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A "Smart Skin" Array for Reconfigurable Hypersonic MHD Effects

Award Information
Agency: Department of Defense
Branch: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
Contract: W31P4Q-04-C-R096
Agency Tracking Number: 03SB2-0095
Amount: $98,983.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: SB032-031
Solicitation Number: 2003.2
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2003
Award Year: 2004
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2004-01-08
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2004-09-15
Small Business Information
20 New England Business Center
Andover, MA 01810
United States
DUNS: 073800062
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 JOHN KLINE
 Principal Research Scient
 (609) 580-0080
 kline@researchsupport.com
Business Contact
 George Caledonia
Title: President
Phone: (978) 689-0003
Email: caledonia@psicorp.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Research Support Instruments, Inc. (RSI), with the aid of Princeton University, proposes to use an innovative sensor/actuator package to provide a critical component for multifunctional hypersonic vehicle structures. An integrated array of microfabricated pressure sensors and ionizers will provide a "smart skin" atop a reconfigurable magnetic array. The high-bandwidth sensors will detect development of instabilities or other changes in the flow, and the ionizers will compensate by increasing the local conductivity, and thereby the MHD-generated body force. The sensor/actuator array will use an elegant approach: the same membranes and same transmission structures will be used for pressure sensing, electron beam windows, fiber optics, high voltage lines, and pumping. This will keep the system completely integrated: sensors and actuators will be interchangeable in arrays that will provide precision flow control. The MEMS-based "smart skin" arrays will be of great interest in next-generation hypersonic and space access strike craft. These arrays will allow vehicle designs to be optimized for criteria other than aerodynamic performance while maintaining extremely rapid response times. This investigation will demonstrate the "smart skin" concept and develop the knowledge and technologies needed for Phase II experiments. This will allow for Phase II experiments with large scale arrays.

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

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