Precision Surface Temperature Mapping for Heat Shield Testing

Development of hypersonic flight vehicles for airbreathing access to space and for planetary entry poses several design challenges. One of the primary obstacles is the large uncertainty in predictive capability of models of the aerothermal environment to which these vehicles are subjected. A high priority need for the ground test facilities is instruments which enable remote thermal imaging of entry vehicles with high temperature and spatial resolution, and lower uncertainty than the state-of-the art. Bodkin Design & Engineering (BDE), with our partners Spectral Sciences, Inc (SSI) and Space Computer Corporation (SCC), has demonstrated a Precision Radiometric Surface Temperature (PRST) sensor to perform stand-off measurements of radiatively heated surfaces. We propose to adapt this system to the needs of ground test facilities for testing of hypersonic re-entry vehicles. The sensor will be capable of stand-off imaging of heated surfaces at ranges from 1 to 100+ meters, measuring surface temperatures from 300-4000K, and providing surface temperature maps with spatial resolution of at least 120x120 pixels. Further, the system will operate as a fast snapshot imager, capable of recording surface temperature data at up to 120 frames per second.

Commercial applications include any that require non-contact measurement of surface temperatures, and in particular, where the optical properties (emissivity) of the surface may not be known. Examples may include monitoring surfaces under laser illumination, measuring metal parts during machining (lathe, mill), measuring the temperature of airfoil leading edges.

This sensor may be useful to researchers measuring laser damage to materials, and to those analyzing the physics of mechanically induced plastic flow and shear zone evolution.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 4) — 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.