Innovative NASA-Funded Tech by Spectral Energies Revolutionizes Aerospace Testing

Spectral Energies, an Ohio-based minority-owned small business, may not be a household name, but its technology could change the way we fly. Through significant funding from NASA's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, Spectral Energies has developed cutting-edge pulse-burst laser systems with widespread applications, ranging from aircraft certification to material processing. The technology represents a potential shift in air vehicle development, potentially reducing the immense costs and time associated with bringing new passenger aircraft into service.

Traditionally, aircraft and component testing have relied on wind tunnels to mimic flight conditions, an expensive and resource-heavy stage in aircraft certification that can range into the hundreds of millions. However, with innovations in laser measurement systems, initial analyses can transition to computer models, drastically cutting down on manufacturing costs. Old commercial laser systems, operating at 10 Hz, could only take snapshot-like images of airflow, insufficient for the rapid changes in air movement that characterize flight dynamics, such as stalls and buffets.

Pulse-burst laser systems, developed partly with NASA's SBIR funding, revolutionized this process by increasing measurement speed, facilitating the capture of rapid airflow changes in a movie-like sequence rather than isolated images. Spectral Energies, after receiving initial SBIR funding in 2009, continued to improve upon this technology with subsequent Phase II and Phase III funding from the U.S. Air Force. This led to the creation of a commercial system that was not only more portable and robust but also featured sophisticated software to ease operation.

Collaboration with NASA ignited further enhancements, allowing Spectral Energies to expand its impact. By 2020, the company had introduced high-speed two-color thermometry, crucial for developing new chemical propulsion systems. The company's resume also boasts advancements in high-speed picosecond velocimetry and two-dimensional ultraviolet spectroscopy and imaging, vital for fields like hypersonic wind tunnel testing and the defense sector.

Underscoring the symbiotic relationship, Dr. Paul Danehy from NASA’s Langley Research Center highlighted how the SBIR/STTR funding not only fueled Spectral Energies’ growth but also fortified NASA's tech resources. NASA's acquisition of the enhanced pulse-burst laser systems has enabled unique quantitative flow field measurements, refining software codes for more accurate aerospace vehicle designs. This progress could lead to significantly cheaper and faster aircraft certification.

The tale of Spectral Energies exemplifies how NASA's SBIR/STTR program investment in small businesses can catalyze transformative technological advances, broadening commercial potential while fulfilling government research needs. For companies like Spectral Energies, the journey from a funded idea to marketable products reshaping an industry showcases the profound impact collaborative innovation can achieve.