MODULARITY, INC. — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z8

Description

Modularity Space proposes an innovative software and hardware package for an Intelligent Wireless Instrumentation Network Framework (I-WIN). I-WIN revolves around a plug-and-play framework and to enable a network-centric communications link for avionics and sensor components. This software architecture, coupled with highly configurable and advanced manufactured embedded hardware, develops a system focused on interoperability between subsystems and sensors and avionics applications. I-WIN provides an adaptable and modular architecture for innovative avionics, transforming both current and future satellite systems into wireless component networks (WCN). These WCNs can be configured at run-time reducing systems engineering costs, data distribution complexities, and enables the use of commercial-off-the-shelf components. Using Intelligent Wireless Modules (IWM), the self-configuring architecture is enabled without the use of predefined configurations of the components. I-WIN and IWMs provide an inherent fault tolerance and dynamic fault management system coupled with a low size, weight, and power (Low-SWaP) sensing solution for spacecraft. The packaged solution will be developed, and preliminarily evaluated during this Phase I research effort using software and hardware-in-the-loop setups available for this project. The proposed solutions will be capable of augmenting existing early stage mission architectures increasing autonomy and reliability and will also provide a baseline for a wireless spacecraft avionics for future space missions and operations.nbsp;I-WIN will provide a theoretical and experimental framework for development and demonstration of wireless technologies to increase space system capabilities, reduce integration and design complexities, and produce a rapid response avionics package capable of using advanced manufacturing techniques. The successful completion of this Phase I effort will take the technology from a TRL 3 to a TRL 6.nbsp;