PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC. — Department of Defense STTR Phase II: MDA14-T004

PHYSICAL SCIENCES INC. — STTR Phase II award from Department of Defense.

Amount
$1,004,758
Agency
Department of Defense · Missile Defense Agency
Program / Phase
STTR · Phase II
Topic
MDA14-T004
Solicitation
2014.0
NAICS
Place of performance
MA
Period
2016-09-20 → 2018-09-19

Description

Physical Sciences Inc. (PSI) proposes to design, develop, and demonstrate a portable, non-invasive, real-time sensor to assess the chemical and physical health of solid rocket motors as a function of age without affecting the motors integrity nor having direct contact with the propellant. In Phase II, a sensor to monitor specific gas species that are markers of the chemical and mechanical aging processes of composite and double base propellants will be demonstrated in an analog motor. The operational specification of the sensor will be quantified and validated in relevant environments. Mathematical models that correlate the spectral signatures-to-adverse changes in propellant material properties will be simultaneously refined to allow an autonomous health monitoring sensor. PSI will manufacture this sensor and transition this to MDA via Aerojet.