National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research & Technology Transfer 2006 Program Solicitations

Chapter 9.1.3

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9.1.3 SCIENCE

The fundamental goal of the Vision for Space Exploration is “to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program.” By pursuing the goal of the Vision for Space Exploration, NASA will keep the Nation at the cutting edge of science and technology, as outlined in the 2006 NASA strategic plan (available at http://www.nasa.gov).

Science both enables, and is enabled by, exploration. Keeping this in mind, the science objectives of the NASA Science Mission Directorate is to develop a balanced overall program of science and exploration consistent with the redirection of the human spaceflight program, including:

1. Study planet Earth from space to advance scientific understanding and meet societal needs: (i) Develop predictive capability for changes in the ozone layer, climate forcing, and air quality, weather and extreme weather events, water cycle change and fresh water availability and carbon cycle and ecosystem; (ii) Quantify global land cover change and terrestrial and marine productivity, key reservoirs and fluxes in the global water cycle; (iii) Understand the role of oceans, atmosphere, and ice in the climate system and predicting its future evolution, Earth surface changes and variability of the Earth’s gravitational and magnetic fields; and (iv) Expand and accelerating the realization of societal benefits from Earth system science.
   
   
2. Understand the Sun and its effects on Earth and the Solar System: (i) Understand the fundamental physical processes of the space environment from the Sun to Earth, to other planets, and beyond to the interstellar medium; (ii) Understand how human society, technological systems, and the habitability of planets are affected by solar variability and planetary magnetic fields; and (iii) Predict the extreme and dynamic conditions in space in order to maximize the safety and productivity of human and robotic explorers.
   
   
3. Advance scientific knowledge of the origin and history of the solar system, the potential for life elsewhere, and the hazards and resources present as humans explore space: (i) Learn how the Sun’s family of planets and minor bodies originated and evolved; (ii) Understand the processes that determine the history and future of habitability in the solar system, including the origin and evolution of Earth’s biosphere and the character and extent of prebiotic chemistry on Mars and other worlds; (iii) Identify and investigate past or present habitable environments on Mars and other worlds, and determining if there is or ever has been life elsewhere in the solar system; and (iv) Explore the space environment to discover potential hazards to humans and to search for resources that would enable human presence.
   
   
4. Discover the origin, structure, evolution, and destiny of the universe, and search for Earth-like planets: (i) Understand the origin and destiny of the universe, phenomena near black holes, and the nature of gravity; (ii) Learn how the first stars and galaxies formed, and how they changed over time into the objects we recognize in the present universe; (iii) Learn how individual stars form and how those processes ultimately affect the formation of planetary systems; and (iv) Create a census of extra-solar planets and measuring their properties.
   
   

S1.01 Surface Robotic Exploration
S1.02 Subsurface Robotic Exploration
S1.03 Martian Entry, Descent and Landing Sensors

S2.01 Astrobiology and Atmospheric Instruments for Planetary Exploration
S2.02 In Situ Planetary Atmospheric Measurement Technologies
S2.03 Energy Conversion and Power Electronics for Deep Space Missions
S2.04 Flexible Antennas and Electronics for L-Band Remote Sensing
S2.05 Planetary Balloons and Aerobots

S3.01 Precision Spacecraft Formations for Advanced Telescope Systems
S3.02 Proximity Glare Suppression for Characterization of Faint Astrophysical Objects
S3.03 Precision Deployable Structures and Metrology for Advanced Telescope Systems
S3.04 Optical Devices for Starlight Detection and Wavefront Analysis

S4.01 Sensor and Detector Technology for Visible, IR, Far IR and Submillimeter
S4.02 Detector Technologies for UV, X-Ray, Gamma-Ray and Cosmic-Ray Instruments
S4.03 Cryogenic Systems for Sensors and Detectors
S4.04 Optics Manufacturing and Metrology for Telescopes
S4.05 Data Analysis Technologies for Potential Gravity Wave Signals
S4.06 Terrestrial Balloon Technology

S5.01 Voltage Supplies and Charge Amplifiers for Solar Science Missions
S5.02 Sensors for Measurement of Particles and Fields

S6.01 Passive Optics and Stepping Motors for Spaceborne and Airborne Platforms
S6.02 Lidar System Components for Spaceborne and Airborne Platforms
S6.03 Earth In Situ Sensors
S6.04 Passive Microwave
S6.05 Active Microwave

S7.01 Guidance, Navigation and Control Beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO)
S7.02 Long Duration Command and Data Handling for Harsh Environments
S7.03 Electric Propulsion
S7.04 Chemical and Propellantless Propulsion for Deep Space
S7.05 Power Electronic Devices, Components and Packaging
S7.06 Thermal Control Technologies for Science Spacecraft

S8.01 Automation and Planning for Complex Tasks
S8.02 Distributed Information Systems and Numerical Simulation
S8.03 On-Board Science for Decisions and Actions
S8.04 Spatial and Visual Methods for Search, Analysis and Display of Science Data
S8.05 Science Data Management and Visualization