Compact Focal Plane Assembly for FIR Planetary Science

Completed TRL 3 (started at 3, targeting 4)

Description

Building upon an FY11 IRAD in which we fabricated and characterized novel far-IR bandpass filters. With this IRAD we aim to integrate and test these filters with compact thermopile arrays, so as to build a low cost and low mass prototype thermal instrument for outer planet spectroscopy and/or radiometry.This task addresses a need for low mass and cost instruments on planetary science missions.

We will use a three-pronged approach: (1) Design and fabricate filter stacks; (2) integrate thermopiles with analog readout board into a cryogenic dewar; (3) characterize thermopiles with and without filter stacks using a far-infrared source.

Benefits

N/A

Details

Technology area	Sensors and Instruments > Remote Sensing Instruments and Sensors > Detectors and Focal Planes
Program	Center Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD (GSFC IRAD)
Lead organization	Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD
Start date	2011-10-01
End date	2013-09-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

Brook Lakew — brook.lakew@nasa.gov
Ari D Brown — ari.d.brown@nasa.gov
Eduardo Linan — eduardo.linan@nasa.gov
James A Chervenak — james.a.chervenak@nasa.gov
Manuel A Quijada — manuel.a.quijada@nasa.gov
Rosalind J Steptoe-jackson — rosalind.j.steptoe-jackson@nasa.gov
Shahid Aslam — shahid.aslam-1@nasa.gov
Wei-chung Huang — weichung.huang@nasa.gov

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 3) — 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.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.