Contributions awarded under the STDP – AO 8

Lunar Surface Night-Survivable Mechanical Gimbal Technology Development

Develop the technology to enable a small gimbal mechanism to survive the harsh thermal and radiation environment on the Moon. This gimbal mechanism could be used to mount cameras, sensors, antennas and other small instruments.

Lunar Battery System

Acquire the expertise needed to define requirements, design, build, test, and demonstrate the suitability of battery elements tailored for lunar applications. This expertise could greatly enhance thermal management, prevent thermal events, and improve redundant system design.

Lightweight Self-Calibrating Optical Inter-Satellite Link

Refine pointing technology needed in space telescopes; create a better performing and lighter space telescope mirror technology; and investigate new optical design layouts.

High-Performance Processor Platform

Perform a proof-of-concept and advance the development of a new high-performance single-board processor for satellites that enhances artificial intelligence / machine learning capabilities, improves speed, and increases fault tolerance while using less power.

LERA Rotary Actuator for Extreme Environments

Develop the Lunar Exploration Robotic Arm actuator, a small but robust and precise motor used to build robotic arms and grippers, to withstand harsh lunar conditions and demonstrate its effectiveness through environmental testing.

AutoNav: Enabling Safe High-Speed Autonomous Mobility on the Lunar Surface

Develop an auto-navigation system that allows a rover to drive autonomously at 1 km/h. The system includes a rover sensor and computing module with navigation algorithms, and mission operations software.

K-Band Up/Down Converter

Support the development of K-Band up/down converters (UDCs) in two phases: creating the converters, and then integrating them into a single package with additional features. The result will be flexible UDCs for software-defined satellite applications.

Development of a lightweight propellant tank for an orbital launch vehicle

Find space mobility solutions based on a novel hybrid rocket engine technology, by developing and demonstrating a lightweight, large composite propellant tank. This builds on previous work with composite pressure vessels.

Next-Generation Star Tracker Development

Research, select and test commercial components to qualify them for extreme environments. These components would then be used to develop a new star tracker that would work in a broader range of environments.

Development and qualification of an enhanced COTS-based space processing system with integrated AI acceleration capabilities

Develop and qualify the flagship model of Xiphos's high-performance, low size, weight, and power commercial-off-the-shelf-based processors.

Development of a low Earth orbit Satellite Navigation Receiver and demonstration of PNT enhancements

Develop a receiver technology for use in heavy industry applications such as precision agriculture and mining. This will involve field-testing signals and hardware, testing live satellite transmissions, and creating an in-house PULSAR receiver.

Intrinsically Calibrated Multi-Axis Laser-Based Position Metrology System Suitable for Cryogenic and Space Applications

Develop and test a new calibration method for a novel frequency-modulated laser interferometer that can measure up to eight axes with one laser/detector, which means less mass and complexity to build the system that controls precise positioning of optical components.

Photon-counting CMOS camera for nanosatellites

Develop a space camera solution integrating Nüvü Caméras' new Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) controller for photon counting. This technology could be used in the medical field and in astronomy, among other areas.

POLAR: A Tool for Training and Evaluating Spacecraft Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking Computer Vision Algorithms

Develop a highly realistic simulator to generate accurate imagery for improving, training, and testing advanced computer vision algorithms and AI models. This technology could help make spaceflight safer and more sustainable by enabling space debris removal, satellite refuelling, recycling old satellites, and enhancing space domain awareness.

X-Band Up/Down Converter

Advance the product designs to a higher technology readiness level with prototype modules designed and assembled for benchtop testing. The up and down converters, used in most radio frequency applications to allow frequency shifting, will be integrated into a single module and a space-rated microcontroller will be added.

Scaling Performance of a Low-Cost, Space-Based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) System

Redesign optical and mechanical front-end of the QKD system; develop engineering model to be used for functional and performance testing; complete test campaign and list necessary design enhancements.

HEQASPAN: High-Efficiency Quantum Accurate Space Platform for Navigation

Develop and implement new quantum control techniques to improve sensor efficiency and accuracy, enabling the use of small CubeSat constellations. These constellations would help create precise, frequently updated magnetic navigation charts for the Northern Territories and provide drone-compatible technology for mineral exploration in remote areas.

Lightweight Composite Mechanisms Enabling Deployable Optical Earth Observation Payloads

Advance deployable optics technology allowing Earth observation payloads to be compact during launch and expand in orbit. This smaller, lighter design would reduce launch costs and enable affordable collection of high-quality hyperspectral imagery. This project will improve the space-readiness of these components for use in next-generation satellites.

Volume Bragg Grating (VBG) Directional Filter

Design and build a VBG-based device for intersatellite links; characterize and verify the device in a lab; demonstrate reliability through environmental tests like TVAC, shock, and vibration; and design a system architecture to integrate the VBG into existing Optical Inter-Satellite Link terminal. Optical communication between satellites is a fast-growing field, as it allows for much more data transmission when compared to radio frequency.

Spacefarer 360: 3D Imaging Processing Pipeline and AI for Autonomous Space Robotics

Propose a new AI-integrated image processing system that will help spacecraft perform tasks autonomously and safely in complex environments.

Adaptation of a Quantum Transmitter to Space-Based QKD Applications

Adapt QEYnet's existing terrestrial Quantum Transmitter (QTx) design for use in space. QEYnet will modify the design of the QTx, manufacture an engineering model system, verify its performance, and subject it to a series of tests.

Development of Carbon-Neutral Fuel for Hybrid Rocket Engine

Develop a carbon-neutral fuel for a hybrid rocket engine that will power a low-cost, eco-friendly, orbital launch vehicle. Working with a bioderived polymer supplier, RDX will manufacture a fuel with net-zero emissions and test it in a demonstrator rocket engine.