National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Small Business Innovation Research 2002 Program Solicitations

TOPIC B1 Cross-Disciplinary Physical Sciences

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B1.01 Exploiting Gravitational Effects for Combustion, Fluids, Synthesis, and Vibration Technology
B1.02 Gravitational Effects on Biotechnology and Materials Sciences
B1.03 Bioscience and Engineering

The Biological and Physical Research (BPR) Enterprise is taking advantage of the space environment which offers a unique laboratory to study biological, chemical and physical processes. Researchers will take advantage of this environment to conduct experiments in the biological and physical sciences that are impossible on Earth. BPR also seeks to engage the commercial sector in exploiting the economic benefits of the cross-disciplinary physical sciences. In this topic, cross-disciplinary research and enabling technology is sought to understand the effects of gravity on the physical sciences as well as in the area of vibration isolation/measurement technology. This research and technology will provide the basic foundation to integrate our understanding of the role of gravity in the evolution, development and function of living organisms, and in biological and physical processes. BPR is also taking advantage of revolutionary advances in the biomolecular community by conducting basic research to develop breakthrough technologies which will result in prototype biomolecular micro- and nano-systems for the detection, imaging, recognition and monitoring of biological signatures and processes at the molecular level.

B1.01 Exploiting Gravitational Effects for Combustion, Fluids, Synthesis, and Vibration Technology
Lead Center: GRC

The objective of this subtopic is introduce new technology in the form of devices, models, and/or instruments of use in microgravity and/or for commercial applications on earth. (For Biofluids, please see subtopic B1.03 Bioscience and Engineering.) Innovations are sought in the following areas:

• Understanding the effects of microgravity on fluid behaviors.
• Utilizing the mechanics of granular materials to determine how the reduced gravity environment affects transport and mixing of granular solids, with application to in situ resource utilization (ISRU) and more efficient terrestrial processes.
• Pool and flow boiling systems or subsystems that enable safe, efficient, and reliable heat transfer technologies for thermal control systems application in space.
• Multiphase flow and fluid management to provide designers key information on controlling the location and dynamics of liquid-vapor interfaces in microgravity. This is needed for safe and reliable fluid handling and transport in microgravity.
• Understanding the effects of microgravity on combustion behaviors.
• Measuring the residual accelerations on spacecraft or in ground-based low-gravity facilities. Emphasis is placed on MEMS or nano scale devices.
• Novel vibration isolation technology for use in ground-based, low-gravity facilities.
• Improving in-space system performance that rely on fluid or combustion phenomena, principally spacecraft fire safety, especially fire prevention, smoke, precursor, and fire detection, fire suppression.
• Pollution reduction and improvement of the efficiency of liquid-fueled combustors.
• Characterization of ignitability, flame spread and spacecraft material selection.
• Micro-pumps and micro-valves; individual as well as simultaneous diagnostics for determining fluid movement through microscale devices for the aforementioned applications; and identifying specific chemical or biological elements of interest.
• Micropower through microcombustion.
• Microfluidics for fuel cells and other power systems.

B1.02 Gravitational Effects on Biotechnology and Materials Sciences
Lead Center: MSFC
Participating Center(s): ARC

NASA has interest in experiments that utilize the influence of microgravity on biotechnology processes and materials science to understand physical, chemical, and biological processes. Areas of interest include protein crystal growth and structural analysis techniques, separation science and technology, biomaterials, polymeric materials, advanced electronic and photonic materials, as well as metals and alloys, glass and ceramic materials technology. Other areas of interest relate to microgravity processing approaches such as containerless processing and advanced thermal processing techniques. Methods for conducting science and technology research required to enable humans to safely and effectively live and work in space are needed. Innovative studies are sought in the following research areas and in their enabling technologies including commercial applications on earth:

Biotechnology

• Advancement of high-throughput, automated preparation and/or analysis of biological crystals. This may include crystallization robotics, diffraction data collection, and the study of crystalline defects.
• Technology designed to improve our understanding of the effect of gravity on crystallization of biological macromolecules and crystal quality.
• Research and development of techniques in the field of separations of biological material designed to improve our understanding of the effect of gravity on separation efficiency.
• Technologies to determine the relationships between material substrates, tissue cell culture conditions, and subsequent cell culture development and expression.
• High-throughput technologies for the determination of gene expression.
• Biotechnology and instrumentation to help enable safe human exploration beyond Earth orbit for extended periods.

Materials Science

• Novel concepts and materials for efficient radiation shielding during human exploration of space. The materials must be capable of attenuating galactic cosmic rays, solar particles, and secondary particles to acceptable limits.
• Technology and instrumentation leading to high-leverage (useful product to Earth bound weight) materials processes for the utilization in situ of space resources, both materials and energy for application to the establishment of safe self sustaining self sufficient systems to enable science and a permanent human presence in space and on planetary surfaces.
• New development utilizing particles in the nanometer range size, having novel properties with applications to high strength, low-mass materials, advanced electronics, and radiation shielding.
• Innovations in polymers, composites, and other materials that incorporate sensory, effector, and self-repair technologies.
• Development of materials for improved sensor technology, leading to the potential for miniaturization and high performance in hostile environments.
• Advancement of the state of the art for the levitation and containerless processing of molten liquid materials including the development of techniques for uniform heating and maintenance of uniform temperature; precise position control of levitated samples particularly in a gaseous environment; measurement and control as well as reduction or elimination of sample rotation in featureless samples; measurement of the emissivity of pure metals, alloys, oxides and ceramics; and measurement of the materials work function over a range of temperatures.
• Microgravity furnace and experiment instrumentation technologies to better monitor sample health (temperature, pressure, etc) and experiment status while minimizing the instrumentation's effect on the sample as well as reducing system impacts on experiment design; additionally, consideration should be given to extending the useful life of instrumentation in order to minimize the need for on-orbit recalibration and refurbishment / replacement.
• Microgravity furnace and experiment thermal technology such as improved insulation for minimizing power, volume, mass and complexity; improved high temperature thermal interface materials for transferring the heat into and out of the sample and furnace components (which move or be stationary relative to each other); heating and cooling approaches that enhance safety, science and resource utilization.
• Advanced sample containment technologies and forms for providing safe, efficient sample containment while enhancing scientific return and minimizing systems impacts on furnace and experiment system design.
• Development of photonics materials of relevance to NASA’s mission including anticipated needs in future space travel that will rely increasingly on automation, minimize power consumption, and accommodate increases in complexity within the limited vehicle habitat volume and mass. Photonics is also inherently less susceptible to electromagnetic pulse (EMP) exposure than electronics and has unique capabilities with regard to parallel data processing. Nonlinear optics, in particular, can play a pivotal role in space communications, remote sensing, engine performance characterization, synthetic vision, rendezvous and docking, laser propulsion, biophotonics, solar cell development, autonomous robotic manipulation, and rover exploration.

B1.03 Bioscience and Engineering
Lead Center: GRC
Participating Center(s): ARC, MSFC

NASA recognizes the critical role that fluid mechanics and transport processes along with their supporting technologies play in many biological and physiological events. A wide variety of fundamental problems in the categories of physiological systems, cellular systems, and biotechnology may be addressed. The objective of this research is to deliver new technology in the form of devices, models, and/or instruments of use in microgravity and/or for commercial application on Earth in the following areas:

Micro-Optical Technology for Interdisciplinary & Biological Research
Micro- and nano-optical technologies are sought for the measurement and manipulation of Space Station and long duration mission experiments, and for monitoring and managing astronaut health and the health of structures and systems affecting astronauts' environments. Areas of innovative technology development include:

• Diagnostic methods to assess the performance of labs-on-a-chip, including detecting the presence of bubbles and particles and removing or characterizing them
• Measurements for fluids including spatially and temporally resolved chemical composition and physical state variables
• Optically-based biomimetics for self-aware, self-reconfiguring measurement systems Measurement and micro-control technologies for health monitoring and health management of experiments, astronauts, and astronauts' environments
• Wireless communication for the transmission and detection of sensor data, Wireless power delivery for sensors and health systems
• Optical quantum technologies for measurement systems including signal detection and transmission
• Technologies enabling optically-based mobile sensor platforms for detection and maintenance, using optical sensing, control, power, and/or communication.

Biological Fluid Mechanics (Biofluids)
Biofluids, an intersection of fluid physics and biology, is a new area of emphasis within the NASA's Office of Biological and Physical Research. Fluid mechanics and transport processes play a critical role in many biological and physiological systems and processes. An adequate understanding of the underlying fluid physics and transport phenomena can provide new insight and techniques for analyzing and designing systems that are critical to NASA's mission. The microgravity environment modifies vascular fluid distribution on a short time scale, due to the loss of hydrostatic pressure, and on a longer time scale, due to the shift of intercellular flows. This fluid shift could modify transport processes throughout the body. For example, modification of flow and resulting stresses within blood vessels could modify vascular endothelial cell structure and permeability, which may be detrimental in long-term spaceflight. Furthermore, reintroduction of gravity causes large-scale fluid shifts in the body, which can influence cardiac output and induce faintness. Studies of macro-and micro-scale biofluid mechanics of the vascular system in the micro-gravity environment may be important to understanding these physiological events. Innovations sought include but are not limited to:

• Studies of biological fluid mechanics that seek answers to questions related to effect of long-term exposure to microgravity on human physiology
• Understanding the role of fluid physics and transport phenomena in the "fluid shift" observed in the human body when exposed to prolonged microgravity
• Understanding the role fluid physics plays in human physiological processes such as cardiovascular flows and its effect on arteriosclerosis, and pulmonary flows and asthma
• Use of the above knowledge to develop effective countermeasures

BioMicroFluidics
Many biotechnology applications need manipulation of fluids moving through micro channels. As a result, microfluidic devices are becoming increasingly useful for biological/biotechnological applications. Since capillary forces can have a significant effect on the flow at this scale, a strong similarity with microgravity flows exists. Innovations sought include but are not limited to:

• Understanding of fluid mechanics underlying the operations of microfluidic devices crucial to their successful operation and continued miniaturization
• Tools for prediction, measurement, and control of fluid flow in microchannels and microchannel network

Models of Cellular Behavior
The simplest living cell is so complex that models may never be able to provide a perfect simulation of its behavior, however even imperfect models could provide information that could shake the very foundations of biology. We are now at the point where we can consider models of molecular, cellular and developmental biological systems that when coupled to experiments result in an increased understanding of biology. Quantitative models of cellular processes require. Innovations sought include but are not limited to:

• New methods for better handling of large numbers of coupled reactions, increases in computing power, and the ability to transition among different levels of resolution associated with quantitative models of cellular processes
• Development of models to form the basis of tools to aid in optimization of existing biological systems and design of new ones, enabling engineers to evolve biological systems by rounds of variation and selection for any function they choose

Functional Imagery
Research on orbit has demonstrated that the microgravity environment affects the skeletal, cardiovascular and immune systems of the body. Few of the investigations to date examined functional changes due to microgravity at either the cellular or molecular scale. NASA therefore seeks innovations that would lead to an enhanced capability to image functioning biological systems at either length scale. All proposals should recognize the power, volume and mass constraints of orbital facilities. Examples of possible innovations include but are not limited to:

• Development of novel fluorophores that tag proteins mediating cellular function, particularly those that can be excited using solid state lasers
• Systems that can simultaneously image multiple fluorophores following different processes at standard video frame rates
• Devices that enable three-dimensional imagery of the sample
• Imaging hardware that can follow a metabolic process in a turbulent system
• Compact tunneling or evanescent wave microscopes capable of scanning quickly enough to follow metabolic processes

Understanding Living Systems Through Microgravity Fluid Physics
Developing strategies for long-duration space flight requires an understanding of the effects of the micro-gravity environment on biological processes. Interdisciplinary fundamental and applied research is required in biology, physiology, and microbiology to human, plant and microbial systems from the stand-point of physics. Of particular interest are studies that develop theoretical, numerical and/or experimental understanding of the effects of acceleration, radiation and other factors in microgravity environments on these systems. Exploring the effects of Martian and lunar gravity and the quasi-steady, oscillatory and transient accelerations that are typical of a space laboratory are of great interest, as well as fundamental studies of acceleration sensitivity. The knowledge obtained should contribute to related agency activities, such as the disinfection of water systems, development of self-sustaining ecosystems, treatment of bacterial infection in space, and optimal growth of plants as a food source. Moreover, we expect that the knowledge and technologies derived will also provide ground-based economic and societal benefits. Major research disciplines include the heat, mass and fluid transport in: microbiology, plant and human physiology, hematology, drug delivery systems. Innovations are sought in the following areas:

• Delineation of the effects of acceleration and radiation at the macro- and microscale levels on processes such as bacterial growth, growth rates, resistance to antibiotics and disinfectants, interactions among microbes, microbial locomotion and interaction with the surrounding fluid or solid medium, transport through cell membranes, electroosmotic flows, and cytoplasmic streaming, as well as quantification of metabolic processes and other phenomena that permit the examination of these problems
• Mass, momentum and energy transport in plant development, e.g., transport of nutrients through porous substrates to plant roots
• Effects of bulk fluid flows on biofilms and liposome formation
• Transendothelial transport
• Improved techniques for mixing and separation in microgravity
• Micro- or nanoscale modeling of fluid flows and mass transfer for drug delivery systems
• Development of flexible numerical models to complement experimental and theoretical studies, which may require adaptive mesh refinement, micro/macroscale modeling, and/or treatment of moving boundaries

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