NASA Hallmarks of Success

Quantum Devices Inc. developed a technology that enabled plants to grow in space on at least seven different NASA missions. The technology was developed with a Small Business Innovation Research award from NASA Marshall Space Flight Center. Related research has also led to advancements by Quantum Devices in LED light sources for photodynamic therapy (PDT) devices that can be used to treat different types of cancer.

Leading game designers and education experts are partnering with NASA to develop a "First Person Exploration" massive multiplayer online game called "Astronaut: Moon, Mars and Beyond. The intent is to use NASA content and new technology to enhance education in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or UAVs, are ideal for missions that are too dangerous, too long, or too expensive for piloted aircraft. NASA's science and exploration goals have inspired a small business in Virginia to push the envelope of what computer-controlled aircraft can do.

DynaDX won a NASA technology for analyzing data from wind tunnels and spacecraft at an auction. The company is now incorporating the tech into a software platform to help doctors identify at-risk patients by analyzing blood flow in the brain.

NVision Solutions teamed up with NASA Stennis Space Center to develop the REACT (Real-time Emergency Action Coordination Tool) system. The system integrates real-time information drawn from a variety of remote sensors and mobile devices combined with the visual power of satellite-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping and analysis to enable efficient decision making by emergency management personnel.

Hairstyling may not be the first thing on NASA's mind…but knowledge gained from research done in space has led Farouk Systems to create some of the most popular advanced technology in the beauty industry.

NASA and Energid team up to advance robotic motion and control.

Webcore, a small business in Dayton, Ohio collaborated with NASA to create an aircraft fan case using fiber-reinforced material. The composite core products developed through the work are lightweight, but strong - incorporating technology that might make Spiderman envious.

Farming using GPS Technology. RTK Autosteer from Novariant, Inc. helps farmers like Daniel and Jason Baldwin create perfect rows with repeatable accuracy, something that is nearly impossible to do with human operated tractors.

During the 1990s, NASA Langley Research Center awarded Ballistic Recovery Systems (BRS) several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts to create a parachute system for small aircraft. The technology has saved hundreds of lives.

Farming is hard work, but thanks to a technology that had its origins in NASA, a farmer's life can be easier and more profitable. Novariant, Inc. provides precision location and machine control solutions to map terrain, land aircraft, and automatically steer equipment. Today, their technology helps farmers create perfect rows with repeatable accuracy.

To live and work in space, astronauts will need to grow their own food. By working with NASA, a small company has developed a "Biomass" system to do just that!

A small company based in Hampton, VA, ViGYAN, worked with NASA SBIR funding to develop a system that provides a continuous satellite-based broadcast of weather information to aircraft cockpits. WSI Corporation later commercialized the technology as the "WSI InFlight Cockpit Weather System." With complete coverage and content for the continental United States at any altitude, the system is specifically designed for in-flight use.

NASA's Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) satellite helps researchers study clouds and aerosols, or particles in our atmosphere. The main instrument contains a laser technology developed through an SBIR partnership. To date, the system has made over one and a half billion laser pulses to study our atmosphere.

Mainstream Engineering developed products through the Small Business Innovation Research Program to help NASA keep its engines, vehicles and employees cool. Technology from that work for NASA may be helping you keep cool in your car this summer.