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
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This challenge requires the suppression of direct and scattered light from the star without attenuating or distorting the planet's image. We will develop and demonstrate high performance apodized occulting and pupil masks using a metal/metal oxide film blended to have an effective refractive index of 1.0. These masks provide for high optical density (OD) and high spatial thickness gradients with out introducing variations in phase or optical thickness. These films can be used for apodized occulting masks as well as pupil masks and baffles. An imaging coronagraph is an astronomical instrument used to study dim objects such as brown dwarfs or planets that are in the vicinity of very bright objects such a star. A critical component of the coronagraph is an apodized occulting mask. This mask is a high quality optical component which has a point of high optical density that can be used to block the light from the star without distorting or occulting the image of objects in close proximity to the star. The occulting spot must have sufficient optical density to reduce the intensity of the bright star to at least that of that of the dim object. the image, the optical density must be radially apodized from high OD at the center to very low OD with in 1 mm or so and in a controlled manner. Furthermore, the occulting spot should not induce a phase change or optical path difference for rays passing through different parts of the occulting spot. The proposed solution is to deposit films with a metal/metal oxide blend such that the effective index of the blended film is 1.0 and matches the refractive index of the entrance media. 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