[meteorite-list] NASA Asks Universities For Early Stage Innovation Tech Proposals

[Ron Baalke]

April 02, 2013

David E. Steitz 
Headquarters, Washington 
202-358-1730 
david.steitz at nasa.gov 

RELEASE: 13-095

NASA ASKS UNIVERSITIES FOR EARLY STAGE INNOVATION TECH PROPOSALS

WASHINGTON -- NASA is seeking innovative, early-stage space technology 
proposals from accredited U.S. universities that will enable NASA's 
future missions and America's leadership in space. 

Proposals are sought for science instruments, cryogenic propellant 
storage for long-duration space exploration, optical coatings for 
astrophysical pursuits, oxygen recovery for life support systems, and 
to improve our understanding of and protection from near-Earth 
asteroids. 

Each of these space technology areas requires dramatic improvements 
over existing capabilities. New early stage, or low technology 
readiness-level, technologies could mature into tools that solve the 
hard challenges facing NASA's future scientific and human spaceflight 
missions. Researchers should propose unique, transformational space 
technologies that address specific topics found in this solicitation. 

"Space technology is the underpinning of all of NASA's future 
missions," said Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate administrator for 
the Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. "NASA's 
collaboration with the National Research Council and the agency's 
recent Strategic Space Technology Investment Plan have helped us 
identify areas where new, cross-cutting space technologies are needed 
to enable our future missions. Now we're reaching out to American 
universities to tap into the nation's best and brightest minds to 
help solve these tough technology problems." 

This solicitation requests proposals on five topic areas. The first 
topic area seeks new instrument technologies for the exploration of 
planetary bodies within our solar system. Innovative technology 
advances are needed to support the instruments that scientists will 
need to better understand the history, climates, evidence of past 
life and future potential habitability of planets and moons within 
the solar system. 

Spaceflight architectures for future human space exploration beyond 
low-Earth orbit will require technologies and capabilities not 
available today, such as long duration storage of cryogenic 
propellants in a zero gravity environment. Under a second topic area 
for this solicitation, NASA is particularly interested in proposals 
regarding how to mature fundamental experimental and computational 
solutions to address the challenges of cryogenic storage of liquid 
hydrogen. 

Through a third topic area for this solicitation, NASA is seeking 
advances in optics technologies to enable the challenging science 
measurements that may contribute to the understanding of the first 
moments of the universe, the characterization of galaxy evolution 
over time and the characterization of newly found exoplanets. 

As future exploration missions extend beyond low-Earth orbit, vehicles 
and extraterrestrial surface habitats housing astronauts will need to 
be highly reliable and self-sufficient; the opportunity for resupply 
of consumables diminishes the farther from home you go. The fourth 
topic area of this solicitation seeks novel technologies that will 
help close the atmosphere revitalization loop aboard spaceships and 
surface habitats during long duration space missions. New 
technologies must have the potential to significantly increase the 
oxygen recovery rate beyond the current state of the art. 

Under a final topic area, NASA is seeking proposals for new 
technologies to better understand and protect our planet from 
near-Earth asteroids. Early stage technologies that will help with 
characterizing, understanding, and planning how to mitigate the 
threat of near-Earth asteroids are of great interest. These efforts 
are important for the sustainability and future of our home planet. 

NASA expects to make approximately 10 awards this fall, based on the 
merit of proposals received. Each award will be made for one year 
with an additional year of research possible. The typical annual 
award value is expected to be approximately $250,000. Second-year 
funding will be contingent on the availability of appropriated funds 
and technical progress. Only accredited U.S. universities may submit 
proposals to this solicitation. Notices of intent are due by April 29 
with proposals due May 21. 

To view the Early Stage Innovation NASA Research Announcement and 
information for submitting proposals, visit: 

http://go.usa.gov/25De 

The solicitation is a part of NASA's Space Technology Mission 
Directorate, which is innovating, developing, testing and flying 
hardware for use in NASA's future missions. For more information 
about NASA's investment in space technology, visit: 

http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech 
	
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