Research Topics

Space probes and other high reliability systems have a need for power in remote, harsh environments that require novel materials development to meet growing power and thermal management requirements while still maintaining small form factors. Areas of interest include novel materials and architectures that have potential to enable new energy and power systems that achieve extreme performance, ultra-low SWAP, and/or ruggedized operation in harsh environments. Example areas might include:

1. Microelectronic coolers and novel MEMS devices
2. High temperature thermoelectric materials
3. Radiation and neutron based power systems
4. Battery development
5. Piezoenergy transfer systems
6. Supercapacitors

Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed to.

1. There are many challenges to overcome and technologies to develop to enable continuous operation in VLEO and LEO. These include but are not limited to air-breathing inlets, atomic oxygen resilient and low drag materials, thrusters, accelerated test infrastructure, payloads, avionics, power, guidance navigation and control (GN&C), and position, navigation and timing (PNT). Draper is interested in technologies, modeling, simulation, and testing to enable persistent operations in areas including but not limited to:
   1. Power
   2. Materials
   3. Propulsion
   4. GN&C and PN&T
   5. Avionics and Payloads

Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed to.

Rapidly printing 3D structures enables new applications across a wide variety of fields biological systems, communication systems, and various electronic systems. These fields require techniques that enable at least one or more of the example areas below

1. Print smaller structures
2. Print performance materials
3. Conformal
4. High temperature tolerance
5. Flexible

Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed to.

The efficient transfer of data through high temperature, high radiation, remote, and/or other harsh environments is critical to ensure sufficient guidance navigation and control and information gathering. Similarly, materials which enable transformative capabilities in sensing and function devices are of interest. Example areas might include:

1. High temperature, rad hard transducers, electronic materials, and/or insulation materials
2. Hypersonic window materials
3. Enabling communication systems including antennae materials, and structures
4. Dust- and debris-tolerant electronic and PMAD system components
5. Novel sealing/bonding technologies for extreme environments
6. Bio and quantum sensing
7. Advanced coatings (ex. high temperature)
8. Microthrusters and Energetics

Draper may share specifics of particular interests once the collaborative research topic has been agreed to.

1. Polymeric Materials Development - Developing more accurate polymer-based models will allow for rapid design across various systems and environments, high fidelity failure prediction and prevention. Current approaches use microscopic models that are difficult to integrate at the system level. Development of lumped element, plug and play non-linear models of polymeric materials with known material parameters with interface feature inputs would be able to predict polymer behavior over time. The focus areas might include microelectronics, polymer-ceramic arrays, bonded interfaces, and potted component models.
2. Alloy Design and Development – Developing novel alloys enables unique material properties coupled with stability under harsh mission conditions. Leveraging computational techniques allows for rapid screening of new and existing compositions and deeper understanding of potential processing conditions and capabilities.
3. Molecular Dynamics – Understanding how the surface chemistry of a material interacts in a harsh environment or how the structure of the material impacts the mechanical properties is critical to many mission applications. Being able to quickly screen or evaluate novel materials can enable rapid materials development that would otherwise be impossible to gain any significant insight into without extensive and challenging testing. Pre-screening candidates can help focus experimental work on the most promising candidates.

We would be targeting PhD students for the development of novel approaches; and MS students for the application of existing approaches to specific problems of interest to Draper.