Lightweight and Low Cost Pyrotechnic Gas Generator for HIAD

Entry, descent, and landing systems with capability beyond current state-of-the-art are required for a number of missions. These missions represent an immediate need for return of orbital payloads, and include larger milestone objectives up to a manned flight to Mars which requires landing a payload many times beyond that achieved to date. In this Phase I SBIR, Storm Castle Technical Products intends to produce a lightweight and low-cost gas generator based on pyrotechnic reaction. To achieve this objective, the company will procure chemical cores based on a successfully demonstrated technology and engineer the generator system around those cores. The generator system will be based on a composite overwrapped pressure vessel concept. In addition to mass and cost savings over other demonstrations, this new architecture is expected to feature very low particulate concentration and enhanced temperature control in the outlet gas stream. Technical work will include rigorous analysis of candidate materials systems, productions of preliminary drawings, and demonstration of small-scale generators. At the end of Phase I, a refined design concept with complete materials selection and in situ demonstration will be completed.

This project is designed to directly address the needs of hypersonic aerodynamic inflatable decelerators (HIADs). This innovation could serve a number of applications where pressurized gas is required for inflation or pneumatic systems, but storing compressed gas is impractical on a mass basis.

Iterations of this technology are ideal for inflating payload carrying balloons from locations or in environments where compressed gas is not practical for inflation. These applications exist in the meteorological and defense areas. Iterations of this technology are applicable to gas generation for power production in remote areas.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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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