The DARPA Microsystems Technology Office is seeking information on current capabilities and recent advances in thermal management technologies to enable sustained operation of microsystems in extreme environments.
The focus of this RFI is to survey the state-of-the-art, and identify promising thermal management technologies, for high performance microsystems deployed within high-speed air or space vehicles, exposed to high temperature and/or high heat flux environments.
DARPA is particularly interested in the following technical areas:
- Recent innovations that have significantly extended the thermal management capabilities compared to the SOA for air vehicle deployed microsystems producing >200 W of heat, while exposed to ambient environments > 1,000 oC.
- Innovations in radiative heat rejection of >200 W from small low earth orbit spacecraft <10 kg, with targeted operating temperature range of –40 oC to 75 oC,
Advances in vehicle materials and architectures, including sharp, shape-stable, cooled leading edges are not of interest under this RFI. Approaches well explored in the published literature, or those that can provide incremental benefits are not of interest.
Responses to this RFI are due 30 October 2023.
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Request for Information – Microsystems Thermal Management for Harsh Environments: DARPA-SN-23-48
