SBIR/STTR
Opportunity
Plasma Modeling and Simulation for Hypersonics
Department:
Office of Naval Research (ONR)
Open Date:
2025-04-10
Close Date:
2025-05-21
Summary
OBJECTIVE: Develop a plasma modeling and simulation (M&S) tool able to characterize different atmospheric conditions in a hypersonic regime. Evaluate environmental as well as electromagnetic effects such as ablation, transmissions, absorptions, reflections, and other plasma characteristics for the hypersonic vehicle.
DESCRIPTION: Plasma has unique characteristics that in some cases act as a Faraday cage, transparent medium, and/or an absorbent medium. These extremely complex characteristics cause the evaluation and assessment of plasma and electromagnetic interactions difficult to predict. M&S provides high fidelity approximations before full-scale tests. This M&S tool shall be capable of estimating the plasma characteristics based on hypersonic flight creating the plasma via velocity, altitude, species of atmosphere, density of air, material of exterior of hypersonic vehicle, solar radiation, other electromagnetic radiation, etc. Another aspect of the tool shall allow for electromagnetic interactions with the plasma and the effects of the interaction on both the plasma and electromagnetic waves. This includes showing ablation, thermal, and other effects on the surface of any material that could be on the vehicle. The plasma expands as atmospheric pressure changes. This change in plasma density and plasma volume has various effects that may also be modeled. This tool must be user friendly for electromagnetic evaluation for those with limited plasma physics knowledge, such as engineers. This project will transition to defense contractors for high-speed weapons and space systems. To meet these needs, maturation and packaging of the technology to meet practical size, weight, and power constraints will be required. Extreme environments may require special considerations to conform to airframe shape and shielding from the aerothermal environment.
Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. ยง 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and SSP in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
PHASE I: Demonstrate that a model can be constructed that shows the typical shape and spatial form of the plasma sheath. Show that the effects of electromagnetics with the plasma and how the plasma should change. Show a plan to calculate the effects of interactions. Demonstrate how these calculations will be processed in a low fidelity but high-speed scenario as well as in the high fidelity process. Demonstrate the M&S tool with a fundamental physics based model. Show quantitative ways to perform the model at high fidelity and with the least amount of processing time. Describe/show a user interface that those familiar with plasma physics may use to perform complex high fidelity physics based models and visualize the data efficiently as well as how less familiar users may utilize the tool. Show the plan for the tool being capable of modeling various changes to the plasma with transient responses as the vehicle travels. Show the planned ability to get still shots of the plasma and run various test cases on the still shot of the plasma.
The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.
PHASE II: Develop a more refined model with complex fluid dynamics and higher fidelity advanced physical models of the plasma. This will include the complexities of the electromagnetic interaction and changes in the plasma shape/form as the additional energy is added to the plasma medium. Develop the user interface to incorporate all the features described in the Phase I section . Demonstrate the high fidelity model and all the ways to assess the characteristics of the plasma in space, time, reflections, absorptions, transmission, radiation, species, etc. Deliver the tool to the Government by end of the Phase II or the Phase II Option if exercised.
It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Government in transitioning the technology for Government use. Ensure that the transitioned product is able to support current and future weapon and space systems, as well as a wide range of other air-, land-, and sea-based systems.
Commercial applications should be considered for transition (i.e., 5G, navigation systems, and tracking systems).
DESCRIPTION: Plasma has unique characteristics that in some cases act as a Faraday cage, transparent medium, and/or an absorbent medium. These extremely complex characteristics cause the evaluation and assessment of plasma and electromagnetic interactions difficult to predict. M&S provides high fidelity approximations before full-scale tests. This M&S tool shall be capable of estimating the plasma characteristics based on hypersonic flight creating the plasma via velocity, altitude, species of atmosphere, density of air, material of exterior of hypersonic vehicle, solar radiation, other electromagnetic radiation, etc. Another aspect of the tool shall allow for electromagnetic interactions with the plasma and the effects of the interaction on both the plasma and electromagnetic waves. This includes showing ablation, thermal, and other effects on the surface of any material that could be on the vehicle. The plasma expands as atmospheric pressure changes. This change in plasma density and plasma volume has various effects that may also be modeled. This tool must be user friendly for electromagnetic evaluation for those with limited plasma physics knowledge, such as engineers. This project will transition to defense contractors for high-speed weapons and space systems. To meet these needs, maturation and packaging of the technology to meet practical size, weight, and power constraints will be required. Extreme environments may require special considerations to conform to airframe shape and shielding from the aerothermal environment.
Work produced in Phase II may become classified. Note: The prospective contractor(s) must be U.S. owned and operated with no foreign influence as defined by 32 U.S.C. ยง 2004.20 et seq., National Industrial Security Program Executive Agent and Operating Manual, unless acceptable mitigating procedures can and have been implemented and approved by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) formerly Defense Security Service (DSS). The selected contractor must be able to acquire and maintain a secret level facility and Personnel Security Clearances. This will allow contractor personnel to perform on advanced phases of this project as set forth by DCSA and SSP in order to gain access to classified information pertaining to the national defense of the United States and its allies; this will be an inherent requirement. The selected company will be required to safeguard classified material during the advanced phases of this contract IAW the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM), which can be found at Title 32, Part 2004.20 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
PHASE I: Demonstrate that a model can be constructed that shows the typical shape and spatial form of the plasma sheath. Show that the effects of electromagnetics with the plasma and how the plasma should change. Show a plan to calculate the effects of interactions. Demonstrate how these calculations will be processed in a low fidelity but high-speed scenario as well as in the high fidelity process. Demonstrate the M&S tool with a fundamental physics based model. Show quantitative ways to perform the model at high fidelity and with the least amount of processing time. Describe/show a user interface that those familiar with plasma physics may use to perform complex high fidelity physics based models and visualize the data efficiently as well as how less familiar users may utilize the tool. Show the plan for the tool being capable of modeling various changes to the plasma with transient responses as the vehicle travels. Show the planned ability to get still shots of the plasma and run various test cases on the still shot of the plasma.
The Phase I Option, if exercised, will include the initial design specifications and capabilities description to build a prototype solution in Phase II.
PHASE II: Develop a more refined model with complex fluid dynamics and higher fidelity advanced physical models of the plasma. This will include the complexities of the electromagnetic interaction and changes in the plasma shape/form as the additional energy is added to the plasma medium. Develop the user interface to incorporate all the features described in the Phase I section . Demonstrate the high fidelity model and all the ways to assess the characteristics of the plasma in space, time, reflections, absorptions, transmission, radiation, species, etc. Deliver the tool to the Government by end of the Phase II or the Phase II Option if exercised.
It is probable that the work under this effort will be classified under Phase II (see Description section for details).
PHASE III DUAL USE APPLICATIONS: Support the Government in transitioning the technology for Government use. Ensure that the transitioned product is able to support current and future weapon and space systems, as well as a wide range of other air-, land-, and sea-based systems.
Commercial applications should be considered for transition (i.e., 5G, navigation systems, and tracking systems).