High-Temperature Sensors

Hypersonic vehicles and weapons systems offer the ability to quickly strike across the globe and are essential for the future of the U.S. armed forces. Operating these systems at hypersonic speeds presents new engineering challenges. Specifically, control system and sensor technologies used on conventional aircraft are not adequate for hypersonic environments where surface temperatures can reach up to 5000°F and localized areas can experience high combined thermal, mechanical, and acoustic loading. These sensor limitations make the testing and development of hypersonic vehicles and their scramjet propulsion systems much more difficult. The development of such high-temperature sensors will be a key step in improving the performance of hypersonic vehicles. In recent NASA funded Phase II STTR efforts, GTL has developed two technologies that hold the potential for delivering these essential sensors. In this proposed DARPA Phase II effort, GTL shall expand upon the previous NASA efforts and the Phase I design, to fabricate and test novel high temperature sensors. The technologies will be developed into a prototype unit for further testing within the proposed Phase II effort. The Phase II option would include field testing of an additional prototype.