Refractory Coated/Lined Low Density Structures

The innovation in this proposed effort is the development of refractory coated or lined low density structures. Lightweight structures are desirable for space transportation vehicle systems in order to reduce launch costs, increase mission flexibility/efficiency, and add robustness with respect to the ability to add weight or additional materials to the mission with minimum sacrifice in performance. The use of thin refractory coatings over low density structures will yield a lightweight alternative to current solid monolithic components. Thus, offering an increase in mission flexibility by allowing greater speeds, greater range, and bigger payloads. Additional studies will be conducted to seek materials that offer higher temperature use, lower weight, and lower cost. The higher maximum temperatures may eliminate the need for cooling air, while simultaneously increasing engine efficiency. These benefits result in increased fuel savings. The advanced materials study will include refractory metals and ceramics. The manufacturing processes for the monolithic ceramics and refractory metal materials will include vacuum plasma spraying (VPS) and EL-Form electrodeposition.

MR&D's core business is design and thermal-structural analysis of high temperature composite and refractory materials. The fundamental technology and design tools developed in this SBIR program will allow us to expand our client base and offer more capabilities to our existing customers. Additionally, the technology developed here will be translated to other commercial and government applications to expand the market for coating applications for composites in rocket nozzles, leading edges, hypersonic airframes, and ramjet engines. The results of this refractory coated or lined low density structures study will additionally have broad ranging applications in civil aerospace, governmental aerospace companies, as well as aircraft jet engine manufactures and power generation equipment manufacturing companies. Potential customers include Boeing, Lockheed Martin, General Electric Power Systems, and ATK-Thiokol.

The results of this refractory coated or lined low density structures study will be applicable to all four of the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Programs research thrust. Specifically, the fundamental technology and design tools developed in this Phase I effort can be expanding for design and analysis techniques/procedures for various high temperature material components such as rocket nozzles, leading edges, hypersonic airframes, and ramjet engines.

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.

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