NASA Picks Revolutionary Space Tech Proposals For Development

Aug. 17, 2012

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

Chris Rink
Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va.
757-864-6786
chris.rink@nasa.gov


RELEASE: 12-282

NASA PICKS REVOLUTIONARY SPACE TECH PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT

WASHINGTON -- NASA's Space Technology Program has selected five
technologies that could revolutionize America's space capabilities.

In March, NASA issued a call for proposal focused on sudden and
unexpected innovations that hold a potential for providing a
"game-changing" impact on the efficiency and effectiveness of the
agency's space capabilities.

NASA has selected the following proposals for funding:

--"Representing and Exploiting Cumulative Experience with Objects for
Autonomous Manipulation," University of Massachusetts, Amherst. This
technology could improve autonomous robotic operations using
artificial intelligence during deep space missions.
--"Lightweight High Performance Acoustic Suppression Technology
Development," NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. This
technology could suppress acoustic environments during launch. By
reducing vibrations by acoustic suppression during launch, the amount
of prelaunch vibration stress testing for onboard instruments also
could be reduced.
--"Fast Light Optical Gyroscopes for Precision Inertial Navigation,"
NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala. This technology
could enhance navigation capabilities for spacecraft by improving the
performance of existing gyroscopes by a factor of 1,000.
--"EHD-Based Variable Conductance Thermal Interface Material," The
Boeing Company, El Segundo, Calif. The development of this thermal
material could provide better heat management for spacecraft.
--"Membrane Enabled Reverse Lung," Oceaneering Space Systems, Houston.
This technology could reduce the number of life support systems
needed for astronauts.

"NASA's Space Technology Program is enabling our future in space by
investing in revolutionary and game-changing technologies that could
open new doors for how we live, work and investigate space," said
Michael Gazarik, director of the program at NASA Headquarters in
Washington. "We are confident these selected technologies, with their
highly qualified research teams, will enable great new opportunities
for the next chapter in NASA's innovation story."

The selected proposals take steps toward addressing critical
technological barriers for advancing exploration and science
missions, while also lowering the cost of other government and
commercial space activities. Projects were selected through
independent review of technical merit, alignment with NASA's Space
Technology Roadmap priorities and the technology objectives
identified by the National Research Council in its review of these
roadmaps.

Awards range from $125,000 to $1.8 million, with a total NASA
investment of approximately $6 million through 2015. NASA's Game
Changing Development Program, located at the agency's Langley
Research Center in Hampton, Va., is responsible for the management of
these awards. For more information about this program, visit:

http://go.usa.gov/RPS

The Game Changing Development Program is part of NASA's Space
Technology Program, which is innovating, developing, testing and
flying hardware for use in future science and exploration missions.
NASA's technology investments provide cutting-edge solutions for our
nation's future.

For information about NASA's Space Technology Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/oct


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