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WASHINGTON – NASA has selected 17 US companies for 20 partnerships to mature industry-developed space technologies for the Moon and beyond. NASA and industry teams will design a 3D printing system for NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program, test a simple method of removing dust from planetary solar arrays, build a first-stage rocket recovery system for a small supplier of satellite launch and more.
Various NASA centers will work with companies, from small businesses and large aerospace companies to a previous NASA challenge winner, to provide expertise and access to the agency’s unique testing facilities. Partnerships aim to accelerate the development of emerging space capabilities.
“The development of space technology doesn’t happen in a vacuum,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate (STMD), who made the selections and will manage the partnerships. “Whether companies are pursuing their own space initiatives or maturing cutting-edge systems to one day deliver a new service to NASA, the agency is dedicated to helping bring new capabilities to market to our mutual benefit.”
NASA made the following selections through the 2020 Collaboration Opportunity Announcement (ACO). The selected proposals are relevant to the technological thematic areas outlined in the solicitation, including the management and propulsion of cryogenic fluids; advanced propulsion; sustainable power; production of propellants and consumables in situ; intelligent / resilient systems and advanced robotics; advanced materials and structures; entry, descent and landing; and technologies for small spacecraft.
The selected companies are:
- Aerojet Rocketdyne Inc. of Redmond, Washington
- Ahmic Aerospace LLC of Oakwood, Ohio
- AI SpaceFactory Inc. of Secaucus, New Jersey
- Blue Origin LLC of Kent, Washington (two selections)
- Box Elder Innovations LLC of Corinne, Utah
- Cornerstone Research Group Inc. of Miamisburg, Ohio
- Elementum 3D Inc. of Erie, Colorado
- Gloyer-Taylor Laboratories LLC of Tullahoma, Tennessee
- IN Space LLC of West Lafayette, Indiana
- Orbital Sciences Corporation (Northrop Grumman Space Systems Inc.) of Dulles, Virginia
- pH Matter LLC of Columbus, Ohio
- Phase Four Inc. of El Segundo, California
- Rocket Lab USA Inc. of Long Beach, California
- Sensuron LLC of Austin, Texas
- Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) of Hawthorne, California
- Space Systems Loral Inc. (Maxar Technologies) of Palo Alto, California (three selections)
- Stellar Exploration Inc. of San Luis Obispo, California
The selections will result in unfunded space deals between the companies and NASA. The execution period will be negotiated for each contract, with an expected duration of between 12 and 24 months. The total estimated value of the agency’s resources to support the deals is approximately $ 15.5 million.
A proposal in advanced materials and structures has potential benefits on the Moon, Mars and even Earth. AI SpaceFactory, an architectural and technology design company and winner of NASA’s 3D Printed Habitat Challenge, will develop a new material that mimics lunar regolith or dirt. Working with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the company will 3D print a test structure in a vacuum chamber that mimics environmental conditions on the Moon. The research could provide insights into a 3D printing system for building large surface structures from materials in situ on other worlds. On Earth, a locally sourced high-performance 3D printing material could benefit the construction industry by simplifying supply chains and reducing material waste.
SpaceX will collaborate with NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia to acquire images and thermal measurements of its Starship vehicle during orbital reentry into the Pacific Ocean. With the data, the company plans to promote a reusable thermal protection system, which protects the vehicle from aerodynamic heating, for return missions from low Earth orbit, the Moon and Mars.
Ohio-based small business Ahmic Aerospace will also develop new thermal protection systems by partnering with NASA’s Ames Research Center in California’s Silicon Valley. Ahmic will use Ames’ Arc Jet Complex to test hardware and collect data on how materials perform under ablative conditions.
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