NASA Announces Aeronautics Research Institute

March 27, 2012

Beth Dickey
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600
beth.dickey-1@nasa.gov

Jessica Culler
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif.
650-604-4789
jessica.culler@nasa.gov
RELEASE: 12-096

NASA ANNOUNCES AERONAUTICS RESEARCH INSTITUTE

MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. -- NASA's Ames Research Center will host a
virtual institute to solicit and foster innovative ideas that address
technological challenges facing aviation and the U.S. air
transportation system today and in the future.

Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics research
in Washington, and Ames Director S. Pete Worden signed an agreement
Tuesday establishing the NASA Aeronautics Research Institute (NARI).

"This institute will fulfill NASA's desire to make deliberate
investments in innovative, early stage and potentially revolutionary
aviation concepts and technologies," Shin said. "We want innovation
not only within our technical portfolio, but also in the management
of it. NARI represents a new approach to introduce fresh lines of
research."

NARI will be comprised of multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary
research teams creating new tools and technologies for reducing air
traffic congestion and environmental impacts, improving safety and
designing aircraft with unconventional capabilities. One goal of the
institute is to stimulate collaboration between technical disciplines
and among NASA, academic institutions, and other government and
industry organizations dedicated to aeronautics research.

With $10 million per year to distribute for early stage concepts, the
institute will complement NASA's existing research programs. As a
virtual institute, NARI will facilitate technical exchanges, solicit
research proposals, award research grants and use advanced
communication technologies such as Web-based seminars to disseminate
research findings.

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate will provide policy
guidance for the institute, including review and approval of
implementation plans; review and concurrence for interagency
agreements; and compliance with agency requirements. Ames, which also
manages similar virtual institutes focused on astrobiology and lunar
science, will host NARI in its NASA Research Park and provide staff
and infrastructure for the institute.

"Ames is delighted to host a third virtual institute, focused on
another one of our core areas of expertise," Worden said. "We look
forward to building new communities of innovation around
aeronautics."

For more information on aeronautics at NASA, visit:

http://www.aeronautics.nasa.gov

-end-

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