Date: Dec 11, 2007 Source: Company Data (
click here to go to the source)
What do Dr. Buzz Aldrin (former astronaut and second person to step onto the surface of the moon), Dr. John Fenn (winner of 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry), Dr. Stephen Fuerstenau (expert in the properties of Martian dust and former NASA-JPL scientist), Hamilton-Sundstrand and Prof. Joseph Bango have in common? All are collaborating on a NASA Phase II Small Business Innovation Research or SBIR contract awarded to Connecticut Analytical Corporation of Bethany, CT, to build a sophisticated air filtration prototype for possible use on the Space Station, Moon and future Mars missions.
One of the proposal reviewers who recommended that Connecticut Analytical Corporation win the award wrote, "I do not believe I have ever reviewed a proposal that had so many factors to recommend it. The combination of innovation, expertise, experience, and industry partnerships is truly extraordinary."
Governor Jodi M. Rell was delighted to hear about this prestigious win for Connecticut. She said, "Once again, a Phase II SBIR winner will provide high paying jobs for our state. I am pleased that Hamilton-Sundstrand, the developer of the Apollo Spacesuit is involved in this NASA project as well. This is great news for Connecticut's small and large businesses."
According to Deb Santy, Director of the CT SBIR Office, "What a wonderful SBIR Phase II. Joe Bango has put together an incomparable "Dream Team" with a legendary lunar astronaut and a recent Nobel Prize winner. Additionally, Hamilton-Sundstrand as the key subcontractor on the team, has offered a consulting agreement letter mentioning that their company has 'the technology and business rationale to potentially produce the product of your successful research.' Small firms that have the ability to put together an innovative proposal, a strong work plan, and a highly regarded team, win SBIRs. These are strategies we teach and encourage Connecticut's small high tech companies and manufacturers to utilize when submitting for SBIR grants."
When she learned about the award, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, who works with Connecticut Analytical Corp., said the following; "When it comes to innovative technology, Connecticut is leading the way, as this recent NASA contract awarded to Connecticut Analytical in Bethany demonstrates. It is also an example of how critical small businesses are to this country's economy. Not only could this project benefit NASA and the astronauts in the space station, but it could eventually be used in everyday items like car and airplane air handling systems. Whether it is creating a 'dream team' to collaborate on this filtration prototype or crafting a well-thought out proposal, Joe Bango continues to advance technological research."
The Phase II award of just under $600,000, will be used to develop an innovative electrospray based collection prototype to capture small airborne particles such as lunar dust, biological particles, and heavy molecules, using a negligible amount of power. If successful, it will collect virtually 100% of the particles that are microns in diameter and will run at thousands of times greater efficiency than current state-of-the art systems HEPA filers or electrostatic room air filters, without producing ozone.
Astronauts in space can come in contact with minute lunar dust particles that can be hazardous (chemical or biological) in nature. According to astronaut John Young, "Dust is the number one concern in returning to the moon". Lunar dust, essentially particles of volcanic glass, causes problems for people and machines. The dust irritates an astronaut's eyes and lungs, and can cause spacesuit seal failure with subsequent pressure loss, and the clogging of mechanisms, to name a few possible effects.
Other commercial uses of this device could be applied to building HVAC counter-terror "collect to protect" applications, home HVAC use, automotive ventilation / filtration applications, airplane air filtration, and submarine air filtration.
But will it be successful? One of the reviewers who commented on the proposal wrote, "The combination of Phase I data that shows the effectiveness of their small electrospray system in removing simulated lunar dust and photos of scaled up electrospray systems virtually assures that the effort will be successful."
Connecticut Analytical Corporation (CAC) was formed in 1989 as a medical instrument manufacturing firm. Since that time, activities have expanded to include instrument design, applied research, and medical diagnostic investigation. Employing engineers with electrical, mechanical and chemical backgrounds together with a scientific team advised by Nobel Laureate Dr. John Fenn, CAC rapidly transforms theoretical research into tangible, field qualified products for industrial, homeland security, nanotechnology, and biomedical applications. They are located at: 696 Amity Road (Route 63), Bethany, Connecticut 06524. They can be reached at 800-836-1028 or by visiting: http://www.ctanalytical.com/
The Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. is a non-stock, tax exempt corporation that works in partnership with industry, government and academia to strengthen technology led economic competitiveness. The CT SBIR Office, established in late 2004 as an initiative of CCAT, was created with funding from the Office for Workforce Competitiveness to help small businesses in Connecticut capture federal SBIR grants. CCAT is located at 222 Pitkin Street - Suite 101, East Hartford, CT 06108. For more information contact Deb Santy at 860-282-4209 or visit: http://ccat.us/sbir.
