NASA 2000 SBIR Phase 2 SOLICITATION

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Aircraft icing is a severe aviation weather hazard as the formation of ice on aircraft surfaces can lead to degradation in aerodynamic performance due to increase in drag and weight, and decrease in lift and stall speed. Today, there are limited ice detection systems available that warn pilots of icing due to their high acquisition and certification costs. During the Phase I program, IDI developed a proof of concept windshield mount infrared icing advisory system for detecting both icing conditions ahead of the aircraft as well as ice buildup on the windshield surface. Technical feasibility of the forward-looking system concept was established using a dual wavelength infrared (IR) laser source and detection approach. A low cost visible wavelength was demonstrated for local icing condition and windshield ice detection. The proposed Phase II program will develop a multi wavelength IR system with ranging and cloud property assessment capability, to provide the pilot critical distance and icing severity of the approaching weather front. The Phase II prototype system performance will be demonstrated in the near and far field using various ground, flight, and icing tunnel environments. Sensitivity of the proposed IR system for the detection of dangerous freezing rain and Super-cooled Liquid Droplets (SLD) will also be evaluated. Successful development of a low cost icing advisory system will provide GA pilots a level of flight safety currently unavailable.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Applications for the proposed ICIRIS icing advisory system include OEM business jets, small general aviation aircraft, as well as commuter airline fleets. A battery operated retrofit version of this technology would be ideal for the existing GA fleet owners who operate in IMC, and currently use visual cues to determine icing conditions. More importantly, the proposed system will demonstrate the capability to detect real time IFR conditions ahead of the aircraft, thus preventing VFR pilots from entering dangerous IMC conditions, currently one of the largest source of in-flight aviation accident fatalities

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Jack Edmonds
Innovative Dynamics, Inc.
2560 North Triphammer Road
Ithaca , NY   14850 - 9726

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Innovative Dynamics, Inc.
2560 North Triphammer Road
Ithaca , NY   14850 - 9726

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal describes the development of a multi-frequency airborne radar system for in-flight icing potential detection. Range profiles of cloud reflectivity from multiple radar frequencies can be used to derive estimates of cloud liquid water content and particle sizing parameters, based on differential attenuation as a function of frequency. During Phase II, we plan to build a prototype radar, using high power transmitters at 9.4 and 35 GHz and a solid-state transmitter at 95 GHz. The entire prototype system will be built in a wing-mountable pod for deployment on the NASA Twin Otter icing research aircraft. Up to 30 hours of flight tests are planned, with a goal of demonstrating the feasibility of icing potential detection under a variety of weather conditions. For Phase III, we plan to develop a multi-function weather radar (MFWR) providing conventional weather radar products as well as an icing potential detection capability and updraft/downdraft detection, that will be affordable within the commercial aviation marketplace. A key enabling technology, microwave integrated circuits (MIC), will be used to implement radar receivers at 9.4 and 35 GHz and a receiver/transmitter at 95 GHz that are compact, inexpensive, and easy to service.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications of the proposed development include

-Enhanced weather radar for aircraft, providing maps of icing potential in addition to conventional weather radar data products.
-Affordable solid-state millimeter-wave cloud radars, using field-replaceable MIC receivers and MIC transmit/receive modules.
-Compact, high resolution imaging radars for runway imaging from aircraft
-Custom radars for government and university research

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Ivan PopStefanija
ProSensing Inc.
107 Sunderland Road
Amherst , MA   01002 - 1098

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
ProSensing Inc.
107 Sunderland Road
Amherst , MA   01002 - 1098

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Mide is proposing to develop enhanced energy absorbing aircraft seats using superelastic Nickel Titanium alloy. The goals are to enhance crashworthiness while reducing weight in a cost-effective program. The proposed work will follow a two pronged approach to develop the material technology while identifying and developing seat products in parallel. In Phase I, the advantages of the material were demonstrated, and preliminary concepts were explored. Phase II will advance the material technology and will continue to qualify the material for the operational environment. Qualification tests will be performed. Crash simulations and sled impact testing will be performed on selected seat systems to demonstrate performance.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The technology developed will lead to aircraft seat products that can have a direct impact on the performance and weight of crashworthy seating systems. Markets include military and commercial aircraft, including rotorcraft, and general aviation aircraft. Additional opportunities will be pursued in other industries, including automotive crash safety.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Marthinus van Schoor
Mide Technology Corporation
2000 Boston Avenue Suite 2500
Medford , MA   02155 - 4243

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Mide Technology Corporation
2000 Boston Avenue Suite 2500
Medford , MA   02155 - 4243

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The ultimate objective of the proposed project is the development of a practical onboard, inert-gas generation system for fuel tank inerting on commercial aircraft. The system would also have the potential to produce: (1) inert gas (and/or liquid) for fire suppression, and/or (2) liquid oxygen for the emergency breathing supply system. The system is based on compact cryogenic air separation technology originally developed for the Air Force's C-17 aircraft. However, since the requirements for commercial aircraft are vastly different from military aircraft, significant adaptation is required. As compared with other approaches to onboard gas generation for large transport aircraft applications (e.g., molecular sieves or semi-permeable membranes), cryogenic air separation requires less bleed air and less power, and has similar system weight and size. During the successful Phase I effort, we developed system specifications, produced a preliminary design, identified key technology elements that require further development, and produced a preliminary system design for a future flight test. In Phase II, we will demonstrate the core air separation technology components at full scale for full-time inerting of a 747 center wing tank. We will also define the palletized system flight test to be conducted during Phase III.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
A commercial aircraft fuel tank inerting system has significant business potential. Rules potentially forthcoming from the FAA may require that fuel tank ullage be inerted on commercial aircraft during a significant portion of the operational envelope. This would create an immediate, large and ongoing market for this technology. For large to medium sized aircraft, the technology proposed here is more attractive than alternative approaches such as molecular sieves and semi-permeable membranes. The primary advantages are lower bleed air and electrical power requirements. In addition, the proposed technology offers the potential to produce liquid nitrogen for fire suppression and liquid oxygen for emergency breathing supplies. Other approaches do not offer these potential benefits.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Martin A. Shimko
Creare Inc.
Etna Road, P.O. Box 71
Hanover , NH   03755 - 0071

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Creare Inc.
Etna Road, P.O. Box 71
Hanover , NH   03755 - 0071

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This SBIR will develop a design decision support tool that will assist designers in providing a powerful, supportive work environment for aviation crews that support the maintenance of a high level of situation awareness in the flight environment. DeSAT will be developed as a design decision support system providing the capability to (1) analyze the situation awareness requirements associated with operational requirements (which could include ground based or flight based crew members), (2) compare situation awareness information requirements to system design features to identify potential situation awareness problems and deficiencies early in the design process, and (3) evaluate the degree to which design concepts support SA via the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT). DeSAT will be developed for analysis of SA for both individual crew stations and for distributed teams operating across flight and time. DeSAT will allow designers to modify design concepts early in the design process to ensure that they provide the needed situation awareness to system users.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS

DeSAT's most immediate commercialization potential would be among aviation system design firms. This would include both commercial flight deck and military cockpit designers. This market would be both U.S. and international in scope. In addition, DeSAT could be shown to applicable to a much wider variety of systems, including ground transportation, space operations, distributed monitoring systems, power station control, maintenance and medical systems. This expansion would create an even larger market for DeSAT, as designers in these fields have traditionally had less background in human factors and cognitive engineering. DeSAT would provide a very important resource for these designers as it would allow them to assess the impact of combined and integrated systems on operator SA.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Mica Endsley
SA Technologies, Inc.
4731 East Forest Peak
Marietta , GA   30066 - 1763

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
SA Technologies, Inc.
4731 East Forest Peak
Marietta , GA   30066 - 1763

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Realtime Oscillation VERifier (ROVER) uses several tests to identify the conditions consistent with PIO, based on commonly available input and response data. In real-time evaluations on a fixed-base simulator in Phase I, ROVER was effective at detecting PIO, with minimal occurrence of false trips. Visual indication of the detection of PIO on a Head-Up Display (HUD) provided useful information to the pilot. ROVER has several other strong uses, including post-processing of time history data to detect oscillatory responses, analysis of past PIO (and non-PIO) events, and rapid determination of the effects of intentional oscillatory-looking control inputs, such as frequency sweeps. In example applications, ROVER verified the characteristics of the PIO experienced by the prototype YF-22 and suggested that a crash involving an MD-11 was not the result of a classical PIO. Some practical issues identified for ROVER are noisy and low-sample-rate data, and requirements to tailor the detection flags to extend the monitor to all possible flight conditions, vehicle configurations, and tasks. ROVER will benefit NASA in future aerospace research programs by minimizing the risk of loss of aircraft due to PIO.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Reports of PIO on commercial aircraft are becoming more common, with recent events leading to loss of property and lives. ROVER will minimize the risk of catastrophic PIO by warning the unsuspecting pilot, much like stall or overspeed warnings on current airplanes. Potentially every civil transport airplane in use today, and under development for the future, could be equipped with ROVER. It is equally amenable to use in high-performance military airplanes. A non-real-time version of ROVER can be used to post-process data as an analytical tool. It can provide insights into pilot behavior and aircraft response in PIOs, and can reduce the engineer's workload in searching for evidence of PIO. ROVER can also discern between normal oscillatory responses and real out-of-control PIOs. Both the non-real-time and the real-time versions of ROVER have strong market potential.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
David Mitchell
Hoh Aeronautics, Inc.
2075 Palos Verdes Dr N #217
Lomita , CA   90717 - 3726

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Hoh Aeronautics, Inc.
2075 Palos Verdes Dr N #217
Lomita , CA   90717 - 3726

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ASRI proposes to develop an advanced and commercially viable CPLE Health Monitoring System (CPLE-HMS) utilizing a novel spectral enhancement method to provide incipient fault-detection capabilities for rotating machinery. Based on a new spectral analysis technique called Coherent Phase Line Enhancer (CPLE), CPLE-HMS will significantly enhance all speed-related signatures in vibration measurements thus providing early detection of critical vibration signatures. Unlike the conventional Power Spectral Density (PSD) function method, the CPLE technique incorporates phase information into the spectral estimation process by detecting a unique coherent phase relationship associated with all speed-related signal components in the wave-number domain. Accordingly, the CPLE spectrum detects well-hidden fault-mechanism signatures (bearing, gear, rotor instability, etc.) that are often unnoticed by conventional PSD. The significance of the proposed innovation is attributed to its enhanced capability to cope with severe operational environments where health-monitoring measurements are heavily corrupted by background noise. The Phase I study has successfully demonstrated the feasibility and unique capability of CPLE-HMS as a reliable HMS. Phase II study will expand on Phase I to complete the design, development, and test of the prototype CPLE-HMS hardware/software system. Phase III objective is to build a fully integrated CPLE-HMS product for other commercial aircraft and manufacturing applications.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
A portable low-cost Engine Health Monitoring System has strong commercial application. The commercial transportation and power generation industries will benefit from its availability as will the manufacturing sector where production lines frequently rely on critical, active machinery. Implementing an effective health monitoring system in these commercial arenas will reduce the risks of catastrophic hardware losses and plant downtime. The commercial potential for an effective CPLE-HMS in the market place has been recognized by several of ASRI's customers.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Jen-Yi Jong
AI Signal Research Inc
3411 Triana Blvd. SW
Huntsville , AL   35805 - 4641

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
AI Signal Research Inc
3411 Triana Blvd. SW
Huntsville , AL   35805 - 4641

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The objective for Phase II is to develop a compact, fiber-optic analyzer and method for real-time monitoring of turbine engine oil condition. Although a combination of existing physical, chemical, and spectroscopic methods is capable of providing a detailed profile of oil quality, there is a need for methods compatible with real-time measurements to rapidly assess oil condition without requiring removal of samples for laboratory analysis. Results obtained during Phase I demonstrated that Raman spectrometry could be used to achieve this goal by monitoring spectral changes resulting from degradation of the base ester and antioxidant additives in common synthetic turbine oil compositions. The feasibility of the approach was demonstrated using a portable Raman spectrometer coupled with a fiber optic probe. During Phase II, multivariate analysis will be used to refine the methodology by identifying the most appropriate spectra preprocessing techniques, and generating a calibrated model relating the Raman spectra to the extent of degradation. Parameters extracted from the model will be used to construct an artificial neural network that will translate the data into an index of oil condition. The spectrometer, preprocessing methods, and neural network will be compiled into a prototype device, and demonstrated using a small-scale turbine engine.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed analyzer and analysis method focuses on real-time monitoring of synthetic turbine engine oil condition. This technology could be used as aircraft or other turbine engine oil health sensors in many departments of the U.S. Government, including NASA and the Department of Defense. The exact same technology could be used by the commercial airline industry, as well as the energy industry where turbine engines are used to generate electricity from coal, natural gas, or fossil fuels. Furthermore, with minor modifications in the methodology, the proposed technique could be applied to the lubricant industry as an online spectroscopic analyzer for rapid quality control analysis.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Shane E. Roark
Eltron Research Inc
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder , CO   80301 - 3241

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Eltron Research Inc
4600 Nautilus Court South
Boulder , CO   80301 - 3241

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The main objective of this project is to design and implement efficient on-line Failure Detection,
Identification and Reconfiguration (FDIR) algorithms for an advanced military aircraft in the
presence of flight-critical control actuator failures. The proposed FDIR system will combine
an advanced decentralized on-line FDI scheme with efficient adaptive reconfigurable control
algorithms to assure effective failure compensation and flight safety improvement despite
severe subsystem and component failures. In order to achieve these objectives, we propose
to carry out the following tasks: (i) Formulate the FDIR problem; (ii) Determine Sensitivity
-To-Failures (STF) of the aircraft dynamic model; (iii) Design an efficient FDIR scheme;
(iv) Evaluation, Verification and Validation (EVV); and (v) Software Tool Development and
Commercialization. It is envisioned that the design will be developed to meet the
specifications arising from the new Intelligent Vehicle Program led by NASA DFRC.
Boeing Phantom Works will provide technical and commercialization support.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Increasingly complex equipment has substantially increased the costs and complexity of maintenance
of modern aircraft and other engineering systems. Hence Health Monitoring, Failure Detection and
Identification (HM-FDI), and Adaptive Reconfigurable Control (ARC) techniques and related software
tools are becoming increasingly important and commercially attractive. A commercial product that
will result from the proposed research is a comprehensive software toolbox for the design of
HM-FDI/ARC systems. Potential applications of the software tool exist in civilian and defense
areas including aircraft, helicopters, jet engines and chemical and process control.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Jovan D. Boskovic
Scientific Systems Company Inc
500 West Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn , MA   01801 - 6580

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Scientific Systems Company Inc
500 West Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn , MA   01801 - 6580

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Suppression of jet engine noise by inlet and exhaust duct liners continues to be an important part of obtaining environmentally acceptable aircraft. To facilitate the design and analysis of both current perforate and mesh liners, as well as future active, smart, or nonlinearly responding liners, Nielsen Engineering and Research has developed a time-domain acoustic liner characterization scheme based on novel application of Volterra (integral) series methods. Rigorously equivalent to the conventional frequency-domain impedance concept for linearly behaving liners, the new method both generalizes and supersedes the impedance concept when faced with describing nonlinearly responding, and nonlocally reacting, liners. It also provides a compact, differential equation description of liner dynamics that may be employed as a boundary condition in time-domain Computational Aeroacoustics calculations used to analyze performance of existing liners or design new ones. In the Phase II Nielsen Engineering and Research will demonstrate this technique on nonlinear liners. This will include the design and testing, in collaboration with NASA, of new experimental techniques to provide the information-rich data needed for proper nonlinear characterization of liner dynamics. Numerical validations of the method are also included, beginning with end-to-end demonstrations of the method's ability to repredict the time-domain data upon which a liner's nonlinear description is based, and closing with realistic, full-Euler calculations of such liners installed in a representative engine inlet duct.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
>From this work NEAR envisions production of a software system that can be fed either time history or impedance data from liner measurements and then generates the particular differential equation that characterizes that liner's velocity response to pressure. This technique enables off-line liner design, optimization, and testing, with consequent savings to jet engine manufacturers. Use of this characterization technology outside acoustics could revive the use of simple, lumped-element, engineering models by eliminating the often restrictive assumptions associated with them. The ability to generate an approximate differential equation description of complex systems from data is a substantial accomplishment in that direction. Thus NEAR envisions a broader market for this characterization software in the simulation arena.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Patrick H. Reisenthel
Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc.
526 Clyde Avenue
Mountain View , CA   94043 - 2212

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Nielsen Engineering & Research, Inc.
526 Clyde Avenue
Mountain View , CA   94043 - 2212

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Practical jet noise prediction for realistic geometries requires accurate RANS-based inputs regarding mean and turbulent flow quantities. Such information is currently unavailable; our proposed innovation seeks to remedy this issue. Phase I results yielded a preliminary turbulence model (EASM/J) extensively tested against fundamental shear flow data and detailed 3D-PIV measurements for a cold jet. Highlights included demonstrating that jet turbulent anisotropy, which affects noise, has unexpected complex variations, particularly for separate flow nozzles with passive mixing. One task in Phase II will upgrade MGBK to account for these observations given advanced CFD inputs. Phase II work will also extend the baseline EASM/J to more accurately account for the effects of compressibility and hot jets on mean and turbulent flow structures (and hence noise). A unique aspect to our development approach is direct support from both PIV and LES for providing critical modeling details. Laser speckling will also be performed to resolve differences between time-averaged (measured) and Favre-averaged (modeled) quantities. This effort will also include investigating complex jets, including shocks and chevrons. The final product is an advanced CFD tool capable of supporting noise reduction studies, evaluating complex plume flowfields, and providing noise prediction information to an improved version of MGBK.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications entail direct extension to existing work supporting DoD contractors for plume IR applications via: (1) software licensing of a specialized and validated propulsive code with increased accuracy; (2) consulting support; and (3) direct performance of very challenging plume-related problems. IR applications for conventional aircraft and missiles require accurate representation of only the mean flow structure. Via the advanced turbulence development proposed during Phase II, our scope of current commercial applications can be greatly expanded to include supporting:

(1) commercial and military aircraft noise reduction problems, which require details of the turbulent anisotropy;
(2) EM propagations (for target tracking and countermeasure scenarios) through hot plumes, which require details of the temperature variance;
(3) rotorcraft/VSTOL plumes, which have strong vortical interactions and require non-linear EASM, and plume impingement problems that current turbulence models cannot accurately represent.

All these additional applications can be addressed by implementing the new turbulence framework into our present, specialized jet/plume commercial code.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Donald C. Kenzakowski, Jr.
Combustion Research and Flow Technology, Inc.
174 North Main Street, P.O. Box 1150
Dublin , PA   18917 - 2108

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Combustion Research and Flow Tech., Inc.
174 North Main Street, P.O. Box 1150
Dublin , PA   18917 - 2108

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Integrating cost- and time-effective analysis of turbopump steady state and transient thermo-mechanical effects into the preliminary and final design process is the overall goal. Automating the thermo-mechanical analysis process is the proposed innovation. Integrating the new methodology within an existing multi-disciplinary turbopump design system (owned by NASA and select turbopump manufacturers) is the primary commercialization path. The subtopic calls for advancements with integrated multi-disciplinary design and analysis systems for important vehicle subsystems such as turbopumps. The offered approach meets the topic goal of lowering design, development, and production costs by developing advanced and innovative technology. The integrated thermo-mechanical analysis capability is required by turbopump designers to support low-cost turbopump development for RLVs and other applications. Turbopump requirements include better performance and reliability, lower product cost, reduced size and weight, and improvements in development cycle time. More efficiently and effectively analyzing turbopump system thermal and transient response may be the most challenging aspect of turbopump design and integration into the propulsion system. The proposed work has tremendous dual-use potential for designers of industrial turbomachinery products. The results from the Phase I work show the feasibility of significant and achievable goals for the next generation of dual use turbopump design tools.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
In addition to turbopump applications, integrated thermo-mechanical analysis is important to the proposer?s design software users in the marine, locomotive, and automotive turbocharger market who deal with severe temperature differentials between the low temperature compressor and the high temperature turbine. Small gas turbine engines also experience thermal transients when the compressor and turbine are mounted on a common shaft. This rotor configuration is common in auxiliary power unit, turboalternator and helicopter applications.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Michael J. Platt
Concepts ETI, Inc.
217 Billings Farm Road
White River Jct , VT   05001 - 9486

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Concepts ETI, Inc.
217 Billings Farm Road
White River Jct , VT   05001 - 9486

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
On-line, real-time control and guidance law reconfiguration is a challenging task for reusable launch vehicles (RLVs). Due to the often minimal set of control effectors on RLVs, full recovery of nominal performance will not always be possible, and the outer-loop guidance system must adapt. Barron Associates, Inc. (BAI) has developed a guidance approach that can reconfigure in real time to increase the reliability and safety of RLVs. The novel, modular approach autonomously identifies the inner-closed-loop dynamics and adapts the guidance for off-nominal performance. A more formal optimization technique developed and matured by BAI is employed to reshape trajectory commands on-line. The proposed effort will seek to extensively mature the designs to be robust against a significant set of all possible contingencies that the vehicle might encounter in flight. BAI?s approach does not require a priori knowledge of the failure, but can adapt the guidance system to unforeseen contingencies. BAI has teamed with the Boeing Corporation and proposes to bring these technologies to near flight ready status. A main strength of the proposal is that BAI will leverage the effort with a significant supporting Air Force-funded program, as well as proposed near-term flight tests of BAI?s algorithms on Boeing?s X-40A RLV.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
This Phase II effort will help to mature BAI?s reconfigurable guidance designs to near flight-ready status. The related Air Force commitments and NASA?s Space Launch Initiative program provide the vehicle test-beds for cultivating these technologies. Commercialization will consist of (a) providing expertise and consulting to the industry in the area of reconfigurable launch vehicle guidance and control, (b) developing software toolkits that aid design of autonomous reconfigurable control and guidance systems that directly benefit RLV and other aerospace programs, and (c) transitioning the technology to existing customers and new control application areas. Design and development of reconfigurable or adaptive guidance systems has become a significant portion of BAI?s business, and the techniques developed in this program will help BAI continue a leadership role in this field.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
John D. Schierman
Barron Associates, Inc.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 300
Charlottesville , VA   22901 - 0807

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Barron Associates, Inc.
1160 Pepsi Place, Suite 300
Charlottesville , VA   22901 - 0807

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ORBITEC proposes to develop an innovative, cool-wall rocket engine combustion chamber that confines propellant mixing and burning to the inner region of a coaxial vortex flow field. The outer region of the flow field prevents the hot combustion products from contacting the wall. Though the chamber walls are subject to radiant heat transfer, one of the propellants provides effective wall cooling to prevent thermal degradation of the chamber. The Cool-Wall Vortex Combustion Chamber (CWVCC) offers several advantages over conventional liquid rocket engine designs. Avoiding severe thermal cycling of the chamber will extend chamber lifetime and allow for simple, lightweight, low-cost chamber designs. The vortex acts as an effective flame holder and may prevent combustion instability. The spinning vortices also provide an extended flow path much longer than the geometric length of the chamber. The chamber length may thus be reduced for a significant weight savings. The enhanced shear mixing should produce high combustion efficiencies. Engines featuring this technology should offer high reusability, high performance, long life, and low cost. Phase I will include numerical flow field analysis, lab-scale engine design, fabrication, parametric hot-fire testing using oxygen and hydrogen, data analysis, and large-scale engine designs for Phase II.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The ultimate goal of this technology is aimed at improving liquid rocket and RBCC engine heat transfer capability, lifetime, reusability, and thrust-to-weight ratio. Simplifying engine manufacture and lowering operational costs represent further benefits. Second and third generation launch vehicles will benefit from these improvements. The end product of the overall research and development program will have application to sounding rockets, single-stage-to-orbit vehicles, and other reusable and expendable launch vehicles and upper stages. The advantages of the CWVCC may also make it an attractive technology for combined-cycle vehicles, hypersonic space planes, and airbreathing engines such as ramjets and rocket ejectors. Near-term military applications include: high-speed and/or high altitude target drones, cruise missile propulsion, interceptors, and forward observation craft propulsion. In addition to these applications, this new type of vortex combustion may have significant industrial benefits. For example, many classes of air-fired combustors can use the CWVCC technology for improved combustion efficiency, extended lifetime, and potentially reduced emissions.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Martin Chiaverini
Orbital Technologies Corporation
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison , WI   53717 - 1961

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Orbital Technologies Corporation
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison , WI   53717 - 1961

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Acoustic Prediction/Measurement Tool (APMT) is an innovative approach to integrate both analytical and experimental techniques when performing a rocket-plume investigation. APMT provides an acoustician access to both experimental data and analytical predictions that are derived from empirical models and a database that includes pertinent extensive Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) data. Before, during or after measurements are recorded, the APMT generates additional acoustic spectra at locations that are not part of the experimental setup. Because the prediction solutions are obtained from a detailed, refined computational model and empirical analysis, the predicted values are very accurate. This accuracy leads to improved quality of the experimental data by disclosing measurement anomalies during data acquisition. Thus, an engineer can intervene immediately to improve results. The analytical prediction model, once calibrated, can predict acoustic spectra during a static test or launch at various locations on and around the spacecraft, ground support equipment, or support facilities. These predictions can then be used for structural dynamic analysis to evaluate effects of the plume acoustical environment. APMT includes several input parameters that can be varied to simulate or eliminate perturbations in the experiment. This flexibility helps determine the sensitivity of the measured results to various parameters.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Once APMT is developed, coded, and tested, it has immediate commercial potential in aeronautical and space industries. The tool?s commercial appeal arises because it provides both spacecraft and aircraft designers the ability to obtain acoustic spectra quickly and to use these loads for structural analysis early in the design phase for a new vehicle. Not only can APMT be marketed both as a stand-alone product but the software can be distributed as a functional accessory module to an existing data-analysis product that evolved from earlier NASA SBIR work. This product, PC-SIGNAL?, has just become available for users. The commercial version of the new module will feature an extensive graphic user interface to enable users to apply it with minimum training to obtain results. The proposed software fills a long-standing spacecraft/aircraft engineering void. Heretofore, surface acoustic forcing functions were hard to synthesize because no combination of analysis techniques and test data integration was available for this purpose.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Wade Dorland
AI Signal Research Inc
3411 Triana Blvd. SW
Huntsville , AL   35805 - 4641

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
AI Signal Research Inc
3411 Triana Blvd. SW
Huntsville , AL   35805 - 4641

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
A proton collimator would convert fusion products emitted isotropically from an IEC fusion core into a directional beam of high-energy particles. This collimated beam could then be introduced to direct energy converters, direct proton thrusters, or evaporative thrusters for space propulsion. Another important characteristic of the collimator is that it separates leaking low-energy fuel components from the energetic fusion protons. This fuel could then be pumped out and recycled, avoiding losses of valuable fusion fuels into space.
The physical and engineering feasibility of a simulation experiment with a small-scale electron collimator was successfully demonstrated in the Phase I project. Accordingly, simulation experiments are recommended prior to a full-scale proton collimator experiment as a next step to save costs and to obtain basic performance results quickly. The proposed Phase II electron collimator could employ a unique spherical filament emitter to produce an isotropic 600-eV electron beam, simulating 15-MeV fusion proton effects in the unit. The collimator performance would be studied and the sensitivity of the unit determined with respect to space potential, off-axis position of electron sources, while other auxiliary parameters would be clarified. Separation and recycle of fuel icons would also be studies. Phase II results, including the physics database and benchmark computer codes, would be utilized in designing Phase III experiments on the proton collimator at a larger facility.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The primary commercial application for this invention would be for advanced spacecraft propulsion. Both operation modes considered are useful: the evaporating target thruster provides a ultra-high thrust propulsion unit while the direct energy converter version can be used for generation of electricity for use with am electrical thruster or for spacecraft electrical systems. Direct exhaust of the protons can also be considered as a hybrid ultra-high impulse propulsion unit.
Combined with the IEC fusion unit, the proton collimator also has the near-term potential of providing a large commercial market in intense proton-beam technology. It provides an inexpensive and intense proton beam in the important energy range of a few MeV through 15-MeV. Non-electrostatic accelerators such as linear accelerators or proton cyclotrons presently provide MeV proton beams, but their beam intensities are weak and irradiation costs are expensive. Once a multi- kW IEC fusion unit is achieved, several mA's of 15-MeV proton beam could be delivered at relatively low cost with a collimator. This simultaneously provides an important step towards scale-up of the IEC to power plant level. Thus, commercialization of the proton collimator is anticipated in an early stage of IEC fusion core development.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Hiromu Momota
NPL Associates
912 W. Armory Ave
Champaign , IL   61821 - 4537

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
NPL Associates
912 W. Armory Ave
Champaign , IL   61821 - 4537

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Human exploration and commercial exploitation of space is bogged down because of the lack of safe, low cost access to LEO. Opening the ?Final Frontier? requires a rocketplane with a "breakthrough" propulsion system and capable of airplane-like safety and reliability. In Phase I of this SBIR, the Alchemist Air Collection and Enrichment System (ACES) was shown through analysis to provide the promised ?breakthrough? performance and safety advantages. In Phase II, we propose to take a key element of ACES, the air separator, and experimentally demonstrate that this technology is ready and available for use. The goal during this SBIR is to: 1) generate a two-phase thermodynamic model of the proposed single stage vortex tube air separator, and 2) demonstrate experimentally a 90 percent oxygen yield at 90 percent purity from a single stage vortex tube. This technology has many applications besides saving weight and improving the reliability of RLVs. It can be used on the ground for in situ generation of emergency oxygen at hospitals and for safeing fuel tanks and grain silos. We propose to use it to enable a Suborbital Business Jet as the first step to space.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The Business Jet market is predicted to be worth $115 B over the next decade. This market now exceeds the market for high performance fighter planes, and Teal Group has forecast a 50% chance that someone will launch a supersonic business jet (SSBJ) in the next fifteen years. This market is driven by productivity in that the executives can work while in the air and depart when it?s convenient for them, not for the airlines. A step beyond the SSBJ is the Suborbital Business Jet (SOBJ), which could reduce an all-day flight to three hours, allowing both travel and business to be conducted within an executive?s sixteen-hour day. The SOBJ would takeoff from existing airports, cruise for two hours to generate LOX using Alchemist ACES, rocket boost to a suborbital trajectory, and then skip-glide to the vicinity of its destination. It would arrive under jet power with passengers who are now official astronauts. We think a market penetration of ten to fifteen percent is not unreasonable for the Suborbital Business Jet, which is roughly one to one-and-a-half billion dollars per year in the time frame of interest. Another subsidiary market, Overnight International Package Delivery, is just as lucrative.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Steven White
Andrews Space & Technology
911 Western Ave, Suite 506
Seattle , CA   98104 - 1047

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Andrews Space & Technology
911 Western Ave, Suite 506
Seattle , CA   98104 - 1047

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
ORBITEC proposes to use ultra-fine aluminum powder (UFAL) to develop a gelled LH2 fuel and LOX propellant system. This innovation will increase the performance and density of LH2/LOX and the combustion efficiency of LH2/Al/LOX for use in rockets and combined-cycle vehicles. Lighter, higher-performing vehicles will result. Project objectives included development of a subscale rocket engine with which to test LH2/UFAL/LOX over a range of operating conditions, analysis and correlation of experimental data, and preliminary designs of larger rocket and ramjet engines for Phase II and III. In Phase I, a prototype rocket and sophisticated gel formation test apparatus was developed. In Phase II, the rocket engine will be parametrically tested to characterize the combustion performance of LH2/UFAL. It is anticipated that the test results will show high specific impulse, high combustion efficiency, and improved propellant density. NASA applications include planetary propulsion, sounding rockets, various types of launch vehicles, space engines for near-Earth and interplanetary missions, and combined-cycle vehicle engines.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The use of UFAL (ultra-fine aluminum powder) in gelled LH2 can have a significant impact on launch vehicle technology, orbit transfer vehicles, planetary missions, military interceptor applications, and combined-cycle engine performance. UFAL will increase both performance and propellant density, allow reductions in tank size, and construction of lighter, high-performance vehicles. The ultimate goal of this technology is aimed at single-stage-to-orbit vehicles and reusable launch vehicles that use combined-cycle propulsion. The LH2/UFAL/LOX propellant is ideally suited for this application due to its high-energy density and high combustion efficiency. LH2/UFAL/LOX could potentially service a combined-cycle vehicle during all stages of flight. Other near-term uses include planetary propulsion, sounding rockets, and small, ramjet powered aerial vehicles, such as RPV?s for observation and communication applications. Military applications include: high-speed and/or high-altitude target drones, cruise missile propulsion, interceptors, and forward observation craft propulsion. Civilian uses include the increased storage capabilities of gelled LH2 for use as an alternative fuel sourcein ground and air transport vehilces.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Martin Chiaverini
Orbital Technologies Corporation
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison , WI   53717 - 1961

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Orbital Technologies Corporation
Space Center, 1212 Fourier Drive
Madison , WI   53717 - 1961

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The Successful Phase I work resulted in an optimized C-SiC technology and the fabrication of 8?x8?x2? composites and a deliverable of 15? O.D and 2.5? thick disc composites.

Mechanical properties such as tensile strength (RT, 2500 F), and shear strength were determined. These results were found to be equal or greater than the state?of?the art CVI produced composites.

Phase II addresses the issues of process development to further increase the UTS, higher toughness, and improved environmental durabilities for these novel composites.

This Phase II proposed program will extend the accomplishments of Phase I to the fabrication of 40? O.D, and 2.5? thick C-SiC discs.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial applications include furnace fixture and engine components.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Witold Kowbel
MER Corporation
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson , AZ   85706 - 9237

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
MER Corporation
7960 S. Kolb Rd.
Tucson , AZ   85706 - 9237

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA has identified a need to reduce weight and cost of rocket thrust
chambers, nozzles, and ramps. A lightweight actively cooled ceramic matrix
composite (CMC) system would be lighter than metallic designs and would
require significantly less cooling. Composite Factory proposes a
zirconium-silicate or Zr-Si-O glass CMC with integral ceramic tubes
reinforced with a low cost discontinuous ceramic fiber preform. Integral
ceramic composite mounting structure offers potential for a 1.2 to 2.0
lb/ft2 structurally integrated exhaust ramp, thrust chamber, or nozzle.
The Phase-I project demonstrated the feasibility of adding Zr and tubes
including nearly a two-fold improvement in flex strength. During Phase-II
a more detailed material evaluation will be performed to determine the
concentration of Zr required to improve the thermal stability of the CMC.
Testing will include basic mechanical, cooled and un-cooled flat plates and
cylinders in the Air Force LHMEL facility and thrust chamber and ramp
testing at NASA Glenn. The development of a low cost zirconium-silicate
matrix would also be applicable to military and commercial turbine engine
components. Efforts related to helicopter turbine exit nozzles are being
proposed to the Army in a related Phase I SBIR Topic (A01-079).

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The efforts performed under the Phase I SBIR are complimentary to current
in-house research activities to expand the usage of Composite Factory's
Shuttle Gate Preform Machine and to increase Composite Factory's CMC
manufacturing capability.
Currently under development is a second generation of motion controls and
programming control for the Shuttle Gate Preform Machine with the goal to
achieve more precise control with less operator intervention and higher
outputs to handle the higher cost ceramic fibers with more precision and
ever lower scrap rates. The use of the preform machine in CMC applications
will reduce the cost of preforming and fabrication of most CMC's. The
Preform machine is already a key part of Composite Factory's business plan
and additional markets (CMC's) will continue to drive the costs of preform
machines and preforms lower.
Currently Composite Factory focuses on Blackglas? based CMC components.
Applications currently being produced for sale are the CMC brakes for
motorcycle racing and aftermarket street use. We are currently working
with multiple automotive OEM's to introduce the CMC brakes into automotive
applications. The ability to offer a higher temperature polymer derived
CMC system based on similar chemistry would increase the potential markets
Composite Factory could pursue. Immediate markets for exhaust liners in
diesel engines and combustor liners in turbine engines appear promising.
The application of a higher thermal conductivity phase in the CMC may also
improve the performance of the CMC as a friction material in aircraft brake
applications where higher thermal conductivity is critical to maintaining
acceptable surface temperatures.
It is Composite Factory's business to produce polymer and ceramic
matrix composites for commercial applications and any technology that opens
additional markets w

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Steve Atmur
Composite Factory, Inc.
31 Northern Avenue
Plattsburgh , NY   12903 - 3947

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Composite Factory, Inc.
31 Northern Avenue
Plattsburgh , NY   12903 - 3947

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This work will focus on evaluating lower cost PIP processing of C-SiC composites for thick-section and large volume components such as blisk turbomachinery, nozzles, ramps, thrust chambers, ducting and other hot structures. A significant barrier to using composites in these applications involves processing limitations with respect to part size and volume. Processing routes utilizing chemical vapor deposition/infiltration (CVD/CVI) require high-temperature pressure reactors and rely on time/temperature dependent diffusion. As a result, CVD/CVI facility reactor dimensions limits the maximum part size while process physics limit the practical thickness/volume of parts to be infiltrated. Polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) processing may overcome such limitations. Although significant development has been done in the PIP processing of SiC/SiC systems, little work has been done with PIP C/SiC CMCs. Insufficient data and material properties exist for PIP processed thick cross section parts, which has hindered acceptance and application of this process. The work proposed here provides a baseline mechanical property database for PIP processed C-SiC CMCs, and provides the initial evaluation of thick section composites processed using the PIP approach and incorporating the latest advancements in process cost and schedule reductions.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The materials developed in this program will apply directly to the NASA Space Launch Initiative (SLI). Both the 2nd Generation of reusable launch vehicles (RLVs) and 3rd Generation programs (Hypersonics) require advancements in CMCs, which are recognized as a critical material system that can improve safety and reduce cost. CMCs will allow increased operating temperatures while reducing the weight of propulsion systems. Cf/SiC CMCs are expected to find additional applications in turbomachinery, thermal protection systems, hot structures, control surfaces, and other components. The results of this program will be immediately applicable to on-going work of Boeing Rocketdyne Propulsion & Power for advanced high-temperature propulsion systems for the second generation of RLVs. An increased understanding of PIP processed materials, and demonstration of thick section PIP processing will extend the application of this material system. This work also sets the stage for potential use of PIP processed CMC materials for 3rd generation spacecraft propulsion systems including RBCC and solar thermal propulsion systems. Other potential non-space related applications include next generation aircraft brakes and industrial furnace components. COIC is a full service organization capable of developing markets and transitioning advanced composite technologies to production.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Timothy E. Easler
COI Ceramics, Inc.
9617 Distribution Ave
San Diego , CA   92121 - 2393

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
COI Ceramics, Inc.
9617 Distribution Ave
San Diego , CA   92121 - 2393

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Proposed herein is a collaborative environment based on an object-oriented, web-enabled, multidisciplinary, distributed framework supporting the design and analysis of hypersonic air-breathing vehicles (CoHAVE). CoHAVE provides a customizable graphical user interface supporting a feature-based design environment integrating a suite of domain-specific analysis tools and geometry enabling the rapid prototyping of hypersonic air-breathing vehicles (HAVs). It supports a unified geometric part model, providing various levels of modeling fidelity to capture conceptual and preliminary design processes. CoHAVE links multiple users in a collaborative process, automating and managing data transfer and interaction among users, designs, analyses, and tools. It provides multidisciplinary optimization capabilities to enhance vehicle analysis, reducing engineering time and cost while expanding the design space explored. A common computational model seamlessly integrates geometry and analysis to support closure of the process through iterative control allowing forward and inverse design. CoHAVE is platform independent and enables multiple users to collaborate across geographically-distributed, heterogeneous workstations. CoHAVE provides a comprehensive environment that facilitates the performance of concurrent engineering of HAVs at a level not currently available.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
TechnoSoft, Inc. plans to transition the Collaborative Hypersonic Air-breathing Vehicle Environment (CoHAVE) into the development, marketing, and support of a product for hypersonic air-breathing vehicle design and analysis. This framework will support a collaborative design and analysis environment for seamlessly integrating various tools and engineering processes from the different disciplines. Additional modules and tools will be developed to address needs of other programs and disciplines within NASA that could greatly benefit from the framework. Furthermore Lockheed Martin, one of TechnoSoft's present customers, has expressed strong interest in the proposed system architecture.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Mr. Hilmi Al-Kamhawi
TechnoSoft Inc.
4434 Carver Woods Drive
Cincinnati , OH   45242 - 5545

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
TechnoSoft Inc.
4434 Carver Woods Drive
Cincinnati , OH   45242 - 5545

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This NASA Phase II SBIR program will develop a lightweight titanium foam material to replace aluminum isogrid structures on future launch vehicles. Phase I results demonstrated that these titanium foams have the proper strength and thermal conductivity to reduce the weight of aluminum tank structures by 20-40%, while having nearly 100X lower thermal conductivity and higher operating capabilities. The Phase II program is designed to develop manufacturing procedures for large (meter-sized) titanium foam structures, and to generate detailed property design date for use in vehicle design studies. through a teaming arrangement with Boeing, design trade studies will be carried out on tank and thermal protection structures to determine potential weight savings from both material substitution and reduction of insulation/TPS. The program is designed to reduce technology risk for these novel lightweight thermally insulating structural materials resulting in the availability of a high strength, closed cell titanium foam material and panel structure suitable for fabricating propellant tank structures. The titanium foams produced have crush strengths ranging from 35-300 MPa at densitied of 1.4-2.6g/cc, while having thermal conductivities of <2 W/m-C, compared to 19 w/m-C for titanium and 233 W/m-C for aluminum materials. these closed cell foams are also expected to provide a more robust, relIable solution compared to honeycomb structures, and offer much greater design flexibility than either composite or honeycomb alternatives.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The titanium foams to be developed in this program have commercial applications in sporting goods, commercial transports, industrial processing equipment, marine structures and submersibles, and commercial spacecraft and launch vehicles. The titanium foams to be developed in this program have a unique blend of strength and density not available in any other material form. Fuirthermore, the scaleable manufacturing processes to be developed in the Phase II effort can be readily adapted to the production of other metal foams, inlcuding aluminum, steel, and magnesium for a wide range of lightweight high stiffness applications.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Asit Biswas
Powdermet Inc.
9960 Glenaoks blvd, Unit A
Sun Valley , CA   91352 - 1064

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Powdermet Inc.
9960 Glenaoks blvd, Unit A
Sun Valley , CA   91352 - 1064

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Triton Systems, Inc. is teaming with an air-framer to develop a new class of highly efficient load bearing thermal protection materials (TPM) which will serve as the vehicle structure while at the same time withstanding the extreme environments encountered by reusable launch and space vehicles. This enabling technology will be used as lightweight, high performance primary structure components composing large acreage areas of the vehicle. Triton?s proposed SBIR program will demonstrate an integrated composite approach, utilizing hybrid metal-ceramic matrix composite (MCMC). The MCMC will be the basis of unitized structural component designs where the ceramic surface resists aerothermal loads while sharing and transferring thermo-mechanical loads with the integrated high specific strength metal composite. Triton?s structurally efficient hybrid TPS will significantly reduce reusable vehicle cost and weight by eliminating design, acquisition, and assembly of the two separate systems, structural air frame and thermal protection, required by current parasitic TPM. Furthermore, not only can the MCMC be welded, but it can be fabricated with complex features such as hat-bands, bushings, and threaded attachment points so existing joining technologies will be used to assemble the hybrid composite hot structural members.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Our team member has identified a number of potential vehicle components subjected to environments in which a MCMC hybrid hot structure is expected to perform well and its use would result in significant weight and cost savings in reusable launch and space vehicles such as, 2nd Generation RLV or the AF SOV, and the next generation of hypersonic vehicles. In the broadest sense, the hybrid composite will serve as a means of bonding together ceramic components, opening a plethora of product applications in the chemical processing and energy production industries.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Fred Lauten
Triton Systems, Inc.
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA   01824 - 4000

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Triton Systems, Inc.
200 Turnpike Road
Chelmsford , MA   01824 - 4000

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Achieving the NASA goal to dramatically increase rocket powerhead capabilities is critically dependent on the development of high performance materials and affordable processing technologies. Turbopump housings are the single heaviest component in liquid fuel rocket engines, accounting for up to 25 percent of the engine weight. Composite materials with an adequate environmental resistance, and the affordable process to produce the large and complex components are the enabling path towards the high specific strength turbopump housings.

In the Phase I program, Foster-Miller developed innovative isotropic aluminum and copper alloy matrix composites to produce lightweight turbopump housings to satisfy the key rocket engines materials requirements: excellent mechanical properties within a relevant service temperature range, relatively low density, low cost and net shape fabrication. Foster-Miller demonstrated the feasibility of producing ceramic reinforced composites with Al and Cu matrixes using a Foster-Miller proprietary process - Net Shape Pressure Casting/Infiltration.

During Phase II, these materials concept and fabrication technique will be used to demonstrate their potential towards large and complex turbopump housing components fabrication. Materials composition will be optimized, properties repeatability will be confirmed, processing versatility and scalability will be demonstrated. Turbopump demonstration components will be fabricated and non-destructively characterized. (P010775)

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proprietary materials concept and fabrication process developed under this Phase II contract provides a low cost route to high specific strength, inexpensive, net shape Al and Cu-matrix alloy composite components. The primary application being investigated is rocket engine turbopump housings. This technology is an enabling one for Reusable Launch Vehicle rocket engines. Other rocket applications exist as lightweight alternative for nickel and ferrous superalloy components. Many applications also exist in gas turbine engines, diesel engines, automotive brake systems, and industrial equipment such as power generation, mining, and oil drilling.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Uday Kashalikar
Foster-Miller, Inc.
350 Second Ave.
Waltham , MA   02451 - 1196

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Foster-Miller, Inc.
350 Second Ave.
Waltham , MA   02451 - 1196

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
AJT proposes to fabricate and test a low-cost, engine test stand system for small thrust engines using gaseous, liquid or cryogenic propellants. This test stand incorporates automated propellant transfer, leak test and system purge. The rocket engines will be mounted onto an instrumented plate, providing thrust measurement, then attached to a cart. The cart incorporates four propellant QDs. An engine manufacturer will plumb the engine to the appropriate QD. The cart will then be placed on alignment rails, attached to a ground side frame, with four QDs matching the cart. The cart is manually pushed into place, then latched. This concept eliminates the requirement for any reconfiguration of the ground side propellant system. A PLC based controller allows the operator to monitor, control and program operational sequences for the propellant system. This concept will reduce the time and costs typically associated with testing different engines on the same test stand. Phase I resulted in complete assembly level drawings of the test stand using a solid 3-D CAD model. Schematics and isometric drawings were also completed for the propellant system. This concept is scalable for other and much larger engine test facilities.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
There are two particular commercial applications for this technology: rocket engine and aspirated jet engine test stands. There are numerous US and foreign rocket engine manufacturers which regularly fabricate and test small rocket engines. These companies (including TRW Space & Electronics, Kaiser Marquardt, Rocket Research Company, Thiokol, Aerojet, NIIMash, Isayev, Melnikov, Stechkin, Glushko, Kosberg, Korolev) all have needs for small rocket engine testing. Because this technology is scalable, other manufacturers of larger thrust engines are also potential customers. In the US, there are several premier government testing facilities (Marshall Space Flight Center and Stennis Space Center) which have direct and immediate applications for this innovative technology. Pratt & Whitney, Lockheed Martin and Boeing would also benefit from this technology for both small and large rocket engines.

Jet engine manufacturers, aircraft maintenance facilities, and major airlines all conduct jet engine testing. This test stand concept can be easily modified to accommodate jet engines. Multiple carts could be used, allowing numerous engines to be tested quickly on the same test stand. During Phase II, AJT will contact these various potential commercial customers.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Dan Wegerif
AJT and Associates, Inc
8910 Astronaut Blvd.
Cape Canaveral , FL   32920 - 4225

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
AJT and Associates, Inc
8910 Astronaut Blvd.
Cape Canaveral , FL   32920 - 4225

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The new class of General Aviation (GA) aircraft, expected to be developed under the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) concept, will: (1) be highly automated, (2) require much less skill to train and fly than current day aircraft, and (3) enable a trip to be made with a very high degree of safety in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) a high percentage of the time.
WaveBand Corporation (WaveBand), in collaboration with Research Triangle Institute (RTI), has proposed to combine an active Millimeter Wave (MMW) sensor with a database-derived SVS. This innovative approach will support and enable the SATS cornerstone concepts of self-separation for free flight, high-density operations and virtual terminal procedures (TERPS) during the transition period where the SATS aircraft must co-exist with conventionally equipped aircraft.
Accordingly, we used the actual and current MMW radar image to reference the database-derived synthetic image (SI), i.e., to find the closest match between the two renditions and to present the pilot with the SI that reliably represents the real world and contains indicators of all real-time object insertions.
The Phase II project objective is to demonstrate real time operation of the SISVS through its integration with WaveBand's autonomous landing and obstacle avoidance radar.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The commercialization and product development of the SISVS system for GA will be based on a similar development now underway for commercial aviation.
The proposed SISVS system offers a dramatic improvement in the low-visibility landing, taxiing and take-off operations by reducing the likelihood of accidents, delays and diversions. As distinct from other enhanced vision systems (EVS), the SISVS system will provide actual view of the landing strip in zero visibility without relying on any ground equipment.
The GA community is huge in terms of numbers of aircraft and unlike the other market segments, the operators are very diverse in terms of their objectives and business standing. These range from the sport flyer or weekend operator to the small company aircraft or sophisticated corporate jet. The ability to be able to take off from one location, to complete the flight without incident and to land in any weather offers a tremendous benefit. This can be estimated in terms of fuel savings, convenience and safety, although there are no specific financial models for safety. This benefit can be measured more in terms of damage and loss of life.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Lev Sadovnik
WaveBand Corporation
375 Van Ness Ave, Suite #1105
Torrance , CA   90501 - 7204

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
WaveBand Corporation
375 Van Ness Ave, Suite #1105
Torrance , CA   90501 - 7204

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Mod Works Engineering Inc. proposes to apply AGATE developed technology to create a Fully Integrated small Aircraft Cockpit that will enable retrofitted and newly constructed aircraft to operate within the envisioned Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS) environment. Emerging flat plate display Primary Flight Displays (PFD), Multi-function Displays, Graphic Display Unit, Digitally Integrated Stabilization and Control devices, switches, panel hardware and controls will be integrated in an automotive type lean manufacturing design process. The goal is to develop technology to reduce the cost of designing, constructing, integrating, simulator testing, and airborne testing of fully integrated aircraft cockpits.

The technological challenges are to apply virtual reality based development tools to conventional cockpits in a manner that reduces direct costs, development cycles, and the certification process. We must prove the concept of scenario base evaluation to optimize the operational characteristics of aircraft cockpits. Success of this concept expand the opportunity to develop highly functional and effective systems to reduce work load and increase safety of aircraft operation. This technology application supports the mission and goals of the SATS program.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial products are the justification for the technology development. Product goals are VAV, an aircraft stability and control system that provides full time-on pitch and roll stability. GDU, a Graphic operational depicter that provides information to the pilot in a logical sequential manor creating a virtual flight instructor in the cockpit. An Integrated Instrument Panel will be manufactured for new aircraft and retrofit markets. Flight Training Devices are being designed as a spin-off of the technological development. Manufacturing of a low cost FTD level III simulator is a specific goal of this program.

Demand for the products under development has already been established during public displays throughout the phase I effort. Our proven track record of quality high tech products will be continued with the technical success of this project.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Tim Coons
Mod Works Engineering, Inc.
8249 Skylane Way
Punta Gorda , FL   33982 - 2438

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Mod Works Engineering, Inc.
8249 Skylane Way
Punta Gorda , FL   33982 - 2438

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This proposal presents an innovative design for a traffic information and collision avoidance system for general aviation aircraft. While there are many ongoing programs to improve situational awareness, the majority of the research is aimed at commercial aviation and high end users, and will require expensive technological solutions. General aviation has the same needs -- to improve situational awareness and therefore improve safety, but most general aviation aircraft owners cannot afford the types of solutions that are being evaluated for commercial aviation. There is a need to provide GA pilots with traffic information, cost-effectively, at the nation's 5,134 public use airports. In this proposal we present a low-cost solution that can provide the vast majority of GA users with the ability to identify and locate other traffic in the terminal area. Depending on whether the aircraft is equipped with a moving map display or only a VHF radio, the service will either show the location of proximate transponder equipped aircraft on the map display or will provide aural alerting only. This proposal combines Rannoch's pioneering work in aircraft tracking technology with Potomac Airfield's pioneering work with VHF pilot alerting to provide a complete solution with two levels of service.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
An automated traffic information system for terminal areas, including airport surface operations at more than 5000 public use airports. A system that provides enhanced situational awareness to airport operations vehicles and airline support vehicles to help eliminate the growing problem of runway incursions. A system that provides enhanced radar coverage at low altitudes to fill in gaps in ARTCC radar coverage. A surveillance system that is forward and backward compatible with ADS-B equipped aircraft, and therefore capable of providing traffic information about all aircraft during the transition to ADS-B.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Bennett Cohen
Rannoch Corporation
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 430
Alexandria , VA   22314 - 2840

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Rannoch Corporation
1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 430
Alexandria , VA   22314 - 2840

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Improvements in performance and safety will require improvements in control and health monitoring systems and the sensors required for these systems. Large numbers of sensors are required and must be reduced in size and weight, perform over extended temperature ranges, and provide multiplexing capabilities. In addition, with the industry moving toward a more electric aircraft, electromagnetic interference (EMI) becomes more of a concern with existing aircraft sensors. Fiber optic sensor technology developed in this program can improve measurements by providing small size, light-weight, highly reliable and multiplexed devices that are immune to EMI. In the Phase I program, the Luna research team successfully demonstrated the feasibility of producing nanotube/fiber-optic sensors smaller than ever before possible that will accurately measure wall properties, such as skin friction and temperature. With Phase II support, the ultra-small fiber-optic sensors will provide point measurements of aerodynamic flow parameters previously unobtainable, with increased sensitivity As a result of this project, Luna anticipates introducing the world?s smallest skin-friction/temperature sensor, which will find ready markets in advanced aeronautic systems and machine design. These measurements provide invaluable insight into validating new aircraft design and evaluating performance shortfalls on existing aircraft.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The development of an ultra-minaturized relatively non-invasive sensor, which has an enhanced temperature application range and is small enough to provide ease of manipulation, installation, and replacement will be beneficial in the flight testing of existing aircraft and other industries which require accurate flow measurements under demanding conditions. This sensor will also find use in the research and development of future aircraft and the on-going monitoring of current aircraft.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Paige Stevenson
Luna Innovations Incorporated
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6657

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Luna Innovations Incorporated
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6657

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Based on the success of the Phase-I program, Brimrose Corp. of America proposes to pursue the versatility of the photo-EMF sensors and to further develop self-adaptive laser velocimeters as well as high precision optical path length measurement apparatus and their wide-reaching applications in the commercial markets. During the Phase-II stage of this program, Brimrose and its consultants will develop and validate the auto-calibration technique which allows the photo-EMF sensors to unambiguously determine the Doppler frequency shifts and eliminate the signal power dependence of the sensor response. We will investigate the sources of errors and noises to improve the measurement signal-to-noise ratios. The Doppler shift measurement sensitivity and dynamic range will be optimized based on the specific application requirements. Multi-element sensor arrays will be investigated to allow scanner-less wide area monitoring of high-speed objects. Techniques offering ultra-high precision optical distance measurement using photo-EMF sensors will be demonstrated to NASA. Sensors and sensor apparatus will be provided to NASA for testing and evaluation purposes on a continuous basis during the Phase-II program. Commercial applications originating from the success of this program will include Laser Radars, Laser Ultrasonic Inspection Systems, Optical Metrology/High Precision Manufacturing, and high speed Optical Communication Networks.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Potential commercial applications stemming from the success of this program will include Laser Radars, Laser Ultrasonic Inspection Systems, Optical Metrology/High Precision Manufacturing, and high speed Optical Communication Networks. The ultra-high Doppler shift detection bandwidth allows photo-EMF sensor-based laser radars to monitor objects traveling with supersonic speeds. They can also be used to monitor the presence of air turbulence and cross winds. Photo-EMF laser ultrasonic inspection system will allow remote interrogation of specimen structural integrity. These applications will have profound impacts on the safety of aviation industries. Photo-EMF sensors can also be adopted to measure with high accuracy target distances and topographical features. With sufficient spatial resolution to be developed in the Phase II program, photo-EMF sensors can be used to monitor the thickness of semiconductor thin films during the growth process and determine the flatness of magnetic disks. Photo-EMF sensor-based apparatus can be used to characterize the dispersion characteristics of optical fibers with unprecedented precision, determine the integrity of optical fiber cables, and measure the timing jitter between high bit rate optical pulses. All these will lead to next generation ultra-high bit rate optical communication networks capable of simultaneously sharing information among remotely located facilities.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. Chen Chia Wang
Brimrose Corporation of America
5024 Campbell Blvd., Suite E
Baltimore , MD   21236 - 4968

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Brimrose Corporation of America
5024 Campbell Blvd., Suite E
Baltimore , MD   21236 - 4968

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The proposed research is intended to develop a new analysis for stresses and displacements in aerospace structures based on the combined conventional Displacement (Stiffness) Method and on a new formulation of the Force Method developed by the principal investigator. Since some of the elements used currently in the Displacement Method violate equations of stress equilibrium, an additional analysis by the Force Method in which element stresses do not violate the equations of equilibrium will provide bracketing on the solution (i.e. upper and lower bounds on stresses and displacements) thereby ensuring greater confidence in numerical results. Since the Force Method stresses are derived directly from internal forces they are more accurate than the stresses in the Displacement Method which requires differentiation of the displacement field within the element. The method will be illustrated on a typical multispar wing structure. The current project at this time will address only the overall concept of modifying existing computer codes; however, the actual modification of a specific commercial code or codes and subsequent commercialization will be addressed as a follow-on project after the completion of Phase I.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The unique feature of the new finite element software program for obtaining the upper and lower bounds solutions for structural computations should generate a great potential for commercial applications particularly in aerospace industry where high accuracy is needed because of the small factors of safety on the design loads. Also other industries where plate (panel) or hexahedral elements are used will be interested in using this new software. In particular, the shipbulding industry will welcome the new concept of analysis since the ship structures are usually modeled by panel elements. The main advantage of the new software will be that it will provide a new structural design tool with improved accuracy of the computed stresses and displacements.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Janusz Przemieniecki
Astra Technologies, Inc
510 Pennyroyal Place
Venice , FL   34293 - 7233

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Astra Technologies, Inc
510 Pennyroyal Place
Venice , FL   34293 - 7233

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Fixed vane vortex generators (VGs) have been in existence for over 50 years and as yet no other flow control device or technique has proven to be as cost effective. This is perhaps surprising since studies using flow control by blowing and suction, use of synthetic jets to energize a boundary layer, etc. have been going on for some time. Fixed VGs are still being fitted to commercial jetliners currently manufactured due to their simplicity and the fact that VGs can be surface mounted. For these reasons, VGs are preferred over leading competing concepts that require modification and /or plumbing beneath the aircraft skin. However, once the VG has been configured to improve performance in one flight regime,there is an off design penalty. This proposal details a program to improve upon the fixed VG by making them deployable ?on demand? and thereby eliminating any penalty when the generators are stowed. The enabling technology to accomplish this is to use Shape Memory Alloy materials to deploy the generators. Because of their unique force/stroke characteristics it is possible to design surface mounted vortex generators so that they have no aerodynamic penalty when not deployed and require no surface cut-out.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
On demand vortex generators can replace all fixed vane generators currently
in use as well as allow designers to find additional applications where
fixed vane generators would give unacceptable off-design penalties.
Control of separated flow about a helicopter rotor hub and fuselage, since
a helicopter operates in a dual mode, is a new use for an on demand device.
General aviation applications may reduce landing speed and mitigate stall.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Alan J. Bilanin
Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing , NJ   08618 - 2302

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Continuum Dynamics, Inc.
34 Lexington Avenue
Ewing , NJ   08618 - 2302

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In their Phase I SBIR program, Technology in Blacksburg (Techsburg) demonstrated the feasibility of flow control for providing added stall margin to the UEET compressor. This was shown computationally on an isolated row of stators. Phase II intends to expand on Phase I results by demonstrating the capabilities of flow control in a state-of-the-art, multi-stage, transonic turbomachinery environment. To achieve this goal, Techsburg has teamed with AP Solutions, who will provide CFD support, and Roll-Royce Corporation in Indianapolis who will be providing mechanical design and analysis of the flow control stators to be rig tested.

By preventing separation on the suction surface of stators, ejector pump flow control prevents stall of the stator during off-design flow conditions. As a result, the exit flow angle and pressure rise across the stator more closely resemble design conditions even when the inlet flow angle is as much as 10 degrees beyond design. Consequently, the inlet conditions for the downstream stages remains close to design and overall operability of the compressor is improved.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The product of this research program will be a technology that will be incorporated into future designs of gas turbine engines. To achieve this goal, Techsburg is developing this technology with aid from NASA Glenn and the UEET program. NASA Glenn and the UEET represent the forefront of technology development for future commercial gas turbine engines. The stated goal of the UEET program is ?to develop and hand off revolutionary turbine engine propulsion technologies that will enable future generation vehicles over a wide range of flight speeds.? Through participation with NASA Glenn, Techsburg is better positioning its technology for future implementation in commercial gas turbine engines.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Stephen Guillot
Technology in Blacksburg, Inc
1861 Pratt Drive; Suite 2040
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6371

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Technology in Blacksburg, Inc
1861 Pratt Drive; Suite 2040
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6371

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This innovation relates to the development of a stitched composite hollow core fan blade that would be used in the first stage of a turbofan jet engine. It is a novel design concept that incorporates the recent advancements made in stitched composites under NASA Contract NAS1-20546 (Technology Verification of Composite Primary Wing Structures for Commercial Transport Aircraft) and further advances the state-of-the-art by employing a unique fabrication method that results in a hollow-core part that is lightweight, damage tolerant, and inexpensive to manufacture. The significant improvement in structural efficiency is made possible by: 1) the superior damage tolerance of stitched composites, and 2) the ability to produce a hollow-core geometry. The combination of these two features enables the design of a revolutionary blade structure that is capable of meeting the most stringent bird-strike-loading requirements.

The primary goal of the Phase I research was to demonstrate the manufacturing feasibility this novel approach. This was accomplished by validating the operational characteristics of a thin-gauge bladder system, and then ultimately, by fabricating a prototype component to demonstrate the critical structural design features of the hollow-core body. The Phase II work would focus on fabricating a full-scale complex-curvature fan blade component.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Commercial and military jet engines where weight and fabrication cost savings are critical. Since the potential for large fabrication cost savings exists, the market for this application is broader than just performance-driven aircraft; it also includes smaller, more price-sensitive, jet aircraft.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Michael Louderback
V System Composites
5550 Oberlin Drive
San Diego , CA   92121 - 1000

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
V System Composites
5550 Oberlin Drive
San Diego , CA   92121 - 1000

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Recently, NASA has increased its emphasis on reducing the cost of reaching low Earth orbit. A key technology requirement is a single stage to orbit (SSTO) using a rocket based combined cycle (RBCC) engine. In the third stage, an air-breathing vehicle will travel at speeds from Mach 5 to Mach 10. Under these conditions, the vehicle requires cooling in excess of that provided by sensible fuel heating. Additional heat sink can be extracted from the fuel if it undergoes endothermic cracking reactions. However cracking requires high temperatures, which increase the heat exchanger weight. In Phase I TDA Research, Inc. (TDA) demonstrated that chemical initiators, which accelerate the rate of the thermal cracking reactions, significantly increase the fuel heat sink capacity at temperatures between 400 and 575?C. With normal heptane at 575?C, we found that the initiator increased the heat sink capacity between 400 and 575?C from 282 Btu/lb to 420 Btu/lb, an increase of 49%. We also found that the initiator increased the heat sink capacity of JP-7 between 400 and 550?C, from 333 to 411Btu/lb, an improvement of 23%. Finally, a kinetic analysis suggests that temperature required for 50% cracking with initiator would be 100?C lower than that required without initiator.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
In addition to the immediate application, cooling reusable launch vehicles, TDA?s initiator technology could also find use in the chemical refining industry. Ethylene, which is the largest volume building block for the petrochemical industry (U.S. production is worth $17 billion per year) is also produced by thermal cracking of heavier hydrocarbons. TDA?s initiator technology may allow the process to be carried out at significantly lower temperatures, which would lower costs and increase profit margin. The Olefins Technology Development Manager at Kellogg Brown and Root (KBR) a major supplier of ethylene production technology has expressed interest in our initiator technology and has included a letter of support in the proposal.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. David T. Wickham
TDA Research, Inc.
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge , CO   80033 - 1917

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
TDA Research, Inc.
12345 W. 52nd Ave.
Wheat Ridge , CO   80033 - 1917

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Physical sensors for acquiring transient point measurements of temperature, pressure, skin friction and acceleration in extreme temperature gas turbine environments are currently unavailable. Current state-of-the-art sensors require researchers and turbine manufacturers to sacrifice frequency response for increased accuracy, forcing them to make assumptions about the transient nature of the environment being monitored. Clearly, there is a need for a suite of sensors capable of acquiring transient measurements in high-temperature, gas turbine environments at discrete points. Luna Innovations proposes to develop a fiber optic temperature, pressure and accelerometer suite capable of acquiring transient point measurements in high temperature, propulsive environments. The operating principle of the probe will be based on proven Extrinsic Fabry-Perot interferometric (EFPI) techniques. Luna will use its extensive experience developing and commercializing fiber optic sensors technology, including the previous development of lower temperature versions of such sensors, to design, develop, and construct the proposed advanced sensor transducers for combustion environments. The data obtained by these sensors will be invaluable for validation and development of CFD codes for combusting flows. This instrumentation is crucial to the development and operation of affordable and efficient 21st century gas turbine engines.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Research in the high temperature instrumentation area will provide transducers with commercial uses that will include 1) aerospace turbines, 2) high temperature monitoring in gas turbine power generation facilities, 3) high temperature industrial process monitoring, and 4) automotive sensing for engine health monitoring and control. The aerospace and power gas turbine markets are each multi-billion dollar industries. Luna Innovations reasonably expects to capture at least a fraction of this market with the proposed extreme temperature sensors, resulting in a conservative estimate of annual revenues at $10 million. As target operating temperatures increase, the market size decreases, as does the number of competitors. Our target market is the extreme temperature conditions found in gas turbines for the aerospace and power generation industries. In these applications, SiC and sapphire-based sensors produced by Luna will dominate the high temperature sensor market.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Robert S. Fielder
Luna Innovations Incorporated
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6657

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Luna Innovations Incorporated
2851 Commerce Street
Blacksburg , VA   24060 - 6657

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development of a commercially viable photogrammetric system is proposed for measurement of motion and deformation of flight control surfaces. The Phase II effort will build upon the accomplishments of Phase I, and develop a fast response, high resolution system that can track targets even after temporary loss. The dynamic capabilities of the system will be achieved by employing multi-thread/multi-processing technologies as well as high-speed, high resolution cameras. An integrated software package will be developed to produce a fully capable, user friendly graphical interface for controlling all operations of the photogrammetry system including, but not limited to, camera calibration, data acquisition, processing and display. The significance of such a system is that it provides real time, accurate, non-contact measurements of motion, as well as deformation of a flight control surface using digital photogrammetry.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed photogrammetric system for deformation measurement will first be used as a research tool for aircraft design and evaluation. The fast response, high resolution measurement system will also find application in aircraft morphing studies. After the hardware and software are both ruggedized, the system can be used routinely to measure motion and deformation of flight control surfaces in various aircrafts, in manufacturing environments for quality inspection and process control. In addition to applications in aerospace industry, a large market exists for remote optical profiling measurements of complex objects and parts in general manufacturing industries. Other industrial applications include machine vision, architectural and terrestrial surveying, and forensic reconstruction. In the medical field, the potential applications include the diagnosis of muscular and skeletal problems, studies of anatomy, and reconstructive surgery.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Fei Li
High Technology Corporation
28 Research Drive
Hampton , VA   23666 - 1364

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
High Technology Corporation
28 Research Drive
Hampton , VA   23666 - 1364

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
The development of a modeling and analysis software environment for studying air traffic flow requirements and operations (MAESTRO) is proposed. The software package is based on the algorithms and techniques developed and demonstrated during the Phase I research. MAESTRO will provide a systematic approach for synthesizing traffic flow models using airspace geometric data. The software will incorporate methods from automatic control theory to help analyze the controllability of the air traffic environment with respect to specified flow control locations in the airspace, traffic latency between pairs of departure-arrival locations, observability of the traffic flow with respect to measurements, and the stability and robustness of specific traffic flow control schemes. Algorithms for employing the flow models to determine the stochastic properties of the air traffic environment will be included. Finally, the synthesis techniques will be provided for developing stable and robust decision aids for use in air traffic flow control.
The software package will be commercialized at the end of Phase II work. Phase III work demonstrated the benefits of using this software in real-time flow control operations.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
Modeling and analysis methodologies developed in the present research are useful in any problem involving the movement of discrete objects through specified pathways. Thus, these analysis approaches can be used to develop reliable algorithms for routing of Internet protocol packets, IP-server load balancing and for developing strategies to combat IP-server intrusions. The techniques developed under this research can also be used to develop strategies for controlling discrete manufacturing processes, and for the development of intelligent highway-vehicle systems.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Dr. P. K. Menon
Optimal Synthesis Inc.
4966 El Camino Real, Suite 108
Los Altos , CA   94022 - 1406

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Optimal Synthesis Inc.
4966 El Camino Real, Suite 108
Los Altos , CA   94022 - 1406

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
In this SBIR effort we propose an innovative approach for the integration of Decision Support Tools (DSTs) for increased situational awareness, improved cooperative scheduling and collaborative decision-making in all parts of the air space. We propose to investigate two types of integration models based on the extent and feasibility of the level of integration and use appropriate game theoretic approaches to analyze these models. The proposed models are: (i) Data-sharing DST integration model: In this model, DSTs will primarily share data that is required for each DST to take a decision before an event happens. Based on the shared data each DST acts independently (ii) Interacting DST integration model: In this model, DSTs not only share data but also advise each other to act in such a way to reduce the level of conflict. Tools based on repeated strategic games and cooperative bargaining games will be used. We primarily focus on integrating Traffic Management Advisories (TMAs) across multiple centers as the application domain for the Phase I effort.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The successful development of a DST for Traffic Flow management based on increased situational awareness, improved cooperative scheduling and collaborative decision-making between sectors, centers and regions can position IAI as a key player in the ATM market. Currently there does not exist any DST for sector metering based on time-based collaborative metering. The proposed DST will result in significant increase in NAS-wide capacity and reduction in delays, resulting in cost savings to the NAS stakeholders that include the passengers, airlines, military and ATSPs. Our Phase II effort will result in the development of game-theoretic tools that can easily be tailored to meet the needs of integrating other decision support tools as required by NASA's the Distributed Air Ground (DAG-TM) initiative. This is a fairly untapped market, still in its infancy, but with an extremely high commercialization potential. IAI is already developing agent-based software for NAS-wide simulations of ATM operations under free flight/ DAG-TM scenarios. The DST will be integrated into the simulation toolbox providing users the ability to evaluate new ATM concepts and assess the impact of the DST. Participation of Raytheon and Booz Allen & Hamilton in our Phase II effort to help IAI commercialize our technology gives us unique competitive advantage.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Vikram Manikonda
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
7519 Standish Place Suite 200
Rockville , MD   20855 - 6205

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Intelligent Automation, Inc.
7519 Standish Place Suite 200
Rockville , MD   20855 - 6205

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
NASA is developing new concepts for Air Traffic Management (ATM) that redistribute flight planning authority across decision-makers (pilots, controllers, and dispatchers) in the National Air Space (NAS). To explore these concepts, new modeling and simulation (M&S) initiatives focus on developing models of the NAS components (vehicles, radars, communications, etc), but it is clear that equal emphasis must be given to modeling the distributed decision-making, via high-fidelity Human Behavior Representations (HBRs). In Phase I, we explored approaches to this, concluding that HBRs need to: 1) represent human capabilities, limitations, and rules of behavior for decision-makers within the NAS; 2) be agent-based and extensible within larger scale simulations; and 3) provide ?hooks? that support exploration of alternative decision-making protocols that drive ATM safety and performance. We developed a concept demonstration that showed how agent-based HBRs, embedded in a medium-fidelity simulator, could be used to optimize ATM performance, via a Genetic Algorithm (GA) procedure that ?evolves? well-formed conflict resolution procedures within the agents. In Phase II, we will extend this prototype, expanding the scope of decision-making and negotiation behaviors, enhancing the ?fitness functions? the GA used for assessing and optimizing performance, and validating the approach in high-fidelity ATM simulations of future NAS operations.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The proposed technology will directly support simulation of the developed agents in the advanced ATM system. These simulations will support the design and specification of rules for negotiation for pilots, air traffic controller and airline dispatchers in the advanced ATM environment of the future. The underlying models of information processing, situation assessment, and distributed decision-making will also support requirements in other domains (e.g. intelligent vehicle highway systems, strategic warfare gaming industry, etc.). We also plan to extract the decision-making and communications components to embed in a generalized Intelligent Agent Toolkit (IAT) configurable to any domain requiring intelligent agent interaction.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Karen Harper
Charles River Analytics Inc.
725 Concord Ave
Cambridge , MA   02138 - 1040

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Charles River Analytics Inc.
725 Concord Ave
Cambridge , MA   02138 - 1040

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
This project will result in a low-cost, lightweight, attitude-command-attitude-hold (ACAH) stabilization system for civil helicopters. The results of the Phase I SBIR, as well as the results of past and ongoing U.S. Army and NASA research, will be used as a starting point to develop an ACAH stability augmentation system (SAS) that can be used to enhance the dynamics of civil helicopters in a way that is economically viable to the user. The proposed ACAH SAS will provide a low-cost solution to achieve improved helicopter dynamics, and hence enhanced safety, in two critical flight regimes, the degraded visual environment (DVE) for low speed and hover, and for IFR operations in forward flight. The primary advantage of the SAS is that it will allow the pilot to remove his hands from the controls, and to accomplish divided attention tasks. The initial development of the ACAH-SAS will be accomplished using a hardware-in-the-loop piloted simulation. The system will be designed around low-cost, lightweight servo-motors/actuators that have been developed for other applications. A main and monitor processor will be employed to detect failures. Once the control laws and hardware have been selected, flight-testing will be accomplished using a Robinson R44 test aircraft.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
An informal survey of manufacturers and users, as well as editorial comments in trade journals (e.g., Rotor and Wing) indicate that there is a substantial need for a low cost SAS for helicopters that would provide handling qualities that result in reasonable assurance of IFR certification, as well as increased safety for divided attention tasks. Current solutions are too expensive and/or too heavy, as evidenced by the fact that only 4% of US registered helicopters are IFR capable. The ACAH stability augmentation system would be marketed to manufacturers for installation in new helicopters, and as an aftermarket installation. The target market would consist primarily of helicopters that exist at the lower end of the cost spectrum (starting at a new cost of $300,000). This would include mostly piston helicopters such as the Robinson R-44, the Enstrom 280FX, and Schweizer 300C. It is estimated that there is also a potential market for low-end turbine helicopters. Essentially none of these helicopters are currently certified for IFR.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR (Name, Organization Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Roger Hoh
Hoh Aeronautics, Inc.
2075 Palos Verdes Dr N #217
Lomita , CA   90717 - 3726

NAME AND ADDRESS OF OFFEROR (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip)
Hoh Aeronautics, Inc.
2075 Palos Verdes Dr N #217
Lomita , CA   90717 - 3726

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (LIMIT 200 WORDS)
Recent developments have illustrated the tremendous potential of Micro
Rotorcraft (MRCs) for new missions such as remote sensing, surveillance,
and autonomous exploration. To date, little effort has been directed
toward addressing the severe aerodynamic limitations inherent in operating
at low Reynolds number that have greatly constrained MRC performance.
Phase I of this effort saw the development of novel blade configurations
tailored to a range of MRC missions via a combination of advanced
optimization methods for low Re airfoils and application of established
rotor analysis tools. These validated analyses demonstrated the potential
of new configurations to provide double the payload or endurance of current
generation MRCs. Phase II will build on this to yield new, comprehensive
design analysis software to support development of next generation MRC
rotor systems, forming the foundation of a suite of tools enabling
multi-disciplinary optimization of the full range of rotorcraft from MRCs
to full scale vehicles. This will enable a formal design capability for
MRCs, bypassing the prevalent cut-and-try approach. The design analysis
will then be used to perform a complete design of an MRC rotor system for a
free flight vehicle.

POTENTIAL COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS
The recent rapid expansion of MRC missions in defense applications is being
mirrored by growth in possible civil roles for MRC concepts, including
aerial imaging, inspection, and specialized payload delivery. Important
Phase III goals of this effort would include producing and marketing a
family of rotor systems for next generation MRCs, as well as providing
software for design of autonomous rotorcraft for future missions, including
possible exploration of planetary atmospheres. In addition, through a
collaboration with established industry partners during Phase II, the low
Re design technology to be developed here will be applied both to the
development of improved autonomous helicopters as well as to the design of
high efficiency cooling fans for air treatment applications.

NAME AND ADDRESS OF PRI