NASA Awards Accelerate Small Business Tech for Earth and Space – Parabolic Arc

Moffett Field, Calif. (NASA PR) — NASA has awarded funding to six U.S. small businesses to work on technologies designed to make a big impact in key areas, from wildfire preparedness to continued lunar exploration. Collaborating with small businesses is a vital part of developing the innovative ideas needed to meet NASA’s goals.

“The NASA Small Business Awards allow us to tap into the creativity and skills of our nation’s entrepreneurs,” said Jane Gustic, director of early stage innovation and partnerships at NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) in Washington. “These awards are one way NASA can help develop the next wave of technology for Earth and space exploration.”

The six award-winning businesses originally developed their technologies through NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. After developing their technologies through Phase 1 and Phase 2 funding from the program, businesses will receive a second series of awards designed to encourage rapid development for technology demonstration and use by NASA. The awards total nearly $27 million.

A number of technologies help solve wildfires, supporting both the NASA FireTech program, led by NASA’s Earth Science Technology Office, and broader NASA initiatives.

• Mackel Engineering, based in Chico, California, develops chemical microsensors for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This allows chemical and particle identification for pre-fire, active fire and post-fire studies to better understand and manage wildfires and their impacts.
• Based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Xiomas Technologies develops heat mapping and measurement systems that can be deployed on UAVs or small satellites to enable proactive fire front detection and improved wildfire studies.

Jason L. Kessler “As the challenges posed by climate change become more prominent every day, we are thrilled that this year’s awards include two earth science technologies that advance our ability to understand and operate here on Earth. Executive Director for the NASA SBIR and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program at NASA Headquarters.

A number of businesses are developing robotic technologies poised to play a role in NASA’s Artemis program, expanding lunar science and exploration capabilities. These technologies support NASA’s Lunar Surface Innovation Initiative.

• ProtoInnovation, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is working on software that would allow robotic rovers to autonomously dig, transport and deposit lunar soil, called Regoliz, on the Moon or Mars. This development may have implications for other ongoing NASA ISRU activities.
• In addition, Astrobotic Technology, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is developing technologies for a small rover platform that will have enhanced power and communication capabilities to enable a variety of applications, including robotics and drilling missions that must operate and live in distant regions under the moon’s shadow over many lunar nights.
• Menteau Technologies, based in Goleta, California, continues to develop a neuromorphic chip for use in space radiation environments, introducing advanced robotics, computing capabilities, advanced autonomy and possible AI capabilities on the lunar surface.

Another technology supports NASA’s Small Spacecraft Technology Program to enable the use of small spacecraft to support lunar science and exploration.

• Flight operations will continue in Irvine, California, to demonstrate the applicability of previously developed propellant pump technology and enable a scalable, low-pressure, tank-based delivery system. This could have applications in enhancing the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle (OMV) capabilities of OMVs to deliver small spacecraft to the Moon and beyond.

In the year Beginning in 2022, the NASA SBIR program issued a call for white papers to small businesses working in key technology areas that received both Phase I and Phase II funding. From these initial white papers, the agency invited six organizations to submit full proposals, all of which were selected for subsequent Phase II funding. This is the third year that NASA has awarded key NASA and national technologies for accelerated development.

Through the SBIR/STTR program, NASA taps into the innovative spirit of America’s small businesses to answer the agency’s most pressing challenges. The agency provides early stage funding with business development resources and opportunities to pioneer technologies to expand the agency’s capabilities and the commercial space sector. These developments will enhance America’s capabilities and competitiveness, support the American economy, and strengthen the growing commercial space industry.

NASA’s SBIR/STTR program is part of STMD and is managed at NASA’s Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, California. Technologies developed through the program address challenges and support programs across all NASA mission directorates and centers.

NASA SBIR/STTR Phase 1 solicitations typically open in January. Learn more about the program and prepare for next year’s incentives at:

https://sbir.nasa.gov/