Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer
Structural Nervous System
Project Description
GTL proposes to further the development of its SNS technology towards adoption into aerospace structures. The SNS technology is an enabler technology for the expanded use of structural health monitoring systems. It allows the large data architectures needed for these types of systems to be implemented with minimal mass and impact to structural performance. GTL will accomplish this by automating the manufacturing process of its SNS conductor elements to enable the production of conductors on a large length scale. GTL will then use this automated fabrication process to produce SNS first products. These first products will validated in a series of tests. Small scale tests will validate the consistent properties of these first products. Large scale tests will validate the properties of the SNS first products at a scale relevant to large aerospace structures. Vacuum thermal cycling tests will validate SNS first product use in a representative space environment. To conclude the effort, testing with large scale engineering model structures will validate the integration of SNS first products into representative pressure vessel and wing structures. This testing with engineering models will also demonstrate the operation of SNS technology under loads representative of typical aerospace structure operation. GTL will then provide an SNS technology first products kit to NASA.
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Anticipated Benefits
SNS technology offers the potential for an innovative and efficient method for the transmission of power and data for existing or new structural health monitoring systems. It offers a cost effective and mass reducing alternative to the use of cumbersome wiring systems for the transfer of power and data in conventional systems. This capability is directly applicable to future NASA air and space vehicles. These vehicles will seek to operate in increasingly more hazardous environments and thus need structural health monitoring systems to manage risk. To contrast this, these vehicles will need to have low mass and excellent structural performance. SNS technology allows these vehicles to meet both of these objectives.
SNS technology is a component level technology that is essentially a replacement for wiring. As a result it has potential applications in any composite structure that is mass restricted and has extensive wiring. Main applications include large aerospace structures such as aircraft and commercial satellites. As commercial aircraft move towards increased use of composite materials and electrical control systems, the benefits of using SNS technology will increase. Additionally, SNS technology will reduce the mass and risk in commercial satellite structures, which have extensive internal wiring. More »
SNS technology is a component level technology that is essentially a replacement for wiring. As a result it has potential applications in any composite structure that is mass restricted and has extensive wiring. Main applications include large aerospace structures such as aircraft and commercial satellites. As commercial aircraft move towards increased use of composite materials and electrical control systems, the benefits of using SNS technology will increase. Additionally, SNS technology will reduce the mass and risk in commercial satellite structures, which have extensive internal wiring. More »
Project Library
Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories, LLC | Lead Organization | Industry | Tullahoma, Tennessee |
Langley Research Center
(LaRC)
|
Supporting Organization | NASA Center | Hampton, Virginia |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
Tennessee
-
Virginia
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