Participating Center(s): MSFC

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  Bioreactors that minimize mass, power and volume, maintenance, process inputs and waste production.
  
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  Bioreactors that are capable of operating in the space environment, including reduced gravity.
  
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  Bioreactors that incorporate novel microbial biomass separation/harvesting/purification methods, and materials recycling/recovery.
  
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  High-density bioreactors that are capable of producing extremely high levels of microbial biomass and/or product.
  
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  Advanced bioreactor monitoring and control systems, including oxygen, temperature, pH, nutrients.
  
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  Experimental bioreactors that exhibit the ability to scale upwards.
  
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  Bioreactors that maximize reliability, component miniaturization, materials handling ability, gas management and overall performance.
  

The Phase I STTR deliverable should include a Final Report that captures any scientific results and processes as well as details on the technology identified. The Final Report should also include a Feasibility Study which defines the current technology readiness level and proposes the maturation path for further evolution of the system.  Opportunities for commercial and government infusion should be addressed. Other potential deliverables include bioreactor system designs, hardware components and prototypes, and system control approaches and software.

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  Astrophysics - http://sites.nationalacademies.org/bpa/BPA_049810.
  
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  Planetary - http://sites.nationalacademies.org/ssb/completedprojects/ssb_065878.
  
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  Earth Science - http://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/decadal-surveys/.
  
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  Heliophysics the 2014 technology roadmap can be downloaded here: http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/.
  

A major objective of SMD instrument development programs is to implement science measurement capabilities with smaller or more affordable spacecraft so development programs can meet multiple mission needs and therefore make the best use of limited resources. The rapid development of small, low-cost remote sensing and in situ instruments is essential to achieving this objective. For Earth Science needs, in particular, the subtopics reflect a focus on instrument development for airborne and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms. Astrophysics has a critical need for sensitive detector arrays with imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetric capabilities, which can be demonstrated on ground, airborne, balloon, or suborbital rocket instruments. Heliophysics, which focuses on measurements of the sun and its interaction with the Earth and the other planets in the solar system, needs a significant reduction in the size, mass, power, and cost for instruments to fly on smaller spacecraft. Planetary Science has a critical need for miniaturized instruments with in situ sensors that can be deployed on surface landers, rovers, and airborne platforms. For the 2017 program year, we are restructuring the Sensors, Detectors and Instruments Topic, adding new, rotating out, splitting and retiring some of the subtopics. Please read each subtopic of interest carefully. There are two new subtopics for this year.  The first solicits development of in situ instrument technologies and components to advance the maturity of science instruments focused on the detection of evidence of life, especially extant of life, in the Ocean Worlds.  The second seeks instruments and component technologies that will enable unambiguous determination of whether extant life is present in target environments on other solar system bodies. The microwave technologies subtopic has been split this year into two subtopics one focused on active microwave remote sensing and the second on passive systems such as radiometers and microwave spectrometers.  A key objective of this SBIR topic is to develop and demonstrate instrument component and subsystem technologies that reduce the risk, cost, size, and development time of SMD observing instruments and to enable new measurements. Proposals are sought for development of components, subsystems and systems that can be used in planned missions or a current technology program. Research should be conducted to demonstrate feasibility during Phase I and show a path towards a Phase II prototype demonstration. The following subtopics are concomitant with these objectives and are organized by technology.

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  Improved sources such as lasers, LEDs, X-ray tubes, etc. for imaging and spectroscopy instruments (including Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Deep UV Raman and Fluorescence spectroscopy, Hyperspectral Imaging Spectroscopy, and X-ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy).
  
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  Improved detectors for imaging and spectroscopy instruments (e.g., flight-compatible iCCDS and other time-gated detectors that provide gain, robot arm compatible PMT arrays and other detectors requiring high voltage operation, detectors with improved UV and near-to-mid IR performance, near-to-mid IR detectors with reduced cooling requirements).
  
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  Technologies for 1-D and 2-D raster scanning from a robot arm.
  
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  Novel approaches that could help enable in-situ organic compound analysis from a robot arm (e.g., ultra-miniaturized Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization Mass Spectrometry).
  
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  "Smart software" for evaluating imaging spectroscopy data sets in real-time on a planetary surface to guide rover targeting, sample selection (for missions involving sample return), and science optimization of data returned to earth.
  
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  Other technologies and approaches (e.g., improved cooling methods) that could lead to lower mass, lower power, and/or improved science return from instruments used to study the elemental, chemical, and mineralogical composition of planetary materials.
  
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  Projects selected under this subtopic should address at least one of the above areas of interest. Multiple-area proposals are encouraged. Proposers should specifically address:
  
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    The suitability of the technology for flight applications, e.g., mass, power, compatibility with expected shock and vibration loads, radiation environment, interplanetary vacuum, etc.
    
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    Relevance of the technology to NASA's planetary exploration science goals.
    

Phase I contracts will be expected to demonstrate feasibility, and Phase II contracts will be expected to fabricate and complete laboratory testing on an actual instrument/test article.

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  Integrated photonic sensors (physical, chemical and/or biological) circuits: NASA applications examples include (but are not limited to): Lab-on-a-chip systems for landers, Astronaut health monitoring, Front-end and back-end for remote sensing instruments including trace gas lidars Large telescope spectrometers for exoplanets using photonic lanterns and narrow band filters.  On chip generation and detection of light of appropriate wavelength may not be practical, requiring compact hybrid packaging for providing broadband optical input-output and also, as means to provide coupling of light between the sensor-chip waveguides and samples, unique optical components (e.g.,  Plasmonic waveguides, microfluidic channel) may be beneficial.
  
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  Integrated Photonic Circuits for Analog RF applications: NASA applications include new methods due to Size, Weight and Power improvements, passive and active microwave signal processing, radio astronomy and TeraHertz spectroscopy.  As an example, integrated photonic circuits having very low insertion loss (e.g., ~1dB) and high spur free dynamic range for analog and RF signal processing and transmission which incorporate, for example, monolithic high-Q waveguide microresonantors or Fabry-Perot filters with multi-GHz RF pass bands.   These components should be suitable for designing chip-scale tunable opto-electronic RF oscillator and high precision optical clock modules.
  
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  Integrated photonic circuits for very high speed computing: Advanced computing engines that approach TeraFLOP per second computing power for spacecraft in a fully integrated combined photonic and electronic package.
  

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  Sensor systems should have the ability to provide the following functionality:
  
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    Measurement.
    
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    Measure of the quality of the measurement.
    
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    Measure of the “health” of the sensor.
    
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  Sensor systems should enable the ability to detect anomalies, determine causes and effects, predict future anomalies, and provides an integrated awareness of the health of the system to users (operators, customers, management, etc.).
  
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  Sensors are needed with capability to function reliably in extreme environments, including rapidly changing ranges of environmental conditions, such as those experienced in space.  These ranges may be from extremely cold temperatures, such as cryogenic temperatures, to extremely high temperatures, such as those experienced near a rocket engine plume.  Collected data must be time stamped to facilitate analysis with other collected data sets.
  
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  Sensor systems should be self-contained to collect information and relay measurements through various means by a sensor-web approach to provide a self-healing, auto-configuring method of collecting data from multiple sensors, and relaying for integration with other acquired data sets.
  
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  The proposed innovative systems must lead to improved safety and reduced test, and space flight costs by allowing real-time analysis of data, information, and knowledge through efficient interfaces to enable integrated awareness of the system condition by users.
  
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  The system provided must interface with existing data acquisition systems and the software used by such systems.
  
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  The system must provide NIST traceable measurements.
  
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  The system design should consider an ultimate use of Space Flight sensor systems, which could be used for multi-vehicle use.
  

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  Management of 'leakage' flow (over blade tips and from purge cavities) in engines that becomes increasingly significant as engine core sizes decrease below 2.5lbm/s compressor exit corrected flow.
  
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  Cooling technology for turbines that must withstand 3000° F inlet temperature. More generally, technology that can enable OPRs (Overall Pressure Ratios) higher than 60 are sought with linkages clearly demonstrated.
  
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  Acoustic liners and turbomachinery concepts to reduce engine noise to reach ARMD's targeted 52dB reduction by 2025 (TRL 4-6 in 2025).
  
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  Some common biological models are shark skin, owl wings and nautilus shell.
  
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  Bio-inspired icephobic materials and structures for aeronautics (ARMD Strategic Thrust 1). ARMD plans for continued research in engine and airframe icing to enable air vehicles to safely fly into various types of icing environments. This research will include validated computational and experimental icing simulations, as well as complementary on-board icing sensing radar to enable avoidance of icing conditions and to facilitate safe operation of current and future air vehicle concepts. Icing mechanisms on airframes and in engines differ significantly from each other. Icing is also dependent on flight speed and atmospheric conditions. Thus, methods used for refrigerators may not be applicable to aeronautics. Proposals sought include materials or structures that delay ice formation relative to state of the art, that are relatively low energy to de-ice and multifunctional de-icing or icephobic systems. Well known biological systems or models should not be proposed unless the technology proposed is using a known biological model in a novel way. Examples of such models include shark skin, lotus leaves, pitcher plants.
  

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  Demonstrations of advantages in mass savings made possible through bioinspired topologies enabled by additive manufacturing methods.
  
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  Controlled synthesis of lightweight engineering materials due to bioinspired synthesis methods.
  

Focus Area 15: Lightweight Materials, Structures, Assembly, and Construction

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  Improved performance and cost from advances in composite, metallic and ceramic material systems as well as nanomaterial and nanostructures.
  
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  Improved performance and mass reduction in innovative lightweight structural systems, extreme environments structures and multifunctional/multipurpose materials and structures.
  
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  Improved cost, launch mass, system resiliency and extended life time by advancing technologies to enable large structures that can be deployed, assembled/constructed, reconfigured and serviced in-space or on planetary surfaces.
  
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  Improved life and risk mitigation to damage of structural systems by advancing technologies that enhance nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring.
  

The specific needs and metrics for this year’s focus technology needs are requested in detail in the topic and subtopic descriptions.