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Distributed Impact Detection System

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NNL05AA82P
Agency Tracking Number: 041727
Amount: $69,990.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X4.03
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2004
Award Year: 2005
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2005-01-21
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2005-07-25
Small Business Information
19221 I-45 South, Suite 530
Conroe, TX 77385-8746
United States
DUNS: 782566418
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Mike Walcer
 Principal Investigator
 (281) 292-9903
 walcer@invocon.com
Business Contact
 Mary Pate
Title: Business Official
Phone: (281) 292-9903
Email: pate@invocon.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Automated impact detection and characterization on manned spacecraft has been an elusive goal due to the transitory nature of the detectable high-frequency signals. The proposed approach for this effort is to use large numbers of self-powered, miniaturized, "stick on" piezoelectric sensory nodes that are synchronized within a radio frequency network. Each node will continuously monitor an accelerometer or acoustic emission sensor element for an impact event, such as the foam impact that caused the Columbia tragedy or an MMOD impact. When a programmable threshold is exceeded, a low-latency signal acquisition circuit will capture the event as a digital waveform for post-processing and impact characterization. In addition, autonomous collaboration and synchronization between nodes of the network will provide for accurate location determination through amplitude and time-of-arrival analysis. The innovative signal conditioning circuit design is capable of operation in the micro-watt range on average while constantly maintaining the capability to process and acquire very high-frequency acoustic signals. Such performance can provide operating lifetimes of 20+ years on a single AA battery, or unlimited operation from scavenged power sources such as solar or thermal gradients.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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