Ramona Adams
NASA has started its solicitation of early-stage space technology proposals from universities to support the agency’s future space programs that include a human exploration of Mars.
The agency said Thursday its space technology mission directorate plans to grant $500,000 each for 10 to 12 proposals from accredited U.S. universities.
“We’d like to see Early Stage Innovations proposals that address our need for unique, disruptive and revolutionary technologies,” said Steve Jurczyk, NASA associate administrator for the space technology mission directorate.
NASA added it wants proposals to support its space programs, as well as other government agencies and the aerospace community.
Interested universities can submit notices of intent to the Early Stage Innovations Appendix of NASA’s Research Announcement until June 1, while final proposals are due on July 1.
Successful proposals will move on to the research-and-development phase for between two and three years, NASA said.
Proposals may cover different areas of space technology such as:
- High fidelity modeling of parachute inflation dynamics
- Modeling and simulation-based certification of additive manufacturing processing parameters
- Electric propulsion physics theory and model development
- Modeling radiation failure mechanisms in wide-bandgap semiconductor materials for power devices
- Advanced telescope architecture technologies and optical components
- Autonomous planning for human spaceflight
