Goddard's IRAD program is managed under Goddard's Office of Chief Technologist. Activities are coordinated in collaboration with the Sciences and Exploration Directorate; Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate; Flight Projects Directorate; Wallops Flight Facility; New Opportunites Office; SBIR/STTR program; Goddard Strategic Partnerships Office; and the Export Compliance Office.
IRAD provides"seed funding" to develop concepts, reduce technology risk, and advance human capital and technological capabilities. The program is highly competitive, opportunity-driven, and 100% strategically aligned with NASA's and GSFC's strategic priorities. A significant portion of the program is focused on Early Stage Innovations for high-risk, strategically aligned, potential high-payoff technologies that are longer-term or lower TRL.
","parentProgram":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"IRAD","isActive":true,"programId":87,"responsibleMd":{"canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":""},"title":"Center Independent Research & Development","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"IRAD"},"parentProgramId":87,"programId":153,"responsibleMd":{"organizationId":4910,"organizationName":"Mission Support Directorate","acronym":"MSD","organizationType":"NASA_Mission_Directorate","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Mission Directorate"},"responsibleMdOffice":4910,"title":"Center Independent Research & Development: GSFC IRAD","manageGaps":false,"acronymOrTitle":"GSFC IRAD"},"acronym":"","description":"The Atom Interferometry (AI) Technology for Gravity Wave Measurements demonstrates new matter wave Interferometric sensor technology for precise detection and measurement of primordial gravity waves and space geodesy.
Develop an Atom Interferometry-based gravity wave detector (vs Optical Interferometry). Characterize a high power laser. Use Goddard Space Flight Center Mission Design Lab to study a single flyer with boom and developed cost estimate. Also funded a study at Stanford on Large Momentum Beam Splitters applications for Detection of Gravity Waves using Atom Interferometry.
The Atom Interferometry Technology will enable detection of Gravity Waves using Atom Interferometry sensors. Applicable for a gravity gradient mission, gravity wave missions, and sun normal mode measurements. It allows for extremely hard to do measurements of phase of Gravity Wave for astrophysics and gravity gradient for Geodesy. It greatly reduces mission cost by allowing single, smaller spacecraft for same science.
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