Research Program Management at AFRL

From 1995 to present, in addition to conducting basic research, Dr. Maji has served as an Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) project manager on a number of research projects sponsored by the US DOD. The projects and the products have been summarized below:

SBIR (DOD Small Business Innovation Research) Programs

  1. "Ultralightweight, Continuous Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Silicone Carbide Composite Mirror for Space Based Remote Sensing", AFRL-VS-PS-TR-1998-1068 (SBIR phI, $100K, with SSG Inc., Waltham, MA). Developed a flat lightweight silicone carbide mirror substrate, investigated infiltration techniques.

  2. "Polar Woven Flywheel Resin Infiltrated", AFRL-VS-TR-1999-1021 (SBIR ph1, $100K, with AMT inc., Santa Ana, CA). Developed and tested a polar (radially) woven composite flywheel rotor.

  3. "Nanometer Accuracy Positionally Stable Latch", AFRL-VS-TR-1999-1083 (SBIR ph1, $100K, with Foster Miller Inc., Waltham, MA). Developed a frictionless latch to minimize microdynamics in deployable space structures.

  4. "High Stiffness Dimensionally Stable Mirror Structure", AFRL-VS-TR-2000-1085 (SBIR ph1, $100K, Powdermet Inc., Sun Valley, CA). Investigated syntactic SiC foams for net shape lightweight mirror applications.

  5. "Microsensors for In-situ Rolling Element Bearing Temperature and/or Pressure Measurement", AFRL-VS-TR-1999-1024 (SBIR ph1, II, $850K, with ID&T Inc., West Lafayette, IN). Developed a telemeter powered miniature temperature sensor to detect bearing failure in satellite reaction wheels.

  6. ".. Lightweight Meter Class Optics ..", (SBIR PhII, $820K, with Composite Optics Inc., San Diego, CA). Developing 0.6 meter lightweight mirrors for deployable optical telescopes.

  7. "Deployable Antenna Hinge", (SBIR PhII, $750K, with Composite Technology Development Inc., Lafayette, CO), Developing shape memory composite hinge.

AMSD (Advanced Mirror System Demonstrator) (1999-2003)

This multimillion (>$20M) dollar program is jointly managed by 3 COTRs (including Dr. Maji) from NASA and DOD and a support team. The program is developing three different lightweight mirrors for DOD and NASA using Beryllium, glass, composites and new actuator technology. NASA will use the most appropriate mirror in its NGST program (Next Generation Space Telescope, which will replace the Hubble Space Telescope in 2010). These 3 mirrors are being manufactured by Eastman Kodak, BF-Goodrich, and Ball Aerospace. Planned DOD applications include laser energy projection and remote sensing.

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