• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
  • NEWS:
  • SatNews
  • SatMagazine
  • MilSatMagazine
  • SmallSat News
  • |     EVENTS:
  • SmallSat Symposium
  • Satellite Innovation
  • MilSat Symposium

SatNews

  • HOME
  • Magazines
  • Events
  • Perspectives
  • Industry Calendar
    • IN PERSON
    • VIRTUAL
  • Subscribe

Follow-On Funding for 124 Small Business Approved by NASA

May 6, 2020

NASA has selected 139 proposals for follow-on funding though the agency’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The Phase II awards will provide approximately $104 million to 124 small businesses located across 31 states.

NASA annually invests in U.S. small businesses with promising new technologies – companies developing better batteries, virtual assistants, lightweight materials and more. These technologies can benefit space missions, as well as improve life on Earth.

Jim Reuter, Associate Administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington, said small businesses offer innovative solutions that benefit every area of NASA and often find applications outside of the agency. This announcement is another step forward in NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. The agency continues to invest in and support small businesses, as they continue to mature important technologies for future missions that can also benefit us on Earth.

The Phase II awards will help advance NASA priorities, including the Artemis program, as well as other initiatives in aeronautics, human exploration and operations, science, and space technology. The selected companies are previous NASA SBIR Phase I award recipients who successfully have established the feasibility of their proposed technologies. As Phase II awardees, the companies will develop, demonstrate and deliver their technologies to NASA. Among the Phase II selections are:

A woman-owned small business in Gaithersburg, Maryland, that will develop a more reliable and highly efficient energy storage system. NASA could use the technology for electric and hybrid-electric propulsion systems in airplanes. The technology could also be used in renewable energy systems, such as solar, wind, and hybrid-electric vehicles.

A small business in Knoxville, Tennessee, that will advance a lighter-weight shield material for fission power systems – a technology that could help power sustainable operations on the Moon. The material could find other industrial applications on Earth.

A small business in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that will mature technology that could provide astronauts with a virtual assistant aboard spacecraft. The system would be able to interact with the crew and other spacecraft systems to perform tasks, diagnose problems and brainstorm solutions without help from ground teams. The technology could be adapted for use on Earth, including by the medical industry to support patient diagnosis and treatment.

Jenn Gustetic, the NASA SBIR program executive, commented that the agency is encouraged by the ingenuity and creativity seen from these companies in their Phase I work. NASA has also worked hard to reduce the time selected companies wait for their first Phase II payment, knowing how critical access to capital is for aerospace research and development firms right now. The applications of their technologies, both inside and outside of NASA, are promising, and the agency looks forward to seeing what this next round of accelerated seed funding will accomplish

The Phase II proposals were chosen according to their technical merit and feasibility, Phase I results, as well as the experience, qualifications and facilities of the submitting organization. Additional criteria included effectiveness of the proposed work plan and commercial potential.

NASA’s SBIR program encourages small businesses to develop innovative ideas that meet the specific research and development needs of the federal government. The program is conducted in three phases:

Phase I is the opportunity to establish the scientific, technical and commercial merit and feasibility of the proposed innovation. SBIR Phase I contracts last for six months with a maximum funding of $125,000. Phase II is focused on the development, demonstration and delivery of the innovation.

Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000. Only small businesses awarded a Phase I contract are eligible to submit a proposal for a Phase II funding agreement. Phase III is the commercialization of innovative technologies, products and services resulting from either a Phase I or Phase II contract. Phase III contracts are funded from sources other than the NASA SBIR program.

The program is part of the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate and is managed by NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley.

 

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Most Read Stories

  • CORRECTION: Blue Origin launches their 5th human spaceflight mission
  • neXat empowers affordable satellite internet for Indonesian businesses 
  • Satellogic is a finalist for “Company Award 2022” by the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies
  • SES and Vodafone PNG to deliver 4G and 5G services to underserved areas in Papua New Guinea
  • neXat interconnects with Eutelsat ADVANCE network resulting in wider coverage and better flexibility for ISPs

About Satnews

  • Contacts
  • History

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020

Secondary Sidebar

x
Sign up Now (For Free)
Access daily or weekly satellite news updates covering all aspects of the commercial and military satellite industry.
Invalid email address
Notify Me Regarding ( At least one ):
We value your privacy and will not sell or share your email or other information with any other company. You may also unsubscribe at anytime.

Click Here to see our full privacy policy.
Thanks for subscribing!