NASA’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program has awarded a one-year, $100,000 contract to Clarkson University, DEM Solutions Inc., and Jenike & Johanson to provide a new generation of Discrete Element Modeling (DEM) for designing equipment to move and store bulk solids.

NASA has specialized needs in modeling of bulk solid systems, such as designing equipment to operate in lunar or Martian environments. Researchers at Clarkson will be working to overcome the limited computational intensive nature of the DEM software and establish a methodology to determine the particle properties to accurately model bulk granular materials. Examples of these materials are cryogenic insulation material used in storage tanks for the space shuttle fuel and geomaterials like lunar soil.

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NASA has selected 18 Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) research proposals for Phase 2 contract negotiations. The selected STTR projects have a total value of approximately $11 million, and the contracts will be awarded to 17 small, high-technology firms in 10 states.

The goals of the program are to stimulate technological innovation, increase the use of small businesses in meeting federal research and development needs, and increase private sector commercialization of innovations derived from federally funded research.

Phase 2 continues development of the most promising Phase 1 projects. Selection criteria include technical merit and innovation, Phase 1 results, value to NASA, commercial potential, and company capabilities.

For more information on NASA’s STTR program, click here.