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Affordable Vehicle Avionics (AVA)

Completed TRL 6 (started at 4, targeting 6)

Description

Public and private "nanolaunch" developers are reducing the cost of propulsion, but conventional high-performance, high-reliability avionics remain the disproportionately high cost driver for launch. AVA technology performs as well or better than conventional GNCs, but with a fraction of the recurring costs. AVA enables nanolaunch providers to offer affordable rides to LEO as primary payloads - meaning, nano-sat payloads can afford to specify their own launch and orbit parameters.

Benefits

AVA can reduce launch costs for small payloads and provide post separation attitude control for suborbital payloads. Provides a low cost avionics solution that can reduce the lounch cost of small launch vehicles

Details

ProgramGame Changing Development (GCD)
Lead organizationAmes Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Start date2013-10-01
End date2018-10-30

Project contacts

Listed on TechPort itself — the most direct way to ask about this specific project.

How to get involved

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 6) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

None of these are guaranteed paths for this specific project — TechPort itself doesn't have an "apply" button. Reaching out to the contact(s) above with a specific question is usually the fastest way to find out what's actually open.