Reconfigurable Optical Velocimeter for Autonomous Structural Inspection in Space (ROVASIS)

In response to NASA solicitation H13.02 for Advanced NDE Techniques for spaceflight components and large complex structures, Advanced Systems and Technologies Inc. (AS&T Inc), propose a collaborative program which seeks to combine an advanced modular, smart sensor technology for rapid wide-area capture of ultrasound wave-field data with recent advances in NDE guided wave signal processing and to integrate these under a global tracking scheme that accurately determines the NDE sensor position and orientation, supporting data capture and registration on large space flight structures. The Reconfigurable Optical Velocimeter for Autonomous Structural Inspection in Space (ROVASIS), combined with remote laser-generated ultrasound excitation and narrow tone-band decomposition provide deep data sets for application of new spatio-temporal and spatio-spectral analyses to address a broad range of NDE functions pertinent to NASA spaceflight structures. Integrating fiber optic telecommunications technology with very large scale integrated electronics, ROVASIS is, in form and function, a sensor geared towards practical deployment of guided wave NDE, targeting multiple defect modalities in current and future complex spaceflight structures.