Striction-based Power Monitoring in Space Environment

The program delivers a completely new technology solution to isolation and sensing of power flow (current and voltage). Based on striction materials technology, these small isolation and sensing devices replace Opto-isolation, Hall-effect and Magnetic Transformer isolation and sensing with a lower cost and lower risk solution. The elimination of optical, processor and magnetic components in the design means that these devices are inherently both rad hard and EMI immune. The technology provides superior voltage isolation (ground loop elimination) in a smaller package size. They also will be capable of reliably operating over significantly wider temperature ranges (-55C to 200C) than is readily available to most NASA missions.

Power flow monitoring is pervasive and essential across all NASA platforms and subsystems, but the highest pay-off of the new technology innovation will be to NASA missions that need to operate in harsh exposure missions requiring extreme temperature (extreme cold or extreme hot) and radiation tolerance. Addressing first three specifically identified goals on the NASA rad-hard electronics target list the technology promises to have high impact to unmanned missions and robotic systems with large potential impact for Heliophysics, Mars, and Earth Sciences missions, and possible Jupiter and Venus exploratory missions all of which require all of their on-board electronics and sensor equipment to operate under increasingly tough conditions. NASA specific needs especially unheated electronics and future science payload development initiatives for which this technology could be applied including: Deep Space; Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) flagship; Venus surface exploration; and exploration of the dark lunar polar craters. There is also interest now in application of the technology to both SmallSats and to Solar Arrays. (Where the ASIC version of the new voltage sensors can identify failed or failing subpanels and "delete" them from the array as to maintain overall energy conversion performance levels.)

 High-Pressure and High-Temperature (HPHT) Oil & Gas wells start at 150?C. Risks intensify as borehole pressures and temperatures rise; nevertheless, the number of HPHT wells is increasing in many areas of the world. Such wells essentially use high-temperature sensing capability. The small size and high temperature withstand of analog ceramic sensors will make them ideal for such applications with potential to eliminate very expensive dewar packaging.  Motor vehicles generates high speed, high voltage transients throughout their electrical system. Optocouplers have been the high voltage isolator component of choice by the automotive manufacturers for years. However, opto-isolators are an expensive solution that requires digital conversion causing bit loss issues and operation issues over wider thermal range. The analog-ceramic voltage sensor offers an attractive low cost replacement that is more reliable (non digitized) and will in as small a package as existing high temperature opto-isolator devices.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 5) — 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.