Innovative projects are sought in the areas of basic research, fundamental research, applied research, development and systems and other concept formulation studies. Projects combining both science and technology are encouraged.

The Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Project uses short-duration activities to establish early-stage concept and technology feasibility for high-potential solutions. Internal teams propose ideas for overcoming key barriers associated with large-scale aeronautics problems associated with ARMD’s six strategic thrusts. The teams will conduct initial feasibility studies, perform experiments, try out new ideas, identify failures, and try again. At the end of the cycle, a review determines whether the developed solutions have met their goals, established initial feasibility, and identified potential for future aviation impact. During these reviews, the most promising capabilities will be considered for continued development further by other ARMD programs or by direct transfer to the aviation community. In the dynamic environment of new ideas, ARMD also gains significant value from the knowledge gained in activities that do not proceed.

In order to enable new capabilities in commercial aviation, the CAS Project’s focus is on merging traditional aeronautics disciplines with advancements driven by the non-aeronautics world.  The Project will draw on external collaborators to supplement in-house NASA expertise in technologies and disciplines that broadly support advancements in all ARMD strategic thrusts.

Cutting edge customer driven research in two areas:

Aerosciences, including the completion and delivery of two new aerothermal CFD codes, a first ever validated shock layer radiation model, and an experimental validationdatabase, at flight-relevant enthalpy, for current and future generations.

EDL Materials, including the development and delivery of two new flexible TPS systems to enable HIAD missions, vastly improved ablator modeling capability, and improved polymer resins to enhance or enable future developments in woven, flexible and conformal thermal protection systems.

The Transformational Tools and Technologies (TTT) Project advances state-of-the-art computational and experimental tools and technologies that are vital to aviation applications in the six strategic thrusts. The project develops new computer-based tools, computational fluid dynamics models, and associated scientific knowledge that will provide first-of-a-kind capabilities to analyze, understand, and predict aviation concept performance. These revolutionary tools will be applied to accelerate NASA’s research and the community’s design and introduction of advanced concepts. The Project also explores technologies that are broadly-critical to advancing ARMD strategic outcomes.  Such technologies include the understanding of new types of strong and lightweight materials, innovative controls techniques, and experimental methods.  TTT also develops improved MDAO and systems analysis tools to enable multi-disciplinary integration. All of these technologies will support and enable concept development and benefits assessment across multiple ARMD programs and disciplines.

The tools and technologies of interest span many disciplines.  The Fluid Mechanics Discipline encompasses advanced turbulence modeling, boundary layer transition prediction and modeling, numerical methods, and flow control development and prediction for a wide range of airframe and propulsion system flow problems of interest.  Canonical data is developed and used to validate the modeling improvements developed in this discipline.  Development of more accurate physics-based methods such as large eddy simulation (LES) is emphasized.

The Structures and Materials Discipline emphasizes improved multifunctional and high temperature materials for airframe and engine application, as well as modeling and simulation tool development to improve validated first-principles materials and structural modeling.  Development of ceramic matrix composite (CMC) materials for high-temperature engine application is of particular emphasis in the discipline.

The MDAO (Multi-Disciplinary Design, Analysis & Optimization) and Systems Analysis Discipline develops MDAO and aircraft system-level tools to improve integration of discipline-based technologies and enable improved assessment of system-level benefits.  An open-source framework is emphasized to better leverage external partners and increase interaction and benefit to the community.

The Combustion Discipline is developing more accurate physics-based models for complex multi-species reacting flows representative of aircraft engine combustors.  This is done through a combination of high-fidelity benchmark experiments and the use of advanced unsteady turbulence modeling and large eddy simulation (LES) methods.  Advanced concepts such as active combustion control and pressure-gain combustion cycles are also investigated.

The Controls Discipline encompasses work across aircraft flight controls and advanced propulsion controls.  Development of technologies to enable distributed engine control systems are an area of emphasis in this discipline.

The Innovative Measurements Discipline conducts research to advance the state-of-the-art in cross-cutting sensing and measurement technologies for aircraft and propulsion systems.  Areas of development include advanced optical measurements, enhanced sensing, and improved data acquisition.

Strategic technology development to support future ExEP projects.