U.S. businesses can take advantage of a vast pool of NASA-developed technology resources to find solutions to technical problems. Through a program known as Technology Transfer, NASA technology can be adapted, at little or no cost, to meet a particular need -- saving your company valuable time and money. Applications for NASA technology are widespread, from building prototypes of new production items to nondestructive testing of an existing component.

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 Film Processing Module - A new film/adhesive lay-down module and fiber placement technology enables the processing of both a composite structure and a film or film adhesive on the same placement machine without having to interrupt either process.

  Portable Powered Seat Lift - NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a portable seat lift that can help individuals lower themselves into a sitting position or rise to a standing position. The device consists of a seat mounted on a base with two levers, which are powered by a drive unit that lifts the weight of the user..

  Compact Mass Spectrometer - Developed at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, this time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) analyzer offers a reduced size while maintaining the capabilities of many larger instruments. This technology utilizes a new, compact, drift-tube design that achieves outstanding performance in a small package. NASA's technology can be used in instruments performing a variety of analyses in biotechnology, pharmacology, and general chemistry.

  Stepper Motor Control - NASA has developed a novel power-saving control method for stepper motors and is now offering this unique technology to US companies.

 Ternary Gas Plasma Welding Torch - (NASA) seeks to transfer the NASA-sponsored Ternary Gas Plasma Welding Torch technology to private industry for use in commercial applications. This device was developed by Lockheed Martin, for the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, to provide a faster, more efficient means of joining thicker materials with relatively low heat inputs.

  The NASA Operational Environment Team (NOET) - MSFC has been designated the lead Center for environmental replacement and propulsion technologies. The NOET team supports managers in the production, development, testing, and delivery of NASA hardware -- ensuring the hardware meets performance specifications as well as non-hazardous environmental requirements. NOET also serves as a clearinghouse for information about NASA-wide environmental projects dealing with replacements for currently used products that are harmful to the environment. A great deal of effort is being put into finding replacements for environmentally harmful adhesives, degreasers, dewaxers, fuels, paints and paint strippers, primers, insulation, flushing and cleaning agents, anodizing, precision-cleaning materials, blowing agents, and brazing alloys. At MSFC's Productivity Enhancement Complex, scientists are working to qualify and approve chemical substitutes -- and make this technology available to private industry.

  Productivity Enhancement Complex (PEC) - The Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) PEC is the focal point for cooperative research activities between MSFC and its contractors. The PEC is operated by the Materials and Processes Laboratory at MSFC. Here, NASA and industry work together to develop new materials, processes, and assembly techniques. The PEC can evolve along with new technologies. With more than 40 research cells, the PEC can accommodate a variety of activities.

 Low-cost, Passive Light Exposure Monitor - NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has produced a passive light exposure monitor that is small, reusable, highly accurate, and tunable for exposure and wavelength -- all at a price that makes it a disposable item.

  Friction Stir Welding - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) engineers, working in the Metallurgical Research and Development Branch of the Materials and Processes Laboratory, have developed a welding process with the capability to make straight lines without bringing the parent materials to the liquid stage. Click here for success stories.

 Two-dimensional identification Coding - Researchers at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) have developed a series of technologies for marking and detecting images of two-dimensional matrix symbol patterns used to identify and track manufactured items. These matrix symbols can be hidden from view (e.g., beneath coatings or on the back side of a surface) or embedded in an assembly. As part of an automatic identification scheme, these matrix symbols offer high information density -- far more than traditional one-dimensional bar code technologies.

  Diffractive Optics - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) is the Center of Excellence for Space Optical Systems. Because of this, MSFC is NASA's lead center for identifying the technologies required to affordably produce the large space telescopes necessary for future missions. The Center has a responsibility to successfully infuse new technology into future missions.

  Measuring Instrumentation Development and Evaluation - The Instrumentation Branch of the Instrumentation and Control Division at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama has the expertise and facilities to conduct research, development, evaluation, and selection of measuring instrumentation for a variety of applications.

  Avionics Systems Simulation - Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) has developed a unique avionics simulations capability by integrating several existing MSFC avionics testbeds. The NASA Federal Laboratory Review Task Force has declared this simulation system the best throughout the world for the aerospace community. The unique capability to perform extensive end-to-end avionics system testing in an environment not previously available makes this a "world class" facility.

  Stereolithography - Scientists at MSFC's Rapid Prototyping Center are using laser technology to build parts with photocurable resins. From computer-aided-design files, parts are created by a machine which directs the laser to cure the resin, layer by layer. Next the prototype parts are post-cured in an ultraviolet oven. Although stereolithography has been used mainly to produce concept models, this process has also created parts that were later cast in MSFC's foundry, using various types of metals ranging from aluminum to superalloys.

  Fluid Dynamics Analysis and Testing - Technical problems involving fluid mechanics and dynamics are being addressed by MSFC's Structures and Dynamics Laboratory. Scientists use a variety of analytical and experimental tools to examine different aspects of fluid dynamic phenomena. Studies include computational fluid dynamics, empirical methods and classical analysis, acoustic analysis, and experimental testing -- using either air, water, or other surrogate fluids. Although this Marshall facility has a background in fluid dynamics relating to launch vehicles and rocket engines, recent applications include a water-jet pump optimization, analysis and testing of an automotive power steering pump, and flow analysis of insertion of a prosthetic hip joint.

  Composite Manufacturing - Stronger, lighter-weight composite materials are being developed at Marshall's Productivity Enhancement Complex. These composite materials, which are typically a resin matrix reinforced with high-strength fibers, can be shaped to meet specific industry requirements. Working with different materials, such as glass, Kevlar, and carbon/graphite fibers, scientists are manufacturing materials that are less prone to corrosion and less sensitive to crack formation than conventional metals.

  Tribology - the study of friction, lubrication, and wear of surfaces in relative motion -- is the subject of many tests and evaluations being conducted at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in Huntsville, Alabama. These scientists and engineers are searching for ways to provide more efficient, longer-lasting moving parts. NASA scientists are working with industry engineers to develop better bearing components for use in high-speed machinery

 Technology Opportunities