solutions that allow a highly efficient stressed skin, semi-monocoque structure to also be a radiator on the external surface of a Apollo-like Service Module as envisioned for the CEV.  The resulting design optimizes the structural/thermal trade-off while allowing for practical considerations of manufacturability, ground handling, testing, and access.  The baseline materials and fluids chosen address cost, safety and robust design.  Some coating development is still needed to meet the handling requirements.  The structural concept will need to be tested to validate modeling predictions and gain experience in structural behavior.  Finally, full up radiator panels need to be manufactured and tested to validate the manufacturing methods, thermal analysis, and overall radiator/thermal fluid choices.
Los Gatos Research, Inc. (LGR) proposes to develop a flight ready instrument, capable of deployment on unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to simultaneously measure in situ aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients.  The instrument will be lightweight, compact, robust, integrate into UAV platforms, and be capable of simultaneously measuring aerosol extinction and scattering coefficients to 0.1 Mm-1 with a 1 second sampling rate.  This highly innovative instrument, based on cavity-enhanced laser spectroscopy, will operate autonomously, and continuously stream data for storage or downlink.  By significantly increasing the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of in situ aerosol optical property measurements this instrument will enhance NASA flight studies of atmospheric aerosols and their effects on the radiative balance of Earths atmosphere.  These studies seek to identify how aerosol optical properties vary through the lower troposphere, and further determine under what conditions surface-based measurements of these properties be used to calculate the direct aerosol radiative forcing from a measured aerosol optical depth.  These studies are also of great use in determining how in situ measurements compare to remote sensing measurements.  The ability to gather in situ aerosol optical property data from UAV-based instrumentation will both complement and greatly enhance existing ground based and flight instrumentation.
ZONA Technology proposes to develop an enhanced model updating nonlinear system identification (MUNSID) methodology by adopting the flight data with state-of-the-art control oriented techniques. The end product is a flight data enhanced MUNSID/ZAERO toolbox for accurate predictions of flutter and limit cycle oscillation (LCO) instabilities. 

The enhancement employs control oriented techniques, namely, model uncertainty, linear fractional transformation framework, mu-analysis and nonlinear operators identification, to adopt the emerging aeroelastic flight-test data. This toolbox augments the current match-point solution approach using the mu-analysis method with identified nonlinear operators. The procedure calls for ZAERO's high-fidelity linear aeroelastic model to be tuned quickly with available aeroelastic/aeroservoelastic, AE/ASE, flight data sets, while block-oriented models are used to highlight the underlying nonlinear structure of the AE/ASE system. This framework is capable of accounting for several nonlinearities including those due to aerodynamics, structures, control/actuator, and/or geometry. The toolbox will be used as the next-generation flutterometer to predict the onset of AE/ASE instabilities. Two case studies, simple and complex dynamic ASE systems, are proposed to validate and verified this advanced control-oriented concept. This enabling technology will be invaluable to the flight test community by extending the current industry modeling tools to include nonlinear operators identified from wind-tunnel/flight-test data.
As processing and manufacturing facilities quickly progress from barcode to radio-frequency (RFID) and similar technologies to track the movements of resources (tools, parts, support equipment), many related opportunities to cut costs and increase safety by reducing human error are emerging. We propose to research and develop AreaAdvisor, an AI software system that manages this new tracking data, featuring an innovative spatial scheduler and data mining capabilities.

AreaAdvisor will allow KSC planners to schedule resources to personnel and 2d space within facilities, and then catch errors immediately as they occur (non-arrivals, resource scanned in incorrect area/by wrong personnel, etc.) The scheduling algorithms will allow planners to use available spaces more optimally (e.g. less frequently used resources stored farther back in dwell areas.) The tool will also employ Bayesian technologies to probabilistically infer the whereabouts of missing resources (even tools without id tags; e.g., drill bits) based on patterns discovered in their usage and location history. 

AreaAdvisor will have an intuitive, visual interface that allows users to edit schedules and layout resources within critical areas interactively with mouse or pen-tablet devices.
Reduced mass composite materials are crucial to the success of aerospace systems, but are inhibited by expensive autoclave consolidation, especially for large parts.  To remedy this, NASA-LaRC has been developing cost-effective high-performance thermoplastic composite materials for years.  NASA materials could dramatically reduce the cost of large aerospace structures, because those materials  avoid the autoclave.  However, NASA lacks a robust, cost-effective fabrication process to tow-place these emerging materials into laminates, and thus can?t evaluate their usefulness to industry.

 This program develops for NASA-LaRC the processing equipment that allows material evaluation and allows out-of-autoclave fiber placement.  In particular, this program will deliver a heated in situ deposition head to fit on NASA-LaRCs placement machine. Heads can also be sold to industrial companies for existing placement machines so that aerospace composites can be fabricated out of the autoclave.

In phase I, the deposition head will be designed and reviewed with NASA.  The process window requirements for the placement head for NASA materials will be verified.  In phase II, we will complete the design, fabricate, install, and prove-out the head equipment.  We then start up the deposition head at NASA so that the emerging NASA-LaRC materials can be proven in laminates.
This program targets the development of new highly anisotropic nonlinear optical nanocomposite materials for NASA and non-NASA applications in advanced photonic and optoelectronic devices and optical integrated circuits.  Integration of electronic and optical components onto a single platform is becoming essential to advancing sensor, computational, memory, and communications technologies.  Designing optical and electronic materials from the molecular scale up is expected to result in a new era of  complex materials exhibiting enhanced optical properties, low processing costs, and substrate compatibility to enable device-on- a-chip technologies.  The nonlinear optical materials for development in this program will be composed of complex nanocomposite heterostructures produced by molecular self-assembly derived from a well-characterized family of quasi one-dimensional electronic materials with chemically tunable optical properties and dynamics.  These materials can be grown as single crystals or oriented thin films at low temperatures without epitaxial growth making their production low cost and platform-independent.  These materials have intimately coupled optical and electronic activity and are transparent over much of the electromagnetic spectrum making them well suited for optoelectronic devices.  The highly anisotropic and low-dimensional nature of these materials also provides highly oriented optoelectronic responses and quantum confinement effects that are desirable in advanced micro-optoelectronic devices.
Controlled Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) facilities require the development of reliable systems for the disinfection of microorganisms.  There are several disinfectants that have been used, or proposed for use in CELSS facilities, including hypochlorite, iodine, ozone, silver, and quaternary ammonium compounds.  All of these compounds suffer from at least one of several major drawbacks:  (1) they are replaceable items and must be replaced after consumption; (2) in situ generation of the compound creates a safety concern; (3) in situ generation is not yet technically feasible; (4) in situ generation is incompatible with CELSS equipment infrastructure.  Additionally, many of these compounds have been linked to crew health problems after extended flight periods.  Substitution of these conventional biocides with a safe, antimicrobial compound for which in situ generation is safe and possible is urgently needed for crew safety, maintaining process equipment, and solid waste sanitation.  The aim of this project is to develop an on-demand electrochemical hydrogen peroxide generator that can be operated in microgravity from electrolysis of water with no consumable chemicals.  Hydrogen peroxide also has the potential to be regenerative within the overall system as it breaks down into water and oxygen during the sanitizing process.
NASA science researchers and payload specialists will be supported in their tasks by increasingly complex computational components. Whether these are agents monitoring life support modules during space missions, or software enabling remote science experiments, the components will interact with humans in distributed virtual workgroups. This reality necessitates that we efficiently reconcile two fundamentally different work paradigms: the meticulously planned and controlled world of agents, and the situated, social, context-dependent approach to task execution specific to humans. This proposal investigates the development of interfaces between humans and agents that make the activities of both categories of participants efficient, effective, and robust, while allowing them to operate within their specific work paradigms. Since the work activities in which the mixed human-agent groups will engage will be novel and one-of-a-kind, interface developers will not be able to benefit from the extensive usability feedback available to commercial software developers. Instead, we propose a methodology which: 1) enables the early use of work-practice simulation to identify situations of potentially unsafe or inefficient human-agent interaction; 2) enables the human-agent interface to evolve into a system component supporting maximum human-agent synergy; and 3) which leverages NASA?s BRAHMS work-practice simulation environment.
Reliable energy systems with high energy density capable of operating at high temperatures, pressures and radiation levels are needed for certain NASA missions. Batteries based on solid-state ceramic oxide composite electrolytes provide the benefit of operation at temperatures up to 550o C.  The current high-temperature Li battery technologies use carbonate, chloride and other molten compounds based electrolytes within porous separators. The operating temperatures of these systems are limited to below 450o C due to reactivity of these electrolytes with electrode materials and issues associated with sealing and packaging such batteries systems. Solid state electrolyte based batteries can be packaged to be leak proof  under extreme conditions as there are no liquid components involved. Ceramatec Inc. is proposing to develop LiAl-solid electrolyte-FeS2 battery system based on co-pressed and laminated electrode-electrolyte structures. The Li ion conductivity of the solid electrolytes developed at Ceramatec approaches 10-1 S/cm at 400o C, and are chemically compatible with the selected electrode materials.  These batteries can be developed as either primary or secondary battery systems for use at temperatures above 400o C. In our Phase I SBIR program, single cells will be fabricated and their specific energy, cyclability and rate capability will be evaluated.
This proposal is for the development of new Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers for efficient high power 2 micron fiber lasers capable of generating an output power of up to hundreds watts.  We propose to use Tm3+ doped germanate glass fibers because silica glass fiber is not the ideal host for lasers at wavelength of 2 micron and longer. Germanate glass exhibits lower phonon energy compared to silica glass, increasing the quantum efficiency of 3F4 level of Tm3+ ions. Importantly, Tm3+ can be highly doped into germanate glasses, which results in so called cross-relaxation, dramatically improving the quantum efficiency. We will develop double-clad single mode germanate glass fibers with greater than 6wt&#37; Tm3+ concentration to take full advantages of this Tm3+ cross-relaxation process, developing highly efficient fiber lasers at 2 micron. This type of fiber laser is useful for LIDAR applications, can also be used to pump Ho3+-doped crystals to generate extremely high power 2 micron lasers.
Tunable solid state lasers have played an important role in providing the technology necessary for active remote sensing of the atmosphere. Recently, polycrystalline ceramic laser materials have become of great interest for diode-pumped solid state lasers. Compared to single-crystals, ceramic laser materials offer advantages in terms of ease of fabrication, shape, size, and dopant concentrations. We propose to develop neodymium doped yttria as a solid-state ceramic laser material for remote sensing of ozone. Neodymium doped yttria has emission lines at 914 nm and 946 nm. When these emission lines are frequency tripled, they correspond to ~305 nm and ~315  nm. These wavelengths are of particular interest since NASA is endeavoring to develop LIDAR devices for global monitoring that measure the differences in the back-scattered energy at two closely spaced ultraviolet wavelengths to derive a measure of the ozone distribution. Research has shown that neodymium doped yttria is one of the few materials capable of producing two wavelengths that, when frequency tripled, result in wavelengths around 305 nm and 315 nm. Thus, we propose a scalable production method to make spherical non agglomerated and monodisperse ceramic powders of neodymium doped yttria that can be used to fabricate polycrystalline ceramic material disks with sintered grain size in a suitable range. The polycrystalline ceramic material will be characterized for its suitability as a diode pumped solid state laser.
In this Phase I SBIR effort, Structured Materials Industries, Inc. (SMI)will design, fabricate, and test more efficient photovoltaics for 1.06 micron wavelength wireless power transmission (WPT) systems.  The need for such photovoltaics is well understood by SMI and builds upon our exiting WPT efforts, which have highlighted the requirement for efficient, cost-effective, and thin-able photovoltaics with a peak absorption matched to the output of available high power Nd:YAG lasers at 1.06 microns.  The proposed work will address this need by developing SiGe photocells to help enable WPT implementation for both ground based and space based applications.
The ability to grow food and recycle components of cabin air are critical to the success of long-term space flight missions.  In order to assure that plants used for biomass production grow under optimal conditions, sensors are required to monitor the generation of biogenic and other relevant gases.  In particular, ethylene gas must be carefully controlled to promote rapid growth of biomass products, yet be limited so as to prevent premature spoilage or degradation of the crops.  The goal of this program is to develop a compact ethylene sensor with sufficient sensitivity for biomass monitoring and research that would also meet the unique needs required for space flight operation.  The anticipated results of the Phase I and II research would culminate in the delivery of a fully operational, stand-alone, high sensitivity (1 part-per-billion) ethylene sensor.  This sensor would have capabilities for monitoring other biogenic gases as well as cabin environmental trace species.  Commercial applications would include medical breath analyses, portable hazardous gas sensors, and industrial process control monitors.
Aviation and Air Traffic Management researchers are increasingly utilizing complex regional or NAS-wide simulations to evaluate future concepts. These analyses require many thousands of flights (a flight schedule) that are each accurately defined for every stage of the flight (a flight plan).  Current methods of generating these huge input datasets are costly and time-intensive. The largely manual nature of the current process and lack of existing automation tools leaves great potential for significant errors in the data sets.  We propose to develop a powerful automated system for future demand generation.  This tool will be able to input a variety of existing FAA and NASA flight data sets, provide the user with extensive options on defining the future demand data set, and output new flight data sets in formats compatible with major research simulation and analysis tools. This capability will provide NASA and FAA research programs with significantly better analysis conclusions through the new ability to perform extensive sensitivity studies on new concepts to ensure they are robust to alternate potential future demand scenarios.  This is crucial to ensuring the decision to proceed with a multi-million dollar Decision Support Tool development is robust to alternate future demand possibilities.
Development of a microgravity and hypogravity compatible catalytic
methane pyrolysis reactor is proposed to recover hydrogen which is lost
as methane in the conversion of carbon dioxide to water via the Sabatier
process.  This will close the hydrogen loop which currently requires 50&amp;#37;
resupply and also produce carbon nanotubes, a high value product which
may be employed as an adsorbent or catalyst for removal of atmospheric
trace contaminants, thus further lowering the resupply burden for manned
spacecraft.  Microgravity compatibility of Gradient Magnetically
Assisted Fluidized Beds (GMAFB) has been demonstrated through a series
of KC135 flight experiments.  Metallic cobalt, which has been fluidized
in microgravity using the GMAFB method, is an excellent catalyst for
promotion of methane pyrolysis.  Recently, fluidized bed catalytic
methods have been shown to efficiently recover hydrogen, and produce
single walled carbon nanotubes.  Using the GMAFB method, this process
can be rendered totally compatible with operation in the microgravity of
spaceflight or the reduced gravity of planetary environments.  By
recovering all of the hydrogen which is lost as methane in the Sabatier
reactor, the requirement for production or resupply of hydrogen is
reduced to the absolute minimum.
Energid Technologies will create a comprehensive software infrastructure for rapid validation of robotic designs.  The software will support push-button validation through existing commercial design software, such as SolidWorks.  After validation is invoked through the design-tool GUI, the robot design will transfer to separate networked software for analysis.  An interface will be provided for communicating with many types of commercial analysis software, and Energid will provide its own analysis software through the common interface.  This will allow interactive placement of any number of end effectors on any number of mobile or fixed-base mechanisms, each with any number of kinematic links and branches.  Energid's validation software will provide dynamic simulation, including articulated-body and impact dynamics.  The software will allow link descriptions, end-effector descriptions, control algorithms, and the environment to be arbitrarily exchangeable as modules.  The Extensible Markup Language (XML) will be used for configuration, data transfer, and exchange.
The availability of remotely sensed data has been improving with each new high-resolution satellite obtaining operational capability in orbit. However, the ability of commercial and government entities to efficiently share or sell this  data has not kept pace. The proposed GeoSpatial data distribution system will exploit recent improvements in advanced computing environments and processing algorithms  to provide on demand products with a "no minimum purchase" requirement. 

The inability of data providers to efficiently create and disseminate small foot prints or even on-demand data products has been a limiting factor in expanding the use of remotely sensed data.  Creating a system that can efficiently distribute data or products in small foot prints will greatly improve the economic viability of the entire industry. 

Providing a customer initiated order system will make ordering up remotely sensed data as easy as creating a Web-based profile and interactively selecting and downloading the raw-data of choice or choosing and executing the real-time development of a data product. Pay by the square kilometer with no minimums. Use of the advanced functions provide unprecedented functionality to create a new, customer defined data product.
Busek proposes to develop radio frequency discharge, gridded micro-ion thruster that produces sub-mN thrust precisely adjustable over a wide dynamic thrust range.  Such propulsion is needed to augment and overlap the present micro Newton propulsion such as colloid thruster.  The RF was selected to eliminate the internal cathode of the DC discharge ion thrusters.  This cathode could be a life limiting component and consumes propellant.  Two types of neutralizers are candidates for the proposed thruster and include Busek's carbon nanotube field emission cathode similar to that developed for the ST7 DRS mission and already demonstrated RF discharge cathode which consumes much less flow than comparable hollow cathode.  The performance of the proposed RF micro-ion thruster is expected to approach that of the NASA JPL MiXI which represents the state of the art in small ion thrusters with DC discharge.  

In Phase 1 the RF micro-ion thruster will be build and tested and second generation laboratory device will be designed.  MIT, our subcontractor, will initiate the development the RF thruster numerical model to support the experimental effort.

In Phase 2 the thruster system will be constructed and demonstrated including the optimized thruster, neutralizer, key parts of the PPU and the feed system.
This Small Business Innovation Research proposal offers to develop the most accurate, comprehensive and efficient finite element models to date for simulation of the material deposition processes; especially the electron beam freeform fabrication process.  Phase I will deal with the basic thermal and mechanical (stress and distortion) models.  A new scheme to model material deposition will be attempted; its feasibility will be tested on multi-pass deposits.  A commercial finite element analysis code, ABAQUS, will be used to which a new capability for prediction of morphology will be added.  During Phase II, several other key modeling issues such as the prediction of grain size, study of the effect of convection in the melt pool, parametric study, experimental validation, simulation of a demonstration part, and on-line process control will be addressed.  These models will be applicable to ground-based as well as space-based systems.  They will assist in understanding the effects of the various process parameters (e.g., power, feed rate, traverse speed and gravity) on variables defining the product quality; e.g., interlayer fusion, morphology, grain size, stresses and distortion.  The models will also be applicable to laser, TIG and other metal deposition processes.
The ability to capture and record the low-level signals in the noisy environments typical of manned and unmanned space exploration missions will prove an invaluable tool in the monitoring of spacecraft health and the operation of spacecraft instrumentation. The technology now exists to create a miniaturized, low-power integrated data acquisition system capable of capturing these signals and making them available to spacecraft operators through on-board control and communications resources. Using our extensive experience and expertise in miniaturized embedded data acquisition systems, Tanner Research propose to develop a new class of data acquisition devices capable of capturing and recording spacecraft health and status information throughout the spacecraft's mission. The system will be capable of acquiring information at various rates and qualities, based on direct user input (controls) and system status. Prototype hardware will be delivered at the end of Phase I and a evaluation versions of production-quality prototypes will provided at the end of the follow-on Phase II.
Los Gatos Research (LGR) proposes to develop a low-cost, compact, lightweight, rugged and easy-to-use environmental monitoring optical fiber sensor device based on the principle of cavity-enhanced absorption technique. This novel instrument will record concentration measurements of multiple gases including CO and CO2 with ultrahigh sensitivity, stability, and accuracy in real time with low power consumption and without external calibration.  By increasing the measurement sensitivity of CO and CO2, the proposed device will allow reliable, gravity-independent monitoring of ecological stability in environments at arbitrary gravity range.  In Phase I, LGR will develop and test the prototype fiber-optic-based ICOS device and algorithm that can simultaneously measure CO and CO2 with state of the art accuracy, specificity, repeatability, and sensitivity.  The compact sensor device will measure both CO and CO2 concentrations in air with an uncertainty of less than 1 part in 1000 in less than 30 seconds, and require no calibration or reference gas.  In Phase II  LGR will construct a field deployable device optimized for this application. We will demonstrate the unit's inherent stability, ruggedness and performance in the field at a facility to be specified.
The Command, Control, Communications and Information (C3I) environment will be significantly different for Constellation than for Shuttle and International Space Station (ISS).  Missions will operate not only in Near Earth round-trip latencies (RTLT) of seconds but also Near Mars RTLT of 10 to 40 minutes.  New classes of collaboration services are required to support the spectrum of Constellation missions and infrastructure.  Integrating popular collaboration tools such as Groove Virtual Office on Constellation C3I space-based components and networks will be a major innovation.  This project proposes experimental use in SBIR Phases II/III of ISS flight and ground capabilities to demonstrate new collaboration services for use in the Constellation program.  These new space-based and terrestrial services will greatly improve communications among all Constellation personnel over current techniques.  The approach includes:  1) Integrate instant messaging, e-mail, transcription, etc. with voice and video communications; 2) Design for automation and autonomy of space-based Constellation components; 3) Evolve development collaboration services into mission collaboration services over time; 4) Promote new collaboration standards, interoperability, standardized interfaces, and modularity; 5) Adapt the collaboration architecture to the ground and space networks and frameworks.  Client-server, peer-to-peer, or a hybrid architecture may be most suitable.
Advanced life-support systems, which use chemical, physical, and biological processes, are being developed to support future long-term human planetary exploration.  As a result, there is a need to develop innovative food processes for baseline crops, such as dry beans (legumes) that have a shelf-life of more than one year and can support human life during extended space travel.  Legumes are hydrated in large volumes of water to about 50&#37; moisture to help reduce process times.  Hydration is lengthy often requiring more than 8 hours using room temperature water, or boiling water for 2-3 minutes followed by soaking for at least one hour. Additionally, long cooking times ranging from about 30 minutes to over 2 hours are also required. We propose a reduction in the time, energy, and water requirements for processing legumes by using a novel combination of food grade carbohydrases to enhance the processing characteristics of legumes (Pinto, Navy and Kidney beans) prior to implementation of conventional (boiling, cooking, canning or microwaving) techniques.
Hypersonic propulsion research has been a focus of the NASA aeronautics program for years.  Previous high-speed cruise and space access programs have examined the problems of inlet design for hybrid systems, mainly by addressing one part of the flight envelope only.  The proposed program will leverage existing technology by utilizing design data for the high-speed inlet for a Mach 5 over-under turbojet/ramjet propulsion system.  The proposed effort will identify a variable geometry system that will effect mode transition between modes.  An experimental research effort will be designed, and requirements for the research hardware (aerodynamic design and functionality) will be developed sufficiently to commence mechanical design early in a follow-on Phase II effort.  The objective of the Phase II effort will be to experimentally demonstrate operation of the dual-flow inlet system during mode transition.

Mode transition of hypersonic inlet systems with dual flow paths represents one of the greatest challenges facing hypersonic propulsion system designers.  The proposed research will provide design approaches to these problems, for which few workable solutions have yet been identified.  The innovations in hypersonic inlet design technology provided by this and follow-on research will provide enabling technology required to bring low-cost hypersonic flight closer to practical reality.
In February 2004 NASA released "The Vision for Space Exploration".  The important goals include extending human presence in the solar system culminating in the exploration of Mars and other remote destinations.  To accomplish this goal, affordable, new technologies to support long-term missions must be developed.  One of the most critical problems facing such space missions is identification of effective methods to control solid waste.  With current waste models, 1300 kg of waste occupying a volume 20 m3 will be generated in a 180-day mission to Mars.  Unprocessed waste poses a biological hazard to the crew and continual exposure to odors from untreated waste is a serious threat to crew health and morale.  The waste processing methods currently under consideration include incineration, microbial oxidation, pyrolysis and compaction.  Although each has advantages, no single method has yet been developed that is safe, recovers valuable resources including oxygen and water, and has low energy and space requirements.  In this Phase I SBIR project, TDA will conduct tests with a new, low temperature oxidation process that converts waste to carbon dioxide and water.  In addition to having low power requirements, the system will be compact and reliable.
Previous high temperature magnetic bearings employed only electromagnets. The work proposed in this SBIR program seeks to utilize High Temperature Permanent Magnets (HTPM) developed by EEC. The use of HTPMs will improve efficiency since the majority of the static load on any bearing can be reacted by the flux of the permanent magnets. 

The end product will be a high speed / high temperature / high load test platform   for future development of high bearing, motor, generator and seal components.  This capability will be of special benefit to the aerospace and process machinery industries. In addition the component demonstrations from this SBIR will provide designers with the confidence needed to integrate similar components in their high performance machinery.
TRS Technologies proposes large stroke and high precision piezoelectric single crystal and electroactive polymer actuator concepts?HYBrid Actuation System (HYBAS) for cryogenic passive optics devices such as Fabry-Perot interferometer and Fourier Transform Spectrometer for NASA remote sensing applications. Both single crystal piezoelectrics (PMN-PT and PZT-PT crystals) and electro-active polymer (EAP) are well known novel materials with large strain under electric activation. TRS has lead the development of single crystal actuators for applications with broad temperature range (&lt;20K-300K). The National Institute of Aerospace has been extensively involved in electroactive polymer materials and device development and they recently invented the hybrid actuation system (HYBAS) which exhibits significant strain improvement by combining single crystal piezoelectrics and EAP. HYBAS actuator design considering special properties of single crystal with different crystal cut will be carried out using both analytical and FEM modeling. A HYBAS actuator with stroke of 1~2 mm will be prototyped and tested with and without pre-loading. The characterization data of HYBAS will be compared with the performance of the existing TRS actuators for consideration in Phase II etalon designs. In Phase II cryogenic etalons using HYBAS and/or other TRS cryogenic actuators will be designed, prototyped and characterized.
The innovations of the Fusion of Inertial Navigation and Imagery Data are the application of the concept to the dynamic entry-interface through near-landing phases, the autonomy and (near) real-time requirements of the system, and the focus on satisfying the stringent requirements for reliability and verification for spaceflight. This innovation will allow spacecraft to navigate autonomously, precisely and safely from entry-interface to near-landing. 

The plan is to develop automated techniques suitable for onboard software that incorporate recognized objects from imagery data into the vehicle's navigated solution. We will use image processing techniques to compare the imagery with expected views, pattern recognition techniques to identify known objects in the comparison, mechanisms for locating known objects using the navigated state, and filtering techniques to update the navigated state with the errors between the observed and expected results. To qualify as flight software, the proposed solution will be reliable and verifiable, and will satisfy limitations of the onboard equipment. No existing techniques solve all of these problems. Current techniques for incorporating imagery data into navigated solutions use sensors that have significantly shorter ranges, rely on registration markers placed on the target, use ground-based computational equipment, or require human intervention to arrive at a solution.
Techsburg is teaming with the Vibration and Acoustics Laboratory of Virginia Tech to propose a non-linear analytical tool for designing Herschel-Quincke (HQ) waveguide arrays for the purpose of attenuating upstream-propagating shock waves in a transonic turbofan engine inlet.  Techsburg will be receiving endorsement and support for this research from the Goodrich Company who owns the HQ waveguide array concept.  Thus far linear acoustic modeling has been used to design HQ waveguide arrays that have experimentally proven to be successful in attenuating far-field sound radiation from subsonic ducted fans.  However, the large transonic turbofan engines used in most civil aviation aircraft today produce large amplitude bow shocks upstream of the fan rotor that nonlinearly scatter energy from the dominant BPF circumferential mode near the fan rotor to primarily lower engine order circumferential modes at the duct entrance, which produces the "buzz-saw" far-field acoustic signature.  The non-linear design tool developed by Techsburg/Virginia Tech in Phase I will be used to design an optimal HQ waveguide array in Phase II that will be placed near the fan with the intention of attenuating the BPF circumferential mode in order to reduce scattered energy into lower engine orders that cause far-field "buzz-saw" noise.
Current manned spacecraft heat rejection systems use two heat exchangers and an intermediate fluid loop to provide isolation between the crew compartment air and the exterior fluid loop.  Isolation is required because the fluids used are either toxic or can cause suffocation. The extra hardware doubles the mass of the system, consumes more power, and reduces reliability.  Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc., supported by Hamilton Sundstrand, proposes to use a heat pipe heat exchanger to provide two levels of isolation between the two fluid streams.  This will allow the safe use of the otherwise toxic or harmful exterior fluids with no danger to the crew and will avoid the mass and power penalty of the existing approach.  This approach is also potentially lower mass than an incremental improvement to the existing exchanger. The Phase I work will include conceptual design of a liquid/liquid and liquid/air replacement for the existing exchangers and a liquid/air exchanger that replaces both system exchangers. A system-level trade study will be conducted to assess the impact of the new exchanger designs on power and volume consumption and on thermal performance. Representative exchanger segments will be fabricated and tested to demonstrate readiness of the technology.
Advanced Technologies Group, Inc. proposes the development of a Liquid-Oxygen Mass Gauge, (LMG) for In-Space cryogenic storage capable of continuous monitoring  of liquid quantities to better than 1&#37; accuracy. The proposed sensor builds on previous liquid hydrogen sensor development successes and patents.  It can be utilized to measure cryogenic propellants, and sub-critical cryogenic fluids in use on a wide range of space applications and in ground applications to monitor fluids ranging from liquid oxygen to MMH and N2O4.  The LMG can also indicate the presence of contaminants such as nitrogen used to purge the system. The current methods use either wire resistance measurements, capacitance or point sensors, combined with pressure and temperature measurements.  The LMG will be lighter, require less energy to operate, and provide less heat leak than existing technologies. Current techniques will not function correctly in boiling or stratified liquid cryogens or in reduced gravity. During phase I, Proof-of Concept experiments will be performed with liquid oxygen. Commercial applications in the home health care industry have been identified.
NASA's vision for Space Exploration aims for human interplanetary missions that have significant challenges on crew health and safety including fluid shifts, and post-flight orthostatic intolerance. A predictive software tool that advances the understanding of underlying biofluid dynamics is critical to affordably analyzing and designing protective systems and countermeasures.  CFDRC proposes to develop such software that will enable new insights and techniques to significantly increase the knowledge base through simulations and dramatically increase the leverage of limited in-flight cardiovascular investigations.  In Phase I, we seek to develop an innovative network-based System Physiology Software tool, leveraging an ongoing NASA funded lab-on-a-chip system design effort.  In the proof-of-concept study, a physiologically relevant component network representing elements of the human circulatory system will be assembled in a user-friendly GUI environment. This network, interfaced with high-fidelity multiphysics software (CFD-ACE+) will be solved for detailed analysis of local hemodynamic stresses on vascular endothelial cell structure, and compute microgravity effects on fluid shift. In Phase II, component models will be refined with detailed representation for arterial, venous and lymphatic effects, along with incorporation of metabolite transport and baroreflex models.  Interface to systems biology models (cellular regulatory networks) will also be developed.  CFDRC is the technology leader in multiscale biological simulations and very well placed to successfully undertake this challenging task of delivering System Physiology Software to NASA.
The objective of this SBIR Phase I project is to develop and demonstrate
a low cost, lightweight, miniaturized Integrated Collision Avoidance
Enhanced GN&amp;amp;C System for Smart Air Vehicles. The proposed system
takes advantage of the latest Commercial-Off-the-Shelf (COTS)
components, American GNC Corporation's products and patents to achieve
an integrated, guidance, navigation, and control (GN&amp;amp;C) micro system
for air vehicles, which is capable of assisting aircraft pilots to avoid
approach and collision with ground/water and other near objects in
flight.  The various data from the IMU, GPS chipset, terrain data base,
magnetometer, and object detection sensors are processed to produce
collision warning audio/visual messages and collision avoidance guidance
commands in a closed-loop system. In this Phase I project, the
feasibility, as well as functions, specifications, hardware
architecture, algorithms and software of the proposed system will be
investigated, simulated, and demonstrated.
Scientists at JPL measure radiation emitted in the far-infrared (or terahertz) region of the spectrum to study the history of the universe and the Earth's atmosphere.  The most commonly used detection technique is frequency mixing between that emission and a local oscillator operating at a frequency close to the emission line.  The local oscillators available today, such as optically pumped terahertz lasers or frequency-multiplied millimeter-wave sources, suffer from a number of shortcomings including limited tuning range, inadequate wavelength coverage, large size, and low wallplug efficiency.  Physical Sciences Inc. has recently demonstrated a novel, tunable THz laser source based on an external cavity stabilized THz Quantum Cascade Laser with discontinuous tuning over a 30 GHz band at 147 wavenumbers.  In the proposed Phase I program, we will use an available 158 wavenumber THz QCL to optimize the external cavity design for continuous, mode-hop free tuning over an expected range of 100 GHz with a target laser linewidth below 1 MHz.  Such a laser has never been previously demonstrated.  During Phase II we will prove practicality by optimizing the properties of the laser, packaging it into a form suitable for terahertz emission experiments, and delivering it to JPL.
Micro Analysis and Design (MA&amp;D) is pleased to submit this proposal to design an Intelligent Multimodal Signal Adaptation System.  This system will dynamically adapt a display to the optimal modality based upon an operator's workload.  As cockpits become more complicated, there is more data to be monitored by pilots in the normal operation of an aircraft.  Some of this burden has been lightened with automated systems, but the operator still has to be aware of which automated systems are operating at any given time, and their current mode.  Signals are presented to the pilots when these systems start, end, or are in effect, but these signals are often lost in the overwhelming amount of data the operators must attend.  A system that could present signals with the highest probability of being noticed by operators would help achieve the goal of ensuring that the right information is delivered at the optimal time and modality so that operators can act on the information.  Assuring that pilots are aware of the various states of the aircraft systems would lead, in turn, to greater situation awareness and safety.
Quality vehicle health management systems are critical to the successful
operation of modern sounding rockets, and other unmanned vehicles.
Unfortunately, the software of these systems tends to be complex and
rigid and thus expensive and failure-prone, especially given the several
real-time constraints of rocketry.  We propose to develop the ``Magic
Bullet'' Adaptive Intelligent Vehicle Health Management (AIVHM) System,
a novel adaptive control system for sounding rockets based on the
technologies of treatment learning and Bayes classification. This system
will be able to derive an appropriate control strategy for a vehicle in
the event of partial system failure.  Our relationship with the Portland
State Aerospace Society (PSAS) provides us with a unique opportunity to
evaluate and deploy these methods at extremely low cost and with
extremely low risk, for simulation and even actual flight testing.  The
PSAS LV2 rocket has a navigation and control system architecture ideally
suited to experimentation with the proposed system. As senior technical
advisory to PSAS, our organization is well-positioned to prototype and
deploy the Magic Bullet AIVHMs technology with PSAS.  We expect this
deployment to result in the information needed to scale the technology
to larger, more complex, more demanding avionics applications.
An innovative method is described for the fabrication of superconducting tunnel junction (STJ) detector arrays offering true "three dimensional" imaging throughout the UV, visible and near-IR spectrum. Current state-of-the-art STJ detectors are fabricated from thin epitaxial Ta films that must be deposited at high temperatures on sapphire substrates. The subsequent metal films necessary to complete the STJ may be deposited at ambient temperature, but all of these films must be deposited uniformly with low stress and tight thickness control if acceptable device yields are to be achieved. We propose to develop a reliable and reproducible Ta STJ fabrication process using an advanced thin-film deposition tool that features a precision backside heater for reproducible depositions of high-quality epitaxial films and computer-controlled deposition modes that ensure excellent reproducibility and film uniformity (better than 98&#37;) across an entire wafer. The combination of these unique deposition features is essential for the reproducible fabrication of reliable STJ detector arrays with uniform device properties and high production yields.
To operate complicated tools and perform intricate repairs requires a manipulator of great precision and excellent coordination. An instrument such as the human hand is a perfect example; it is an organ for the reception of and reaction to tactile stimuli, a perception that guides the repertoire of manual functions. However, the integration of an analogous sensing suite into a robotic platform poses a major technological challenge. The "smart skin" solution IFOS proposes is 2-D sensor based on the integration of high-sensitivity embedded Fiber Bragg grating (FBG), a custom engineered composite material - Nano Particle Material (NPM) ? and data interpretation and on-board decision-making. This sensor will support multi-point strain sensing to control the force exerted by robot end-effectors or manipulators on an object, required by such operations as assembly, surface-machining and cutting. Our goal is design and control of an anthropomorphic manipulation prototype based on high-resolution artificial taction. Optical sensors promise particular advantages for a robot that can achieve high-fidelity force control and that can operate safely in contact with astronauts. FBG sensors are robust, highly accurate, and immune to electromagnetic interference. A network of such sensors can be integrated directly into the structure or skin of an anthropomorphic robot.
A database of nucleon-nucleon elastic differential and total cross sections will be generated by stochastic simulation of the quantum Liouville equation in the Wigner representation, incorporating innovations of: (1) antisymmetrization effects of spin ? nucleons in phase space; (2) the first order quantum corrections as a stochastic process for two-nucleon dynamics; and (3) a linked list algorithm to streamline and speed computing. Phase I will produce a prototype 4-dimensional phase space simulation of one dimensional spatial scattering, which will be extended in Phase II to three dimensional spatial scattering with a full 12-dimensional phase space model. Significance includes design of radiation shielding materials for manned NASA missions into deep space, where galactic cosmic rays pose a serious health hazard. Computer codes simulating nuclear transport through materials, with associated input databases of interaction cross sections, enable radiation risk assessment of shielding materials. The proposed database of nucleon cross sections forms a subset of the input database. The simulation may potentially be extended to generate databases for nuclear elastic, inelastic, and fragmentation cross sections. Commercial applications include radiation protection for humans on earth under hazardous conditions. The simulation also has applications to nanotechnology and quantum information technologies.
While traveling to Venus, electronics and instruments go through
enormous pressure, temperature, and atmospheric environment changes.  In
the past, this has caused problems with the life expectancy of
electronics and instruments. Cornerstone Research Group, CRG, proposes
to develop a Sialyte(TM)-based composite pressure vessel to perform in
such extreme environments.  Sialyte(TM) is an inorganic resin that can
operate at high temperatures and pressures and can prevent buckling when
used as a sandwich structure core (good compressive strengths).
Sialyte(TM) has thermal properties similar to a ceramic material, yet
processing characteristics like an organic polymer.  Sialyte(TM) is also
resistant to many chemicals.  CRG previously developed this material and
is currently using it for structural and protective applications.  By
using Sialyte(TM) in combination with Nextel(TM) ceramic fabric, CRG can
fabricate a filament wound structure using conventional composite
manufacturing processes that will perform in extreme environments.  The
use of filament winding for fabrication will allow for many possible
design options in an affordable manner.  A Sialyte(TM)-based composite
pressure vessel tank will not only meet but exceed NASA's requirements
for a pressure vessel for extreme environments.
The Interactive Data Language (IDL) is a standard tool used by many researchers in observational fields. Present day Sun-Earch Connection missions like RHESSI or SOHO, or future missions, including the Solar Dynamics (SDO) almost exclusively analyze their data in IDL. However, the increasing amount of data produced by these missions, and the increasing complexity of image processing algorithms, requires higher computing power. Cluster computing is a cost-effective way to increase the speed of computation, but algorithms have to be modified to take advantage of parallel systems. Enhancing IDL to work on clusters gives scientists access to increased performance in a familiar programming environment. We propose to develop tools that enable IDL to profit from cluster systems. These tools will allow IDL applications to run in parallel without additional licenses. Finally, the parallelization will require no significant modification of the original programs. Enhanced data analysispower enables e.g. automatic image analysis on larger data sets. It can also help to reduce the response time to analyze data on demand,as desirable in virtual observatory environments. The wide spread of IDL allows scientists from other fields to profit from the increased execution speed.
Current Technology for CO2 removal from enclosed air of spacecraft utilizes LiOH canisters for CO2 absorption.  This absorption is irreversible so longer flights require more LiOH.  For long duration flights it is essential that a small, lightweight system that recovers the CO2 be developed.  This allows the CO2 to be used to regenerate O2 for re-use.

Compact Membrane systems (CMS) has identified a novel membrane contactor process for absorption and subsequent desorption of the CO2.  Key to the process is that the contactor both operate effectively and that loss of the absorption/desorption fluid be kept to a minimum.

In Phase I, CMS will build system and demonstrate systems capability with a focus on key desorption unit operation.  Analysis will demonstrate ability to transport CO2 while maintaining minimal loss of absorbent.  System stability will be demonstrated by evaluating performance over wide temperature range (30-90o C).  Chemical stability with absorbants will also be demonstrated.  With all the above basic data in hand, we will evaluate the needed system size, weight and power consumption.  Lastly we will compare results to molecular sieve adsorbants which are the incumbent for long duration flights.
Future NASA instrumentation will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology.  We propose a next-generation nanofluid that consists of precisely manufactured nanoparticles that are added to existing coolant liquids.  Even at very low loading levels, the nanoparticles dramatically increase the thermal conductivity and the critical heat flux of the fluid.  Due to their small size, settling, abrasion, and clogging issues are eliminated, enabling the nanofluid to be immediately incorporated into existing thermal management systems.
Space Micro Inc. proposes to develop an innovative Turbo-Coded
Orthogonal Frequency Division Modulation (TC-OFDM) ASIC device.  The
proposed device provides data transmission at very high data rates (1 ?
10 Gbps), with high bandwidth efficiency (up to 8 bps/Hz), and with
excellent bit error rate (BER) performance at signal-to-noise ratios
approaching Shannon's theoretical channel capacity limit.  The TC-OFDM
modulator is programmable so that a single ASIC device can support a
wide variety of communication links, with different data rates, FEC code
rates, and RF channel bandwidths.  The modulator also supports dynamic
adaptation of FEC code rate and modulation during operation, to maximize
data transmission in systems with time-varying communication link
conditions.  The proposed TC-OFDM modulator is radiation hardened for
operation on spacecraft and high altitude airborne platforms.  The end
result of the proposed SBIR program is innovative TC-OFDM communication
link technology and components that will enable greatly increased data
transmission rates from space-to-space and space-to-ground, to meet the
needs of future NASA earth science missions.
High performance non-toxic monopropellants offer significant benefits relative to the current state-of-the-art. The benefits of these advanced monopropellants (AMP) include improved safety, a 50&#37; reduction in density, and a 20&#37; improvement in specific impulse (ISP). AMP propulsion represents a significant challenge for thruster components and assemblies due to the higher temperatures and the chemical constituents of the exhaust.  This proposed program, with the support of Aerojet Redmond, will develop, design and fabricate an integrated ceramic matrix composite (CMC) thruster assembly comprised of the thermal stand-off (TSO), combustion chamber, and nozzle. The TSO will mitigate heat soak-back to the propellant valve utilizing an insulating CMC operating with a combustion environment greater than 2000&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C. A phased design plan will be used for developing the integrated thruster assembly and results confirmed by test firing under representative conditions. A TSO prototype will be fabricated and the thermomechanical and thermochemical properties tested and analyzed during the Phase I program. The Phase II will utilize the TSO, materials development and conceptual design from the Phase I to develop an integrated CMC TSO - combustion chamber and nozzle assembly.  A successful program will provide technology benefits resulting from improved performance, reduced cost and improved manufacturability.
SI2 Technologies, Inc (SI2) proposes to develop membrane compatible transmit/receive (T/R) modules for flexible, space-deployable synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antenna arrays.  Large-aperture, yet lightweight SARs are desired for many Earth science monitoring applications as they may be placed at higher orbits which offer greater coverage and shorter interferometric repeat times.  However, the technology for manufacturing T/R modules on flexible membranes has limited the development of these space based arrays.  SI2's innovation is to apply its laser transfer Direct Write techniques to fabricate a flexible T/R module which can be integrated with each array element.  SI2's proprietary laser transfer processes will be used to "print" pre-fabricated active electronics (e.g. conventional semiconductor devices such as amplifiers, switches, etc.) on large area, flexible substrates directly from off-the-shelf wafers.  The result of the proposed effort will be a demonstrated pathway for manufacturing T/R modules on flexible substrates which will further the development of lightweight, large-aperture, electronically-steerable space based radar arrays.
Commercial digital signal processors (DSP) are problematic for satellite computers due to damaging space radiation effects, particularly single event upsets (SEU) and functional interrupts (SEFI).  Space Micro has developed innovations for mitigating SEU and SEFI errors, enabling the use of very high-speed commercial DSPs with improved SEU tolerances (&gt;1E-4 unrecoverable errors/day).  Time-Triple Modular Redundancy (TTMR) is a method of applying traditional triple modular redundancy on a single processor, exploiting the VLIW class of parallel processors.  SEFI is solved by a Hardened Core circuit, external to the microprocessor, which monitors the "health" of the processor, and when SEFI occurs, forces the processor to return to performance through a series of escalating events (interrupts, reset, etc).
In Phase I we apply these technologies to COTS DSPs and also will extend the TTMR and Hardened Core architecture to reconfigurable FPGA arrays, with dramatically improved SEU/SEFI rates for Xilinx FPGAs.
In Phase II we will provide SEU &amp; SEFI hardened DSP plus FPGA product, with performance of 8,000 MIPS fixed point and 1.8 GFLOPS floating point (derated approximately 50&#37; for improved SEU performance) while consuming less than 2 watts power, combined with an array of Xilinx reconfigurable FPGAs, providing approximately 7500 MFLOPS per FPGA.
A novel cryogenic coupling will be designed and modeled.  Intended for in-space use at cryogenic propellant depots, the coupling is based on patented Venturi-Offset Technology (VOST) and will provide small fluid and heat leakage at high flows with a low pressure drop.  Entirely mechanical, insertion opens the passage, removal closes the passage.  Mating force and alignment requirements are small.  With only eight major parts, reliability is high and mass is low.  Redundant seals, integrated flow measurements, and robotic control are possible.
This proposal will develop an assay to map genomic DNA, at the single molecule level and in a nanodevice, for oxidative DNA damage arising from radiation exposure; this will result in a highly quantitative approach to real-time health monitoring, dose response studies, studies of cancer progression, and systematic analyses of immunologically compromised cells.  Exposure to radiation damages DNA.  Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are liberated, causing oxidative damage to DNA bases.  The major consequence of this damage is misincorporation of bases during replication, leading to irreversible cell damage, cancer or compromised cell function.  

Oxidatively damaged genomic DNA is tagged at the lesions using specific antibodies, and the resultant DNA is scanned in a linear manner by our single molecule nanodevice.  The locations, amount, and type of lesions are recorded for each DNA molecule.  Megabase pair DNA is scanned by the reader in milliseconds, at ultra-sensitive single molecule detection limits.  The technology is highly practical based on our significant experiences in developing single molecule scanning technologies.  The potential nanoscale device and analysis speed create new possibilities for routine implementation.  This addresses a current unmet need since there are no existing technologies that allow comprehensive assessment of DNA oxidative damage.
The danger from fire aboard spacecraft is immediate with only moments for detection and suppression.  Spacecraft are unique high-value systems where the cost of failure is measured in lives and dollars.  Space crews have little or no chance to escape vessels on fire.  It is imperative to detect the onset of combustion in microgravity at the earliest possible moment.  Present fire detectors onboard spacecraft are inadequate due to sensitivity, time response, or both.  Smoke detectors are insufficient for detecting the early stages of combustion, sensors are needed to detect the products of combustion directly.  These sensors must meet stringent size, weight and power requirements.  Vista Photonics proposes to develop rugged, compact fire detection instrumentation capable of selectively and simultaneously measuring the combustion species HCN, acetylene, carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide at parts-per-million (ppm) or better sensitivities in a 1 Hz bandwidth.  The enabling technology for meeting NASA's stringent mission requirements is a new rugged, compact, and lightweight optical path length enhancement cell that recovers the theoretical sensitivity of proven high-performance optical absorption detection techniques.
Several studies over the past few decades have recognized the need for advanced propulsion to explore the solar system.  As early as the 1960s, Werner Von Braun and others recognized the need for a nuclear rocket for sending humans to Mars.  The great distances, the intense radiation levels, and the physiological response to zero-gravity all supported the concept of using a nuclear rocket to decrease mission time.  These same needs have been recognized in later studies, especially in the Space Exploration Initiative in 1989.  One of the key questions that has arisen in later studies, however, is the need to utilize a nuclear fuel form that does not emit fission products into the exhaust stream.  Unlike the Rover/NERVA programs in the 1960s, the rocket exhaust in a current day nuclear rocket should contain no radioactivity. We will investigate a series of coated fuel forms that will inhibit fission products and actinides from diffusing out into the surrounding coolant.  A demonstration experiment will be designed that will allow fuels containing uranium-238 to be fissioned, heated to very high temperatures, and assessed for emission of any products.
We propose to develop a radiation tolerant/hardened signal processing node, which effectively utilizes state-of-the-art commercial semiconductors plus our innovative space radiation mitigation. Building on our Phase I success, a unique combination of DSP and FPGA hardware and software will be demonstrated, including in space radiation environments. The resulting product will enable dramatically improved on board signal processing capabilities.
Large stroke and high precision electroactive single crystal and polymer actuators are desired for cryogenic passive optics such as Fabry-Perot Interferometer (FPI) and Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) in NASA remote sensing missions. The results of the Phase I program have successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using electroactive  single crystal and polymer actuator concepts for large stroke, high precision cryogenic actuations for passive optics.  We believe this result justifies the Phase II continuation to develop electroactive single crystal and polymer actuators for cryogenic tunable FPI and FTS for remote sensing applications. In particular, single crystal stack actuators with stroke of 25 um at 77K, flextensional actuator with stroke of 100-200 um and hybrid single crystal /polymer HYBAS actuators with stroke 1-2 mm will be developed for both current cryogenic tunable FPI and future passive optics. Single crystal piezoelectrics are attractive because they exhibit 3 to 5 times the strain of conventional piezoelectric ceramics, have very low strain hysteresis, and retain excellent piezoelectric performance at cryogenic temperatures. HYBAS actuation concept exhibits significant strain improvement by combining single crystal piezoelectrics and EAP.
Radiometers are a crucial element in NASA's studies of Planet Earth.  This proposal addresses the basic need for a miniature light sensor, flexibly configurable and optimized for above and in-water optical property measurements.  The innovation we are proposing develops a 1 cm diameter photodetector module, called a "microradiometer."  The microradiometer consists of a photodetector, preamplifier with controllable gain, high resolution analog to digital converter (ADC), microprocessor, and an addressable digital port, all on one small, thin circuit assembly.  We anticipate that the design will result in significant improvements in dynamic range, sampling speed, reliability, and reduced power consumption over existing instruments.  In a Phase II embodiment, a single microradiometer forms the basis of a very small (much less than 2.5 cm diameter) single-channel submersible light sensor that can be deployed in support of coastal research opportunities.  In another application, clusters of microradiometers can be matched with front end optics (collector/window/filter stack) to form small, fast, less expensive multiwavelength radiometers for a variety of measurements ? even hyperspectral applications.  We call this configuration the Modular Microradiometer System (MMS).  These MMS systems can be packaged into small underwater housings suitable for deployment on drifters, moorings, towed vehicles, and vertical profilers.
Automated impact detection and characterization on manned spacecraft has been an elusive goal due to the transitory nature of the detectable high-frequency signals.  The proposed approach for this effort is to use large numbers of self-powered, miniaturized, "stick on" piezoelectric sensory nodes that are synchronized within a radio frequency network.  Each node will continuously monitor an accelerometer, acoustic emission sensor, or PZT element for an impact event, such as the foam impact that caused the Columbia tragedy or a micro-meteor impact.  When a programmable threshold is exceeded, a low-latency signal acquisition circuit will capture the event as a digital waveform for post-processing and impact characterization.  In addition, autonomous collaboration and synchronization between nodes of the network will provide for accurate location determination through amplitude and time-of-arrival analysis.  The innovative signal conditioning circuit design is capable of operation in the micro-watt range on average while constantly maintaining the capability to process and acquire ultrasonic acoustic signals.  Additionally, the system will provide a general purpose hardware platform on which integrated structural health monitoring algorithms and sensing techniques can be implemented.  Such performance can provide operating lifetimes of 10+ years on a single AA battery, or unlimited operation from scavenged power sources.
Reliable diagnostic tools to support system health monitoring are critical both for liquid rocket experimental ground test facilities and flight systems.  Here, flow induced instabilities can generate flow anomalies such as large scale pressure fluctuations that may couple with other system components and generate deleterious structural vibrations or lead to system malfunction as was evidenced in the RS-68 engine on the Delta IV system.  Identifying the source of these flow  instabilities is extremely difficult since they may arise from a variety of coupled phenomena such as hydrodynamics, valve timing and scheduling, and cavitation related events in cryogenic propellant and oxidizer feedlines.  

The proposed Phase II program addresses this deficiency; the product of this effort will be a reliable predictive tool that can characterize flow instabilities, identify dominant frequency modes, and  elucidate structural response in valve and feed systems.  Phase I activities demonstrated the simulation capability for instabilities in varied flow devices (e.g.  venturis, orifices)  used in the E-1 test facilities at NASA SSC. The Phase II work will extend this to include fluid-structure interaction for analysis of system vibration, structural damage and gauge valve response.  Extensive validation will result in a predictive diagnostic tool for liquid rocket propulsion systems.
NASA's planned future missions set stringent demands on the design of the Portable Life Support Systems (PLSS), requiring dramatic reductions in weight, decreased reliance on supplies and greater flexibility on the types of missions.  The CO2 and humidity control unit in the existing PLSS design is relatively large, since it has to remove 8 hours worth of CO2.  If the sorbent regeneration can be carried out during the extravehicular activity (EVA) with a relatively high regeneration frequency, the size of the sorbent canister and weight can be significantly reduced.  

TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) proposes to develop a compact, regenerable sorbent-based system to control CO2 and humidity in the space suit ventilation loop.  The sorbent can be regenerated using space vacuum during the EVA, eliminating all duration-limiting elements in the life support system.
High sensitivity HgCdTe infrared arrays operating at 77K can now be
tailored in a wide range of wavelengths from 1 to14 um.  However, the
cooling requirements make them bulky and unsuitable to be incorporated
into robust autonomous sensor systems. We propose to develop detectors
with high detectivity that operates at or near room temperature in the
MWIR (3 to 5 um) and LWIR (8 to 12 um) atmospheric windows. These
detectors are based on the active regions with HgCdTe bulk alloy layer
and a secondary HgCdTe bulk alloy layer, which serves as a sink for both
the dark and background currents. Room temperature or moderately cooled
operation of these detectors is achieved by suppressing the Auger and
radiative recombination mechanisms. We will also incorporate in each
pixel a dynamic skimming that will reduce the effect of dark and
background currents while enhancing the dynamic range. Therefore, we are
designing detectors that are read out integrated circuit (ROIC)
friendly.   We plan to achieve these objectives by combining the
advantages of the molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) crystal growth technique,
an innovative nonequilibrium device architecture, photon recycling
concepts, dynamic dark current skimming, and optimized read out circuit
that will increase the operating temperature. High quality HgCdTe layers
(for infrared detection) will be grown on large area (3-5&amp;quot;) silicon
substrates. This will make it possible to produce rugged, low-cost,
large area focal plane arrays with higher operating temperatures and
near-BLIP performance
VPT proposes an innovative concept whereby complex, multiple-output, DC-DC converter systems can be configured through use of only 2 standard product hybrid DC-DC Converter modules.  The key module attributes that make this feasible are: programmable output, parallel current-sharing capability, synchronization capability, dual (plus and minus) output voltage, 500V input-output-case isolation, external shutdown, total dose and single event effects radiation hardening, and ability to be element evaluated, screened, and qualified to MIL PRF 38534 Class K (space flight) standards.  Once these attributes are satisfied, it is shown that highly complex systems can be designed and delivered with a minimum of nonrecurring engineering.  This includes 28V or 100V input systems, low voltage and higher voltage outputs, and highly varying output power.  The system allows output series operation for increased output voltage, as well as input series operation to accommodate increased input voltages.  This is all accomplished without the need of a centralized controller.  This confines most of the common failure modes to graceful degradation as opposed to catastrophic shut down.  In Phase I, it is demonstrated that a complex, multiple output system, 100Vin, 1KW system is configured with multiple 100W, 28V input modules.
To address the NASA need for extravehicular mobility units (EMUs) with enhanced mobility, dexterity, lifetime, maintainability, and reliability for the International Space Station and for future missions to the Moon and Mars, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Membrane Interferometric Carbon Dioxide Sensor (MICADS).  This sensor integrates a fiber optic interferometer, sensitive to displacements of a small fraction of a wavelength, and a semipermeable membrane to selectively detect, identify, and quantify gases at concentrations at the parts per million (ppm) level.  The MICADS will measure carbon dioxide level by means of a selectively permeable membrane, which induces small displacements in a diaphragm that can be measured by the interferometer.  POC's light, compact, and reliable MICADS sensor will monitor and control the air processing to remove carbon dioxide from EMUs.  It will not consume oxygen, and will produce only minimal heat.  In Phase I, POC will develop and demonstrate the performance of the proof-of-concept MICADS. In Phase II, a prototype will be developed and submitted to NASA for testing.
The physical difficulty of designing entry vehicles originates from the
large degree of coupling between the various disciplines involved in the
design.  Every subsystem design decision has far reaching consequences
that must be evaluated in a multidisciplinary fashion in order to assess
the impact on the weight and the performance of the entire vehicle.  The
disciplines which must be accounted and integrated during the design
are: trajectory optimization, guidance, navigation, and control
(GN&amp;amp;C) technology, aerodynamics and aerothermodynamics,
thermal-structural analysis, and thermal protection system (TPS)
development.  Previous efforts in developing a collaborative or a
multidisciplinary optimization process never considered how uncertainty
in the atmospheric conditions, in the entry parameters of the vehicle,
in the condition of the vehicle during entry, and in the performance of
the TPS will influence the design and provide a risk assessment for a
mission.  The proposed project will fill this void by developing a tool
for multidisciplinary optimization under uncertainty (MDO-U) for entry
vehicle design.  The proposed development will consider how
uncertainties influence the modeling results of each discipline, and how
uncertainties influence the interaction between disciplines and the
optimal solution.  Finally, the new MDO-U design tool will compute the
safety level for the optimum design.
Automatic Dependent Surveillance ? Broadcast (ADS-B) is an emerging Communications, Navigation, and Surveillance (CNS) technology that will vastly expand the state of the art in CNS in the National Airspace System (NAS).  However, ADS-B is not currently secure and foolproof, and is currently vulnerable to abnormalities and deliberate contamination (spoofing). To address these problems, Metron Aviation, Inc. designs and develops an innovative software system that Verifies and Validates (V&amp;V) the integrity of an ADS-B signal in real-time, independent of a secondary truth source of surveillance data. The system uses a suite of Kalman filters for short time horizon trajectory predictions, bearing signal tracking, a novel intent inference algorithm for reasoning about ADS-B intent data, and confidence assessment measures.  The proposed technology addresses NASA's quest for technologies to harden aircraft CNS systems against abnormality and deliberate attack.
Aircraft icing continues to be one of the major safety and operational concerns of the FAA, elements of the military, and the foreign military and civilian counterparts. Attempts to develop methods to directly detect aircraft icing meteorological conditions have met with mixed success. Combining ground-based microwave radiometers with radars has shown great promise, but deficiencies of the radiometers have limited their value. In our Phase I effort we have determined solutions to several technical challenges in the design of a narrow beam multi-waveband radiometer that is to operate in concert with weather radars. We have also calculated optimum eigenfrequencies for detection of aircraft icing conditions. In Phase II we will construct a turnkey fast sampling multifrequency profiling and dual polarization narrow beam radiometer system. In this radiometer system, all beams are collinear and match the antenna gain pattern of weather research radars. The radiometer will have the capability of profiling (ranging) water vapor along the beam as well as discriminate ice and water phase hydrometeors. We will also develop a fast beam steering system to operate in concert with the radar. The turnkey radiometer system and documentation are deliverables.
The technical objective of this SBIR program is to develop and demonstrate metal mesh filters for use in NASA's low noise receivers for terahertz astronomy and atmospheric studies. Metal mesh filters, based on a free-standing sheet of metal with a periodic area of apertures, have been used for many years. However, they have proven to be extremely difficult and costly to fabricate and are not presently available over a large part of the terahertz frequency band (100 GHz through 10 THz). Also, the terahertz filters that are available from commercial suppliers tend to have unacceptable loss in the pass-band (20&#37; or more) and often cost over one thousand dollars per filter. Through this program VDI is developing new fabrication processes and mesh designs that will improve performance and greatly reduce costs. Successful completion of this program will make the filters available for NASA's terahertz missions, facilitate the development of improved terahertz detectors (by facilitating bolometer calibration and testing) and also make the filters commercially available for the greater range of terahertz applications that are now emerging, such as imaging systems and spectrometers.
This project addresses two vital problems for long-term space travel activities: radiation shielding and hydrogen storage for power and propulsion.  While both problems have been studied for many years, there is currently no satisfactory technology for providing adequate non-parasitic shielding.  Even in low-Earth orbit, astronauts must be closely monitored for radiation exposure, and some missions simply cannot be performed due to the current inability to adequately shield astronauts (e.g. Mars or surface Lunar bases).  The overall objective of the proposed project is to construct, test, and deliver a prototype for hydrogen storage and radiation shielding.  In Phase I we experimentally verified the radiation shielding capability of these systems and its ability to operate after being bombarded by ionizing radiation at a nuclear accelerator.  In this Phase II proposal, AFR will join with Boeing to design two multi-layer configurations that could be of use for operational missions.  We will then work with Prairie View A&amp;M Univ. to perform an empirical study of radiation shielding using NSRL and Loma Linda particle accelerators.  In collaboration with Prof. Larry Townsend, we will perform a complementary computational study to broaden shielding characterization and to validate shielding code performance with respect to this non-parasitic shielding concept.  During the process and product assessment, we will coordinate possible commercial ventures with Boeing.  The successful operation of the prototype would raise the system's TRL to 5 or 6 (system operated in a relevant environment).
In Phase I, APEI, Inc. proved the feasibility of developing a modular, expandable and fault tolerant SiC-based power system through the successful demonstration of a four-module SiC-based power system capable of dynamic reconfiguration allowing the system to continue delivering power to the load without interruption in the event of a module failure.  These results show the feasibility of developing miniaturized SiC multichip power modules (MCPMs) to form a core power building block component.  The MCPM building blocks utilize a distributed control and communications structure, with a communications network established between the core silicon-on-insulator (SOI) controllers of the MCPMs, but with no single controller in command of the system. The decentralized control and modular approach allow for the construction of highly flexible, auto-configurable, stackable power systems to be connected in series and/or parallel to increase overall system power handling capabilities. Moreover, the identical core MCPM building blocks could be used in many power electronics applications, while various specific functions such as source regulation, energy storage regulation, and motor drives could be achieved by the use of external components.  In addition, the development of high-temperature MCPMs allows high levels of miniaturization, power density, and efficiency resulting in highly reliable, compact, modular, and inexpensive power systems.
In response to the need for motors, actuators and drilling systems that can operate in the harsh venusian environment for extended periods of time, on the order of several hours to days, Honeybee Robotics proposes continued development of an extreme temperature motor and an extreme temperature drill system and demonstration of both in simulated Venus surface conditions. A first-generation prototype motor was designed, built and tested in Venus-like conditions (460&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C temperature, mostly CO2 gas environment) during Phase I. The Phase I tests demonstrated the feasibility of the design through verification that the motor can operate at 460&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C for an extended period of time. A further developed and optimized version of this motor could be used to actuate drills, robotic arms, and other devices outside of an environment-controlled landed platform on the surface of Venus. The motor's capability to survive for hours (and potentially longer) in that environment is a major benefit to future Venus science missions since it would allow time for communication ground loops to optimize drill target selection and allow for multiple samples to be acquired from the subsurface. An extreme temperature motor would therefore revolutionize the exploration of Venus. In Phase II, both an extreme environment motor and an extreme environment drill system will be developed to TRL 6. Aside from Venus exploration, other potential NASA and non-NASA applications for an extreme temperature motor include actuation of fluid pumps, gimbals, robotic joints and manipulation systems, as well as turbine, expendable launch vehicle and furnace tending system components.
American remote Vision  Company (ARVC) will continue to research and develop a new non-pryotechnic latch and release sytem for use in servicing and flight release applications, among others. We have built and demostrated  prototypes from the 20 pound range to the 2000 pound range.  The devices are force multipliers, where the force increases linearly with initial grip force, and exponentially with overall grip length. The prototypes are of two basic varieties (a) linear basket "fingercuff" grippers with actuation mechanisms, and (b) rotational grippers with actuation mechanisms. We have invented a method to precisely control both versions, for controlled release applications. The devices are simple, reliable, inherently reusable, nonfouling, and fault tolerant.
Sierra Engineering Inc. (Sierra) believes that the subject triaxial liquid propellant swirl injector has the potential to meet many of NASA's Earth-to-Orbit (ETO) propulsion systems goals. The triaxial swirl injector is ideally suited to a wide range of liquid oxidizers and fuels, including hydrogen and a wide range of hydrocarbons.  It holds the potential of excellent high-frequency combustion stability characteristics and low injector production cost, similar to a pintle injector.  Additionally, the triaxial swirl injector offers the potential for excellent injector and combustion chamber thermal compatibility and outstanding propellant atomization characteristics, both at levels far superior to a pintle injector.  The triaxial injector concept is well suited to both main injector and preburner applications.  The Phase I SBIR effort focused on understanding the influence design variables have on injector performance.  We developed the mechanical design concept for a prototype injector.  The proposed Phase II effort will complete the detailed design and analysis of the prototype injector.  The test hardware will be fabricated and tested with several propellants.  A preliminary design will be developed for a large-scale combustor.
The proposed S-band telemetry transmitter will operate in the exterior Venusian high pressure, 465?aC ambient atmosphere without being contained in a thermally protective container.  The sealed, radiation-hardened, high-reliability, silicon-carbide-based transmitter uses an ambient heatsink to cool its high temperature transistors without the power, volume, and weight of auxiliary cooling.  An innovative circuit architecture requires only one SiC semiconductor device per module; other components are ceramic or temperature-compensated machined metal parts.  Operating life on Venus is limited only by the external power source; several months is anticipated.  The fault-tolerant modular transmitter!|s 150 watt RF output power will support a direct Venus-Earth 8 kbps communications link.  This same design solution can also be applied to very cold Titan-like applications as well.  The Phase II effort culminates with a 30 day Venus life test simulation of a full scale deliverable prototype.
This effort undertook the creation of a Surface Operations Data Analysis and Adaptation (SODAA) tool to store data relevant to airport surface research and facilitate searching, visualizing, and analyzing that data, with the goal of improving understanding of airport surface operations.  Data mining capabilities will, for example, support research of taxi routing and departure sequencing strategies used by air traffic controllers.  The SODAA tool will reduce the time and cost required to build and maintain Surface Management System (SMS) adaptations.  Finally, the SODAA tool will facilitate benefits and other studies by readily providing large sets of data without each researcher needing to separately collect appropriate data.  In Phase 1, we designed and built a portion of the envisioned SODAA database as well as a limited visualization tool that, after Phase 2, will allow users to query the database and view the results in a variety of different formats.  In addition, users will be able to add new analysis capabilities by creating plug-in modules.  In addition, we conducted a variety of analyses of SMS data, providing insight into surface operations.  Finally, we identified which SMS adaptation files could be developed using the SODAA tool.
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) demand state-of-the-art ultra-stable and low noise coherent lasers. This is a proposal to develop a space qualified high power, single mode, low noise and narrow linewidth fiber laser based on a"virtual ring" laser cavity at the 1.06 micron spectral band. This novel laser architecture enables traveling-wave oscillation in a compact, linear and all-fiber cavity. This leads to unprecedented low noise and stable laser oscillator. The all fiber device also offers a highly reliable, compact and power conserving solution. We have already demonstrated virtual ring oscillators at the 1.55 micron band that rival the state of the ring laser architecture. In this research we will develop a 1.06 micron laser that can meet or exceed the LISA experiment required laser specifications.
As the complexity of flight controllers grows so does the cost associated with verification and validation (V&amp;V).  Current-generation controllers are reaching levels of complexity that push the envelopes of existing V&amp;V approaches, and further increases in controller complexity are required to provide the operational capabilities desired for next generation systems. Without improved approaches, there is little hope for affordable V&amp;V of next-generation intelligent systems and, unfortunately, controller validation is required to ensure the safety of these systems. Barron Associates proposes an aggressive plan of research to develop monitoring algorithms that estimate, in real time, safety margins of complex feedback systems based on observed differences between the model used for controller development and actual flight data.  The Phase II research will focus on the flight test environment where these algorithms will allow the flight test engineer to monitor and revise the test plan in real time - accelerating the test-matrix buildup when safety is assured and avoiding test points where safety is questionable.  The tool will also recommend test points that could help refine safety margin estimates for as yet unexecuted maneuvers. The result will be reduced flight test costs and improved safety.
The Phase I effort successfully demonstrated the feasibility of a terrain guided automated precision landing sensor using an innovative multi-field-of-view stereo motion system with a novel real time terrain mapping algorithm.  The objective of the Phase II proposal is to develop a complete prototype and characterize the performance of the LandingNav sensor system in all of the relative motion environments anticipated for the descent of the Lunar Surface Access Module.  The result of the Phase II work will be a comprehensive flight characterization of the new landing navigation system and a closed loop demonstration of the multi-camera stereo vision unit working with the feature detection and terrain mapping to avoid hazards.
Advanced instruments used for earth science missions require improved cooling systems to remove heat from high power electronic components and maintain tight temperature control for sensitive instruments. Mesoscopic Devices proposes to develop a pumped two-phase cooling loop that will provide high heat flux, distributed load cooling (&gt; 100 W/cm^2) in a lightweight system. In Phase I, an extremely compact pump optimized for two phase cooling was demonstrated, along with advanced lightweight cold plates. Pump and cold plate advances in Phase II will further reduce the mass and improve reliability.  A complete thermal loop will be constructed and tested to demonstrate the improved pumps and cold plates.
Mobitrum is proposing to develop a broadband wireless device for real-time data acquisition and monitoring applicable to the field instrumentation and control systems associated with ground testing facilities. This effort is targeted for data management and intelligent sensor fusion across local and mobile computational platforms for real-time graphical representation and methods for collaborative distribution, efficient storage, and archival. This effort will include (1) Design of the wireless device to maximize the capability of the rocket engine ground testing and safety assurance that include: power consumption, reliability, performance, data rate, throughput, signal coverage, security, configurability, portability, and cost; (2) Design of the wireless device architecture including network topologies, user's query language, data representations and formats, communication modules, low-level device driver,  fault tolerance, portability, and performance; and (3) Specify smart agents for rules, procedures, software algorithms, and techniques for designing a high-speed wireless portal system.  Smart agents will increase the capability of the data acquisition and health monitoring from remote access and increases the safety. This proposed enabling technology will provide NASA a cost-effective and high-speed tool for collaborative data management and distribution, sensing and monitoring, and other situational awareness such as testing infrastructure and facilities.
Development of a novel analytical instrument which combines the
advantages of fast GC and a detector capable of identifying species is
proposed. Experiments in the limited-space environment require from a GC
system maximum productivity and universality with minimal resource
consumption. A combination of a short-column fast-chromatographic
separation technique with a low-power-consumption miniature detector
capable of identifying unknown species would be an ideal instrument for
flight analysis. The proposed instrument will employ the technology of
Penning Ionization Electron Spectroscopy in plasma (PIES) which provides
an excellent opportunity for the development of a fast-GC/PIES
combination that satisfies these requirements. A new micro-PIES detector
is proposed that uses continuous flowing afterglow discharge cell design
enabling the measurement of PIES spectra in continuous flow at
atmospheric pressure of the carrier gas. PIES spectra for permanent
gases will be recorded in Phase I by a micro-PIES detector prototype. In
Phase II of the project, a commercially viable micro-PIES detector and
an analytical device combining fast GC and the micro-PIES detector, will
be developed.
In Phase I of this project, APEI, Inc. proved the feasibility of creating ultra-lightweight power converters (utilizing now emerging silicon carbide [SiC] power switching technologies) through the successful demonstration of power switch operation up to 500 &lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C.  The goal of Phase II will be to design, fabricate, and fully test SiC based DC/DC converters that can achieve high power density and ultra-lightweight by operating the power switches at high junction temperatures. 

Present state-of-the-art silicon based spacecraft power systems operate at a power density of approximately 1.5 W/cm?, while the high temperature SiC based power converters proposed by APEI, Inc. in this project will operate at a power density of approximately 4.5 W/cm?, or 3? the density of present high performance silicon based systems. Theoretically, if the full potential of silicon carbide switches could be realized (junction temperature operation in excess of 600 &lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C), an order of magnitude power density improvement could be achieved.

APEI, Inc. is proposing to fabricate up to three prototype high density (4.5 W/cm?) DC/DC converter designs: 
(1)	28V in /  5V out @ 25 watts
(2)	28 V in / 5V out @ 100 watts
(3)	28 V in / 5V out @ 1 kW
This proposed project will attempt to develop a data analysis system for structural health monitoring on space structures. The data analysis software will be a key component in space vehicle health management system and can be used to in vehicle life prediction. The sensor data analysis algorithm is aimed at providing a modeling and simulation tool for data collected from a network of distributed sensors. The sensor network can be implemented via the state-of-the-art technology of distributed wireless dust network. A novel algorithm combining measurement data from the sensors and the analytical model based on the concept of finite element analysis is proposed and the feasibility of the algorithm to detect structural damage will be tested in this project. The project focuses on integrating the new mesh sensor network technology into structural health monitoring. The data analysis system can monitor the performance of defective structural component in a space vehicle and issue proper warning for maintenance and repair. The concept has been tested feasible in Phase I.  During Phase II, the algorithm will be further developed into a commercial software to be used for the structural integrity monitoring of many engineering applications.
High sensitivity HgCdTe infrared arrays operating at 77K can now be tailored in a wide range of wavelengths from 1 to 14 microns. However, due to the cooling requirements, they consume large amounts of power and are bulky and unsuitable for many NASA applications.  During Phase I, we demonstrated the feasibility of employing dark current skimming to increase the operating temperature of HgCdTe mid-wavelength infrared devices to temperature regimes attainable by thermoelectric (TE) cooling. This work will be applied to two-color detectors and 320 ? 256 focal plane arrays during the proposed Phase II effort, leading to the next generation of HgCdTe infrared focal plane arrays. Multicolor detection will involve only an incremental development of the current skimming employed in Phase I. The resistor used in Phase I for skimming will be replaced with a photovoltaic detector that will have two functions: first, it will allow skimming by collecting part of the current flowing through the main detectors, and second, it will act as an independent detector for a second color. By employing a non-equilibrium mode of operation for the same detector, the majority and minority carrier densities will be greatly reduced. This will suppress Auger recombination processes in the active layers, and lead to dramatic increases in recombination lifetimes, dynamic impedances and detectivities. The proposed effort will exploit the excellent optoelectronic properties of bandgap tunable HgCdTe, the recent advances in the heteroepitaxial growth of this material by the flexible MBE manufacturing technique and innovative concepts such as dynamic dark current skimming and Auger suppression.
Acellent Technologies, Inc. proposes to develop a SMART Tape system that can be used to perform rapid non-destructive evaluation in real time and provide long-term monitoring of pressure vessels in liquid rocket engines.  Based on Acellent's existing SMART Layer technology, this innovative system combines a sensor network, dedicated signal processing and data analysis software to allow for real-time in-situ monitoring and long term tracking of structural integrity of pressure vessels (such as ducts, manifolds and combustion chambers) in rocket engines.  Specifically, the proposed structural health monitoring system will have the following unique features: 
-Survive harsh environments and missions
-Inspect inaccessible areas without disassembly
-Ability to detect cracks and monitor crack growth in real-time
-Prevent imminent and catastrophic failures in rocket engines
The proposed innovation is important as it will address the need for safe as well as reliable advanced space exploration vehicle/propulsion systems. Acellent has been sub-contracted to develop the Structural Health Monitoring system as part of an Integrated System Health Management architecture development for Exploration Systems Research and Technology. The architecture will also support work that is currently on-going to define design solutions for NASA's proposed Crew Exploration Vehicle.
The Interactive Data Language (IDL) is a standard tool used by many researchers in observational fields. Present day Sun-Earth Connection missions like SOHO, or future missions, including the Solar Dynamics (SDO) almost exclusively analyze their data in IDL. However, the increasing amount of data produced by these missions, and the increasing complexity of image processing algorithms, requires higher computing power. Cluster computing is a cost-effective way to increase the speed of computation. Enhancing IDL to work on clusters gives scientists access to increased performance in a familiar programming environment. We propose to develop a tool suite that enables IDL to benefit from cluster systems. We demonstrated in Phase I the availability of all key technologies by developing prototype implementations. The main emphasis of the Phase II will be to enhance the interactivity of the tools and advance the suite to market-ready quality. Increased data analysis power enables e.g. near real-time data analysis for space-weather prediction or reduces the response time for analyzing data on demand, as desirable in virtual observatory environments. The wide spread of IDL allows scientists from other fields to benefit from the increased execution speed.
Future NASA instrumentation will require increasingly sophisticated thermal control technology. We propose a next-generation nanofluid that consists of precisely manufactured nanoparticles that are added to existing coolant liquids. Even at very low loading levels, the nanoparticles dramatically increase the thermal conductivity and the critical heat flux of the fluid. Due to their small size, settling, abrasion, and clogging issues are eliminated, enabling the nanofluid to be immediately incorporated into existing thermal cooling systems.  Additionally, the antimicrobial activity of nanofluids will provide a safe, non-toxic solution for the elimination of biofouling and biocorrosion from coolant loops.
Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT), supported by Hamilton Sundstrand, proposes to develop a heat pipe heat exchanger that is low mass and provides two levels of isolation between fluid streams. It has potential applications in thermal control of manned spacecraft and a number of military and commercial equipment and processes. Phase I has successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the heat exchanger technology in effectively exchanging heat between two fluid streams while providing reliable separation of the fluids. Components and subscale heat exchangers were tested and the results compared with the heat exchanger design model. The model demonstrated an accuracy of within 8&#37; in its predictions. The principal Phase II objective is to fully demonstrate the proposed technology by refining and further developing the prototype heat exchanger into a qualified full scale design. The project will demonstrate the heat exchanger's long-term compatibility through life test of heat exchanger components and qualification test of engineering units at representative thermal, acceleration, shock and vibration conditions. The Phase II results will elevate the technology to a TRL 6: Prototype demonstration in a relevant environment. The follow-on Phase III will conduct flight qualification test of the technology to address micro gravity operation issues.
Energid Technologies will create a comprehensive software infrastructure for rapid validation of robot designs.  The software will support push-button validation through existing commercial design software, such as SolidWorks.  After validation is invoked through the design-tool GUI, the robot design data will transfer to separate networked or integrated software for analysis.  An interface will be provided for communicating with commercial third-party analysis software, and Energid will also provide its own analysis software through the common interface.  Energid's own analysis software will allow interactive placement of any number of end effectors on any number of mobile mechanisms, each with any number of kinematic links and branches.  The articulated-motion control system and joint-controllers will be automatically generated from the robot description.  For both control and simulation, generic multi-degree-of-freedom joints will be supported.  Energid's software will provide dynamic simulation, including articulated-body, actuator, control system, impact, and terrain dynamics.  The automatic control system generation and dynamic simulation will support parametric, Monte Carlo, and parameter-optimization analysis.  The software will allow physical descriptions, end-effector descriptions, control algorithms, and the environment to be arbitrarily exchangeable as modules through the Extensible Markup Language (XML) and Dynamic Link Library (DLL) plugins.  A new XML-based language, ROAMEL, will support configuration, data transfer, and exchange.
This Small Business Innovative Research Phase II proposal seeks to develop a low cost, robust, highly precise and accurate CO2 monitoring system. This system will employ a novel mid-infrared laser source, which was successfully demonstrated during Phase I along with a bench-scale laboratory sensor.  Quantitative analysis of the Phase I results showed that the goal of determining the mole fraction of CO2 in atmospherically relevant gas mixtures with a precision of 0.05&#37; min-1 was achieved.  The Phase II project will significantly refine approach and improve the long term stability such that an onboard gas calibration system needs to operate at most once-per-hour.  The resulting compact, fully integrated Phase II prototype will enable completely automated CO2 concentration measurements to be routinely performed with unprecedented accuracy.  Commercial systems based on the Phase II prototype will be refined and marketed during Phase III. Additionally, the core technology can be applied for the detection of other target species such as CO2 isotopes, methane, and CO.
MRi is proposing, with its partner, Exotherm Corp (Camden, NJ) to demonstrate the feasibility of using exothermic brazing to join RCC (or C:SiC) composites to itself and/or to metal structures as an in orbit repair technique. The proposed Phase I work would be aimed at developing powder based brazing performs that would contain elements and compounds in powder particles that have been formed to have nano-phase dispersions of reactant compounds. These powder based performs would be placed in joints that upon ignition by spark or laser would self-propagate, releasing sufficient heat to braze reinforced carbon:carbon (RCC) composite materials to RCC or to refractory metals such as tantalum or niobium. In the proposed effort MRi and Exotherm will produce nano-phase particles of two candidate precursor materials (Ti-Si-C-based and WO3-Al-Zr-SiO2), demonstrate their exothermic properties, make RCC/RCC and RCC/(Nb or)Ta joints, characterize the joints and run lap shear strength

The goal is to advance innovative, cost effective and reliable joining processes that would enable the in-flight repair of space shuttle or other reentry vehicles structures where RCC is being used. Although RCC structure repair is the specific application that is targeted, exothermic brazing technology would offer opportunity in the assembly of structures in space and on interplanetary missions, where high-energy heat sources would be difficult or impossible to use for in-flight joining, assembly and/or repair.
Current shared aperture diffractive optical elements (SHADOE) have intrinsic residual wavefront errors on the order of 20 waves which limits the angular resolution of the LIDAR application to a range between 150 and 400 micro-radians. It is possible to reduce these aberrations by constructing a secondary holographic correction plate using the aberrated wave from the SHADOE as one of the two construction waves. The other construction wave is either a collimated wave or an f#2 focused wave. All five overlapping apertures require individually constructed plates.  This method of correction requires the use of the final playback wavelength for construction and so is useful for 532 and 355nm but not for 1064 nm. Computed diffractive optics can be used for 1064 nm using measured aberrations at the same wavelength. This proposal deals just with fabrication and test of the 355 nm LIDAR applications for which an entirely optical recording set up is adequate.  Correction plates in the 2 inch diameter range are proposed with likely reduction in angular spread to under 50 micro-radians, which will greatly improve the signal to noise numbers in a LIDAR application.
This proposal is responsive to NASA 2004 SBIR objectives (under Topic X6.05) seeking gelled propellant formulations "for long-duration missions involving low-power consumption (i.e., minimal use of heaters)." EERGC Corporation, in cooperation with subcontractor Northrop Grumman Space and Technology (NGST) Propulsion Systems, proposes to develop gelled propellant formulations (and development methodologies) optimized for high combustion efficiency, storability at variable low temperatures including freezing conditions, and firing at reduced temperatures to minimize energy requirements for heat up prior to firing. The approach is an innovation as it enables loaded gels with optimized low-temperature performance. The gel formulations will be optimized with respect to composition of gellants, additives, and loading agents, as well as characteristic size of particulate ingredients. The approach will consider the tradeoff impacts of propellant formulation and loading particle size on maximum attainable loading, solid phase burnout, susceptibility to separation from thermal cycling, and ultimately combustion efficiency. The project is relevant as it improves the competitiveness of gelled bipropellants with equivalent liquids, while incorporating gels' safety and handling advantages. The proposed program takes gel technology beyond that developed by EERGC under prior and ongoing DoD and NASA programs.
Micro-resistojets offer the best combination of simplicity, performance, wet system mass and power consumption for small satellites (&lt;100kg, &lt;50Watts) requiring mN level propulsion and low to moderate deltaV(&lt;500m/sec).  Classical competing devices such as cold gas thrusters have low performance, while liquid bipropellants have both high losses in the mN thrust range and are more complex.  The advanced EP devices such as colloid thrusters are suitable for sub-mN thrust while electrostatic or electromagnetic thrusters are suitable for large deltaV missions where their higher dry mass is offset by higher specific impulse.

Busek therefore proposes to develop a complete micro-resistojet system operating on ammonia or methanol delivering thrust up to 5mN, specific impulse approaching 300sec, impulse bit smaller than 1mNsec and power consumption lower than approximately 10Watts.  Ammonia was chosen because it is less toxic than hydrazine while offering similar performance.  Methanol is non toxic, greatly simplifying s/c fueling which is especially important for low cost missions.

In Phase 1, breadboard system will be constructed and tested on our Maglev thrust stand that can resolve microNewton forces.  In Phase 2 an Engineering Model of the system will be developed.
SSG proposes an innovative optical manufacturing approach that will enable the low-cost fabrication of lightweighted, Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) Silicon Carbide (SiC) mirror substrates.  The approach proposed is a modification of SSG's slip casting forming process which has been demonstrated to produce aggressively lightweighted SiC optics.  We propose to improve the process by applying innovative tooling that will allow us to replicate optical surfaces directly onto the SiC optics during the forming process.  This approach will eliminate the costly and time consuming machining and polishing processes associated with traditional optical fabrication.  The replication process we propose is different from standard replication processes in that it does not require any epoxy bonding layers.  The final product will be as durable as traditional, monolithic SiC mirrors, and in this way will be suitable for space borne application.  In Phase I we propose to produce a number of witness samples using the proposed forming process.  Initially we intend to produce optical surfaces suitable for the 20 ? 40 micron waveband.  The technology proposed will enable the production of large optical surfaces in a cost-effective manner, enabling multi-meter, deployable, LWIR optical systems, similar to JWST.
This proposed project will attempt to develop a data analysis system for structural health monitoring on space structures.  The data analysis software will be a key component in space vehicle health management system and can be used to in vehicle life prediction.  The sensor data analysis algorithm is aimed at providing a modeling and simulation tool for data collected from a network of distributed sensors.  The sensor network can be implemented via the state-of-the-art technology of distributed wireless dust network.  A novel algorithm combining measurement data from the sensors and the analytical model based on the concept of finite element analysis is proposed and the feasibility of the algorithm to detect structural damage will be tested in this project.  The project will focus on the impedance-based nondestructive damage evaluation technique.  However, the algorithm can be extended to handle other types of sensor data such as acceleration and temperature.  The data analysis system can monitor the performance of defective structural component in a space vehicle and issue proper warning for maintenance and repair.  If the concept is tested successful, the algorithm can be further developed into a commercial software to be used for the structural integrity monitoring of many engineering applications.
Makel Engineering, Inc. (MEI) and Colorado School of Mines (CSM) propose to develop an integrated hydrogen generator and purifier system for conversion of in-situ produced hydrocarbons to fuel-cell-grade hydrogen.  NASA is currently developing several In Situ Resources Utilization (ISRU) Systems.  One technology commonly found in most ISRU scenarios is the use of the Sabatier reaction and water electrolysis to produce methane and oxygen.  Due to the various penalties of storing gaseous hydrogen on-board the rover, it is advantageous to carry methane instead of hydrogen and to have an on-board reformer to produce hydrogen on-demand for the fuel cell.  Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells hydrogen with very low carbon monoxide content (typically less than 10 ppm).  The proposed system will combine microchannel microreformer technology for hydrogen production with palladium membranes technology for hydrogen purification and separation in an integrated hydrogen production system, resulting in optimized size and energy efficiency.  This proposal will seek to establish the feasibility of using compact microchannel/membrane reactor systems to provide purified hydrogen for fuel cell power systems for applications such as robotic and crew transportation rovers.
Proteomic studies in microgravity are crucial to understanding the health effects of spaceflight on astronauts. Unfortunately, existing tools for measuring protein, antibody, and enzyme expression are limited to earth-borne laboratories due to their complexity and size. This proposal offers a novel technology that provides a palm-top platform suitable for real-time experiments on the Space Shuttle or International Space Station. The technology uses nanoelectronic transistors coupled to antibody bioprobes to provide a label-free "direct detection" system that is rapid and easy to use with minimal skill. The system is completely self-contained, including all reagents and waste products, and operated from a PDA-style handheld computer. Phase I will demonstrate the detection concept and Phase II will deliver prototype units for testing.
Silicon based ceramics are the leading candidates for the high temperature structural components of the advanced propulsion engines.  For such applications, one key drawback of silicon based ceramics is the volatilization of the protective silica scale in engine relevant oxidizing and water vapor environments at temperatures up to 1500 degrees C. Thus for the realization of silicon based ceramic components in advanced propulsion engines, environmental and thermal protective coatings will be needed. UES, Inc. proposes to develop a multifunctional environmental barrier coating concept utilizing advanced materials, coating design and coating processing technique for low thermal expansion silicon nitride. The performance and stability of the coatings developed in this program will be determined in relevant engine environments at temperatures up to 1500 degrees C.  Based upon the test results coating design and process parameters will be further refined in Phase II.
Phoenix Integration's vision is to create an intuitive human-in-the-loop engineering design environment called Guided Search that leverages recent advances in multi-dimensional visualization techniques, state-of-the-art optimization algorithms, and parallel processing technology. The proposed environment will feature an ongoing two-way interaction between the engineer and an optimization algorithm. The guided search environment will utilize advanced multidimensional graphical displays to suggest promising designs to the engineer, while the engineer will have the ability to accept/reject these designs, suggest different/modified designs, or to reformulate the design problem on-the fly. The guided search environment will be fundamentally different from conventional "black box" approaches to optimization in that the engineer will be an integral part of the optimization process, with the ability to inject his/her knowledge and intuition into the process at any time, thus improving the efficiency of the design process and increasing confidence in the final results. The Guided Search environment will be capable of exercising full-phase, full-breadth mission and system models in a variety of design environments, trade studies, system and investment analysis efforts, and program and technology planning activities. As such, it will be a critical link in achieving NASA's model-based systems engineering goals.
ITN Energy Systems (ITN) proposes to take the next step in spacecraft
solar array development, building upon previous development and new
findings to make the definitive light-absorber layer for high-power,
lightweight and flexible thin-film photovoltaics (TFPV).  ITN's
innovative approach is to alloy CuInSe2 (CIS) with both aluminum and
gallium bandgap widening elements in the chalcopyrite matrix to form
CuInGaAlSe2 (CIGAS) for simultaneous optimization of the bandgap and
material properties. Both Ga and Al will be used to take advantage of
the alloy enhancing properties that each offers when used in moderation,
while avoiding the detrimental issues when using too much of any one
element to achieve the optimum bandgap of about 1.45 eV for a
single-junction in the space solar spectrum. Furthermore, a recently
available novel lightweight, flexible and transparent substrate will be
used that was specifically designed to enable high-temperature CIGAS
depositions as needed for the highest efficiency TFPV.  TFPV specific
power of over 1500 W/kg at the blanket/module level would be achievable
The novel transparent substrates would also enable additional power from
bifacial visible light collection and lower temperature operation, from
improved infra-red (IR) transmission, in addition to enabling TFPV
fabrication by low-cost roll-to-roll processing.
AI Signal Research, Inc. proposes to develop a Non-Intrusive Vibration
Measurement System (NI-VMS) for turbopumps which will provide effective
on-board/off-board fault detection diagnostic capabilities without
relying on any intrusive installation of once per revolution (1/Rev)
tachometer key phasor measurement.  Many vibration signature analysis
techniques use a key phasor signal to identify and detect critical
vibration characteristics and fault signatures.  However, in many
operational environments (e.g., SSME HPOTP), the tachometer measurement
is not available usually due to its intrusive installation requirement
or safety consideration.  For this situation, many powerful diagnostic
analyses cannot be performed.  With our system, we over come this
problem by utilizing a novel signal analysis technique called Pseudo Key
Phasor (PKP) to reconstruct an equivalent 1/Rev PKP signal directly from
a non-intrusive vibration measurement.  The resulting PKP signal enables
the use of effective signature analysis to enhance diagnostic
capabilities.  The applicable innovation is attributed to to effectively
achieve non-intrusive health monitoring and diagnosis without intrusive
tachometer installation.  This technology will enhance incipient fault
detection capability, reducing catastrophic engine failure risks and
improve reliability of NASA's advanced propulsion systems.  Phase I
objectives are to demonstrate the feasibility and relative benefits of
NI-VMS non-intrusive monitoring capabilities.
Conflation and co-registration are critical applications for NASA, especially for co-registration of datasets differing in scale, resolution, sensor spectrum range (e.g. optical with IR or thermal imagery). Traditional georegistration solutions in the geospatial, photogrammetric, and computer vision communities select a set of control features in an existing database and identify the same features in an incoming dataset. However, these registration algorithms are not robust due to variations in scale, resolution, and sensor characteristics, where the identification of control features becomes a complex and challenging process. Recent NASA sponsored innovations include Feature Analyst (FA) automation with a registration scheme that is along the lines of traditional tools (e.g. use few control features to co-register two datasets). Here, we propose a new approach based object configuration similarity.  Our solution - a departure from traditional approaches ? uses abstract spatial relations (e.g. three square buildings forming an orthogonal triangle with a river running between them) as matching features, and transforms the registration problem into a spatial similarity assessment problem. Our approach results in unparalleled pull-in range as coarse location data are adequate to support the recovery of registration information for a configuration.
Reduced mass composite materials are crucial to the success of aerospace systems, but their adoption is inhibited because they require autoclave consolidation, a process that is prohibitively expensive for large aerospace structure.  To remedy this, NASA-LaRC has been developing cost-effective high-performance thermoplastic composite processing equipment that enables out-of-autoclave tape placement.  In particular, NASA is working with Accudyne Systems to install a heated in situ deposition placement head to fit on NASA-LaRC's placement machine. 

This SBIR is to create the optimal composite material feedstock to go hand-in-hand with the thermoplastic process equipment so as to create desirable mechanical and physical properties in a part with out-of-autoclave in-situ placement.  Accudyne Systems will define the matrix resin and fabricate thermoplastic tape to create the ideal in situ processible material.  The first approach will be to proveout a fully amorphous composite based upon NASA 8515.  This avoids the undesirable kinetics of a semi-crystalline thermoplastic like PEEK.  The second approach will be to use POSS nanoparticles in semi-crystalline PEEK to accelerate crystallinity to the short time scale of the in situ process.

The best options will be commercialized to allow NASA and aerospace primes to fabricate low-cost large composite structure for air and space transport.
The innovation in this Phase I project is to prove the feasibility of
using model-based design (MBD) tools to predict the performance and
useful life of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components and COTS-based
systems outside of their rated temperature range. These tools will
consist of novel modeling tools, advanced system and data analysis
capability. The modeling tools will differ from all known technologies
in that they will facilitate the capture of experimental data on COTS
devices that will get automatically transformed through novel modeling
methods into newly created behavioral models with performance
degradation and lifetime effects. These tools are relevant and important
in providing NASA the means to quantify the reliability and lifetime
(i.e., capability and risk) of COTS components and COTS-based systems
and provide a trade structure for the assessment of competing
technologies. Furthermore, these novel modeling and design tools will
provide a means of integrating disparate models, allow agile evolution
of models, and encourage MBD reporting mechanisms be used in reviews.
Ultimately, these MBD tools will enable lower-cost system development
and cost versus lifetime assessment, shorten development time, and
extend flight-proven technology to broader applications.
The proposed optical device is a fiber-based multi-channel switch to quickly switch a fiber-coupled laser among many possible output channels to create a fiber-based fixed-array laser transmitter for next-generation NASA lidar systems.  The key innovation is the use of an arrangement of electro-optic prisms created in a nonlinear optical crystal through domain reversal to direct the laser into one of many possible output fibers.  This design will provide several important features that are required, yet not currently available in a fiber switch, in order to achieve a fiber-arrayed lidar source, such as high optical power handling, reduced crosstalk, low optical loss, fast switching times, low power consumption, and robust construction in a monolithic package with no moving parts.  The Phase I effort will demonstrate feasibility of the approach by creating a preliminary device with representative features to assess the suitability of the technology for use in lidar systems.
This Phase I SBIR effort initiates development of a high-sensitivity low-noise all-silicon CMOS-MEMS accelerometer for quasi-steady measurements of accelerations at sub 1 micro-g levels.  The accelerometer module includes integrated low-noise CMOS circuitry with active offset and low-frequency noise cancellation to enable high-precision DC measurements.  The high-performance of the sensor is enabled by innovation in both MEMS accelerometer and readout circuit technologies: i) Single-crystalline silicon capacitive accelerometer structure.  The device has high sensitivity and low thermo-mechanical noise; ii) Innovative high-yield fabrication process that enables formation of high-sensitivity devices on top of CMOS wafers; iii) New and improved low-noise capacitive sensor readout CMOS circuit.  This novel microaccelerometer has several NASA applications including measurement of residual accelerations on spacecraft and ground-based low-gravity facilities.
Application of the proposed technology (an affordable, large-scale, high-efficiency, low-temperature pulse tube cryocooler system), serves two NASA needs: an improved cryogenic propellant conditioning method and an economical technique to maintain the lowest possible liquid propellant feed temperature.  These needs exist at a variety of NASA facilities, yet little progress has been made beyond laboratory development.  One barrier to acceptance is the cost of manufacturing large scale pulse tubes.  Sierra Lobo, Inc. has found that through previous research involving conventional manufacturing techniques, two particular components common to all pulse tube cryocoolers contribute to approximately 50&#37; of the cost.  In view of the February 24, 2004, Executive Order encouraging innovation in manufacturing related research and development via the SBIR program, the primary objective of Phase I of this research is to study and develop improvements to the existing pulse tube manufacturing process.  If successful, the resulting technology advancement would benefit a variety of current and future NASA programs managed by the Exploration Systems Office and the Science Mission Office, especially those involving long-term cryogenic storage systems.  An even greater benefit is expected for the commercial application of pulse tube cryocoolers in facilitating the advancement of distributed high-temperature superconducting power systems.
National LambdaRail (NLR) offers unprecedented communication capabilities on the National and possibly International levels.  Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new 3D multichannel networked (3DMCN) system for visualizing large collections of Earth science data in a highly distributed and networked environment, compatible with the high speed National LambdaRail (NLR), with the necessary interfaces and video processing hardware/software.  One of the critical issues in the development of such systems is the capability to transmit high-resolution (High Definition format) multi-channel images/video from a central rendering/processing location to multiple visualization stations, which can be thousands of miles apart.  To address 3D video/telepresence on the NLR POC will develop special compression software for multi-channel transmission, removing both intra- and inter-channel redundancy.  At the end of Phase I POC will demonstrate 3D video transmission over multi-Gigabit Ethernet channels in a laboratory environment.  In Phase II a full system with multiple visualization stations connected to the NLR will be developed, including network interfaces, video compression, and 3D video stations.
It is desirable to develop a high-efficiency lighting source for large-area irradiation of space-based crops.  The key requirements for such a system include high efficiency,  light weight, easy and rapid deployment, compact storage, ruggedness, and low cost.  Furthermore, in order to maximize the rate of photosynthesis, it is desirable that the light source deliver an emission spectrum that matches the absorbance spectrum of chlorophyll as closely as possible while minimizing the effects of emission outside of the visible spectrum.  To address these demanding requirements and overcome the limitations of alternative technologies, we propose to develop a large-area, high-efficiency, flexible sheet light source using microdischarge arrays using the combined talents of Anvik Corporation and a team from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, led by Prof. J. Gary Eden.  The development of a new technology to enable the fabrication of large-area, high-density microdischarge arrays on flexible substrates, possibly powered by solar cells, will enable dramatic advances in the portability, ruggedness, efficiency, and light quality of light sources for space-based crop irradiation and a wide variety of commercial applications, including LCD backlighting, large-area UV-curing, decorative lighting, photodynamic therapy, and germicidal applications.
Visidyne proposes to investigate an active optical 3D imaging LADAR as the sensor for an automated Landing Hazard Avoidance system for spacecraft landing on the Moon or Mars.  Specifically, the LADAR utilizes low cost and electrically efficient laser diode illumination and a unique focal plane array detector concept that may be implemented in CCD or CMOS technology to provide high resolution, wide-field images of terrain relief at high frame rates.  High slopes, boulders or other obstructions at the landing site present a significant risk to the safe arrival of robotic supply craft or crewed vehicles.  This sensor will provide range images for extraction of topographical information required for the landing guidance system to manage vehicle descent to avoid dangerous locations within the landing zone.  Approach rate to the surface (range rate) will also be supplied to the landing guidance system.  Phase I will demonstrate the capabilities of the system through modeling and analysis and result in a design for a prototype sensor that may be realized under a Phase II.
ITN Energy Systems, Inc., along with the Energy and Environmental Research Center (EERC), proposes to develop a highly efficient power generation system capable of converting habitat crew waste from NASA space habitats into electricity and heat. The system will consist of ITN's novel, low-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology, integrated with a revolutionary, highly efficient gasifier developed by EERC.  The waste to energy converter will be specifically designed and engineered to efficiently convert onsite habitat crew waste into electricity and heat. The tight thermal integration of an SOFC to the gasifier will enable the operation of a sub-stoichiometric air gasifier at an elevated temperature (1000&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C). At this temperature, the high levels of moisture inherent to habitat crew waste will function as an essential carbon gasifying medium, reducing the equivalence ratio at which the gasifier can operate with complete carbon conversion. By utilizing the moisture content of the food waste and the high temperature heat from the SOFC, the gasifier will operate with the addition of little or no air, generating producer gas that has not been heavily diluted with nitrogen.  This high quality producer gas is an optimal fuel for a solid oxide fuel cell.
The proposed research is aimed at investigating a procedure verification and validation toolset, which will allow the engineers who are responsible for developing the on-board procedures to validate early, continuously, collaboratively and in real-time. Currently these engineers are limited to the use of big simulators such as the Space Station Training Facility (SSTF) for the ISS, which is costly to run and requires a scheduling of the facility a long time in advance. The targeted tool would fill the gap between the very limited validation done at their desktop (mainly peer review of the procedure) and the simulator run (where the procedures are tested in the very expensive training environment).
This project has a number of innovative aspects, which will make the work of procedure developers easier and more consistent. Benefits realized from using a desktop based procedure validation toolset include the increase in safety, reduction of training costs, and improvement in procedure delivery time through early detection and resolution of errors.
This proposed research addresses NASA 2004-1 SBIR Topic B3.01, "Environmental Control of Spacecraft Cabin Atmosphere."  The objective of this proposed effort is to demonstrate the freeze/thaw properties and fault tolerance of a water pump loop using an environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, drop-in replacement heat exchange fluid.  These fluid formulations are comprised of novel, non-flammable, non-explosive, non-toxic, non-corrosive compounds which will not expand upon freezing and therefore diminish the chances that a heat exchanger will rupture.  The fluid formulations also have a much lower freezing point than water which can broaden the temperature operating range of the heat exchanger.  The objective of using a drop-in replacement is also very cost effective since little to no change in hardware would be required.  This proposal specifically addresses the following need cited in the solicitation description under subheading Environmental Control and Thermal Systems: "Alternative heat transfer fluids that are non-toxic, non-flammable, and have a low freezing temperature."
The use of truly autonomous vehicles (UV) has been hampered by a lack of sophisticated and resource efficient obstacle avoidance systems.  Current approaches have focused on either expensive active sensor systems or inferential processing techniques that are computationally intensive.  In this proposal, UtopiaCompression Corporation (UC) presents a layered, intelligent and adaptive system concept that will facilitate true UV autonomous operations by solving the collision avoidance problem using inexpensive imaging sensors and modest computational resources.
UtopiaCompression proposes focused research to push the limits of automation in the 3D arena by providing a real-time, end-to-end solution tailored to NASA's sensor data and mission requirements.  This would be accomplished by deriving and using 3D structures obtained from inexpensive sensors to compute and model a spatio-temporal vector field. UC's novel, iterative refinement, multi-resolution registration algorithms enable the inexpensive and efficient generation of the 3D structures. These methods would be integrated into navigation strategies utilized to command UVs for safe cruising (avoiding collision) through cluttered environments.
This document proposes that a network routing protocol, such as the popular Internet Protocol (IP), can be combined with high speed switching fabrics to create a hardware independent routing environment for software radio. The flexible routing provided by such a network layer would allow signal streams to be dynamically routed (and re-routed) between computational elements. This would allow software radio designers to build flexible, fault tolerant signal processing chains for many applications and hardware implementations. This is innovative because conventional IP implementations cannot meet the performance requirements (throughput, jitter, latency) of software radio data streams. The innovation of this research stems from the unique combination of software radio development requirements, advances in network and transport layer designs to support high-speed switching fabrics, and the inherent capabilities provided by IP.
The size and accuracy specifications of telescope mirrors are ever more demanding.  This is particularly true for secondary mirrors, as they are convex and thus require large-aperture optics to test them.  Subaperture stitching has the potential to provide accurate high-resolution maps of large-aperture aspheric optics without the use of dedicated nulls.  QED has already developed the subaperture stitching interferometer (SSI), which combines a vertical workstation with a commercially-available 4" or 6" interferometer.  Nanometer-level accuracies have been obtained on spherical optics by optimally compensating subaperture placement errors, as well as automatically calibrating for systematic errors such as reference wave error and distortion.  Non-null capability is enhanced since the individual subapertures have significantly less aspheric departure.  However, the system is currently only capable of testing up to 280 mm optics of mild asphericity.  This proposal focuses on innovations for leveraging these considerable benefits of stitching (high resolution, automatic calibration, and flexible aspheric testing) to larger and more aspheric optics.  Activities will include novel stitching strategies to calibrate for gravitational deformations, adaptive asphere calibration methods, specialised platform designs, and subscale testing.  This will enable more cost-effective production of convex secondary mirrors and facilitate the testing of long-radius concaves, and even of assembled systems).
This SBIR Phase I proposal describes a novel method to make optical filters based on mesoporous silicon multilayers, for use at cold temperatures in the far infrared spectral region. This type of filter consists of a lattice of different porosity layers formed in monocrystalline silicon by electrochemical means. Due to the nature of the material, mesoporous silicon filters do not suffer from thermal, mechanical, and environmental instabilities. More over, due to the high transparency of the mesoporous silicon throughout a large part of the far IR range, such filters can be made for wavelengths far longer than those that can be addressed with conventional interference filter technology. They will considerably outperform filters based on metal meshes. Such filters are expected to impact astronomical, commercial, military and scientific communities in many filter applications. In Phase I, it is proposed to demonstrate the feasibility of the method by fabricating porous multilayers with ultrahigh thickness and to evaluate a sintering technique to enhance environmental stability. In Phase II, optimized filters will be fabricated and their properties compared with design predictions.  Phase III will involve product design, fabricating filter structures to meet customers' physical as well as optical needs, and marketing and sales investments.
This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will be used to analyze, design, model, and test a birefringent microlens array for use in a new type of ultra high resolution virtual reality display.  DTI has demonstrated a technology that uses a rapidly scanned miniature LCD to produce images possessing much more resolution than the LCD itself.  It accomplishes this by illuminating different subregions of each pixel during each scan, producing an image made up of the subregions instead of the pixels themselves.  At present, custom made microdisplays with lens arrays embedded in the front glass are needed to focus light into the tiny pixel subregions.  This Phase I program will assess the feasibility of a novel type of lens array that can be mounted outside the microdisplay glass and still focus light into the tiny pixel subregions.  Such an element could be added to existing microdisplays after the microdisplays were manufactured, thus eliminating the need for custom microdisplays and allowing several off the shelf models to employ DTI's ultra high resolution technique at much lower cost.  Products made with these displays hold the promise of new benchmarks in image fidelity and immersion in VR and tele-operated systems.
Automated impact detection and characterization on manned spacecraft has been an elusive goal due to the transitory nature of the detectable high-frequency signals.  The proposed approach for this effort is to use large numbers of self-powered, miniaturized, "stick on" piezoelectric sensory nodes that are synchronized within a radio frequency network.  Each node will continuously monitor an accelerometer or acoustic emission sensor element for an impact event, such as the foam impact that caused the Columbia tragedy or an MMOD impact.  When a programmable threshold is exceeded, a low-latency signal acquisition circuit will capture the event as a digital waveform for post-processing and impact characterization.  In addition, autonomous collaboration and synchronization between nodes of the network will provide for accurate location determination through amplitude and time-of-arrival analysis.  The innovative signal conditioning circuit design is capable of operation in the micro-watt range on average while constantly maintaining the capability to process and acquire very high-frequency acoustic signals.  Such performance can provide operating lifetimes of 20+ years on a single AA battery, or unlimited operation from scavenged power sources such as solar or thermal gradients.
This project addresses two vital problems for long-term space travel activities: radiation shielding and hydrogen storage for power and propulsion.  While both problems have been studied for many years, there is currently no satisfactory technology for providing adequate non-parasitic shielding.  Even in low-Earth orbit, astronauts must be closely monitored for radiation exposure, and some missions simply cannot be performed due to the current inability to shield astronauts (e.g. Mars or surface Lunar bases).  The overall objective of the proposed project is to construct, test, and deliver a prototype for hydrogen storage and radiation shielding.  The Phase I objectives are to validate/verify the radiation shielding capability of these systems and to operate it in a relevant environment, i.e. while being bombarded by ionizing radiation at a nuclear accelerator.  These objectives will be accomplished in four tasks: (1) prototype preparation and characterization; (2) empirical study of radiation shielding at BNL Accelerator Facilities; (3) complementary computational study to broaden shielding characterization and to validate shielding code performance with respect to this nonparasitic shielding concept and (4) process and product assessment.  The successful operation of the prototype would raise the TRL from 4 to 5 or 6 (system operated in a relevant environment).
The Carbon Monoxide Silicate Reduction System (COSRS) is an innovative method that for the first time uses the strong reductant carbon monoxide to both reduce iron and to evenly deposit carbon.  This enables high temperature carbothermal reduction of silicon oxide yielding five times as much oxygen recovery from planetary regolith compared to hydrogen-based reduction systems.  COSRS is an in situ planetary resource utilization process that yields useful oxygen and metals by reducing the majority of metal oxides in undifferentiated lunar, asteroidal, and Martian surface materials.  The COSRS initially heats the materials to temperatures where the iron-bound oxygen combines with carbon monoxide, a strong reducing agent (reductant).  Simultaneously, the produced iron metal catalyzes the disproportionation of carbon monoxide to carbon and carbon dioxide. The temperature is then raised for carbothermal reduction of the silicates, producing carbon monoxide, which is recycled back to the first stage process, and silicon metal. The carbon dioxide created in the iron reduction/disproportionation step is processed with hydrogen in a Reverse Water Gas Shift (RWGS) unit to make carbon monoxide and water. After electrolysis, the oxygen is stored while the CO is recycled to the reactor.
As the complexity of flight controllers grows so does the cost associated with verification and validation (V&amp;V). Current-generation controllers are reaching a level of complexity that pushes the envelopes of existing V&amp;V approaches, and without improved approaches there is little hope for affordable V&amp;V of next-generation intelligent systems.  Unfortunately, controller complexity and controller validation are required to ensure the safety of next-generation systems.  Barron Associates proposes an aggressive plan of research to develop monitoring algorithms that estimate, in real time, safety margins of complex systems based on observed differences between the model used for controller development and actual flight data.  The Phase I and Phase II research will focus on the flight test environment where these algorithms would allow the flight test engineer to monitor and revise the test plan in real time - skipping ahead in the buildup when safety is assured and avoiding test points where safety is questionable.  The tool would also recommend test points that could help refine safety margin estimates for as yet unexecuted maneuvers.  The result will be reduced flight test costs and improved safety. Phase I will develop a prototype approach and Phase II would implement the approach in a software tool.
Advanced instruments used for earth science missions require improved
cooling systems to remove heat from high power electronic components and
maintain tight temperature control for sensitive instruments. Mesoscopic
Devices proposes to develop a pumped two-phase cooling loop that will
provide high heat flux cooling (&amp;gt; 100 W/cm^2) in a lightweight
system. In Phase I, an extremely compact pump optimized for two phase
cooling will be demonstrated, along with advanced lightweight cold
plates. A complete two-phase loop using the advanced pump and cold
plates will be constructed and tested.
Quantum dots are nanoscale materials that have already improved the performance of optical sensors, lasers, light emitting diodes and solar cells. The unique properties of these nanomaterials offer tremendous benefit in developing high efficiency thermophotovoltaic cells as well. Theoretical studies predict a potential efficiency of 63.2&#37; for an array of quantum dots sandwiched between the emitter and base layers in a typical photovoltaic junction. Significant gains can also be expected in the case of thermophotovoltaic cells.

We propose an InGaAs TPV cell which incorporates InAs quantum dots to provide sub-gap absorption and thus improve the short-circuit current.  This cell could then be integrated into a MIM to achieve a TPV cell whose efficiency would significantly exceed (by about 15&#37; to 20&#37;) current SOA standards.  These TPV cells can be used for deep space missions, with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) fueled by plutonium-238 as the on-board source of heat.
Summary
Lithium-ion battery technology will not provide significant breakthroughs beyond 200 Wh/kg. It will not provide adequate specific energy and cycle life for Earth Science missions. It will not enable the United States to reestablish its position of strategic technical advantage in portable energy storage. However, the next generation of secondary Li batteries is being developed in the US. It is based on lithium metal anodes and sulfur containing liquid cathodes. The sulfur-based cathode delivers a theoretical specific energy of 2450 Wh/kg, more than any other known cathode material of secondary cell. The Li-S battery needs advanced technology for improved stabilization of the Li anode in the corrosive environment of the liquid sulfur cathode. We propose a novel application of modern rocket fuel chemistry to create a self-healing, solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) layer. Li-S cells equipped with this robust passivation will stably perform at 400 Wh/kg level for ~ 300 cycles. At 200 Wh/kg a cycle life of ~ 1000 cycles is expected. The good low temperature performance and excellent rate capability features of Li-S cell will remain intact.   These features are the next leap toward the advanced energy storage technologies required for Earth science observation platforms.
Lithium has been proposed as an attractive metal propellant for advanced nuclear-electric propulsion missions in the outer solar system.  While it is low molecular weight for high Isp and had high conductivity for MPD acceleration, it is also corrosive to most metals, leeches elements from alloys, destroys dielectric insulators and is heavily prone to contamination. Porous metal electrodes, valves and plumbing can become clogged by lithium oxide, nitride and carbide formation and deposits.  Impurities in liquid lithium also enhance metal flaking and tankage erosion.

The design of a lithium purification and filtration system using highly porous gettering materials, hot/cold trap filters, gas desorption, and liquid metal pumping is proposed in this Phase I research effort.  The goal is to eliminate clogging and contamination effects for long-duration space missions &gt;5 years where buildup can be a show-stopper.  Exerimental testing and validation of material configurations will lead to a prototype lithium purification and flitration system in Phase II.
Space life-supporting systems require effective removal of metabolic CO2 from the cabin atmosphere with minimal loss of O2.  Conventional techniques, using either metal hydroxide or metal oxide sobent, require after-mission regeneration or replacement, thus putting a critical cap on mission duration.  More recent techniques, such as pressure swing adsorption-based process also require regeneration and use expendable resources. A novel approach to the problem is the use of a membrane device that can effectively separate CO2 in the presence of moisture, using space vacuum as the driving force. Such a membrane device has minimal mass, volume and power penalty and does not require regeneration; therefore, long-duration space exploration can be realized.  In Phase I, we will develop a novel nanocomposite membrane with a microporous aminosilicate structure for enhanced CO2 separation with simultaneous humidity control. CO2 preferentially adsorbs onto the pore surfaces of the aminosilicate membrane and transports via surface diffusion, thus resulting in pore blockage or pore size reduction to prevent other inert gases such as O2 and N2 from permeating through. With the combination of molecular sieving and surface diffusion mechanisms, the proposed membrane can be expected to achieve superb CO2 separation performance for effective spacecraft cabin air revitalization.
Our proposed Phase I program will develop a reactor system for the
synthesis of polyethylene from carbon dioxide and water.  The proposed
work will result in hardware capable of the in-situ fabrication of
high-density polyethylene suitable for the construction of inflatable
enclosures and panels, which can be used to construct extraterrestrial
habitats.  In-situ production of habitat structural materials would
result in substantial cost savings compared with transporting the
material from Earth.  The system will serve as an engineering prototype
for for future missions to demonstrate in-situ production of
consumables.  We expect that the technology to produce ethylene and
polyethylene will be sufficiently mature to be considered for
demonstration in the 2005 or 2007 programs. Our proposed program
addresses two fundamental technology issues: (1) In Situ Synthesis of
Hydrocarbon Fuels and Oxygen (2) In Situ Synthesis of Materials for
Isolated Habitat Construction and Support. It addresses several key
crosscut issues based on the use of In Situ Resources, e.g., - Life
Support for Spacecraft Including Space Station Freedom - Life Support
for Lunar and Martian Bases and Colonies - Propellants for Propulsion
for Planetary Rovers and Return Vehicles.
The design of future habitation structures and exploration vehicles will require a higher level of crew protection from dangerous solar particle events (SPE) and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) than is currently provided for operations in low Earth orbit (LEO).  The incorporation of radiation shielding technology into sub-system elements will be crucial to the success of future designs.  One area where radiation shielding may be incorporated is in thermal insulation materials.  The design of habitation structures and exploration vehicles will require extensive thermal protection.  Combining the roles of radiation shielding and thermal insulation may be possible by using millimeter sized spheres in place of multi-layer insulation (MLI).  By manufacturing the spheres from materials known to provide radiation shielding, the complexity of a vehicle or habitation structure can be reduced.  An additional benefit of using spheres as insulation is the ability to operate in a weak vacuum such as the Mars atmosphere.  Thus, a sphere insulation design could also be used in the ultra-low pressure gas environment of Mars.  This project will involve the research and evaluation of materials most suitable for radiation shielding and thermal performance evaluation testing of multiple sample sizes in both vacuum and low pressure gas environments.
Southwest Sciences proposes to develop innovative instrumentation for
the rapid, 3-dimensional imaging of biological tissues with cellular
resolution.  Our approach is a variant of optical coherence tomography
that will use a very small, low power and compact white light source to
provide 2 micrometer or better image resolution.  This device will
enable NASA researchers to non-invasively study the structure of living,
functioning tissues and cells.  The instrumentation is based on a
compact, low cost, low power white light source and can be designed for
operation in spaced-based laboratories.
ZIN Technologies in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation will use their combined experience and research and development expertise to develop a new compact ambulatory biometric data system for space and commercial terrestrial use.  This design will improve on the existing design onboard the International Space Station and other available systems by increasing the system resolution from 12 to 24 bits, reducing the weight by 40&#37;, decreasing the overall volume by 70&#37;, increasing usability, extending the dynamic range of biological signals that can be recorded, increasing on-board memory capacity, and providing additional instantaneous feedback to users through an extended local processing capability.  Data will be acquired through a cell phone sized unit possibly attached to a subjects belt loop.  Data is transmitted wirelessly to a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) where it can be accessed and viewed by the subject.  Data will also be wirelessly transmitted to a processing unit for real-time transmission to ground.  When out of range of the processing unit, data will be stored onboard the monitoring device for later transmission.  The design will allow for real time data streaming to ground stations and easy accessible viewing of metrics by astronauts on-orbit (or medical subjects terrestrially).
ORBITEC proposes to develop an innovative Low-energy Planetary Excavator (LPE) to excavate in situ regolith, ice-regolith mixes, and a variety of other geologic materials to support future activities on the Moon and Mars.  The LPE utilizes an innovative cutterhead to efficiently excavate a wide range of different planetary surface materials.  Current mechanical excavators mount a fixed array of rock cutting tools on a cutterhead that operates efficiently only in a narrow range of material conditions.  The LPE would be able to accommodate the different materials that are encountered on planetary surfaces.  The LPE will sense geologic changes and respond with changes to achieve the lowest cutting energy possible.  The result is a flexible machine with reduced power requirements.   A large LPE would be used to mine ice deposits and regolith for processing, and to excavate openings for habitats and shielding.  A small LPE would be used for exploration.  One LPE would be simpler and easier to maintain than a stable of excavators, each for a specific geology or application.  Phase I will define mined-material properties, extra-terrestrial applications, system requirements, a prototype design, and support systems.  Phase II will design, develop, test, and deliver a functional prototype LPE unit to NASA.
We propose to develop a constraint-based system for automatically
integrating online, heterogeneous data sources with geospatial data
produced by NASA in order to allow users to easily analyze terrestrial
phenomena, such as wildfires.  Current commercial technology permits
only limited types of integration - usually between structured databases
- in this regard.  However, particularly with the emergence of the
Internet, there now exist an enormous number of other online information
sources that can be combined with maps, MODIS products, and other
geospatial products in order to better assist human analysis.  In this
project we will extend an existing constraint-based data integration
system that we previously developed to allow users to easily integrate
online data, annotate and extend that data (to add a layer of
&amp;quot;knowledge&amp;quot; on top of the raw data), and rapidly identify
updates to data.  This will result in a concise, rich, integrated
interface that allows one to more easily and quickly analyze complicated
phenomena. We intend to demonstrate the feasability of this approach in
the context of a real application, wildfire management and pre-season planning.
This proposal discusses the development and application of new methods of structural-acoustic analysis in order to address existing problems in aircraft interior noise prediction.  The proposed methods are based on a hybrid modeling strategy that combines Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA).  Over the past five years, Vibro-Acoustic Sciences has devoted a considerable research effort towards the development of a framework for combining these two analysis methods.  Recent research carried out by over the past two years has resulted in the development of a rigorous solution to this problem.  The resulting Hybrid approach has been derived in general terms and validated for a number of simple structural-acoustic problems.  However, the method has not yet been applied to aircraft interior noise prediction.  A number of candidate aircraft interior noise problems have been identified which would benefit greatly from the use of the Hybrid method.  The aims of the research described in this proposal are therefore: (i) to demonstrate the application of the Hybrid method to a number of existing aircraft interior noise problems, (ii) to develop the method to ensure it contains sufficient functionality to address practical aircraft interior noise problems and (iii) to demonstrate the value of the method in the prediction and reduction of noise in airframe systems.
We propose to develop flexible solid state polymer-based solar cells that have a power density &gt;1000 W/kg and &gt; 5 year life in the space environment. The specific approach that we will employ it to make intimate organic-inorganic nanocomposites of polymeric electron donors and low-percolating nanoparticle electron acceptors. The polymeric donors have a novel hyperbranched structure which ensure a three dimensional network with high isotropic charge mobility. The high aspect ratio nanoparticle acceptors have a high intrinsic mobility and low percolation threshold. Materials are modified chemically to form intimate interpenetrating networks. The cells are formed by laminating the composite between high and low work function contacts disposed on space-qualified flexible polymer substrates. Phase I entails demonstrating cells with &gt;2&#37; AM0 efficiency using this approach.
LW Microsystems proposes to develop a compact, low-cost image
stabilization system suitable for use with a wide range of focal-plane
imaging systems in remote sensing and other space-based applications.
The system would be used in conjunction with integrated rotation
sensors/gyroscopes to deflect light to counteract the effects of
vibrations.   This approach has the advantage over both image processing
software and conventional gimbal-based approaches in being able to
stabilize the image to higher frequencies without compromising on image
size, resolution or speed.   The mass-produced low-cost devices at the
core of the system along with the post-assembly electronic tuning of the
stabilization module also enable significant cost advantages over other
stabilization approaches.
Los Gatos Research proposes to develop a new nondestructive inspection sensor system, capable of simultaneously measuring strain-based load and detecting crack, corrosion, and disbonding in inaccessible areas of aerospace structures.  Our novel sensor technology offers a number of advantages including compactness, lightweight, low power consumption, and high sensitivity.  We achieve this by fabricating Bragg gratings on stress-wave-sensitive polymer planar waveguides, which is capable of detecting both surface and below surface cracks and stress in aerospace structures.  In Phase I, using a guided wave method we will demonstrate the polymer gratings' capability to measure strain and stress waves indicating the presence and severity of damages caused by cracks, disbonding, or corrosion in a thin metal structure, when the structure is probed by a conventional  ultrasonic wave generation device. In Phase II, an integrated optic Bragg grating-based load monitoring and guided wave sensor prototype and a crack detection algorithm will be developed to provide structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation for spacecraft composite systems and components.
Luna Innovations, Inc., in collaboration with the SUNY Stony Brook, proposes to extend ultrasonic pulsed phase locked loop (PPLL) derivative measurements to the noninvasive assessment of bone strain during exercise.  The PPLL is a high-resolution ultrasonic spectrometer that measures changes in natural velocity with parts in ten million accuracy.  With this resolution, the PPLL can be used to measure a material's nonlinear elastic constants, which are related to changes in the speed of sound as it is loaded.  Nonlinear elastic constants are more closely linked to bone strength than traditional absolute measurements of the speed of sound, thus providing an important new capability for bone health assessment.

This technology has been demonstrated on a number of engineered materials, including fasteners, heat-treated aluminum, heat-treated steel, composite materials, railroad rails, and adhesive bonds.  In Phase ILuna's PPLL technology will be tested on bone ex vivo at Stony Brook's Biomedical Engineering Department to develop a strong physics-based model of how natural velocity changes as a bone sample is loaded.  This research will lay the groundwork for Phase II, in which Luna's PPLL technology will be combined with Stony Brook's scanning confocal acoustic diagnostic (SCAD) technology for in vivo studies.
This proposal is specifically written to address the need for improved L and P band T/R modules.  The solicitation calls for investigation and development of core technologies that will significantly improve T/R module performance.  Improvements needed include reduced power consumption, mass, size and increased data rates.  Hittite microwave corporation is a fables semiconductor company that has been developing microwave monolithic integrated circuits (MMIC) for over 19 years.  As described in this proposal Hittite will use the Phase I program to determine the optimal partitioning of the T/R module considering the subsystem requirements, process technology and circuit topologies.  The T/R module circuit functions are diverse imposing several different process requirements.  For example the key process specification for the LNA is the minimum noise figure (Fmin) of the process, for the control functions the switch cutoff frequency, and for the PA the power added efficiency.  Relevant processes to be considered include SiGe, PHEMT, MHEMT, PIN, MEMs, GaN and SiC.  Actual process selection will be determined during the Phase I effort once specifications have been fully defined in cooperation with NASA technical personnel.  The Phase II program will include the design, development and fabrication of MMICs to implement an L/P band T/R module.
This SBIR Phase I proposal describes a novel method to make deep and far UV optical filters from macroporous silicon. This type of filter consists of an array of parallel, independent leaky waveguides made in the form of a free-standing, two-dimensionally ordered silicon structure with pore walls coated by a dielectric multilayer. The proposed filters offer unmatched levels of rejection within a very wide rejection band combined with a high level of transmission within the pass band that can be centered throughout the deep and far UV range. In addition, unlike common interference-based filters, the spectral position of the pass and rejection bands will not depend on the angle of incidence. The proposed filters will be light weight and may be manufactured cost-effectively in large quantities. In Phase I, it is proposed to demonstrate the feasibility of the method by fabricating pore structures with different pore wall coatings and measuring the transmission and other optical properties.  In Phase II, optimized filters will be fabricated and their properties compared with design predictions.  Phase III will involve product design, fabricating filter structures to meet customers' physical as well as optical needs, and marketing and sales investments.
NASA's future space science missions cannot be realized without the state of the art high temperature insulation materials of which higher working temperature, high reliability, and low cost are highly desired. T/J Technologies proposes to develop a high temperature, durable, readily processable electrical insulation materials.  The key element of our approach is the development and demonstration, in a breadboard configuration, the feasibility of a new high temperature polymeric composite material based on organic-inorganic nanocomposites with tailored structure and composition that will dramatically increase the Glass Transition Temperature and working temperature of the host polymer, polyimides. Future work of this proposed research, during phase II, will be mainly focused on developing all the associated technologies. The development of high working temperature, durable, radiation resistant electrical insulation materials is important for on-board propulsion and power systems for manned and unmanned deep space missions within NASA as well as electrical and microelectronic industries for applications such as capacitors, electric motors, circuit-printing films, semiconductor coating, etc.
The Surface Management System (SMS), developed by NASA Ames Research Center in cooperation with the FAA, has received wide and significant acceptance by the air transportation community. The SMS utilizes flight plan data and airport surface surveillance data to track and model the operation of flights on the airport surface. Predictions of flight arrival and departure times from specific runways are generated by SMS. SMS provides these predictions of future airport operations to numerous airport, ATC and air carrier users to create shared situational awareness. NASA continues to conduct advanced research on airport surface traffic management concepts and tools. Fundamental research in this area has been very difficult to conduct in the past, however, due to the lack of electronic data representing airport surface operations. With the current deployment of airport surface surveillance systems, such data is now becoming available. This effort proposes the creation of a surface operations data warehouse and analysis tool for effective analysis and understanding of airport surface operations. Data mining capabilities will support research of taxi routing, sequencing and congestion management strategies used by air traffic controllers. Such a tool will also provide significant benefit in the SMS adaptation process.
In this SBIR project, a reliable self-repairing Flight Control System (FCS) will be developed.   To achieve this goal, an artificial Neural Network based Sensor Validity Monitoring, Verification and Accommodation (SVMVA) scheme will be developed.  Initially, the Extended Back Propagation Algorithm (EBPA) or Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) will be evaluated and employed as the on-line real time learning, monitoring and estimating tools.  For a feasibility study, sample flight vehicle dynamics will be assessed.  Then, an optimal on-line estimator for the flight dynamics will be shown by applying our unique input vector discrimination procedure and network optimization technique.  In Phase I, an in-house numerical simulation tool for SVMVA will be developed to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach. As a result, it is expected that the new self-repairing Flight Control System based on SVMVA scheme will meet or exceed the NASA's requirement for their new flight vehicles. The most significant advantage of the new self-repairing Flight Control System is that the system is able to mask failed physical sensors by providing flight-worthy flight dynamics information to most FCS of flight vehicles without needing redundant sensors or excessive power, weight and space.
This proposal is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of a Decentralized Control based SiC Parallel DC-DC Converter Unit (DDCU) with targeted application for NASA's International Space Station Program and Satellite Power Systems. The proposed DDCU has three key features: a) "true" redundancy for parallel DC-DC converter based on a novel concept developed at the University of Illinois at Chicago, b) a novel nonlinear hybrid controller that achieves enhanced robustness and wider stability margin and yet achieves interleaving to reduce output current ripple, and c) SiC based power stage yielding higher breakdown voltage, temperature-sustenance, and radiation-hardness capabilities for the DDCU leading also to higher power density as compared with Si based power stage.
Corrosion and fatigue induced metal-loss and cracks are common problems for missiles and aircraft structures. A wide range of field conditions such as humidity, temperature, stress, cathode potential, and coating conditions, etc. all contributes to the electrochemical reaction between the incipient corrosive agent molecule and the structural metal matrix. The weakened inter-atomic force leads to the material loss, pits or crack growth and eventually structural failure. 

We propose a new approach to detect and characterize the corrosion and cracks in missile and aircraft structures. The technique consists of very small, low cost guided wave leave-in-place health monitoring sensors known as piezo-disks, innovative Correlation Analysis Technique (CAT) for fast defect sizing and localization, and a miniaturized local computing device with data acquisition and processing capabilities and wireless module for remote monitoring. It is envisioned the total cost of this system will be less than $1500.
NASA is committed to measuring precipitation on a global scale. In 1997,
NASA launched the Tropical Rain Measuring Mission which carried the
first spaceborne precipitation radar (PR). Operating at 13.8 GHz, the PR
demonstrated the potential of spaceborne radars to map global
precipitation. To improve rainfall estimates, the next generation system
being proposed for the NASA Global Precipitation Mission is a
dual-wavelength (Ku/Ka-band) precipitation radar (DPR). Operating at Ku
and Ka-band, it will yield additional information on the drop size
distribution (DSD). Advanced ground-based Ku/Ka-band DPR systems are
needed to develop and validate the retrieval algorithms that will be
used by GPM. This proposed Phase I effort will investigate the required
innovations to design and construct a novel, low-cost, scanning,
dual-polarized DPR senor and sensor network. The focus will be on
developing a low-cost ruggedized compact antenna, transceiver, power
amplifier and real-time processing and communication subsystems. This
advanced DPR sensor network will provide unprecedented spatial/temporal
sampling and coverage and multiple methods to determine DSD:
polarization, differential extinction, multi-look radar measurements of
extinction. As a sensor network, limitations due to earth curvature,
topography and ground clutter that affect the existing weather radar
infrastructure can be overcome.
NASA is committed to measuring clouds on a global scale and will soon launch CloudSat, which will carry the first space borne cloud-profiling radar (CPR). Operating at 94 GHz, the CPR will conduct a 2 year global survey of cloud properties, collecting quantitative information on cloud-layer thickness, base and top altitudes, cloud optical thickness, and cloud water and ice contents. A follow-on mission is envisioned that will fly a low-mass cross-track scanning antenna. This will provide future missions with much improved spatial coverage for comparison with numeric models and reduced time between subsequent measurements over the same region.
 
This proposed Phase I effort will investigate the required innovations to design and build a novel airborne prototype W-band (94 GHz) cross-track scanning antenna and wideband radar system. The proposed antenna will utilize a low-mass offset reflector and a frequency-scanned line-feed to achieve for the first time at W-band a cross track scan width of approximately 60 degrees. This design will lead to a prototype scanning radar system that can be flown on high-altitude platforms such as the NASA ER-2, WB-57 and Proteus. The prototype antenna will be compatible with existing space-qualified transmitters and can be scaled for space flight.
The aviation system of the United States of America is one of our national treasures. Very few elements of our culture capture the America spirit like aviation. Air transportation plays an absolutely vital role in our economy, and is also a core part of our high standard of living. But this importance of aviation in our society also makes aviation a highly desirable target for terrorists. Secretary of State Colin Powell has said that "no threat is more serious to aviation" than man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS).  Although on-board defenses against MANPADS are being developed for commercial aircraft, these systems will not be deployed for many years and will be very expensive. The innovation proposed herein provides an information and decision support system to enhance security monitoring and patrolling around the perimeter of airports ? where the threat of MANPADS attacks is at its highest. This effort will merge the use of advanced airport surface surveillance data with decision support algorithms and security threat and vulnerability assessment methodologies to identify and alert security personnel regarding the airport perimeter areas of highest vulnerability and greatest access to targets of opportunity for MANPADS attacks or other terrorist activities.
Nano forms of graphite and carbon, such as flakes, worms, and tubes, can significantly modify the properties of polymers when used as reinforcements.  Challenges remain in processing composites with these nano-reinforcements in the form of attaining uniform dispersions.  Many of these difficulties are due to a lack of wetting of the nano-reinforcements by the polymer.  Poor wetting is caused by the very low surface energy of the as-produced graphite nano-reinforcements.  Opportunities exist for modifying the surface chemistry and energy of nano-reinforcements that will allow improved wetting and provide a means for chemical bonding at the interface with high temperature polymers such as PMR-II-50 polyimide.  Two approaches for surface modification are proposed:  (1) oxidative plasma treatments to populate the graphite surface with carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, and (2) bonding of polyimide oligomers to the nano-reinforcements using reactive coupling agents.  Both of these approaches have proven successful with micron size carbon and graphite fibers and with nanofibers.  As such, these treatments should result in nano-reinforced composites with superior mechanical properties and environmental durability.
Technologies that support the configuration of sensors and satellites, and allow the reconfiguration or retargeting of sensors in response to user demand or significant events require mechanisms to autonomously understand the type and current state of on-board resources and to re-task these resources in such as way that the system achieves its global objectives. Here we propose the development of an integrated framework for onboard dynamic sensor (re)configuration, discovery and classification of data, based on SensorML (Sensor model language). We also model each satellite as a multi-criteria multi constraint optimization problem to optimize the usage of resources in response to significant events without adversely affecting the normal operations. This is achieved through negotiation among various satellites that have overlapping sensing capabilities so that globally optimal solutions can be found by computing joint plan qualities resulting due to sharing of resources. We propose to use IAI's propriety Cybele agent platform (www.cybelepro.com) that provides capability to model and simulate such complex distributed systems. DIVA a case tool developed by IAI would be employed to design and implement negotiation protocols among satellite agents to demonstrate the collaborative global optimization of autonomous planning process for multi-sensor retargeting.
Air-Lock will deliver a final report based on the follwoing:
1. Historical summary of bearing design evolution throughout the life of the EMU Program
2. Material research to identify lightweight materials best suited for each beairng.
3. Redesign of current EMU bearings to lower bearing profile and mass.
MMIC technology provides the technology base to reduce the size and weight of microwave and millimeter wave (MMW) equipment on board airborne and space-based platforms.  Signal sources at MMW frequencies, however, have not been available in MMIC form widely.  Hittite has developed a family of MMIC products to implement complete phase-locked synthesizers in using MMIC and mixed-signal ICs and demonstrated miniaturized frequency synthesizers representing size reduction of several orders of magnitude without sacrificing performance.  Based on recent success in demonstration of critical MMICs and ICs, Hittite proposes to apply its novel MMIC concept to design MMW signal sources for application in earth monitoring sensors.  Two different synthesizer architecture, one direct and one indirect, are proposed as candidate approaches.  In both cases, frequency synthesis will take place at about 1/8 of the output frequency and then translated up to the final output with a fixed tone. The proposed approach relies on components operating at lower frequencies for better phase noise performance, and the method is applicable to generation of higher frequencies. The proposed program will lead to a family of novel miniaturized MMIC products for commercial communications.
Two novel flight control actuation concepts for UAV applications are proposed for research and development, both of which incorporate shape memory alloy (SMA) wires as prime movers.  These actuators promise considerable savings in weight, power, and volume over existing electomechanical and hydraulic systems.  Incorporation of these actuators within lifting surface structure, or as trailing edge control devices, would greatly simplify the actuation systems of these aircraft, thereby permitting greater payload fraction, increased range, enhanced robustness, and/or smaller vehicle size, and thus reduce both operational and fixed system costs.  Choice between the two actuation concepts for a particular installation represents a tradeoff in actuation system bandwidth and power availability, and thus the same vehicle may include both systems depending upon the particular functional requirements.  These actuators represent a derivative technology from a previous Army SBIR Phase I/II effort directed at providing in-flight helicopter blade tracking using actively controlled trailing edge tabs, and thus have been designed to have low mass and low power requirements from their inception.  Since they lack any physical hinge joints, they may be embedded directly within aircraft lifting surfaces, eliminating interference drag associated with control deflection.
KaZaK Composites proposes to develop a pultrusion process to produce carbon fiber / liquid crystal polymer (LCP) prepreg, a first for this category of materials and a critical development for its inclusion in new high performance composite materials.  Until now, commercially available LCPs were not suitable for RTM or RFI carbon fiber composite processing.  LKX1215 is a novel thermosetting LCP with excellent mechanical, thermal, and chemical properties, in particular low moisture pickup and low outgassing.  Its relatively low melt viscosity and ability to cross-link at temperatures above 310&lt;SUP&gt;o&lt;/SUP&gt;C make it a prime candidate resin for processing into carbon fiber prepreg.  Preliminary work by KaZaK on LKX1215 suggests this material is well suited to continuous carbon fiber reinforcement.  The prepreg material developed by KaZaK under the proposed program will be characterized in terms of physical, microstructural, and mechanical properties.  Development of techniques for prepreg processing into cured composite laminates and characterization of the mechanical properties of the resulting composite laminates will also be an important part of the proposed program.  At the conclusion of Phase I, KaZaK will have developed and demonstrated a previously unavailable process for making carbon fiber composite material for a wide range of cryogenic and high-temperature applications.
NASA's new exploration initiative created immediate need for materials science and technology research to enable safe human travel and work on future lunar or Martian long-duration missions. To conduct this research, NASA must have lunar and Martian regolith simulant for materials experiments and prototype testing of transportation equipment, advanced life support systems, and in situ resource processing. This SBIR will conduct a feasibility study on a new generation of lunar and Martian simulants with improved composition and mineralogical analysis. For lunar regolith, Orbital Technologies Corporation (ORBITEC) proposes to recreate the JSC-1 material and study post-production processes to add additional percentages of glass particles to improve composition. A study to assess the feasibility of creating a lunar highlands-type simulant will also be conducted. For Martian regolith, ORBITEC will mine the raw material for the JSC Mars-1 simulant with an improved extraction process to avoid the contamination of the soil that resulted in the non-Martian magnetic component. Additional grain-size particles will also be prepared and combined with the material to improve its grain-size distribution comparison. These innovations combined with the well-documented and received original JSC-1 and Mars-1 source materials will produce simulants that will assist NASA on its future exploration quest.
Luna Innovations proposes to adapt its current aqueous-based, fiber-optic microcantilever sensor technology for real-time, monitoring of ammonia in air.  Phase I studies will focus on confirming sensor operation in a vapor-phase detection format and will build upon Luna's current NASA SBIR Phase II program to develop novel affinity microcantilever-based biosensors for monitoring bacterial and chemical contaminants in space-station water supplies.  The biosensor is based on the principle that as target organisms or molecules bind to a reactive microcantilever beam, coating deformation caused by the binding event deflects the beam in proportion to the concentration of bound target.  Using gold-based coupling chemistries, any assortment of reactive polymers, oligonucleotides, or other suitable ligand can be attached to multiple microcantilever beams in an array format.  This allows discrimination of select targets from a complex mixture of other compounds.  Using patented interferometric measurement and signal interrogation technology, researchers at Luna have confirmed microcantilever beam deflection with subnanometer sensitivity in water.  During the proposed Phase I program, Luna will focus efforts on vapor phase detection of ammonia using novel reactive polymers developed.  The microcantilever sensor inherently lends itself to multiplexing using micromachined arrays and can be integrated with virtually any type of air-sampling device.
Sest, Inc. proposes to perform a detailed evaluation at the both convertor and component levels of a small, low electrical output power (50 to 500 mW) Stirling cycle based convertor utilizing light weight radioisotope heater units (LWRHU) as the heat source. The proposed milliwatt radioisotope Stirling convertor (MRSC) will be optimized for output power with source temperatures in the range of 480 to 560 oK so as to provide electric power at convertor efficiencies in the range of 15 to 20&#37; and sized to make maximum use of the existing LWRHU heat source. These efficiency levels are on the order of 2 to 4 times those of thermoelectric conversion systems. The evaluation processes will incorporate an in-depth evaluation of the structural materials and fabrications techniques required to maximize convertor specific power while at the same time insuring high reliability and long operating life. Due to the unique operating characteristics of convertors of this size a proof of concept linear alternator will be developed and tested during Phase I. At the completion of the proposed Phase I effort a specific final configuration for the detailed hardware design and fabrication in the Phase II effort will be fully defined.   In addition a scaling study will be performed identify optimal configurations over the entire power range of interest.
This proposed work will develop a new method and mechanism for generating wing stroke motion of any shape and orientation.  The mechanism will provide power, lift and flight control to small aircraft in a single integrated unit.  The key innovation is the means by which wing motion is generated without the use any complex mechanical components.  Wing motion of any shape and orientation can be generated with this mechanism.  The arrangement of wings is such that the mechanism is mechanically balanced and exerts no net torque or force on the aircraft.  This method is applicable to small UAVs (uninhabited aerial vehicles) and will provide them with a simple and reliable means of producing power, lift and flight control.  The versatility of this mechanism is expected to provide UAVs with high maneuverability.  This method will be most valuable for UAVs that are used as planetary aircraft as well as for general surveillance and reconnaissance.
In the proposed Phase I program, Busek Co. will demonstrate an innovative methodology for clustering Hall thrusters into a high performance, very high power propulsion system.  The concept uses multiple thruster discharge assemblies with a common (shared) magnetic structure.  The concept combines the benefits of clustering that include modularity, reliability, reduced beam divergence and throttleability with the cost, mass savings and power loss reduction of a shared magnetic structure.  In Phase I, Busek will conduct a sub-scale demonstration of a shared magnetics cluster based on our existing BHT-600 (nominally 600 W input power) Hall thruster.

A methodology for shared magnetics clustering will be developed that can be applied to the full range of Hall thruster power requirements (100 kW ? 1 MW) envisioned by NASA for obit insertion, planetary transfers and manned exploration.  In Phase II a 200 ? 400 kW shared magnetics thruster based on NASA's existing high power Hall thruster technology will be designed and built.

Busek is uniquely positioned to implement the proposed program having expertise in both the clustering of Hall thrusters and shared magnetics thruster development.
The need for a small, lightweight, remotely-operable transponder for UAVs is identified. This would allow integration of UAVs into the national airspace while providing an equivalent level of safety during operations as manned aircraft. A network-centric, integrated transponder and altitude encoder is proposed to meet this need. Phase I includes device design and bench top testing of system components. Phase II includes design refinement, prototype fabrication, and comprehensive flight testing of the device in KalScott's UAV.
Lithium (Li) ion batteries are among the most promising power sources for many civilian, military and space applications due to their high power and high energy densities.  However, current state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries are not suited for operation in deep-space environments including high radiation and an extremely wide operation temperature regime (-100&amp;#730;C to 400&amp;#730;C), due to utilization of thermally and electrochemically unstable organic electrolytes.
TPL proposes to develop an all-ceramic, high performance Li-ion battery for deep-space power systems via a novel cell configuration, micro-fiber cells (MFCs), that ensures successful utilization of ceramic materials for all battery components.  The superior properties of the proposed MFC-based Li-ion batteries will be achieved via formation and processing of functional graphite fibers that facilitate interfacial contacts and practical utilization of ceramic electrolytes.
In Phase I, TPL will fabricate the proposed MFCs via a solution approach and process the MFCs into rechargeable batteries having a wide operation temperature window, excellent radiation resistance, and a high specific energy.  The functional fibers will be structurally characterized and MFC-based batteries will be electrochemically evaluated in the temperature regime.  The concept of MFCs will be demonstrated.  TPL has extensive experience in Li-ion battery chemistries and technologies.  TPL's technical and management teams are well positioned to move this technology into the market.
The primary innovation of this work is a novel Petri net based approach for safe and flexible control of highly capable mobile surface systems, such as long-duration science rovers, crew surface systems, multi-robot and human-robot teams.  The traditional approach of time-based sequence of commands will not be adequate for commanding and coordinating those surface systems because it does not support concurrent tasks and team coordination.  Those surface systems will best be supported by a state-based control architecture that explicitly models the states and their interactions.  Petri net is a mature and flexible formalism for representing such a state-based control architecture.  This research will develop novel Petri net based techniques to enable 1) explicit modeling and control of concurrent tasks, team coordination, and mode switching, and 2) dynamic reconfiguration of a Petri net during its execution to support onboard planning and human/robot interactions.  The result of the proposed effort will be a Petri net based executive that can be integrated into a robot planning and control system for flexible and safe control of mobile surface systems.  In addition, a graphical tool will also be developed to enable operators to visualize, edit, and analyze the Petri nets.
Several studies over the past few decades have recognized the need for advanced propulsion to explore the solar system.  As early as the 1960s, Werner Von Braun and others recognized the need for a nuclear rocket for sending humans to Mars.  The great distances, the intense radiation levels, and the physiological response to zero-gravity all supported the concept of using a nuclear rocket to decrease mission time.  These same needs have been recognized in later studies, especially in the Space Exploration Initiative in 1989.  One of the key questions that has arisen in later studies, however, is the need to utilize a nuclear fuel form that does not emit fission products into the exhaust stream.  Unlike the Rover/NERVA programs in the 1960s, the rocket exhaust in a current day nuclear rocket should contain no radioactivity. We will investigate a series of coated fuel forms that will inhibit fission products and actinides from diffusing out into the surrounding coolant.  A demonstration experiment will be designed that will allow fuels containing uranium-238 to be fissioned, heated to very high temperatures, and assessed for emission of any products.
The proposed effort seeks to determine the feasibility of dramatically reducing the manufacturing cost and cycle time of lightweight silicon carbide mirrors by substituting a novel reactive atom plasma (RAP) process for traditional hard tool grinding and lapping. The RAP process employs an inductively coupled plasma torch with common gaseous fluorine compounds to produce a spatially controlled material removal profile. The plasma is scanned over the surface of the material to be shaped under the control of special algorithms to produce the desired optical form. The RAP process exhibits high volumetric material removal rates on SiC and other optical materials. The avoidance of surface and subsurface damage by the use of this non-contact RAP process is expected to significantly reduce the time and cost of optical finishing. RAP-shaped substrates will be polished by several candidate technologies to establish optimum finishing strategies.
This SBIR proposal aims to develop all-passive fiberoptic lighting
systems that can be used on long space missions or here on earth.  By
addressing the traditional problems of concentration and solar tracking
in a novel way, we will create a high efficiency lighting system that is
also very durable and inexpensive.  In this Phase I work, Applied
Optical Materials will research two distinct methods for improving on
conventional plastic fiber lighting technology.  These innovations are
directly relevant to the concentration efficiency of the system and have
very high potential to reduce the cost and maintainability of passive
lighting systems to a level commensurate with business and consumer applications.
Catalytic oxidation of contaminants in air and water remains a key unit operation available to NASA. Its advantages include production of high-quality effluents, good microbial control, and extremely low expendable rates. Extensive research by both NASA and industry demonstrates an order of magnitude more activity for catalysts supported on carbon versus any other support.  Carbon supported noble metal catalysts have previously shown susceptibility to physical degradation (due to shear forces and metal leaching) and chemical degradation (by oxidation of solid carbon). Previous studies have demonstrated that at small (bench) scale, physically robust catalysts can be manufactured that could provide a significant advancement in performance. The purpose of this effort is to accomplish several innovations that will allow the catalysts to be produced at a scale that is suitable for direct integration into NASA's water processor hardware.
A majority of millimeter wave based systems used for space exploration, communications and research, require a millimeter wave oscillator.  These oscillators have been typically based on the Gunn Diode.  Due to reliability issues and high DC power requirements, they are prone to  failures.  These failures could result in an unsuccessful space mission, a life-threatening situation and/or loss of invaluable data.  An alternative to this technology is highly desirable.  MMW Design Services is proposing to develop an alternative oscillator to the Gunn Diode using a Dielectric Puck operating in the Whispering Gallery Mode.  This innovation has the potential to produce compact, low noise oscillators operating with a frequency from 20GHZ to 120GHz.  Traditional Dielectric Resonating Oscillators operating in a fundamental mode are limited to 30GHz.  A Whispering Gallery Mode DRO uses a similar puck but in a much higher order mode, thus extending the resonant frequency.  The significance of this innovation is the improved performance of the oscillation at millimeter wave frequencies.  Space exploration will reach new heights. Satellites will operate longer and more efficiently resulting in cost effective missions that extends beyond our current mission life capability.
Images from space satellites, whether deep space or planetary, are often compressed in a lossy manner to ease transmission requirements such as power, error-rate, and data stream size. These requirements differ from standard computer image processing requirements since storage space, processing speed, and power constraints differ between PCs and satellites. To facilitate use of satellite images in other applications such as data dissemination, image analysis, image storage and retrieval, etc., a method is needed to convert satellite images to a more widely supported format. However, since many formats lose information ("lossy" compression), too many transcodings, poorly performed transcodings, or transcodings between poorly chosen formats will degrade image quality, sometimes making them useless. Images such as military photos and deep space objects require high quality, so it is desirable to avoid or minimize loss during transcodings. NASA has requested software transcoding from the CSSDS Image Data Compression recommendation to JPEG2000 with minimal image degradation. This proposal shows how Cybernet will approach this conversion, obtaining a minimal or zero loss in image fidelity, through mathematical analysis and careful software construction. This will be shown to be possible due to the specific wavelet compression techniques used in the two formats.
A low power Mass Spectrometer employing multiple time of flight circuits for parallel processing is possible with a new innovation in design of the Time of flight circuit. The novel scheme uses gate delays to measure time of flight and calibrates the gate delays using a precise clock. Sensor weight is about 1Kg and power consumption is 1.5W.
An electrochemical reactor is proposed by MicroCell Technologies, LLC to electrochemically reduce carbon dioxide to oxygen. In support of NASA's advanced life support processes and human exploration missions, recovering oxygen from carbon dioxide is important since oxygen resupply is not a viable option. The proposed process is based on using a low temperature molten salt to selectively adsorb carbon dioxide from the ambient and reducing it to an oxide ion and carbon monoxide. The oxide ion is subsequently oxidized to oxygen. This carbon dioxide removal and oxygen generator may be used by NASA to provide oxygen for cabin crew life support or for propellant generation on Mars as a part of the In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) process. During the Phase I project, we will demonstrate the electrochemical reactor using pure carbon dioxide and using low concentrations of carbon dioxide in air.
Superconducting electric propulsion systems will yield improvements in total ownership costs due to the simplicity of electric drive when compared with gas turbine engines, and due to greater power densities and efficiencies of electromechanical energy conversion processes. Two principal types have been considered in Naval propulsion studies that have promise for all electric aircraft. Both of these classes of motor, however, have technical risk attributes that are less than ideal with respect to reliability and efficiency: complex rotating cryocoolers for the AC synchronous machine, and low voltage (hence high current) brushed armatures for the DC acyclic (homopolar) machine. SatCon proposes a 'stationary field synchronous motor', which combines the benefits of both synchronous and acyclic motors by combining the ability to use COTS cryocoolers inherent to the acyclic motor with power transfer to the armature at reasonable voltage and current levels. This will be traded off against an AC synchronous machine using a rotating cryocooler with a novel flow management design to reduce the complexity and losses. The result of the two-phase effort will be the design, prototyping, and testing of an improved power density superconducting propulsion motor suitable for aircraft propulsion applications.
This project aims to provide Computer Aided Design (CAD) tools for radiation-tolerant, wide-temperature-range digital, analog, mixed-signal, and radio-frequency electronic components suitable for operation in the extreme environments of the Moon, Mars, and other deep space destinations.  All such exploration systems will need reliable electronics able to operate in a wide temperature range (-230?C to +130 ?C) and high radiation levels. There is very little knowledge of semiconductor device behavior in extreme low temperatures (currently ongoing research) and no reliable models or design tools. CFDRC will develop first commercial-quality validated models and CAD tools for predicting the electrical performance and reliability of electronic components in extreme low temperatures, with included radiation effects and reliability analysis, using coupled semiconductor and thermal-mechanical simulation. This work will use and implement the newest data from the ongoing NASA Exploration Systems and Research Technology (Code ES&amp;RT) program, led by Prof. Cressler at Georgia Tech (subcontractor in this proposal), involving JPL, BAE, Boeing, Vanderbilt, and others, aimed at developing electronics technology for mixed-signal circuit applications for lunar (to -230?C) applications. Reliable and validated CAD tools will help to predict electronics performance and radiation response in the extreme temperatures, and reduce the amount of testing cost and time.
Advanced Liquid Logic proposes to develop a very capable analyzer based on its digital microfluidic technology. Such an analyzer would be:

&amp;#61656;	Capable of both simple and complex biological assays
&amp;#61656;	Small, lightweight, power efficient, and easy to operate
&amp;#61656;	Fully programmable and remotely reprogrammable

Under NIH funding we have demonstrated clinical chemistry blood diagnostic testing on our lab-on-a-chip platform. Our vision is to develop a portable diagnostic analyzer that performs the same tests as central lab-based analytical equipment with even broader functionality by integrating hematology, pathology, molecular diagnostics, cytology, microbiology, and serology onto the same platform.  These diverse tests would be multiplexed to use the same very small body fluid or solid sample. We believe that digital microfluidics is uniquely capable of meeting NASA's requirements because:

&amp;#61656;	We will be able to address a larger breadth of tests than conventional microfluidics on even smaller sample volumes
&amp;#61656;	Our technology miniaturizes both the assay and the associated equipment 
&amp;#61656;	Our droplet-based technology provides positive control of each droplet 
&amp;#61656;	Our lab-on-a-chip can be designed for multiple uses, reducing or eliminating the need for disposable components
&amp;#61656;	Our platform could be integrated with implanted or automated minimally invasive sample extraction techniques
Aerotonomy, Incorporated, and subcontractors Georgia Tech and the AAI Corporation will combine state-of-the-art adaptive UAV control, optimized sensor suites, innovative strategic and tactical maneuvering systems, and a wealth of experience in manufacturing and operating Tactical UAVs (including the Shadow 200) to create a practical and autonomous See-and-Avoid System (SAAS) for safe UAV operations within the National Airspace System (NAS) and outside of Special Use Airspace.  The SAAS will enable UAVs to autonomously perform both strategic maneuvering to follow the same predictable "right-of-way rules" followed by manned aircraft, as well as tactical maneuvering to perform close quarter collision avoidance.  The primary innovation in this project is the Strategic Maneuvering System (SMS), a rule-based "maneuver executive" that will enable a UAV to interact with manned aircraft or other UAVs in a manner that is predictable and consonant with NAS operating procedures.
The Offerers will build on their recent innovation of a microwave-induced route to the rapid functionalization, solubilization and reactive synthesis of carbon nanotube-ceramic and nanotube-polymer composites. The microwave process is environmentally friendly and results in the complete removal of metal catalysts used in the synthesis of the pristine nanotubes. These residual nanoscale metals are known to be toxic. The functionalization will be carried out via different routes so that the nanotubes can be rendered soluble in different solvents including water, alcohols, and nonpolar liquids. This will facilitate mixing with different polymer matrices for fabrication of composites, and also facilitate the formation of coatings and films. The reactive synthesis of ceramic and polymer composites involves the formation of the composite structure on the nanotube sidewalls via a microwave-assisted reaction. This will lead to the formation of a novel class of nanomaterials with unique structural, electronic and thermal properties.
The individual software tools that make up the analytical capabilities for the design of entry vehicles using an aero-assist/aero-capture device have been fully developed. In fact the performance of such software against the flight data has been superb, and NASA has used the results to make real-time decisions on the entry vehicles. However, the couplings among such software for estimation of weight and performance has not been developed. In part, the couplings of areas such as the fluid-structure interaction and trajectory still remain undeveloped. Lack of coupling of such software for space application has been the result of the types of structures that have been flown to date, i.e. the entry vehicles have exhibited relatively large stiffness and the TPS has been an integral part of the vehicles. However, when inflatable decelerators are becoming an essential part of the future interplanetary missions, the influence of inflation or structural displacements of an inflatable decelerator on lift and drag should be considered. Furthermore, development of a computational environment that hosts a combination of important disciplines to provide answers in a timely manner should be given a priority. A successful coupling of such software is the essential ingredient for engineering of inflatable decelerators.
Stereochemistry is an essential element of our organic life.  Only certain enantiomers are useful as drugs for the human body.  Raman Optical Activity (ROA) and vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) provide stereochemical information down to bond levels.  Many biomolecules like proteins and DNA can be studied for understanding their structural chemistry and structure related dynamics.  These methods do not require material in the crystalline form and hence can be very useful tools.
However, ROA signals are even weaker than the Raman signals.  Phase I and Phase II work will focus on enhancing Raman optical Activity (ROA) signals in amino acids and biomolecules, which includes measurement of vibrational circular dichroism by using surface enhanced process involving nanoclusters.  The use of nanoparticles is known to enhance Raman signals by several orders of magnitude.  Our goal is to achieve similar gains in ROA signals.  To achieve it, we will use a sensitive detection system in combination with improved surface enhanced chemistry and microfluidics-based single-molecule detection techniques.  This will result in improved precision of measurement and shorten measurement time, which currently takes several hours to days.
This research proposes to enhance solar cell efficiency, radiation resistance and affordability. The Quantum Dot Spectrum Converter (QDSC) disperses quantum dots into the transparent silicone layer that normally functions as coverglass adhesive. The Quantum Dots (QD) act as a fluorescent spectrum converter for solar cells, to allow the use of the 20-50&#37; of the solar spectrum unavailable to today's highest efficiency solar cells. By selecting QD's of particular compositions and sizes, we customize absorption and emission spectra to down-convert UV photons, including multiple exciton generation, and up-convert IR photons in a multiple photon process. This approach overcomes the fundamental 'red-loss' and 'blue-loss' limitations, allowing more efficiency from conventional single- and multi-bandgap photovoltaic devices. We also explore the use of a QDSC in a non-tracking fluorescent concentrator for enhancing flux and shielding for solar cells and in thermophotovoltaic systems as a means of enhancing efficiency while eliminating selective emitters. These approaches address the topic need for significantly improved efficiency and radiation hardening for deep space missions ? the QDSC can significantly enhance conversion efficiency of qualified, high-efficiency cells, while its implementation in a luminescent or thermophotovoltaic concentrator allows solar cells to be shielded from adverse radiation and thermal environments.
Thorleaf Research, Inc. proposes to develop a miniature, low power cryogenic inlet system with sampling probes for Titan. This addresses a key technology gap for planetary studies, mainly how to acquire and prepare complex cryogenic samples of astrobiology interest for in situ analysis while meeting challenging mass, volume and power constraints. Although miniaturized mass spectrometers and other low power instruments are under development by NASA for in situ measurements, the great potential of such instrumentation for exploration of the Solar System will not be realized without complementary developments in the technology for collecting and preparing samples for analysis.  Our proposed approach is designed to collect surface samples at Titan's 94K (-179C) cryogenic temperatures using probe designs both for surface penetration and for collecting dust or particles.  The samples, which are presumed to include hydrocarbons, nitriles, tholins and other materials, can then be pyrolysed or otherwise thermally processed to prepare them for chemical analysis by GC/MS, GC/IMS or other techniques. The goal of our proposed SBIR Phase I effort is to demonstrate feasibility for a miniature, low power cryogenic inlet system with sampling probes, and to develop a detailed design for fabricating prototype instrumentation in Phase II.
Many are pursuing the development of electric propulsion systems for large aircraft due to the potential of being cleaner, quieter, lighter, and more versatile than current platforms and because the use of liquid hydrogen (LH2) fuel in these systems decreases our dependence on petroleum.  It is desirable to have very light components, such as the stator, for these electric propulsion systems.  Superconducting stator coils can be lighter weight than cryogenically cooled copper stator coils.  The recent development of magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducting wires makes possible the potential to have much lighter weight superconducting stator coils than with any other metal or ceramic superconductor.  The MgB2 superconductor, cooled in the available liquid hydrogen fuel, is the ideal candidate wire material for stator coils for large aircraft motors.   The lighter weight coils, especially in the stator, will enable a lighter weight motor.  During the Phase I we will demonstrate using this magnesium diboride superconductor wire in diamond wound stator coil form.  This will show feasibility of fabricating full size diamond patterned stator coils in a Phase II effort.
We will leverage our prior work on Adaptive Information Management (AIM) to provide a core reasoning capability usable in a diverse set of tools to aid and assist in the review, design, evaluation and management of user interfaces (UIs).  We have a task-linked information representation and associated algorithms for reasoning about the information needs of a set of user tasks, the information presentation capabilities of a set of devices and formats, and the degree of match between the two.  These have served as the basis of multiple, successful AIM systems in the past, but within highly restricted domains.  The proposed project will explore methods and required modifications for moving our core representation in innovative direction-?making it more interactive and subject to user guidance, applicable to a set of contexts of use rather than a current usage "slice", and capable of providing aiding across a broader set of domains.  Substantial modifications to our core task representation and several new critiquing modules will likely be needed.  Their design will open the doors for a variety of types of Multi-modal Aids for Interface Design (MAIDs).  In particular, the proposed project will focus on designing a tool to evaluate human-designed procedure execution displays against users' tasks needs, and provide design feedback and advice.
AMBP Tech will implement Zinc Oxide high mobility material technology it has developed specifically for flexible electronics into a direct write process onto large area polymer membranes.  The implementation of this technology will form the core components of transmit/receive components of a synthethic aperture radar flexible antenna that can operate in the L-band and enable imaging of the earth from GEO and MEO orbits.  The core issues that will be addressed in the Phase I program will include the demonstration that the high mobility material translates to high frequency response transistors suitable for power and signal amplification in transmit/receive modules, development of a low temperature ohmic contact forming process, exploration of advance FET ZnO device layer architectures, and most importantly the demonstration of the direct write capability of the LAMBD technology.  In Phase II, AMPB Tech will integrate these process modules with other metal and dielectric direct write technologies to realized monolithic transmit/receive modules directly on a polyimide substrate and demonstrate a small 2D Synthethic Aperture Radar Antenna Array.
While absolute power levels in microelectronic devices are relatively modest (a few tens to a few hundred watts), heat fluxes can be significant (~50 W/cm2 in current electronic chips; up to 2000 W/cm2 in semiconductor lasers).  Microchannel diamond heat sinks created via microfabrication techniques make it possible to boost heat transfer rates well above what is possible with ordinary cooling devices. If  nanodiamond particles are added in suspension to the circulating fluid in the microchannels, the heat carrying properties of the device would be increased even more. The devices we are proposing to fabricate would utilize diamond which has the highest thermal conductivity of any known material combined with a microchannel cooling system. These unique attributes would make microchannel diamond heat sinks prime contenders for the next generation heat sink. These devices could be utilized for efficient cooling in a variety of applications requiring high heat transfer capability including: semiconductor lasers, multichip modules in computers laser-diode arrays, radar systems, high-flux optics, etc. An added benefit for outer space applications is that besides having the highest known thermal conductivity, diamond is the best shielding material for micrometeorite protection.
SSCI, in collaboration with Boeing Phantom Works, proposes to develop and test an efficient Integrated Damage Adaptive Control System (IDACS). The proposed system is based on the development of a coupled structural and aerodynamic model of aircraft dynamics under wing damage, and multiple-model damage estimator whose estimates are used in the reconfigurable control law to stabilize the aircraft and achieve acceptable performance of the closed-loop flight control system.  In order to achieve these objectives, we propose to carry out the following tasks in Phase I: (i) Develop an integrated structural and aerodynamic model of wing damage; (ii) Evaluate the feasibility of a multiple-model wing damage estimator; and (iii)  Test and evaluate the performance of the IDACS. Boeing Phantom Works (Mr. James M. Urnes, Sr.) will provide technical and commercialization support under the project. The main emphasis of the Phase II work will be on enhancements and integration of the proposed IDACS algortihms, and the development of the corresponding software tool.
This proposal outlines a program to develop a vibration-free reverse-Brayton cycle cooling system using specially-tuned magnetic bearings.  Such a system is critical for the level of sensitivity required by future electromagnetic and gravitational wave detectors.  The nature of magnetic bearings and their accompanying control systems make them ideal for applications that demand zero vibration, low-gravity, and maintenance-free operation.  Further integration of these bearings into a reverse-Brayton cycle for cooling instruments is an ideal solution for use in high-sensitivity, long-term operations.  In Phase I, Mainstream will develop a control algorithm designed to eliminate virtually all vibration and will be developed and tested on an existing machine operating under similar operating speeds and conditions.  Design of the system and individual components will be finalized for immediate fabrication and testing in Phase II.
Paragon Space Development Corporation proposes an innovative, efficient and practical concept that utilizes Solid Oxide Electrolysis for regenerative air revitalization.  The concept is innovative because it safely eliminates handling of hydrogen, and works irrespective of gravity and pressure environments with no moving parts and no multi-phase flows.  The innovation is efficient because it requires no expendables while being compact with minimal impact on mass.  The innovation is practical because it evolves from the well-established, current state of the art in oxygen production for the regenerative air revitalization system slated for the International Space Station.  The approach proposed addresses the crux of the innovation in Phase I through modeling and experimentation to immediately identify the most feasible approach to its implementation.  Phase II will encompass more detailed experimentation to optimize the subsystem design resulting in a fully functioning regenerative oxygen subsystem for advanced life support.  The consequence is significant because solid oxide electrolysis is an inherently suitable technology (and possibly the only technology) for enabling 100&#37; oxygen regeneration from carbon dioxide and water vapor, two byproducts of crew activity that must be managed regardless.
TRS Technologies proposes large stroke and high precision single crystal flextensional piezoelectric microactuators for cryogenic optic devices such as large aperture deformable mirrors, etc. for future NASA space telescope missions. Single crystal piezoelectrics are attractive because they exhibit 3 to 5 times the strain of conventional piezoelectric ceramics, have very low strain hysteresis, and retain excellent piezoelectric performance at cryogenic temperatures. Flextensional single crystal piezoelectric microactuators could be used to further reduce the actuator weight in the deformable mirror, while maintain the large stroke and excellent cryogenic properties. Flextensional single crystal piezoelectric microactuator (&lt;3x3x3 mm) with stroke &gt; 10 um will be developed and tested. The initial DM modeling considering the flextensional actuator performance and the polymer membrane face sheet will be conducted in Phase I. At the conclusion of Phase I the feasibility of flextensional single crystal piezoelectric microactuators for membrane deformable mirror will have been demonstrated for large dynamic range wavefront correction at temperature ranged from 4K to 300K. In Phase II flextensional microactuator array and the DM membrane deformable mirrors will be prototyped and characterized.
The efficient utilization of ground test facilities and launch sites is critical for the success of NASA's New Vision for Space Exploration.  The development of an innovative Wireless Integrated Microelectronic Vacuum Sensor System for monitoring vacuum-jacketed pipelines is proposed that would address the need of NASA for measurements of the insulating capability of cryogenic lines for ground testing, flight vehicles, and launch facilities.  Recent advances in both MEMS vacuum gauge technology and low-power, long-range radio frequency transceivers has enabled the development of a low-cost, miniature device with sophisticated capabilities.  The complete, self-contained, battery-operated system would fit within the volume of the current vacuum gauges only and provide periodic, continuous monitoring of vacuum conditions throughout the entire facility.  Such a system would reduce operations costs and increase vacuum jacket reliability by eliminating the need for human intervention, reduce package, wiring size and weight, and provide constant network reporting and monitoring of the facility from any Internet enabled computer.  Beyond this application for vacuum monitoring, the long-range wireless sensor networking capabilities developed under this program would be applicable to a vast array of other sensor types and control applications throughout Stennis Space Center and other NASA facilities.