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Photonic antenna enhanced middle wave and longwave infrared focal plane array with low noise and high operating temperature Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:33:59.000Z
Photodetectors and focal plane arrays (FPAs) covering the middle-wave and longwave infrared (MWIR/LWIR) are of great importance in numerous NASA applications, including earth remote sensing for carbon-based trace gases, Lidar mapping for earth resource locating, and environment and atmosphere monitoring. Existing MWIR/LWIR photodetectors have a low operating temperature of below 77K. The requirement for cryogenic cooling systems adds cost, weight and reliability issues, making it unsuitable for satellite remote sensing applications. This STTR project aims to develop a new plasmonic photonic antenna coupled MWIR/LWIR photodetector and FPA with significantly enhanced performance and a high operating temperature. In Phase I, we developed a preliminary plasmonic photonic antenna enhanced MWIR/LWIR photodetector and demonstrated significant enhancement in photodetectivity and operating temperature. Antenna directivity is also tested and agrees with the simulation. The phase I results not only demonstrated the feasibility of achieving high performance MWIR/LWIR photodetector using the proposed innovation, but also show its promising potentials for high operating temperature FPA development. Motivated by the successful feasibility demonstration and the promising potentials, in this STTR Phase II project, we will develop a prototype of the plasmonic photonic antenna enhanced MWIR/LWIR FPA with a high operating temperature and demonstrate its earth remote sensing capability.
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Low Cost Variable Conductance Heat Pipe for Balloon Payload Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:08:14.000Z
While continuously increasing in complexity, the payloads of terrestrial high altitude balloons need a thermal management system to reject their waste heat and to maintain a stable temperature as the air (sink) temperature swings from as cold as -90oC to as hot as +40oC. Currently, constant conductance, copper-methanol heat pipes are utilized on balloon payloads to remove the waste heat. It would be desirable to use a Variable Conductance Heat Pipe (VCHP) instead, to allow the thermal resistance to increase under cold operating or cold survival environment conditions, keeping the instrument section warm. In spacecraft, thermal management is achieved using axially-grooved aluminum-ammonia heat pipes and VCHPs, which are relatively expensive to manufacture and validate. Advanced Cooling Technologies, Inc. (ACT) is proposing a low-cost VCHP based on smooth-bore, thin-wall stainless steel tubing, with either methanol or pentane as working fluids, that is capable of passively maintaining a relatively constant evaporator (payload) temperature while the sink temperature varies between -90oC and +40oC. The thin wall will be much lighter and will provide much better temperature control due to its higher thermal resistance, while the combination of working fluid and envelope material result in a heat pipe that is much less expensive to manufacture than standard grooved aluminum heat pipes. Spacecraft VCHPs normally have the gas reservoir at the end of the condenser, and maintain its temperature with electrical heaters. The proposed VCHP moves the reservoir near the evaporator, eliminating the need for electrical power to control the temperature. Preliminary calculations show that either system, methanol based or pentane based, is capable of meeting the thermal performance requirements. For both the pentane and methanol systems, the evaporator (payload) temperature varies less than 6oC while the heat sink temperature varies from 90oC to +40oC.
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Electronic Correlated Noise Calibration Standard for Interferometric and Polarimetric Microwave Radiometers Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:30:10.000Z
A new type of calibration standard is proposed which produces a pair of microwave noise signals to aid in the characterization and calibration of correlating radiometers. The proposed Correlated Noise Calibration Standard (CNCS) is able to generate pairs of broad bandwidth stochastic noise signals with a wide variety of statistical properties. The CNCS can be used with synthetic aperture interferometers to generate specific visibility functions. It can be used with fully polarimetric radiometers to generate specific 3rd and 4th Stokes parameters of brightness temperature. It can also be used with spectrometers to generate specific power spectra and autocorrelations. It is possible to combine these features and, for example, generate the pair of signals that would be measured by a fully polarimetric, spectrally resolving, synthetic aperture radiometer at a particular pair of polarizations and antenna baselines for a specified scene over a specified frequency band. The proposed CNCS will cover all the frequencies used for radiometric observations in the 1 to 40 GHz range. In specific, the Phase II project will develop the system prototypes for L and X bands. While intended for ground based characterization of radiometer systems, the technological approach is amenable to on-orbit calibration.
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High Performance Negative Feedback Near Infrared Single Photon Counting Detectors & Arrays Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:07:52.000Z
Amplification Technologies Inc ("ATI") proposes to develop the enabling material and device technology for the design of ultra low noise, high gain and high speed near-infrared single photon counting photodetectors and arrays sensitive in the 1000 nm to 1600 nm spectral region for long range space communication applications, based on the already proven mechanism of internal discrete amplification technology in InGaAs/InP material system. We plan to achieve this by using the concept of internal discrete amplification mechanism in the InP material system that gave state of the art performance parameters in the 1000 to 1600nm wavelength range and the developed device design as part of the Phase I program that shows higher detection efficiency and lower jitter performance. The primary accomplishments from the Phase II effort would be the development of ultra low noise (low jitter), high detection efficiency, very high gain and high speed near-infrared photodetectors and arrays sensitive in the 1000 nm to1600 nm spectral region. The technology of internal discrete amplification enables the combination of high speed, very high gain and ultra low noise because the internal discrete amplification nullifies the effect of impact ionization coefficients and prevents the edge break down, with high detection efficiency and high speed of operation. These photodetectors might also be used in missile seekers, battlefield target identification and recognition systems, and eye-safe LADAR. Potential civilian applications include fiber-optic telecommunications, remote sensing and laser spectroscopy.
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Adaptive Distributed Environment for Procedure Training Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:32:41.000Z
With its constantly evolving portfolio of highly technical systems requiring human construction maintenance and operation, NASA has an extreme form of a common yet challenging training problem: how to ensure that personnel are qualified on the (often changing) procedures required to work on or with these systems. Simulation-based training that enables learning while doing is a proven approach, but dependence on hardware-based simulators and the requirement for human instructors to develop and supervise training scenarios raise costs and limit flexibility in delivering training and retraining. We propose to build a distributable intelligent tutoring system (ITS) exploiting a unified representation of human and robotic mission activities that can be used to (1) trace student activity to assess, prompt, and correct their actions, (2) simulate robotic activity, (3) control training scenario generation/selection, (4) cover both general and specific cases, (5) allow for varying degrees of detail in human and robotic activity, (6) support extended scenarios involving multiple procedures, and (7) track detailed re-training requirements resulting from changes in procedures. The innovative merger of general procedure descriptions with specific scenario scripts will facilitate more efficient authoring of consistent broad-coverage automated simulation-based training while retaining the ability to author specific scenarios when needed.
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High Performance Negative Feedback Near Infrared Single Photon Counting Detectors & Arrays Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:16:13.000Z
Amplification Technologies Inc (&quot;ATI&quot;) proposes to develop the enabling material and device technology for the design of ultra low noise, high gain and high speed near-infrared single photon counting photodetectors and arrays sensitive in the 1000 nm to 1600 nm spectral region for long range space communication applications, based on the already proven mechanism of internal discrete amplification technology in InGaAs/InP material system. We plan to achieve this by designing the InGaAs/InP internal discrete amplifier photodetector and photodector array device structure by building on the design that gave promising results to prove the concept of internal discrete amplification mechanism in the InP material system. The primary accomplishments from the Phase I effort would be the development of ultra low noise (low jitter), high detection efficiency, very high gain and high speed near-infrared photodetectors and arrays sensitive in the 1000 nm and 1600 nm spectral region. The technology of internal discrete amplification enables the combination of high speed, very high gain and ultra low noise. This is possible because the internal discrete amplification nullifies the effect of impact ionization coefficients and prevents the edge break down, with high detection efficiency and high speed of operation. These photodetectors might also be used in missile seekers, battlefield target identification and recognition systems, and eye-safe LADAR. Potential civilian applications include fiber-optic telecommunications, remote sensing and laser spectroscopy.
API
Energy Harvesting to Power a Compact Plasma Actuator for Aerospace and Laboratory Applications Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:42:50.000Z
The innovation will allow waste heat to be harvested for use on aircraft jet engines, hypersonic vehicles, automobiles and other areas where waste heat is available. It will also provide a portable solution for laboratories that require a small power supply. The compact power supply can also be used on Mars and other planets to use solar energy to power plasma actuators for dust removal or for thrust corrections. 1. Combining Thermoelectric cells with plasma generation for self powered system proof of concept. 2. Optimization of the high-voltage generator towards a higher efficiency and its compacter size. 3. Addition of load current measurement circuitry for characterization and analysis of D.B.D. devices including power measurement. 4. Creation of compact circuit to power a plasma actuator using a thermoelectric generator (that can also be powered using solar cells.)
API
Ultra Low Noise 1.06 Micron Laser Oscillator Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:32:49.000Z
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) demand state-of-the-art ultra-stable and low noise coherent lasers. This is a proposal to develop a space qualified high power, single mode, low noise and narrow linewidth fiber laser based on a &quot;virtual ring&quot; laser cavity at the 1.06 micron spectral band. This novel laser architecture enables traveling-wave oscillation in a compact, linear and all-fiber cavity. This leads to unprecedented low noise and stable laser oscillator. The all fiber device also offers a highly reliable, compact and power conserving solution. We have already demonstrated virtual ring oscillators at the 1.55 micron band that rival the state of the ring laser architecture. In this research we will develop a 1.06 micron laser that can meet or exceed the LISA experiment required laser specifications.
API
2001 Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI)
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-19T07:26:01.000Z
The 2001 Environmental Sustainability Index (ESI) utilizes a refined methodology based on the 2000 Pilot ESI effort, to construct an index covering 122 countries that measures the overall progress towards environmental sustainability. The index is a composite measure of the current status of a nation's environmental systems, pressures on those systems, human vulnerability to environmental change, national capacity to respond, and contributions to global environmental stewardship. The refinements included the addition and deletion of indicators, filling gaps in data coverage, new data sets, and the modification of the aggregation scheme. The index was unveiled at the World Economic Forum's annual meeting, January 2001, Davos, Switzerland. The 2001 ESI is the result of collaboration among the World Economic Forum (WEF), Yale Center for Environmental Law and Policy (YCELP), and the Columbia University Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN)
API
Vehicle Interior Noise Prediction Using Energy Finite Element Analysis Project
nasa-test-0.demo.socrata.com | Last Updated 2015-07-20T05:29:55.000Z
Prediction and enhancement of vehicle interior noise due to high frequency excitation, based on computer simulation, allows the application of the technology at the early stage of design process thereby improving the quality and reducing the cost. Traditionally, Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) has been used for this purpose. Modeling of SEA is rather complex and requires high level of analyst expertise as well as occasional testing of the product's components. In this proposal, a comprehensive Energy Finite Element Analysis (EFEA) software will be developed for the evaluation of vehicle interior noise. Since the low frequency noise and vibration modeling is traditionally performed using finite element method, the development of an EFEA software will provide a unified framework for the both the low and high frequency noise and vibration analyses.