Development of a High Temperature (500 C) and High Power Testbed for GaN HEMT/SiC based Switching Power Converter for Long-Duration Venus Surface Operations

A high temperature high power switching power converter testbed utilizing GaN HEMT or SiC power semiconductors will be developed. The switching power converter is the key device that is able to interface the high temperature power source, i.e. high temperature thermoelectric to the high temperature energy storage device for the long duration operation for the Venus surface operations. Existing Si based semiconductor devices will not be able to operate at such a high temperature. The newly developed GaN HEMT and SiC power semiconductor devices has the capability to operate at a such high temperature, but the whole power converter system level evaluation and study has not been done. The developed high temperature high power testbed will utilize the high temperature possible power semiconductor devices and develop the possible power converter topologies that is able to operate at the high temperature which enables the long duration Venus surface operations.

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.