WidgetBlender: an award winning idea generator specializing in future aerospace concepts, engineering and financial viability analysis. 


Four of these NASA wins used our microgravity ultrasonics + gas flow management concepts to manage the motion of fluids and solids in microgravity.  We call this microgravity-motosonics.

Major Awards 

First Place, Led Team With Crointel (2024)
NASA's Brilliant Minds for Pure Blue Skies Challenge

We proposed Space Laser-Enabled Propulsion (SLEP): The use of MEO based solar power collecting satellites (AKA, StarPower Stations), transforming solar power to electricity to power lasers that are aimed at high altitude aircraft with laser receivers that in turn focus energy on “laser ramjet engine” to provide unlimited time in air.  StarPower Stations, when over places with few aircraft, can also beam power to lunar bases in the lunar night, space craft for laser propulsion, orbital debris reduction and surface operations like night time cloud evaporation, tornado busting and so on ...

First Place, Led Team With Crointel (2022)
NASA Orbital Alchemy Challenge sponsored by NASA's Orbital Debris Office

We adapted asteroid mining concepts to breaking down and processing large abandoned satellites in LEO. WidgetBlender submitted SAFER (Satellite After Fully Enclosed Recycler) which included a summary of Crointel's BioLeach that proposed a solution to use reflected solar energy to break down, sort and refine parts of large satellites into useful inputs to other LEO operations.  The concept combined spin gravity and Motosonics.  Winning submission available on request.

Crointel also submitted a detailed BioLeach entry that WidgetBlender supported that won Third Place.

Second Place, Led Team With Crointel (2024)
Who Let The Gas Out Challenge for NASA at FreeLancer.com

This Challenge is seeking solutions to propellant tank venting in micro-gravity with minimal loss of propellant. Although all concepts will be considered, solutions that are external to the propellant tank are preferred as they could use existing (heritage) propellant tanks and avoid development costs related to designing and qualifying a new (or modified) tank.

We proposed the 2-4 kg Ultrasonic/Sensing Active Vent (USAV) that employed our Motosonics concepts.  Happy to discuss with interested parties.

Second Place, Supporting Team Crointel (2022)
NASA's "Trash-to-Gas Ash Management" Challenge proposing ASEAR - Automated Sonically Enhanced Ash Removal

Trash-to-gas reactors are considered a sustainable approach to both near- and long-term waste management during long-duration space missions. The primary goal of this challenge was to create actionable design concepts for ash removal from a trash-to-gas reactor in microgravity.  WidgetBlender supported Crointel with extensive device engineering and visualization collaboration. Visualization examples available on request.  The solution used Motosonics concepts with CO2 reused from the CO2 scrubbers on the spacecraft.

Other Projects & Awards

Capture-less Orbital Debris Management System

A patent pending concept to reduce orbital debris risk to operational satellites using cubesats and ESPA class smallsats in a variety of operational modes.  This approach does not employ direct capture but instead uses directed thruster exhaust particles in very close proximity. Example of RPO = rendezvous proximity operations

NASA Third Place(2023): Debris Skimmer

Worked with Crointel to adapt crossbow concepts to design a 3U cubesat that uses minimal fuel to deorbit many <10cm orbital objects in a single mission = an affordable orbital debris solution.  Click the graphic above for the challenge winners.

Fourth Place (2023): Gravity Independent Particle Separator

Supporting Croitel in a challenge submission for NASA's Particle Partition Challenge. This challenge seeks to identify novel ways that fine carbon particles can be safely and efficiently removed from a Bosch reactor (used to recycle CO2 back to O2), without impacting the reactor’s performance. This solution incorporated Motosonics speakers to enhance efficiency. Won 4th place

Blue Origin's Reef Starter Innovation Challenge (2022)


Finalist: Enhanced Vibration Isolation -
Endohedral Fullerenes Factory

Worked with Crointel to create a "made in space" concept for Endohedral Fullerenes (specialized Buckyballs worth $100M/gram).  Contact us to get more info.

 

NASA Waste Jettison Mechanism Challenge: Fourth Place (2022)

CO2 Trash Launcher

One of the byproducts of manned space exploration is CO2. The CO2 Trash Launcher (CO2TL) proposes using this compressed gas for a controlled ejection mechanism. The mechanism would function as a piston-type cylinder, extending to jettison waste and retracting to return to a standby state, all controlled from within the spacecraft.

 

NASA Future-scaping Our Skies Challenge (2022): Finalist/Fourth Place

Proposed: Stars and Scars (Analysis) 

By 2050 a clear division will emerge, with premium priced polished and fast service "Stars" for the few, and a scarred set of aging and investment starved options for the many. The Stars system is an expansion of the current private jet travel system. New tech financed by SPACs and IPOs flows to small/mid sized new aircraft and facilities. Declining low cost aviation quality and falling middle class spending power leave a scarred general aviation system dependent on declining gov't support.

NASA Waste to Base Materials Challenge: Sustainable Reprocessing in Space Challenge (2022)

Proposed: Foam Packing Concept: Shared First Place

Waste to Base Materials Challenge: Sustainable Reprocessing in Space
Help NASA improve future space missions by proposing approaches to permit efficient reprocessing/recycling/repurposing of onboard resources.

NASA's Lunar Delivery Challenge (2021)

Landing on the Moon with all that we need is just the beginning. Now we have to unload it. Your ideas can help jump-start the space economy

Proposed: "Tritons" concept: Finalist

Services

System Engineering

High level engineering trade-off modeling, spreadsheeting, costing

Submission/Proposal Prep

Fusion 360 based visualization, rendering, Powerpoint slide decks, technical (the MIT) and business (the MBA) text

Prototype Design/Fabrication

Fusion 360 based CAD, 3D printing, prototype level electronics and PCB

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