Volume 11, Number 3 • Fall 2003 • Software Spotlight

Software Technology Works for NASA

Over the last several years, software development and application activities driven by NASA’s Enterprises have emerged as a growing source of technological innovation for NASA and the nation. Reflecting both the evolution of NASA R&D and the increased emphasis on managing software as a key technology asset, the reporting of new software technology developed for NASA has doubled since 1998. Software technology currently accounts for one-third of all new, NASA-sponsored technology reported to the Agency.

Inventorying the hundreds of software programs and associated algorithms, models and methods resulting from NASA R&D is only the first step, however, in realizing the potential applications and value of NASA-sponsored software technology. To this end, NASA seeks to transfer, enhance and apply software technology in collaboration with commercial firms and research institutions in ways that aid NASA mission programs and enable industrial use and commercial development. For example, the recent licensing of the Quantitative Risk Assessment System (QRAS) software, which was developed by the University of Maryland and NASA, bolsters the capabilities of a small US firm serving a
worldwide market and provides for NASA’s use of the commercially enhanced version of the
software.

As in the case of QRAS, NASA recognizes that technological innovation—putting technology to work—requires world-class R&D and the skillful transfer and application of resulting technology in ways that yield performance improvements and other competitive advantages. Innovation further depends upon entrepreneurship and a combination of business and technical factors, including the sourcing of private capital, that are key to realizing the potential of new technology. Thus, staying in touch with business, market and investment conditions shaping the development and use of new technology is a key aspect of the Agency’s efforts to foster technological innovation in partnership with industry. To this end, a broad review of the software marketplace was conducted to assess opportunity areas for the transfer and collaborative development of software technology (see “Software Spotlight,” Aerospace Technology Innovation, Volume 11, No. 2, Summer 2003).

More recently, two NASA Enterprises—Aerospace Technology and Biological and Physical Research—joined together to sponsor the 2003 conference of the National Association of Seed and Venture Funds (NASVF) held November 2–4 in Baltimore, MD. Two NASA pioneering software technologies were examined during this conference: the Hilbert-Huan Transform (HHT) and the Embedded Web Technology (EWT). The HHT provides an efficient, adaptive and user-friendly method for analyzing data from physical signals. In turn, the EWT enables real-time remote control and monitoring of embedded systems via a standard Web browser.

As shown by QRAS, HHT, EWT and other software technologies, the cutting-edge research and technology undertaken for NASA’s mission programs offer a wealth of opportunities for the nation’s economic growth, competitiveness and quality of life. We invite you to explore these opportunities and partner with NASA to make innovation happen. *

To learn more, go to http://www.nctn.hq.nasa.gov/software/ or contact Jonathan Root, NASA Headquarters, 202/358-1845. Please mention you read about it in Innovation.

NASA Official: Jonathan Root • Web Design: Printing & Design Office, NASA Headquarters • Credits