SBIR-STTR Award

Bally Ribbon Mills will demonstrate the proposed novel weaving technique and produce a one-piece spider weave for the ADEPT aero-shell. NASA AMES has been working with Bally Ribbon Mills for several years on the Adaptable Deployable Entry and Placement Technology (ADEPT). To date the ADEPT test articles have been made with 3D woven flat broad cloth which is cut and sewn into the desired shape. BRM will use current equipment to demonstrate that a scaled down (or Sprite C sized) spider weave aero shell is feasible.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The proposed technology for aeroshell manufacturing offers an innovative perspective on re-entry vehicles system, including the principles of design for manufacturability as key points to reduce mass, delivery time and costs of the final product. The deployable aeroshell concept will prove itself as a viable thermal protection system (TPS) for entry, descent and landing of future exploration class payload missions such as Venus and Mars.The proposed technology to manufacture aeroshell will allow each mission to utilize an aeroshell design that fits within existing launch vehicle systems and later transforms into a low ballistic coefficient configuration for descent and landing.

Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The proposed development of deployable aeroshell concept as a viable thermal protection system for entry, descent and landing will contribute to the National Space Program by providing test techniques and data that will help establish a sound technological foundation for the cost-effective design of future aerocapture space transfer vehicles. Reliable experimental methods will be essential to the success and cost effectiveness of future space missions. These novel capabilities will have a direct impact on the testing of new military and commercial concepts designed to improve efficiency and performance. The proposed technology can be applicable for commercial space industry such as applications to venture tourism, communications, and safely deploy scientific payloads to Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus.

Technology Taxonomy Mapping:
(NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.) Composites Entry, Descent, & Landing (see also Planetary Navigation, Tracking, & Telemetry) Prototyping Textiles

Bally Ribbon Mills will focus on the advancement, development, and demonstration of the proposed innovation, ADEPT Spider Weaving. Phase 2 will demonstrate and produce one-piece ADEPT spider woven aero shells for the Sprite C and SR-1 configurations. The Sprite C aero shells shall be delivered and ready to attach to the current Sprite C understructure for arc jet testing. The SR-1 aero shells will demonstrate the ability to scale-up the Spider Weaving process and provide aero shells ready to attach to the current SR-1 understructure. The proposed technology to manufacture aero-shell will allow each mission to utilize an aero-shell design that fits within existing launch vehicle systems and later transforms into a low ballistic coefficient configuration for descent and landing.

Potential NASA Commercial Applications:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) Potential NASA applications that could utilize BRM's Spider Woven aero shells include 6m ADEPT Venus Mission Concept, 16m Lifting ADEPT Human Exploration, 1m ADEPT Mars Lander Malin SSS Concept and 1.0+m Lifting Nano ADEPT.



Potential NON-NASA Commercial Applications:
:
(Limit 1500 characters, approximately 150 words) The proposed technology can be applicable for commercial space industry such as applications to venture tourism, communications, and safely deploy scientific payloads to Saturn, Jupiter and Uranus.

Technology Taxonomy Mapping:
(NASA's technology taxonomy has been developed by the SBIR-STTR program to disseminate awareness of proposed and awarded R/R&D in the agency. It is a listing of over 100 technologies, sorted into broad categories, of interest to NASA.) Composites Entry, Descent, & Landing (see also Astronautics) Entry, Descent, & Landing (see also Planetary Navigation, Tracking, & Telemetry) Processing Methods Textiles