Rochester Institute of Technology¶
Type: Academia | Location: Rochester, NY | SST projects: 1
SST Portfolio¶
| Project | Title | Period | TRL | Status | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90693 | Nano-Enabled Space Power System | 2016-08 → 2018-08 | 4→5 | Completed | no-visible-outcome |
What Was Developed¶
Nanomaterial-enhanced power system components — solar cells, wire harnesses, and lithium-ion batteries using nanomaterials to increase performance without altering physical dimensions or operating range (temperature, voltage, current). Drop-in replacements for existing CubeSat power subsystems.
TRL 4→5 in a 2-year project.
Key People¶
Ryne P Raffaelle — PI. Single TechPort project. Note: Raffaelle was previously VP for Research at RIT and is a recognized nanomaterials/photovoltaics researcher, but his NASA TechPort footprint is limited to this one project.
Downstream Impact¶
No follow-on TechPort projects, no flight, no commercial product.
Assessment¶
Outcome category: no-visible-outcome
Pattern: Academic TRL Ceiling — modest TRL advance (1 level), no transition. Nanomaterial power components are a broad research area; the SST project was a focused application that didn't generate enough advantage over COTS power systems to attract follow-on.
Last updated: 2026-04-14 (session 20)