National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research & Technology Transfer 2005 Program Solicitations

Chapter 9.1.3

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9.1.3 SCIENCE

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Vision,

To improve life here, to extend life there, and to find life beyond, and its Mission,

To understand and protect our home planet,
To explore the Universe and search for life, and
To inspire the next generation of explorers
... as only NASA can,

allow the science objectives of the NASA Science Mission Directorate to be clearly defined as the orderly pursuit of the Agency's strategic goals and strategic objectives. Responsibility for achieving several of NASA's strategic objectives (The New Age of Exploration - NASA's Direction for 2005 and Beyond, available at http://www.nasa.gov) belongs, in whole or in part, to the Science Mission Directorate (SMD), including:

Undertake robotic and human lunar exploration to further science and to develop and test new approaches, technologies, and systems to enable and support sustained human and robotic exploration of Mars and more distant destinations;
Conduct robotic exploration of Mars to search for evidence of life, to understand the history of the Solar System, and to prepare for future human exploration;
Conduct robotic exploration across the Solar System for scientific purposes and to support human exploration – in particular, explore Jupiter's moons, asteroids, and other bodies to search for evidence of life; to understand the history of the Solar System; and to search for resources;
Conduct advanced telescope searches for Earth-like planets and habitable environments around other stars;
Explore the universe to understand its origin, structure, evolution, and destiny;
Conduct a program of research and technology development to advance Earth observation from space, improve scientific understanding, and demonstrate new technologies with the potential to improve future operational systems;
Explore the Sun-Earth system to understand the Sun and its effects on Earth, the Solar System, and the space environmental conditions that will be experienced by human explorers, and demonstrate technologies that can improve future operational Earth observation systems; and
Use NASA missions and other activities to inspire and motivate the nation's students and teachers, to engage and educate the public, and to advance the scientific and technological capabilities of the nation.

The following SBIR topics and subtopics seek to develop technology to enable science missions in support of these strategic objectives.

http://science.hq.nasa.gov/

TOPIC S1 Robotic Exploration of the Moon and Mars

S1.01 Detection and Reduction of Biological Contamination on Flight Hardware
S1.02 Mars In Situ Robotics Technology
S1.03 Long Range Optical Telecommunications
S1.04 Entry, Descent and Landing
S1.05 Sample Return Technologies

TOPIC S2 Robotic Exploration Throughout the Solar System

S2.01 Science Instruments for Conducting Solar System Exploration
S2.02 Extreme High Temperature/High Pressure Environment
S2.03 Nanosensors
S2.04 Deep Space Power Systems
S2.05 Astrobiology
S2.06 Advanced Flexible Electronics
S2.07 Risk Modeling and Analysis

TOPIC S3 Astronomical Observatories to Seek Earth-like Extrasolar Planets and Environments

S3.01 Precision Formations for Interferometry
S3.02 High Contrast Astrophysical Imaging
S3.03 Precision Deployable Lightweight Cryogenic Structures for Large Space Telescopes
S3.04 Large-Aperture Lightweight Cryogenic Telescope Components and Systems

TOPIC S4 Exploration of the Universe Beyond Our Solar System

S4.01 Infrared and Sub-mm Sensors and Detectors
S4.02 Terrestrial and Extra-Terrestrial Balloons and Aerobots
S4.03 Cryogenic Systems for Sensors and Detectors
S4.04 Optics and Optical Telescopes (including X-Ray, UV, Visual, IR)
S4.05 Sensor and Detector Technology for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments
S4.06 Technologies for Gravity Wave Detection

TOPIC S5 Sun-Solar System Connection

S5.01 Low Thrust and Propellantless Propulsion Technologies
S5.02 Accommodation and Mitigation of Space Environmental Effects
S5.03 Technologies for Particles and Fields Measurements

TOPIC S6 Earth-Sun System Instrument and Sensor Technology

S6.01 Passive Optics
S6.02 Lidar Remote Sensing
S6.03 Earth In Situ Sensors
S6.04 Passive Microwave
S6.05 Active Microwave
S6.06 Passive Infrared - Sub Millimeter
S6.07 Thermal Control for Instruments

TOPIC S7 Earth-Sun System Data Applications

S7.01 Geospatial Data Analysis Processing and Visualization Technologies
S7.02 Innovative Tools and Techniques Supporting the Practical Uses of Earth Science Observations
S7.03 Wireless Technologies for Spatial Data, Input, Manipulation and Distribution

TOPIC S8 Science Spacecraft Systems Technology

S8.01 Guidance, Navigation and Control
S8.02 Command and Data Handling
S8.03 Long Range and Near Earth RF Communications
S8.04 Spacecraft Propulsion
S8.05 Energy Conversion and Storage for Space Applications
S8.06 Platform Power Management and Distribution

TOPIC S9 Advanced Modeling, Simulation, and Analysis for Science

S9.01 Automation and Planning
S9.02 Distributed Information Systems and Numerical Simulation
S9.03 Data Management and Visualization
S9.04 On-Board Science for Decisions and Actions

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