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":"Nirvana Energy Systems (NES) has pioneered and is commercializing an innovative ThermoAcoustic Power Stick (TAPS), partially based on technology developed by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) and NASA. NES has demonstrated and is building a 1 kW TAPS for use in remote power applications where reliability for 15+ years is of paramount importance. Moreover, NES is developing the Thermoacoustic Radioisotope Generator (TRG), a 300 W Radioisotope Power System (RPS), under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program for NASA based on TAPS technology. The novel TAPS technology has no hot moving parts and incorporates well proven, reliable linear motors and alternators in an engine based on the Stirling cycle. NES has designed, optimized, built and tested all sub-systems for reliability, ease of manufacturing and cost reduction over currently available Stirling engines. The TRG is a 300 W tunable power thermoacoustic device which is insensitive to radioisotope heat degradation, capable of 20+ years continuous operation, is inexpensive to manufacture using well established methods, and yields greater than 25% thermal to electrical efficiency all while being designed for a convertor specific power greater than 30 W/kg and anticipated system specific power near 10 W/kg. The TRG will serve as the foundation for the Linear Acoustic Nuclear Conversion Engine (LANCE), which will satisfy all of the Z1.03 solicitation requirements, as a robust and redundant 10 kW tunable power supply, representing the ultimate in remote power devices and the next step in reliable dynamic power conversion for space.","benefits":"The primary goal of LANCE is to develop a thermal-to-electrical power conversion system that produces 10 kW of net electrical output, has >25% efficiency, and durability for a lifetime of greater than 10 years. Due to the significant manufacturing and assemble cost reductions afforded by the TAPS architecture over traditional free piston Stirling systems the TAPS solution could be used as a direct replacement over traditional thermoelectric or other Stirling based systems in future space missions. Future NASA missions would benefit greatly from the cost-reductions afforded by the TAPS system as well as its modularity and relative ease of assembly. Furthermore, the TAPS technology enables architectures that are difficult, or impossible with other systems. Specifically, TAPS can easily be utilized for a combined power and cooling duplex, and some preliminary designs have been created. Such systems would enable a sustained presence in extreme planetary environments such as the surface of Venus.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":"Nirvana Energy Systems (NES) has pioneered and is commercializing an innovative ThermoAcoustic Power Stick (TAPS), partially based on technology developed by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) and NASA. NES has demonstrated and is building a 1 kW TAPS for use in remote power applications where reliability for 15+ years is of paramount importance. Moreover, NES is developing the Thermoacoustic Radioisotope Generator (TRG), a 300 W Radioisotope Power System (RPS), under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program for NASA based on TAPS technology. The novel TAPS technology has no hot moving parts and incorporates well proven, reliable linear motors and alternators in an engine based on the Stirling cycle. NES has designed, optimized, built and tested all sub-systems for reliability, ease of manufacturing and cost reduction over currently available Stirling engines. The TRG is a 300 W tunable power thermoacoustic device which is insensitive to radioisotope heat degradation, capable of 20+ years continuous operation, is inexpensive to manufacture using well established methods, and yields greater than 25% thermal to electrical efficiency all while being designed for a convertor specific power greater than 30 W/kg and anticipated system specific power near 10 W/kg. The TRG will serve as the foundation for the Linear Acoustic Nuclear Conversion Engine (LANCE), which will satisfy all of the Z1.03 solicitation requirements, as a robust and redundant 10 kW tunable power supply, representing the ultimate in remote power devices and the next step in reliable dynamic power conversion for space.","benefits":"The primary goal of LANCE is to develop a thermal-to-electrical power conversion system that produces 10 kW of net electrical output, has >25% efficiency, and durability for a lifetime of greater than 10 years. Due to the significant manufacturing and assemble cost reductions afforded by the TAPS architecture over traditional free piston Stirling systems the TAPS solution could be used as a direct replacement over traditional thermoelectric or other Stirling based systems in future space missions. Future NASA missions would benefit greatly from the cost-reductions afforded by the TAPS system as well as its modularity and relative ease of assembly. Furthermore, the TAPS technology enables architectures that are difficult, or impossible with other systems. Specifically, TAPS can easily be utilized for a combined power and cooling duplex, and some preliminary designs have been created. Such systems would enable a sustained presence in extreme planetary environments such as the surface of Venus.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":"Nirvana Energy Systems (NES) has pioneered and is commercializing an innovative ThermoAcoustic Power Stick (TAPS), partially based on technology developed by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) and NASA. NES has demonstrated and is building a 1 kW TAPS for use in remote power applications where reliability for 15+ years is of paramount importance. Moreover, NES is developing the Thermoacoustic Radioisotope Generator (TRG), a 300 W Radioisotope Power System (RPS), under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program for NASA based on TAPS technology. The novel TAPS technology has no hot moving parts and incorporates well proven, reliable linear motors and alternators in an engine based on the Stirling cycle. NES has designed, optimized, built and tested all sub-systems for reliability, ease of manufacturing and cost reduction over currently available Stirling engines. The TRG is a 300 W tunable power thermoacoustic device which is insensitive to radioisotope heat degradation, capable of 20+ years continuous operation, is inexpensive to manufacture using well established methods, and yields greater than 25% thermal to electrical efficiency all while being designed for a convertor specific power greater than 30 W/kg and anticipated system specific power near 10 W/kg. The 1 kW remote power device served as the foundation for the Linear Acoustic Nuclear Conversion Engine (LANCE), which will satisfy all of the Z1.03 solicitation requirements, as a robust and redundant 2.5 kW tunable power supply, representing the ultimate in remote power devices and the next step in reliable dynamic power conversion for space.","benefits":"The primary goal of LANCE is to develop a thermal-to-electrical power conversion system that produces 2.5 kW of net electrical output, has >25% efficiency, and durability for a lifetime of greater than 10 years. Due to the significant manufacturing and assemble cost reductions afforded by the TAPS architecture over traditional free piston Stirling systems the TAPS solution could be used as a direct replacement over traditional thermoelectric or other Stirling based systems in future space missions. Future NASA missions would benefit greatly from the cost-reductions afforded by the TAPS system as well as its modularity and relative ease of assembly. Furthermore, the TAPS technology enables architectures that are difficult, or impossible with other systems. Specifically, TAPS can easily be utilized for a combined power and cooling duplex, and some preliminary designs have been created. Such systems would enable a sustained presence in extreme planetary environments such as the surface of Venus.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":"Nirvana Energy Systems (NES) has pioneered and is commercializing an innovative ThermoAcoustic Power Stick (TAPS), partially based on technology developed by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) and NASA. NES has demonstrated and is building a 1 kW TAPS for use in remote power applications where reliability for 15+ years is of paramount importance. Moreover, NES is developing the Thermoacoustic Radioisotope Generator (TRG), a 300 W Radioisotope Power System (RPS), under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program for NASA based on TAPS technology. The novel TAPS technology has no hot moving parts and incorporates well proven, reliable linear motors and alternators in an engine based on the Stirling cycle. NES has designed, optimized, built and tested all sub-systems for reliability, ease of manufacturing and cost reduction over currently available Stirling engines. The TRG is a 300 W tunable power thermoacoustic device which is insensitive to radioisotope heat degradation, capable of 20+ years continuous operation, is inexpensive to manufacture using well established methods, and yields greater than 25% thermal to electrical efficiency all while being designed for a convertor specific power greater than 30 W/kg and anticipated system specific power near 10 W/kg. The TRG will serve as the foundation for the Linear Acoustic Nuclear Conversion Engine (LANCE), which will satisfy all of the Z1.03 solicitation requirements, as a robust and redundant 10 kW tunable power supply, representing the ultimate in remote power devices and the next step in reliable dynamic power conversion for space.","benefits":"The primary goal of LANCE is to develop a thermal-to-electrical power conversion system that produces 10 kW of net electrical output, has >25% efficiency, and durability for a lifetime of greater than 10 years. Due to the significant manufacturing and assemble cost reductions afforded by the TAPS architecture over traditional free piston Stirling systems the TAPS solution could be used as a direct replacement over traditional thermoelectric or other Stirling based systems in future space missions. Future NASA missions would benefit greatly from the cost-reductions afforded by the TAPS system as well as its modularity and relative ease of assembly. Furthermore, the TAPS technology enables architectures that are difficult, or impossible with other systems. Specifically, TAPS can easily be utilized for a combined power and cooling duplex, and some preliminary designs have been created. Such systems would enable a sustained presence in extreme planetary environments such as the surface of Venus.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":"Nirvana Energy Systems (NES) has pioneered and is commercializing an innovative ThermoAcoustic Power Stick (TAPS), partially based on technology developed by Xerox PARC (Palo Alto Research Center) and NASA. NES has demonstrated and is building a 1 kW TAPS for use in remote power applications where reliability for 15+ years is of paramount importance. Moreover, NES is developing the Thermoacoustic Radioisotope Generator (TRG), a 300 W Radioisotope Power System (RPS), under the Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) program for NASA based on TAPS technology. The novel TAPS technology has no hot moving parts and incorporates well proven, reliable linear motors and alternators in an engine based on the Stirling cycle. NES has designed, optimized, built and tested all sub-systems for reliability, ease of manufacturing and cost reduction over currently available Stirling engines. The TRG is a 300 W tunable power thermoacoustic device which is insensitive to radioisotope heat degradation, capable of 20+ years continuous operation, is inexpensive to manufacture using well established methods, and yields greater than 25% thermal to electrical efficiency all while being designed for a convertor specific power greater than 30 W/kg and anticipated system specific power near 10 W/kg. The 1 kW remote power device served as the foundation for the Linear Acoustic Nuclear Conversion Engine (LANCE), which will satisfy all of the Z1.03 solicitation requirements, as a robust and redundant 2.5 kW tunable power supply, representing the ultimate in remote power devices and the next step in reliable dynamic power conversion for space.","benefits":"The primary goal of LANCE is to develop a thermal-to-electrical power conversion system that produces 2.5 kW of net electrical output, has >25% efficiency, and durability for a lifetime of greater than 10 years. Due to the significant manufacturing and assemble cost reductions afforded by the TAPS architecture over traditional free piston Stirling systems the TAPS solution could be used as a direct replacement over traditional thermoelectric or other Stirling based systems in future space missions. Future NASA missions would benefit greatly from the cost-reductions afforded by the TAPS system as well as its modularity and relative ease of assembly. Furthermore, the TAPS technology enables architectures that are difficult, or impossible with other systems. Specifically, TAPS can easily be utilized for a combined power and cooling duplex, and some preliminary designs have been created. Such systems would enable a sustained presence in extreme planetary environments such as the surface of Venus.