ULTRAMET

RAPID INNOVATION FUNDING BAA R&D ADVANCED HYBRID ABLATOR FOR BMDS INTERCEPTORS IGF::OT::IGF

IGF::OT::IGF ELECTRICALLY HEATED FOAM-BASED IGNITION SYSTEM FOR AF-M315E

IGF::OT::IGF ADVANCED CMCS FOR EXPENDABLE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES

STTR PHASE II PEPIN ASSOCIATES PROPOSAL L2S-0055 TITLED ULTRAMETS PROPOSAL INCREASED COMPONENT SIZE OF CF ZRC CMCS FOR HYPERSONIC AND RELATED, TENDERED UNDER TOPIC DLA212-007 ADVERTISED IN SBIR BROAD AGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT BAA SBIR 22.2

SP4701-23-C-0049 SBIR PHASE II REQUIREMENT.

SBIR PHASE III R&D DEVELOPMENT AND DEMONSTRATION OF CVD HIGH TEMPERATURE OXIDATION PROTECTION COATINGS ON SCALABLE C/C MATERIALS

IGF::OT::IGF - FIBER-REINFORCED METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES FOR HIGH-PRESSURE TURBINES

MATERIALS ARCHITECTURES AND CHARACTERIZATION FOR HYPERSONICS (MACH)

SBIR/STTR PHASE II R&D:HYPERSONIC AIR PLATFORM CONTROL SURFACES

SBIR/STTR PHASE II R&D - SILICIDE COATINGS ON REFRACTORY METAL ALLOYS FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE OXIDATION PROTECTION OF HYPERSONIC VEHICLE LEADING EDGES, PHASE II

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT - PHASE II SBIR

SBIR/STTR PHASE II R&D PROPULSION SYSTEMS

::IGF::OT::IGF SBIR PHASE II RESEARCH&DEVELOPMENT

SBIR PHASE II RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

CATALYTIC IGNITION SYSTEM FOR ASCENT-BASED PROPULSION SYSTEMS, PHASE II

IGF::OT::IGF BASE

MDA SBIR PHASE 2

SBIR/STTR PHASE II R&D LOW-DENSITY ABLATOR-FILLED FOAM INCORPORATING LYOCELL-DERIVED CARBON FIBER FOR BMDS INTERCEPTORS

IGF::OT::IGF IN THIS WORK, ULTRAMET IS DEVELOPING A THREE-DIMENSIONAL (3D) LASER-DIRECTED CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION (CVD) ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING SYSTEM TO BUILD FREE-FORM REFRACTORY METAL COMPONENTS FOR LIQUID ROCKET PROPULSION SYSTEMS. BY COMBINING ULTRAMET'S EXPERIENCE IN REFRACTORY METAL FABRICATION BY CVD WITH COMPUTER CONTROL OF DIRECTED LASER ENERGY, NEARLY UNLIMITED EXPRESSION OF PART SHAPE AND METAL COMPOSITION CAN BE REALIZED FOR COMPONENT FABRICATION. 3D ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING IS REVOLUTIONIZING MANY INDUSTRIES BY OFFERING UNCONSTRAINED COMPLEX BUILD GEOMETRIES AND REDUCED COST, LEAD TIME, AND MATERIAL USAGE COMPARED WITH CONVENTIONAL MANUFACTURING TECHNIQUES. BY DEVELOPING LASER-DIRECTED CVD TECHNOLOGY FOR REFRACTORY METALS, ULTRAMET WILL BRING THESE INHERENT BENEFITS TO A CLASS OF MATERIALS THAT ARE NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO FORM AND THUS ARE EXPENSIVE TO IMPLEMENT. BY DEPOSITING SUCCESSIVE LAYERS OF METAL DIRECTLY FROM REACTIVE PRECURSOR GASES, THE SYSTEM WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD COMPONENTS FROM RHENIUM, TUNGSTEN, TANTALUM, NIOBIUM, AND THEIR ALLOYS WITH COMPLEX INTERNAL FEATURES AND REDUCED ASSEMBLY PART COUNT. IN PHASE I, ULTRAMET DESIGNED AND BUILT A LASER-DIRECTED CVD REACTOR, SUCCESSFULLY DEPOSITED BOTH RHENIUM AND TUNGSTEN IN A CONTROLLED FASHION, AND ACHIEVED WELL-DEFINED TWO-DIMENSIONAL SPATIAL CONTROL AND LAYERING AS A STRONG DEMONSTRATION OF PROCESS FEASIBILITY. IN PHASE II, ULTRAMET WILL DESIGN AND BUILD A NEW HIGH-POWER, HIGH-SPEED REACTOR WITH OPTICAL Z-AXIS CONTROL TO ENABLE LAYERING FOR 3D GEOMETRIES AT HIGH DEPOSITION RATES. SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE INTEGRATION WILL PROVIDE AUTOMATED LAYERING CONTROL TO ENABLE FULLY AUTOMATIC ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING FROM 3D MODELS. THE DEPOSITED RHENIUM AND ITS LAYERING WILL BE CHARACTERIZED AND OPTIMIZED BY DIRECT PRINTING OF MECHANICAL TEST SPECIMENS AND SMALL DEMONSTRATOR ARTICLES. THIS PHASE OF THE RESEARCH WILL MATURE THE SYSTEM AND TECHNOLOGY TO A LEVEL WHERE AUTOMATED FABRICATION OF SMALL 3D COMPONENTS IS POSSIBLE.

SBIR PHASE II - HIGH-EMISSIVITY CVD DENDRITIC RHENIUM COATINGS FOR NEP RADIATOR PANELS, PHASE II

PHASE II SBIR - HIGH-PERFORMANCE DEORBIT ENGINE WITH MINIMAL POWER REQUIREMENTS, PHASE II

EO14042 SBIR PHASE II MATERIALS FOR STRUCTURAL AND THERMAL PRESERVATION OF SAMPLE RETURN PAYLOAD DURING EARTH ENTRY AND LANDING, PHASE II

SBIR PHASE II - MODELING&EMPIRICIZING THE DECOMPOSITION OF HAN-BASED MONOPROPELLANT&ASSOCIATED CATALYSTS

NON-CARCINOGENIC, REDUCED-TOXICITY FUEL/CATALYST REPLACEMENT FOR THE F-16 EMERGENCY POWER UNIT (EPU)

SBIR II: INCREASED-LIFETIME HIGH-CURRENT CATHODES USING MICROENGINEERED MATERIALS AF TOPIC #AF162-008

IGF::OT::IGF SBIR PHASE II - AF-315 MONIOPROPELLANT CUBESATS PROPULSION SYSTEM

IGF::OT::IGF EFFICIENT NUCLEAR-THERMAL PROPULSION (NTP) REQUIRES HEATING A LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT GAS, TYPICALLY HYDROGEN, TO HIGH TEMPERATURE AND EXPELLING IT THROUGH A NOZZLE. THE HIGHER THE TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE, THE HIGHER THE THRUST AND SPECIFIC IMPULSE. FOR GROUND TEST FACILITIES THAT WILL BE HEATING THE GAS TO TEMPERATURES UP TO 4400F (2425C), THE NUMBER OF MATERIALS THAT CAN BE USED IS SEVERELY LIMITED. THE NEED FOR COMPATIBILITY WITH HOT HYDROGEN LIMITS THE FIELD EVEN FURTHER. IN PHASE I, ULTRAMET DESIGNED, FABRICATED, AND TESTED A SYSTEM FOR HEATING HIGH-PRESSURE HYDROGEN TO TEMPERATURES APPROACHING 2400C. THE SYSTEM INCLUDED A FOAM-BASED HEATING ELEMENT, AN INSULATION PACKAGE, AND A CAREFULLY DESIGNED MULTIWALLED PRESSURE VESSEL THAT COULD CONTAIN THE HOT GAS AT PRESSURES UP TO 2000 PSIG. THE PHASE I EFFORT DEMONSTRATED THE SUITABILITY OF THE SELECTED MATERIALS AND THE OVERALL DESIGN APPROACH. PHASE II WILL FOCUS ON SCALING UP THE SYSTEM, FABRICATING AND TESTING HARDWARE, AND LAYING OUT A CLEAR PATH TO A SYSTEM THAT CAN DELIVER HOT HYDROGEN AT FLOW RATES UP TO 40 LBM/SEC (THE HIGHEST FLOW RATE CURRENTLY OF INTEREST TO NASA) AT PRESSURES UP TO 2000 PSIG. THE OVERALL SYSTEM WILL BE COMPOSED OF MULTIPLE MODULES, AND EACH MODULE WILL BE COMPRISED OF MULTIPLE HEATING ELEMENTS. BECAUSE THE DESIGN IS MODULAR, FLOWS HIGHER THAN 40 LBM/SEC CAN BE ACHIEVED. THE MODULAR DESIGN ALSO MINIMIZES PROGRAMMATIC RISK BECAUSE IT WILL ALLOW THE USE OF MATERIALS AT HIGHER TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVELS AND SUBSYSTEMS THAT DO NOT HAVE TO BE SCALED UP.

IGF::OT::IGF IN PREVIOUS WORK FOR NASA, ULTRAMET AND ARA ABLATIVES LABORATORY DEVELOPED AND DEMONSTRATED ADVANCED FOAM REINFORCED CARBON/PHENOLIC ABLATORS THAT OFFER SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED PERFORMANCE UNDER HIGH HEAT FLUX CONDITIONS AND REDUCED WEIGHT RELATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL ABLATORS. THE TWO-PIECE STRUCTURE CONSISTED OF AN ABLATIVE-FILLED FOAM FRONT SURFACE BACKED BY ULTRAMET'S PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED AND HIGHLY INSULATING AEROGEL-FILLED FOAM. ARCJET TESTING WAS PERFORMED AT NASA AMES RESEARCH CENTER TO HEAT FLUX LEVELS EXCEEDING 1000 W/CM2, WITH THE RESULTS SHOWING A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED ABLATION RATE COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL CHOPPED FIBER ABLATORS, AND ABLATION BEHAVIOR COMPARABLE TO FM5055 AT JUST ONE-THIRD THE DENSITY. IT IS APPARENT THAT THE FOAM HELPS RETAIN THE CHAR LAYER BY PHYSICAL REINFORCEMENT AND/OR THAT THE NETWORK OF INTERCONNECTED PASSAGES ALLOWS PYROLYSIS GASES TO ESCAPE WITH LESS DISRUPTION OF THE CHAR LAYER. IN PHASE I, ULTRAMET TEAMED WITH ARA ABLATIVES FOR ABLATIVE INFILTRATION OF ULTRAMET FOAMS AND MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DESIGN FOR ABLATION ANALYSIS, TO CONTINUE OPTIMIZATION OF FOAM-REINFORCED ABLATIVES BY FOCUSING ON TWO PRIMARY AREAS. THE ABLATOR FORMULATION INFILTRATED INTO THE FOAM WAS SUCCESSFULLY MODIFIED TO INCREASE HEAT FLUX CAPABILITY CONSISTENT WITH NASA EARTH RETURN REQUIREMENTS (1500-2500 W/CM2 OR HIGHER). THE DENSITY CAN BE VARIED AS NEEDED TO MEET HEAT FLUX REQUIREMENTS WHILE MINIMIZING WEIGHT. IN ADDITION, A SINGLE-PIECE FOAM STRUCTURE WAS DEMONSTRATED, RATHER THAN SEPARATE ABLATIVE- AND AEROGEL-FILLED FOAM SECTIONS. IN PHASE II, THE LIGHTWEIGHT HYBRID ABLATOR WILL BE OPTIMIZED FOR A SPECIFIC NASA MISSION, MATERIAL AND STRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE PREDICTED THROUGH MODELING, AND PERFORMANCE WILL BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH HIGH HEAT FLUX TESTING AT NASA ARC AND THE AIR FORCE LHMEL-II FACILITY. SCALEUP POTENTIAL WILL BE DEMONSTRATED THROUGH FABRICATION OF A HEAT SHIELD MODULE SUITABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION OF LARGE MODULAR HEAT SHIELDS.

IGF::OT::IGF ULTRAMET AND ARA ABLATIVES LABORATORY PREVIOUSLY DEVELOPED AND DEMONSTRATED FOAM-REINFORCED CARBON/PHENOLIC ABLATORS THAT OFFER SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASED HIGH HEAT FLUX PERFORMANCE AND REDUCED WEIGHT RELATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL ABLATORS. THE STRUCTURE CONSISTED OF AN ABLATOR-FILLED FOAM FRONT SURFACE BACKED BY ULTRAMET'S HIGHLY INSULATING AEROGEL-FILLED FOAM. ARC JET TESTING WAS PERFORMED AT NASA ARC TO HEAT FLUX LEVELS EXCEEDING 1000 W/CM2, WITH THE RESULTS SHOWING A SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED ABLATION RATE COMPARED TO CONVENTIONAL CHOPPED FIBER ABLATORS, AND ABLATION BEHAVIOR COMPARABLE TO FM5055 AT JUST ONE-THIRD THE DENSITY. IN 2008, NASA ARC CONTRACTED ARA TO DEVELOP A NEW HEAT SHIELD DESIGN INVOLVING INTEGRATION OF FULLY CURED MID-DENSITY ABLATOR BLOCKS WITHIN A STRUCTURAL HONEYCOMB REINFORCEMENT. THE BLOCK ABLATOR-IN-HONEYCOMB HEAT SHIELD IS ENVISIONED TO PROVIDE HIGH ATMOSPHERIC ENTRY RELIABILITY DUE TO THE STRUCTURAL ATTACHMENT INTEGRITY PROVIDED BY THE HONEYCOMB LATTICE IN THE ABLATIVE MATERIAL LAYER. IN PHASE I, THE ULTRAMET-ARA TEAM DEMONSTRATED THE INITIAL FEASIBILITY OF USING ABLATOR/AEROGEL-FILLED FOAM WITHIN HONEYCOMB CELLS THROUGH FABRICATION OF A 16-CELL PANEL IN WHICH FOAM BLOCKS WERE LITERALLY PRESSED TO SHAPE USING A DIE AND THEN SNUG-FIT INTO CARBON/PHENOLIC HONEYCOMB CELLS. THE 16-CELL PANEL WAS INFILTRATED WITH ABLATOR TO A CONTROLLED DEPTH ON THE FRONT FACE, WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY BONDED THE FOAM BLOCKS TO THE HONEYCOMB, AND THE REMAINING FOAM VOID SPACE ON THE BACK FACE WAS FILLED WITH AEROGEL. IN PHASE II, BLOCK ABLATOR-IN-HONEYCOMB STRUCTURES WILL BE OPTIMIZED THROUGH FLAT AND CURVED PANEL FABRICATION, PROPERTIES TESTING, AND HIGH HEAT FLUX TESTING AT NASA ARC AND THE AIR FORCE LHMEL FACILITY. THIS EFFORT WILL LEVERAGE A CURRENT ULTRAMET PROJECT FOR NASA ARC FOCUSING ON OPTIMIZATION OF ABLATOR FILLED FOAM COMPOSITIONS FOR USE IN THE 1000-8000 W/CM2 HEAT FLUX RANGE, WHICH COULD ULTIMATELY BE USED IN THE BLOCK ABLATOR-IN HONEYCOMB ARCHITECTURE.

SBIR-PHASE II- BASIC EFFORT

C/HFC STRUCTURES FOR TACTICAL PROPULSION REACTION JET CONTROL

ADVANCED FOAM CORE COMPOSITE INSULATION FOR EXTENDED RANGE HYPERSONIC VEHICLES

TO RETURN A SAMPLE FROM THE SURFACE OF MARS OR ANY OF THE LARGER MOONS IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM WILL REQUIRE A PROPULSION SYSTEM WITH A COMPARATIVELY LARGE DELTA-V CAPABILITY. CONSEQUENTLY, SIGNIFICANT PROPELLANT MASS WILL BE REQUIRED. WHILE IT IS TECHNICALLY FEASIBLE TO GENERATE O2 AND CO PROPELLANTS BY ELECTROLYSIS OF CO2 FROM THE MARTIAN ATMOSPHERE, IT WILL ONLY WORK ON BODIES WHERE THERE IS SIGNIFICANT CO2 IN THE ATMOSPHERE, AND THE MASS OF THE REQUIRED INFRASTRUCTURE (ELECTROLYZER, BATTERIES, SOLAR PANELS) IS SUBSTANTIAL. A RECENT STUDY SHOWED THAT A HYBRID ROCKET WITH MULTI-START CAPABILITY TRADES MORE FAVORABLY THAN EITHER A CO2 ELECTROLYSIS SYSTEM OR A BIPROPELLANT SYSTEM WHERE THE PROPELLANTS ARE GENERATED ON EARTH. USING A HIGH-PERFORMANCE HYBRID PROPELLANT COMBINATION AND BEING ABLE TO RESTART THE HYBRID ROCKET ARE THE KEYS. IN PREVIOUS AND ONGOING WORK, ULTRAMET HAS DEMONSTRATED THAT ELECTRICALLY HEATED OPEN-CELL SILICON CARBIDE FOAM CAN BE USED AS AN IGNITER FOR BOTH MONOPROPELLANT AND BIPROPELLANT ROCKET ENGINES. DUE TO ITS LOW MASS, EXCELLENT OXIDATION RESISTANCE, AND FAVORABLE ELECTRICAL CHARACTERISTICS, THE FOAM CAN BE HEATED TO 1300 C IN JUST SECONDS, WHICH ENABLES IT TO QUICKLY IGNITE ANY PROPELLANT FLOWING THROUGH IT. THE PHASE I PROJECT DEMONSTRATED THAT A FOAM HEATER COULD BE TURNED ON AND OFF ANY NUMBER OF TIMES AND THAT IT WAS CAPABLE OF HEATING OXYGEN AND IGNITING PARAFFIN. APPLIED TO A PORTION OF THE OXIDIZER STREAM IN A HYBRID ROCKET ENGINE, THIS WILL PROVIDE MULTI-START CAPABILITY. IN PHASE II, ULTRAMET WILL TEAM WITH PARABILIS SPACE TECHNOLOGIES TO DESIGN, FABRICATE, AND TEST A HYBRID ROCKET IGNITION SYSTEM SUITABLE FOR USE WITH O2, NTO, OR MON-25 ON A MARS ASCENT VEHICLE.

PHASE II, FOAM-BASED IGNITION SYSTEM NON-TOXIC PROPELLANTS

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE PHYSICAL, ENGINEERING, AND LIFE SCIENCES (EXCEPT BIOTECHNOLOGY)

SBIR PHASE II, TOPIC #OSD08-EP5:

CURRENT CRYOGENIC INSULATION MATERIALS SUFFER FROM VARIOUS DRAWBACKS INCLUDING HIGH COST AND WEIGHT, LACK OF STRUCTURAL OR LOAD-BEARING CAPABILITY, FABRICATION COMPLEXITY, AND PROPERTY ANISOTROPY. A NEED CLEARLY EXISTS FOR LIGHTWEIGHT THERMAL INSULATION THAT IS ISOTROPIC AND STRUCTURALLY CAPABLE WITH HIGH THERMAL PERFORMANCE, WHILE ALSO OFFERING REDUCED FABRICATION AND INSTALLATION COMPLEXITY AND LOWER COST. IN PREVIOUS WORK FOR NASA AND DOD INVOLVING LIGHTWEIGHT STRUCTURAL INSULATION FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME APPLICATIONS, ULTRAMET DEVELOPED AND DEMONSTRATED LIGHTWEIGHT OPEN-CELL FOAM INSULATORS COMPOSED OF A CARBON OR CERAMIC STRUCTURAL FOAM SKELETON FILLED WITH A LOW-COST, NANOSCALE AEROGEL INSULATOR. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS TO ADAPT AND OPTIMIZE AEROGEL-FILLED STRUCTURAL FOAM FOR THE CRYOGENIC INSULATION APPLICATION, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE THERMAL AND MECHANICAL BENEFITS OF EACH COMPONENT WHILE OFFERING LOW COST AND MANUFACTURABILITY IN COMPLEX SHAPES. IN PHASE I, THE FEASIBILITY OF FABRICATING AEROGEL-FILLED OPEN-CELL FOAM FOR CRYOGENIC APPLICATION WAS DEMONSTRATED, INITIAL THERMAL PERFORMANCE WAS ESTABLISHED, AND A PATH FOR CONTINUED MATERIAL AND STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH DESIGN AND MODELING. IN PHASE II, ULTRAMET WILL AGAIN TEAM WITH OCELLUS, A LEADER IN LOW-COST AEROGEL FABRICATION, AND MATERIALS RESEARCH AND DESIGN FOR DESIGN AND ANALYSIS SUPPORT. THERMAL PERFORMANCE WILL BE CHARACTERIZED AT THE CRYOGENICS TEST LABORATORY AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.

HIGH EFFICIENCY, HIGH TEMPERATURE FOAM CORE HEAT EXCHANGER FOR FISSION SURFACE POWER SYSTEMS, PHASE II FISSION-BASED POWER SYSTEMS WITH POWER LEVELS OF 30 TO 100 KWE WILL BE NEEDED FOR PLANETARY SURFACE BASES. DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH TEMPERATURE, HIGH EFFICIENCY HEAT EXCHANGERS IS CRITICAL FOR NEXT-GENERATION NUCLEAR POWER AND SPACE PROPULSION SYSTEMS. IN PHASE I, ULTRAMET AND SANDIA NATIONAL LABORATORIES DEMONSTRATED THE FEASIBILITY OF USING HIGH SURFACE AREA FOAM CORE HEAT EXCHANGER TECHNOLOGY TO SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVE THE POWER CONVERSION EFFICIENCY OF LIQUID METAL-TO-GAS HIGH TEMPERATURE HEAT EXCHANGERS FOR FISSION SURFACE POWER SYSTEMS. PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND MODELING SUGGESTED A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN THE EFFICIENCY OF A LIQUID LITHIUM-TO-HELIUM COMPONENT RELATIVE TO CONVENTIONAL PLATE-FIN HEAT EXCHANGERS, AND HARDWARE FABRICATION AND TESTING DEMONSTRATED THE MANUFACTURABILITY, PERFORMANCE, AND SIMPLICITY OF THE FOAM-BASED DESIGN. OPEN-CELL FOAM IS A NATURAL COOLANT CHANNEL THAT DOES NOT REQUIRE EXTENSIVE, EXPENSIVE MACHINING OF INTRICATE COOLANT PASSAGES AND ELIMINATES THE NEED FOR BRAZE-BONDING OR WELDING OF NUMEROUS INDIVIDUAL SECTIONS. INITIAL TESTING SHOWED THE ABILITY OF TEXTURED, VAPOR-DEPOSITED LITHIUM-COMPATIBLE COATINGS TO BE UNIFORMLY WETTED BY LIQUID LITHIUM AT LOW TEMPERATURE. THE TECHNOLOGY HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BEST MINIMIZE THE TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM LITHIUM REACTOR COOLANT AND HELIUM WORKING FLUID TEMPERATURES, AS WELL AS TO REDUCE SYSTEM MASS AND VOLUME THROUGH THE USE OF HIGH SURFACE AREA, LOW DENSITY OPEN-CELL FOAM, AND INCREASE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY BY MINIMIZING THE NUMBER OF PIECE PARTS AND ASSOCIATED JOINTS. IN PHASE II, ULTRAMET WILL TEAM WITH SANDIA TO EXPAND ON THE PHASE I SUCCESS BY PERFORMING COMPREHENSIVE DESIGN AND STRESS ANALYSIS, DETERMINING PHYSICAL PROPERTIES, AND ESTABLISHING PERFORMANCE THROUGH HIGH TEMPERATURE (1000 K) THERMAL RESPONSE AND FLOW TESTING OF COAXIAL HEAT EXCHANGERS USING THE HELIUM FLOW LOOP AND LIQUID METAL INTEGRATED TEST SYSTEM AT SANDIA'S PLASMA MATERIALS TEST FACILITY.

IN PREVIOUS WORK FOR NASA AND DOD, ULTRAMET DEVELOPED LIGHTWEIGHT OPEN-CELL FOAM INSULATORS COMPOSED OF A CARBON OR CERAMIC STRUCTURAL FOAM SKELETON FILLED WITH A HIGH TEMPERATURE NANOSCALE AEROGEL INSULATOR. STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND HIGH INSULATION BEHAVIOR HAVE BEEN DEMONSTRATED WHEN USED IN COMBINATION WITH A NON-ABLATING, COATED CARBON/CARBON OR CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE OUTER SHELL. IN PHASE I, ULTRAMET DEMONSTRATED THE INITIAL FEASIBILITY OF A FOAM-REINFORCED HYBRID ABLATOR/AEROGEL INSULATOR THERMAL PROTECTION SYSTEM (TPS) IN WHICH A PORTION OF THE THICKNESS (FRONT FACE) OF A LOW THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY STRUCTURAL FOAM WAS INFILTRATED WITH AN ABLATIVE MATERIAL AND THE REMAINDER OF THE THICKNESS (BACK FACE) WAS FILLED WITH THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AEROGEL INSULATOR. THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT IS A REDUCTION IN THE ABLATOR MASS REQUIRED TO REJECT THE AEROTHERMAL HEAT LOAD. THE THREE-DIMENSIONALLY INTERCONNECTED FOAM REINFORCEMENT IS ANTICIPATED TO PROVIDE INCREASED CHAR RETENTION RELATIVE TO ALTERNATIVE FIBER AND HONEYCOMB REINFORCEMENTS. THE VEHICLE INTERFACE TEMPERATURE WILL BE CONTROLLED BY THE HIGHLY INSULATING AEROGEL-FILLED PORTION OF THE FOAM STRUCTURE. IN PHASE II, ULTRAMET WILL TEAM WITH MATERIALS RESEARCH&DESIGN (MR&D) FOR CONTINUED THERMOMECHANICAL DESIGN OPTIMIZATION, AND ARA ABLATIVES LABORATORY FOR ABLATOR INFILTRATION OF ULTRAMET STRUCTURAL FOAM. PERFORMANCE WILL BE EVALUATED THROUGH HIGH HEAT FLUX ABLATION TESTING AND A DEMONSTRATION OF SCALEUP POTENTIAL UP TO 18" DIAMETER.

IN THIS PROJECT, ULTRAMET IS DESIGNING AND FABRICATING A LIGHTWEIGHT, HIGH TEMPERATURE COMBUSTION CHAMBER FOR USE WITH CRYOGENIC LIQUID OXYGEN/METHANE (LOX/CH4) PROPELLANT THAT WILL DELIVER A SPECIFIC IMPULSE OF ~355 SECONDS, AN INCREASE OVER THE CURRENT 320-SEC BASELINE THAT WILL RESULT IN A PROPELLANT MASS DECREASE OF 55 LBM. THE MATERIAL SYSTEM IS BASED ON ULTRAMET'S PROVEN OXIDE-IRIDIUM/RHENIUM ARCHITECTURE, WHICH HAS BEEN SUCCESSFULLY HOT-FIRE TESTED WITH STOICHIOMETRIC OXYGEN/HYDROGEN FOR HOURS. INSTEAD OF RHENIUM, HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURAL MATERIAL WILL BE A NIOBIUM OR TANTALUM ALLOY THAT HAS EXCELLENT YIELD STRENGTH AT BOTH AMBIENT AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURE. PHASE I DEMONSTRATED ALLOYS WITH YIELD STRENGTH-TO-WEIGHT RATIOS MORE THAN THREE TIMES THAT OF RHENIUM, WHICH WILL SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE CHAMBER WEIGHT. THE STARTING MATERIALS ARE ALSO TWO ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN RHENIUM AND ARE LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE C103 NIOBIUM ALLOY COMMONLY USED IN LOW-PERFORMANCE ENGINES. PHASE II WILL FOCUS ON THE DESIGN, FABRICATION, AND HOT-FIRE TESTING OF A SMALL (5-25 LBF THRUST CLASS) CHAMBER WITH LOX/CH4, AND WILL CULMINATE IN THE DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A 100-LBF CHAMBER THAT CAN BE MATED AND TESTED WITH AN EXISTING LOX/CH4 INJECTOR. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, ULTRAMET WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH AEROJET, WHICH WILL PERFORM THE HOT-FIRE TESTING.

IGF::OT::IGFCHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITED GRAPHITE SUBSTRATES

IGF::OT::IGF PH II SBIR: OPEN-CELL FOAM HEAT SINK FOR HIGH HEAT FLUX ELECTRONICS COOLING

SBIR PHASE II RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

SAP PURCHASE REQUISITION: 4200181211 LIGHTWEIGHT ULTRAHIGH TEMPERATURE CMC-LINED C/C COMBUSTION CHAMBERS

SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH SERVICES O182-003-0139 CERAMIC MATRIX COMPOSITE FINS AND NOSETIPS FOR GUN-LAUNCHED PROJECTILES

ARMY SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PHASE I EFFORT ENTITLED, OPEN-CELL DIAMOND FOAM FOR HIGH-PERFORMANCE HEAT EXCHANGERS.

SBIR PHASE I 80NSSC25C0392 THIN FLEXIBLE OXIDATION-RESISTANT COATINGS FOR 3D-WOVEN CARBON FABRIC TPS MATERIALS

SBIR PHASE I 80NSSC25C0391 LIGHTWEIGHT ZIRCONIUM CARBIDE INSULATION FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE SPACE NUCLEAR PROPULSION SYSTEMS

SBIR 1 HIGHLY INSULATING STRUCTURES FOR THERMAL PRESERVATION OF SAMPLE RETURN MISSION SAMPLES

FY24 SBIR PHASE I - HIGH-PERFORMANCE DEORBIT ENGINE WITH MINIMAL POWER REQUIREMENTS