Sea “Sparker” Snags SBIR/STTR Success

“Sparker” Buoy Small business qualifier Phoenix Science & Technology Inc. in Chelmsford, MA received a not to exceed $15 million Phase III, Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) Program contract for Topic N95-005 entitled “Surface Discharge Low Frequency Acoustic Source,” Topic N02-153 entitled “High-Efficiency Plasma Sparkers for New Applications,” and Topic N03-188 entitled “High Source Level Plasma Sparkers Driven by High-Energy Density Capacitors for Navy Applications.” When trying to find a submarine, a sonar’s power is critical. Since sonar is a form of sound, that often means loudness as well as sound that covers a broad spectrum. Small explosions, as it happens, fit that bill nicely. But Phoenix Science & Technology (PS&T), Inc. has developed a new Sparker acoustic source using electrical impulses as an alternative to the chemical explosives currently used. The Sparker emits a pulsed electrical discharge with a broadband low frequency sound spectrum that happens to work very well in an environment like ocean water, which conducts sound very well. As such, it offers a safer, more controllable, environmentally benign source for under-water environmental data collection and submarine/torpedo countermeasures – and best of all, it can be “fired” multiple times. The Sparker is a part of the Tactical […]