Technology Transfer Repor t

O f f i ce o f Te c h n o l o g y Tr a n s f e r

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Goddard Space Flight Center
Technology Transfer’s Role 

in NASA’s Space 

Exploration Vision

On January 14, 2004, President 

Bush announced a new vision for 

the nation’s Space Exploration 

program—one designed to advance 

U.S. scientific, security, and economic 

interests. Within weeks, the National 

Aeronautics and Space Administration 

turned that policy statement into a 

new, bold framework for exploring 

our solar system—The Vision for 

Space Exploration.

2004 Technology Transfer Report
NASA’s Space Exploration missions require advanced systems and 

capabilities that will accelerate the development of many critical technologies:

• Power

• Computing

• Nanotechnology

• Biotechnology

As articulated in the Vision, “These technologies underpin and advance the 

U.S. economy and help ensure national security. NASA plans to work with 

other government agencies and the private sector to develop space systems 

that can address national and commercial needs.”

Transferring technologies to and from the private sector, universities, and 

other government laboratories as part of Space Exploration can

• Boost NASA’s technical strength via an infusion of external technology 

solutions

• Enhance U.S. economic strength via new technology, new products, and 

increased exports

The Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) at NASA Goddard Space Flight 

Center helps to achieve these goals through spin-in and spin-out of 

technology. In fiscal year 2004, OTT refocused these efforts to begin to 

address NASA’s new Space Exploration goals.

This report summarizes the spin-in partnerships formed in FY04 to accelerate 

technology development for the Space Exploration program and other 

NASA missions. It also presents spin-out partnerships that accelerate private 

sector and university research and development as well as enhance regional 

economic development (pages 23–24). Also included is a review of how we 

achieve these and future successes, including new modes of doing business 

(page 3) and process improvements (page 10).

• Communications

• Networking

• Robotics

• Materials

More information about NASA’s Vision for Space Exploration is available online:

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/explore_main.html

Office of Technology Transfer
Contents

Our 2004 Successes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Achieving Our Success . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

 Involving Innovators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

 Outreach to Potential Partners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

How to Contact Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

2004 Technology Transfer Report
Our 2004 Successes

For Goddard’s Office of Technology Transfer, success is 

defined in terms of two types of partnerships:

∑ Spin-in partnerships: Industry, academia, and 

other government labs serve as valuable resources 

for NASA. Partnerships to use their technologies 

can help NASA achieve its goals faster and more 

efficiently. Similarly, technologies developed 

at one NASA Field Center for a specific project 

might be applicable to work underway at other 

Field Centers. This type of technology spin-in 

helps NASA gain greater returns on its research 

investments.

∑ Spin-out partnerships: Space program 

technologies often can benefit other industries. 

Partnerships to find new commercial and academic 

applications for NASA-developed technologies benefit 

the U.S. economy, the lives of the citizenry, and the 

U.S.’s competitiveness in the global marketplace.

 These pages summarize Goddard OTT’s spin-in and

 spin-out successes for FY04.

1 Office of Technology Transfer
2 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Goddard’s Successful HHT Software Benefits NASA and Other 

Government Labs

The Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT) technology is an innovative 

algorithm for analyzing signals from naturally occurring 

phenomena—that is, nonlinear and nonstationary signals that 

cannot be processed using the standard Fast Fourier Transform 

method. Not only has this technology (and its inventor) won several 

awards, but it also is providing major benefits throughout NASA and U.S. 

government agencies.

In FY04, Goddard’s OTT helped secure the following five spin-in partnerships 

for the software program that implements the HHT algorithms:

• NASA Ames Research Center will use HHT to analyze data from tests of 

rotocraft.

• The software provides Goddard’s Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes with 

a better method for analyzing microwave data related to snowfall on ice sheets.

• As part of a spin-out partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 

(BIDMC), NASA Dryden Flight Center will use BIDMC’s HHT-related findings 

for air wing flutter analysis.

• The Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., will apply HHT to 

(1) analysis of oceanographic and meteorological data and (2) analysis of 

vegetation data.

• The intelligence community will work collaboratively with Goddard to apply 

HHT to speech/speaker recognition applications for antiterrorism and crime 

investigation/prevention work. This effort will benefit NASA also as these 

advances could be applied to human-robotics interface and systems access 

control for Space Exploration applications.

As it heads into FY05, Goddard’s OTT is pursuing even more spin-in partnerships for this technology as well as spin-out arrangements to benefit the private 

sector and academia. These partnerships are the result of extensive outreach by 

OTT. A key tool in OTT’s outreach effort is a comprehensive Web site (http://

techtransfer.gsfc.nasa.gov/HHT/) that allows those interested in using HHT 

to download an evaluation copy. (For more information about this innovative 

approach to transfer NASA software, see page 3.) 

2 2004 Technology Transfer Report
3 Office of Technology Transfer

New Modes of Doing Business

OTT’s New Approach to Software Transfer

To help get Goddard-developed software into the 

hands—and onto the computers—of other users, 

OTT is harnessing the power of the Internet. As 

successfully demonstrated with the pilot effort 

initiated for Goddard’s Hibert-Huang Transform 

software, this online system dramatically speeds up 

the technology transfer process.

The online process involves the following steps:

• Individuals register their interest in the software via an 

online form on the technology’s Web site, which includes 

detailed information about the software and how it can be 

used. In registering their interest, potential users indicate 

their intentions for the software—whether it is to be used 

for internal research, collaboration, licensing, government 

use, or other applications.

• Upon verification, OTT e-mails the requestor a formal 

Evaluation Software Usage Agreement to be signed and 

faxed back to Goddard.

• Once Goddard receives the signed form, OTT provides a 

Web address for downloading an evaluation copy of the 

software.

• At the end of the evaluation period, the requestor can apply 

for a license for long-term use of the software.

Given the success of this approach with HHT—approximately 

270 individuals have used the online system to register their 

interest in the software—OTT is initiating such an effort for 

other Goddard-developed software programs, such as the 

Hierarchical Segmentation (HSEG) software (see pages 12 

and 15). 

Goddard’s OTT also is considering other ways the Internet 

might be useful in speeding up technology transfer of its 

patented, nonsoftware technologies.

http://techtransfer.gsfc.nasa.gov/HHT/register.htm
4 2004 Technology Transfer Report

A University Par tnership for Fiber Optics 

Development

In July 2004, Goddard signed an agreement with Syracuse 

University to jointly produce and evaluate the performance 

of an innovative fiber optic technology. This technology 

is expected to offer significant benefits to aerospace and 

telecommunications applications.

This cooperative work involves optical fiber sensors that have 

a thin film of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) deposited between 

their glass core and cladding. Preliminary tests show that the 

thin film acts as a highly sensitive photoelastic and electrooptic 

boundary layer that responds readily to external strain. 

Researchers’ next step is to make an optical fiber modulator in 

the form of a D-shaped fiber with metal electrodes on the flat 

surface.

Goddard and Syracuse have agreed to pursue this step together. 

By combining Goddard’s expertise in fiber optic technology 

with the full electrooptic lab in Syracuse’s Electrical and 

Computer Engineering Department, researchers will prepare 

and manufacture the LiNbO3 optical fibers. These fibers then 

will be tested in Goddard’s photonics laboratory. By pooling 

their resources, both Goddard and Syracuse can advance their 

understanding of this innovative technology and its potential 

applications while expediting the development and testing 

process. 

4 2004 Technology Transfer Report
5 Office of Technology Transfer

Company Makes Dramatic Progress by Licensing 

Goddard Technology 

When the company Titus Group began to look for technical 

solutions to its processes for manufacturing high-pressure 

fittings, automotive components, bearings, and other 

products, NASA did not immediately come to mind. But, 

in fact, working with NASA technology gave the company 

insights into a solution.

Researchers at Goddard had developed a process for coating substrates 

with a rapidly solidifying metal. This process uses a high-velocity spray 

that causes a metal powder and small peening particles to react during 

impact with a substrate surface, causing the metal powder to become 

solid quickly and bond to the substrate. If the substrate is also metallic, 

this process favorably affects its mechanical characteristics.

Titus licensed this technology from Goddard in January 2004. By 

March, the company had made a significant leap forward with its 

processes and products. For example, the coefficient of friction and 

corrosion protection of Titus’s products were significantly improved. 

These advances positioned Titus to merge with another company, and it 

is now called Integrated Micrometallurgical Systems (IMS). The merger 

provided access to more equipment, enabled a large market study to be 

conducted, and provided access to new potential customers in various 

industries. For example, IMS’s new automotive components might be of 

interest to Formula 1 racecar manufacturers.

The advances the company has made may come back to NASA to 

further benefit the space program. OTT facilitated such discussions 

between IMS and Goddard researchers as well as other Field Centers. 
6 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Goddard Technology Goes International and Enhances 

U.S. Economic Strength

In order to build improved data-recovery systems for ground 

support of Earth observation satellites, the Norway-based company 

Kongsberg Spacetec licensed Goddard’s high-rate digital demodulator (HRDD) technology in March 2004.

Goddard’s HRDD technology is a receiver that enables incredibly fast—up to 600 million bits per second (Mbps)—digital 

demodulation and bit synchronization using dual-ASIC circuitry. 

This circuitry enables the use of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology rather than gallium arsenide (GaAs), allowing for a 

more compact design and lower power requirements at a lower cost. The HRDD 

receiver can process highly synchronized data transmissions—either quadrature 

phase shift keying (QPSK) or binary PSK modulated data streams—from orbital 

satellites. 

By licensing Goddard’s technology, Kongsberg Spacetec will make HRDD 

receivers using chips purchased from a U.S. manufacturer, thus providing 

benefits to the national economy. Kongsberg’s HRDD receivers then can be used 

to recover telemetry data, providing NASA with integrated and reliable systems 

at a low cost.
7 Office of Technology Transfer

Nytec Providing Capaciflector Prototypes for Various 

Applications

Based in Seattle, Washington, Nytec provides engineering services to 

companies in various industries. And now Nytec provides Goddard 

technology as well. In May 2004, Goddard signed an agreement 

allowing Nytec to develop application-specific prototypes of 

Goddard’s patented capaciflector technology. 

This highly versatile technology is a capacitive element that can be used in 

sensing distance between objects. The technology is highly precise. For instance, 

when used in the robot operating materials processing system aboard the Space 

Shuttle in 1994, the capaciflector enabled precision alignment of less than 

0.004 inches—a NASA record. The capaciflector also is rugged and durable, as 

demonstrated by its flawless performance during the Dante robot mission in an 

Antarctic volcano. These and other features of the capaciflector technology make 

it useful in a wide range of industries, including automotive, industrial robotics, and security. NASA is also considering its use in the Hubble Space Telescope 

robotic servicing mission.

Under the license, Nytec is authorized to make prototype capaciflectors for its 

customers’ applications, such as collision avoidance and “smart” valves, airbags, 

and other devices. If those customers find that the technology meets their needs, 

they license it directly from Goddard. (See page 20 for more information about 

this and other types of partnership and licensing agreements.)
8 2004 Technology Transfer Report

a.i. solutions Turns Attitude Determination System into 

Commercial Product

 In April 2004, the Maryland-based company a.i. solutions signed 

a nonexclusive copyright-patent license agreement for Goddard’s 

Multimission Attitude Determination System (ADS-MATLAB). 

The company will integrate the software into its premier missionplanning product, FreeFlyer. 

Developed by Goddard’s Flight Dynamics Analysis Branch, ADS-MATLAB 

is a unique software system for analyzing and processing spacecraft attitude 

sensor and actuator data. It provides a complete set of portable tools that can 

be applied to most spacecraft, and its highly adaptable architecture allows it to 

conform to specific mission configuration requirements. The use of MATLAB 

allows for graphic user interfaces to be easily created and adapted for individual mission needs. a.i. solutions recognized the value of this and the software’s 

many other innovations.

In providing ADS-MATLAB as a commercial product, a.i. solutions will make 

it user-friendly; develop full documentation; and provide customer support, 

maintenance, and updates.
9 Office of Technology Transfer

Achieving Our Success

Goddard’s Office of Technology 

Transfer is proud of its achievements in fiscal year 2004. And 

we look forward to creating 

even more spin-in and spin-out

success stories in 2005. We achieve 

these successes via two paths: 

involving innovators and outreach 

to potential partners. This section 

describes the activities along these 

two paths.

9 Office of Technology Transfer
10 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Process Improvements

Spotlight on Spin-In

With the new Vision for Space Exploration and the challenging 

mission goals it established, Goddard’s Office of Technology Transfer is redoubling its efforts to infuse NASA 

with established technologies (i.e., spin-in). One way 

that OTT is seeking to foster these spin-in successes is by 

streamlining its process.

A key aspect of spin-in is needs identification: What problems 

are NASA scientists trying to solve? OTT is in the process of 

building a systematic process for gathering these needs from 

Goddard researchers and project managers. This process will 

include a Web-based system for information gathering, which 

is expected to go online in early FY05.

If a solution is not readily available within NASA, OTT will 

conduct rapid research to determine whether an outside source 

can provide a solution. If so, OTT will help foster Goddard’s 

relationship with that organization—be it a private company, university, or 

government lab. 

OTT’s efforts will help NASA achieve its Space Exploration goals. We look 

forward to working with Goddard innovators and external organizations to 

make spin-in happen quickly, 

allowing all parties—and the 

American people—to benefit.
11 Office of Technology Transfer

Involving Innovators

Goddard’s innovators—the scientific and technical staff working toward NASA mission goals 

every day—are a key starting point for technology transfer. They know the technical challenges 

that must be overcome to ensure successful NASA missions—that is, they recognize opportunities 

for a spin-in of outside technology. They also are intimately familiar with Goddard’s technical 

strengths and technology portfolio. These technologies may be transferred to other NASA Field 

Centers or government labs to maximize the return on the nation’s R&D investment—achieving 

additional spin-in successes—or spun-out to private businesses or universities and colleges to 

benefit the nation’s economy and technical edge.

Without the participation of Goddard’s scientific and technical staff, the Office of Technology 

Transfer could not achieve its goals. We thank these innovators for their involvement in FY04.

Robert Abell

Eliezer Ahronovich

Eddie Akpan

Wes Alexander

Jeannette Benavides

Michael Beamesderfer

Karen Blank

Jonathan Bryson

Richard Burg

Steven Cagiano

Edgar Canavan

Rene Carlos

Cynthia Cheung

Charles Clagett

David Clark

Barry Coyle

Alan Cudmore

Steven Curtis

Milton Davis 

Bruce Dean

Michael DiPirro

John Dorband

Johnny Erickson

David Everett

Lee Feinberg

Tom Flatley

Kathy Fontaine

James Geiger

John Hagopian

Ellen Herring

Mike Hinchey

Paul Houser

Norden Huang

Mindy Jacobson

Tracee Jamison 

Donald Jennings

Noble Jones

John Keller

Ritva Keski-Kuha

Semion Kizhner

Doug Leviton 

Luther Lighty

Julia Loftis

Christopher Lynnes

Walt Moleski

Ross Nelson

Stephanie Nickens

Raymond Ohl

Brian Ottens

Bradford Parker

Robin Pfister

Andrea Poulin

W. Dan Powell

Diane Pugel

Glenn Rakow

James Rash

Russell Roder

Jacob Rosenberg

Peter Rossoni

Henry Sampler

Peter Shirron

Carl Strojny

James Sturm

Joseph Swinski

Farhad Tahmasebi

James Tilton

Bruce Vollmer

John Vranish

Melissa Webb

Michael White

David Whiteman

Said Zewari

This section describes OTT’s FY04 efforts to involve Goddard 

innovators in technology transfer.

11 Office of Technology Transfer
12 2004 Technology Transfer Report

The NTR Program

The New Technology Reports (NTRs) that Goddard 

researchers submit concerning their technological developments are a key element of Goddard’s technology transfer 

success. Not only do they help Goddard understand its 

technology assets available for spin-out to the private sector 

and academia, but NTRs also help Goddard in its strategic 

planning for spin-in. In addition to representing Goddard’s strengths, areas 

of excellence, and expertise, NTRs help indicate gaps that need to be filled 

or where Goddard’s capabilities must be complemented by what the private 

sector, academia, and other government labs can offer.

Because of the importance of NTRs, the Office of Technology Transfer 

hosts a formal “NTR Program” every year to recognize those who submitted 

NTRs. More than 100 people attended this year’s NTR Program, which was 

hosted by Clay Anderson, meteorologist for NEWS4 (pictured lower left).

In addition to bestowing several awards (see pages 13–14), OTT uses the 

NTR Program to present a particularly significant technology transfer 

success story. This year’s event featured the Hierarchical Segmentation 

(HSEG) Software, which is being used by multiple NASA programs as well 

as in industry and academia, making it a spin-in and spin-out success. 

Bartron Medical Imaging used HSEG and other NASA technology to 

manufacture Med-Seg, a device for analyzing medical X-rays. Med-Seg is 

being used by researchers at the School of Dental Medicine at the University 

of Connecticut. Med-Seg also might be used to further benefit NASA, as 

Bartron works with a Goddard researcher to apply the device in improving 

fiber optic assemblies.
13 Office of Technology Transfer

Awards

Awards encourage Goddard’s innovators to participate in technology transfer as well as promote 

Goddard technologies to potential partners. The Office of Technology Transfer submits Goddard 

inventions for awards bestowed by outside organizations as well as awards given by NASA’s 

Inventions and Contributions Board (http://icb.nasa.gov). In addition, OTT created the Kerley 

Award to recognize an innovator demonstrating significant commitment to technology transfer.

Nanotechnology Researcher Wins Kerley Award

Named after the late James Kerley, a Goddard scientist who 

championed technology transfer, the Kerley Award is presented 

annually to recognize a Goddard researcher’s commitment to 

new technology reporting and the technology transfer process. 

The 2004 Kerley Award was given to Jeannette B. Benavides 

for her outstanding help to OTT in its efforts to transfer her 

manufacturing process for single-walled carbon nanotubes 

(SWCNTs).

Dr. Benavides’s technology uses a helium arc welding process 

to vaporize an amorphous carbon rod. The vapor deposits 

onto a water-cooled carbon cathode, forming the SWCNTs. 

By avoiding the use of a metal catalyst, this production 

process is simpler, safer, and much less expensive than other 

forms of CNT manufacturing. Dramatically lowering the cost 

enables SWCNTs to reach their full potential. They can be 

used in medicine, microelectronics, scanning force/tunneling 

microscopy, materials, and molecular containment.

The 10th recipient of the Kerley Award, Dr. Benavides 

was honored at the annual NTR Program (see page 12).
14 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Patent Awards

At the NTR Program in April (see page 12), Goddard’s Office of Patent Counsel presented 

Patent Awards—including plaques and cash rewards—to nine innovators, who had U.S. 

patents issued for their Goddard technologies last year:

• Charles Campbell

• Norden Huang

• John Kolasinski

• James Poland, Jr.

• David Quinn

• John Sutton

• Theodore Swanson

• John Vranish

• Michael Wade

Since January 1, 2004, 12 Goddard technologies received U.S. patents:

U.S. Patent No. Technology Name

6,691,033 System and Method for Calibrating Inter-Star-Tracker Misalignments in a Stellar Inertial Attitude Determination System

6,697,818 Methods and Apparatus for Constructing and Implementing a Universal Extension Module for Processing Objects in a 

Database

6,734,602 Linear Magnetostrictive Actuator

6,738,734 Empirical Mode Decomposition Apparatus, Method and Article of Manufacture for Analyzing Biological Signals and 

Performing Curve Fitting

6,740,224 Method of Manufacturing Carbon Nanotubes

6,742,761 Miniature Latching Valve

6,744,470 Synchronization of Video Recording and Laser Pulses Including Background Light Suppression

6,760,487 Estimated Spectrum Adaptive Postfilter and the Iterative Prepost Filtering Algorithms

6,760,664 Autonomous Navigation System Based on GPS and Magnetometer Data 

6,765,195 Method and Apparatus for Two-Dimensional Absolute Optical Encoding

6,775,600 Systems and Methods for Determining Spacecraft Orientation

6,782,124 Three-Dimensional Empirical Mode Decomposition Analysis Apparatus and Method

Goddard also submitted 7 patent applications and 18 provisional patent applications. It is 

expected that patents will be issued to these technologies in the coming years.

14 2004 Technology Transfer Report
15 Office of Technology Transfer

Mid-Atlantic FLC Recognizes Two Goddard Technologies

The Mid-Atlantic chapter of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology 

Transfer (FLC) bestowed its Regional Excellence in Technology Transfer Award 

to two Goddard innovators at its September 16, 2004, meeting. This prestigious 

award recognizes laboratory employees who have accomplished outstanding 

work in the process of transferring a technology developed by a federal laboratory to the commercial marketplace.

One winner was James C. Tilton for his Hierarchical Segmentation (HSEG) 

software technology. Also featured at the 2004 NTR Program (see page 12), the 

HSEG technology provides a new approach to image analysis, focusing on image 

regions—and how they change depending on how fine the resolution is—rather 

than just pixels.

Goddard researcher Russell Carpenter and his colleagues developed the second 

Mid-Atlantic FLC Award winner: the GPS-Enhanced Onboard Navigation 

System. This technology is a flight software package that provides onboard 

orbit determination and control in real time, with higher accuracy, and without 

human intervention while working within limited computing resources.

These technologies also will be submitted for national-level FLC awards, which 

will be given at the May 2005 meeting in Orlando, Florida.
16 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Eight Goddard Technologies Receive Space Act Board Awards

In fiscal year 2004, eight Goddard technologies were recognized by NASA for their significant 

scientific and technical contributions. The applications for the Space Act Board Awards were 

prepared by OTT and submitted to NASA’s Innovations and Contributions Board. Not only do 

Space Act Board Awards represent recognition by NASA, but the innovators also receive a cash 

award for their exceptional efforts.

The recipients of Space Act Board Awards in FY04 were the following:

• Adhesive Bubble Removal Technique 

and Fixture for Fiber Optic Applications, 

developed by John Kolasinksi

• Gear Bearings, developed by John Vranish

• GPS “Compound Eye” Navigation and 

Attitude Sensor, developed by David Quinn 

• Heat-Driven Pulse Pump, developed by 

Steve Benner and Mario Martins

• Hilbert-Huang Transform Data Processing System, developed by Norden Huang, 

Karin Blank, Thomas Flatley, Semion 

Kizhner, and Darrell Smith

• Holographic Circle-to-Point Converter, 

developed by Matthew McGill, Vibart Scott, 

and Marzouk Marzouk

• Microlaser Altimeter, developed by John 

Degnan

• SHARM—Software Solving the 

Monochromatic Radiation Transfer 

Problem in Planetary Atmosphere Using 

Spherical Harmonic Methods, developed 

by Alexei Lyapustin

16 2004 Technology Transfer Report
17 Office of Technology Transfer

NASA Tech Briefs Awards

NASA Tech Briefs is a monthly publication 

reporting new, commercially significant NASA 

technologies. To encourage Goddard innovators to announce their technologies, the Office 

of Technology Transfer provides cash awards 

for publishing in NASA Tech Briefs.

In FY04, the following eight technologies were 

published in NASA Tech Briefs:

• Pseudoslit Spectrometer (GSC-13806-1): 

Functioning similarly to a slit spectrometer, 

this instrument is optomechanically simpler. 

(April 2004)

• Analyzing Dynamics of Cooperating 

Spacecraft (GSC-14735-1): This software 

library enables high-fidelity computational 

simulation of the dynamics of multiple 

spacecraft distributed over a region of outer 

space and acting with a common purpose. 

(June 2004)

• Charge-Dissipative Electrical Cables (GSC14648-1): In addition to performing their 

main functions of conducting signals, these 

electrical cables dissipate spurious static electric charges. (June 2004)

• Improved Nutation Damper for a SpinStabilized Spacecraft (GSC-14733-1): This 

technology would address the problem of 

accommodating thermal expansion of the 

damping liquid in spin-stabilized spacecraft. 

(June 2004)

NASA Tech Briefs is available online: http://www.nasatech.com

• Arc-Second Pointer for Balloon-Borne 

Astronomical Instrument (GSC-14715-1):

This notable innovation eliminates the 

effects of static friction in bearings. (June 

2004).

• Improving Control of Two Motor 

Controllers (GSC-14744-1): This computer 

program controls motors that drive translation stages in a metrology system that 

consists of a pair of two-axis cathetometers. 

This program is specific to Compumotor 

Gemini motors and the Compumotor 6Kseries motor controller (or their equivalents). 

(June 2004)

• Ultralow-Power Digital Correlator for 

Microwave Polarimetry (GSC-14746-

1): This high-speed digital correlator is 

especially well suited for processing readings 

of a passive microwave polarimeter. (August 

2004)

• Manufacturing High-Quality Carbon 

Nanotubes at Lower Cost (GSC-14601-1): 

This modified electric-arc welding process 

can be used to manufacture high-quality 

batches of carbon nanotubes at relatively low 

cost—about 1/20 that of other processes. 

(September 2004)
18 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Venture Capital Project Workshop

To build inventor interest in 

technology transfer partnerships, 

Goddard hosted a Venture Capital 

Project Workshop on June 29, 

2004. The event gave the nearly 50 

Goddard researchers attending an 

opportunity to learn about the issues 

involved when partnering with a 

start-up company. For more information about this event, see page 24.

Attendance at Conferences

Presenting their technologies at regional or national conference is an excellent 

professional opportunity for Goddard’s scientific and technical staff. Because of 

the value these presentations also offer in terms of outreach to potential partners 

(see page 19), the Office of Technology Transfer helps arrange innovator participation at these events.

In FY04, the Office of Technology Transfer helped seven Goddard innovators 

present eleven technologies at three professional conferences. For more information on the Office’s participation in technology conferences, see page 26.
19 Office of Technology Transfer

Outreach to Potential Partners

In order to be successful in achieving our spin-in and 

spin-out objectives, the Office of Technology Transfer 

must conduct extensive outreach to potential 

partners in industry and academia as well as at other 

government laboratories and NASA Field Centers. 

Through this outreach, the Office can convey:

• Goddard’s needs for technology or specialized 

expertise to achieve NASA mission goals—spin-in

• Goddard innovations and expertise that are

available to solve their technical challenges—

spin-out

 The Office of Technology Transfer undertakes 

a variety of outreach activities to 

communicate effectively with potential 

partners. This section describes these 

activities in FY04.

19 Office of Technology Transfer
20 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Agreements for Use of Goddard Technologies and 

Facilities

The Office of Technology Transfer uses several vehicles to make Goddard 

innovations available for use by outside organizations:

Space Act Agreement (SAA): Under an SAA, the external partner and 

Goddard work together on joint research that meets the technical needs of both 

parties. For instance, a private company might work with Goddard to integrate a 

NASA technology into its existing product line while providing expertise on how 

the original technology can be improved to benefit NASA.

Software Usage Agreement (SUA): This agreement allows Goddarddeveloped software to be used by other parties for specific purposes. In some 

cases, the duration of the agreement is limited so that the user can test it on a 

preliminary basis, followed by a license agreement for longer term access to the 

software. For more information on OTT’s online approach to SUAs, see page 3.

Prototyping License: The licensee develops application-specific prototypes 

of a patented Goddard invention for other organizations wanting to evaluate 

the technology for their own use. If the technology meets their needs, those 

organizations sign a license with Goddard to use it on a more ongoing basis. The 

prototyping licensee helps to reduce time to market for the potential user while 

improving Goddard’s opportunities for licensing.

Exclusive/Nonexclusive License: An organization may apply for an exclusive, 

an exclusive in a field of use, a co-exclusive, or a nonexclusive license to use or 

manufacture a Goddard technology. In most cases, royalties (e.g., a percentage of 

sales) are paid to Goddard.
21 Office of Technology Transfer

Making Goddard Technologies Available

Potential partners can find out about available Goddard technologies and 

expertise via various sources:

Technology Opportunity Sheets: The Office publishes these one-page 

descriptions of available Goddard technologies throughout the year.

Goddard’s Office of Technology Transfer Web Site: The Office’s online 

offerings include featured technologies, virtual tours of Goddard facilities, and 

access to other NASA technology sources (http://techtransfer.gsfc.nasa.gov).

NASA TechFinder: This is an online clearinghouse for technologies available 

from any NASA Field Center (http://technology.nasa.gov/).

NASA Tech Briefs: The Office helps Goddard innovators publish their technologies in this monthly periodical read by original equipment manufacturer 

(OEM) design/development engineers and managers (see page 17).

The Office of Technology Transfer also hosts and attends events where potential 

partners can hear more about available Goddard technologies (see pages 22–26).
22 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Hosting and Attending Events

Goddard’s Office of Technology Transfer hosts and attends a variety of events 

to disseminate information about available Goddard technologies—as well as 

NASA’s scientific and technical needs—to potential partners. In FY04, the Office 

hosted or helped organize four such events and attended several technology 

conferences (see page 26).

Joint Venture Opportunity Workshops

In order to achieve its formidable Space Exploration goals in the coming years, 

NASA must work cooperatively with industry and academia through joint 

research and technology spin-in. Goddard’s OTT hosted two workshops in 2004 

specifically designed to facilitate these cooperative relationships.

Held in Boston, Massachusetts, in February and in Rochester, New York, in 

April, the Joint Venture Opportunity Workshops featured several senior technologists from Goddard. These researchers provided an overview of Goddard’s many 

programs and technology needs. After these presentations, attendees could meet 

individually with Goddard staff to explore possible partnering opportunities. 

These events had excellent attendance, with nearly 50 individuals attending in 

Boston and nearly 90 people in Rochester. Goddard’s OTT is now pursuing 

opportunities with more than a dozen potential partners.
23 Office of Technology Transfer

Utica Business Forum

On April 6, 2004, Goddard OTT staff joined about 100 other attendees 

at “Making Connections: Federal Funding, Partnership and Technology 

Opportunities.” Sponsored by the State University of New York’s Institute of 

Technology (SUNY-IT), the forum was designed to connect NASA with business 

and academia in Central New York.

Events such as this achieve two goals. First, they teach companies and 

universities about working with NASA in an effort to build regional economic 

development. Second, they help identify new sources for technology and 

expertise that complement the skills available at Goddard (i.e., spin-in 

partnerships).

At the SUNY-IT event, Goddard personnel participated in a panel discussion 

of NASA’s future technology needs. The discussion proved valuable for the 

participants and the presenters, as many attendees stayed on to participate in 

individual discussions with the Goddard representatives.
24 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Venture Capital Project Workshop

On June 29, 2004, Goddard’s OTT and the University of Maryland (UMD) cosponsored the 

Venture Capital Project Workshop—the first of a series of events designed to boost regional 

economic development (see below). UMD participants came from its Office of Technology 

Commercialization and the R.H. Smith School of Business.

The event featured speakers from three venture capital companies: Novak Biddle Venture 

Partners, SpaceVest, and New Markets Growth Fund. Also presenting were NASA technology 

transfer staff as well as the Maryland Technology Development Corporation and the Baltimore 

Development Corporation’s Emerging Technology Center incubator.

OTT Works toward Regional Economic Development Goals

Goddard’s Office of Technology Transfer is participating in an initiative to 

enhance economic development in the Greater Potomac region. By meeting 

regularly with regional economic development organizations, venture capital 

groups, incubators, other government agencies, corporations, and university 

representatives, OTT is exploring how Goddard’s technology spin-in and 

spin-out efforts can boost the region’s economic standing. 

The group is developing a targeted economic development agenda and 

implementation plan. In addition, the series of innovator workshops that began 

on June 29th will continue into FY05, further stimulating interactions between 

Goddard researchers and regional businesses. The ultimate goal is to ensure 

that the preliminary positive outcomes of research make it through the “Valley 

of Death”—that is, the period of technology incubation and acceleration—and 

achieve successful product development and commercial introduction.

As an additional benefit, these meetings will provide OTT with ideas for opportunities to improve its spin-in and spin-out processes by changing its infrastructure and activities and becoming a best-practice leader in technology transfer.

24 2004 Technology Transfer Report
25 Office of Technology Transfer

Assistive Technology Exhibit and Forum

Hosted annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Office of Technology 

Policy, this event commemorates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which 

was signed into law 14 years ago. Held July 27, 2004, this event promoted and 

provided information about assistive technology and its recent advances.

OTT was one of 40 exhibitors from leading companies, government agencies, 

and associations advocating for persons with disabilities. Goddard’s compliant 

cable mechanisms, which were originally developed for the mechanical isolation 

of sounding rocket assemblies, have several applications to assistive technology:

• Secure Ambulation Module (SAM): Manufactured by Enduro Medical 

Technology, SAM is a rehabilitative device that helps patients with degenerative illness, traumatic injuries, or other afflictions to participate in standing 

and gait therapy in a safe, stable position. Goddard’s technology is a key 

element of SAM.

• Joints in Prosthetic Devices: Goddard’s technology provides a simple 

design at low cost, natural joint movement, realistic resistance, and 

excellent shock absorption.

25 Office of Technology Transfer
26 2004 Technology Transfer Report

Technology Conferences

As discussed on page 18, the Office of Technology Transfer helps coordinate the 

participation of Goddard researchers at various conferences. Not only does this 

provide a valuable professional benefit to the researchers—and thus encourage 

them to participate in technology transfer—but it also is an excellent venue 

for presenting Goddard technologies to targeted potential partners. Similarly, 

NASA’s technical and research needs can be presented in the hopes of generating 

spin-in partnerships.

This year the following Goddard technologies were presented at three 

professional conferences:

Technology Event

Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerator SAMPE

Capaciflector-Based Technologies SMART Tech Trends 2004

Cartesian and Optical Encoders SMART Tech Trends 2004

Gear Bearings SMART Tech Trends 2004

NDES

Laser Power Stabilization Feedback System NDES

Passive Gas-Gap Heat Switch SAMPE

Rapid Prototypes NDES

Salt Pill Growth Process SAMPE

SMART Materials SAMPE

Specifications and Code Derivation Technology NDES

Steel Bearings NDES

Thin Film Parylene-C Real Time Sensor SMART Tech Trends 2004

NDES

SAMPE

NDES = National Design and Engineering Show

SAMPE = Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering
27 Office of Technology Transfer

How to Contact Us

The staff of the Office of Technology Transfer welcome calls and e-mails from 

industry, academia, government labs, and the general public interested in 

learning more about partnership opportunities with Goddard.

Telephone: (301) 286-5810

E-mail: techtransfer@gsfc.nasa.gov

Internet: http://techtransfer.gsfc.nasa.gov

Other Web Sites

NASA Goddard Space Flight Center http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov

NASA’s Commercial Technology Network http://nctn.hq.nasa.gov

NASA TechFinder http://technology.nasa.gov
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