Engineers take note: NASA seeks public-private partnerships for two programs with the goal of expanding space exploration capabilities. The organization is also in search of technologies that may lead to commercial space opportunities.
The news comes on the heels of NASA’s announcement that it has awarded 15 concepts with approximately $100,000 dollars each as part of Phase 1 of its NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts program. Among those projects are a two-glider UAV and a squid-inspired rover that’s designed for self-sustaining exploration.
NASA has launched a formal solicitation, titled "Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Tipping Point Technologies." Through this process, it hopes to move ahead with certain technologies and collaborate with private industry to develop and bring them to market.
So how does NASA determine whether a technology is at a tipping point? According to the organization, it considers a technology at that point if “an investment in a demonstration of its capabilities will result in a significant advancement of the technology's maturation, high likelihood of infusion into a commercial space application and significant improvement in the ability to successfully bring the technology to market.” The technology should also be relevant to both the commercial and government sectors.
NASA is looking for the following concepts:
- Small instruments for remote sensing applications
- Robotic, in-space manufacturing of spacecraft
- Control sensors and actuators
- Compact propulsion systems
NASA is launching another solicitation, titled "Utilizing Public-Private Partnerships to Advance Emerging Space Technology System Capabilities." This initiative seeks technologies that can advance and benefit the commercial sector and upcoming NASA missions.
The organization will offer its test facilities, expert support, along with hardware and software to selected industry partners that want to enhance space vehicle systems.
NASA is searching for technologies in the following areas:
- Small satellite launch systems development
- Wireless power transfer development
- Thermal protection system materials development,
- ‘Green’ propellant thruster technology qualification
- Affordable and high performance liquid rocket engine development
"These solicitations form an increased focus on collaborations with the commercial space sector that not only leverage emerging markets and capabilities to meet NASA's strategic goals, but also focus on industry needs," said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for NASA's Space Technology Mission Directorate. "While developing the technology to enable NASA's next generation of science and human exploration missions, we will grow the economy and strengthen the nation's economic competitiveness."
Submissions for the tipping point solicitations are due Thursday, July 23, 2015. Submissions for the second solicitations are due the following week on Thursday, July 30.
For more information, visit NASA’s website.