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NASA Provides $45 Million Boost to U.S. Small Businesses
Small businesses are vital to NASA’s mission, helping expand humanity’s presence in space and improve life on Earth. NASA has selected 365 U.S. small business proposals for initial funding from the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, a total investment of more than $45 million.
The selections include eight projects managed by Stennis Space Center.
“At NASA, we recognize that small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges due to the pandemic,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD). “This year, to get funds into the hands of small businesses sooner, we accelerated the release of the 2021 SBIR/STTR Phase I solicitation by two months. We hope the expedited funding helps provide a near-term boost for future success.”
NASA selected 289 small businesses and 47 research institutions to receive Phase I funding this year. More than 30% of the awards will go to first-time NASA SBIR/STTR recipients. “We are excited to have a large cohort of new small businesses join the NASA family via the SBIR/STTR program,” Reuter said.
Through the program, NASA works with U.S. small businesses and research institutions to advance cutting-edge technologies. The agency provides up to $125,000 for companies to establish the merit and feasibility of their innovations. Phase I SBIR contracts are awarded to small businesses and last for six months, while Phase I STTR contracts are awarded to small businesses in partnership with a research institution and last for 13 months. Based on their progress during Phase I, companies may submit proposals to subsequent SBIR/STTR opportunities and receive additional funding.
NASA selected proposals to receive funding based on their technical merit and commercial potential. The selections span the breadth of NASA missions to empower the agency’s work in human exploration, space technology, science, and aeronautics. Some examples include:
- Syrnatec Inc., a woman-owned small business and first-time NASA SBIR awardee based in Middletown, Connecticut, will develop radiation tolerant, high-voltage, high-power diodes. This power management and distribution technology could enable the next generation of efficient high-power green technology in space and on Earth.
- Innoveering LLC, a Hispanic American-owned small business and first-time program awardee based in Ronkonkoma, New York, will use its SBIR award to develop a wind sensor to enable a flight path control system for high-altitude scientific balloon operations. Outside of NASA, this technology could aid in providing more accurate weather predictions.
- Under an STTR award, Qubitekk of Vista, California, will partner with the University of New Mexico, a Hispanic-Serving Institution. Together, they will develop a cheaper and more compact hardware package that provides a reliable calibration tool for detectors of quantum-sized information. This technology could be applied to secure satellite communication networks, deep-space laser communications, cybersecurity, and computing.
The six selected SBIR projects selected for Phase I awards and to be managed by Stennis Space Center are:
- “High Speed Emission Tomography for Ground Test Facilities,” developed by En’Urga Inc in West Lafayette, Indiana. The project seeks to evaluate the feasibility of using mid-infrared hyperspectral imaging as a diagnostic tool for ground test facilities that have high-temperature turbulent flows, such as exhaust plumes from rockets and advanced propulsion systems.
- “Distributed High-Temperature Fiber-Optic Temperature Sensing System for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion,” developed by Intelligent Fiber Optics Systems Corp. in San Jose, California. The project seeks to develop a rugged, miniaturized, multi-function high-temperature sapphire optical fibers-based Distributed Temperature Sensing system for use in extreme operating environments.
- “Wireless Field-ready Transducer Acquisition Device,” developed by Parabilis Space Technologies Inc. in San Marcos, California. The project seeks to develop a device to provide remote, wireless reading of existing transducers with Bluetooth enabled devices.
- “Hybrid Additive Manufacturing of Integrated Sensing (HAMIS) System,” developed by RC Integrated Systems, LLC, in Torrance, California. The project seeks to develop a unique system to provide high-resolution simultaneous measurement of pressure, temperature, and strain in high temperature and/or radiation environments.
- “Thin Film Tungsten for High Temperature Hydrogen Embrittlement Mitigation,” by Summit Information Solutions Inc. in Richmond, Virginia. The project seeks to use a deposition technique used primarily in the microelectronics industry to address the problem of hydrogen embrittlement, a particular problem with propulsion test piping systems.
- “Processing of Refractory Metals for Extreme Temperature Testing,” developed by Transition45 Technologies Inc. of San Juan Capistrano, California. The project seeks to develop a unique manufacturing process to form refractory metals and alloys at much lower temperatures that currently possible, resulting in a safer, less expensive process.
The two selected STTR projects selected for Phase I awards and to be managed by Stennis Space Center are:
- “Intelligent Photonic Micro-Sensor Network for Rocket Propulsion Ground Testing,” developed by Intelligent Fiber Optics Systems Corp. in San Jose, California, and Stanford University in Stanford, California. The project seeks to develop a scalable, wirelessly networked, photonic instrumentation solution for measuring strain and temperature, as well as derived acoustics, pressure, and heat flux.
- “Wireless Networked, High Temperature, Wide Bandwidth Pressure Sensors for Propulsion System Monitoring,” developed by Nanosonic Inc. in Pembroke, Virginia, and Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. The project seeks to develop wireless networked, high temperature, wide bandwidth pressure sensors for use in propulsion systems during ground test and launch operations.
The small businesses and research institutions selected are as varied as the technologies they will develop. Hailing from 38 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, they include women-owned, minority-owned, and veteran-owned small businesses, as well as Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and other types of research organizations.
The program is enhancing its efforts to further increase STTR participation by MSIs, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities, by launching two pilot initiatives. Under a cooperative agreement, NASA will work directly with MSI STEM Research and Development Consortium to increase its audience’s participation in STTR. Additionally, the program will collaborate with NASA’s Minority University Research and Education Project to offer research planning grants and incentivize partnerships between MSIs and small businesses. The grants will also let MSIs develop plans for proposing to an STTR solicitation subtopic.
“NASA SBIR/STTR interfaces with entrepreneurs pushing the boundaries of innovation,” said Program Executive Jason L. Kessler. “We’re proud to partner with a diverse group of innovators and expand the reach of NASA across the country.”
NASA’s SBIR/STTR program is part of STMD and managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.
To view the NASA SBIR 2021 Phase I selections, visit:
https://sbir.nasa.gov/prg_selection/node/66868
To view the NASA STTR 2021 Phase I selections, visit:
https://sbir.nasa.gov/prg_selection/node/66869
For more information about NASA’s investment in space technology, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/spacetech
For information about the Stennis Test Technology Branch and related work, visit:
https://technology.ssc.nasa.gov/
For information about Stennis Space Center, visit:
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