IGF::OT::IGF THE SPACE TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO SUPPORTS A COMBINATION OF EARLY STAGE STUDIES, FOR ASSESSING TH…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF THE SPACE TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO SUPPORTS A COMBINATION OF EARLY STAGE STUDIES, FOR ASSESSING THE FEASIBILITY OF ENTIRELY NEW TECHNOLOGIES (WHICH CORRESPONDS TO A TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVEL (TRL) RANGE FROM 1 TO 3); MATURING FEASIBLE TECHNOLOGIES THROUGH RAPID COMPETITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND GROUND BASED TESTING (TRL 3-5); AND FLIGHT DEMONSTRATIONS IN A RELEVANT ENVIRONMENT TO COMPLETE THE FINAL STEP TO MISSION INFUSION (TRL 5-7). THIS TECHNOLOGICAL DIVERSITY RESULTS IN A SUSTAINABLE PIPELINE OF REVOLUTIONARY CONCEPTS. STMD SEEKS AGGRESSIVE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS THAT MAY REQUIRE UNDERTAKING SIGNIFICANT TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND RISK TO ACHIEVE A HIGHER POTENTIAL PAYOFF. THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SMALL LAUNCH VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT IS TO ACCELERATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES TO ENABLE FREQUENT LAUNCHES OF SMALL SPACECRAFT TO LOW-EARTH ORBIT (LEO), AT A COST PER KILOGRAM OF PAYLOAD MUCH LOWER THAN CURRENTLY AVAILABLE. SMALL SPACECRAFT LAUNCHERS ARE DEFINED HERE AS THOSE DELIVERING SPACECRAFT WITH A TOTAL MASS LESS THAN 300 KG TO LEO. THE FOCUS OF THIS REQUIREMENT IS TO BRING THE BEST IDEAS AND TALENTS FROM ALL SECTORS OF THE AEROSPACE ENTERPRISE TO SOLVE FUTURE TECHNOLOGY NEEDS WHILE MAXIMIZING THE VALUE OF THE NATION'S INVESTMENT. INVESTING IN SPACE TECHNOLOGY INVESTS IN THE FUTURE OF THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA), THE U.S. SPACE PROGRAM, AND THE NATION. TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PRACTICABLE, PARTICIPATION WILL BE OPEN TO ALL CATEGORIES OF ORGANIZATIONS, DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN, INCLUDING INDUSTRY, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, NASA CENTERS, AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. WITH THE TIPPING POINT, THE NASA CONTINUES TO EMBRACE PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO ACHIEVE ITS STRATEGIC GOALS FOR EXPANDING CAPABILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES IN SPACE. A KEY ASPECT OF NASA'S STRATEGY IS TO STIMULATE THE COMMERCIAL SPACE INDUSTRY WHILE LEVERAGING THOSE SAME COMMERCIAL CAPABILITIES THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS TO DELIVER TECHNOLOGIES AND CAPABILITIES NEEDED FOR FUTURE NASA, OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCY, AND COMMERCIAL MISSIONS. NASA IS INTERESTED IN ADVANCING THESE NEW CAPABILITIES TO A POINT THAT INDUSTRY WOULD COMPLETE AND QUALIFY THEM FOR MARKET WITHOUT FURTHER GOVERNMENT INVESTMENTS. THESE TECHNOLOGIES SHOULD PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL BENEFIT TO BOTH THE COMMERCIAL AND GOVERNMENT SECTORS ONCE THE VALIDATION/DEMONSTRATION PROJECT COMPLETES.