Wireless Intra-vehicle Communication System (WICS)

Invocon's Wireless Intra-vehicle Communication System (WICS) is being designed as an enabling technology for low-cost launch vehicles. It will reduce the cost of these vehicles in primarily three ways: 1. Minimizing vehicle weight by decreasing bulky cables and connectors - this increases the useful payload and decreases the propulsion requirements. 2. Minimizing physical interconnects - this simplifies integration, testing, and launch control and thereby decreases the labor involved in these tasks. 3. Enabling testing at the vehicle or module level - this reduces the total amount of testing at the component level resulting in a smaller required test budget. It also reduces the mass of enclosures required in the vehicle. WICS will operate wireless networks as part of the closed-loop Thrust Vector Control (TVC) system and the vehicle's data acquisition system. The two networks share many characteristics while diverging in a few areas based on their specific constraints. The TVC network must minimize latency and maximize both throughput and reliability. The data acquisition network must include paths from many locations througout the vehicle. In order to maximize the return from Phase I, Invocon will concentrate its effort on developing proof-of-concept hardware and emphasize initial software development for the critical control application.

The primary NASA applications include the enabling of low cost launch vehicles and sounding rockets. This will contribute to NASA's ability to more economically launch its small satellite experiments. Other NASA flight vehicles that can make use of this instrumentation include fixed wing, rotor wing, and lighter-than-air.

Many potential Non-NASA applications of this technology exist, particularly in the aerospace industry. Specifically, there is a large backlog of CubeSats waiting for launch. The low-cost launch vehicles that WICS will enable are intended to help reduce this backlog and provide the industry with consistent, low-cost access to space. The military is also interested in low-cost, quick access to space for mission-specific CubeSats as well as for low-cost target missiles. The proposed technology is an excellent resource for these purposes. In addition to launch vehicles, wireless control technology can be used to decrease the weight and cost of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

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.

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.