National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research 2001 Program Solicitation

TOPIC S1 Sun Earth Connection

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S1.01 Particles and Fields Measurements for Missions to the Heliosphere, Planetary Magnetospheres and Upper Atmospheres
S1.02 Solar Sails
S1.03 Multifunctional Structure and Sensor Systems
S1.04 Spacecraft Technology for Micro/Nanosats
S1.05 Spacecraft and Space Environment Interaction
S1.06 UV and EUV Optics and Detectors

The goal of the Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) Theme in the Space Science Enterprise is an understanding of the changing Sun and its effects on the Solar System, life, and society. SEC's strategy for understanding this interactive system is organized around four fundamental quests designed to answer the following questions: 1) Why does the sun vary? 2) How do the planets respond to solar variations? 3) How do the sun and galaxy interact? 4) How does solar variability affect life and society? SEC's challenging science program involves: 1) Seeking breakthroughs in understanding by making measurements from new vantage points within and outside the Solar System. 2) Making simultaneous, system-wide measurements with constellations of spacecraft that resolve existing space-time ambiguities. 3) Applying new scientific knowledge strategically to produce direct and immediate benefits to our increasingly space-dependent society.

S1.01 Particles and Fields Measurements for Missions to the Heliosphere, Planetary Magnetospheres and Upper Atmospheres
Lead Center: GSFC
Participating Center(s): JPL

The Sun-Earth Connection theme studies the Sun with its surrounding heliosphere carrying its photon and particle emissions and the subsequent responses of the Earth and planets. This requires remote and in situ sensing of upper atmospheres and ionospheres, magnetospheres and interfaces with the solar wind, the heliosphere, and the Sun. Improving our knowledge and understanding of these questions requires accurate in situ measurements of the composition, flow, and thermodynamic state of space plasmas and their interactions with atmospheres as well as the physics and chemistry of the upper atmosphere/ ionosphere systems. Remote sensing of photons and neutral atoms are required for the physics and chemistry of the Sun, the heliosphere, magnetospheres, and planetary atmospheres and ionospheres. Photon measurements are covered under other subtopics (e.g., S1.06, S2.01, and E1.01). Since instrumentation is severely constrained by spacecraft resources, miniaturization, low power consumption and autonomy are common technological challenges across this entire category of sensors. Specific technologies are sought in the following categories:

Plasma Remote Sensing (e.g., neutral atom cameras)

• Advanced neutral atom imagers for energies from a few eV to 100 keV to remotely sense ion populations in the heliosphere and in the magnetospheres of the planets. This may involve techniques for high-efficiency and robust imaging of energetic neutral atoms covering any part of the energy spectrum from 1 eV to 100 keV.

In Situ Plasma Sensors

• Improved techniques for imaging of charged particle (electrons and ions) velocity distributions.
• Improved techniques for the regulation of spacecraft floating potential near the local plasma potential, with minimal impacts on the ambient plasma and field environment.
• Low power digital time-of-flight analyzer chips and waveform generators with sub-nanosecond resolution and multiple channels of parallel processing.
• Miniaturized, radiation-tolerant, autonomous electronic systems for the above.

Fields Sensors

• Improved techniques for measurement of plasma floating potential and DC electric field (and by extension the plasma drift velocity), especially in the direction parallel to the spin axis of a spinning spacecraft.
• Measurement of the gradient of the electric field in space around a single spacecraft or cluster of spacecraft.
• Improved techniques for the measurement of the gradients (curl) of the magnetic field in space local to a single spacecraft or group of spacecraft.
• Direct measurement of the local electric current density at spatial and time resolutions typical of space plasma structures such as shocks, magnetopauses, and auroral arcs.
• Miniaturized, radiation-tolerant and autonomous electronic systems for the above.

Electromagnetic Radiation Sensors

• Radar sounding and echo imaging of plasma density and field structures from orbiting spacecraft.

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S1.02 Solar Sails
Lead Center: JPL
Participating Center(s): GSFC, LaRC, MSFC

The objective of this subtopic is to stimulate breakthroughs in technologies associated with solar sails. Solar sails are envisioned as a low-cost, efficient transport system for future deep space missions. They are baselined for several strategic missions in the Sun-Earth Connection (SEC) Space Science theme, including Solar Polar Imager and Interstellar Probe, the latter being a solar sail mission to explore interstellar space. Missions in the Exploration of the Solar System (ESS) theme would be broadly enhanced by the availability of proven, solar sail technology. Areas in which innovations are sought include lowering the cost of sail development and application, enhancing sail delivery performance, and reducing the risks associated with sail development and application.

Technology innovations are sought in the following areas: packaging and deployment, materials, structure/systems, fabrication, system control (attitude, etc.), maneuver/navigation, operations, durability/survivability, and sail impact on science.

Three parameters have been used as sail performance metrics in mission applications that imply levels of technology capability: sail size, sail survivability for close solar approaches, and areal density (ratio of mass of the sail to area of the sail). In addition, overall system metrics are cost, benefit, and risk. Technologies of interest should be geared toward a wide range of sail sizes, solar closest approach distances, and areal densities, and may be optimized for one portion of the range rather than trying to cover the whole range. Sail sizes may range from very small (meter-sized for use with tiny payloads or use as auxiliary propulsion), to medium (50-100 m size for achieving high-inclination solar orbits) and ultimately to the very large (hundreds of meters for leviated orbits, high delta V, and for use in leaving solar system at high speed). Closest solar approaches may range from 1 AU down to 0.1 AU. Areal densities for a solar sail subsystem (excluding payload) may range from 0.1 to 10 g/m².

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S1.03 Multifunctional Structure and Sensor Systems
Lead Center: JPL
Participating Center(s): GSFC, LaRC

NASA seeks innovative concepts for multifunctional or integrated structure and sensor/electronic systems to reduce spacecraft size and mass, and to enable lower-cost and more capable aerospace vehicles, instruments and structures. A multifunctional system combines several functions, which are usually performed by separate subsystems, into a single highly integrated system. Additionally, multifunctional systems would enable more effective health monitoring where, in this case, "health monitoring" refers to the state of the spacecraft, subsystem or structure. To achieve this will require revolutionary advances over the capabilities of traditional spacecraft systems. Microspacecraft systems (as small as 10 kg, using 10 W, or less) of all varieties will enable new missions that are currently impractical. These systems will include, but are not limited to, orbiters, landers, atmospheric probes, rovers, penetrators, aerobots (balloons), planetary aircraft, subsurface vehicles (ice/soil), and submarines. Also of interest are distributed sensor systems integral with structural elements for the monitoring of the state of those elements or for the construction of new classes of scientific instruments based upon the unique features of the integrated system. New technologies are needed in the areas of integration and packaging of MEMS sensors and actuators integral with advanced lightweight materials for structure and propulsion or thermal control.

Potential mission applications for the technology products developed in this area include micro/nano-spacecraft, thin-film gossamer spacecraft, adaptive large-aperture telescopes, antennas, and airframes. High-priority technology development needs are:

• Techniques for the structural integration of low-volume electronics packaging such as chip-on-structure, chip-on-flex (flexible substrate), and imbedded electronics.
• Concepts for integrating electronics, MEMS, power distribution, energy storage, thermal management, and radiation shielding with ultra-lightweight composite structures.
• Multifunctional membranes that incorporate thin-film electronics and MEMS sensors, photovoltaic cells, or electrochromic materials.
• Adaptive and reconfigurable structures that can respond reactively to environmental stimuli for self-repair of damage.
• Avionics, including highly integrated "systems-on-a-chip" technologies that integrate areas such as telecommunications, power management, data processing and storage, on-chip energy storage, on-chip magnetics or data sensors with structure and/or actuators.
• Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) including: microactuation, navigation sensors, health-monitor sensor systems, low power and low-mass on-chip communication systems, and micro fluid storage and control systems.
• Thermal management, including active and passive techniques.
• Integration of functions such as engineering sensors and science instruments, structure, thermal, cabling, propulsion, etc.
• Technology for integrating three-dimensional VLSI, chip stacking, multi-chip-module stacking and other advanced packaging techniques with structural elements.
• Concepts and designs for test and validation of design integrity and performance of IP based ASICs, mixed signal ASICs and MEMS.

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S1.04 Spacecraft Technology for Micro/Nanosats
Lead Center: GSFC
Participating Center(s): None

NASA seeks research & development of components, subsystems and systems that enable inexpensive, highly capable small spacecraft for future SEC missions. The proposed technology must be compatible with spacecraft somewhere within the Micro/Nano range from 100 kg down to 1 kg. All proposed technology must have a potential for providing a function at current performance levels with significantly reduced mass, power, and cost, or, have a potential for significant increase in performance without additional mass, power and cost. These reduction and/or improvement factors should be significant and show a minimum factor of 2 (relative to the state of the art in 2000) with a goal of 10 or higher.

A proposed technology must state the type or types of expected improvements, (performance, mass, power, cost), list the assumptions for current state of the art, and indicate the spacecraft range of sizes for which the technology is applicable.

The integration of multiple components into functional units and subsystems is desirable but not a requirement for consideration.

• Avionics and architectures that support command and data handling functions, including input/output, formatting, encoding, processing, storage, and A to D conversion. System level architecture, software operating systems, low voltage logic switching, radiation-tolerant design and packaging techniques are also appropriate technologies for consideration.
• Sensors and actuators that support guidance, navigation, and control functions such as sun/earth sensors, star trackers, inertial reference units, navigation receivers, magnetometers, reaction wheels, magnetic torquers, and attitude thrusters. Technologies with applications to either spinning or three-axis stable spacecraft are sought.
• Power system elements including those that support the generation, storage, conversion, distribution, regulation, isolation, and switching functions for spacecraft power. System level architecture, low voltage buss design, radiation tolerant design and novel packaging techniques are appropriate technologies for consideration.
• New and novel application of technologies for manufacturing, integration and test of micro/nano size spacecraft are sought. Limited production runs of up to several hundred spacecraft can be considered. Efficiencies can derive from increased reliability, flexibility in the end-to-end production process as well as cost, labor and schedule.
• Technologies that support passive and active thermal control suitable for micro and nano size spacecraft are sought. These functions include heat generation, storage, rejection, transport and the control of these functions. Efficient system level approaches for integrated small spacecraft that may see a wide range of thermal environments are desirable. These environments may range from low heliocentric orbits to two-hour shadows.
• Elements that support earth-to-space or space-to-space communications functions are sought. This includes receivers, transmitters, transceivers, transponders, antennas, RF amplifiers and switches. S and X are the target communications bands.
• Systems architectures and hardware that lead to greater spacecraft and constellation autonomy and therefore reduce operational expenses are desired. Technologies that derive added capability for a fixed bandwidth, efficient utilization of ground systems, status analysis and situation control or other enhancing performance for operations are sought.
• Structure and mechanism technologies and material applications that support the micro/nano class of spacecraft are desired. Exoskeleton structures, spin release mechanisms, and bi-stable deployment mechanisms are typical of the desired technology.
• Propulsion system elements that provide delta-V capability for spinning and/or three axis stable spacecraft are sought. This includes solid, cold-gas and liquid systems and their components such as igniters, thrust vector control mechanisms, tanks, valves, nozzles, and system control functions.

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S1.05 Spacecraft and Space Environment Interaction
Lead Center: MSFC
Participating Center(s): GRC, GSFC, JPL

This subtopic is concerned with the effects of ionizing radiation, electromagnetic fields, plasma and thermosphere, and thermal and solar components of the environment on spacecraft systems, materials, as well as aeronautics and ground-based technologies. Innovative systems, components, and engineering tools are sought that increase reliability in the harsh environment of space, or that mitigate its effects. Materials sought include advanced thermal control coatings, multi-layer insulation materials, polymeric films, optical materials, seals, marker/astronaut visual aid coatings, and radiation shielding. Innovative engineering tools and models are sought that improve reliability and/or performance of avionic and ground-based systems.

New processing and application techniques are sought that reduce the cost or increase the performance reliability of current space-qualified materials and coatings. Low-cost, lightweight materials and protective coatings that mitigate environmental effects are also sought.

Specific areas for which proposals are sought include:

• Cost-effective methods for improving radiation tolerance of microelectronics and photonics including the reduction of single event upsets and other single particle-induced soft errors, and elimination of single event latchups and other single particle-induced destructive conditions.
• Cost-effective mitigation of radiation effects.
• Techniques for electrically grounding spacecraft to mitigate spacecraft charging.
• Techniques for controlling spacecraft potentials actively or passively.
• Other methods to mitigate harmful effects of space plasma and spacecraft charging.
• Preventing or mitigating the effects of space plasma electrical discharges on solar arrays and surfaces.
• Stable, electrically conductive but thermally advantageous coatings for spacecraft surfaces.
• Materials that electrically are partially insulating but that also "bleed off" buried charge.
• Flexible materials capable of withstanding ultraviolet and particulate radiation without embrittlement.
• Development of design guidelines for missions closer than 1 AU to the sun.
• Advanced materials for fasteners, including thread, hook-and-loop fasteners, structural adhesives with minimal outgassing characteristics, and EVA tethers.
• Cost-effective methods for ground-based simulation of the natural space environment.
• Development of novel methods of increasing aeronautic crew safety and system performance against the propagated effects of the natural space environment.
• Development of novel methods of increasing ground-based system performance and reliability from the propagated effects of the natural space environment such as soft error issues or power grid array.

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S1.06 UV and EUV Optics and Detectors
Lead Center: GSFC
Participating Center(s): MSFC

Remote imaging, spectroscopy, and polarimetry at ultraviolet (UV) and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelengths are important tools for studying the Sun-Earth connection from the Sun's atmosphere to the Earth's aurora. A far ultraviolet (FUV) range is sometimes interposed between UV and EUV, but the terminology is arbitrary: the pertinent full range of wavelength is approximately 20-300 nm.

The proposal should explain specifically how it intends to advance the state of the art in one or more of the following areas:

Imaging Mirrors

• Large aperture: 1-4 m
• Low mass: 5-20 kg m^-2
• Accurate figure: ~0.01 wave rms or better at 632 nm Figure accuracy must be maintained through launch and on orbit (including for mirrors subjected to direct or concentrated solar radiation, the effects of differential heating)
• Low microroughness: ~1 nm rms or better on scales below 1 mm

Optical Coatings and Transmission Filters

• Coatings (filters) with improved reflectivity (transmission) and selectivity (narrow bands, broad bands, or edges). Technologies include (but are not limited to) multilayer coatings, transmission gratings, and Fabry-Pérot étalons.

Diffraction Gratings

• High groove density (> 4000 mm^-1) for high spectral resolving power in conjunction with achievable focal lengths and pixel sizes
• High efficiency and low scattter (microroughness)
• Variable line spacing
• Echelle gratings
• Active gratings (replicated onto deformable surfaces)

Detectors

• Large format (4K x 4K and larger)
• High quantum efficiency
• Small pixel size
• Large well depth
• Low read noise
• Fast readout
• Low power consumption (including readout)
• Intrinsic energy and/or polarization discrimination (3D or 4D detector)
• Active pixel sensors (back-illumination, UV sensitivity)

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