JSC provides and applies its preeminent capabilities in science and technology to develop, operate, and integrate human exploration missions. The Center encourages collaboration with aerospace and non-aerospace industries, government agencies, and academia to solve science and technology challenges, while actively striving to maximize technology transfer into the commercial sector.
An active and sustainable science and technology development program is key to ensuring the challenges of human exploration are successfully overcome. The JSC-directed solicitations program enables the Center to invest strategically in high priority areas needed to accomplish future missions as articulated in the NASA Technology Roadmaps and the Space Technology Investment Plan (STIP). It offers the Center the ability to address technology gaps that are beyond the requirements of near-term programs to fund. It also provides a platform to continue to grow and maintain critical skills and innovations needed to ensure future mission success. These solicitations encourage use of collaborations to ensure maximum benefit to both the space program and the nation. As such, external partnerships are highly encouraged not only as a funding leverage but to bring innovative ideas and approaches into human exploration programs.
Selection Process
Typically, JSC solicitations are developed by the JSC CTO and the JSC Technology Working Group (JTWG). The competitive calls are coordinated with JSC Senior Staff and communicated to the JSC workforce via internal email distribution to an R&D community list and through postings on the internal center website and through JSC Today notices.
The JTWG solicits, evaluates and prioritizes all JSC solicitation responses in a two-stage process. The JTWG members review project proposals and work together to down-select to the finalists. The Principal Investigators (PIs) make presentations to the JTWG to provide more in-depth project details. This allows the members to select the finalists to support for the year. Selection criteria and funding vary based on the focus of the solicitation but of primary interest are:
Project Accomplishments
Through the result of research and development, JSC’s IR&D project PIs are making important progress in the advancement of technology needed to enable NASA’s mission of space exploration. In addition, many of the technologies development to meet the challenges of space exploration have great commercialization potential. Each year, many of JSC’s IR&D projects file New Technology Reports (NTRs) through the JSC Tech Transfer Office. Several of these reports have received New Technology Evaluation Patent ratings to pursue patents, while additional ones have been scheduled for success story articles to be written and published.
JSC projects active in FY12 and beyond have been included in TechPort. Through the TechPort tool information on the projects is provided and will be updated by PIs as developments and updates become available. This will offer further knowledge and information sharing between NASA developers, researchers, engineers and scientists and other internal and external stakeholders.
The JSC Chief Technologist Office (CTO) sponsors one or more Independent Research & Development (IR&D) solicitations throughout each year depending on available funds. These local solicitations primarily use a blend of Agency Center Innovation Fund (CIF) and the JSC Center Investment Account (CIA) funds to stimulate and encourage technology development, creativity, and innovation. The objective is to address the technology needs of the Agency as well as the nation. For these reasons, funds distributed to JSC support emerging technologies and creative initiatives that leverage the Center’s talent pool and unique capabilities. Scientists and engineers across the Center lead projects and establish partnerships between other centers, agencies, research laboratories, academic institutions and private industries.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","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":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":165,"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":36649,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: JSC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"JSC CIF"},"description":"In-space manufacturing provides the opportunity to build replacement parts on-demand and repair structure to change the paradigm for space exploration mission supportability. Advanced Manufacturing technology such as additive manufacturing and electron beam welding are being developed and utilized on earth but have not yet been adapted to an in-space system context. This project demonstrated the concept of operations for an in-space manufacturing system. In-space manufacturing provides the opportunity to build replacement parts on-demand and repair structure to change the paradigm for space exploration mission supportability. Advanced Manufacturing technology such as additive manufacturing and electron beam welding are being developed and utilized on earth but have not yet been adapted to an in-space system context. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the concept of operations for an in-space manufacturing system. Due to the small-scale of this project and the large cost of advanced manufacturing technology systems, sub-element technology demonstrations were completed. Additive manufacturing concept of operations was demonstrated with the help of JSC's integrated Power, Avionics, and Software facility. A data connection was created between the iPAS flight computer in Houston, TX and LaRC's Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) additive system in Hampton, VA to simulate remote manufacturing. Crew displays and controls were developed and integrated with the iPAS Flight Deck of the Future. A technology demonstration was completed as part of the iPAS asteroid demonstration. Finally, metal and plastic material specimens and parts were fabricated for structural testing and evaluation. Space structure repair was tested by evaluating weld-positioning capability of the Dexterous Manipulator Trainer (DMT), the ground version of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) currently on the International Space Station. DMT positioning testing determined that the SPDM would be useful for gross positioning but fine positioning would be too challenging. JSC's Robonaut, which is still in development, was also tested and performed more adequately for fine positioning tasks, though it's still unclear if it performed well-enough for on-orbit welding.","benefits":"The International Space Station currently has a risk for micrometeoroid orbital debris damage (MMOD) to the pressure wall. With an on-orbit electron beam weld capability, NASA would be able to restore structural integrity to the ISS and recover from potential catastrophic damage. In-space Manufacturing can meet supportability requirements and reduce space mission mass and risk on exploration missions beyond low-earth orbit, as well as the NASA grand challenge of a space way station. Currently, spares, which may never be used, are launched for critical parts. However, with in-space manufacturing, the number of spares launched could be reduced since spares could be manufactured as-needed. Additionally, the in-space manufacturing capability could potentially meet unexpected needs as they arise. ","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":598,"destinationType":[],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"lastUpdated":"02/15/26","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[{"contactId":340661,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Michael","lastName":"Waid","fullName":"Michael C Waid","fullNameInverted":"Waid, Michael C","middleInitial":"C","email":"michael.c.waid@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":541295,"projectId":12155,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"}],"programContacts":[{"contactId":233104,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"John","lastName":"Nelson","fullName":"John C Nelson","fullNameInverted":"Nelson, John C","middleInitial":"C","email":"john.c.nelson@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Director","programContactId":243,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Director","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":53523,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Brian","lastName":"Schwing","fullName":"Brian M Schwing","fullNameInverted":"Schwing, Brian M","middleInitial":"M","email":"brian.m.schwing@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":346,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":159179,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Gary","lastName":"Fleming","fullName":"Gary A Fleming","fullNameInverted":"Fleming, Gary A","middleInitial":"A","email":"gary.a.fleming@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":246,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""}],"leadOrganization":{"organizationId":4853,"organizationName":"Johnson Space Center","acronym":"JSC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Houston","stateTerritoryId":29,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"77058","projectId":12155,"projectOrganizationId":569115,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},"otherOrganizations":[{"organizationId":4853,"organizationName":"Johnson Space Center","acronym":"JSC","organizationType":"NASA_Center","city":"Houston","stateTerritoryId":29,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"77058","projectId":12155,"projectOrganizationId":569115,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"}],"primaryTx":{"taxonomyNodeId":11366,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11365,"code":"TX12.4.1","title":"Manufacturing Processes","description":"This area covers innovative physical manufacturing processes, including microgravity materials processing, welding, composites, biomanufacturing, and nanomanufacturing for high performance, reduced costs, increase accuracy, and reduced defects.","exampleTechnologies":"Additive manufacturing of metallics and nanofiber/fiber /ceramic matrix based composites, especially for large structures; in-space fabrication, assembly and repair; advanced casting and injection molding of metal components, including amorphous metals, metal matrix composites and high-strength aluminum alloys; advanced subtractive manufacturing processes including wire-Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), water jetting and surface finishing; advanced laminate or sheet metal fabrication.","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11340,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX12","title":"Materials, Structures, Mechanical Systems, and Manufacturing","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11365,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11340,"code":"TX12.4","title":"Manufacturing","description":"This area covers innovative physical manufacturing processes and integrations with analysis and design through a digital thread.","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11366,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11365,"code":"TX12.4.1","title":"Manufacturing Processes","description":"This area covers innovative physical manufacturing processes, including microgravity materials processing, welding, composites, biomanufacturing, and nanomanufacturing for high performance, reduced costs, increase accuracy, and reduced defects.","exampleTechnologies":"Additive manufacturing of metallics and nanofiber/fiber /ceramic matrix based composites, especially for large structures; in-space fabrication, assembly and repair; advanced casting and injection molding of metal components, including amorphous metals, metal matrix composites and high-strength aluminum alloys; advanced subtractive manufacturing processes including wire-Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM), water jetting and surface finishing; advanced laminate or sheet metal fabrication.","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":true,"hasInteriorContent":true}]],"technologyOutcomes":[{"technologyOutcomeId":92648,"projectId":12155,"project":{"projectId":12155,"title":"In-Space Manufacturing Development and Demonstration","startDate":"2011-10-01","startYear":2011,"startMonth":10,"endDate":"2012-09-30","endYear":2012,"endMonth":9,"programId":165,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"JSC CIF","isActive":true,"description":"
JSC provides and applies its preeminent capabilities in science and technology to develop, operate, and integrate human exploration missions. The Center encourages collaboration with aerospace and non-aerospace industries, government agencies, and academia to solve science and technology challenges, while actively striving to maximize technology transfer into the commercial sector.
An active and sustainable science and technology development program is key to ensuring the challenges of human exploration are successfully overcome. The JSC-directed solicitations program enables the Center to invest strategically in high priority areas needed to accomplish future missions as articulated in the NASA Technology Roadmaps and the Space Technology Investment Plan (STIP). It offers the Center the ability to address technology gaps that are beyond the requirements of near-term programs to fund. It also provides a platform to continue to grow and maintain critical skills and innovations needed to ensure future mission success. These solicitations encourage use of collaborations to ensure maximum benefit to both the space program and the nation. As such, external partnerships are highly encouraged not only as a funding leverage but to bring innovative ideas and approaches into human exploration programs.
Selection Process
Typically, JSC solicitations are developed by the JSC CTO and the JSC Technology Working Group (JTWG). The competitive calls are coordinated with JSC Senior Staff and communicated to the JSC workforce via internal email distribution to an R&D community list and through postings on the internal center website and through JSC Today notices.
The JTWG solicits, evaluates and prioritizes all JSC solicitation responses in a two-stage process. The JTWG members review project proposals and work together to down-select to the finalists. The Principal Investigators (PIs) make presentations to the JTWG to provide more in-depth project details. This allows the members to select the finalists to support for the year. Selection criteria and funding vary based on the focus of the solicitation but of primary interest are:
Project Accomplishments
Through the result of research and development, JSC’s IR&D project PIs are making important progress in the advancement of technology needed to enable NASA’s mission of space exploration. In addition, many of the technologies development to meet the challenges of space exploration have great commercialization potential. Each year, many of JSC’s IR&D projects file New Technology Reports (NTRs) through the JSC Tech Transfer Office. Several of these reports have received New Technology Evaluation Patent ratings to pursue patents, while additional ones have been scheduled for success story articles to be written and published.
JSC projects active in FY12 and beyond have been included in TechPort. Through the TechPort tool information on the projects is provided and will be updated by PIs as developments and updates become available. This will offer further knowledge and information sharing between NASA developers, researchers, engineers and scientists and other internal and external stakeholders.
The JSC Chief Technologist Office (CTO) sponsors one or more Independent Research & Development (IR&D) solicitations throughout each year depending on available funds. These local solicitations primarily use a blend of Agency Center Innovation Fund (CIF) and the JSC Center Investment Account (CIA) funds to stimulate and encourage technology development, creativity, and innovation. The objective is to address the technology needs of the Agency as well as the nation. For these reasons, funds distributed to JSC support emerging technologies and creative initiatives that leverage the Center’s talent pool and unique capabilities. Scientists and engineers across the Center lead projects and establish partnerships between other centers, agencies, research laboratories, academic institutions and private industries.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"CIF","isActive":true,"description":"Through the Center Innovation Fund, the Space Technology Mission Directorate allocates a small portion of the NASA workforce and procurement budget to internal research and development to feed early stage innovation in technology and exploration. Activities with in the Center Innovation Fund are proposed and led by NASA scientists and engineers. These activities and creative initiatives pursue emerging technologies that leverage talent and capabilities at the NASA Centers.
","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":64,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"stockImageFileId":36643,"title":"Center Innovation Fund","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"CIF"},"parentProgramId":64,"programId":165,"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":36649,"title":"Center Innovation Fund: JSC CIF","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"JSC CIF"},"description":"In-space manufacturing provides the opportunity to build replacement parts on-demand and repair structure to change the paradigm for space exploration mission supportability. Advanced Manufacturing technology such as additive manufacturing and electron beam welding are being developed and utilized on earth but have not yet been adapted to an in-space system context. This project demonstrated the concept of operations for an in-space manufacturing system. In-space manufacturing provides the opportunity to build replacement parts on-demand and repair structure to change the paradigm for space exploration mission supportability. Advanced Manufacturing technology such as additive manufacturing and electron beam welding are being developed and utilized on earth but have not yet been adapted to an in-space system context. The objective of this project is to demonstrate the concept of operations for an in-space manufacturing system. Due to the small-scale of this project and the large cost of advanced manufacturing technology systems, sub-element technology demonstrations were completed. Additive manufacturing concept of operations was demonstrated with the help of JSC's integrated Power, Avionics, and Software facility. A data connection was created between the iPAS flight computer in Houston, TX and LaRC's Electron Beam Freeform Fabrication (EBF3) additive system in Hampton, VA to simulate remote manufacturing. Crew displays and controls were developed and integrated with the iPAS Flight Deck of the Future. A technology demonstration was completed as part of the iPAS asteroid demonstration. Finally, metal and plastic material specimens and parts were fabricated for structural testing and evaluation. Space structure repair was tested by evaluating weld-positioning capability of the Dexterous Manipulator Trainer (DMT), the ground version of the Special Purpose Dexterous Manipulator (SPDM) currently on the International Space Station. DMT positioning testing determined that the SPDM would be useful for gross positioning but fine positioning would be too challenging. JSC's Robonaut, which is still in development, was also tested and performed more adequately for fine positioning tasks, though it's still unclear if it performed well-enough for on-orbit welding.","benefits":"The International Space Station currently has a risk for micrometeoroid orbital debris damage (MMOD) to the pressure wall. With an on-orbit electron beam weld capability, NASA would be able to restore structural integrity to the ISS and recover from potential catastrophic damage. In-space Manufacturing can meet supportability requirements and reduce space mission mass and risk on exploration missions beyond low-earth orbit, as well as the NASA grand challenge of a space way station. Currently, spares, which may never be used, are launched for critical parts. However, with in-space manufacturing, the number of spares launched could be reduced since spares could be manufactured as-needed. Additionally, the in-space manufacturing capability could potentially meet unexpected needs as they arise. ","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","destinationType":[],"trlBegin":2,"trlCurrent":4,"trlEnd":4,"favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"programContacts":[{"contactId":159179,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Gary","lastName":"Fleming","fullName":"Gary A Fleming","fullNameInverted":"Fleming, Gary A","middleInitial":"A","email":"gary.a.fleming@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":246,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":233104,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"John","lastName":"Nelson","fullName":"John C Nelson","fullNameInverted":"Nelson, John C","middleInitial":"C","email":"john.c.nelson@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Director","programContactId":243,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Director","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":53523,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Brian","lastName":"Schwing","fullName":"Brian M Schwing","fullNameInverted":"Schwing, Brian M","middleInitial":"M","email":"brian.m.schwing@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":346,"programId":165,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Manager","projectContactRolePretty":""}],"endDateString":"Sep 2012","startDateString":"Oct 2011"},"technologyOutcomeDate":"2012-09-30","technologyOutcomePath":"Closed_Out","infoText":"Closed out","infoTextExtra":"Project closed out","isIndirect":false,"infusionPretty":"","isBiDirectional":false,"technologyOutcomeDateString":"Sep 2012","technologyOutcomeDateFullString":"September 2012","technologyOutcomePartnerPretty":"","technologyOutcomePathPretty":"Closed Out","technologyOutcomeRationalePretty":""}],"primaryImage":{"file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":355910,"presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"0 Byte"},"libraryItemId":355058,"description":"Project Image In-Space Manufacturing Development and Demonstration","projectId":12155,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"","libraryItemTypePretty":"","modifiedDateString":""},"libraryItems":[{"file":{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":355910,"fileName":"12155-1379725239965","fileSize":200124,"objectId":355058,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"195.4 KB"},"files":[{"fileExtension":"png","fileId":355910,"fileName":"12155-1379725239965","fileSize":200124,"objectId":355058,"objectType":"libraryItemFiles","presignedUpload":false,"fileSizeString":"195.4 KB"}],"libraryItemId":355058,"title":"12155-1379725239965.png","description":"Project Image In-Space Manufacturing Development and Demonstration","libraryItemType":"Image","projectId":12155,"isPrimary":true,"internalOnly":false,"publishedDateString":"","entryDateString":"01/22/25 01:10 AM","libraryItemTypePretty":"Image","modifiedDateString":"05/22/23 02:25 PM"}],"states":[{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29,"isTerritory":false}],"endDateString":"Sep 2012","startDateString":"Oct 2011"}}