E BEAM INC — National Aeronautics and Space Administration SBIR Phase I: Z10
E BEAM INC — SBIR Phase I award from National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Phase I SBIR feasibility signal
- Phase I awards fund proof-of-concept work. For capture teams, they mark early interest from National Aeronautics and Space Administration in a technical approach.
- Watch for Phase II follow-ons from the same firm/topic family — that conversion path is where budgets and transition pressure rise.
- Obligated amount $149,999. Cross-check similar awards in the same agency and technology tags for going-rate context.
- Topic code Z10 links this award to a solicitation family — search the same topic stem for incumbents and recompete timing.
- Amount
- $149,999
- Agency
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Program / Phase
- SBIR · Phase I
- Topic
- Z10
- Solicitation
- SBIR_23_P1
- NAICS
- —
- Place of performance
- OR
- Period
- 2023-07-31 → 2024-02-02
Description
A novel screen-accelerator grid pair is offered for ion thrusters for electric space propulsion. They will be flat and highly tensioned and fastened to ceramic frames. The frames provide extreme rigidity. The tensioning of the masks virtually eliminates relative movement of grid apertures, even at high vibration levels and large temperature excursions. This technology was proven in the manufacture of millions of high-resolution color cathode ray tube displays in the last century. In addition, graphitic coatings are offered up to 0.020-inch thickness known for their resistance to sputtering erosion of the grids. These coatings have ingredients which overcome the problems encountered in previous efforts to use carbon in ion thruster grids. In Phase I, a tensioned, flat grid pair will be constructed, coated, tested, and delivered.