NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) are the future of aeronautics. According to the associate administrator for Space Technology at NASA headquarters in Washington, Michael Gararik, the ideas explored by businesses and partners across the country are what bring American products to the global marketplace. For this reason, NASA has chosen 383 tech and research proposals to fund for to the tune of $47.6 million.
NASA understands that the fruit of these projects will potentially be used in space innovation at some point in time. Some of the funded programs include those designed to explore in-space transportation, the safety of astronauts in space and innovative procedures and methods that will maintain fully operational spacecraft. Other proposals involve finding ways to land on and explore much of space that has yet to be discovered and researched, including Mars, asteroids and other locations and objects. Some of the new technologies proposed are designed to help NASA search outside the solar system for additional planets and even life forms.
Funding is also available and being provided to technologies that will remain on Earth. NASA’s SBIR and STTR programs will fund projects enabling quieter airplanes, more efficient air traffic control and management and technologies designed to orbit the planet, assessing its health and viability, providing information regarding climate change and the impact of all things related.
“Aligned with NASA’s Space Technology Roadmaps, the agency’s Space Technology Investment Plan and the National Research Council’s recommendations, these focused areas will assure we remain on the cutting edge of advanced space technology. SBIR and STTR technologies provide an early stage foundation across all our thrust areas,” adds Gazarik of the three phase award system.
Phase I solicitations are granted for six months and a maximum of $125,000 for studying the technical merit of a concept. Phase II awards are granted for the expansion of successful Phase I results. Finally, Phase III awards are designed to consider commercialization of successful Phase II projects. Phase I’s chosen projects include 315 proposals and $39.1 million. The second phase includes 36 proposals and $4.5 million, and the third phase consists of 32 projects and $4 million.
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