Jan 29, 2009

Sonja Alexander Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1761 sonja r alexander@nasa gov RELEASE: 09-023

NASA SEEKS TECHNOLOGIES FOR TESTING DURING REDUCED GRAVITY FLIGHTS

WASHINGTON -- NASA is looking for new technologies that have potential use in future agency projects which could benefit from testing during flights on an airplane that simulates the weightless conditions of space The technologies may improve air and space vehicle capabilities and support future systems used in space exploration

NASA's Facilitated Access to the Space Environment for Technology Development and Training, or FAST, program helps emerging technologies mature through testing in a reduced gravity environment To prepare technologies for space applications, it is important to demonstrate they work in a zero-gravity environment This unique testing environment can be provided in an aircraft flying repeated parabolic trajectories which create brief periods of zero gravity The aircraft also can simulate reduced-gravity levels similar to those found on the surface of the moon or Mars

The testing opportunities are being offered to U S companies, individuals, academic or research institutions, or government agencies Through a partnership agreement, NASA will provide free flight time for the tests while project teams will be responsible for all other expenses Proposals are due by March 20 Flights to demonstrate the technologies will be conducted in August 2009 from Ellington Field in Houston NASA expects to select at least 20 projects for this round of test flights, pending availability of funding

Initial reduced-gravity tests with small businesses developing technologies for NASA were conducted in September 2008 Those tests validated the FAST concept and paved the way for this broader opportunity for all U S organizations developing technology NASA may need In the future, the FAST program expects to provide more extensive technology testing opportunities, with suborbital flights as well as orbital flights, when such commercial services become available

NASA's Innovative Partnerships Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington manages the FAST program The Reduced Gravity Office at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston is providing test management for the flights NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland is providing technical assistance to the FAST program

For more information about FAST, visit:

http://ipp nasa gov/ii_fast htm

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www nasa gov

-end-

To subscribe to the list, send a message to: hqnews-subscribe@mediaservices nasa gov To remove your address from the list, send a message to: hqnews-unsubscribe@mediaservices nasa gov

The following information is a reminder of your current mailing list subscription:

You are subscribed to the following list: [list_name]

using the following email: example@example.com

You may automatically unsubscribe from this list at any time by visiting the following URL:

http://www aus-city com/cgi-bin/dada/plugins/dada_bridge pl/u/[list]/

If the above URL is inoperable, make sure that you have copied the entire address Some mail readers will wrap a long URL and thus break this automatic unsubscribe mechanism

You may also change your subscription by visiting this list's main screen:

<[program_url]/list/[list]>

If you're still having trouble, please contact the list owner at:

<mailto:[list_owner_email]>

The following physical address is associated with this mailing list:

[physical_address]