The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"SBIR/STTR"},"description":"This proposal describes the preliminary development of surface acoustic wave (SAW) based hypergolic fuel sensors for NASA application to distributed wireless leak detection systems. SAW devices are a platform technology for passive wireless sensing of numerous possible measurands. ASR&D and its collaborators have demonstrated passive wireless sensors using SAW devices, for applications including temperature sensing, cryogenic liquid level sensing, hydrogen sensors, and humidity sensors under NASA SBIR and STTR funding. The proposed hypergolic fuel sensors will use SAW devices combined with chemically selective film elements to explore the possibility of producing sensitive hydrazine (HZ, MMH, and DMH), and nitrogen tetroxide sensors capable of detecting low ppb concentrations over a range of ambient conditions. This research will utilize the results obtained in ASR&D's nanocluster Palladium (Pd) film and coded SAW sensor and wireless interrogation system research, and existing hypergol sensing technologies. The proposed films should experience large conductivity changes due to interactions with the hypergolic chemicals being detected, producing measurable changes in SAW device performance, as seen in ASR&D's hydrogen sensors. During the Phase I project, issues including formation of the chemically selective films on piezoelectric substrates, optimization of these films, and sensor performance for different device types will be investigated. Successful completion of the proposed Phase I activities will establish the technical feasibility of producing the proposed sensors, evaluate the potential performance capabilities of optimized sensors, and define the additional work necessary to effect device implementation. Assuming the results of Phase I are positive, Phase II could result in development of multiple uniquely identifiable, wirelessly interrogable hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide sensors.","benefits":"Hydrazine [HZ], along with its methyl-substituted derivatives (including monomethylhydrazine [MMH] and dimethylhydrazine [DMH]) are flammable, toxic compounds that are also suspected carcinogens. Permissible exposure limits, as recommended by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists, are 10ppb. Nitrogen tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent, and has a threshold limit of 3 ppm. In order to minimize potential exposure of personnel and to facilitate cleanup, it is essential to rapidly identify and localize accidental releases of these materials in both vapor and liquid form. Sensor systems used for this purpose must be capable of detecting levels of these compounds at concentrations far enough below regulatory limits to trigger alarms before regulatory exposure limits have been met. Thus, detection at low ppb levels is desirable for hydrazine, and high ppb levels for nitrogen tetroxide. The proposed sensors have the potential of providing rapid, real-time monitoring for these chemicals, at levels low enough to enable alarm system operation. Such sensors would be useful in any facility that manufactures, stores, transports, or uses these compounds. The world market for hydrazine and its organic derivatives is growing, with applications in space, defense, and civilian arenas. Availability of a cost-effective monitoring technology for these compounds could enhance regulatory compliance and safety industry-wide.The NASA SBIR and STTR programs fund the research, development, and demonstration of innovative technologies that fulfill NASA needs as described in the annual Solicitations and have significant potential for successful commercialization. If you are a small business concern (SBC) with 500 or fewer employees or a non-profit RI such as a university or a research laboratory with ties to an SBC, then NASA encourages you to learn more about the SBIR and STTR programs as a potential source of seed funding for the development of your innovations.
The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases:
The SBIR and STTR Phase I contracts last for 6 months with a maximum funding of $125,000, and Phase II contracts last for 24 months with a maximum funding of $750,000 - $1.5 million.
Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II:
The NASA SBIR/STTR Program currently has in place two initiatives for supporting its small business partners past the basic Phase I and Phase II elements of the program that emphasize opportunities for commercialization. Specifically, the NASA SBIR/STTR Program has the Phase II Enhancement (Phase II-E) and Phase II eXpanded (Phase II-X) contract options.
Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.
Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA
Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics
Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements
Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business
Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded
Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"isActive":true,"description":"Catalyst is a portfolio of early stage programs that specialize in different innovation constituencies and mechanisms to push the state of the art in aerospace technology development","programId":92327,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Catalyst","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"Catalyst"},"parentProgramId":92327,"programId":73,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4875,"organizationName":"Space Technology Mission Directorate","acronym":"STMD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4875,"stockImageFileId":36648,"title":"Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Tech Transfer","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"SBIR/STTR"},"description":"This proposal describes the preliminary development of surface acoustic wave (SAW) based hypergolic fuel sensors for NASA application to distributed wireless leak detection systems. SAW devices are a platform technology for passive wireless sensing of numerous possible measurands. ASR&D and its collaborators have demonstrated passive wireless sensors using SAW devices, for applications including temperature sensing, cryogenic liquid level sensing, hydrogen sensors, and humidity sensors under NASA SBIR and STTR funding. The proposed hypergolic fuel sensors will use SAW devices combined with chemically selective film elements to explore the possibility of producing sensitive hydrazine (HZ, MMH, and DMH), and nitrogen tetroxide sensors capable of detecting low ppb concentrations over a range of ambient conditions. This research will utilize the results obtained in ASR&D's nanocluster Palladium (Pd) film and coded SAW sensor and wireless interrogation system research, and existing hypergol sensing technologies. The proposed films should experience large conductivity changes due to interactions with the hypergolic chemicals being detected, producing measurable changes in SAW device performance, as seen in ASR&D's hydrogen sensors. During the Phase I project, issues including formation of the chemically selective films on piezoelectric substrates, optimization of these films, and sensor performance for different device types will be investigated. Successful completion of the proposed Phase I activities will establish the technical feasibility of producing the proposed sensors, evaluate the potential performance capabilities of optimized sensors, and define the additional work necessary to effect device implementation. Assuming the results of Phase I are positive, Phase II could result in development of multiple uniquely identifiable, wirelessly interrogable hydrazine and nitrogen tetroxide sensors.","benefits":"Hydrazine [HZ], along with its methyl-substituted derivatives (including monomethylhydrazine [MMH] and dimethylhydrazine [DMH]) are flammable, toxic compounds that are also suspected carcinogens. Permissible exposure limits, as recommended by the American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists, are 10ppb. Nitrogen tetroxide is a strong oxidizing agent, and has a threshold limit of 3 ppm. In order to minimize potential exposure of personnel and to facilitate cleanup, it is essential to rapidly identify and localize accidental releases of these materials in both vapor and liquid form. Sensor systems used for this purpose must be capable of detecting levels of these compounds at concentrations far enough below regulatory limits to trigger alarms before regulatory exposure limits have been met. Thus, detection at low ppb levels is desirable for hydrazine, and high ppb levels for nitrogen tetroxide. The proposed sensors have the potential of providing rapid, real-time monitoring for these chemicals, at levels low enough to enable alarm system operation. Such sensors would be useful in any facility that manufactures, stores, transports, or uses these compounds. The world market for hydrazine and its organic derivatives is growing, with applications in space, defense, and civilian arenas. Availability of a cost-effective monitoring technology for these compounds could enhance regulatory compliance and safety industry-wide.