Aeroelastically Tailored Wing Structures (ATWIST)

Aurora will develop a novel composite sandwich structure that is capable of providing a coupled bending-torsional stiffness with nonlinear elastic effects, capable of achieving a tailored aeroelastic response over a wide range of flight conditions. Such a structure will make use of an additive manufactured core with highly tailored and optimized cellular substructure. The cellular structure will be functionally graded in the spanwise and chordwise directions to provide a coupled bending-torsional stiffness response. Fiber reinforced composite facesheets will provide strength. Utilizing the core structure to couple the bending-torsional stiffness of the composite may allow the composite to remain balanced and symmetric, thus avoiding induced stresses and/or warping during manufacturing.

NASA programs developing next-generation aircraft, such as the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project, would benefit from the technology developed in this SBIR program to achieve passive aerodynamic tailoring of wing structures. A similar approach could be implemented using DMLS to create all-metal structures with highly tailored cellular substructures to produce thin, aeroelastically tailored wings for supersonic aircraft, including The Supersonic Project's research in airframe aerodynamic efficiency.

A manufacturable, low-weight composite sandwich structure with coupled bending-torsional stiffness can be implemented to achieve aeroelastic tailoring in many high-aspect ratio aircraft, including next generation commercial transport aircraft and long-endurance UAS vehicles, including Aurora's own Orion UAS.

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.