Exploration Communications and Informatics Processing Systems (xCIPS)

Extravehicular Activity (EVA) systems are critical to every foreseeable human exploration mission for in-space microgravity EVA and for planetary surface exploration. Under the Phase II program Innoflight developed a brass-board Compact Wireless EVA Communications System (CWECS) as a replacement and advancement of the Space-to-Space EVA Mobility Unit (EMU) Radio (SSER). The follow-on Phase II-x modification and multiple Phase IIIs are developing the CWECS into a Space-to-Space Exploration EMU (xEMU) Radio Design and Verification Test Unit (DVTU), including digital signal processing (DSP) board. The previous Informatics hardware also is being further developed to exercise and demonstrate the Xilinx MPSoC video encoding capabilities. Under this CCRPP application Lunar requirements shall be incorporated into the EV-701 and EV-702 (Informatics) design and EV-701 qual units will be produced and ready of qual environmental testing.

xEMU UHF Radio for Lunar missions mEMU UHF Radio for Mars missions Human Landing System (HLS) UHF Radio Gateway UHF Radio All other modes of communications and processing, including SPLICE and Seeker, for Artemis and other exploration missions.

Commercial EVA International EVA Technology infusion into Innoflight's defense, intelligence, civilian and commercial space portfolio: both communications and processing.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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