NASA Invests in Small Business Innovative Research and Technology Proposals to Enable Future Missions

April 03, 2013

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


RELEASE: 13-092

NASA INVESTS IN SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATIVE RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY PROPOSALS TO ENABLE FUTURE MISSIONS



WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected 295 research and technology proposals
from 216 American small businesses for negotiations that may lead to
contract awards worth a combined $38.7 million.

The proposals are part of NASA's Small Business Innovation Research
Program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.


SBIR addresses specific technology gaps in agency missions while
striving to complement other agency research investments. Numerous
NASA efforts, including modern air traffic control systems,
Earth-observing spacecraft, human spaceflight and the International
Space Station, and NASA's Mars rovers have benefited from the
program. The STTR program additionally facilitates the transfer of
technology developed by a research institution through the
entrepreneurship of a small business.

"NASA's small business innovation research projects are strong and
valuable investments that continue to pay dividends to NASA and the
American people," said Michael Gazarik, NASA's associate
administrator for space technology in Washington. "If successful,
these early stage technology concepts will mature to meet NASA's
mission needs while also providing solutions that have wide
applicability in the marketplace, potentially becoming new products,
services and jobs here in the U.S."

This year, NASA issued two concurrent solicitations for Phase I
proposals. A general solicitation for both SBIR and STTR sought Phase
I proposals in response to a broad range of research topics. A select
solicitation was for the SBIR program only and focused on a small
group of topics of particular interest to the agency.

Innovative research areas among these selected proposals include:
-- New technologies to reduce drag on aircraft and thereby increase
fuel efficiency during supersonic flight.
-- Improved advanced spacesuit life support systems.
-- Development of innovative fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
offering unique capabilities for Earth science research and
environmental monitoring.
-- Innovative concepts and technologies to enable significant
increases in the capacity and efficiency of air transportation
systems, potentially aiding in on-time arrival, departure and taxiing
of airplanes while reducing their fuel consumption, noise and
pollution.
-- Creating a launch system that provides low-cost, reliable,
on-demand, routine space access for small satellites, weighing up to
about 44 pounds.
-- Developing a rugged laser transmitter for new detection systems to
profile Earth's atmospheric ozone.

The highly competitive SBIR-STTR program is a three-phase award
system. Phase I is a feasibility study to evaluate the scientific and
technical merit of an idea. Awards typically are for six months for
the SBIR contracts and 12 months for the STTR contracts. The maximum
amount is $125,000 for general SBIR and STTR contracts and $200,000
for SBIR select solicitation proposals.

Firms successfully completing Phase I are eligible to submit a Phase
II proposal, expanding on the results of the developments in Phase I.
Phase III is for the commercialization of the results of Phase II and
requires the use of private sector or non-SBIR federal funding.

For the general SBIR Phase I solicitation, NASA chose 236 proposals
worth about $29.4 million. For the select SBIR Phase I solicitation,
NASA chose 26 proposals worth about $5.1 million. NASA chose 33
proposals with a value of about $4.1 million for STTR Phase I
projects. The three solicitations attracted proposals from 32 states.


Selection criteria included technical merit and feasibility, along
with experience, qualifications and facilities. Additional criteria
included effectiveness of the work plan and commercial potential and
feasibility.

NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif., manages the SBIR
program for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. NASA's 10
field centers manage individual projects. For more information about
NASA's SBIR program and a list of selected companies, visit:

http://sbir.nasa.gov

NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate 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


-end-



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