Cryogenic Optical Metrology Through a Chamber Window

In this Phase I SBIR project for NASA, Flexure Engineering of Greenbelt, MD will design and develop a system that marries the technologies of Thermal Vacuum Chambers and Non-Contact Metrology Systems providing NASA with sub-micron, three sigma uncertainties on Flight Hardware while at temperature (typically cryogenic, down to 30K) and in high vacuum (>10E-6 torr). This innovation provides NASA and the Aerospace Community increased capabilities for the alignment and performance verification of telescope optical surfaces and telescope optical assemblies. A key feature of the system is that the metrology system is housed outside of the harsh environment of the chamber, looking in through one or more windows and yet providing sub-micron uncertainties across large distances and of complex shapes. The cryo/vac system in Phase I and II will apply primarily to the integration and testing of optical space flight hardware while at the commercialization Phase III, the techniques will be generalized to include other settings such as optical, electronics and harsh environment manufacturing chambers and hermetically sealed fabrication and assembly systems.

A major Non-NASA Commercial application involves the advancement of high temperature superconductor (HTS) technologies. In the same way that the Apollo program advanced the semiconductor industry in the 1960s, JWST and future Lunar Missions will do the same for HTS as the development of complex 30K-hardware is required for success. The potential benefits of these advances in HTS technologies for all mankind are immeasurable. Being able to measure the large scale setup and configuration of optical polishing and manufacturing systems a the sub-micron level at a distance with out interfering with the system my prove to be a very valuable capability. These techniques will allow the measuring devices to peer into harsh or toxic environments such as hermetically-sealed beryllium machining centers. There are also many harsh and toxic environments in electronics manufacturing processes that require the precise, non-contact measurement and control of large scale systems.

NASA Commercial applications include next-generation Cryogenic Telescopes (JWST, WFIRST) and future Lunar Missions. There will be many lander, rover, and eventually manned missions to explore the ices at the Lunar poles in the coming decades. Technology must be developed to build and test these complex, dynamic systems that must comfortably operate as low as 25K (Hermite Crater). We believe that these techniques will be a critical enabling technology for these challenging and exiting missions. This innovation will also open the door for smaller, low-budget projects to take advantage of this risk-reducing metrology system. The modularity of the system will allow entire small and nano-satellites to be completely surveyed for alignment verification purposes through out the integration process.

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.