A -- PUBLIC COMMENT ON RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTES

Notice Date

April 10, 2001

Contracting Office

NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, NASA Headquarters Acquisition Branch, Code 210.H, Greenbelt, MD 20771

ZIP Code

20771

Response Due

April 21, 2001

Point of Contact

Michael M Reischman, Special Assistant to the AA, Phone (202) 358-2098, Fax (202) 358-3557, Email mreischm@hq.nasa.gov

E-Mail Address

Michael M Reischman (mreischm@hq.nasa.gov)

Description

SUBJECT: PUBLIC COMMENT ON RESEARCH, ENGINEERING, AND TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTES SPONSOR: NASA Headquarters, Office of Aero-Space Technology (Code R), 300 E Street SW, Washington, DC 20024. CONTACT: Michael M. Reischman, University Programs, Code R, Phone: 202-358-2098, Fax: 202-358-3557, Email: mreischm@hq.nasa.gov DRAFT COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT NOTICE RELEASE DATE: On or about April 26, 2001 PUBLIC COMMENT DUE DATE: April 21, 2001 NASA plans to implement a number of University-based research centers, to be known as Research, Engineering, and Technology Institutes, or RETIs. The goal of this plan is to strengthen NASA's ties to the academic community through long-term sustained investment in areas of innovative and long-range technology critical to NASA's future. At the same time the RETIs will enhance and broaden the capabilities of the nation's universities to meet the needs of NASA's science and technology programs. The role of the RETIs is intended to be research and exploitation of innovative, cutting-edge, emerging opportunities for technology that can have a revolutionary impact on the missions that NASA pursues in the future. At the same time the RETIs should expand the nation's talent base for research and development. The focus of the RETIs can be in established or emerging areas of technology. However, they should have a broad, multi-disciplinary scope that brings together exceptional talent from across the university (or team of universities and other institutions). Cross-disciplinary efforts should be intended to extract the potential synergy present in activities that span the disciplines between science, engineering, business, and others in order to bring together disparate perspectives, knowledge bases, methodologies, and tools. Interaction between the RETIs, industrial and non-profit labs, and NASA Centers is also encouraged. These interactions should be of mutual benefit and may improve the transfer of information, thus, enhancing the development of research programs. The RETIs are expected to perform research and technology that moves fundamental advances from scientific discovery to basic technology. The funds to be provided by NASA for the RETIs can be applied to research and technology projects, the development of the RETI as a functioning organization, support for undergraduate and graduate students, and training in advanced scientific and engineering concepts. No funds can be expended in NASA Centers or related federal government installations. The key characteristics considered critical to the success of the RETI include: 1. A guiding vision and plan to research and exploit innovative and emerging opportunities in research and technology that can have a revolutionary impact on future NASA missions. 2. An interdisciplinary research program promoting the synthesis of science, engineering and other disciplines. 3. Active, long-term and, mutually-beneficial partnerships with industry, non-profit labs and other universities. 4. An educational program for undergraduate and graduate students that directs students toward areas of critical interest to NASA and provides new educational opportunities for NASA personnel. 5. An array of opportunities for collaboration and connectivity to NASA Centers, including fellowships, special academic programs, technology transfer, and personnel exchanges. 6. The supporting infrastructure and management system, necessary space and enabling equipment, and university commitment to facilitate, reward and sustain the RETI activity. Participation from HBCU's (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), OMI's (Other Minority Institutions), SDB's (Small and Disadvantaged Business), and SWOBI's (Small Women-Owned Businesses and Institutions) is highly encouraged. Within NASA, the overall program will be managed through the appropriate NASA field center with oversight from NASA HQ. The Associate Administrator for Aerospace Technology will be responsible for overall RETI program selection, evaluation and renewal, policy establishment and general oversight and administration. NASA headquarters will have the lead responsibility in the evaluation of Phase I Notices of Intent and White Papers. Center-led expert teams will have the primary responsibility in the evaluation of the full proposals received in Phase II of the proposal process. After selection, technical and business oversight will be passed to the appropriate NASA Center, where continuing contact with the university, or universities, will be maintained. The Center managers will insure the timely flow of information and collaboration between the RETIs and NASA Centers and programs. The Center managers will also be responsible for fostering agreements involving exchanges of Center personnel and the use of facilities with the RETI. Within the university, the senior research officer should have overall institutional cognizance for the RETI, including management systems and university policies that support the RETI culture, adequate space for RETI operations and expansion, and academic, financial and other support significantly leveraging NASA's investment. The Director of the RETI will be responsible for the development and operation of the RETI, the content of the research and technology program, the achievement of the planned goals and objectives, and the coordination among principal participants. The RETI Director will also provide measures against which to evaluate RETI performance and will serve in the position in a full time capacity. Up to five RETIs may be established in the first year, beginning operations on or about March 2002. NASA is expected to provide initial funding of up to $3.0M per year per RETI for up to five years, with a possibility of renewals up an additional five (5) years, for a total of ten (10) years. As the RETI develops, NASA funding may increase as other external funding is acquired. Attention should be given to the RETI's ability to develop a capability to attract grants and other support. The NASA Headquarters Office of Aerospace Technology will be soliciting RETIs in five areas of technology and nominally plans to award one RETI in each area. Two of the RETIs are intended to be in the general area of propulsion, one in Aeropropulsion and Power and one in Space Transportation. Three RETIs are planned for the emerging and highly interrelated area of bio-nano-information technology. One is planned for biologically-inspired and nanotechnology enabled aerospace structural materials; another is planned in bio-nanotechnology for advanced electronics and computing; and the third is planned to explore fundamental opportunities across bio-nano-information technology. A full discussion of the Office of Aerospace Technology goals can be found at: http://www.aero-space.nasa.gov/ The following descriptions are intended to identify the broad areas of interest to NASA. RETIs are not limited to the specific sub-areas and are not expected to address the full technical scope encompassed by these descriptions. Aeropropulsion and Power: The current emphasis of the NASA aerospace technology programs is focused on successful accomplishment of the Agency's ten-year objectives. Major technological advances are being made toward the accomplishment of these goals. However, to achieve its 25-year objectives as contained in the Office of Aerospace Technology Enterprise strategic plan, a fundamental paradigm shift in airbreathing propulsion and power concepts and technologies must occur. An innovative, multi-disciplinary approach to evolving these concepts and technologies is essential and mandatory. Specific areas where innovative and revolutionary advances are of interest to NASA include, but are not limited to: air breathing and/or hybrid propulsion; concepts for advanced aerospace propulsion systems and/or components; novel concepts for analysis, design and measurement technology; intelligent and adaptive structures, components or systems; extremely low emissions; extremely low noise levels; durable and heat resistant lightweight materials and structures; alternate fuels; high power density fuel cells; and ultra high density and efficient power sources and motors. In-Space Transportation: In order to achieve the ambitious science and exploration missions planned over the next several decades, improvements in in-space transportation and propulsion technology must be achieved. Rendezvous and return missions will require investments in in-space propulsion systems and aerocapture technologies. New opportunities to explore beyond the outer planets and to the stars will require unparalleled technology advancement and innovation. NASA has been working toward the goals of achieving a factor of 10 reduction in the cost of Earth orbital transportation, and a factor of 2 or 3 reduction in propulsion system mass and travel time for planetary missions within 15 years. For robotic exploration and science missions, more cost-effective in-space and on-board propulsion are critical elements in reducing total space transportation costs. A broad range of in-space transportation technologies have been identified as promising in meeting NASA's science and exploration goals over the next 10 to15 years. Emerging technologies that are relatively immature but beyond the fundamental physics assessment stage are desired. The technology areas include, but are not limited to: electric propulsion; solar sails; plasma and magnetic sails; aeroassist technology; fission, nuclear electric, and nuclear thermal propulsion; momentum exchange tethers; electrodynamic tethers; and the use of in-situ propellants. Bio-Nano-Information Technology Fusion: The grand challenge of NASA's mission to explore space and study the origin and role of life in the universe is driving the Agency's focus on the technology triad of information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. These technology disciplines, either directly or through their crossover potential, are widely accepted as the most likely source of breakthrough technologies in the next decades. These technologies are needed to enable such advances as increases in the scope, complexity, autonomy and reliability of missions for substantially lower cost; powerful, small, low -power consuming computers and spacecraft; radiation-hardened electronics for space and extraterrestrial environments; biosensors for astrobiology and astronaut health monitoring; and artificial neural systems and advanced robotic intelligence for autonomous remote outposts. Future aerospace systems will require the characteristics of autonomy to "think for themselves"; self-reliance to identify, diagnose and correct internal problems and failures; self repair to overcome damage; adaptability to function and explore in new and unknown environments; and extreme efficiency to operate with very limited resources. The RETI for Bio-Nano-Infomation Technology Fusion must create a strongly interacting cross-disciplinary group which will collaborate with the RETI in Nanoelectronics Computing and Electronics. Areas of bio-nano-information technology fusion of interest to NASA include, but are not limited to: biomimetic and biologically-inspired technologies aimed at evolving, self-healing systems; bionanomanufacturing systems and tools; biosensors and bio-physical hybrid systems for health monitering; intelligent genomic/proteomic probes for life detection; modular and in-situ reconfigurable tools, devices and components; information technologies for multiparamenter, multidimensional networked systems; and bioinformatic strategies for knowledge extraction from large data sets. Bio-Nanotechnology Materials and Structures for Aerospace Vehicles: Virtually all of NASA's vision for future air travel and space exploration is dependent on the reduction of mass, power requirements and size of components, accompanied by an increase in the intelligence of these components. The lofty goals are nearer reality given the recent explosion in advances at the intersection of the multidisciplianry areas of biotechnology, nanotechnology, and information technology. Most of the current advances in nanotechnology are currently driven by the needs of the semiconductor industry. Although electronics play an important role in the aerospace vehicles of the future, in order to achieve NASA's 25-year goals, there is an additional need to fill in the technological gaps in the aerospace vehicle structures and materials development. Nanotechnology offers the potential for lightweight structural materials with extraordinary strength and stiffness. In addressing aerospace vehicle material and structures there is also a natural union of biotechnology with nanotechnology. The emphasis in nanotechnology is to work with molecular organization of matter that leads to useful macrostructures. Nature builds systems of staggering complexity, yet these systems provide robust, autonomous, and efficient solutions, which are well adapted to the environment. Unique characteristics anticipated from aerospace vehicle materials and structures research in bio-nanotechnology include multifunctionality, hierarchical organization, adaptability, self healing/self-repair, and durability. It is also promising to combine biological engineered components to non-biological systems, potentially creating materials and structures without the need to machine materials and tailoring the mechanical properties of the component materials. Expected benefits include, but are not limited to: dramatic decreases in the strength-to-weight ratio of structural materials; multifunctional structures integrating sensing, computing and wireless transmission, enabling true health management of aeronautical and space vehicle structural systems of the future; and self-actuating shape control of airframes and aerodynamic/ aerothermal surfaces for optimal performance. Nanoelectronics Computing and Electronics: Virtually all of NASA's vision for the future of space exploration is dependent upon mass, power requirements, and the size and intelligence of components that make up launch vehicles, spacecraft, and rovers. Packing densities and minimal power consumption are absolutely critical to realizing the autonomous exploration of space. The integration of sensing, computing, and wireless transmission will enable true health management of reusable vehicles, wherein aerospace systems will require: the characteristics of autonomy to "think for themselves"; self-reliance to identify, diagnose and correct internal problems and failures; self repair to overcome damage; adaptability to function and explore in new and unknown environments; and extreme efficiency to operate with very limited resources. Such intelligence, adaptability and compute power go beyond the present capabilities of microelectronic devices. The Nanoelectronics Computing and Electronics RETI will collaborate with the proposed RETI in Bio-Nano-Information Technology Fusion. NASA's interest in nanoelectronics computing and electronics includes, but is not limited to: new computer architectures and algorithms beyond the limits of CMOS technology; design, development, fabrication and low-cost manufacturing processes; development of fault-tolerant, low-power-consumption, radiation-resistant computing; integration of nanodevices into chip level system architectures and devices; nonvolatile fast access molecular level storage devices; and adaptive, evolving hardware and software systems. Purpose of this Announcement The primary purpose of this synopsis is to assist NASA Headquarters in developing the RETI concept. Organizations that have an interest in this activity are requested to provide information that addresses creative concepts in how to implement the RETIs, on collaborations with the NASA Centers, on mechanisms for partnering with non-university/non-NASA performers, and on RETI management. Comments will be accepted for two (2) weeks after this announcement by regular mail or electronic mail to the addresses noted below. In addition, NASA Headquarters will release a draft Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN) approximately three (3) weeks after this announcement for further comment. The tentative timetable for the RETI program is as follows: NAIS Synopsis Response Due 4/19/01 Draft CAN Released 4/26/01 Draft CAN Comments Due 5/3/01 Final CAN Released 5/11/01 Notice of Intent (NOI)/White Papers Due 6/15/01 NOI/White Paper Feedback to Universities 7/13/01 Full Proposals Due 12/14/01 RETI Award mid-March/02 Technical Point of Contact Name: Michael M. Reischman Title: University Programs, Code R Phone: (202) 358-2098 Fax: (202) 358-3557 Email: mreischm@hq.nasa.gov Procurement Point of Contact Name: Sheryl Goddard Title: Procurement Analyst Phone: (202) 358-1643 Fax: (202) 358-4065 Email: sgoddard@hq.nasa.gov

Web Link

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Record

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