Innovative Ultra-High Efficiency Cryogenic Actuators for Rocket Test Facilities

The SBIR Phase I project will develop advanced ultra-high efficiency cryogenic actuators for NASA cryogenic fluid transfer application. The actuator will have low driving voltage, large stroke, high driving force, low profile and light weight, low thermal mass, broad operation temperature down to cryogenic temperature, and high reliability. The excellent performance is achieved by using a patented technology that combines (1) d33 mode piezoelectric operation that is at least 100% stronger than d31 mode, (2) piezoelectric single crystal with high piezoelectric response at cryogenic temperature, (3) multilayer design to reduce driving voltage, (4) force amplified design to increase stroke and reliability, and (5) multi stack design to reduce the mechanical impedance. The Phase I will develop demo device for the NASA application.

These advanced piezo actuators have immediate applications in NASA Constellation Program, such as adaptive optics structures for NASA Science and communications applications including coronagraphic instruments, interferometric telescopes, and space-based observatories. They are also promising for many future NASA missions such as JWST, SIM, SAFIR, TPF and others.

While these piezoelectric actuators are mainly for NASA applications as they are designed with expensive piezoelectric materials, they can also be used in commercial applications by using the same design but with lower cost piezoelectric materials.

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.