INVESTMENTS IN OUR FUTURE:

EXPLORING SPACE THROUGH INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY

Dr. Bobby Braun

NASA Chief Technologist

Maryland Space Business Roundtable

June 21, 2011

1

NASA’s Grand Achievement Defined Rocket Science

2

Potential Future Science Decadal Missions

Jupiter Europa Orbiter

Cosmic Inflation ProbeNew Worlds Observer

Solar Probe Plus

Mars Sample Return

3

Human Exploration Building Blocks

4

Future Human Space Flight Systems

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF TECHNOLOGIST www.nasa.gov/oct

Space Technology: From Concept to Flight

Providing Infusion for NASA’s Future Missions

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Prove feasibility of novel, early-

stage ideas with potential to

revolutionize a future NASA mission

and/or fulfill national need.

Mature crosscutting capabilities

that advance multiple future space

missions to flight readiness status

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Infusion

Opportunities

for NASA

Mission

Directorates,

Other Govt.

Agencies, and

IndustryIdea

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Solution

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Creative ideas regarding

future NASA systems or

solutions to national needs.

Industry

Academia

Gov’t

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Space Technology: Investments in Our Future

• Enabling Our Future in Space: By investing in high payoff, disruptive

technology that industry cannot tackle today, Space Technology matures the

technology required for NASA’s future missions in science and exploration while

proving the capabilities and lowering the cost of other government agencies and

commercial space activities.

• Building U.S. Economic Competitiveness: With a portfolio of

innovative, high-risk, high-return research, NASA will stimulate the economy

and build our Nation’s global economic competitiveness through the creation of

new products and services, new business and industries, and high-quality,

sustainable jobs. For every $1M invested in Space Technology, NASA expects

as many as 20 high tech jobs in the U.S.

• Technological Leadership is Key to Winning the Future: Space

Technology is the central NASA contribution to a revitalized set of federal

investments in research, technology and innovation across the Nation. Through

investments in Space Technology, NASA can be a significant part of the solution

to our nation's economic, national security and geopolitical challenges.

• Making a Difference in Our Lives Everyday: Knowledge provided by

weather and navigational spacecraft, efficiency improvements in both ground

and air transportation, biomedical applications including blood-flow monitoring

devices, pacemakers, and Lasik eye surgery, as well as the protective armor

that keeps our military, firefighters and police safe all benefitted from our

nation’s investments in aerospace technology. By investing in Space

Technology, NASA will continue to make a difference in the world around us.

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Example Space Technology Projects

Human-Robotic Systems (JSC)

Autonomous Systems (ARC)

Low Density Supersonic Decelerators (JPL)

Cryogenic Propellant Storage and Transfer (GRC)

ISS MISSE-X Experiment (LaRC)

ISS SPHERES Fluid-Slosh Experiment (KSC)

Robotic Satellite Servicing (GSFC)

Optical Communications (JPL/GSFC)

Composite Cryotanks (MSFC)

8

Space Technology: Improving Our Lives

Advanced Diagnostic

Ultrasound in Microgravity

Groundwater Remediation

LED Light Therapy For Pain

Management

Infrared Thermometers

Eye Exams

Sports and Recreation

Lithium Batteries for Cars

Nutritional Supplements

Aerogel Insulation

Winglets Save Fuel Cost

Clean Energy

Flooding at the Junction of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers (5/3/11)

Tornado damage near Birmingham, Alabama (5/4/11)

Weather Forecasting

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NASA and Maryland Aerospace Industry

• Maryland is the home of NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight

Center and hosts 16 of America’s top 25 aerospace companies.

• Maryland employs over 140,000 scientists, engineers and

technicians in the Aerospace and Defense industries.

• Goddard contributes $4B to local spending and output (Source: GSFC Economic Impact Report and FY 2009 NASA GSFC Budget)

• In FY 2010, NASA spent

over $1.5 billion in prime

contracts and grants to

Maryland businesses

and academia.

• $192 million of that was

invested in educational institutions,

including John Hopkins University

and the University of Maryland.

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NASA Spinoffs Become Maryland Businesses

Vitabot

Beltsville, MarylandIntelligent Automation Inc. (IAI)

Rockville, MD

Martek Biosciences Corp.

Columbia, Maryland

• Derived from food & oxygen

experiments for future long-duration

human exploration missions, a

method for manufacturing an algae-

based food supplement that provides

the nutrients previously only available

in breast milk was developed

• Now found in over 90% of infant

formulas sold in the U.S., as well as

those sold in over 65 other countries

• Over 24 million babies worldwide

have consumed this nutritional

additive, earning the company more

than $300 million in revenue

• Martek was recently acquired by

DSM for $1.1B

• NASA’s Aeronautics Research

Mission Directorate has worked to

address issues related to the

overburdened National Airspace

System (NAS)

• With SBIR support, IAI continued

work on specialized software that

now enables NASA’s Airspace

Concept Evaluation System

• The agent-based infrastructure

allows researchers to model the

NAS down to individual flights

• 120 Jobs created as a result of

NASA products with $25M in

revenue

• NASA studied how remote-

controlled robots could assist human

operations in space (telerobotics).

High-order programming algorithms.

• Adapted to nutirition, Vitabot’s

intelligent software allows users to set

health goals and then plan balanced

meals using a food database

• The program helps users achieve

balanced nutrition and weight loss

• Vitabot’s nearly 1,000 company

clients include corporate wellness

programs for HBO & Warner Brothers,

health clubs like Gold’s Gym, and the

U.S. Air Force and has experienced

1500% growth since 2009