Space Technology Research Institutes Appendix
Funding Agency:
- NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) continually looks for ways to help advance the development of U.S. aerospace technology. NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD) already features multiple programs engaged in ground-breaking work with university researchers, most notably the Space Technology Research Grants (STRG) Program. The Space Technology Research Institutes (STRIs or research institutes) complement the individual research grants and project opportunities offered in STMD programs by investing in large, multidisciplinary, university-led research efforts. The research institutes construct enables coordination of experts from a wide range of fields and organizations in a single distributed research structure. For research areas of overlapping interest, this approach could significantly increase partnerships between NASA, other government agencies, industry, and academia, enabling greater progress and benefit for all involved. The institute approach facilitates a more focused and coordinated set of research and development (R&D) efforts than typically arise from a series of separate solicitations and individual research grants. Because the research institute maintains its focus for several years, more effective and substantial research progress is envisioned for the selected high priority research areas identified in this Appendix. In addition, the research institutes have the potential to increase the cadre of STMD researchers by involving experts and/or organizations that do not typically work closely with NASA. The alternate perspectives and new approaches they bring could lead to exciting new solutions and advances.
The goal of an STRI is to strengthen NASA’s ties to the academic community through long-term, sustained investment in research and technology development critical to NASA’s future. The STRIs will enhance and broaden the capabilities of the Nation’s universities to meet the needs of NASA’s science and exploration programs. These investments will also create, fortify, and nurture the talent base of highly skilled engineers, scientists, and technologists to improve America’s technological and economic competitiveness. An STRI is intended to result in cutting-edge advances in technology with the potential for revolutionary impact on future aerospace capabilities. At the same time, it will expand the U.S. talent base in research and development. An STRI has the following key characteristics: • A guiding vision with a resilient research strategy to systematically address and significantly advance one of the solicited research topics • Specific research objectives with credible expected outcomes within five years • A multidisciplinary research program that promotes the synthesis of science, engineering, and other disciplines with relevant contributions • Leveraging existing university expertise and state-of-the-art (SoA) capabilities, including those developed through funding from other government agencies or industry partnerships • Low-to-mid Technology Readiness Level (TRL) research; beginning TRL typically 1-2 • Innovative technical approaches that offer promise for accelerated progress • Empowered leadership: the STRI leadership team will define and manage all research tasks to realize the research institute’s vision • A talented, diverse, cross-disciplinary, and fully integrated team to execute the research program, including multi-university participation and a strong commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility • The involvement of university students in the research teams • Active, long-term, and mutually beneficial interactions with NASA Centers, industry, other government agencies, and non-profit laboratories to achieve infusion of the capabilities developed • A supportive infrastructure and management system; personnel commitments to manage the research program and interact with outside entities • Peer-reviewed publications of and open-source access to results wherever possible
Multiple
$15,000,000
August 3, 2022
November 3, 2022
Claudia M. Meyer, NASA Space Technology Research Grants Program Exec Contact Email