NASA PROPOSAL NUMBER 07-HYP1-0019, ENTITLED- MEMS ABLATION RECESSION RATE SENSOR (MARRS) FOR REAL-TIME, IN-…

Public award description

NASA PROPOSAL NUMBER 07-HYP1-0019, ENTITLED- MEMS ABLATION RECESSION RATE SENSOR (MARRS) FOR REAL-TIME, IN-SITU TPS RECESSION MEASUREMENTS AND SURFACE TEMPERATURE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE CURRENT PROJECT IS TO DESIGN, FABRICATE AND TEST A MEMS-BASED ABLATIVE RECESSION RATE SENSOR (MARRS). REAL-TIME, NON-INTRUSIVE MEASUREMENTS OF AN ABLATIVE MATERIAL'S RECESSION RATE WILL BE OBTAINED BY A MEMS BASED PHASED ARRAY, WHICH WILL PRODUCE ULTRA WAVES AT A VARYING FREQUENCY THUS PROVIDING A VARIABLE FOCAL POINT, ANALOGOUS TO A VARIABLE FOCUS ACOUSTIC LENS. IT IS ENVISIONED THAT THE SENSOR IS FLUSHED MOUNTED ON THE BACK SIDE (COLD SIDE) OF THE ABLATIVE MATERIAL, IN A NONINTRUSIVE CONFIGURATION. A PRIMARY GOAL OF THE HYPERSONICS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP PREDICTIVE CAPABILITIES ENABLING BOTH THE CIVILIAN AND MILITARY COMMUNITIES TO BUILD HYPERSONIC SYSTEMS THAT MEET THEIR SPECIFIC NEEDS. THE NRA SOLICITATION NNH07ZEA001N-HYP1 INTENDED TO DEVELOP COLLABORATIVE CORE RESEARCH EFFORTS IN FOUNDATIONAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT TO ACHIEVE THIS GOAL AND TO DEVELOP A POOL OF EXPERTS IN THE REQUISITE TECHNOLOGY AREAS. THE VISION OF THE INVESTMENT IS DIRECTLY ALIGNED WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL AERONAUTICS PROGRAM PRINCIPLE OF DEDICATION TO THE MASTERY AND INTELLECTUAL STEWARDSHIP OF THE CORE COMPETENCIES OF THE AERONAUTICS FOR THE NATION IN ALL FLIGHT REGIMES. TWO MISSION CLASSES ARE OF INTEREST TO THE HYPERSONICS PROJECT: HIGHLY RELIABLE REUSABLE LAUNCH SYSTEMS (HRRLS) AND HIGH MASS MARS ENTRY SYSTEMS (HMMES). THESE WERE CHOSEN TO FOCUS TECHNOLOGY AND METHODS DEVELOPED EFFORTS IN SUPPORT OF NASA'S STRATEGIC GOAL 3: DEVELOP A BALANCED OVERALL PROGRAM TO FOCUS ON EXPLORATION.