Two research teams at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland were recently recognized and honored for excellence in innovation at the 54th annual R&D 100 Awards event in Oxon Hill, Maryland. The R&D 100 Awards honor the 100 most innovative technologies and services of the past year and are widely recognized as the “Oscars of Innovation.”
The winners were presented with honors at an annual black-tie awards dinner on Nov. 3 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center. They will also receive special coverage on R&D Magazine’s website and in the September/October issue of R&D Magazine.
Dr. Santo Padula II of North Olmsted, received the R&D 100 Award for developing a new process that trains Shape Memory Alloys (SMAs) to return to a previous form when heated. This new approach allows SMAs to be applied to complex geometric components, so they may be used in a broader number of applications such as aerospace, aviation, automotive, medical and household appliances.
The Roll-Out Solar Array (ROSA) System team received the R&D 100 Award for excellence in the development of advanced structures for high power solar arrays that are stronger, lighter and package more compactly for launch. This technology investment furthers the agency’s deep space exploration goals and aids the commercial communications satellite industry, the provider of direct-to-home television, satellite radio, broadband internet and a multitude of other services.
Team ROSA includes Michael F. Piszczor, Jr. (Broadview Heights) and Jeremiah S. McNatt, (Parma) of Glenn; as well as members of Deployable Space Systems, Inc. in California; and the Air Force Research Laboratory, in New Mexico.
For information about Training Shape Memory Alloy, visit:
http://technology.nasa.gov//t2media/tops/pdf/LEW-TOPS-32.pdf
For information about Roll Out Solar Array Technology, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/feature/roll-out-solar-array-technology-benefits-for-nasa-commercial-sector
To learn more about the NASA Glenn Technology Transfer Office, visit:
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Jeannette Owens
Glenn Research Center, Cleveland
216-433-2990
jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov