{"projectId":5583,"project":{"projectId":5583,"title":"Radiation Shielding Using Thermally Insulating Spheres, Phase I","startDate":"2005-01-18","startYear":2005,"startMonth":1,"endDate":"2005-07-25","endYear":2005,"endMonth":7,"programId":73,"program":{"ableToSelect":false,"acronym":"SBIR/STTR","isActive":true,"description":"<p>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.</p><p><strong>The SBIR and STTR programs have 3 phases</strong>:</p><ul><li><strong>Phase I</strong> is the opportunity to establish the scientific, technical, and commercial feasibility of the proposed innovation in fulfillment of NASA needs.</li><li><strong>Phase II</strong> is focused on the development, demonstration and delivery of the proposed innovation.</li></ul><p>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.</p><ul><li><strong>Phase III</strong> is the commercialization of innovative technologies, products, and services resulting from either a Phase I or Phase II contract. Phase III contracts are funded from sources other than the SBIR and STTR programs and may be awarded without further competition.</li></ul><p><strong>Opportunity for Continued Technology Development Post-Phase II</strong>:</p><p>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.&nbsp;</p><p><strong>Please review the links below to obtain more information on the SBIR/STTR programs.</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/ParticipationGuide.pdf\">Participation Guide</a></strong></li></ul><p>Provides an overview of the SBIR and STTR programs as implemented by NASA</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/solicitations\">Program Solicitations</a></strong></li></ul><p>Provides access to the annual SBIR/STTR Solicitations containing detailed information on the program eligibility requirements, proposal instructions and research topics and subtopics</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/prg_sched_anncmnt\">Schedule and Awards</a></strong></li></ul><p>Schedule and links for the SBIR/STTR solicitations and selection announcements</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/content/additional-sources-assistance\">Sources of Assistance</a></strong></li></ul><p>Federal and non-Federal sources of assistance for small business</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/abstract_archives\">Awarded Abstracts</a></strong></li></ul><p>Search our complete archive of awarded project abstracts to learn about what NASA has funded</p><ul><li><strong><a href=\"http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/content/frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently Asked Questions</a></strong></li></ul><p>&nbsp;Still have questions? Visit the program FAQs</p>","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","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","acronymOrTitle":"SBIR/STTR"},"description":"The design of future habitation structures and exploration vehicles will require a higher level of crew protection from dangerous solar particle events (SPE) and galactic cosmic rays (GCR) than is currently provided for operations in low Earth orbit (LEO).  The incorporation of radiation shielding technology into sub-system elements will be crucial to the success of future designs.  One area where radiation shielding may be incorporated is in thermal insulation materials.  The design of habitation structures and exploration vehicles will require extensive thermal protection.  Combining the roles of radiation shielding and thermal insulation may be possible by using millimeter sized spheres in place of multi-layer insulation (MLI).  By manufacturing the spheres from materials known to provide radiation shielding, the complexity of a vehicle or habitation structure can be reduced.  An additional benefit of using spheres as insulation is the ability to operate in a weak vacuum such as the Mars atmosphere.  Thus, a sphere insulation design could also be used in the ultra-low pressure gas environment of Mars.  This project will involve the research and evaluation of materials most suitable for radiation shielding and thermal performance evaluation testing of multiple sample sizes in both vacuum and low pressure gas environments.","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":674,"destinationType":[],"lastUpdated":"01/27/25","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[{"contactId":392220,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Richard","lastName":"Horton","fullName":"Richard D Horton","fullNameInverted":"Horton, Richard D","middleInitial":"D","email":"richard.d.horton@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","projectContactRole":"Principal_Investigator","projectContactId":38596,"projectId":5583,"programContactRolePretty":"","projectContactRolePretty":"Principal Investigator"}],"programContacts":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason 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integrated design tool, uncertainty models for thick shielding, active shielding modeling tool set","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11157,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX06","title":"Human Health, Life Support, and Habitation Systems","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11182,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11157,"code":"TX06.5","title":"Radiation","description":"Radiation technologies increase a crew's mission duration in the free-space radiation environment by ensuring the radiation level remains below the permissible exposure limit.","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11185,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11182,"code":"TX06.5.3","title":"Protection Systems","description":"Integrated radiation protection shielding technologies provide passive or active shielding through 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