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Completed TRL 2 (started at 2, targeting 4)
This effort matures critical technologies for reducing the size, mass and power consumption of submillimeter-wave instruments to enable integration in to a small satellite or cubesat platform.
The key technology is a low the cost, mass, volume and power consumption of submillimeter-wave spectrometer. This new technolgy be appropriate to studying the Venusian or other planetary atmospheres from a small-sat/cubesat platform.
This technology can radically reduces the mass, volume and power consumption of future submillimeter-wave radiometers and spectrometers.
The flat antenna development could be used for future telecommunication antennas. The antenna development could be used to improve telecommunications systems, particularly as they move to higher frequencies. The waveguide calibration switch could be used in submillimeter-wave metrology systems.
Submillimeter-wave instruments provide unique information about the chemistry of the atmosphere. By reducing the cost, access to these instruments to study the Earth's atmosphere is increased.
Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.
This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — 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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