{"id":18989,"date":"2017-04-20T01:51:26","date_gmt":"2017-04-19T17:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/nasa-puts-50m-into-creating-fusion-thrusters-space-robots-and-more\/"},"modified":"2017-04-20T01:51:26","modified_gmt":"2017-04-19T17:51:26","slug":"nasa-puts-50m-into-creating-fusion-thrusters-space-robots-and-more","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/nasa-puts-50m-into-creating-fusion-thrusters-space-robots-and-more\/","title":{"rendered":"NASA puts $50M into creating fusion thrusters, space robots and more"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_326313\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-326313\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-326313\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/170419-fusion-msnw-630x583.jpg\" alt=\"Fusion-driven rocket\" width=\"630\" height=\"583\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/170419-fusion-msnw-630x583.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/170419-fusion-msnw-768x711.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/170419-fusion-msnw-1260x1167.jpg 1260w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/170419-fusion-msnw.jpg 1675w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-326313\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist\u2019s conception shows a fusion-driven rocket powering a probe toward Mars. (MSNW \/ University of Washington Illustration)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Fusion-driven rockets, remote control systems for space robots, and satellites that build themselves up in orbit are among the made-in-Washington projects getting a share of $49.9 million in NASA grants.<\/p>\n<p>Seven businesses in Washington state will benefit from NASA\u2019s latest round of Small Business Innovation Research grants and Small Business Technology Transfer grants, announced today.<\/p>\n<p>The two programs, known as SBIR and STTR, are aimed at encouraging the development of commercial innovations that could come in handy for NASA\u2019s space missions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe SBIR and STTR program\u2019s selection of nearly 400 proposals for further development is a testament to NASA\u2019s support of American innovation by small businesses and research institutions,\u201d Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for space technology at NASA Headquarters, said in today\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"About the NASA SBIR STTR Programs\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/u8HU68E_ZMA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-ratio=\"0.75\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"600\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0px; width: 800px; height: 600px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>In all, 399 proposals from 277 small businesses and 44 research institutions across the U.S. were chosen for Phase I funding, out of a total of 1,621 submissions.<\/p>\n<p>The next step is for NASA to negotiate contracts with the winners. SBIR contracts last for six months, while STTR contracts last for 12 months, both with maximum funding of $125,000.<\/p>\n<p>Ten contracts will go to the seven Washington-based teams. One of the companies, Bothell-based Tethers Unlimited, had four of its SBIR proposals accepted:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>MakerSat:<\/strong>&nbsp;This small-satellite mission is aimed at demonstrating techniques for \u201cgrowing\u201d&nbsp;structures that could increase&nbsp;a satellite\u2019s size by a factor of 10 to 100. The Phase I work would concentrate on developing the architecture for such a mission.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Automated X-Link for Orbital Networking Connector:<\/strong> The AXON connector is a concept for a device that could link up spacecraft components autonomously in space.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Metal Advanced Manufacturing Bot-Assisted Assembly:<\/strong> The MAMBA process would provide an alternative to 3-D printing in space. Instead, metal could be formed into an ingot, and then milled and machined to produce&nbsp;a precision part.<\/li>\n<li><strong>COBRA-Bee Carpal-Wrist Gimbal for Astrobee:<\/strong> COBRA-Bee would serve as a robotic manipulator&nbsp;for Tethers Unlimited\u2019s Astrobee free-flying satellite. The Phase I grant would cover design work for an assembly that could serve as the \u201cwrist\u201d of a robotic hand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Six awards were made to these other Washington state teams:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>BluHaptics<\/strong> (Seattle): SBIR grant to work on control software for remote robotic operations. Such a software platform could improve the performance of robots for in-space manufacturing, deep-space exploration and satellite servicing. The technology could come into play on Earth for deep-sea oil and gas exploration.<\/li>\n<li> <strong>Kymeta Government Solutions<\/strong> (Redmond): SBIR grant to develop a low-size, low-power Ka-band antenna that can be used for transmitting data within constellations of small satellites.<\/li>\n<li><strong>MSNW<\/strong> (Redmond) and the University of Washington:&nbsp;STTR grant for work on a propulsion system powered by direct conversion of fusion energy. Such fusion-driven rockets could open the way for rapid missions to Mars and other deep-space destinations.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sienna Technologies<\/strong> (Woodinville): SBIR grant to develop long-life, advanced green monopropellant thrusters for robotic science missions.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Systima Technologies<\/strong> (Kirkland) and UW: STTR grant for development of a low-cost launch propulsion stage and deployment bus for small satellites.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Voxa<\/strong> (also known as Mochii, based in Seattle): SBIR grant to demonstrate a portable spectroscopic scanning electron microscope that could be used on the International Space Station.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For the full list of winning proposals and their sponsors, including a plan to design drills capable of probing&nbsp;the hidden oceans of icy Europa and Enceladus, check out NASA\u2019s lists for the SBIR and STTR programs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An artist\u2019s conception shows a fusion-driven rocket powering a probe toward Mars. (MSNW \/ University of Washington Illustration) Fusion-driven rockets, remote control systems for space robots, and satellites that build themselves up in orbit are among the made-in-Washington projects getting a share of $49.9 million in NASA grants. Seven businesses in Washington state will benefit [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[4938,354,5380,190,4355,5428,4566,4373,4793,4873],"class_list":["post-18989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-bluhaptics","tag-kymeta","tag-msnw","tag-nasa","tag-sbir","tag-sienna-technologies","tag-sttr","tag-systima-technologies","tag-tethers-unlimited","tag-voxa"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18989"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18989\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}