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":"SW2M-R","description":"The aim of this IRAD is to build upon the generic launch window analyzer that has been developed under previous IRADs so as to allow it to be applied to rideshare missions, where a secondary spacecraft makes use of the excess performance capability of current launch vehicles. One example of this excess performance is afforded by the launch of Landsat-8 on an Atlas V: in order to dispose of the Centaur stage after launch, it was not deorbited, but rather injected into a heliocentric escape trajectory.
","benefits":"Rideshare methods have the potential to open up extensive new flight opportunities at modest launch costs: this is of great importance for new business not only for GSFC, but also for NASA as a whole. In addition, other government agencies and commercial launch providers would benefit from the ability to exploit fully the more economical launches that are achievable using rideshare.
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