Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

NASA Invites Universities to Submit Innovative Early-Stage Technology Proposals

  • 05/21/15

NASAWASHINGTON, DC – NASA is seeking proposals from universities for early stage technology development that will support the agency's long-term plans for human exploration of Mars and scientific study of our solar system and beyond.

The Early Stage Innovations NASA Research Announcement calls for innovative space technology proposals that could benefit NASA's space program, other government agencies and the greater aerospace community.

“We are looking for innovative ideas where top researchers from U.S. universities can help solve the toughest space technology challenges as we look to begin our journey to pioneer our solar system,” says Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. “The areas of focus we selected align with our Space Technology Roadmaps, which reflect the National Research Council's review of these roadmaps.”

Only accredited U.S. universities may submit proposals under this solicitation. Notices of intent to submit proposals to the Early Stage Innovations Appendix of NASA's Research Announcement, “Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration and Infusion 2015,” are due June 12. The deadline for submitting final proposals is July 10.

The proposals may cover transformative space technologies in different fields, including planetary exploration capabilities, such as payload technologies for assistive free-flyers and robotic mobility technologies for the surfaces of icy moons. They may also cover material science, such as discrete cellular materials assembly, repair and reconfiguration, and computationally guided structural nanomaterials design.

Other topics could include optical communication for space using integrated photonics, atmospheric entry modeling development using data from the first flight test of NASA's Orion spacecraft in December 2014, and high voltage power management and distribution electronics for space applications.

The agency expects to make approximately 12 awards this fall, with total award amounts of as much as to $500,000. Research and development efforts will take place over two to three years.

To view the announcement and information for submitting proposals, visit: http://go.nasa.gov/1FtZeTk

For more information about NASA’s investments in space technology, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/spacetech.

Featured

  • Little Grand Market

    Designing for Belonging: Why Student Wellness Starts with Space

    From walkable site planning to flexible interiors, intentional design choices play a critical role in how students experience comfort, connection, and community.

  • Ohio State University Opens 26-Story Hospital

    The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center recently opened in Columbus, Ohio, standing 26 stories and covering 1.9 million square feet, according to a university news release. The project marks ten years of effort and is the university’s largest single-facility construction project ever.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).