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":"Manned lunar exploration will require extravehicular activity (EVA) suits that surpass existing technology. We propose an innovative thermal control system for EVA suits that uses an absorption heat pump with a flexible radiator that offers reduced size, lighter weight, conformability, rugged construction, and freeze tolerance. The heat pump absorbs a crew member's metabolic heat and rejects it via radiation to the environment. Innovative materials and construction enable a very lightweight and flexible system that is rugged and easily repairable. In Phase I we will prove feasibility by assessing material suitability for lunar operations, demonstrating the critical fabrication steps for key components, then testing these components to demonstrate thermal performance. In Phase II we will build, demonstrate, and deliver a complete prototype heat pump system. ","releaseStatus":"Released","status":"Completed","viewCount":831,"destinationType":[],"lastUpdated":"01/27/25","favorited":false,"detailedFunding":false,"projectContacts":[],"programContacts":[{"contactId":206378,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Jason","lastName":"Kessler","fullName":"Jason L Kessler","fullNameInverted":"Kessler, Jason L","middleInitial":"L","email":"jason.l.kessler@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Director","programContactId":607,"programId":73,"programContactRolePretty":"Program Director","projectContactRolePretty":""},{"contactId":62051,"canUserEdit":false,"firstName":"Carlos","lastName":"Torrez","fullName":"Carlos Torrez","fullNameInverted":"Torrez, Carlos","email":"carlos.torrez@nasa.gov","receiveEmail":"Subscribed_User","programContactRole":"Program_Manager","programContactId":606,"programId":73,"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":6747,"projectOrganizationId":22168,"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":6747,"projectOrganizationId":22168,"organizationRole":"Lead_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Lead Organization","organizationTypePretty":"NASA Center"},{"organizationId":4561,"organizationName":"Creare, LLC","organizationType":"Industry","city":"Hanover","stateTerritoryId":58,"stateTerritory":{"abbreviation":"NH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"New Hampshire","stateTerritoryId":58,"isTerritory":false},"country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"zipCode":"03755","dunsNumber":"072021041","uei":"JDKYAKDT4TT6","cageCode":"8A287","congressionalDistrict":"New Hampshire 02","projectId":6747,"projectOrganizationId":32046,"organizationRole":"Supporting_Organization","canUserEdit":false,"locationEdit":false,"organizationRolePretty":"Supporting Organization","organizationTypePretty":"Industry"}],"primaryTx":{"taxonomyNodeId":11427,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11424,"code":"TX14.2.3","title":"Heat Rejection and Storage","description":"This area includes technologies that more effectively reject heat for an element. Technologies are needed to make these methods more reliable and standardized and increase the capability for effective ground testing. This area includes technologies that manage system heat by primarily using the thermal and/or optical properties of a given material. This area includes in-space and ground applications.","exampleTechnologies":"Radiators, radiator turn-down devices (e.g. louvers, heat switches, variable conductance heat pipes), phase change materials, transpiration cooling, heat sinks, optical coatings, variable coatings, sunshades, molten salts, cryogens, evaporation, boiling, condensation, autonomous radiator maintenance, dust tolerant radiators, high heat load 500 - 500 kW rejection","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":false,"isPrimary":true,"hasInteriorContent":true},"primaryTxTree":[[{"taxonomyNodeId":11417,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"code":"TX14","title":"Thermal Management Systems","level":1,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11424,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11417,"code":"TX14.2","title":"Thermal Control Components and Systems","description":"Thermal control components and systems provide capabilities that enable an element to maintain operational temperature limits. An element uses various components to achieve the primary functions of waste energy acquisition; transport; rejection, storage, and reclamation; and temperature control within hardware limits through various mission environments. These functions are enabled through core capabilities of analysis, performance monitoring via sensors, and V&V to ensure mission success.","exampleTechnologies":"","level":2,"hasChildren":true,"selected":false,"hasInteriorContent":true},{"taxonomyNodeId":11427,"taxonomyRootId":8817,"parentNodeId":11424,"code":"TX14.2.3","title":"Heat Rejection and Storage","description":"This area includes technologies that more effectively reject heat for an element. Technologies are needed to make these methods more reliable and standardized and increase the capability for effective ground testing. This area includes technologies that manage system heat by primarily using the thermal and/or optical properties of a given material. This area includes in-space and ground applications.","exampleTechnologies":"Radiators, radiator turn-down devices (e.g. louvers, heat switches, variable conductance heat pipes), phase change materials, transpiration cooling, heat sinks, optical coatings, variable coatings, sunshades, molten salts, cryogens, evaporation, boiling, condensation, autonomous radiator maintenance, dust tolerant radiators, high heat load 500 - 500 kW rejection","level":3,"hasChildren":false,"selected":true,"hasInteriorContent":true}]],"technologyOutcomes":[],"libraryItems":[],"states":[{"abbreviation":"NH","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"New Hampshire","stateTerritoryId":58,"isTerritory":false},{"abbreviation":"TX","country":{"abbreviation":"US","countryId":236,"name":"United States"},"countryId":236,"name":"Texas","stateTerritoryId":29,"isTerritory":false}],"endDateString":"Jul 2007","startDateString":"Jan 2007"}}