A Sustainable Spacecraft Component Database Solution, Phase I

Numerous spacecraft component databases have been developed to support NASA, DoD, and contractor design centers and design tools. Despite the clear utility of component databases for improving and accelerating the spacecraft design process, they are observably uneconomic for individual organizations to build and maintain -- otherwise there would be several that were actively maintained and growing. The problem is not the challenge of architecting the database or identifying the component types and data elements. In fact, many organizations have succeeded in developing excellent solutions that have languished due to the cost of populating and maintaining them. Microcosm is focused on developing an economically viable solution to creating a sustainable component database. The approach is four-fold: 1. Reduce the cost of gathering/maintaining data by leveraging web-based data with automated gathering and monitoring tools; 2. Drive sufficient value to component suppliers such that they are motivated to supply and maintain their own data; 3. Supply data to a broad range of users and organizations; and 4. Enable value-added contributions from users via venues like wikis, discussion rooms, links to relevant websites. This solution will stand on its own as a viable business, and provide increasing value to customers (suppliers and users) over time.

This is a mature technology (TRL 7+) — the realistic path in is usually NASA's Technology Transfer Program: licensing an existing NASA patent, or a Space Act Agreement to use NASA facilities/expertise directly. NASA also runs a startup licensing program with no upfront fee for companies formed to commercialize a specific NASA technology.

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.