NASA SBIR 2007 Solicitation

SMALL BUSINESS CONCERN (Firm Name, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Scientific Systems Company, Inc.
500 West Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn, MA 01801 - 6503
(781) 933-5355

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR/PROJECT MANAGER (Name, E-mail, Mail Address, City/State/Zip, Phone)
Joao B. D. Cabrera
cabrera@ssci.com
500 West Cummings Park, Suite 3000
Woburn, MA 01801 - 6503
(781) 933-5355

Expected Technology Readiness Level (TRL) upon completion of contract: 2 to 3

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT (Limit 2000 characters, approximately 200 words)
The overall objective of this research effort (Phase I and Phase II)
by Scientific Systems Company, Inc. and BBN Technologies is to develop
the SELENE network -- SELf-forming Extensible luNar EVA network -- for
specific usage in the Human Lunar Outpost. Phase I will investigate a
hybrid scheme combining Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks (MANETs) and Disruption
Tolerant Networks (DTNs) for networking EVA radios in the Human Lunar
Outpost, study the performance of SELENE under various levels of
disruption and load, and develop a prototype convergence layer adapter
plug-in for an EVA radio. The SELENE effort will leverage DARPA's
Survivable Policy-Influenced Networking: Disruption Tolerance through
Learning and Evolution (SPINDLE) program led by BBN Technologies
(BBN), which addressed DTNs from the DoD viewpoint. As a part of our
research team, BBN will provide expertise in DTNs and MANETs and
support the usage of their software for performance evaluation of
DTNs. The SELENE effort will investigate problems which are specific
to the lunar environment, such as the existence of scheduled,
on-demand and predictive adjacencies among nodes, and the need for
hybrid schemes which work well under all levels of disruption,
combining MANET and DTN technologies in a seamless fashion.

POTENTIAL NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
SELENE represents a solution for the problem of providing continuous
interoperable communications for the Human Lunar Outpost achieving the
highest levels of reliability and robustness in extremely sparse
network topologies and harsh environments of rough terrains, extreme
temperatures (-155 to 100 degrees Celsius), radiation exposure, dust
storms, and other interferences. Generally, DTN technology is also
applicable to other NASA programs as well, such as those supporting
robotic networked vehicles for planetary exploration, and deep space
communications.

POTENTIAL NON-NASA COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS (Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words)
DTN technology is applicable in several other areas: (1) Defense:
There are several networking operations within the sphere of DoD
(challenged networks) which require DTN technologies. (2) Public
safety (Fire, Police, Search and Rescue, Hazardous environments):
Personnel can move into/out of range of network while still collecting
data/reporting back, all of which will be transmitted to destination
as they come into range. (3) Condition-based maintenance: Data can be
collected and commands sent continuously and in automated fashion from
sensors in remote/hazardous areas. (4) Wildlife tracking: Wildlife can
be outfitted with sensors that report whenever they are in range. (5)
Traffic congestion management: Fleet vehicles on fixed routes can
report traffic congestion to other vehicles.

NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.

TECHNOLOGY TAXONOMY MAPPING

Architectures and Networks Computer System Architectures Manned-Maneuvering Units Tools