Nov 18 2014

From The Space Library

RELEASE 14-318 NASA Announces Early Stage Innovations Space Tech Research Grants

NASA has selected 11 university-led proposals for the study of innovative, early stage technologies that address high priority needs of America's space program.

The selected proposals address unique, disruptive, or transformational technologies, including: advanced thermal protection materials modeling, computational materials, in situ utilization of asteroid materials, mobile robotic surface probe concepts for planetary exploration, and kinetic penetrators for icy planetary moons. Selection criteria required technology research that will provide dramatic improvements over existing capabilities for future science and human exploration missions.

"Research in these critical technology areas will enable science and exploration of our home planet, future deep space missions and our journey to Mars," said Michael Gazarik, associate administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. "New space technology enables exploration while providing real world economic benefits to the American people right here on Earth, right now."

Universities selected for NASA's Early Stage Innovation grants, and the titles of their proposals, are:

• Iowa State University, Ames: Computational Modeling of Nondestructive Evaluation, Defect Detection, and Defect Identification for CFRP Composite Materials
• Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla. Laboratory Demonstration and Test of Solar Thermal Asteroid ISRU
• Montana State University, Bozeman: Uncovering the Chemical Processes during Atmospheric Entry of a Carbon/Phenolic Ablator: Laboratory Studies by In Situ Mass Spectrometric and Molecular Beam Techniques
• Stanford University, Stanford, California: Asteroid Surface Resource Characterization Through Distributed Plasma Analysis of Meteoroid Impact Ejecta
• Texas A&M University, College Station: Control of Variability in the Performance of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Parts through Microstructure Control and Design
• University of California, Berkeley: Precision Hopping/Rolling Robotic Surface Probe Based on Tensegrity Structures
• University of California, Davis: Development of Physics-Based Numerical Models for Uncertainty Quantification of Selective Laser Melting Processes
• University of Kentucky, Lexington: Model Development and Experimental Validation of Reactive Gas and Pyrolysis Product Interactions with Hot Carbon Chars
• University of Vermont, Burlington: Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ablation Kinetics
• University of Washington, Seattle: Europa Kinetic Ice Penetrator (EKIP)
• West Virginia University, Morgantown: Robotic In-Situ Surface Exploration System (RISES)

The awards from NASA's Space Technology Research Grants Program are worth as much as $500,000 each, with technology research and development efforts taking place over two to three years.

Aligned with NASA's Space Technology Roadmaps, and priorities identified by the National Research Council, the agency’s technology research areas lend themselves to the early stage innovative approaches U.S. universities can offer for solving tough space technology challenges.

NASA's Early Stage Innovations efforts are an element of the agency's Space Technology Research Grants Program. This program is designed to accelerate the development of technologies originating in academia that support the future science and exploration needs of NASA, other government agencies, and the commercial space sector.

This solicitation is part of NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate, which is responsible for innovating, developing, testing and flying hardware for use on future NASA missions. During the next 18 months, the directorate will make significant new investments to address several high-priority challenges for achieving safe and affordable deep space exploration.

RELEASE 14-320 NASA Teams with South Korean Agency to Further Improve Air Traffic Management

NASA and the Korea Agency for Infrastructure Technology Advancement (KAIA) have signed a memorandum of understanding for future cooperation on the development of advanced air traffic management technologies, benefiting airline passengers and citizens of both nations.

The cooperation brings together two countries that have a mutual interest in advancing air transportation automation for the benefit of the aviation industry under the Next Generation Air Transportation System in the United States and the National Air Traffic Management Reformation and Enhancement program in South Korea.

Jaiwon Shin, NASA’s associate administrator for Aeronautics Research, and Jaeboong Lee, president of KAIA, signed the agreement Monday in Seoul, South Korea on behalf of their respective agencies.

“The United States and South Korea are close allies and strategic partners,” Shin said. “Our ability to work closely together will benefit each nation by optimizing air transportation operations to reduce delays, fuel consumption, noise, and emissions in airspace operating conditions.”

The agreement outlines the terms and conditions for a range of activities related to air traffic management that will advance air transportation automation for the mutual benefit of the global aviation industry.

“KAIA is very pleased to work with NASA,” Lee said. ”We are grateful that the Korean organizations are coming together to advance air traffic management to have impact both here in Korea and globally.”