NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

› NASA Seeks Game Changing Technology Payloads for Suborbital Research Flights

› View the FY11 Unique and Innovative BAA solicitation.

NASA Seeks Payloads for Suborbital Research Flights
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›  Click here for more info on Composite Cryogenic Technologies The Game Changing Technology Division focuses on maturing advanced space technologies that may lead to entirely new approaches for the Agency's future space missions and solutions to significant national needs. The two programs in this division, the Game Changing Development (GCD) Program and the Small Satellite Subsystems Technologies Program, determine the feasibility of novel ideas and approaches that have the potential to revolutionize future space missions.

The GCD Program will identify and rapidly mature innovative, high-impact capabilities and technologies and complement them with "new start" and competitively selected projects by using a balanced approach of guided technology development efforts and competitively selected efforts from across NASA, academia, industry and other government agencies. 
The program will focus on taking technologies from proof of concept through component testing by investing in specific technology areas along the following themes:

1. Safe and Reliable Human Exploration
2. Intelligent Space Operations
3. Advanced Materials, Structures, and Manufacturing
4. Affordable Space Exploration
5. Revolutionary Robotic Systems
6. Advanced Measurement, Navigation, and Communication Systems
7. Future Energy Systems.

The Program work is done primarily in the laboratory with ground testing instead of space work. Successful technologies will transition to other program such as Technology Demonstration Missions or directly to flight missions. With a focus on game-changing technologies, success is not expected with each investment; however, on the whole, and over time, dramatic advances in space technology that enable entirely new NASA missions and potential solutions for a wide variety of our society's grand technological challenges are expected and will be measured.

The FY 2012 budget for the Game Changing Development Program within OCT's Space Technology Program is ~$155 million.

Questions may be directed to Stephen Gaddis at stephen.w.gaddis@nasa.gov.