NASA selects advanced technology providers

Dolores Beasley/Erica Hupp
Headquarters, Washington July 20, 2005
(Phone: 202/358-1753/1237)

RELEASE: 05-187

NASA SELECTS ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY PROVIDERS

NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) selected 11 technology
investigators as part of the New Millennium Program, Space Technology 9
Project. The Project will flight demonstrate and validate technologies.

The selected investigators will conduct studies of their advanced spacecraft
technologies that are candidates to fly within the next five years. The
total project cost is $1.2 million for this phase.

NASA's New Millennium Program develops and tests emerging new technologies,
specialized equipment and components to withstand the harsh environment of
space. The goal of this phase of the program is to make the new technologies
available for future space and Earth science missions.

"We are tremendously excited by the potential scientific payoff for future
science missions enabled by these advanced technologies. We are very
appreciative of the space technology community for joining with NASA in
pursuit of the technologies," said NASA's Deputy Associate Administrator,
Science Mission Directorate, Dr. Ghassem Asrar.

Technology investigators grouped by capability areas:

Precision Formation Flying System Technology: technologies that will
continuously and collaboratively control multiple spacecraft flying in
formation to image, for example, planets in other solar systems. Control
will use intersatellite communication and distance measurements. Marty
Siemon of General Dynamics Decision Systems, Scottsdale, Ariz., was selected
for "Intersatellite Communications Subsystem Study;" Jeffery Tien of the Jet
Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Pasadena, Calif., was selected for "Autonomous
Formation Flying Sensor;" and Oliver Lay, JPL was selected for " Modulated
Sideband Technology for Absolute Ranging (MSTAR) Range Sensor."

System Technology For Large Space Telescopes: technologies that include a
large deployable sunshield and a mechanical cryogenic cooler, which cools
optical systems to approximately -425 Fahrenheit. These capabilities will
enable future large space telescopes to detect and characterize planets in
orbit around nearby stars. Emanuel Tward of Northrop Grumman Space
Technology, Redondo Beach, Calif., was selected for "Sunshade Cryocooler."
Domenick Tenerelli of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale,
Calif, was selected for "System Technology for Large Space Telescopes."

Descent and Terminal Guidance System Technology for Pinpoint Landing and
Hazard Avoidance: technologies that will enable future missions to the moon,
Mars, Europa, comets, asteroids, and other deep space destinations. These
missions will be designed to perform in situ science investigations or
sample return. During the missions, hazard avoidance and accurate landing
near terrain of scientific interest will be essential for success. Larry
Matthies of JPL was selected for "Descent Image Navigation and Hazard
Detection."

Aerocapture System Technology for Planetary Exploration: technologies to
demonstrate flight maneuvers executed upon arrival at a planet in which
atmospheric drag is used to decelerate the spacecraft into orbit. William
Congdon of Applied Research Associates, Inc., Centennial, Colo., was
selected for "Advanced Silicone-17 Thermal Protection System for
Aerocapture;" "Advanced Phenolic-20 Thermal Protection System for
Aerocapture;" and "Advanced Silicone-20 Ablative Thermal Protection System
for Aerocapture." James Masciarelli of Ball Aerospace & Technologies
Corporation, Boulder, Colo. was selected for "Validation of Aerocapture
Guidance Technology."

Solar Sail Flight System Technology: technologies that will deploy and
operate a steerable solar sail with measurable acceleration. David
Lichodziejewski of L'Garde, Inc., Tustin, Calif., was selected for
"Inflatable Solar Sail for Multimission Applications."

The technology providers join five NASA-led system technology capability
area teams to conduct concept definition studies. The studies will include
technology-validation experiment descriptions; rationale for flight
validation; system development approach; partnering relationships; schedule
and cost data. NASA will evaluate the reports and select the concept area
that will fly in space as the Space Technology 9 flight validation mission.

For more information about the New Millennium Project on the Internet,
visit:

http://nmp.jpl.nasa.gov/

For information about NASA and agency programs on the Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html

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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info