Ramona Adams
NASA has asked industry to propose new ideas to address gaps in different technology areas that may impact future space exploration missions.
The agency said Friday businesses, universities, nonprofit organizations, inventors and U.S. government organizations outside of NASA can submit five-page white papers for the second cycle of the NASA iTech initiative.
The program’s next round will cover the areas of autonomy; big data/data mining and machine learning; medical systems and operations; and radiation protection and mitigation.
NASA also added a category titled “X-Factor Innovations: Solutions for Unspecified Future Challenges” to iTech Cycle 2 to gather ideas or technologies that could make a “significant impact” on future space missions even if they do not meet specific focus areas.
A panel of subject matter experts will evaluate the submissions and select 10 finalists who will present their ideas to NASA technologists, space industry leaders and potential investors at the 2017 NASA iTech Forum.
NASA will accept papers until April 7 and hold the forum at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia from July 10 to 14.
