Sensor Technology And Rapid Manufacturing for Aerospace & Thermal Environments (STAR-MATE)

High-temperature sensors are needed for hypersonic testing, where extreme thermal environments challenge demands for precise and reliable measurements. To advance the development of a new heat flux sensor, we will address four key objectives focused on design optimization, manufacturing scalability, and performance validation. First, we will investigate the sensor design space and identify designs for manufacturing development and prototyping. Second, we will optimize the manufacturing process to achieve necessary sensor performance repeatability by developing critical cofired ceramics, refining critical process steps, controlling key parameters, and experimentally validating manufacturing outputs. Third, we will fabricate and test prototype heat flux sensors to evaluate their durability, thermal response, and overall performance, mitigating risks related to sensor failure and measurement inconsistencies. We will finally demonstrate manufacturing scalability by batch fabrication of sensors, confirming process repeatability, identifying potential production bottlenecks, and ensuring cost-effective scale-up. These efforts will collectively establish a robust, repeatable, and scalable process, enabling reliable sensor production and supporting commercialization. Advancing this technology will enhance hypersonic testing capabilities by providing accurate, high-temperature sensors that improve data collection, system modeling, and vehicle performance assessment.