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Mars Exploration Program NASA Research
Announcement (NRA) Results
NASA's Mars Exploration Program (MEP) calls for a series of highly ambitious missions over the next decade and beyond. The overall goals of the MEP must be achieved with relatively low mission risk and within tightly constrained cost resources. Information on NASA Mars programs may be found at http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/overview/index.html.
The Mobile Science Lab (MSL) mission will be the gateway mission and is currently planned for 2009. The MSL mission is intended to push the state-of-the-art of in situ scientific observations of Mars, demonstrate several technologies critical to the potential follow-on Mars Sample Return (MSR) or Astrobiology Field Laboratory (AFL) missions, and provide information vital for implementing the entire MEP. The MSL mission will take advantage of a rich legacy of remote sensing observations by targeting a pre-selected site of scientific interest.
In the second decade of the century, NASA plans additional mission that may include science orbiters, rovers and landers, and the first mission to return samples of Martian rock and soil to Earth. Technology development for advanced capabilities such as advanced mobility systems and deep drilling to hundreds of meters will also be carried out in this period.
Such ambitious mission plans require that many new technologies be brought to a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of 6 (defined as a system/subsystem model or prototype demonstration in a relevant environment - ground or space) so that they may be brought to a flight ready status within a short time span and at low cost. Therefore, this NRA solicited proposals for research and development to take promising technologies that are specifically suited for the exploration of the Mars surface and subsurface from the breadboard or laboratory-demonstration phase to a point where they can be tested in systems-level simulated rover operations or under similarly realistic (terrestrial environment) conditions. The specific areas for which technologies were sought included:
- Advanced Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL),
- Planetary Protection
- Rover Technology,
- Subsurface Access,
- Technologies for Low Cost Missions, and
- Telecommunications and Navigation.
Current NRA Selections:
Advanced Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL)
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Burkhart |
Daniel |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Orbiting Beacon Navigation for Pinpoint Landing |
| Chang |
Daniel |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
A Miniature Coherent Altimeter and Velocimeter (MCAV) for Terminal Descent Control |
| Sadowy |
Gregory |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Next Generation Radar for Improved Hazard Detection, Velocimetry, and Altimetry |
| Cheng |
Yang |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Passively Imaged, Multi-Cue, Hazard Detection for Safe Landing: MSL and Beyond |
| Roumeliotis |
Stergios |
University of Minnesota |
Coupled Vision and Inertial Navigation for Pin-Point Landing |
| Mc Kinney |
John |
Boeing Human Space Flight and Exploration |
High Altitude Flight Test of a Servo Controlled Mars Ballistic Parachute Using a Wind Drift Compensation Flight Control Law |
| Seraji |
Homayoun |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Multi-Sensor Hazard Assessment and Safe Site Selection |
| Silverman |
Steven |
Raytheon Company, Santa Barbara Remote Sensing |
Descent and Landing Rock Hazard Avoidance System (ROHAS) |
| Kallemeyn |
Pieter |
Lockheed Martin Space Systems |
Spacecraft-to-spacecraft EDL Navigation |
| Bishop |
Robert |
University of Texas at Austin |
Adaptive On-Board Navigation Employing Mixture-of-Experts Architectures for Real-Time Trajectory Determination for Entry, Descent, and Pinpoint Landing |
| Mease |
Kenneth |
UCI |
Advanced Hypersonic Entry Guidance for Mars Pinpoint Landing |
Planetary Protection
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Bruce |
Walter |
NASA Langley Research Center |
Development of Mars Orbital Debris Analysis Code (MOrDAC) |
| Shakkottai |
Parthasarathy |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Near field and integrated particle transport models for planetary protection and their experimental validation |
| Rohatgi |
Naresh |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Development of biobarrier technology |
| Kern |
Roger |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Cleaning To Achieve Sterility: An evaluation of state-of-the-art cleaning techniques with regard to removal of particles of biological origin |
| Ponce |
Adrian |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
A Rapid Single Spore Enumeration Assay for Validation of Bioburden Reduction |
| Lin |
Ying |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Investigation of Spore Adhesion and Spore Association with Dust Particles for Developing Contamination Transport Models |
| Parrish |
Joe |
Payload Systems Inc |
Contained Sample Handling and Analysis System (CSHAS): An Automated System for Mars Returned Sample Handling, Testing, and Preparation |
Rover Technology
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Simmons |
Reid |
Carnegie Mellon University |
Rover Navigation for Very Rough Terrain using Heuristically Guided Stochastic Search |
| Washington |
Richard |
Ames Research Center |
Universal Decision-Layer Executive |
| Kelly |
Alonzo |
Carnegie Mellon University |
Very Rough Terrain Nonholonomic Trajectory Generation and Motion Planning for Planetary Rovers |
| Huntsberger |
Terrance |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
SCAIP: Integrated System for Single Command Approach and Instrument Placement |
| Ravine |
Michael |
Malin Space Science Systems |
Semi-Autonomous Rover Operations |
| Mungas |
Greg |
Firestar Engineering, LLC |
Stowable, Inflatable, Large, Vectran, Rigidizable, Cold-resistant, Lightweight, All-terrain Wheel (SILVRCLAW) |
| Dubowsky |
Steven |
MIT Field and Space Robotics Lab |
MULTI-SENSOR TERRAIN CLASSIFICATION AND TERRAIN-ADAPTIVE NAVIGATION FOR ROVERS IN VERY ROUGH TERRAIN |
| Li |
Rongxing |
The Ohio State University |
Incremental Bundle Adjustment Techniques Using Networked Overhead and Ground Imagery for Long-range Autonomous Rover Localization in MSL 2009 Mission and Beyond |
| Khatib |
Oussama |
Stanford University |
Whole Rover-Arm Coordination |
| Stentz |
Anthony |
Carnegie Mellon University |
Reliable and Efficient Long-Range Autonomous Rover Navigation: Enabling Efficient Path Planning and Reliable Navigation for Single-Command, One-Kilometer Autonomous Rover Traverse |
| Davis |
Kiel |
Honeybee Robotics, Ltd. |
Mechanized Sample Handler (MESH) for Mars |
Subsurface Access
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Bartlett |
Paul |
Honeybee Robotics, Ltd. |
Low Mass Ultrasonic System for Sampling to �-Meter Depth in Martian Regolith |
| Stanley |
Scott |
Alliance Spacesystems Inc. |
Mars Integrated Drilling And Sampling (MIDAS)System for Low Mass, Mobile, Robotic Platforms |
| Guerrero |
Jose |
Swales Aerospace |
Further development of a proven 10-meter TRL-4 research drill to a TRL-6 modular (0.5 to 20m) prototype sample acquisition and transfer system, acquire, store, and transfer samples to the science interface device while operating largely autonomously. |
| Kelliher |
Warren |
Langley Research Center |
Mars Subsurface Elemental Analysis with an X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer Probe |
Technologies for Low Cost Missions
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Hall |
Jeffery |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Helium Superpressure Balloons for Mars Exploration |
| Mungas |
Greg |
Firestar Engineering, LLC |
Nitrous oxide Oxidizer/Fuel Blend Optimized Breakdown System (NOFBOBS) |
| McGrath |
David |
ATK Elkton LLC |
Low-Cost Controllable Solid Martian Descent Stage - SOFTLAND (SOlid Flexstage for extra-Terrestrial Landers) Propellant Technology Development |
| Woodmansee |
Paul |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Ultralight Diaphragm Propellant Tank |
| Stella |
Paul |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
High Efficiency Solar Cell Performance Optimized for the Martian Surface Illumination Environment |
| Otsap |
Ben |
VACCO Industries, Inc. |
Low Mass Integrated Compact Pressure Regulator/System Filter Module for Space Propulsion System Applications |
| Barnett |
John |
VACCO Industries, Inc. |
Lightweight, High Efficiency Chemically Etched Disc, Diffusion Bonded Element, Multiple Radial Arm Filter Assembly w/Smart IntelliSensor(TM) Monitoring Technology |
| Jones |
Jack |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Mars Montgolfiere Balloon Materials Development and Stratospheric Deployment Testing |
| Balaram |
J |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Strapon High-altitude Entry Reconnaissance and Precision Aeromaneuver (SHERPA) System |
| Mazumder |
Malay |
University of Arkansas Little Rock |
Development of an Electrodynamic Screen for Dust Particle Removal from Solar Cell Panels on Mars |
| Parker |
Morgan |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Hydrazine MilliNewton Thruster: An Optimized Thruster for Minimum Impulse Bit Control |
| White |
Steve |
AEC-Able Engineering |
Solar Array Dust Removal System (SADRS) for Long Life Mars Surface Missions |
| Lemke |
Lawrence |
Ames Research Center |
MATADOR: a Mars Advanced Technology Airplane for Deployment, Operations, and Recovery |
| Liebe |
Carl |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Mars Celestial Navigator |
| Whitehead |
John |
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory |
Efficiency Measurement of a Lightweight Leaktight Hydrazine Powered Quad Piston Propellant Pump for Mars Ascent, Descent, and Trans-Mars Propulsion, Scaled for Low Cost Missions |
Telecommunications and Navigation
| PI Last Name |
PI First Name |
PI Organization |
Proposal Title |
| Kuhn |
William |
Kansas State University |
A Proximity Microtransceiver for Interoperable Mars Communications |
| Krupiarz |
Christopher |
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory |
Integration and Optimization of Next-Generation Mars Relay Protocol Suite for Reliable, Multihop Store-and-Forward End-to-end Data Transport |
| Klimesh |
Matthew |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Data Compression for Stereo Image Pairs |
| Pogorzelski |
Ronald |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
An X-Band Agile Beam Transmitter for High Data Rate Communications with the Electra Payload |
| Hamkins |
Jon |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Autonomous Radio for Proximity Links |
| Hemmati |
Hamid |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Large Diameter Phase Zone Fresnel Lenses As Low-Cost Optical Communication Ground Receiver Aperture |
| Bruno |
Oscar |
California Institute of Technology |
Fast & Accurate EM Modeling of Near-field Coupling & Multipath Effects on Lander/Orbiter Proximity Links. |
| Ely |
Todd |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Mars Approach Navigation using In-Situ Orbiters |
| Pollara |
Fabrizio |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Coding System for High Data Rate Mars Links |
| Merz |
Douglas |
CMC Electronics Cincinnati |
Reprogrammable Transceiver Modem for Space Applications Focusing on Low Mass and Low Power |
| Hunter |
Richard |
CMC Electronics Cincinnati |
X Band appliqué to extend the capability of the ELECTRA UHF proximity link transceiver |
| Lovestead |
Ray |
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp |
Vitreous UHF Proximity Link Antennas for Future Mars Telecommunications Orbiters and Landers |
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