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Flexible Transpiration Cooled Thermal Protection System for Inflatable Atmospheric Capture and Entry Systems

Award Information
Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Branch: N/A
Contract: NND07AA06C
Agency Tracking Number: 054039
Amount: $304,488.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: X7.04
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2005
Award Year: 2007
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): 2007-04-05
Award End Date (Contract End Date): 2008-06-01
Small Business Information
505 5th Avenue South, Suite 300
Seattle, WA 98104-3894
United States
DUNS: 092968127
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Yes
Principal Investigator
 Dana Andrews
 Principal Investigator
 (206) 438-0630
 dandrews@andrews-space.com
Business Contact
 Marian Joh
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (206) 438-0600
Email: mjoh@andrews-space.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Andrews Space, Inc. proposes an innovative transpiration cooled aerobrake TPS design that is thermally protective, structurally flexible, and lightweight. This innovative design will meet launch volume constraints and satisfy terminal aerobraking requirements. The approach will focus on transpiration cooling of a flexible material and employs preceramic polymers and active filler technologies as key features of the TPS design. The major hurdle to inflatable aerobrakes becoming reality is the development of a lightweight and structurally flexible TPS. Alternative designs have focused on complex multilayering to increase the effective emissivity of the material, whereas Andrews Space will focus on reducing the thickness, thus decreasing the overall system mass. By combining well understood materials with an innovative, flexible, transpiration cooled TPS, a realizable inflatable aerobrake system has been developed which shows up to 56% mass savings over traditional, rigid aeroshells and 23% over other leading designs.

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

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