SBIR-STTR Award

Tape recorders presently used as spaceborne mass storage devices have a history of being unreliable and require extensive and costly ground testing to provide the confidence necessary to pass launch readiness. Even then they do not always adequately perform their function on orbit. The objective of this phase I program is to develop a bubble memory module which can be used as a building block for the assembly of spaceborne recorders that can replace tape recorders. Conceptual designs will be developed for memory modules composed of one to eight magnetic bubble units. The concept which best satisfies the design requirements will be breadboarded and tested using the Intel 4 megabit magnetic bubble.

Tape recorders presently being used a spaceborne mass storage devices have a history of being unreliable and require extensive and costly ground testing to provide the confidence necessary to pass launch readiness. Even then they do not always adequately perform their function on orbit. The objective of this Phase II program is to continue the development of a bubble memory module which can be used as a building block for the assembly of spaceborne recorders that can replace tape recorders. A study will be conducted to determine the optimum location for the magnetic bubble support devices. At the completion of this study brassboard circuit boards will be designed, manufactured and tested using the intel 1 megabit magnetic bubble device. After demonstrating the design concept using the 1 megabit bubble device, the design will be modified to use the best available 4 megabit bubble device. Flight quality interface boards, control boards and memory boards will then be manufactured and functionally tested.