Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions. Developments in far-infrared spectroscopy promise to open a new window to the early Universe. Atomic lines in the far-IR are the dominant cooling mechanism for the interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the total bolometric luminosity of a typical star-forming galaxy is emitted in these lines, allowing observations at cosmological distances. The frequency range 300 GHz to 3 THz probes the fine structure lines from important chemical species (C, O, N) at redshifts z < 6, providing a critical test of galaxy assembly and formation to trace star formation activity across cosmic time scales. Detecting these lines from more than a handful of sources requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity. Detecting individual lines while avoiding confusion or line blending requires detector sensitivity below 10‑19 W Hz-1/2 and spectroscopic resolution lambda/delta lambda > 1000. Even at these levels, detections will take hours or days of integration for a single beam spot on the sky, severely limiting the possibilities for cosmological surveys. The proposed Ideal Integrating Bolometer (IIB) is able to achieve dramatic improvement in sensitivity because it has two time constants: an extremely long time constant over which signal is collected, and a very short one that allows rapid reset. A non-dissipative device reads out temperature. Without thermometer dissipation, temperature rise is due only to absorbed optical power. Thus, temperature rise over the period between resets is proportional to the integrated photon flux. The off state conductance can be made very small, limited only by the achievable on/off ratio of the switch, greatly enhancing the sensitivity. Signal loss due to a cosmic ray hit is limited to the reset period.","benefits":"
The project will enable far-infrared detector with greatly improved sensitivity. It may also be benefical in improving the sensitivity of other thermal detectors, such as X-ray microcalorimeters.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":695,"destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"lastUpdated":"02/15/26","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[{"contactId":132440,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Edgar","lastName":"Canavan","fullName":"Edgar R Canavan","fullNameInverted":"Canavan, Edgar R","middleInitial":"R","email":"edgar.r.canavan@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":542452,"projectId":17459,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"}],"programContacts":[],"leadOrganization":{"organizationId":4947,"organizationName":"Goddard Space Flight Center","acronym":"GSFC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Greenbelt","stateTerritoryId":3,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"MD","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Maryland","stateTerritoryId":3,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"20771","projectId":17459,"projectOrganizationId":570383,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},"otherOrganizations":[{"organizationId":4947,"organizationName":"Goddard Space Flight Center","acronym":"GSFC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Greenbelt","stateTerritoryId":3,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"MD","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Maryland","stateTerritoryId":3,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"20771","projectId":17459,"projectOrganizationId":570383,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"}],"primaryTx":{"taxonomyNodeId":11217,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11216,"code":"TX08.1.1","title":"Detectors and Focal Planes","description":"Detectors, focal planes, and readout integrated circuits (ROICs) provide large-format array technologies that require high quantum efficiency (QE); low noise, high resolution, uniform, and stable response; low power and cost; and high reliability. These technologies include low-noise, high-speed, low-power, and radiation hardened ROIC electronics; superconducting sensors; spectral detectors; polarization-sensitive detectors; radiation-hardened detectors; and micro-Kelvin and sub-Kelvin high sensitivity detectors that cover the spectrum from submillimeter wave (Far-IR) to X-ray.","exampleTechnologies":"Backshort Undergrid bolometer arrays, Mercury Cadmium Telluride and Strained Superlattice Arrays, charge coupled devices, sidecar readout integrated circuits, radiometric calibration and abnormality correction algorithms (e.g. non-uniformity)","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11215,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX08","title":"Sensors and Instruments","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11216,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11215,"code":"TX08.1","title":"Remote Sensing Instruments and Sensors","description":"Remote sensing instruments and sensors include components, sensors, and instruments that are sensitive to electromagnetic radiation; particles (charged, neutral, dust); electromagnetic fields, both direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC); acoustic energy; seismic energy; and whatever physical phenomenology the science requires. These instruments and sensors can be active or passive devices, depending on the measurement regime and detection technology.","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11217,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11216,"code":"TX08.1.1","title":"Detectors and Focal Planes","description":"Detectors, focal planes, and readout integrated circuits (ROICs) provide large-format array technologies that require high quantum efficiency (QE); low noise, high resolution, uniform, and stable response; low power and cost; and high reliability. These technologies include low-noise, high-speed, low-power, and radiation hardened ROIC electronics; superconducting sensors; spectral detectors; polarization-sensitive detectors; radiation-hardened detectors; and micro-Kelvin and sub-Kelvin high sensitivity detectors that cover the spectrum from submillimeter wave (Far-IR) to X-ray.","exampleTechnologies":"Backshort Undergrid bolometer arrays, Mercury Cadmium Telluride and Strained Superlattice Arrays, charge coupled devices, sidecar readout integrated circuits, radiometric calibration and abnormality correction algorithms (e.g. non-uniformity)","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":true,"hasInteriorContent":true}]],"technologyOutcomes":[{"technologyOutcomeId":93528,"projectId":17459,"project":{"projectId":17459,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 1","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions. Developments in far-infrared spectroscopy promise to open a new window to the early Universe. Atomic lines in the far-IR are the dominant cooling mechanism for the interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the total bolometric luminosity of a typical star-forming galaxy is emitted in these lines, allowing observations at cosmological distances. The frequency range 300 GHz to 3 THz probes the fine structure lines from important chemical species (C, O, N) at redshifts z < 6, providing a critical test of galaxy assembly and formation to trace star formation activity across cosmic time scales. Detecting these lines from more than a handful of sources requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity. Detecting individual lines while avoiding confusion or line blending requires detector sensitivity below 10‑19 W Hz-1/2 and spectroscopic resolution lambda/delta lambda > 1000. Even at these levels, detections will take hours or days of integration for a single beam spot on the sky, severely limiting the possibilities for cosmological surveys. The proposed Ideal Integrating Bolometer (IIB) is able to achieve dramatic improvement in sensitivity because it has two time constants: an extremely long time constant over which signal is collected, and a very short one that allows rapid reset. A non-dissipative device reads out temperature. Without thermometer dissipation, temperature rise is due only to absorbed optical power. Thus, temperature rise over the period between resets is proportional to the integrated photon flux. The off state conductance can be made very small, limited only by the achievable on/off ratio of the switch, greatly enhancing the sensitivity. Signal loss due to a cosmic ray hit is limited to the reset period.","benefits":"
The project will enable far-infrared detector with greatly improved sensitivity. It may also be benefical in improving the sensitivity of other thermal detectors, such as X-ray microcalorimeters.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"relatedProjectId":32956,"relatedProject":{"projectId":32956,"title":"Autocode from Simulink to Real Time Embedded LINUx on ARM","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":161,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"AFRC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"The Armstrong Flight Research Center is NASA’s primary center for atmospheric flight research and operations, with a vision “to fly what others only imagine.” We believe that flight validation and research is one of the crucial phases within the advancement of any NASA technology, and it is often the barrier to technology utilization by the private sector. We also believe that aerospace technology can be enhanced through flight early in the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) lifecycle. In fact, some research can be done only in flight. The CIF projects are examples of aerospace technologies that are theoretically advantageous but have had little TRL advancement or are at too early of a technology level for support through a NASA mission.
The focus for the program is on validating, developing, and testing new and innovative technologies.
The current technology areas for the projects included:
AFRC is currently looking into following Technical Capability areas (not in any priority order and not all inclusive):
1. Small launch Space Systems
Develop small launch space systems such as horizontal rockets that could launch to orbit small free-flying space platforms (e.g., cuestas, nanosats, picosats).
2. Altitude Compensating Rocket Systems
Design, build, and test altitude compensating rocket systems or sub-systems designed to operate the rocket efficiently across a wide range of altitudes. Subsystems such as Altitude Compensating Nozzles are being considered.
3. Aero Gravity Assist Systems
Design, build, and test an Aerogravity assist system which uses a close approach to the planet, dipping into the atmosphere, so the spacecraft can also use aerodynamic lift to further curve the trajectory.
4. Launch Vehicle and Spacecraft Adaptive Controls
Develop and test adaptive controls architectures specifically tailored for application to launch vehicles. Adaptive Controls for launch vehicles would include unique features of the aerospace vehicle, such as control-structure interaction, propellant slosh, sensor performance, and actuator dynamics. In addition, the analysis, verification, and flight certification framework for the control system must be addressed.
5. Autonomous Systems
AFRC is exploring concepts for advanced autonomous systems and collaborative autonomous operations that could be applied across aerospace vehicles to enhance effectiveness, survivability, and affordability.
6. Autonomy in a Safety Critical Framework
Armstrong Flight Research Center is interested in the flight demonstration of high level autonomy in a safety critical framework with applicability to man-rated air and space vehicles. This high level of autonomy is enabled through the use of multiple sensor platforms and algorithms with high computational demands. Increased computational capability through embedded high performance computing and implementation of resource efficient algorithms is needed to support this integration. Research into embedded high performance computing using multi-core processors, FPGA, GPU, DSP and associated development of toolchains and algorithms targeted to these platforms is needed in order to reduce the Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) of the flight vehicles..
7. Space Weather Systems
Design, develop, and test measurement systems to provide the capability for on-demand, validated, and archived radiation measurements related to human tissue and avionics silicon upset concerns.
8. Electromagnetically Boosted Rockets
One possible solution is to use an electromagnetic linear motor boost system to supplement the use of first stage booster rockets and rocket clusters. China Lake is currently advocating to NAVAIR to initiate a study of long term capital costs and recurring system operational costs of the use of an electromagnetic linear motor booster system for their rocket sled tracks as compared to the long term operational system costs of moving to a newer line of booster rocket production.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"
Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":161,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36647,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: AFRC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"AFRC CIF"},"description":"Armstrong has a heritage of autocoding algorithms developed in Matlab Simulink for use in flight applications. It has become increasingly apparent these efforts are limited by (1) the performance of the hardware targets, (2) cost of proprietary tool chains and real time operating systems, and (3) inability to support Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) simulation. Targeting Embedded Linux with an ARM processor can address these issues.","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":5,"trlEnd":5,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"technologyOutcomePartner":"Other","technologyOutcomeDate":"2014-11-01","technologyOutcomePath":"Advanced_From","infoText":"Advanced from another project within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (Autocode from Simulink to Real Time Embedded LINUx on ARM)","isIndirect":false,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":true,"technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"November 2014","technologyOutcomeDateString":"Nov 2014","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"Other","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Advanced From","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""},{"technologyOutcomeId":93529,"projectId":17459,"project":{"projectId":17459,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 1","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"
Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions. Developments in far-infrared spectroscopy promise to open a new window to the early Universe. Atomic lines in the far-IR are the dominant cooling mechanism for the interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the total bolometric luminosity of a typical star-forming galaxy is emitted in these lines, allowing observations at cosmological distances. The frequency range 300 GHz to 3 THz probes the fine structure lines from important chemical species (C, O, N) at redshifts z < 6, providing a critical test of galaxy assembly and formation to trace star formation activity across cosmic time scales. Detecting these lines from more than a handful of sources requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity. Detecting individual lines while avoiding confusion or line blending requires detector sensitivity below 10‑19 W Hz-1/2 and spectroscopic resolution lambda/delta lambda > 1000. Even at these levels, detections will take hours or days of integration for a single beam spot on the sky, severely limiting the possibilities for cosmological surveys. The proposed Ideal Integrating Bolometer (IIB) is able to achieve dramatic improvement in sensitivity because it has two time constants: an extremely long time constant over which signal is collected, and a very short one that allows rapid reset. A non-dissipative device reads out temperature. Without thermometer dissipation, temperature rise is due only to absorbed optical power. Thus, temperature rise over the period between resets is proportional to the integrated photon flux. The off state conductance can be made very small, limited only by the achievable on/off ratio of the switch, greatly enhancing the sensitivity. Signal loss due to a cosmic ray hit is limited to the reset period.","benefits":"
The project will enable far-infrared detector with greatly improved sensitivity. It may also be benefical in improving the sensitivity of other thermal detectors, such as X-ray microcalorimeters.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"relatedProjectId":146052,"relatedProject":{"projectId":146052,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 2","startDate":"2015-10-01","startYear":2015,"startMonth":10,"endDate":"2016-09-30","endYear":2016,"endMonth":9,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"
We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions.
","benefits":"This effort will continue a promising technology research thrust, but clearly will require further development to achieve a fully functioning IIB. The ROSES call will be applied to for funding to develop an IIB array. Success in in demonstrating a proof-of-principle, low conductance bolometer with an integrated heat switch will make the IIB a strong contender for ROSES funding. Further development will involve integrating the array into a cryogenic, dispersive far-IR spectrometer. At the next level of integration, the spectrometer instrument would be part of a cryogenic, far-IR observatory. The nearest-term opportunity would be on a balloon mission.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":3,"trlEnd":3,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Sep 2016","startDateString":"Oct 2015"},"technologyOutcomePartner":"Other","technologyOutcomeDate":"2015-10-01","technologyOutcomePath":"Advanced_To","details":"","closeoutLinkUrl":"","infoText":"Advanced within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 2)","isIndirect":false,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":true,"technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"October 2015","technologyOutcomeDateString":"Oct 2015","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"Other","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Advanced To","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""},{"technologyOutcomeId":94469,"projectId":17459,"project":{"projectId":17459,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 1","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions. Developments in far-infrared spectroscopy promise to open a new window to the early Universe. Atomic lines in the far-IR are the dominant cooling mechanism for the interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the total bolometric luminosity of a typical star-forming galaxy is emitted in these lines, allowing observations at cosmological distances. The frequency range 300 GHz to 3 THz probes the fine structure lines from important chemical species (C, O, N) at redshifts z < 6, providing a critical test of galaxy assembly and formation to trace star formation activity across cosmic time scales. Detecting these lines from more than a handful of sources requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity. Detecting individual lines while avoiding confusion or line blending requires detector sensitivity below 10‑19 W Hz-1/2 and spectroscopic resolution lambda/delta lambda > 1000. Even at these levels, detections will take hours or days of integration for a single beam spot on the sky, severely limiting the possibilities for cosmological surveys. The proposed Ideal Integrating Bolometer (IIB) is able to achieve dramatic improvement in sensitivity because it has two time constants: an extremely long time constant over which signal is collected, and a very short one that allows rapid reset. A non-dissipative device reads out temperature. Without thermometer dissipation, temperature rise is due only to absorbed optical power. Thus, temperature rise over the period between resets is proportional to the integrated photon flux. The off state conductance can be made very small, limited only by the achievable on/off ratio of the switch, greatly enhancing the sensitivity. Signal loss due to a cosmic ray hit is limited to the reset period.","benefits":"
The project will enable far-infrared detector with greatly improved sensitivity. It may also be benefical in improving the sensitivity of other thermal detectors, such as X-ray microcalorimeters.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"relatedProjectId":32956,"relatedProject":{"projectId":32956,"title":"Autocode from Simulink to Real Time Embedded LINUx on ARM","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":161,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"AFRC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"The Armstrong Flight Research Center is NASA’s primary center for atmospheric flight research and operations, with a vision “to fly what others only imagine.” We believe that flight validation and research is one of the crucial phases within the advancement of any NASA technology, and it is often the barrier to technology utilization by the private sector. We also believe that aerospace technology can be enhanced through flight early in the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) lifecycle. In fact, some research can be done only in flight. The CIF projects are examples of aerospace technologies that are theoretically advantageous but have had little TRL advancement or are at too early of a technology level for support through a NASA mission.
The focus for the program is on validating, developing, and testing new and innovative technologies.
The current technology areas for the projects included:
AFRC is currently looking into following Technical Capability areas (not in any priority order and not all inclusive):
1. Small launch Space Systems
Develop small launch space systems such as horizontal rockets that could launch to orbit small free-flying space platforms (e.g., cuestas, nanosats, picosats).
2. Altitude Compensating Rocket Systems
Design, build, and test altitude compensating rocket systems or sub-systems designed to operate the rocket efficiently across a wide range of altitudes. Subsystems such as Altitude Compensating Nozzles are being considered.
3. Aero Gravity Assist Systems
Design, build, and test an Aerogravity assist system which uses a close approach to the planet, dipping into the atmosphere, so the spacecraft can also use aerodynamic lift to further curve the trajectory.
4. Launch Vehicle and Spacecraft Adaptive Controls
Develop and test adaptive controls architectures specifically tailored for application to launch vehicles. Adaptive Controls for launch vehicles would include unique features of the aerospace vehicle, such as control-structure interaction, propellant slosh, sensor performance, and actuator dynamics. In addition, the analysis, verification, and flight certification framework for the control system must be addressed.
5. Autonomous Systems
AFRC is exploring concepts for advanced autonomous systems and collaborative autonomous operations that could be applied across aerospace vehicles to enhance effectiveness, survivability, and affordability.
6. Autonomy in a Safety Critical Framework
Armstrong Flight Research Center is interested in the flight demonstration of high level autonomy in a safety critical framework with applicability to man-rated air and space vehicles. This high level of autonomy is enabled through the use of multiple sensor platforms and algorithms with high computational demands. Increased computational capability through embedded high performance computing and implementation of resource efficient algorithms is needed to support this integration. Research into embedded high performance computing using multi-core processors, FPGA, GPU, DSP and associated development of toolchains and algorithms targeted to these platforms is needed in order to reduce the Size, Weight, and Power (SWaP) of the flight vehicles..
7. Space Weather Systems
Design, develop, and test measurement systems to provide the capability for on-demand, validated, and archived radiation measurements related to human tissue and avionics silicon upset concerns.
8. Electromagnetically Boosted Rockets
One possible solution is to use an electromagnetic linear motor boost system to supplement the use of first stage booster rockets and rocket clusters. China Lake is currently advocating to NAVAIR to initiate a study of long term capital costs and recurring system operational costs of the use of an electromagnetic linear motor booster system for their rocket sled tracks as compared to the long term operational system costs of moving to a newer line of booster rocket production.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"
Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":161,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36647,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: AFRC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"AFRC CIF"},"description":"Armstrong has a heritage of autocoding algorithms developed in Matlab Simulink for use in flight applications. It has become increasingly apparent these efforts are limited by (1) the performance of the hardware targets, (2) cost of proprietary tool chains and real time operating systems, and (3) inability to support Processor-in-the-Loop (PIL) simulation. Targeting Embedded Linux with an ARM processor can address these issues.","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":5,"trlEnd":5,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"technologyOutcomePartner":"Other","technologyOutcomeDate":"2014-11-01","technologyOutcomePath":"Advanced_From","infoText":"Advanced from another project within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (Autocode from Simulink to Real Time Embedded LINUx on ARM)","isIndirect":true,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":true,"technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"November 2014","technologyOutcomeDateString":"Nov 2014","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"Other","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Advanced From","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""},{"technologyOutcomeId":102399,"projectId":17459,"project":{"projectId":17459,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 1","startDate":"2014-11-01","startYear":2014,"startMonth":11,"endDate":"2015-10-01","endYear":2015,"endMonth":10,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"
Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions. Developments in far-infrared spectroscopy promise to open a new window to the early Universe. Atomic lines in the far-IR are the dominant cooling mechanism for the interstellar medium. A significant fraction of the total bolometric luminosity of a typical star-forming galaxy is emitted in these lines, allowing observations at cosmological distances. The frequency range 300 GHz to 3 THz probes the fine structure lines from important chemical species (C, O, N) at redshifts z < 6, providing a critical test of galaxy assembly and formation to trace star formation activity across cosmic time scales. Detecting these lines from more than a handful of sources requires dramatic improvements in sensitivity. Detecting individual lines while avoiding confusion or line blending requires detector sensitivity below 10‑19 W Hz-1/2 and spectroscopic resolution lambda/delta lambda > 1000. Even at these levels, detections will take hours or days of integration for a single beam spot on the sky, severely limiting the possibilities for cosmological surveys. The proposed Ideal Integrating Bolometer (IIB) is able to achieve dramatic improvement in sensitivity because it has two time constants: an extremely long time constant over which signal is collected, and a very short one that allows rapid reset. A non-dissipative device reads out temperature. Without thermometer dissipation, temperature rise is due only to absorbed optical power. Thus, temperature rise over the period between resets is proportional to the integrated photon flux. The off state conductance can be made very small, limited only by the achievable on/off ratio of the switch, greatly enhancing the sensitivity. Signal loss due to a cosmic ray hit is limited to the reset period.","benefits":"
The project will enable far-infrared detector with greatly improved sensitivity. It may also be benefical in improving the sensitivity of other thermal detectors, such as X-ray microcalorimeters.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":4,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"},"relatedProjectId":146052,"relatedProject":{"projectId":146052,"title":"A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 2","startDate":"2015-10-01","startYear":2015,"startMonth":10,"endDate":"2016-09-30","endYear":2016,"endMonth":9,"programId":163,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"GSFC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers. ","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":163,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36650,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: GSFC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC CIF"},"description":"
We propose to develop a novel detector to enable a new class of far-IR spectroscopic surveys. Achievable sensitivity for these devices is roughly 2 orders of magnitude better than current devices. By reducing detection times by a factor of 10 000, the IIB enables rapid surveys of cosmological volumes to leapfrog the performance of planned missions.
","benefits":"This effort will continue a promising technology research thrust, but clearly will require further development to achieve a fully functioning IIB. The ROSES call will be applied to for funding to develop an IIB array. Success in in demonstrating a proof-of-principle, low conductance bolometer with an integrated heat switch will make the IIB a strong contender for ROSES funding. Further development will involve integrating the array into a cryogenic, dispersive far-IR spectrometer. At the next level of integration, the spectrometer instrument would be part of a cryogenic, far-IR observatory. The nearest-term opportunity would be on a balloon mission.
","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":3,"trlEnd":3,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[],"endDateString":"Sep 2016","startDateString":"Oct 2015"},"technologyOutcomePartner":"Other","technologyOutcomeDate":"2015-10-01","technologyOutcomePath":"Advanced_To","details":"","infoText":"Advanced within the program","infoTextExtra":"Another project within the program (A Low G Ideal Integrating Bolometer, Year 2)","isIndirect":true,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":true,"technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"October 2015","technologyOutcomeDateString":"Oct 2015","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"Other","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Advanced To","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""}],"primaryImage":{"file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":357597,"presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"0 Byte"},"libraryItemId":356894,"description":"Ideal Integrating Bolometer","projectId":17459,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"","libraryItemTypePretty":"","modifiedDateString":""},"libraryItems":[{"file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":357597,"fileName":"cANAVAN","fileSize":419117,"objectId":356894,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"409.3 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":357597,"fileName":"cANAVAN","fileSize":419117,"objectId":356894,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"409.3 KB"}],"libraryItemId":356894,"title":"Ideal Integrating Bolometer","description":"Ideal Integrating Bolometer","libraryItemType":"Image","projectId":17459,"isPrimary":true,"internalOnly":false,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"01/22/25 01:10 AM","libraryItemTypePretty":"Image","modifiedDateString":"05/22/23 02:25 PM"},{"files":[],"libraryItemId":356895,"title":"Project Website","libraryItemType":"Link","url":"http://sciences.gsfc.nasa.gov/sed/","projectId":17459,"internalOnly":false,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"01/22/25 01:10 AM","libraryItemTypePretty":"Link","modifiedDateString":"10/25/24 02:23 PM"}],"states":[{"abbreviation":"MD","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Maryland","stateTerritoryId":3,"isTerritory":false}],"endDateString":"Oct 2015","startDateString":"Nov 2014"}}