August 31, 2010 Vol. 3, Issue 8
Innovation flourishes in unlikely corners at NASA.
From small research and technology projects to public contests like the Centennial Challenges, innovation springs from myriad sources at NASA. Several ASK Magazine features have spotlighted innovative efforts across the agency.
A New Design Approach: Modular Spacecraft
The designers of the Modular Common Bus began with capabilities rather than requirements, with the idea of maximizing the use of off-the-shelf or readily available components to create a small spacecraft for common use.
The Astronaut Glove Challenge: Big Innovation from a (Very) Small Team
How does an engineer working at his dining room table in Maine come up with one of the biggest innovations in space suit glove technology since the beginning of human space flight?
The Quest for Good IDEAS
Innovative Design Engineering Applications (IDEA), a course offered by the Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership, introduces a variety of tools that engineers can use to help conceive, develop, and test new design concepts. The emphasis on variety is deliberate because there is no single approach that works well in all contexts. “The design practice of systems engineering is more of an art learned through experience,” says course instructor John Sturrock.
The Next Big Thing is Small
They come in sizes small, micro, nano, and pico, with masses ranging from 500 kg (small) to 1 kg (pico). Satellites that can fit in a backpack are shrinking technology, reframing satellite science, and providing valuable mission training and experience to the next generation of engineers.
