Low Mass, Low Heat Leak Flanges and Structure

The design of flanges and structure for traditional manufacturing methods results in excess mass and possibly poor thermal performance of those components. The major Returns on Investment (ROI) would be 1) reduction in the overall system mass due to a significant amount of material being removed from the flange or structure 2) Improvement in the performance of the part in terms reducing the rate of heat transfer through it. Additive Manufacturing (AM), Selective Laser Melting (SLM) in particular, has opened up the design space to optimization of the geometries of flanges and bracketry. SLM enables flanges or support structure to be manufactured utilizing an evacuated-stacked-layer construction technique that could reduce both the mass and the heat leak properties of these parts. This technique utilizes multiple layers of thin structures, with minimal contact area, to create a larger geometry. The areas between these layers are then evacuated, thus creating a part with structural capability that can also act as a thermal brake. The proposed task would design and analyze a flange and bracket utilizing these techniques, build one unit of each, and complete thermal and structural testing to compare to the analytical predictions

In space engines for landers, NTP, Gateway and cryogenic fluid management in general will require structures with as low heat transmission as possible while still meeting structural requirements. Reduction of propulsion system structure mass is relevant to all of these programs as well.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.