Nasa is inviting proposals to develop and demonstrate scalable and cost-effective ultra-lightweight materials for use on future aerospace vehicles and structures.
The programme aims to create a manufacturing process to produce ultra-lightweight core materials as flat panels and curved structures, which will have less the area density of conventional honeycomb cores.
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Nasa Space Technology associate administrator Michael Gazarik said: "Technology drives exploration and ultra-lightweight materials will play a key role in our future missions.
"This call for proposals continues a cadence of solicitations that touch on a specific set of thrust areas needed to push human and robotic exploration farther in the solar system."
The proposals will demonstrate lower-mass alternatives to honeycomb or foam cores, which are used in composite sandwich structures.
Nasa said: "A common use for these sorts of composites is the shrouds for launch vehicles and other key technology components that will enable our journey to Mars."
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By GlobalDataIn addition to increasing mission capability, the lower-mass components help decrease mission costs.
The proposed project will focus on in-space propulsion and advanced solar arrays, robotics and avionics for outer planetary exploration, advanced materials and space observatory systems.
Nasa plans to award two contracts worth around $550,000 each as part of the first phase of development.
The development programme is managed by Nasa’s Langley Research Center in Virginia, US.
