HOTTech

High Operating Temperature Technology (HOTTech)

• • The primary science objective is to develop and mature technologies that will enable, significantly enhance, or reduce technical risk for in situ missions to high-temperature environments with temperatures approaching 500C or higher for the robotic exploration of high-temperature environments such as the Venus surface, Mercury, or the deep atmosphere of Gas Giants. The goal is to develop technology areas that will enable a long-lived lander that can survive at least 60 days at 500C.
  • HOTTech is limited to high temperature electrical, electronics, electro-mechanical systems that could be needed for potentially extended in situ missions to such environments. HOTTech is not meant for instrument development
  • 29 proposals were submitted and peer-reviewed by a panel of experts in the field:

–12 proposals were selected to cover a broad portfolio of technologies

–Approximately $600k/award with a max duration of 3 years

• • HOTTech Integration Project will be provided to enable collaborative testing of HOTTech projects in the NASA GRC GEER facility to allow the early-stage exercising of the interactive systems for a long-lived lander on Venus

Electronics Packaging

500°C Capable, Weather-Resistant Electronics Packaging for Extreme Environment Exploration

Deeper understanding of survival/degradation behavior of die attach, metal interconnect, and housing materials in extreme conditions (500°C, chemically corrosive conditions)

Primary Batteries

High Temperature-resilient And Long-Life (HiTALL) Primary Batteries for Venus and Mercury Surface Missions

Being inherently stable at 500oC and high CO2 pressures (92 bar) and having high specific energy, these batteries will enable a long-term in-situ Venus missions for >30 days (vs <2h with the state of art batteries)

• Venus surface geology, tectonic activity and composition of Venus and Mercury.

Solar Cells

Low Intensity High Temperature (LIHT) Solar Cells for Venus Exploration Missions

We are developing a dual-junction high-temperature GaAs/GaInP solar cell to satisfy the extreme Venus environmental requirements. The novel features of the proposed cell include:

• High bandgap semiconductor materials (GaAs/GaInP), that are optimized to capture solar irradiance efficiently at Venus.
• High-temperature tunnel junctions.
• High-temperature solar cell contacts.
• Anti-reflection coatings.
• Al2O3 corrosion protection coatings.

Secondary Battery

High Energy, Long Cycle Life, and Extreme Temperature Lithium-Sulfur Battery for Venus Missions

• In-situ surface studies of rarely explored planet (Venus).
• Understanding high temperature battery materials and interfaces,
• Understanding design and performances of a high temperature rechargeable battery.

SiC Electronics

SiC Electronics to Enable Long-Lived Chemical Sensor Measurements at the Venus Surface

• SiC electronics will enable uncooled long lived operation of advanced chemical sensors for trace species including SOx, CO, OSC, HF, HCl, H2O, NO, H2, O2 at 500oC. Such capabilities will allow extended duration characterization of the Venus atmosphere down to the surface.

Diamond Electronics

High Temperature Diamond Electronics for Actuators and Sensors

• The Decadal Survey identifies future missions including Mercury/Venus seismic networks and Venus sample-return. Key technological components of such missions include high-temperature (>500°C) survival and long-duration high-temperature subsystems.

Memory

High Temperature Memory Electronics for Long-Lived Venus Missions

• This development complements on-going high temperature electronics development towards realization of a long-lived Venus surface science station by providing unique memory capabilities that notably change possible mission architectures.

Combustion-Based Power Supply

Hot Operating Temperature Lithium combustion for IN situ Energy and Power

• Long duration surface geology and atmospheric measurements

Vacuum Electronic Devices

Field Emission Vacuum Electronic Devices for Hot Temperature Operations

• The proposed approach applies nanolithography of 3D silicon structures, followed by modulated etching and then metallization with refractory metals (ex: tungsten). Advanced modulated etching methods will enable sub-50nm 3D geometric profiles, suitable for efficient field emission. Deposition of refractory metals will contribute to the integrity of the metal film for 30 days of device operation at high temperatures of 500o C.
• This creates a new, breakthrough electronics technology that achieves in a miniaturized sub-micron form factor the high temperature performance of vacuum tubes. FEV circuits can help enable a new class of long duration missions to Venus surface, which are not achievable with the existing electronics technologies.

Chip-Scale Clocks

Passively Compensated Low-Power Chip-Scale Clocks for Wireless Communication in Harsh Environments

• Increase the duration and scope of many proposed NASA missions to hot planets and bodies (e.g. Venus, Mercury, or Gas Giants).
• Enable stable collection/transmission of scientific data from any probe, lander, explorer, or sensor to be transferred to main spacecraft.

GaN Microprocessor

High Temperature GaN Microprocessor for Space Applications

• Fundamental science on the high-T properties of GaN materials;
• Physical modeling, basic circuit design, and fabrication of GaN IC logic blocks;
• Operation principle of the GaN microprocessor, which is the first of its kind;
• Basic understanding on the high-T and long-term reliability of GaN technology, ICs and microprocessors

Electric Motor

Development of a TRL6 Electric Motor and Position Sensor for Venus

• Regolith sample acquisition and transport.
• Pointing of cameras and antennas.
• Robotic manipulation.
• Mobility