Description: Redondo Optics Inc. under the financial support of The Boeing Corporation and Intelligent Optical Systems (IOS) is developing a custom multichannel distributed fiber optic sensor (DIFOS) interrogation system for use in avionics and aerospace environmental monitoring applications. ROI’s multichannel distributed fiber optic sensor (DIFOS) interrogation system is a direct product spin-off of the engineering development currently being conducted under the NASA Phase II Contract entitled “Weaved Distributed Plastic Optical Fiber Sensor (DIFOS™) SHM System” (Contract No. 80NNSC18C0119). Redondo Optics has obtained a $131,489 purchase order from Boeing and expect to also receive $65,000 in financial funding from Intelligent Optical Systems by July 2019 for the development of a flight-ready and MILSPEC qualify DIFOS prototype for performance demonstration in avionics and aerospace environments. Once these prototypes passed the expected flight qualifications, ROI will receive additional PO’s for the purchase of five additional prototypes, for a total purchase order of $200,000. In addition, Heathcoat Fabrics Ltd, has committed to provideto Redondo Optics with financial support exceeding $59,000 to further improve the automated manufacturing of “Smart” broadcloth fabrics with weaved plastic optical fiber sensors leading to the production quality manufacturing of long lengths (> 300-yards) of “Smart” fabrics suitable for the production assembly of large-scale supersonic like parachutes. The automated manufacturing of production quality Smart" parachute fabrics will lead to the transition of the DIFOS SHM technology to NASA planetary exploration decelerator programs

Benefits: All of NASA's current and future space vehicle programs will benefit significantly from this project. Specific NASA applications of the propose DIFOS SHM system include un-attended inspections on large and complex composite structures, i.e., decelerator systems, parachutes and ballutes, honeycomb structures, multi-wall pressure vessels, thermal blankets, meteoroid shields, batteries, etc., commonly found in spacecraft, and habitats, and support infrastructures.

The DIFOS SHM technology addresses the global SHM/NDE aerospace and avionics market expected to grow over 6.8-billion in 2020, and the Smart-Fabrics Market expected to grow to over 4.7-billion in 2020, with the potential to instrument over 6000 space flight vehicles, military, and commercial airplanes, drones, as well as performance Smart clothing with DIFOSTM SHM systems.