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","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":"Howe Industries LLC will investigate, design, and demonstrate the fabrication of fuel elements for a safe, robust NTR - the Scored Plate Reactor as an Innovative Nuclear Thermal Rocket -- SPRINTR. This design will enable a compact, safe, robust, NTR to be designed that emits clean exhaust, high specific impulse, high thrust to weight, intrinsic subcriticality in accident scenarios, and affordability. The SPRINTR design uses a stack of thin plates of fuel which have radial grooves etched into the top surface. The size of the grooves, number of grooves, and thickness of the plate can be varied to match power density. The coolant flow is a folded flow path identical to the particle bed reactor but the solid fuel form solves the problems of matching the power density. The flat plate fuel element allows extreme ease of manufacture and allows coatings to be easily applied if needed. The basis of the concept will utilize LEU loaded tungsten fuel. This will allow retention of all radioactivity and clean exhaust. Clean exhaust will enable much more affordable ground based testing facilities to be considered. Separating each fuel plate will be graphite composite plates. These will be unloaded graphite which will moderate neutrons and provide a more thermal neutron spectrum. By providing a more moderated neutron spectrum, much less LEU will be required in the tungsten fuel. In the event the graphite elements crack or erode, no radioactivity or fuel is lost to the flow stream. Due to advancements in cermet fuels, the SPRINTR can succeed where previous flat plate designs struggled. The proposed design allows for simple manufacturing, effective heat transfer, high thrust, and low mass.","benefits":"A human mission to Mars will drive technology and focus public attention. Leading the human exploration of space demonstrates the superiority of the US technology and industrial base to the world. Robotic missions to the outer planets benefit from shorter mission flight times and higher payload masses-thus, greater scientific return. Similarly, human missions benefit from shorter exposure to galactic cosmic radiation and higher payloads for life support. Recent studies made at the CSNR have also identified the benefits of using an NTR to support a Lunar Outpost and to intercept an inbound \"planet-killing\" comet. The concept of using a NTR as a \"space tug\" to launch robotic probes to the outer planets is also possible. Previous studies have shown that the expense of developing the NTR could be recovered in 7 years even without the human mission to Mars and would see significant profits to private industry with the inclusion of a human mission.