Small businesses across the country play a vital role in NASA technology. such as NASA’s return to the Moon through the Artemis program, in a better, sustainable way; This month the company selected five small businesses in the United States to receive about $20 million to accelerate development of new capabilities.
The investments support NASA’s Artemis approach of working with business partners. These technologies are intended to address the Moon’s core and critical capabilities, environmental challenges and risks. If these efforts are successful, they will enable many of NASA’s projects, missions and partners to implement a range of strategies, operations and improvements when they return to the Moon.
Companies are introducing mature technologies and have demonstrated their potential in Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) under previous agreements. The following second consecutive phase of awards are aimed at accelerating the development of essential technologies for NASA and potential partners and businesses. This is the second year NASA has created the Small Business Award, which costs $2.5-5 million per company.
Advanced Cooling Technologies Inc., based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will lead the Moon rovers, automotive and landing systems, explore and pioneer the thermal technologies in systems that can conduct science on vibrant and long moon nights.
Alameda Applied Science Corporation, based in Oakland, California, will develop a small satellite propulsion system in low-Earth orbit that will allow for new and more affordable approaches to delivering scientific missions, communications networks on the Moon, and more.
Ashwin-Ushas Corp Pvt. In Marlboro, New Jersey, the rovers will be able to explore the challenging and dynamic lunar environment, including practicing science and promoting warming control technology, and traveling over the Moon’s dark, permanent remembrance crater. .
Motive Space Systems Inc., based in Pasadena, Calif., develops an integrated, scalable drive actuation system that can operate in a variety of extreme environments. integrating this technology into rovers, landers and more for the range of motion and robot needs; Assisting with construction, maintenance, monitoring and other applications on the Moon and Mars.
Troxel Aerospace Industries Inc., based in Cairnsville, Florida, is developing a new approach to enable high-performance radiation-free avionics computing to operate in high-radiation environments beyond low Earth orbit. The change will enable new avionics for radio-tolerant spacecraft displays, space package heads-up displays, advanced scientific data processing systems, entry, presence and threat avoidance systems during landing.
While NASA benefits from developments in technology, small businesses see wider benefits.
“The performance implications of these projects are critical to the growth of our company,” said Tom McCarthy, vice president, Motive Space Systems. Motiv has been working with NASA SBIR/STTR since the early 2000s. “This allows us to retain, hire, bring in new skills and maintain the technological edge for future customers who need unique solutions.”
NASA’s SBIR/STDR program works closely with other agency programs to identify key requirements and key technical challenges and risks of exposure and injection opportunities. Earlier this year, NASA issued a call to white documents recipients of previous SBIR/STTR Phase II awards over the past decade to meet these requirements. NASA invited selected companies to submit full proposals. Efforts to accelerate this technology will be monitored with major NASA projects, programs and partners. Continuous calls for white papers and awards are possible.
Through the SBIR/STTR program, NASA has launched efforts to help small businesses accelerate business in space travel and the market. NASA is investing in disruptive capabilities in emerging markets, increasing its competitive advantage and creating jobs nationwide. The project is part of the Directorate General of Space Technology (STMD) and is managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California.
