Volume 9, Number 6 • November/December 2001 • Small Business/SBIR

NASA SBIR Companies Earn Tibbetts Awards

On October 2, 2001, representatives from small businesses, business assistance organizations and government officials from around the country met in Washington, DC for the annual Tibbetts Award ceremonies. The Tibbetts Awards are named for Roland Tibbetts, who is widely acknowledged as the “father” of the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR). The award was established to give national and well-deserved recognition to the small businesses and SBIR support organizations that exemplify the types of business, economic and technical development goals of the SBIR program.

NASA is extremely proud of many of the companies that participate in its SBIR program and is happy to announce that many of the 2001 Tibbetts winners have a relationship with NASA. The following are winners who have worked extensively with NASA:

Cox and Company, of New York, has developed an economical anti-icing system for general aviation aircraft. This system received FAA certification in May 2001 and is the first “new” ice-protection system to be certified in 40 years.

Sierra Lobo, Inc., headquartered in Fremont, Ohio, is a leader in cryogenic densification and has developed a Densified Propellant Management System that may help NASA save millions of dollars in launch costs.

Sensors Unlimited, Inc., located in Princeton, New Jersey, is a leading supplier of semiconductor diode lasers in the near-infrared range. Specifically for NASA, Sensors Unlimited has produced lasers that will support NASA’s miniature lidar instrument for remote sensing of the surface of Mars.

Aeptec Microsystems, Inc., of Rockville, Maryland, has developed the Earth Alert Notification System through NASA-funded SBIR research. The system is designed to provide information to first responders during disastrous events and thereby improve situational awareness. The system is completing a 90-day demonstration period designed to fully test the entire system.

NASA also had one of its service providers as a Tibbetts winner this year. The Louisiana Business and Technology Center (LBTC) has played a major role in promoting the SBIR program for 13 years. LBTC provides support to small business for SBIR proposal writing, as well as business development assistance such as developing business plans and marketing strategies.

More information about the Tibbetts Awards, including a listing of all of this year’s winners, as well as information about the nomination process, can be found at http://www.sba.gov/SBIR/. NASA encourages successful SBIR companies to consider submitting self-nominations. Q

For more information, contact Pam Guzzone at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, 301/286-3687, plguzzon@pop700.gsfc.nasa.gov. Please mention you read about it in Innovation.

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