TECHNOLOGY/BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope
Agency: | |
---|---|
Level of Government: | Federal |
Category: |
|
Opps ID: | NBD00159410964279634 |
Posted Date: | Feb 2, 2024 |
Due Date: | Mar 3, 2024 |
Source: | https://sam.gov/opp/b88f67e5b3... |
- Contract Opportunity Type: Special Notice (Original)
- All Dates/Times are: (UTC-08:00) PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, LOS ANGELES, USA
- Original Published Date: Feb 02, 2024 01:58 pm PST
- Original Response Date: Mar 03, 2024 03:00 pm PST
- Inactive Policy: 15 days after response date
- Original Inactive Date: Mar 18, 2024
- Initiative:
- Original Set Aside:
- Product Service Code:
-
NAICS Code:
- 334511 - Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing
-
Place of Performance:
Livermore , CAUSA
Opportunity:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope.
Background:
Monolithic telescopes fabricate a reflective telescope into a single silica substrate. This approach provides exceptional mechanical stability because the relative position of the mirrors is permanently polished into a monolithic substrate and is inherently temperature insensitive due to the low CTE of fused silica (0.5 ppm/K). Once fabricated, monolithic telescopes can be taken for granted because the mirrors will always be aligned, even after subject to extreme force like during launch into space. There is a need to scale such telescope designs to larger apertures but not to incur the weight penalty of the conventional design.
Description:
Aeroptics are a proposed new class of monolithic optical system in aerogel fabricated by molding around a master mandrel. This approach combines the intrinsic stability of proven monolithic telescopes, with the ultralow density of silica aerogels. In Aeroptics, the monolith is hollow with an aerogel substrate providing a supporting structure. Theoretically, Aeroptics could enable 1-m aperture space-based telescopes with a mass of just 15kg, and mass that scales with aperture diameter cubed.
Advantages/Benefits:
- All the stability advantages of a monolithic optic without the weight or optical absorption.
- Reduces weight at a 1m scale by 2 – 3 orders of magnitude.
- Compatible with space deployments and operations.
- Can be used in any application requiring fixed reflective optical elements.
Potential Applications:
- Space situational awareness and navigation
- Remote Sensing
Development Status:
Current stage of technology development: TRL 2-3
LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.
U.S. Patent Application No. 2023/0204936 Monolithic Optical Systems published 6/29/2023
LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information.
Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.
Note: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:
- Company Name and address.
- The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
- A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.
Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Method for Fabricating a Lightweight Space Telescope.
The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.
Written responses should be directed to:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Innovation and Partnerships Office
P.O. Box 808, L-779
Livermore, CA 94551-0808
Attention: IL-13665
- 7000 East Avenue
- Livermore , CA 94551
- USA
- IPO Support
- ipo-support@llnl.gov
- Phone Number 9254226416
- Elsie Quaite-Randall
- quaiterandal1@llnl.gov
- Phone Number 9254237302
- Feb 02, 2024 01:58 pm PSTSpecial Notice (Original)
TRY FOR FREE
Not a USAOPPS Member Yet?
Get unlimited access to thousands of active local, state and federal government bids and awards in All 50 States.