AstraSense: AI-Driven Health Predictions for Sustainable Aviation

Purpose: The AstraSense system aims to enhance the reliability and safety of hybrid-electric and all-electric aircraft by providing real-time health monitoring and predictive maintenance. It addresses the challenges of operating in high-voltage, high-noise environments by detecting early-stage degradation and predicting failures before they occur. Technology: AstraSense integrates multi-point sensing, harmonic signature analysis, machine learning-based fault prediction, and noise diagnostics. This combination allows for continuous assessment of system integrity and early warnings, enabling autonomous AI or operators to take corrective action before failures become critical. Intended Use of Funding: The requested funding of $150,000 will be used to develop and validate the AI-driven health monitoring architecture, focusing on: AI-based fault detection and diagnostics. Sensor data processing methods. System performance evaluation in simulated high-voltage conditions. Developing a scalable system architecture for health monitoring and predictive maintenance. Aligning the system with NASA's goals for sustainable aviation. Target Markets: The primary target markets include: NASA and aerospace industry: Enhancing safety and reliability for hybrid-electric aircraft. Commercial eVTOL manufacturers and electric aviation developers: Ensuring safer and more reliable electric propulsion systems. Defense and industrial sectors: Reducing downtime and maintenance costs through predictive maintenance. This innovation supports the transition to sustainable aviation by improving fault detection, system integration, and predictive maintenance, ultimately enhancing flight safety and operational efficiency.

AstraSense: AI-Driven Health Predictions for Sustainable Aviation Support for NASA Mission Directives: Electrified Aircraft Propulsion (EAP) Health Management: Supports NASA’s Initiatives: Aids in developing megawatt-class electrified propulsion systems for future sustainable aviation. Real-Time Diagnostics: Provides diagnostics for electric motors, inverters, and high-voltage cabling to prevent mid-flight failures and optimize maintenance cycles. AI-Driven Predictive Analytics: Addresses gaps in traditional insulation and electrical fault monitoring. Autonomous Systems for Advanced Air Mobility (AAM): Reliability Enhancement: Improves the reliability of eVTOL aircraft and UAVs by ensuring system health integrity. Autonomous Decision-Making: Integrates with onboard AI for autonomous decision-making, minimizing human intervention for predictive maintenance. High-Power Space Systems & Lunar/Martian Exploration Vehicles: Adaptation for Deep-Space Missions: Suitable for deep-space missions where real-time health monitoring of electric propulsion and power distribution is critical. Long-Duration Mission Support: Identifies system degradation early, preventing unexpected failures during long-duration space missions. NASA’s Sustainable Aviation Initiatives: Net-Zero Emissions Aviation: Contributes to the goal of net-zero emissions aviation by improving electric aircraft reliability and reducing downtime. Integration with NASA’s Health Management Frameworks: Supports condition-based maintenance strategies for electrified aircraft. AstraSense advances fault detection and predictive health monitoring in electrified propulsion architectures, supporting NASA’s efforts to transition to more efficient, reliable, and sustainable air and space transportation systems. Aviation: eVTOL and Electric Aircraft Operators: Enhances predictive maintenance for urban air mobility (UAM) platforms, reducing downtime and improving operational efficiency. Airlines & Fleet Operators: Provides real-time monitoring of electrified aircraft power systems, improving safety and maintenance planning. Defense & Military UAVs: Supports mission-critical systems by detecting failures in uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs), hybrid-electric aircraft, and high-power Avionics & Sensors. Maritime: AUV & Subsea Robotics: Ensures power system reliability for autonomous underwater exploration, offshore inspections, and naval applications. Maritime Electrification: Assists in the transition to hybrid-electric marine vessels, monitoring battery and propulsion system health. Industrial & Energy: Smart Grid & Power Infrastructure: Monitors high-voltage electrical systems to prevent failures in power plants, substations, and renewable energy farms. Manufacturing & Automation: Implements real-time fault detection in robotics and industrial automation systems, reducing unplanned outages. Electric Vehicle (EV) Fleet Management: Predicts battery and powertrain degradation in EV fleets and autonomous logistics platforms. Space & Defense: Commercial Space Systems: Supports satellite and spacecraft electric propulsion systems, ensuring long-duration mission reliability. Defense & Security: Enables predictive health monitoring for high-power military-grade electronics and electrified ground vehicles. Market Opportunity: AstraSense provides a scalable, AI-driven solution that enhances electrified system reliability across aviation, maritime, industrial automation, and energy sectors. The increasing demand for autonomous and electrified systems creates a strong market need for advanced fault detection and predictive maintenance technologies, positioning AstraSense for rapid adoption and commercialization in both civilian and defense industries.

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.