SBIR/STTR
Cloud droplet characterization system for unmanned aircraft, Phase I
Project Introduction
Atmospheric clouds have strong impact on the global radiative budget. Cloud's radiative properties are strongly affected by droplet size distribution and number concentration. This SBIR project will develop an innovative, compact and inexpensive droplet measurement system (DMS), which will provide in situ measurement of droplet size distribution function and droplet number concentration in clouds. The DMS will be designed to meet the demanding requirements for deployment on small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Phase I will demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method and yield benchtop technology ready for transition to a UAS-compatible prototype in Phase II.
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Anticipated Benefits
Potential NASA Commercial Applications: The proposed DMS technology will meet the NASA's need to add in situ cloud measurement capabilities to small research UAS's. Deployment of the DMS implemented as a compact and lightweight economic package on small UAS's will result in reduced costs and improved coverage of the NASA's UAS-based atmospheric measurement campaigns. Precise and extensive cloud characterization data will lead to better understanding of the contribution of atmospheric clouds to Earth's radiative budget and climate change. Other potential applications include characterization of atmospheric aerosols, particulate matter in volcanic ash plumes and fuel sprays.
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Primary U.S. Work Locations and Key Partners
| Organizations Performing Work | Role | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC)
|
Lead Organization | NASA Center | Greenbelt, MD |
| Mesa Photonics, LLC | Supporting Organization | Industry | Santa Fe, NM |
Primary U.S. Work Locations
-
New Mexico
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Organizational Responsibility
Responsible Mission Directorate:
- Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD)
Lead Center / Facility:
- Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
Responsible Program:
- SBIR/STTR
Project Management
Program Director:
Program Manager:
Principal Investigator:
- Andrei B Vakhtin
Project Duration
Start: Jun 2015
End: Dec 2015
Technology Maturity (TRL)
| Start: | 2 |
| Current: | 4 |
| Estimated End: | 4 |
Applied Research
Development
Demo & Test
Technology Areas
Primary:
- TA 8 Science Instruments, Observatories, and Sensor Systems
- TA 8.1 Remote Sensing Instruments and Sensors