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

Chapter 9.1.4

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9.1.4 SPACE OPERATIONS

In the early days of NASA, the demonstration of human space flight was a national priority motivated by the need to prove American technological preeminence. This demonstration led to some of the most spectacular achievements in human history, and during the past 4 decades, NASA has systematically developed the capability to live and work in space. NASA’s role also included space and Earth science, which over time has grown to be a large portion of the Agency’s role. Aeronautics research has continued from the days of NACA, the predecessor of NASA.

In January 2004, President Bush announced a new space exploration vision for America’s civil space program. A Renewed Spirit of Discovery: The President’s Vision for U. S. Space Exploration included four objectives; the fifth objective was added later:

  1. Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond;
  2. Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations;
  3. Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration;
  4. Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests; and
  5. Study the Earth system from space and develop new space-based and related capabilities for this purpose.

The Space Operations Mission Directorate draws its purpose from NASA’s Vision and Mission. The NASA vision is “to improve life here, to extend life to there, and to find life beyond”. Derived from this vision, the NASA mission is “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.”

In support of the NASA vision and mission, the Space Operations Mission Directorate will marshal its efforts around a key transformation to enable the President’s vision. The role of the directorate will continue to involve operational capabilities for the Agency and synergistically guide the development of certain operational systems such as communication systems. The Space Operations Mission Directorate provides the foundation for NASA’s space programs—space travel for human and robotic missions, in-space laboratories, and the means to return data to Earth. We provide space access for our customers with a high standard of safety, reliability, and affordability. The focus of the Space Operations Mission Directorate SBIR activity is to provide affordable communications, and space access services are required to enable and support the goals laid out by the President.

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/

TOPIC O1 Space Communications
O1.01 Coding, Modulation, and Compression
O1.02 Precision Navigation and Tracking
O1.03 Communication for Space-Based Range
O1.04 Antenna Technology
O1.05 Antenna Array Transmission Techniques
O1.06 Reconfigurable/Reprogrammable Communication Systems
O1.07 Extravehicular (EVA) Radios
O1.08 Transformational Communications Technology

TOPIC O2 Space Transportation
O2.01 Automated Optical Tracking and Identification of 3D Tumbling Objects
O2.02 Space Transportation Test Requirements and Instrumentation
O2.03 Automated Collection and Transfer of Range Surveillance/Intrusion Data

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