This Phase I SBIR will establish the feasibility of a new class of non-contact actuators which employ high temperature super conducting materials to control the position of small low mass objects such as mirror segments. Phase I efforts include design analyses and parametric trade studies, laboratory testing, and fabrication of a proof-of-concept demonstrator. It is anticipated that this technology would be particularly relevant to future NASA missions such as that of the NGST in that it creates a new approach to control of active optic elements which must be maintained at mirror temperatures below 40ÃK. This technology may also provide new capabilities to cryogenically operated micro gravity experiments and even certain classes of earth based experiments as well.
Potential Commercial Applications:Cryogenic vibration isolation platform, and space based laser communications beam steering mirrors are two possible commercial applications for the proposed technology.
