NASA Selects 9 Small Business Technology Transfer Projects

April 9, 2008

Sonja Alexander
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761
sonja.r.alexander@xxxxxxxx

RELEASE: 08-094

NASA SELECTS 9 SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER PROJECTS

WASHINGTON -- NASA has selected nine proposals for negotiation of
Phase 2 contract awards in the Small Business Technology Transfer
(STTR) program. The selected projects have a total value of
approximately $5.4 million. The contracts will be awarded to nine
hi-tech firms partnered with nine universities in 12 states.

The STTR program is a highly competitive, three-phase award system.
It
provides qualified small businesses -- including women-owned and
disadvantaged firms -- with opportunities to propose innovative ideas
that meet specific research and development needs of the federal
government. In addition, the STTR program requires a collaborative
research effort between small business and research institutions.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) manages the STTR program for
the federal government. NASA is one of the federal agencies required
by the STTR program to reserve a portion of its research and
development funds for awards to small business and works closely with
SBA to ensure compliance with federal regulations.

NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) manages the STTR program
as part of its focus on emerging technologies and efforts to advance
technological innovation for NASA purposes. NASA also partners with
U.S. industry to introduce pioneering technologies into NASA missions
and transition them into commercially available products and
services.

As an investment opportunity, STTR innovations address specific
technology gaps in agency mission programs, provide a foundation for
future technology needs, and are complementary to other NASA research
investments.

Participating firms and research institutions submitted 25 Phase 2
proposals. The criteria used to select the winning proposals included
technical merit and innovation, Phase 1 results, value to NASA,
commercial potential, and company capabilities.

Phase 1 was feasibility study to evaluate the scientific and
technical
merit of an idea. Awards are for up to twelve months in amounts up to
$100,000. Phase 2 expands on the results of the development in Phase
1. Awards are for up to two years in amounts up to $600,000. Phase 3
is for the commercialization of the results of Phase 2 and requires
the use of private sector or non-STTR federal funding. These NASA
awards are for the second-phase in this competitive process.

Some examples of STTR technologies being pursued in current selected
proposals include:


New photovoltaic power systems capable of operating in harsh
environments with high temperature and extreme radiation exposures.
These systems use materials developed for short optical wavelength
and high radio frequency power applications. The new systems could be
used in power systems for exploratory spacecraft.


Optically-based sensors for making temperature and other complex
measurements in propulsion systems in ground and flight test
environments. The sensors could be used in both new and retrofit
commercial aircraft as control sensors for propulsion systems.

NASA's STTR program is managed at NASA's Ames Research Center at
Moffett Field, Calif., with executive oversight from NASA
Headquarters in Washington. Individual projects are managed by NASA's
field centers.

For a list of selected companies, visit:

http://sbir.nasa.gov


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