Structural Integrity Inspection and Visualization System, Phase II

The primary NASA application of the proposed SIRIUS system is a compact NDE system that can be used for evaluating the structural integrity of spacecraft components during spaceflight, with the capability of providing reliable, high-resolution assessments of the locations and extent of damage within thermal protection, MMOD shields, inflatable habitats, EVA suits and vehicles, electronic systems, conductive structures, pressure vessels, and other lightweight materials, with the capability of functioning in hard-to-access areas within both pressurized habitable compartments and external space environments. Additional NASA applications include in situ NDE of large-area non-uniform multilayer aluminum/titanium/composite structures with complicated geometry used in the development of advanced aircraft and spacecraft, providing accurate identification, localization, and measurements of all types of internal and surface defects. Military applications of SIRIUS will include in situ NDE of U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force military aircraft with large-area non-uniform multilayer aluminum/titanium/composite structures that have complicated geometry (and also combined textile polymeric, ceramic, and metal matrix composite structures). SIRIUS will also be used for the NDE of airplane, helicopter, and missile parts containing electronics, mechanics, propellants, explosives, etc., to detect their defects and integrity. SIRIUS can be incorporated by the U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force as a reliable, rapid, robotic, easy-to-use NDE system. Potential DHS applications include the detection of vehicle-borne contraband, drugs, and explosives. The commercial availability of SIRIUS includes its use for in situ NDE of large-area non-uniform components in aging and modern commercial aircraft, spacecraft, light marine vessels, and any application requiring defect detection for multilayer ceramic, composite, metallic, and plastic non-uniform structures. More »