{"project":{"acronym":"","projectId":10109,"title":"Active Vibration Isolation System for Mobile Launch Platform Ground Support Equipment, Phase I","primaryTaxonomyNodes":[{"taxonomyNodeId":10673,"taxonomyRootId":8816,"parentNodeId":10670,"level":3,"code":"TX05.5.3","title":"Hybrid Radio and Optical Technologies","definition":"Game changing hybrid technologies offer the flexibility of providing high data rates on the RF and optical domain with interchangeable primary and secondary links to optimize data throughput.","exampleTechnologies":"Teletenna, vibration isolation platforms, beaconless pointing, cognitive control systems, high data rate protocols","hasChildren":false,"hasInteriorContent":true}],"startTrl":3,"currentTrl":4,"endTrl":4,"benefits":"Potential NASA Commercial Applications: Our active VIS system and the general VIS technology being designed for the Mobile Launch Platform will be useful to a variety of non-NASA applications, either directly or through scaling of components. Our system will likely utilize many components similar to those being developed for military vehicles and will benefit from ongoing commercialization efforts in that area to reduce costs and increase life. In addition to the MLP application, our active VIS technology will be applicable for vibration isolation for any sensitive payloads in harsh vibrational environments. Some immediately apparent non-NASA applications include military applications that parallel the NASA applications described above, sensitive equipment in earthquake prone areas, sensitive equipment during transport, vibration isolation of sensitive manufacturing processes and highly sensitive instrumentation or scientific equipment in normal environments. Early applications will favor high value or specialized payloads, but as markets grow and reduced costs become possible, the range of applicable payloads will grow.","description":"Balcones Technologies, proposes to adapt actively controlled suspension technology developed for high performance off-road vehicles to address NASA's requirement for Active Vibration Control for Ground Support Equipment (GSE). This innovative approach to meeting NASA needs exploits approximately $23M of highly successful R&D since 1993 at the University of Texas Center for Electromechanics (CEM) on active suspension systems for off-road military vehicles. STTR subtopic T6.02 indicates that previous experience on NASA's Mobile Launch Platform (MLP) shows that passive vibration isolation systems are inadequate and that actively controlled vibration isolation systems to supplement or replace existing passive systems will most likely be required. Initial modeling of this system by CEM indicates that our team's proposed actively controlled Vibration Isolation System (VIS) provides more than an order of magnitude improvement in vibration isolation compared to conventional approaches (see proposal Part 4 for details). Our actively controlled VIS offers unique benefits compared to conventional passive systems because it mimics compliant attachment to inertial reference systems rather than attachment to local reference systems on the vibrating MLP; eliminates resonant peaks associated with passive systems (i.e., our system has flat response at low frequencies); and provides 10 to 16 times better vibration isolation over most of the frequency range of interest than conventional systems. Based on our vehicular active suspension results and preliminary modeling described in proposal Part 4, our proven design approach will yield robust solutions that are not sensitive to variations in GSE electronics racks or MLP excitations during shuttle launch. This approach fully meets all requirements defined or implied in STTR 2007-1 Subtopic T6.02.","startYear":2008,"startMonth":2,"endYear":2009,"endMonth":2,"statusDescription":"Completed","principalInvestigators":[{"contactId":244545,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Joseph","lastName":"Beno","fullName":"Joseph Beno","fullNameInverted":"Beno, Joseph","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programDirectors":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programExecutives":[{"contactId":215154,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jennifer","lastName":"Gustetic","fullName":"Jennifer L Gustetic","fullNameInverted":"Gustetic, Jennifer L","middleInitial":"L","primaryEmail":"jennifer.l.gustetic@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"programManagers":[{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","primaryEmail":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","publicEmail":true,"nacontact":false}],"website":"","libraryItems":[],"transitions":[{"transitionId":2150,"projectId":10109,"transitionDate":"2009-02-01","path":"Closed Out","details":"Active Vibration Isolation System for Mobile Launch Platform Ground Support Equipment, Phase I Project Image","infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"","dateText":"February 2009"}],"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"program":{"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","active":true,"description":"
The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
","programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"acronym":"STMD","canUserEdit":false,"city":"","external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdId":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer"},"leadOrganization":{"acronym":"KSC","canUserEdit":false,"city":"Kennedy Space Center","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":false,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4905,"organizationName":"Kennedy Space Center","organizationType":"NASA_Center","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"FL","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Florida","stateTerritoryId":46},"stateTerritoryId":46,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},"supportingOrganizations":[{"canUserEdit":false,"city":"Austin","congressionalDistrict":"Texas 31","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":true,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4097,"organizationName":"Balcones Technologies, LLC","organizationType":"Industry","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29},"stateTerritoryId":29,"ein":"042448941 ","dunsNumber":"806337460","uei":"V8E7MKS89465","naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"Industry"},{"canUserEdit":false,"city":"Austin","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"external":true,"linkCount":0,"organizationId":4171,"organizationName":"University of Texas - Center for Electromechanics","organizationType":"Academia","stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29},"stateTerritoryId":29,"naorganization":false,"organizationTypePretty":"Academia"}],"statesWithWork":[{"abbreviation":"FL","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Florida","stateTerritoryId":46},{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29}],"lastUpdated":"2018-10-10","releaseStatusString":"Released","viewCount":1206,"endDateString":"Feb 2009","startDateString":"Feb 2008"}}