NASA Selects 12 Companies to Collaborate on Key Technology Developments for Moon to Mars Objectives

NASA Selects 12 Companies to Collaborate on Key Technology Developments for Moon to Mars Objectives

NASA has selected 16 proposals from 12 companies under the 2022 Announcement of Collaboration Opportunity (ACO) to advance capabilities and technologies related to NASA's Moon to Mars Objectives. The cadre of U.S. industry-led teams will test a new lunar rover tire design, develop a robotically assembled power system, build an electrically actuated device to join in-space propellant transfer lines and more.

Under unfunded Space Act Agreements, NASA will provide access to its unique facilities and technical expertise, allowing the agency to directly support the continued development of promising technologies without the transfer of funds.

The selected proposals, grouped by company, and the respective partnering NASA centers are:

Aerojet Rocketdyne in El Segundo, California (two selections)

  • Fully Additively Manufactured LOX-LH2 Engine Demonstration – NASA Marshall
  • Electrically Actuated Quick-Disconnect Coupling for Cislunar and Lunar Surface Cryogenic Propellant Transfer – NASA Marshall

Blue Origin in Kent, Washington (two selections)

  • Friction Stir Additive Manufacturing – NASA Langley and NASA Marshall
  • Metallic Thermal Protection System – NASA Ames and NASA Langley

The Boeing Company in Arlington, Virginia

  • Complex Curvature Retractable Pin Tool Friction Stir Welding Pathfinder Campaign – NASA Marshall

Canopy Aerospace in Denver

  • Low-Cost Reusable Thermal Protection System Substrates as an Alternative to Alumina Enhanced Thermal Barrier – NASA Ames

Lockheed Martin Corporation in Bethesda, Maryland (three selections)

  • Friction Stir Welded Blanks for Advanced Formed Shapes – NASA Langley
  • In-Space Manufacturing Technologies for Thermoplastic Composites – NASA Glenn, NASA Goddard, NASA Langley, and NASA Marshall
  • Oscillating Heat Pipe Technology for Aero Entry and Commercial Applications – NASA Ames and NASA Marshall

Maxar in Westminster, Colorado

  • Automated Robotic Assembly of the Light Bender System – NASA Langley

Phase Four in El Segundo, California

  • Development of an ASCENT (Advanced Spacecraft Energetic Non-Toxic) Gas Feed System for the Phase Four RF (Radio Frequency) Thruster – NASA Marshall

Psionic, LLC in Hampton, Virginia

  • Commercial Wind Measurement Constellation – NASA Langley

Roccor, LLC (Redwire) in Erie, Colorado

  • Characterization of High Aspect Ratio Booms for Large Apertures – NASA Langley

Sierra Space in Louisville, Colorado

  • Development of Low-Cost High Temperature Reusable Thermal Protection System – NASA Ames and NASA Johnson

Stratolaunch in Mojave, California

  • Bringing Shuttle Orbiter TPS into the 21st Century – NASA Ames

Venturi Astrolab in Hawthorne, California

  • Demonstrating Lunar Tire Technology Readiness – NASA Glenn and NASA Johnson

Since the inaugural ACO in 2015, STMD has supported more than 75 ACO projects, including the new awards. The period of performance will be negotiated for each agreement, with an expected duration of between 12 and 24 months. The total estimated value of agency resources to support the agreements is approximately $14.5 million.

The selected proposals will be led by a diverse array of companies including small and large businesses and will develop a broad range of technologies.

Venturi Astrolab will work with NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and Johnson Space Center in Houston to demonstrate a durable lunar rover tire that can tolerate extremely cold temperatures. The design could allow mission planners to consider more lunar locations for rover exploration and longer traverses.

Psionic seeks to expand a well-tested landing technology called Navigation Doppler Lidar to make wind measurements. The small business will work with NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, to adapt the technology for new potential applications such as real-time air traffic management using a satellite constellation and providing better data for studying the climates of both Earth and Mars.

Lockheed Martin will advance in-space manufacturing technologies for thermoplastic composites. This low-cost material requires less energy to make in-orbit compared to metal. The company will test the technique in simulated space environments with several NASA centers.

"By sharing our knowledge and facilities with U.S. companies, NASA helps mature capabilities that promise to benefit our objectives and the entire aerospace industry," said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for the Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) at the agency's headquarters in Washington. "These awards allow us to work with both small and large companies to advance some of the most crucial technologies for future exploration."

"The collaborations reduce the development cost of space technologies and aim to accelerate the infusion of new capabilities," said LK Kubendran, STMD, ACO, and Tipping Point lead. "The 2022 ACO solicitation topics were intentionally broad, allowing industry to propose emerging capabilities with the widest potential benefit, increasing access to space for all."

Click here to learn about the opportunities in developing space technology from NASA.

Publisher: SatNow
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GNSS Constellations - A list of all GNSS satellites by constellations

beidou

Satellite NameOrbit Date
BeiDou-3 G4Geostationary Orbit (GEO)17 May, 2023
BeiDou-3 G2Geostationary Orbit (GEO)09 Mar, 2020
Compass-IGSO7Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)09 Feb, 2020
BeiDou-3 M19Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M20Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)16 Dec, 2019
BeiDou-3 M21Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M22Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)23 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 I3Inclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Nov, 2019
BeiDou-3 M23Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019
BeiDou-3 M24Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)22 Sep, 2019

galileo

Satellite NameOrbit Date
GSAT0223MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0224MEO - Near-Circular05 Dec, 2021
GSAT0219MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0220MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0221MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0222MEO - Near-Circular25 Jul, 2018
GSAT0215MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0216MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0217MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017
GSAT0218MEO - Near-Circular12 Dec, 2017

glonass

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Kosmos 2569--07 Aug, 2023
Kosmos 2564--28 Nov, 2022
Kosmos 2559--10 Oct, 2022
Kosmos 2557--07 Jul, 2022
Kosmos 2547--25 Oct, 2020
Kosmos 2545--16 Mar, 2020
Kosmos 2544--11 Dec, 2019
Kosmos 2534--27 May, 2019
Kosmos 2529--03 Nov, 2018
Kosmos 2527--16 Jun, 2018

gps

Satellite NameOrbit Date
Navstar 82Medium Earth Orbit19 Jan, 2023
Navstar 81Medium Earth Orbit17 Jun, 2021
Navstar 78Medium Earth Orbit22 Aug, 2019
Navstar 77Medium Earth Orbit23 Dec, 2018
Navstar 76Medium Earth Orbit05 Feb, 2016
Navstar 75Medium Earth Orbit31 Oct, 2015
Navstar 74Medium Earth Orbit15 Jul, 2015
Navstar 73Medium Earth Orbit25 Mar, 2015
Navstar 72Medium Earth Orbit29 Oct, 2014
Navstar 71Medium Earth Orbit02 Aug, 2014

irnss

Satellite NameOrbit Date
NVS-01Geostationary Orbit (GEO)29 May, 2023
IRNSS-1IInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)12 Apr, 2018
IRNSS-1HSub Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (Sub-GTO)31 Aug, 2017
IRNSS-1GGeostationary Orbit (GEO)28 Apr, 2016
IRNSS-1FGeostationary Orbit (GEO)10 Mar, 2016
IRNSS-1EGeosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)20 Jan, 2016
IRNSS-1DInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)28 Mar, 2015
IRNSS-1CGeostationary Orbit (GEO)16 Oct, 2014
IRNSS-1BInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)04 Apr, 2014
IRNSS-1AInclined Geosynchronous Orbit (IGSO)01 Jul, 2013