NASA seeks startups to build new space age tech

Get your spaceship ready. NASA is now seeking proposals from startups and small businesses to create new technologies that will aid it with future missions, the organization announced today.
 
Space technology has been hot as of late with NASA’s successful rover landing on Mars and SpaceX’s successful private mission in May. Now NASA wants to continue that momentum with help from small businesses.
 
NASA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBTT) programs are looking for new ideas and technology from American small businesses that will fill in its knowledge and technology gaps. Ideally, the SBIR and STTR programs can help small businesses and nonprofits with research and development, and eventually, commercialization of successful ideas.
 
“Space technology is the linchpin that joins together NASA’s science, aeronautic, and exploration goals, providing the essential new knowledge and capabilities that enables our present and future missions,” said Michael Gazarik, director of NASA’s Space Technology Program, in a statement. “The annual solicitation for the SBIR and STTR programs embodies our desire to generate innovative ideas to address NASA’s future mission needs by offering a broad collection of research and development needs and opportunities.”