APL Colloquium

November 30, 2012

Colloquium Topic: The Hart Prizes for Excellence in Independent Research and Development

The overall goal for the IR&D Program is to help position the Laboratory to make critical contributions to critical challenges in current and planned business areas through research and development. The Hart Prizes were established to recognize significant contributions to the Laboratory’s IR&D Program. This colloquium features the two IR&D Projects recently selected in 2012 to receive the Hart Prizes for excellence in research and development for FY2011.

Hart Prize for Research: Capture and Control about Planetary Satellites and Asteroids Using Dynamical Systems Theory

The NASA and National Research Council’s Planetary Decadal Survey acknowledged that software is not sufficiently advanced to properly address mission designs about small, non-spherical bodies. The project has developed software that now generates high-fidelity, end-to-end low-thrust, non-Keplerian trajectories about any size objects within the solar system. This particular methodology is relatively new to the astrodynamics community.

Investigators: Martin T. Ozimek and Christopher J. Scott

Hart Prize for Development: Automated Passive Sonar Signal Processing; Development of Shallow Water Autonomous DCL Systems

The Shallow Water Autonomous Detection, Classification, and Localization System project resulted in the development of a Proof of Concept incorporating efficient, robust methods for automated classification that are effectively influencing Navy decision makers.  The developed Proof of Concept is also being employed as a prototype for both underwater and in-air Unconventional Littoral Warfare projects. 

Investigators: G. Scott Peacock, Derek C. Fulk, Kevin H. Gormally, Cory R. Lorenz, David N. Barsic, Melissa A. Jones, Robert M. Patterson, and William R. Gray.



Colloquium Speaker: 2012 Hart Prize Winners

Research: Martin T. Ozimek and Christopher J. Scott

Development: G. Scott Peacock, Derek C. Fulk, Kevin H. Gormally, Cory R. Lorenz, David N. Barsic, Melissa A. Jones, Robert M. Patterson, and William R. Gray