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	+ IPP Home		+ SBIR + STTR + IPP Seed Fund + Centennial Challenges + FAST + Innovation Transfusion + Technology Transfer + Intellectual Property Mgmt + New Innovative Partnerships + Spinoff Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training (FAST) Providing opportunities for emerging technologies to perform testing in the space environment. Testing technologies that: support NASA's missions but are not mature enough for adoption into major development programs (see Technology Maturity below) might not otherwise be tested due to lack of funding: SBIR/STTR contractors and other private companies SEED Fund companies Universities and research institutions NASA projects in early development The current focus is on testing in micro-gravity, reduced-gravity or variable-gravity conditions on parabolic aircraft flights and later on suborbital and orbital flights. A second objective of FAST is to utilize commercially available flight test capabilities. (see Parabolic Flight Contract below) Cost-Sharing: For competitively selected projects, the FAST program will generally cover the cost of the parabolic flight. Experimenters will be expected to cover their expenses for preparing the experimental hardware and traveling to the airfield where the flight will occur. Criteria: Competitive selection of proposed experiments will be based on the following criteria: Relevance of the technology to the needs of NASA missions Likelihood that the parabolic flight test will advance technological maturity Readiness of the project and hardware for space-environment testing   Future Suborbital Flight Testing: As commercial suborbital spaceflight capabilities emerge, the FAST program will seek to use those flights for technology testing.   Announcements Selections for Initial FAST Flight Test Opportunity NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program has selected seven Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) companies to participate in the initial phase of FAST reduced-gravity test flights in early September 2008. The selection for the first round of flights was limited to companies that already had SBIR contracts with NASA. In the future, the competition will be extended to any companies and laboratories working in partnerships on technology of value to NASA's missions. The Zero-Gravity Corporation will conduct the flights as a commercial service to NASA. The Zero-G Corporation contract, which is managed by the NASA Glenn Research Center, is part of an effort to expand NASA's use of commercial services. The flights will be conducted from Ellington Field in Houston, Texas and the Johnson Space Center and Glenn Research Center will provide technical support to the participating companies. The flights in early September will involve the following projects and companies: Vacuum-Compatible Multi-Axis Manipulator/Machining Center (M/MC) for Long-Duration Space Missions Beck Engineering, Inc. Port Orchard, WA http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/06/sbir/phase1/SBIR-06-1-X7.01-9703.html NASA Langley SBIR, supporting ESMD and SOMD technology needs. Demonstrating a capability for in-situ machining of parts during space missions and on the surface of the Moon or Mars (intend to fly with zero-g, 1/6g and 1/3g conditions). Investigation of Pneumatic Mining System Under Lunar Gravity Conditions Honeybee Robotics Spacecraft Mechanisms Corporation, New York, NY http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/06/sbir/phase1/SBIR-06-1-X4.03-8139.html NASA KSC SBIR, supporting ESMD and SMD technology needs. Novel method using air to excavate lunar material for processing or surface construction. Aircraft SensorLogger Metis Design Corporation, Cambridge, MA http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/05/sbir/phase1/SBIR-05-1-A1.04-9399.html NASA DFRC SBIR, supporting ARMD and SOMD technology needs. Device for dynamic in-flight measurements. Microgravity Flight Testing of Passively Self Deploying Roll Stowed Shells Mevicon Inc., Sunnyvale CA http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/05/sbir/phase1/SBIR-05-1-S6.02-8499.html NASA GSFC SBIR, supporting ARMD and SMD technology needs. Deployment of structures for antennas, mirrors, solar collectors, etc. Virtual Sensor Test Instrumentation Mobitrum Corporation, Silver Spring, Maryland http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/05/sbir/phase1/SBIR-05-1-O2.02-9889.html NASA SSC SBIR, supporting ARMD and SMD technology needs. Device to collect and share in-flight data measurements in a network. Nanofluid Coolants nanoComposix, Inc., San Diego, CA http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/04/sbir/phase1/SBIR-04-1-E1.07-9391.html NASA MSFC SBIR, supporting ESMD, SOMD and SMD technology needs. Coolant fluid with suspended nano-particles that enhance thermal conductivity. Constant-Force-Exercise Sled Valeo Human Performance, LLC, Houston, TX http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/00/sbir/phase1/SBIR-00-1-10.03-8523.html NASA JSC SBIR, supporting SOMD and ESMD technology needs. Simple, small human exercise sled for use in spaceflight. Future Calls for Proposals In Summer 2008, we expect to issue a call for proposals from the broad research community for flights to occur in 2009. This call will not be limited to SBIR companies. The details of that call will be provided at this website location. Technology Maturity Parabolic Aircraft Flight Testing NASA has been flying parabolic flights on NASA-owned KC-135 and C-9B aircraft for decades out of Ellington Field under the management of the Johnson Space Center's Reduced Gravity Office. Those flights have made numerous contributions to scientific advancement and technology development. The aircraft can provide about 25 seconds of near-zero-gravity conditions during each parabolic maneuver. It can provide variable gravity levels between zero and one including 0.16 g for lunar conditions and 0.38 g for Mars conditions. An increased gravity level of up to 1.8 g can be provided for up to one minute. Parabolic Flight Contract NASA awarded a contract to the Zero Gravity Corporation in January 2008 to provide commercial parabolic aircraft flights to simulate variable gravity environments for research and development work. The FAST program will utilize this commercial service. ZERO-G will provide up to 20 NASA flight weeks per year. NASA has exclusive use during these flight weeks. Each flight includes 40-60 parabolic trajectories. NASA Flight Weeks will generally be conducted out of Ellington Field in Houston and the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. Related Links NASA JSC Reduced Gravity Office http://jsc-aircraft-ops.jsc.nasa.gov/Reduced_Gravity/index.html NASA Experiment Design Requirements and Guidelines http://jsc-aircraft-ops.jsc.nasa.gov/Reduced_Gravity/docs/AOD_33897.pdf NASA SBIR/STTR Program http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/SBIR.html   Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training (FAST) 46th AIAA Aerospace Science Meeting and Exhibit 7-10 January 2008, Reno, Nevada + View PDF The Innovative Partnerships Program (IPP) and Strategic Capabilities Assets Program (SCAP) are offering an opportunity for companies with NASA SBIR/STTR Phase I and II contracts to conduct reduced-gravity testing of their technology aboard parabolic aircraft flights. Technologies must be within the TRL 4-6 range and should be ready for microgravity environment testing in the June to September, 2008 timeframe. + Read More
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