TOPIC: S3 Spacecraft and Platform Subsystems

• Processors - General purpose (processor chips and radiation-hardened by design synthesizable IP cores) and special purpose single-chip components (DSPs and FPGAs) with sustainable processing performance (>500 MIPS), power efficiency (>100 MIPS/W) and radiation tolerance, including the tools to support the software flow.
  
• Radiation hardened: low power memories and Ethernet physical layer components.
  
• Models for analysis of interplanetary radiation and radiation belts, and technologies enabling in-flight total dose and single event radiation measurements.
  

• Navigation systems (including multiple sensors and algorithms/estimators, possibly based on existing component technologies) that work collectively on multiple vehicles to enable inertial alignment of the formation of vehicles (i.e., pointing of the line-of-sight defined by fixed points on the vehicles) on the level of milli-arcseconds relative to the background star field.
  
• Light-weight sensors (gyroscopic or other approach) to enable milli-arcsecond class pointing measurement for individual large telescopes.
  
• Isolated pointing and tracking platforms (pointing 0.5 arcseconds, jitter to 5 milli-arcsecond), targeted to placing a scientific instrument on GEO communication satellites that can track the sun for > 3 hours/day.
  

• Optical systems, lasers, and detectors require tight temperature control, often to better than +/- 1°C. Some new missions such as CON-X and LISA require thermal gradients held to micro-degree levels. Methods of precise temperature measurement and control to this level are needed.
  
• Heat flux levels from lasers and other high power devices are increasing, with some projected to go as high as 100 W/cm², especially for proposed wind/Lidar missions. They will require thermal technologies such as spray and jet impingement cooling. Also, high conductivity, vacuum-compatible interface materials will be needed to minimize losses across make/break interfaces.
  
• Future missions such as TPF will use large structures, like mirrors and detector arrays, at both ambient and cryogenic temperatures. Some anticipated technology needs include: advanced thermoelectric coolers capable of providing cooling at ambient and cryogenic temperatures, high conductivity materials to minimize temperature gradients and provide high efficiency light-weight radiators, and advanced thermal control coatings such as variable emittance surfaces and coatings with a high emissivity at ambient and cryogenic temperatures.
  
• Future advanced spacecraft present engineering challenges requiring systems which are more self-sufficient.
  

• Single and two-phase mechanically pumped fluid loop systems which accommodate multiple heat sources and sinks, and long life, lightweight pumps for these systems;
  
• Efficient, lightweight vapor compression systems for cooling up to 2 KW;
  
• Advanced thermal modeling techniques that can be easily integrated into existing codes, emphasizing inclusion of two-phase system and mechanically pumped system models;
  
• Integration of standardized formats into existing codes for the representation and exchange of Thermal Network Models and Thermal Geometric Models and results.
  

• Photovoltaic cell and array technologies with significant improvements in efficiency (>30%), mass specific power (>600W/kg), stowed volume, cost, radiation resistance, and wide operating conditions are solicited;
  
• Photovoltaic cell technologies for low intensity, low-temperature operation (LILT) are solicited;
  
• Array technologies of interest are concentrators, deployable arrays, ultra-lightweight arrays for flexible, thin-film cells, and electrostatically-clean solar arrays.
  

• High-temperature, high-performance regenerators;
  
• High-temperature, lightweight, high-efficiency, low EMI, linear alternators;
  
• High-temperature heater heads (> 850°C) and joining techniques.
  

• Fuel cells;
  
• Batteries including structural batteries;
  
• Integrated power systems (generation/storage/control integrated into one module).
  

• Power electronic components and subsystems;
  
• Power distribution;
  
• Fault protection;
  
• Advanced electronic packaging for thermal control and electromagnetic shielding.
  

• Characterization of high strength fibers and compatible resins for composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) for use in higher-pressure, in-space propulsion systems. Of particular interest are fiber/resin systems exhibiting high uniformity of mechanical properties and high resistance to debonding.
  
• Improved capability and reduced cost of low- to medium-power electric propulsion systems, including power processing, long-life, high-efficiency cathodes and neutralizers, low-erosion materials for ion optics and Hall discharge chambers, plume mitigation, and next generation thrusters.
  
• Thin film materials, elastomeric materials, and/or high temperature fabrics for inflatable decelerator concepts used in aerocapture applications at planetary destinations. The decelerator will be stowed for many years (up to 10 years) in an uncontrolled space environment (-130°C). The inflatable decelerator will experience temperatures up to 500°C during the aerocapture maneuver. Materials of particular interest include polyimide thin films, polybenzobisoxazole (PBO) thin films, and ceramic fabrics.
  

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