SBIR Phase I: Rapid and Accurate Large Aperture Surface Metrology for Future High Speed Communication

SBIR 第一阶段：面向未来高速通信的快速、准确的大孔径表面计量

• 批准号: 2335106
• 负责人: Joel Berkson
• 金额: $ 27.48万
• 依托单位: FRINGE METROLOGY LLC
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-03-15 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2335106&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: SBIR; Phase; Rapid; Accurate; Large

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project seeks to revolutionize how high-precision antenna dishes for satellite communications and radio astronomy are constructed. By developing an optical metrology system capable of measuring large antenna dishes with micron precision in minutes, this project addresses a critical bottleneck in the production of high-accuracy, low-cost, mass-manufactured antenna dishes. Current metrology methods like holography and photogrammetry are slow, costly, inconvenient, and lack the accuracy required for future dishes. The commercial impact of this project targets the growing multi-billion-dollar market of satellite communications and radio astronomy, with an addressable segment valued at approximately $2.3 billion for the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) alone. The goals of this project not only promise to enhance global connectivity and defense communication networks but also support groundbreaking discoveries about the universe.The intellectual merit of this project lies in its pioneering approach to optical metrology, stretching the capabilities of current systems to their limits for measuring objects up to 18 meters in diameter outdoors. The research objectives focus on overcoming fundamental challenges such as maintaining high precision and accuracy over large areas, construction of lightweight and portable hardware, and designing a system that is ready to be deployed by antenna technicians. Anticipated results include a prototype system capable of significantly advancing the field of optical metrology and providing a scalable solution for the high-volume production of precision antenna dishes. This innovation will produce significant advancements in satellite communication and radio astronomy by streamlining the construction and maintenance of high-precision dishes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目旨在彻底改变卫星通信和射电天文学的高精度天线的构造方式。通过开发能够在几分钟内以微米精度测量大型天线盘的光学计量系统，该项目解决了高精度，低成本，大规模制造的天线盘生产的关键瓶颈。目前的计量方法，如全息摄影和摄影测量是缓慢的，昂贵的，不方便的，并缺乏未来的菜所需的精度。这一项目的商业影响瞄准了不断增长的数十亿美元的卫星通信和射电天文学市场，仅下一代超大阵列（ngVLA）就有价值约23亿美元的可寻址部分。该项目的目标不仅是增强全球连通性和国防通信网络，还将支持有关宇宙的突破性发现。该项目的智力价值在于其开创性的光学计量方法，将现有系统的能力扩展到户外测量直径达18米的物体的极限。研究目标侧重于克服基本挑战，例如在大面积上保持高精度和准确性，建造轻便便携的硬件，以及设计一个可由天线技术人员部署的系统。预期的结果包括一个原型系统，能够显着推进光学计量领域，并提供一个可扩展的解决方案，为高批量生产的精密天线碟。这一创新将通过简化高精度天线的建造和维护，在卫星通信和射电天文学方面取得重大进展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。