WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — “The dark side of the Moon” is sometimes used to describe mysterious things. Though the far side of the Moon isn’t actually dark, there are some areas on the Moon that haven’t seen the Sun in billions of years. Those are the unexplored areas university students aimed to help NASA reach.
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By Hillary Smith
NASA’s Game Changing Development Program
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — Future lunar landers might come equipped with 3D printed rocket engine parts that help bring down overall manufacturing costs and reduce production time. NASA is investing in advanced manufacturing – one of five industries of the future – to make it possible.
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WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — The Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) is hosting the Game Changing Technology Industry Day to engage the aerospace industry and identify potential areas of common interest and synergy with NASA. The objective of the meeting is to enhance industry awareness and understanding of the mid-level technology investments within the Game Changing Development portfolio.
The Game Changing Technology Industry Day will focus on 11 current technologies that are potential targets for commercial and academic partnerships. Attendees will hear from project managers about the exciting work going going on within STMD and have the opportunity to see hardware and ask questions in person.
By joining this Industry Day, participants will have the unique opportunity to listen and engage with NASA technologists who seek partnerships that can further innovation in space exploration.
For more information and the agenda please go to www.nasa.gov/spacetech. In addition, the event will be webcast live via UStream. Details will be provided closer to the event date.
100µN electrospray thruster system. (Credit: Busek Co.)
NATICK, MA (Busek PR) — Satellite propulsion firm Busek Co. Inc. confirms the shipment of its first miniature electrospray small satellite thrusters to NASA.
The modular, 100 micronewton-class thrusters enable new, highly efficient CubeSat maneuvers as well as fine position control for larger spacecraft.
The units were designed and manufactured by Busek for NASA’s Game Changing Development Program in the Space Technology Mission Directorate, which is responsible for developing the crosscutting, pioneering, new technologies and capabilities needed by the agency to achieve its current and future missions.
WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected three proposals to develop and manufacture ultra-lightweight (ULW) materials for future aerospace vehicles and structures. The proposals will mature advanced technologies that will enable NASA to reduce the mass of spacecraft by 40 percent for deep space exploration.
“Lightweight and multifunctional materials and structures are one of NASA’s top focus areas capable of having the greatest impact on future NASA missions in human and robotic exploration,” said Steve Jurczyk, associate administrator for the agency’s Space Technology Mission Directorate in Washington. “These advanced technologies are necessary for us to be able to launch stronger, yet lighter, spacecraft and components as we look to explore an asteroid and eventually Mars.”
Fly wheels, such as the NASA G2 flywheel module above, are one way to store rotational energy for use by spacecraft or machines on Earth. NASA’s looking for new energy storage systems to enable our future exploration missions. (Credit: NASA)
HAMPTON, Virg. (NASA PR) — NASA is seeking proposals for the development of new, more capable, energy storage technologies to replace the battery technology that has long powered America’s space program.
The core technologies solicited in the Wednesday call for proposals will advance energy storage solutions for the space program and other government agencies, such as the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) through ongoing collaboration with NASA and industry.
One of the largest composite rocket propellant tanks ever manufactured is prepared for transport on NASA’s Super Guppy airplane. (Credit: Boeing)
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (NASA PR) — For more than 50 years, metal tanks have carried fuel to launch rockets and propel them into space, but one of the largest composite tanks ever manufactured may change all that. This spring, that tank–known as the composite cryotank–is set to undergo a series of tests at extreme pressures and temperatures similar to those experienced during spaceflight.
WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected for possible flight demonstration 10 proposals from six U.S. states for reusable, suborbital technology payloads and vehicle capability enhancements with the potential to revolutionize future space missions.
After the concepts are developed, NASA may choose to fly the technologies to the edge of space and back on U.S. commercial suborbital vehicles and platforms. These types of flights provide opportunities for testing in microgravity before the vehicles are sent into the harsh environment of space.
A laboratory model MEP thruster. (Credit: NASA)
HAMPTON, Va. (NASA PR) — NASA selected three proposals for the development of lightweight micro-thruster propulsion technologies that are small in size but have big potential.
NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate selected the miniaturized electrospray propulsion technologies to perform stabilization, station keeping and pointing for small spacecraft. NASA hopes these technology demonstrations may lead to similar position control systems for larger spacecraft and satellites as well.
WASHINGTON (NASA PR) –– NASA recently completed a major space technology development milestone by successfully testing a pressurized, large cryogenic propellant tank made of composite materials. The composite tank will enable the next generation of rockets and spacecraft needed for space exploration.
