WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2011 - NASA has selected two game-changing space
technology projects for development. The selections are part of the
agency's efforts to pursue revolutionary technology required for future
missions, while proving the capabilities and lowering the cost of
government and commercial space activities.
"NASA's Game Changing Technology Development program uses a rolling
selection process to mature new, potentially transformative technologies
from low to moderate technology readiness levels -- from the edge of
reality to a test article ready for the rigors of the lab," said Space
Technology Director Michael Gazarik at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
"These two new projects are just the beginning. Space Technology is
making investments in critical technology areas that will enable NASA's
future missions, while benefiting the American aerospace community."
The "Ride the Light" concept seeks to provide external power on
demand for aerospace vehicles and other applications. The concept uses
beamed power and propulsion produced by commercially available power
sources such as lasers and microwave energy. The project will attempt to
develop a low-cost, modular power beaming capability and explore
multiple technologies to function as receiving elements of the beamed
power.
This combination of technologies could be applied to space
propulsion, performance and endurance of unpiloted aerial vehicles or
ground-to-ground power beaming applications. Development of such
capabilities fulfills NASA's strategic goal of developing high payoff
technology and enabling missions otherwise unachievable with today's
technology.
NASA has awarded approximately $3 million
for concept studies to multiple companies during this first phase of
the Ride the Light project. Systems engineering and analysis during this
first phase of the Ride the Light project will be done by Teledyne
Brown Engineering in Huntsville, Ala.; Aerojet in Redmond, Wash.; ATK in Ronkonkoma, N.Y.; Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh; NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.; and Teledyne Scientific, Boeing, and the Aerospace Corp., all located in Los Angeles. Following these studies, NASA expects to make an implementation decision in 2013.
NASA also has selected Amprius Inc. of Menlo Park, Calif.,
to pursue development of a prototype battery that could be used for
future agency missions. Amprius is teaming with JPL and NASA's Glenn
Research Center in Cleveland on the project, with an estimated value of $710,000 for one year of development.
The Amprius project will focus on the material optimization of
silicon anodes and electrolyte formulation to meet the agency's
low-temperature energy requirements. Amprius developed a unique
ultra-high capacity silicon anode for lithium ion batteries that will
enable NASA to dramatically improve the specific energy of mission
critical rechargeable batteries. NASA requirements are unique because of
the extremely low temperatures encountered in space.
These awards are being made through NASA's Game Changing Development
Program. For more information about the program and the agency's Space
Technology Program, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/oct
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