High Temperature Stirling Cooler

Although Honeybee and others have made huge advances in developing mechanisms, motors, and electronics for use in high temperature/high pressure environments such as the surface of Venus (460C), certain types of critical electronic and sensing technologies are inherently temperature sensitive. The lack of high temperature tolerat cameras and optical sensors has, to date, prevented up-close in-situ analysis of the Venusian surface. In this SBIR we will close that technology gap by developing a miniature Stirling cooler, suitable for integration with a sensor package at the end of an effector or robot arm, which is capable of keeping conventional electronics cool outside of the spacecraft body in the high temperature Venus environment. This advance would vastly expand the list of technologies which can be deployed on the surface of Venus, and correspondingly advance the types of science that can be performed. We will demonstrate in Phase-I a brassboard system at high temperature, followed by a flight like system in full Venusian conditions in Phase-II.

Numerous NASA applications exist for high temperature robotic exploration programs to hot destinations like Venus or Mercury. Likewise, NASA-sponsored earth science programs in hot locales like boreholes, volcanoes, and deep sea vents may similarly benefit. Active cooling in non-cryogenic environments will be a key technology for next-generation high temperature exploration missions.

While commercial space operators are less focused on high temperature robotic exploration, there are a great number of terrestrial/non-space applications in the private sector. A consistent source of inquiries into Honeybee's HT motor products is the oil and gas sector, who utilize such equipment for down-hole inspection and sensing of oil and gas production boreholes. This development is ideally suited for these applications, as the sensors and equipment which can safely be operated at depth is presently sharply limited by the temperature range. Moreover, the borehole dimensions pose a constraint on size, which makes this miniaturized development for end effectors a "perfect fit." Likewise HBR has previously worked with commercial aviation customers who sought HT mechanisms for use on aircraft inside engine fairings. This is another hot, small, environment where customers would be interested in mounting instrumentation and electronics. A small, reliable, chiller could be an enabling technology for a new paradigm of engine and aerospace test equipment.

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.